| Revision as of 23:49, 5 December 2012 editFurious Style (talk | contribs)122 edits →Political views← Previous edit | Revision as of 13:43, 6 December 2012 edit undoGround Zero (talk | contribs)Administrators144,649 edits if you're going to add this, it must be in a neutral tone, regardless of how wacko Hudak's views areNext edit → | ||
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| When he was running for the PC leadership in 2009, Hudak told the Association for Reformed Political Action that he is ] and had signed petitions calling for the defunding of abortions.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/07/18/hudak-anti-abortion-petition652.html | work=CBC News | title=Hudak won't address abortion beliefs | date=18 July 2011}}</ref> | When he was running for the PC leadership in 2009, Hudak told the Association for Reformed Political Action that he is ] and had signed petitions calling for the defunding of abortions.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/07/18/hudak-anti-abortion-petition652.html | work=CBC News | title=Hudak won't address abortion beliefs | date=18 July 2011}}</ref> | ||
| Hudak supports the privitization of the profitable LCBO and the sale of alcohol in corner stores<ref>http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/12/04/ontario-liquor-lcbo.html</ref>, subsidies for the horse racing industry<ref>http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1135346--liberals-chide-tim-hudak-for-backing-payouts-to-horseracing-industry</ref>, cutting taxes on the rich and corporations in the name of trickle-down economics<ref>http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1279432--cohn-where-would-tim-hudak-take-ontario</ref>, de-regulation, and opposes the ].<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/05/27/ontario-green-energy-turbines-hudak_n_867236.html</ref> | |||
| ==Personal life== | ==Personal life== | ||
Revision as of 13:43, 6 December 2012
 | The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (June 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Tim Hudak | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Leader of the Opposition in Ontario | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office July 1, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Runciman |
| Leader of the Ontario PC Party | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office June 27, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Bob Runciman (interim) |
| MPP for Niagara South | |
| In office 1995–1999 | |
| Preceded by | Shirley Coppen |
| Succeeded by | riding dissolved |
| MPP for Erie—Lincoln | |
| In office 1999–2007 | |
| Preceded by | new district |
| Succeeded by | riding dissolved |
| MPP for Niagara West—Glanbrook | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2007 | |
| Preceded by | new district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Timothy Patrick Hudak (1967-11-01) November 1, 1967 (age 57) Fort Erie, Ontario |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
Timothy Patrick "Tim" Hudak (born November 1, 1967) is a politician in Ontario, Canada, and the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (PC Party). He also serves as member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the riding of Niagara West—Glanbrook.
Background
Tim Hudak was born in Fort Erie, Ontario. His father was a high school principal and his mother was a teacher. He received a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of Western Ontario in 1990. He then studied at the University of Washington in Seattle on a full scholarship. He received a master's degree in economics in 1993. Prior to being elected, Hudak worked on the U.S. – Canada Border from 1988 to 1993. Before entering public life, he worked for the Fort Erie Economic Development Corporation. In 1994, he was hired as a travelling manager by Wal-Mart, instructing employees on the company's policies and operating procedures.
Hudak's grandparents came to Canada from Slovakia in advance of World War II.
Early political career
In the provincial election of 1995, Hudak defeated Liberal Aubrey Foley by 1,081 votes in the riding of Niagara South. The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government under Mike Harris, although Hudak was not appointed to cabinet during his first term in office. He served as parliamentary secretary to Minister of Health, Jim Wilson, and his successor, Elizabeth Witmer. During this term, the government closed 28 hospitals and fired more than 6,000 nurses, but was also able to negotiate an agreement to exempt rural and northern hospitals from closure, including four in the Niagara region.
Cabinet
He was re-elected with a 5,878 vote margin in the redistributed riding of Erie—Lincoln in the 1999 provincial election, and was named Minister of Northern Development and Mines on June 17, 1999.
On February 8, 2001, he was named Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation. As Tourism Minister, Hudak visited 101 festivals and events across Ontario in the summer of 2001 on his More to Discover Tour. Immediately following the September 11 attacks in 2001, Hudak called together leaders in the tourism industry and executed a plan that provided $14 million for marketing to help the industry recover. During his time in the Ministry, he awarded nearly $300 million to rebuild aging infrastructure in communities across the province through SuperBuild's Sports, Culture and Tourism Partnership fund.
He supported Jim Flaherty's unsuccessful bid to become party leader in 2002. On April 15, 2002, new Premier Ernie Eves appointed him Minister of Consumer and Business Services.
