He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1995 provincial election, outpolling Liberal Ken Black and incumbent New Democrat Dan Waters by about 10,000 votes in the riding of Muskoka–Georgian Bay.
For the 2003 provincial election, he won the Parry Sound–Muskoka Liberal nomination over Evelyn Brown and challenged Progressive Conservative incumbent Norm Miller, who had succeeded Eves in a by-election.
In a March 2001 by-election, he was replaced as MPP for the riding of Parry Sound—Muskoka by Norm Miller, son of former Premier Frank Miller.
Frank William Micklethwaite (1849–1925) was a prominent Canadian photographer, professionally known as F.W. Micklethwaite, whose photographs of Toronto and the Muskoka area form an important and unique photographic record of the province of Ontario's history in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
In August 1996, Nipissing University opened a satellite campus in Bracebridge, the heart of Muskoka.
In 1974, a second iteration of Highway 117 was assumed through Muskoka, connecting Highway 11 near Bracebridge with Highway 35 in Dorset.