Provincial Political Career
She was elected to represent Middlesex in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 1990 provincial election, defeating incumbent Liberal Doug Reycraft by 520 votes (out of 38,382 cast). She served as government Whip from 1990 to 1991, and was a parliamentary assistant from 1991 to 1994. She was named a Minister without Portfolio, responsible for Culture, Tourism and Recreation, on October 21, 1994, near the end of the Rae government's term in office.
The NDP was defeated by the Progressive Conservative Party in the 1995 provincial election, and Mathyssen was personally defeated in Middlesex, finishing third behind Reycroft and Progressive Conservative Bruce Smith. She then returned to her teaching career.
She ran in the London-Fanshawe riding in the 1999 provincial election and placed third, behind PC candidate Frank Mazzilli and Liberal Peter Mancini. Mathyssen ran provincially in London—Fanshawe for a second time in the 2003 provincial election, and this time finished a strong second, losing to Liberal Khalil Ramal by fewer than 2,000 votes.
Read more about this topic: Irene Mathyssen
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