Career
In 1968, Premier John Robarts brought him into cabinet as Minister of Mines. Lawrence lost to Bill Davis by 44 votes on the fourth ballot. Davis reunited the Tory party by inviting many of Lawrence"s key workers, including Hugh Segal and Norman K. Atkins, onto his team to create the Big Blue Machine that helped the Tories remain in power for a further fourteen years.
Davis appointed Lawrence as his Attorney-General in 1971.
In 1972, Lawrence resigned his seat in the Ontario legislature in order to enter federal politics. Cabinet positions
He served as an Member of Parliament throughout the decade.
The Clark government fell in a Motion of Number Confidence after several months and was defeated in the 1980 election. Lawrence was re-elected in his riding, and returned to the Opposition benches.
He ran again in the 1984 election but, despite the Conservative victory that year, was passed over for a cabinet appointment by Brian Mulroney.
Lawrence retired from politics at the 1988 election. He died on September 6, 2008 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. He was 82 years old.