▁to ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁cabinet ▁minister ▁in ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁govern ments ▁of ▁Bill ▁Davis ▁and ▁Frank ▁Miller . ▁ ▁His ▁father , ▁Gold win ▁El gie , ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁Conserv ative ▁Ontario ▁MP P ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 0 s . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Ontario ▁Press ▁Council ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁serving ▁as ▁chair ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁until ▁his ▁death . ▁ ▁Background ▁Robert ▁El gie ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Toronto , ▁Ontario . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁B . A . ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Western ▁Ontario ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁his ▁LL . B . ▁from ▁Os go ode ▁Hall ▁Law ▁School ▁and ▁his ▁medical ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Ott awa . ▁ ▁He ▁trained ▁as ▁both ▁a ▁lawyer ▁and ▁neu ros ur geon , ▁and ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁medical ▁field . ▁El gie ▁taught ▁at ▁the ▁medical ▁schools ▁of ▁Queen ' s ▁University ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Toronto ▁and ▁was ▁chief ▁of ▁medical ▁staff ▁at ▁Sc ar borough ▁General ▁Hospital . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁El gie ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁of ▁Ontario ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁provincial ▁election , ▁winning ▁an ▁easy ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁Toronto - area ▁seat ▁of ▁York ▁East . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁brief ▁period ▁in ▁the ▁government ▁back ben ches , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁Bill ▁Davis ' s