YORK CENTRE

Hon. Monte Kwinter,
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

Monte Kwinter was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1985 for the riding of Wilson Heights and was re-elected in 1987, 1990 and 1995. He ran and won in the new riding of York Centre in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003.

In the previous Liberal government, Mr. Kwinter served as Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations, Minister of Financial Institutions and Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology. In opposition, he was critic for enterprise, opportunity and innovation and a member of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs.

His long record of community service has included serving as a member of the board of directors for the Canadian National Exhibition, chairman of the Toronto Harbour Commission, chairman of the Toronto Humane Society, founding president of the Toronto Regional Council of B'nai Brith, trustee for the Molson Indy board of trustees, and chairman of the International Advisory Board, Bishkek International School of Management and Business.

Prior to entering public life, Mr. Kwinter operated his own commercial real estate firm following several years as vice-president of another company in this field. He has also been vice-president of the Ontario College of Art, the owner and operator of a summer camp, editorial director of a publishing firm and an industrial designer.

Mr. Kwinter was born in Toronto and educated at the Ontario College of Art, Syracuse University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston) and the University of Montreal. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and has studied extensively in industrial design. Mr. Kwinter also holds an honourary International Master of Business Administration Degree and an honourary Doctor of Law Degree.

He and his wife, Wilma, have two sons and two daughters.