Preceded by Laurie Scott Children 2 Spouse(s) Terri | Political party Liberal Succeeded by Laurie Scott Name Rick Johnson | |
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Constituency Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock | ||
Rick Johnson is a Canadian politician. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in a by-election on March 5, 2009, defeating Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leader John Tory in Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock. He is a member of the Liberal Party.
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Background
Before entering politics, Johnson was a musician, working alongside his wife Terri Crawford both in the Terry Crawford Band of the 1970s and 1980s and later as a children's music duo billed as Terri & Rick.
Politics
Johnson previously served as a public school trustee for, and chair of, the Trillium Lakelands District School Board and as president of the Ontario Public School Boards Association. In his term on the OPSBA, Johnson introduced breakfast, co-operative education and literacy programs for his district. He has also served on the Lindsay Chamber of Commerce.
Johnson was the Liberal candidate in Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock in the 2007 provincial election, losing to Laurie Scott. On January 9, 2009 Scott resigned her seat, in order to provide Conservative Leader John Tory a seat in the legislature. Johnson capitalized on public anger from Scott's move to narrowly defeat Tory in the subsequent by-election.
Johnson served as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure, Bob Chiarelli. He previously served as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. In the 2011 election, Johnson lost again to P.C. candidate Laurie Scott by 6,000 votes in the 2011 provincial election. He tried again in 2014 but lost again to Scott, this time by more than 3,000 votes.