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Ellen MacKinnon (April 27, 1926 – February 12, 2001) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the southwest Ontario riding of Lambton from 1990 to 1995.
MacKinnon ran as the New Democratic candidate in the provincial election of 1990 in the south-western Ontario riding of Lambton. During the campaign, MacKinnon spoke out against shipping Toronto area garbage to the Sarnia region. She said, "No garbage. Not here. Not now. Not ever." MacKinnon learned later that many voters appreciated her simple answer to a complex issue. She defeated Progressive Conservative candidate Bob Langstaff by 1,024 votes. The incumbent Liberal David Smith placed third.
MacKinnon was 64 at the time of her win and was the oldest member of the NDP caucus. When she arrived at Queen's Park after the election she was awe-struck by the experience. She said, "I'm wondering what I'll do for an apartment, what you do for furniture and how many clothes do I bring here, and how many do I leave at home." The NDP won a majority government in this election and she served as a backbench supporter of Bob Rae's administration for the next five years.
In 1992, she suffered a tragic loss when one of her daughter's died due to cancer.
In 1994, she voted for the party's bill on benefits for same-sex couples despite receiving death threats. Someone parked a wagon near her constituency office in Petrolia, Ontario with a sign on it that read, "Hey Ellen, it's Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." MacKinnon said, "I think that it's a very, very poor reflection on (a) beautiful community." The bill was eventually defeated 68-59 on a free vote.
Due to health reasons, she did not seek re-election in 1995.
"I will not acquiesce to that which is. If it must be, I meet it with rebellion. With passion, love and life destroyed, my soul shall stand upon the wreck and challenge all."Hampton said, "I think that describes Ellen MacKinnon to a T."
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