Ed Havrot

Who is Ed Havrot?

Edward Michael Havrot is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1975 and again from 1977 to 1985, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Born in Poland, Havrot moved to Ontario as a child and was educated in Kirkland Lake. He was a businessman before entering political life, and was active in the Royal Canadian Legion. Havrot served on the Kirkland Lake council in 1966-67, and was elected as its reeve in 1970.

He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1971 provincial election, defeating a New Democratic Party opponent by 2,154 votes in Timiskaming. He served as a government backbencher for the next four years, and was named chair of the Ontario Northland Transportation and parliamentary assistant to Minister of Transportation John Rhodes.

Havrot was known for making politically incorrect remarks. In 1975, during a local dispute with aboriginal groups over land claims, he told a Globe and Mail reporter than he could have bribed the area's chiefs with "a case of goof". He then added, "These damn Indians have gone absolutely wild [...] We should have given them a bunch of teepees and some cordwood and that's all". He was accused of racism, immediately lost both of his legislative appointments, and was forced to read a prepared apology in the legislature. He later tried to defend himself by saying, "Up North, if you say the wrong thing in the heat of the moment and offend somebody, you apologize and its over".