Progressive Conservative Party candidates, 2003 Ontario provincial election

The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario is a political party in Ontario, Canada. It governed the province from 1943 to 1985 and from 1995 to 2003, and currently forms the Official Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

The party also governed the province under its previous name, the Conservative Party of Ontario, from 1867 to 1871, 1905 to 1919, and 1923 to 1934.

The party ran a full slate of 103 candidates in the 2003 provincial election. Of these, 24 were elected. Several PC candidates have individual biography pages; information about others may be found here.

Terry McCutcheon (Algoma—Manitoulin)

Lives in Providence Bay, on Manitoulin Island. Graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Science degree (Civil Engineering) in 1983. Also received a diploma from George Brown College in 1987. A member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario. Owner of Manitoulin Engineering since 1991, involved in civil engineering and building projects. Federally, McCutcheon is the president of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing riding association for the Conservative Party of Canada. Supports the shipment of Toronto garbage to Kirkland Lake, if environmental damage can be prevented. Supported Frank Klees for the leadership of the Ontario PC party in 2003. Received 5,168 (17.33%) for a third-place finish against Liberal incumbent Mike Brown.

Mark Mullins (Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Aldershot)

Not to be confused with a different Mark Mullins, who was a backroom organizer for the Ontario Progressive Conservatives during the Mike Harris years. The candidate Mark Mullins is a businessman living in Dundas. Has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and an M.B.A. from the University of Western Ontario. A Chartered Financial Analyst. Quit a lucrative bank job in 1993 to start Trout Creek Power. Has worked at the McMaster Institute for Energy Studies. A member of the provincial government's small business advisory council. Was a candidate of the Reform Party of Canada in the 1993 federal election. Received 16,549 votes in Hamilton—Wentworth, finishing second to Liberal John Bryden. Worked on Toni Skarica's provincial campaigns in the elections of 1995 and 1999. Supported the Canadian Alliance in the 2000 federal election. Received 18,141 votes (37.42%) in 2003, finishing second again Liberal Ted McMeekin.

Joe Tascona (Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford)

Elected. See his biography page for further details.

Angela Kennedy (Beaches—East York)

A registered nurse, and a founding member of the Ontario Nurses Association Local 115. Has worked at the Toronto East General Hospital for thirty years. Also a trustee on the Toronto District Catholic School Board, representing Ward 11 in east Toronto. First elected in 2000, re-elected in 2003 (just after the provincial election). Born and raised in the Beaches-East York region. Her mother was the first female principal in the York Region.

Prior to the election, Kennedy was criticized for supporting a lockout of teachers in the Catholic school system, which was imposed while labour negotiations were still in progress. Some believe that the Progressive Conservatives were trying to provoke illegal labour action from the teachers, anticipating that parents would side with the board members.

Kennedy is a member of the Epiphany of our Lord Parish. She opposes same-sex marriage, and supports conscience rights for pro-life health workers.

She finished third with 8,157 votes (19.67%). The winning candidate was Michael Prue of the Ontario New Democratic Party.

Raminder Singh Gill (Bramalea—Gore—Malton—Springdale)

Served as a Member of Provincial Parliament from 1999 to 2003. Lost to Kuldip Singh Kular of the Ontario Liberal Party. See his biography page for further details.

Joe Spina (Brampton Centre)

Served as a Member of Provincial Parliament from 1995 to 2003. Lost to Linda Jeffrey of the Ontario Liberal Party. See his biography page for further details.

Tony Clement (Brampton West—Mississauga)

Served as a Member of Provincial Parliament from 1995 to 2003, and was a prominent cabinet minister. Lost to Vic Dhillon of the Ontario Liberal Party. See his biography for further details.

=Alayne Sokoloski (Brant)=

Chair of Brantwood Residential Development Centre of Brantford. A Progressive Conservative Party organizer in the region, Sokoloski received a "Special Achievement Award" from the party in 2005. Is pro-choice on abortion.

