Career
As a result of redistribution, he decided to move to the riding of Markham, just outside Toronto, for the 1988 federal election leaving his former riding to former East York mayor Alan Redway who retained the riding for the Tories. He ran in the 1993 federal election but was defeated by an almost two-to-one margin in Markham—Whitchurch—Stouffville by Bhaduria. Attewell opposed the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party with the Canadian Alliance.
He should not be mistaken for Bill Attwell who was president of the Oak Ridges—Markham federal Liberal riding association in 2007.