Stuart Lyon Smith (May 7, 1938 – June 10, 2020) was a Canadian politician, psychiatrist and public servant. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1975 to 1982, and was the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party from 1976 to 1982.
Background and early career
Smith was born in Montreal, Quebec, the son of Nettie (Krainer) and Moe Samuel Smith, who ran a grocery store in the east-end of Montreal after his earlier garment-making business failed.
He attended McGill University where he was elected president of the Students' Society of McGill University and earned the top award for debating. In 1957, he organized a student strike against the Maurice Duplessis government, which led to the provincial government launching a student loan programme to meet the students' demands. He graduated in medicine from McGill University Medical School.
Post-political career
In January 1982, he began a term as chairman of the Science Council of Canada, a federal government body, which he led until 1987. From 1995 to 2002, he was the chair of the National Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy. In 1991, he headed up the Smith Commission, an inquiry into the state of post-secondary education across Canada. His inquiry's final report emphasized the need to ensure that the value of teaching was not overshadowed by research.
Subsequently, Smith served as chairman of the board of Esna Tech in Richmond Hill, and as chair of the board for Humber College in Toronto.
A lifelong baseball fan, in 2012 Smith was appointed commissioner of the Intercounty Baseball League, a semi-pro baseball league in Ontario. He resigned following the 2013 season.
Illness and death
Smith died on June 10, 2020, after being ill with Lewy body dementia for two years.