Hugh Patrick O’Neil, born July 10, 1936 and died on September 14, 2015, he was a politician in Ontario, Canada.

He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1975 to 1995, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson.

Hugh was educated at Peterborough Teachers’ College, and worked as a teacher and real estate broker before entering political life.

He was married to Donna Grace (McColl) and they raised two children, David and Catherine.

Hugh was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1975 provincial election, defeating the Progressive Conservative candidate by 659 votes in the eastern Ontario riding of Quinte.

He was re-elected by a much greater margin in the 1977 provincial election, and in the elections of 1981, 1985, 1987, and 1990.

The Liberals under David Peterson formed a minority government following the 1985 election, and Hugh was appointed as Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology on June 26, 1985.

In 1987, Hugh was named Minister of Tourism and Recreation. Following a cabinet shuffle, he was named as Minister of Mines on August 2, 1989.

He also became Minister of Culture and Communications on June 5, 1990. In addition, Hugh served as Peterson’s regional minister for eastern Ontario.

The Liberals were defeated by the New Democratic Party in the 1990 provincial election.

Hugh  was re-elected in Quinte. He served as his party’s critic for Tourism and Recreation for the entirety of the next parliament, and did not run for re-election in 1995, choosing instead to retire from politics and return to a business career in real estate.