Christel Haeck
Encyclopedia
Christel HaeckFirst name spelled as Christel, Cristel or Crystal in media sources. (born March 9, 1948) was a politician
in Ontario
, Canada
. She was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1990 to 1995.
in Peterborough
and the SUNY Buffalo School of Information and Library Science. She worked as a library assistant at the Fort Erie Public Library in Fort Erie, Ontario
from 1974 to 1977, and then took up a position as a librarian for St. Catharines Public Library. She was later appointed Head of Special Collections for the St. Catharines Public Library, leaving that position in January 1990 after her marriage to Dennis Gannon of Arlington, VA. Haeck graduated from the Niagara College
program, Library Computer Network Operator in June 1996. She is a member of the Ontario Library Association.
She has served on several community and regional boards including the Labour Advisory Committee for Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology
, Heritage Niagara, and the Ecological and Environmental Advisory Committee of the Regional Municipality of Niagara.
, but finished third against Liberal
Mike Dietsch
in the riding of St. Catharines—Brock
. She ran a second time in the 1990 provincial election
and defeated Dietsch by 1,159 votes, The NDP formed a majority government and Haeck was appointed as a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Colleges and Universities from October 1990 to August 1991. She also served as a member of the caucus
executive. Haeck chaired the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills for two years.
In 1991, Haeck introduced a private member's bill
called the Public Sector Food Services Act. It called for schools, hospitals and other provincial institutions to buy only Ontario grown produce. She said the bill "would require public service facilities in which prepared foods are provided to use only food grown or wholly manufactured in Ontario." Critics said the proposed bill was against federal efforts to reduce provincial trade barriers. The bill made it to second reading.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election
, and Haeck finished third against Progressive Conservative
Tom Froese
in her bid for re-election.
When Bob Rae
stepped down as party leader she supported Peter Kormos
for leader of the party.
In 2000, Haeck campaigned to be a part of the six-member St. Catharines delegation to the Niagara Regional Council and finished seventh. She was appointed to the council in 2002, following the death of former mayor
Roy Adams
. She ran again in the 2003 municipal election, but finished tenth.
She has been awarded a lifetime membership in the NDP.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
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...
. She was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1990 to 1995.
Background
Haeck was educated at Trent UniversityTrent University
Trent University is a liberal arts and science-oriented institution located along the Otonabee River in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.The enabling legislation is the Trent University Act, 1962-63. The University was founded through the efforts of a citizens' committee interested in creating a...
in Peterborough
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
and the SUNY Buffalo School of Information and Library Science. She worked as a library assistant at the Fort Erie Public Library in Fort Erie, Ontario
Fort Erie, Ontario
Fort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly across the river from Buffalo, New York....
from 1974 to 1977, and then took up a position as a librarian for St. Catharines Public Library. She was later appointed Head of Special Collections for the St. Catharines Public Library, leaving that position in January 1990 after her marriage to Dennis Gannon of Arlington, VA. Haeck graduated from the Niagara College
Niagara College
Niagara College is a College of Applied Arts and Technology within the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario. The College has four campuses: the Welland Campus in Welland, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Maid of the Mist Campus in Niagara Falls, home of the Tourism Industry...
program, Library Computer Network Operator in June 1996. She is a member of the Ontario Library Association.
She has served on several community and regional boards including the Labour Advisory Committee for Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology
Niagara College
Niagara College is a College of Applied Arts and Technology within the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario. The College has four campuses: the Welland Campus in Welland, the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Maid of the Mist Campus in Niagara Falls, home of the Tourism Industry...
, Heritage Niagara, and the Ecological and Environmental Advisory Committee of the Regional Municipality of Niagara.
Provincial politics
She first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1987 provincial electionOntario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
, but finished third against Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
Mike Dietsch
Mike Dietsch
Michael Murray Dietsch is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1987 to 1990....
in the riding of St. Catharines—Brock
St. Catharines—Brock
St. Catharines—Brock was a provincial electoral division in Ontario, Canada containing the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake as well as the southern portion of the city of St. Catharines. It was created prior to the 1975 provincial election, and was abolished in 1999 when Ontario adjusted all of its...
. She ran a second time in the 1990 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
and defeated Dietsch by 1,159 votes, The NDP formed a majority government and Haeck was appointed as a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Colleges and Universities from October 1990 to August 1991. She also served as a member of the caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
executive. Haeck chaired the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills for two years.
In 1991, Haeck introduced a private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
called the Public Sector Food Services Act. It called for schools, hospitals and other provincial institutions to buy only Ontario grown produce. She said the bill "would require public service facilities in which prepared foods are provided to use only food grown or wholly manufactured in Ontario." Critics said the proposed bill was against federal efforts to reduce provincial trade barriers. The bill made it to second reading.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, and Haeck finished third against Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
Tom Froese
Tom Froese
Tom Froese is a Canadian politician in Ontario. He served as a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 1999....
in her bid for re-election.
When Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
stepped down as party leader she supported Peter Kormos
Peter Kormos
Peter Kormos is a politician in Ontario, Canada. A former lawyer, he was first elected as an Ontario New Democratic Party Member of Provincial Parliament to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the Welland constituency in a 1988 provincial by-election. He replaced veteran NDP legislator Mel...
for leader of the party.
Regional politics
Haeck participated in municipal electoral politics in 1997, coming a close third. A recount was initiated by Haeck where a judicial recount established her standing.In 2000, Haeck campaigned to be a part of the six-member St. Catharines delegation to the Niagara Regional Council and finished seventh. She was appointed to the council in 2002, following the death of former mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Roy Adams
Roy Adams
Roy J. Adams is a Canadian author, newspaper columnist, human rights activist and academic.He emigrated to Canada in 1973 and taught industrial relations at McMaster University until 1997. Since then he has been a newspaper columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and has written a number of articles...
. She ran again in the 2003 municipal election, but finished tenth.
She has been awarded a lifetime membership in the NDP.