Joe Comartin
Politician.
“Joe” Joseph John Comartin was born on December 26, 1947 in Stoney Point, Ontario.
He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons (2000-2015), Official Opposition House Leader (2011-2012), and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons (2012-2015).
Joe Comartin graduated from the University of Windsor in 1968 with a BA in Political Science and completed Law School in 1971. His political career started out with the Liberal Party, working for then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, but lasted only a year. He concluded that his beliefs and ideas were more aligned with the New Democratic Party. He won a seat in the House of Commons in the 2000 election, becoming the first federal NDP candidate to win a seat in Ontario in ten years. He was re-elected in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2011.
Comartin was committed to his community, founding Windsor-Essex CAW Legal Services Plan, the largest private sector legal defence in Canada for working people. He also played an essential role in establishing cooperative housing and CAW Child Care Centre, which offered care for the children of workers.
As a MP representing Windsor-Tecumseh on Parliament Hill, Comartin held many portfolios, but was most known for his work on justice and the environment, making clear the impact of mandatory minimum sentences and trying to make the Environmental Assessment Act more accountable. He was always well prepared with all the facts for debates, winning him the title Most Knowledgeable MP three times.
In June 2014, Joe Comartin announced his retirement from politics in not seeking re-election. He was offered a teaching position at the University of Windsor to teach Ethics and Reform in Canadian Parliament starting January 2016.
Sources:
Comartin jumps into NDP race; Windsor-St. Clair MP eyes top job; pledges to speak for working Canadians: [Final Edition]
Doug Williamson Star Staff Reporter. The Windsor Star [Windsor, Ont] 14 Aug 2002: A3.
Accessed from Canadian Newstand from Windsor Public Library’s Databases.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/…/ndp-s-joe-comartin-will-not-seek-re-election-1.2688504
www.straightgoods.ca/ViewFeature.cfm?REF=782