Opposition
The Tories lost the provincial election of 2003, although Hudak was easily re-elected by a margin of 4,058 votes. He was appointed as PC Caucus Chair and critic responsible for Public Infrastructure Renewal, and later elevated to the role of critic for both Municipal Affairs and Housing and Public Infrastructure Renewal. Hudak again supported Jim Flaherty's bid to become party leader in the 2004 PC leadership election. In August 2005, PC leader John Tory appointed Hudak to the lead role of Official Opposition Finance Critic.
Although the Tories lost the 2007 Ontario election, Hudak won his riding with a 10,022 vote margin, gaining 51% of the popular vote.
In opposition, Hudak introduced a bill to create a new retail system for Ontario Vintners Quality Alliance wines in competition to the provincial distribution system. He has also proposed a bill to restrict residential property assessment increases modelled on similar acts in Florida, Michigan, and Nova Scotia.
Tim Hudak and the Tories lost the 2011 provincial election to the incumbent Liberals. The Liberals won 53 seats, PCs 37 and the NDP 17. The results left the Liberals one seat short of a majority, returning Ontario to minority government for the first time since the 1985-1987 Liberal minority of David Peterson.
The election was supposed to be an easy win for the Progressive Conservatives. Many conservatives were disappointed that Hudak adopted a platform very similar to Dalton McGuinty's platform.
Provincial leadership
In April 2009, Hudak entered the campaign for the leadership of the PC Party of Ontario, quickly securing support from most of the party's caucus. Hudak also received several high-profile endorsements from Cabinet Ministers in the federal Conservative government including the Hon. John Baird and the Hon. Jason Kenney. During the campaign, Hudak was quoted as saying that if the PCs want to regain government, they will have to make inroads in major cities and begin "reaching out to new Canadian communities.... I want to make sure that the next wave of new Canadians -- whether from the Czech Republic or India or China -- will see the Ontario PC party as home.".
At the PC Party Leadership Convention on June 28, 2009, in Markham, Ontario. Hudak placed first out of the four candidates defeating Christine Elliott, Randy Hillier and Frank Klees.
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Official Opposition
In August 2009, shortly after taking power, Hudak criticized the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) after a string of controversies. The government had forced the resignation of several board members and, according to Canadian broadcaster CTV, Hudak "suggested the government was trying to pre-empt another eHealth-like scandal, and promised his party would "shine the light" on any Liberal misspending." Following Hudak's opposition, Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan fired the corporation's CEO, Kelly McDougald, "for cause". The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) also reported that a freedom-of-information request by Hudak's Tories was behind the shakeup. According to Hudak, the Liberals "knew it would be coming up in the opening session of the legislature, put it out today to head off the scandal.... But you're not going to stop the scandalous spending until McGuinty sets the tone by firing one of his ministers."
On September 10, 2009, Hudak delivered his first major speech as Party leader to the Economic Club of Canada. In laying out his priorities, according to the Toronto Sun, "Hudak hammered the Liberals over the millions of dollars they handed out in untendered contracts at eHealth and the lavish expense accounts at OLG. He also attacked the Liberals for picking 'winners and losers,' when it comes to investing in the economy." Specifically, Hudak slammed the government for giving a $263-million grant to a video game developer that claims to create 800 jobs over 10 years.
Still active on behalf of his local constituency, on October 19, 2009, Hudak launched a petition to support the new West Lincoln Memorial Hospital (WLMH) in West Niagara. Hudak encouraged residents in West Niagara to sign the petition so real action could be taken. Hudak’s petition called on the McGuinty government as well as the Minister of Health to stop the Hamilton-Niagara-Haldimand-Brant Local Health Integration Network from delaying the construction of the new hospital. “I decided to launch the petition because I decided enough is enough,“ Hudak told The News. “When I heard the LHIN is not going forward (with the review) until next year, that was the final straw.” Hudak stated to the Flamborough Review in October 2009.
Notably, in the midst of the fall legislative session, Hudak launched one of his first major platform pieces, the PC Caucus Small Business Jobs Plan, at a campaign-style event in the riding of Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale. This five point plan, he said, will build the small business sector, which is essential to Ontario's economic recovery. Also during the fall of 2009, Hudak and his Party ramped up their opposition to the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). The HST, came into effect July 1, 2010, blends the current eight per cent provincial sales tax with the five per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST).
By the end of 2009, polls indicated that under Hudak’s leadership, the Ontario PC Party jumped from a distant second to a double-digit lead. The Party’s first year under Hudak’s leadership wrapped up with the Conservative’s Northern Ontario Jobs plan, a plan to restore jobs and economic growth to Ontario’s vast north. “The big picture here is that developing economies like China and India grow, and the American economy rebounds, there will be a massive appetite for Ontario’s wood products and minerals and other resources,“ Hudak said. The release of the report was followed by an extensive northern tour with MPP Randy Hillier, Hudak added that the ideas put forward with the plan will serve to form the basis of a PC campaign platform for the north in the October 2011 provincial general election.
