Media Advisory - John Parmenter Robarts honoured through Premiers' Gravesites Program

TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2012 /CNW/ -

Join the Ontario Heritage Trust for the unveiling of a marker commemorating the gravesite of the Honourable John Parmenter Robarts, premier of Ontario from 1961 to 1971. Steve Paikin, journalist and host of TVOntario's The Agenda, will be master of ceremonies of the event.

Born in Banff, Alberta, in 1917, John Robarts was the 17^th premier of Ontario and the first premier born outside the province. He was a distinguished naval officer in the Second World War, after which he completed his education at Osgoode Hall. First elected to the legislature in 1951, he served as minister of education from 1959 to 1962. His governments focused on education and economic development. Robarts was a leader on national unity issues and co-chaired the task force on Canadian unity from 1977 to 1979. He served on a number of corporate boards and was chancellor of the University of Western Ontario and York University.

The marker will be installed at Robarts' grave in St. James' Cemetery in the spring of 2012. The cemetery is located at 635 Parliament Street, north of Wellesley Street, in Toronto.

The Premiers' Gravesites Program honours Ontario's former premiers and their service to Ontario by marking their gravesites. This program is administered by the Ontario Heritage Trust with funding support from the Government of Ontario.

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Jennifer Jarvis
Marketing and Communications Specialist
Ontario Heritage Trust
Telephone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]