Sokoloski was narrowly defeated in the 1999 provincial election, receiving 20,210 votes (44.86%) against Liberal Dave Levac's 21,116 (46.98%). She again finished second to Levac in 2003, receiving 13,628 votes (30.65%) to his 24,236 (54.55%).

Barry Gordon (Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington)

Gordon is a veteran municipal politician in the Kingston area. He was elected to the council of Pittsburgh Township in 1980 at age twenty, became its deputy reeve five years later, and served as reeve from 1988 until his retirement in 1994. He attended auction school at High Point, North Carolina in 1977, and is now the owner of Gordon's Estate Services in Kingston. He was 43 years old in 2003 ("Kingston Whig-Standard", 3 October 2003). [http://www.gordonsestateservices.com]

He campaigned for the Canadian House of Commons in the 1993 federal election in Kingston and the Islands for the federal Progressive Conservative Party, and finished second against Liberal incumbent Peter Milliken. In 2003, he finished second against Liberal incumbent Leona Dombrowsky.

Gordon joined the board of directors for the newly-formed Kingston and the Islands Conservative Party association in early 2004 ("KWS", 19 January 2004).

Norman Sterling (Lanark—Carleton)

Elected. See his biography page for further details.

Nina Tangri

Tangri was born in 1967 in Doncaster, United Kingdom. She attained a Bachelor of Music, and read law for a year. In 1986, she immigrated to Canada. She is married to Ashwani Tangri, and they have three sons. Nina Tangri is the Vice-President of Tangri Insurance.

In the 2000 federal election, Tangri ran as a Progressive Conservative Party of Canada candidate in Mississauga Centre, losing by a convincing margin to Liberal Member of Parliament Carolyn Parrish. She had sought the PC nomination in Mississauga West, but lost to Raminder Gill.

In the 2003 Ontario provincial election, she ran as the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party candidate in the riding, but was defeated in the province-wide swing by Liberal candidate Bob Delaney.

In the 2004 federal election, she was the Conservative Party of Canada candidate in Mississauga—Streetsville. She lost to Liberal candidate Wajid Khan.

In the 2007 Ontario General Election she ran as the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party candidate in the riding of Mississauga West, but was defeated by Liberal candidate Bob Delaney.

=John Baird (Nepean—Carleton)=

Elected. See his biography page for further details.

=Joe Varner (Ottawa Centre)=

Originally from Nova Scotia. Has worked as a policy consultant to Senator Michael Forrestall, focusing on defense and security matters. Wrote an article entitled "NORAD is Dead and Canada held the Knife" in 2004, blaming the Canadian government for inaction on North American defense. Supported Tony Clement's campaign to lead the Conservative Party of Canada in 2004. Was thirty-six years old at the time of the 2003 election.

Varner received 11,217 votes (22.69%), finishing third against Liberal Richard Patten. The Progressive Conservatives do not have a strong support base in Ottawa Centre, and Varner was generally credited with running a good campaign.

He considered running for the federal Conservative nomination in Ottawa West—Nepean for the 2006 federal election, but withdrew when John Baird contested the position.

He is currently an instructor at American Military University and is married to Lisa MacLeod, the Member of Provincial Parliament for Nepean-Carleton.

Brian Coburn (Ottawa—Orléans)

Served as a Member of Provincial Parliament from 1999 to 2003, and was a cabinet minister. Lost to Phil McNeely of the Ontario Liberal Party. See his biography for further details.

=Richard Raymond (Ottawa South)=

Not to be confused with a concert pianist of the same name. A successful businessman in Ottawa, Ontario. Former owner of Raymond Steel, and Chief Executive Officer of Raymond Rebar Inc. Has served on the Board of Directors at Ottawa Hydro. Was the intended appointee for vice-chair of the Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation board of directors in 2001, though it is not clear if he accepted this position. Was in his mid-60s at the time of the election. Opposes same-sex marriage, supports civil unions for homosexual couples.

Raymond received 16,413 votes (34.43%), finishing second. The winner in Ottawa South was Dalton McGuinty, leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.

