Former Niagara-area PC MPP Frank Sheehan dies

Queen's Park in downtown Toronto is seen in this undated file photo.

TORONTO - Former Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Sheehan has died.

Sheehan served one term in the PC government of former premier Mike Harris, from 1995 to 1999, representing the Niagara-area riding of Lincoln.

Harris reduced the number of ridings from 130 to 103, which meant many members of the legislature ended up competing against each other, and Sheehan lost in 1999 to popular New Democrat Peter Kormos.

Sheehan had the option of running in another riding against fellow Tory Tim Hudak, but instead took on Kormos, who also died earlier this year.

Hudak, now the PC party leader, calls Sheehan "a class act" who co-chaired the Tories' Red Tape Commission, which cut 2,100 government regulations.

Harris asked Sheehan to stay on as co-chair of the commission even after he lost his seat in 1999 until the PC government was defeated in 2003.