Hudak also criticized the McGuinty’s government’s approach on Ontario’s nuclear industry. Some commentators believe the McGuinty government has been leaving Ontario's nuclear industry "drifting in the wind" after handing foreign-based Samsung a $7 billion deal to develop green power. In line with his plan for the North, Hudak commented that “Reducing Northern Ontario's high energy costs is key to making industries there more profitable and preventing future mill closures.”
In March 2010 byelections, the Tories retained retired MPP Bob Runciman's riding of Leeds-Grenville, boosting their support by 19 points to 67 per cent of the vote. The party lost a second race in Ottawa West-Nepean to former Ottawa mayor and former MPP Bob Chiarelli, although they improved their showing over results of the 2007 election. In a third byelection held in Toronto Centre on the same day, the Progressive Conservative candidate came in third with fifteen percent of the vote.
Later in April, Hudak and the Ontario PC party focused Question Period on Local Health Integrated Networks (LHIN), a system of regional health authorities established by the McGuinty government. Offering examples of sole-sourced contracting, Hudak hammered the government for broken promises and removing money from front-line care. Hudak said the amount of money being paid in six-figure salaries to LHIN executives and managers has nearly doubled since 2006, according to Ontario's Sunshine List. As he said: "Every dollar that the McGuinty government spends on untendered contracts, U.S. consultants and frivolous expenses at the LHINs is a dollar that should be going to frontline patient care. Local families have waited long enough. They deserve better than to see their tax dollars go to waste." Hudak promised to dissolve the LHINs if he were to win the Ontario general election in 2011.
On Canada Day, 2010, the controversial harmonized sales tax (HST) came into effect across the province of Ontario. Tim Hudak responded by saying, “Dalton McGuinty will do what he does best, raising taxes on hard-working families. People will feel it at first at the pumps overnight. Next they will get hit with it on their utility bills." Hudak scrutinized the Liberal cabinet as being out of touch with the people of Ontario. "Just because the McGuinty Government has run out of gas - doesn't mean Ontario drivers should have to pay more for their gas. Only a Premier as out-of-touch as Dalton McGuinty would choose Canada Day as the day when we all are forced to pay more to spend time with family."
The eco-tax was a fee on certain environmentally harmful products brought in by McGuinty. Environment Minister John Gerresten gave in to public pressure on July 20 and called for a 90-day time-out from collecting the eco-tax. Hudak said, “People who share my concern about recycling programs deserve to know how their eco-tax dollars are being spent and proof that recycling rates will improve as a result of this tax. There is only one way to get rid of the McGuinty eco-tax once and for all and that is to elect a PC government in October 2011. As Premier I will eliminate the eco-tax.”
In August 2010, Ontario Ombudsman André Marin exposed a bylaw that enables local health bureaucrats to hold closed-door meetings on hospital closures. Controversial decisions on hospital restructuring in the Niagara-area health unit could now be open to judicial review due to the use of the bylaw by the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network. The report revealed disturbing secrecy in decision-making by the Hamilton-Niagara LHIN. Premier McGuinty had been responsible for establishing all of the 14 LHINs. Hudak has made transparency and accountability in government a key theme. In response to Marin’s report, Hudak committed to abolish the LHINs and redirect $200 million in savings back to the health system. Hudak said, “There is nothing community-centric about decisions the LHINs make.”
On May 26, 2011, Hudak proposed a highly controversial plan to implement mandatory street-cleaning "work gangs" made up of provincial inmates, replacing current voluntary programs. This program was described as modern-day "chain gangs" by Hudak's critics, who pointed out that such a program would be costly to implement and could pose significant security risks to the public, along with eliminating these entry-level jobs from the paid workforce.
In 2009, Hudak told a group on the Christian right that he was opposed to abortion and had signed petitions calling for the defunding of abortions. However on July 18, 2011, during the lead-up to the October 6 provincial election, Hudak tempered this claim, stating that he “may have” signed petitions calling for an end to abortion funding. He refused to answer follow-up questions from media regarding whether he is anti-choice or pro-choice, but promised that he would not reopen the abortion debate if elected premier.
A Nanos Research poll released on August 16, 2011 found that fewer than one in four voters describe Hudak as the most trustworthy leader. Among women, the numbers are lower, with just one in five choosing him.
Political views
Hudak is a Blue Tory on the right-wing of the PC Party of Ontario, but was still able to secure the endorsement of moderates in his run for party leader. During the leadership race, he ran on fiscally conservative policies, such as income splitting for young couples and families. Hudak is seen by many as the new standard-bearer for the Mike Harris Common Sense Revolution. Hudak's wife, Deb Hutton, was one of the architects of Harris's political platform.
