On March 7, the Ontario NDP will hold a leadership convention, where NDP members will have the opportunity to choose the next leader of the provincial party. The new leader will replace Howard Hamption, who has led the Ontario party since 1996.
The NDP represents the left on the political specturm. The party boasts a social democratic platform and takes strong stances on issues ranging from universal healthcare, workers rights, minority rights, and protecting the environment.
The four candidates who wish to replace Hampton include:
Gilles Bisson
Bisson is a popular NDP MPP (member of provincial parliament) from northern Ontario. He is best known for his firm support of workers rights, especially the forestry, mining and automobile industries. He now serves as Whip for the NDP caucus.
Recently, Bisson has been critical of Abitibi Bowater, a large paper mill corporation, over plans to sell off dams at Iroquois Falls. Bisson considers these dams to be public assets.
Andrea Horwath
Horwath, a NDP MPP from Hamilton, is the lone woman in the race. She is a working mother who has blue collar roots and identifies strongly with working class issues. In 1996, Horwath was named Hamilton's Woman of the Year in Public Affairs.
As a MPP, Horwath successfully introduced a private bill, which became known as the Bob Shaw Act. The new legislation requires the government to give compensation to firefighters who are exposed to deadly toxins while on the job.
Peter Tabuns
Elected in 2006, Toronto's Tabuns is the newest NDP MPP. His previous political experience includes serving as city councillor and as Deputy Mayor of Toronto. In 2006, he was named best MPP by Now Magazine. As a city councillor, Tabuns initiated the ban on smoking in restaurants.
Tabuns is known for being a staunch environmentalist. He is the former executive director of Greenpeace Canada, and he now serves as the NDP's Energy and Environment Critic. He was recently endorsed by the Ontario New Democratic Youth (ONDY).
Michael Prue
Prue, also of Toronto, is best known for his role as Mayor of East York, before it became amalgamated into Toronto, during the Ontario recession in the early nineties. As Mayor, Prue was successful in bringing new industry to the city, while also managing to cut the debt by $7.8 billon. He did this without raising taxes.
Prue is now a member of the NDP in the provincial government. He is dedicated to progressive values and currently serves as the party's Poverty Critic.
All of the candidates share similar left-leaning views, but they differ on how to implement these positions and how to improve the NDP brand. Go to www.convention.ondp.ca for more information on the 2009 Ontario NDP Leadership Convention
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