Ont. politicians mourn former MPP Chris Stockwell, dead of cancer at 60

TORONTO — Ontario politicians of all stripes are paying tribute to Chris Stockwell, the former provincial cabinet minister who’s died of cancer at the age of 60.

Vic Fedeli, the interim leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, tweeted Sunday evening that he was “very saddened” to learn of Stockwell’s passing.

After beginning his career in municipal politics, Stockwell was first elected to the Ontario legislature in 1990.

Over more than a decade at Queen’s Park, he served on numerous committees, acted as the Tory critic for a number of portfolios and eventually a cabinet minister.

He also acted as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for nearly three years.

In one of dozens of tributes posted online Sunday evening, Premier Kathleen Wynne wrote that Stockwell was a “fiery, passionate person who brought life to the Ontario Legislature.”