When he was running for the PC leadership in 2009, Hudak told the Association for Reformed Political Action that he is pro-life and had signed petitions calling for the defunding of abortions.
Personal life
Hudak married Deb Hutton on October 5, 2002 and together they have a daughter, Miller Olive Hudak (born October 3, 2007). They have a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever dog named Tavish. Hudak is of ethnic Slovak descent from his father's side, and Irish/ Franco-Ontarian from his mother, Anne Marie's side, whose maiden name was Dillon.
Hudak is also an avid Twitter, Facebook, and social media enthusiast. In 2010 he became the first Canadian politician to have his own iPhone application. In an attempt to grow their base of support, the Ottawa Sun reported that "PC party strategists say the device will help them connect with younger voters as well as older voters who are quickly turning to mobile devices for information."
References
- "Tory leader chides city unions". Toronto Star, June 29, 2009.
- Howlett, Karen. "Ontario Tory Leader Tim Hudak a man of contradictions". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ Tim Hudak, Ontario PC Leader | Ontario PC Party
- Greg Furminger, "Hudak to mind the mines," Welland Tribune, 18 June 1999, A1.
- On health care, Ontario PC's Hudak battles memories of Harris cuts - The Globe and Mail
- The Contender: A profile of Tim Hudak | Politics | Canada | News | National Post
- Events - London Chamber of Commerce (London, Ontario)
- Hudak frontrunner to lead Tory party - The Orillia Packet & Times - Ontario, CA
- "OLG faces major shake-up after string of controversies". CTV. 30 August 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- ^ "Ontario cleans house at OLG". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- ^ "McGriddle warms for McGuinty". Toronto Sun. 11 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- ^ "Fight for the new hospital: Hudak". Flamborough Review. 23 October 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- "Tim Hudak and PC Caucus Unveil Small Business Growth Plan". Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. 31 October 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- Cassin, Joyce (3 October 2009). "Hudak comes out swinging against HST". CNews. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- "Coyle: Hudak is one lucky, um, boy". The Toronto Star. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- "Infrastructure investment key to job creation in north: PCs". Fort Frances Times Online. 30 December 2009. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- Ferguson, Rob (10 February 2010). "Nuclear industry left hanging, Tim Hudak says". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- Grech, Ron. "Hudak sees need to cut North's energy costs POLITICS". The Expositor. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- Ferguson, Rob; Benzie, Robert (6 March 2010). "By-elections show Tories on the rise, Tim Hudak declares". The Toronto Star. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- "MPP raps Hudak over LHINs". The Tribune. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- "MPP: HST a boost for the future". Flamborough Review. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- "Out-of-Gas Dalton McGuinty's HST Tax Grab Set to Hit Ontario Families Tomorrow". CNW Group. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
- http://www.sachem.ca/news/article/216304
- Marin report blasts ‘illegal’ talks on closing Niagara ERs - Healthzone.ca
- Brennan, Richard J.; Ferguson, Rob (27 May 2011). "Hudak proposes modern-day chain gangs". The Star. Toronto.
- Ontario Tory leader Tim Hudak grilled over abortion stance
- Park, Queen's; Talaga, Tanya (19 July 2011). "Hudak admits to once supporting anti-abortion petition". The Star. Toronto.
- Howlett, Karen (16 August 2011). "Ontario female voters shy away from Tim Hudak - The Globe and Mail". The Globe and Mail. Toronto.
- "Hudak won't address abortion beliefs". CBC News. 18 July 2011.
- Tim Hudak’s daughter Miller the light of his life
- Hudak gets his own iPhone app | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
External links
| Leaders of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and its antecedents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Liberal-Conservative (1867–1873) |  | |
| Conservative (1873–1942) | ||
| Progressive Conservative (1942–present) | ||
| Leadership elections | ||
| Interim leaders are in parentheses. | ||
| Current members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario | |
|---|---|
| 43rd Parliament of Ontario | |
| Progressive Conservative |
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| New Democratic | |
| Liberal† | |
| Green† | |
| Independent | |
| Party leaders listed first (in bold italics). Government members in bold denotes cabinet. † Party does not have official party status in the Legislature | |
- Misplaced Pages neutral point of view disputes from June 2010
- Misplaced Pages neutral point of view disputes from May 2011
- Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs
- University of Western Ontario alumni
- University of Washington alumni
- People from Fort Erie, Ontario
- Leaders of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
- Franco-Ontarian people
- Living people
- 1967 births
- Canadian people of Slovak descent
- Canadian Roman Catholics