Dick Ruston

Richard Fletcher Ruston (August 28, 1919 – May 19, 2002) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1967 to 1985, as a member of the Liberal Party.

Dick Ruston
Ontario MPP
In office 1975–1985
Preceded by	New riding
Succeeded by	Pat Hayes
Constituency	Essex North
In office 1967–1975
Preceded by	New riding
Succeeded by	Riding abolished
Constituency	Essex—Kent
Personal details
Born	(1919-08-28)August 28, 1919 Essex County, Ontario
Died	May 19, 2002(2002-05-19) (aged 82) Essex County, Ontario
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Shirley Ruston
Children	5
Occupation	Co-op Manager

Background

Ruston was born in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, and educated in the area. He was manager of the Essex County Medical Co-op. He and his wife Shirley lived in Essex where they raised five children.^[1]

Politics

Ruston was a councillor in Maidstone Township from 1960 to 1962, reeve of the community from 1963 to 1968, and an Essex County councillor.^[1]

He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1967 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative candidate Fred Cada by 991 votes.^[2] He was re-elected in the 1971 election by roughly the same margin, and won with larger majorities in 1975,^[3] 1977,^[4] and 1981.^[5] He served as Liberal Party whip for a period. The Progressive Conservative Party governed Ontario during this period, and Ruston was an opposition member for his legislative career. He was primarily a defender of farmer's interests.

Ruston announced that he would retire from the legislature in mid-1985, and was not a candidate in that year's provincial election.^[6]

Later life

He died in 2002 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.^[7] Fellow MPP and friend Sean Conway described him as a follower of Ontario's Clear Grit tradition, and a believer that "the best government [...] is the smaller unit closest to the people".^[8]