Andrew Witer
Encyclopedia
Andrew Witer is a Canadian
politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons
from 1984 to 1988, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party
.
Witer was born to a Ukrainian
family in Leonberg, Germany
. He came to Canada in his youth, and was educated at Sir Wilfrid Laurier University. He worked as a management consultant.
He first campaigned for the House of Commons in the 1980 federal election
, and lost to Liberal
incumbent Jesse Flis
by 5,097 votes in Parkdale—High Park
. He ran again in the 1984 election
, and defeated Flis by 1,460 votes amid a landslide majority government
victory for the Conservatives under Brian Mulroney
.
Witer was on the right-wing of the Progressive Conservative Party, and was part of a group in the party caucus informally known as the "brat pack" (Toronto Star, 17 January 1987). In 1987, Witer and Alex Kindy
used a procedural mechanism to prevent the quick passage of a bill to establish a permanent war criminal investigative agency in Canada. Many supported such an agency as a means of prosecuting Nazi
war criminals in Canada. Witer was quoted as saying, "Canada doesn't need a witch-hunting brigade like the Americans have, because it would only cause anger and panic in East European communities" (Houston Chronicle, 8 February 1987).
He was defeated in the 1988 election
, falling to Flis by 3,196 votes. Witer was appointed to the board of the Metro Toronto Housing Authority in 1989 (Globe and Mail, 28 April 1989).
Witer was named "Person of the Year" by the Canadian Ukrainian Congress in 1988, and chaired the World Congress of Ukrainians Human Rights Commission from 1989 to 1991. He joined the Romyr and Associates Public Relations Firm in 1993, and became its president in 2001 (Eastern Economist Daily, 26 July 2001). In this capacity, he has done extensive work in Ukraine
.
Witer campaigned for the Metropolitan Toronto Council in 1994, and lost to future mayor
David Miller in the city's 19th ward.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
from 1984 to 1988, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
.
Witer was born to a Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
family in Leonberg, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He came to Canada in his youth, and was educated at Sir Wilfrid Laurier University. He worked as a management consultant.
He first campaigned for the House of Commons in the 1980 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
, and lost to Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
incumbent Jesse Flis
Jesse Flis
Jesse Philip Flis is a former Canadian politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 1984, and from 1988 to 1997, as a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.Flis was born in Fosston, Saskatchewan...
by 5,097 votes in Parkdale—High Park
Parkdale—High Park
Parkdale—High Park is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.Peggy Nash of the New Democratic Party was elected the Member of Parliament for the riding on May 2, 2011....
. He ran again in the 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
, and defeated Flis by 1,460 votes amid a landslide majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
victory for the Conservatives under Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
.
Witer was on the right-wing of the Progressive Conservative Party, and was part of a group in the party caucus informally known as the "brat pack" (Toronto Star, 17 January 1987). In 1987, Witer and Alex Kindy
Alex Kindy
Alex Kindy, M.D. is a former Canadian politician. Kindy was born in Warsaw, Poland.His first attempt at entering federal politics was in the 1962 federal election when he ran as an "Independent Liberal" in the Quebec riding of Maisonneuve—Rosemont...
used a procedural mechanism to prevent the quick passage of a bill to establish a permanent war criminal investigative agency in Canada. Many supported such an agency as a means of prosecuting Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
war criminals in Canada. Witer was quoted as saying, "Canada doesn't need a witch-hunting brigade like the Americans have, because it would only cause anger and panic in East European communities" (Houston Chronicle, 8 February 1987).
He was defeated in the 1988 election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
, falling to Flis by 3,196 votes. Witer was appointed to the board of the Metro Toronto Housing Authority in 1989 (Globe and Mail, 28 April 1989).
Witer was named "Person of the Year" by the Canadian Ukrainian Congress in 1988, and chaired the World Congress of Ukrainians Human Rights Commission from 1989 to 1991. He joined the Romyr and Associates Public Relations Firm in 1993, and became its president in 2001 (Eastern Economist Daily, 26 July 2001). In this capacity, he has done extensive work in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Witer campaigned for the Metropolitan Toronto Council in 1994, and lost to future mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
David Miller in the city's 19th ward.