Gary Orazio Vincenzo Pillitteri (born 1 March 1936) was a member of the House of Commons of Canada from 1993 to 2004. Born in Racalmuto, Italy, Pillitteri is a farmer and businessman. Currently, he is the founder and president of Pillitteri Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.[1]

Gary Pillitteri
Member of Parliament for Niagara Falls
In office
25 October 1993 – 28 June 2004
Preceded byRob Nicholson
Succeeded byRob Nicholson
Personal details
Born (1936-03-01) 1 March 1936 (age 88)
Racalmuto, Italy
Political partyLiberal
Residence(s)Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Occupationbusinessman

Pillitteri is a member of the Liberal Party who first bid for the Niagara Falls electoral district in 1988. He lost to Conservative candidate Rob Nicholson in that election by a narrow margin of only 1,940 votes. After a second attempt in the 1993 general election, he defeated Nicholson by 10,823 votes and joined the federal Parliament and was re-elected in 1997 and 2000. He therefore served in the 35th, 36th and 37th Canadian Parliaments.

Pillitteri left federal politics in 2004 and did not seek a fourth term in federal office. Rob Nicholson decided to put his name forward to run as the Conservative candidate in the next election only once he learned that Pillitteri had retired. Nicholson regained the riding that year.

Electoral record

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2000 Canadian federal election: Niagara Falls
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Gary Pillitteri 17,907 45.92 $60,782.72
Alliance Mel Grunstein 11,999 30.77 $48,894.94
Progressive Conservative Tony Baldinelli 6,077 15.58 $25,279.11
New Democratic Ed Booker 2,356 6.04 $5,369.41
Green Clara Tarnoy 501 1.28 $617.59
Natural Law Bill Amos 155 0.40 $0.00
Total valid votes 38,995 100.00
Total rejected ballots 320
Turnout 39,315 57.10
Electors on the lists 68,854
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.


1997 Canadian federal election: Niagara Falls
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Gary Pillitteri 15,868 38.36 $40,762
Reform Mel Grunstein 10,986 26.56 $34,441
Progressive Conservative Rob Nicholson 9,935 24.02 $42,567
New Democratic John Cowan 4,052 9.79 $14,092
Green Alexander Rados 374 0.90 $322
Natural Law Bill Amos 154 0.37 $0.00
Total valid votes 41,369 100.00
Total rejected ballots 355
Turnout 41,724 64.54
Electors on the lists 65,649
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.


1993 Canadian federal election: Niagara Falls
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Gary Pillitteri 20,567 47.10 $47,498
  Reform Mel Grunstein 10,895 24.95 $26,500
  Progressive Conservative Rob Nicholson 9,707 22.23 $54,883
  New Democratic Party Steve Leonard 1,470 3.37 $6,819
  National John Cowan 511 1.17 $1,373
Green John Bruce McBurney 263 0.60 $483
  Natural Law Bill Amos 169 0.39 $0
  Abolitionist Ted Wiwchar 82 0.19 $0
Total valid votes 43,664 100.00
Total rejected ballots 484
Turnout 44,148 66.85
Electors on the lists 66,044
Source: Thirty-fifth General Election, 1993: Official Voting Results, Published by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. Financial figures taken from official contributions and expenses provided by Elections Canada.

References

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  1. ^ "Our Roots". Pillitteri Estates Winery. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
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