Robert Timothy Stansfield "Bob" Frankford (August 1, 1939 – August 1, 2015) was a politician in

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

, Canada. He was a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995 who represented the

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

riding of

Scarborough East Scarborough East was a Canadian electoral district represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1968 to 2003. It initially consisted the eastern part of the Borough of Scarborough, although its boundaries were adjusted several times. It ...

Background

Frankford was educated at King's College London in England, and became a family physician before entering political life. He was responsible for inaugurating the first health service organization in Toronto. He raised three daughters. He died in Toronto on August 1, 2015, at the age of 76.

Politics

He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1990 provincial election, defeating

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

incumbent Ed Fulton by 1,774 votes in

as the NDP won a majority government. He served as a

parliamentary assistant In UK politics, a parliamentary assistant is an unelected partisan member of staff employed by a Member of Parliament (MP) to assist them with their parliamentary duties. Parliamentary assistants usually work at the House of Commons in the ...

from 1990 to 1991. He used his medical training to advocate for

sickle-cell disease Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia. It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red blo ...

and other health issues. He resigned in May 1991 because he failed to meet a deadline to divest himself of some investment property in the health industry. The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election, and Frankford lost his seat to Progressive Conservative candidate Steve Gilchrist by almost 12,000 votes. He ran for the federal New Democratic Party for the House of Commons of Canada in the 1997 federal election, but finished a distant fourth against

John McKay in Scarborough East. He also attempted to return to the provincial legislature in the 1999 provincial election, but finished third against

Gerry Phillips Gerry Phillips (born September 11, 1940) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario who represented the eastern Toronto riding of Scarborough—Agincourt from 1987 to 2011. He serv ...

Scarborough—Agincourt Scarborough—Agincourt is a federal electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1988. It covers the area of the City of Toronto bounded by Steeles Avenue East to the nort ...

. Frankford's wife, Helen Breslauer, has also run as a candidate in

Toronto Centre Toronto Centre (french: Toronto-Centre) is a federal electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1872 to 1925, and since 1935, under the names Centre Toronto (1872–1903) ...

but finished 4th. In August 2009, he sought the NDP nomination for the provincial by-election in the riding of St. Paul's, but was defeated by lawyer Julian Heller.

Electoral record

After politics

In 1995 he returned to his medical practice and became a physician at the

Seaton House Seaton House is the largest homeless shelter in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 339 George Street in the Garden District neighbourhood. The facility provides temporary lodging, food, clothing, medical care, for single men and also att ...

men's hostel, which services many poor and homeless in the city. He was chair of the

Ontario Medical Association The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) is a membership organization that represents the political, clinical and economic interests of Ontario physicians. Practising physicians, residents, and medical students enrolled in any of the six Ontario fac ...

's section of health service organization physicians. He remained involved in a number of community projects and organizations, including the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario and the Toronto Pedestrian Committee, and was chair of the Scarborough Agincourt collaborative committee of the Central East LHIN.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Frankford, Robert 1939 births 2015 deaths Alumni of King's College London Ontario New Democratic Party MPPs Politicians from Toronto