FOG BLOG POLITICS LOG: DAVID ONELY , FORMER ONTARIO GOVERNOR - GENERAL DIES AT 72!

David Onley, former lieutenant-governor of Ontario, dead at 72 Onley was the first person with a physical disability to hold the post David C. Onley, who served as Ontario's 28th lieutenant-governor, has died at the age of 72, the lieutenant-governor's office said Saturday evening.

Serving from 2007 to 2014, Onley was the first person with a physical disability to hold the post, a statement from Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell reads.

"Whenever Mr. Onley entered a room, those present saw beyond physical limitations. They saw a person they liked and admired," she said. "There is no doubt that his legacy has positively impacted the lives of people across Ontario."

Onley had disabilities stemming from a childhood bout with polio, and he used a motorized scooter. Before taking office, he had a career in television journalism, which included a focus on science and technology reporting, Dowdeswell said.

He then served as chair of the Accessibility Standards Advisory Council and was a member of the accessibility councils for the Rogers Centre and the Air Canada Centre, she said, describing Onley as an "active advocate" for improved access to employment for people with disabilities. During his term, Dowdeswell says, Onley also channelled his passion for access to opportunities into expanding literacy and education programs for Indigenous people in Ontario while "emphasizing the importance of reconciliation."

Later in life, Dowdeswell said, he acted as a special adviser on accessibility within the Ontario government and as a senior lecturer at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

Onley is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann, and children Jonathan, Robert, and Michael, Dowdeswell said.

'A man of dignity'

Politicians and colleagues remembered Onley's character and advocacy upon the news of his death.

"He was such a man of dignity and so respectful of the political process and the need to analyze what was going on. I have such a deep respect for him," former Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne told CBC News Network on Saturday.

"It was so clear that he was thrilled to be in the role of lieutenant-governor, but his passion was to demonstrate that everyone should have a chance to live to their fullest," Wynne said of his advocacy for people with disabilities.