Raymond will be the Progressive Conservative candidate once again in the 2007 general election

=Maurice Lamirande (Ottawa—Vanier)=

Has served as an executive with the Ontario Little League. A member of the Club Optimiste Vanier. Suggested the idea of a franco-Ontario licence plate, decorated with a trillium and fleur-de-lis, and received the first such plate in 2003. Focused on tax cuts, particularly for seniors, during the 2003 campaign. Supported Frank Klees for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party in 2004.

Lamirande campaigned in Ottawa—Vanier in the 1999 provincial election, and received 12,605 votes (31.81%). The winner was Claudette Boyer of the Ontario Liberal Party. In 2003, his total declined to 10,878 votes (26.24%). The winner was Liberal Madeleine Meilleur.

Lamirande is running in the 2006 municipal election in Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward.

Gary Guzzo (Ottawa West—Nepean)

Served as a Member of Provincial Parliament from 1995 to 2003. Lost to Jim Watson of the Ontario Liberal Party. See his biography for further details.

=Mark Brickell (St. Catharines)=

Brickell is a graduate of Brock University's political science program. He became involved in municipal politics at age twenty, served on the Lincoln County Board of Education for fourteen years as a school trustee, and was a city councillor in St. Catharines for three years. At the time of the election, he was forty years old and a regional councillor for Niagara. [http://www.brockpress.com/media/paper384/news/2003/03/11/News/Brock.Graduate.Runs.For.Provincial.Legislature-390789.shtml] He received 12,932 votes (29.34%) in the 2003 election, finished second against Liberal candidate Jim Bradley. Brickell actually outspent Bradley in this campaign, despite losing by a margin of over 28%.

Brickell was named as the Niagara Economic & Tourism Corporation’s (NETC) Smart Growth Expeditor in June 2004. [http://www.regional.niagara.on.ca/news/2004/jun09-04.aspx]

=Mila Wong (Sudbury)=

Mila Wong was born in the Philippines, and came to Canada as a registered nurse. She worked in Winnipeg, Vancouver and Toronto before moving to Sudbury, where she served as a city and regional councillor from 1991 to 1994. [Laura Stradiotto, "Mila Wong, PC", "Sudbury Star", 16 September 2003, A5.] She later served as executive director of the Sudbury and District Association for Community Living and City of Greater Sudbury Developmental Services. [Harold Carmichael, "Holiday food drive expands: Organizers aim to collect seven tons of food", "Sudbury Star", 18 November 1999, A3; Liane Beam, "Name change causes confusion", "Sudbury Star", 13 December 2000, A5; Kevin O'Brien, "Jarrett Value 2 store a resounding success", "Sudbury Star", 11 December 2001, B2.] Before seeking provincial office for the first time in 1999, she was also involved with organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and the Premier's Commission on Health, Well-being and Social Justice. The "National Post" newspaper noted that her credentials were more progressive than those of most other candidates for her party. ["Campaign literature", "National Post", 12 May 1999, A7.] In late 1999, she helped organize the annual conference of the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women. ["Annual women's conference coming North", "Sudbury Star", 10 October 1999, A2.]

Wong supported one-tier government for Sudbury in 1999. She ran for the Greater Sudbury city council in 2000 municipal election, and was narrowly defeated for the second seat in Ward Five. Our of her primary issues was municipal water quality. [Chris Polehoykie, "Residents grill candidates on south-end water woes", "Sudbury Star", 2 November 2000, A1. See "Election Forum", "Sudbury Star", 11 November 2000, C1.]

In June 2001, Wong expressed hope that Northern Ontario would receive new provincial money earmarked for agencies that look after the developmentally disabled. [Bob Vaillancourt, "Wong hopes `extra' money will flow to Northern Ontario", "Sudbury Star", 5 June 2001, A3.]

