Noble Villeneuve

Who is Noble Villeneuve?

Noble Villeneuve is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1983 to 1999, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Frank Miller and Mike Harris.

Villeneuve did not attend university, and worked as a farmer and real estate appaiser after graduating from high school. He served as First Vice-President of the Ontario Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.

He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in a by-election held on December 15, 1983, called after the death of Osie Villeneuve, a distant cousin. Running in the riding of Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry, he defeated Liberal candidate Johnny Whitteker by more than 4,000 votes. He was re-elected by about the same margin in the 1985 provincial election. He endorsed Dennis Timbrell for the party leadership in 1985.

The Progressive Conservative government of Frank Miller was re-elected in the 1985 election, but was reduced to minority status. Villeneuve was appointed to cabinet as a minister without portfolio on May 17, 1985, but accomplished little in this position before the PC government was defeated in the house a month later. For the party's November 1985 leadership convention, he shifted his support from Timbrell to Larry Grossman. In the 1987 election, Villeneuve defeated his Liberal opponent by only 607 votes. He was re-elected by a greater margin in the 1990 election, and won a landslide victory in the 1995 election as his party returned to power with a majority government.