Obituary: Ex-Sarnia mayor, MPP Andy Brandt, 85, recalled as ‘happy warrior’

Andy Brandt never took anything personally, says Sarnia’s mayor.

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“I called him a happy warrior,” said Mike Bradley.

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“Always loved politics, loved people. Never put a microphone he didn’t like.”

Brandt, a former provincial cabinet minister, interim leader of Ontario’s PC party and former Sarnia alderman and mayor died Friday. He was 85.

Details are being kept private but Brandt had been ill, Bradley said, noting a service and visitation are expected in mid-January.

“He had only been in hospital a short period of time,” Bradley said.

Born in London, Brandt came to Sarnia in the 1960s and opened the Academy of Musical Arts, a company that sold musical instruments and gave lessons.

“He was an entertainer at one point in his career,” Bradley said. “He actually had quite a good regional success as a band leader.”

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In 1972 Brandt ran federally as a Progressive Conservative, losing to Liberal Bud Cullen.

He was a Sarnia alderman from 1971-74, and the city’s mayor from 1975-80.

Shortly after taking office, he said he wanted to be remembered as the man responsible for changing Sarnia’s direction.

Accomplishments during his tenure included approval for Highway 402 and working with private developers to rejuvenate downtown.

Brandt ran for provincial office as a Tory in 1977 and lost, but broke through in 1981 to serve at Queen’s Park, where he was environment minister from 1983-85, and industry and trade minister from 1985, until becoming interim leader in 1987.

Brandt didn’t run after Mike Harris was chosen as leader in 1990.

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As MPP Brandt was responsible for signing the deal with the province to establish Sarnia Bay Marina, it later was renamed the Andrew S. Brandt Marina at Sarnia Bay.

Bradley recalled running campaigns for the Liberals in 1981 and 1987, both of which Brandt won for the Progressive Conservatives.

“And after that, every Christmas I’d get a card from Andy saying ‘Michael, I want to thank you for all you’ve done for my career,’” he said, calling it “typical Andy.”

There was competition in politics then without animosity, Bradley said, noting he also worked on the federal Liberal 1972 campaign that beat Brandt.

“It just shows you how long we’ve been intertwined in each other’s lives.”

Brandt, who was well known at Queen’s Park for his colorful style, was loved, even by the opposition, Bradley said, noting it was the NDP’s government under Bob Rae that appointed him chairman and chief executive of the LCBO in 1991.

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He was reappointed three times and held the post until 2006.

“He made it into what it is today and made it a huge financial success,” Bradley said.

Brandt also spent more than 20 years chairing the Lambton College Foundation.

“The fundraising that Andy led to a lot of the new buildings we see there today,” Bradley said, recalling another moniker for Brandt when he was mayor and an Alderman.

“We used to call him, ‘action Andy,’” Bradley said.

“He was just dynamic and he loved the stage; but also had a lot of respect for everyone else on the stage with him.”

A visit at Smith Funeral Home is scheduled for Jan. 17, and funeral for Jan. 18.

With files from Postmedia

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