Wong ran for the Progressive Conservative Party a second time in the 2003 provincial election. At her nomination meeting, she described premier Ernie Eves as "a man who listens", and said that her party would not replicate the "strident, straight ahead" approach of Mike Harris's team in the previous election. [Bob Vaillancourt, "Mila Wong to carry PC colours in Sudbury", "Sudbury Star", 26 February 2003, A3. Wong won the nomination without opposition.] She supported four-laning Highway 69 south of Sudbury. [Laura Stradiotto, "Four-laning could influence local vote", "Sudbury Star", 8 September 2003, A1.] After the election, she said that Eves's decision to focus on negative advertising had hurt all Tory candidates. [Laura Stradiotto, "Wong hopes Liberals 'deliver'", "Sudbury Star", 3 October 2003, A3.]

In addition to administering Greater Sudbury Developmental Services, Wong also oversaw Community Living Espanola in the 2000s. Workers at this service went on strike in 2005, alleging that she was unwilling to provide them with the same settlement as other services in Northern Ontario. [Denis St. Pierre, "Strikers want same deal as Sudbury counterparts", "Sudbury Star", 6 June 2005, A3.] At one stage in the dispute, Community Living Espanola accused the strikers of using racist picket signs against Wong (the signs were removed following complaints). [Rob O'Flanagan, "Strikers accused of using racist picket signs", "Sudbury Star", 7 June 2005, A2.] The Canadian Union of Public Employees accused Wong and other directors of paying replacement workers more per hour than regular employees, as well as paying for lodging, transportation, meals and laundry service. [Wyman Mackinnon, "What is Espanola strike really costing?", "Sudbury Star", 22 June 2005, A11.] The strike was resolved in July 2005 when the workers ratified a two-year contract. [Laura Stradiotto, "Vote brings end to bitter strike", "Sudbury Star", 22 July 2005, A4.]

Matt Bufton (Windsor—St. Clair)

The Progressive Conservative Party originally nominated Jim Shaban for this constituency, but he withdrew for personal reasons. Bufton then won the nomination without opposition ("Windsor Star", 6 June 2003)

Bufton was 24 years old at the time of the election, and was a marketing co-ordinator for Culligan Water. He was previously the president of the University of Windsor Progressive Conservative Campus Club ("Windsor Star", 23 September 2003), and had graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce the previous year {"Windsor Star", 6 June and 23 September 2003). He received 4,162 votes (11.61%), finishing third against Liberal candidate Dwight Duncan.

He later served as Communications Manager for Conservative candidate Rick Fuschi in the 2004 federal election. In March 2006, Bufton hosted a Windsor Liberty Seminar. [http://jaworski.blogspot.com/] to promote the ideas of liberty. He served as Communications Manager for Conservative candidate Rick Fuschi in the 2006 federal election.

Derek Insley (Windsor West)

Insley was born in Windsor, and has a Master of Arts degree in Political Science ("Ottawa Citizen", 25 August 1987).

He first campaigned for the Progressive Conservative Party in the 1987 provincial election, for Ottawa West. He owned a small electronics firm which specialized in electric votive candles for the Roman Catholic church, and did statistical analysis for Statistics Canada. He defeated Julia Brady for the nomination by a margin of 213 votes to 186, after Marianne Wilkinson dropped out of the contest. In his acceptance speech, Insley spoke out against official bilingualism for Ontario ("Ottawa Citizen", 13 August 1987). He lost to Liberal candidate Bob Chiarelli by 6,392 votes, in a seat which had previously been safe for the PC Party ("Ottawa Citizen", 11 September 1987).

Insley worked as an executive assistant to Ottawa mayor Jim Jones for three years, and returned to Windsor in 1994 to operate a business in the city. He received 4,187 votes (11.90%) in the 2003 election, finishing third against Liberal incumbent Sandra Pupatello.

While campaigning for the provincial legislature, Insley also filed nomination papers for the fourth ward on Windsor's City Council. He was defeated for this position as well.

Insley supported the creation of the Conservative Party of Canada in 2003, as a merger of the federal Progressive Conservative Party with the Canadian Alliance ("Windsor Star", 9 December 2003). In 2004, he wrote a public letter endorsing private options in health care. The same letter included words of support for Progressive Conservative leadership candidate Frank Klees that fell just short of an endorsement ("Windsor Star", 14 July 2004).

Footnotes