Former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader John Tory was born and raised in Toronto, the son of John A. Tory, the founder of the law firm, Tory, Tory, Deslauriers (now Torys LLP).
John's introduction to politics began when he was 14 and bought a membership into the Ontario Young PCs. In 1981, when John was 26, he was appointed principal secretary to Premier Bill Davis, serving until the latter's 1985 retirement.
John moved to federal politics in the late 1980s, working as Brian Mulroney's campaign chair and later in the same capacity under Kim Campbell. In the 1990s John returned to the private sector, becoming president and CEO of Rogers Media and Canadian Football League commissioner. John wasn't finished with politics, however.
In 2003 he ran in the Toronto mayoral campaign, finishing a strong second to eventual winner David Miller. In 2004, after Ernie Eves announced that he would relinquish the Ontario PC leadership, Tory's centris campaign defeated Jim Flaherty and Frank Klees. In the 2007 provincial election, John Tory lost not only his bid to become premier but also his attempt to become the MPP for Don Valley East.
In the aftermath, John decide to step aside from politics. He resigned as leader and returned to broadcasting, where he became host of an open-line talk show called Live Drive on CFRB 1010 in Toronto. Catherine Clark spoke to John Tory about his life Beyond Politics.
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