A bright former NDP MP named Bob Rae was elected on this date in 1982 as leader of Ontario’s New Democrats. Mr. Rae had previously excelled in debate in Ottawa's House of Commons and as the federal wing of the party’s finance critic. During his initial period as a federal MP, from 1978-82, Rae also played crucially important roles in the 1979 defeat of the Tory government of Joe Clark. At Queen’s Park, Rae modernized his party and led it to the crucial 'kingmaker' role the NDP played in 1985 that saw the Tories lose office after 42 years ruling at the Pink Palace.  Then, in 1990, a miracle happened: Rae became “Premier Bob,” after defeating David Petersen's Ontario Liberals. He would serve in Ontario’s top political job until his Party's defeat by the Conservatives in 1995. One of the events I remember most from Bob’s days as NDP leader occurred when I was in Grade 12. I wrote to the rookie party leader and asked if I could meet him. He agreed and gave me an hour or so of his time, encouraging a young person’s interest in politics and public affairs. He was a class act then and he’s a class act today.  Thank you, Bob. Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist.  He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy.  A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.