David Iftody
Encyclopedia
David Iftody was a Canadian
politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons
from 1993 to 2000, representing the Manitoba
riding of Provencher
. Iftody was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada
.
, with family roots in Lac du Bonnet
, Manitoba. He worked at the Manitoba Youth Care Centre from 1977 to 1982, and subsequently received Bachelor of Social Work (1985) and Master of Public Administration
(1987) degrees from the University of Manitoba
. He later moved to Ottawa
, Ontario
, where he worked as a management consultant and was owner and president of the firm Animus Research. He also lectured at Carleton University
in the Faculty of Law.
, and was elected over Reform Party
candidate Dean Whiteway
. The Liberals won a majority government under Jean Chrétien
, and Iftody entered parliament as a government backbencher. He was re-elected in the 1997 election
against a strong challenge from the Reform Party, and served as parliamentary secretary
to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
from July 1998 until 2000. He was defeated in the 2000 election
, losing to Canadian Alliance
candidate Vic Toews
.
Iftody was appointed to the House of Commons Finance Committee shortly after his election. In this capacity, he called for the creation of a federal ombudsman
with the authority to levy fines against major banks that cut off credit to small businesses without due cause. In 1996, he proposed an amendment to Canada's Bank Act that would prevent major Canadian banks from acquiring each other via hostile takeovers. The following year, he argued that the government acted with undue haste in approving the Bank of Nova Scotia's takeover of National Trust. He served on a Liberal caucus task force on financial institutions in 1998, and supported its conclusion that two proposed major bank mergers would be against the interests of Canadians.
Social issues and firearms registry
Iftody was a committed Roman Catholic, and was part of the socially conservative
wing of the Liberal Party. In late 1994, he opposed his government's plans to add sexual orientation as a protected category under Canada's hate crimes legislation. He later opposed similar legislation protecting homosexuals under the Canadian Human Rights Act
, and was one of 17 Liberal MPs to vote against legislation expanding the benefits of same-sex couples in 2000. Iftody said that he did not support discrimination and denied being part of a parliamentary "God squad", but nonetheless expressed a personal view that homosexuality
was "spiritually unhealthy".
He also opposed the Chrétien government's plan to create a national firearms registry
, and voted against the bill enabling the registry on its final reading. Some believed that he would be barred from sitting on a Commons standing committee for this decision, but he escaped punishment. Iftody's opposition to the gun registry was popular in his mostly rural riding.
International relations
Iftody was of Romania
n background, and was chairman of the Canada-Romanian Parliamentary Group in the 1990s. In 1997, he helped convince the Romanian government to support an international treaty banning land mine
s. He also criticized Shell Oil for its human rights record in Nigeria
, claiming that the company had violated "the elementary standards of the international code of conduct for business" by failing to intervene against government abuses. He supported increased trade between Canada and the Republic of China
(Taiwan
).
Nuclear energy
Iftody supported nuclear energy
, and actively campaigned to prevent the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. research station in Pinawa
from closing.
accident. The House of Commons paid tribute to him the following day. In 2003, Providence College and Theological Seminary
in Otterburne
began an annual series called the David Iftody Memorial Lectures.
.
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 1993 to 2000, representing the Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
riding of Provencher
Provencher (electoral district)
Provencher is a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1871. It is largely a rural district, the largest community being the city of Steinbach, Manitoba.-Demographics:-History:...
. Iftody was a member of the Liberal Party of Canada
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...
.
Early life and career
Iftody was born in WinnipegWinnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, with family roots in Lac du Bonnet
Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba
Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba is a town in Manitoba, Canada located northeast of Winnipeg on the west shore of the Winnipeg River. It is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet.-Attractions & Events:...
, Manitoba. He worked at the Manitoba Youth Care Centre from 1977 to 1982, and subsequently received Bachelor of Social Work (1985) and Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Administration
The Master of Public Administration is a professional post-graduate degree in Public Administration. The MPA program prepares individuals to serve as managers in the executive arm of local, state/provincial, and federal/national government, and increasingly in nongovernmental organization and...
(1987) degrees from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
. He later moved to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, 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....
, where he worked as a management consultant and was owner and president of the firm Animus Research. He also lectured at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
in the Faculty of Law.
Member of Parliament
Iftody returned to Manitoba to stand as the Liberal candidate for Provencher in the 1993 federal electionCanadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, and was elected over Reform Party
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
candidate Dean Whiteway
Dean Whiteway
Dean Waldon Whiteway is a Canadian politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1974 to 1979, as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.-Early life and career:...
. The Liberals won a majority government under Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
, and Iftody entered parliament as a government backbencher. He was re-elected in the 1997 election
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
against a strong challenge from the Reform Party, and served as parliamentary secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (Canada)
The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who heads two different departments...
from July 1998 until 2000. He was defeated in the 2000 election
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
, losing to Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
candidate Vic Toews
Vic Toews
Victor "Vic" Toews, PC QC MP is a Canadian politician. He has represented Provencher in the Canadian House of Commons since 2000, and currently serves in the cabinet of Prime Minister Stephen Harper as Minister of Public Safety. He previously served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from...
.
Issues
BankingIftody was appointed to the House of Commons Finance Committee shortly after his election. In this capacity, he called for the creation of a federal ombudsman
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
with the authority to levy fines against major banks that cut off credit to small businesses without due cause. In 1996, he proposed an amendment to Canada's Bank Act that would prevent major Canadian banks from acquiring each other via hostile takeovers. The following year, he argued that the government acted with undue haste in approving the Bank of Nova Scotia's takeover of National Trust. He served on a Liberal caucus task force on financial institutions in 1998, and supported its conclusion that two proposed major bank mergers would be against the interests of Canadians.
Social issues and firearms registry
Iftody was a committed Roman Catholic, and was part of the socially conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
wing of the Liberal Party. In late 1994, he opposed his government's plans to add sexual orientation as a protected category under Canada's hate crimes legislation. He later opposed similar legislation protecting homosexuals under the Canadian Human Rights Act
Canadian Human Rights Act
The Canadian Human Rights Act is a statute originally passed by the Parliament of Canada in 1977 with the express goal of extending the law to ensure equal opportunity to individuals who may be victims of discriminatory practices based on a set prohibited grounds such as gender, disability, or...
, and was one of 17 Liberal MPs to vote against legislation expanding the benefits of same-sex couples in 2000. Iftody said that he did not support discrimination and denied being part of a parliamentary "God squad", but nonetheless expressed a personal view that homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
was "spiritually unhealthy".
He also opposed the Chrétien government's plan to create a national firearms registry
Canadian gun registry
The Canadian Firearms Registry is part of the Firearms Act and is managed by the Canadian Firearms Program of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police . It requires the registration of all guns in Canada. It was introduced by the Liberal government of Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and implemented by...
, and voted against the bill enabling the registry on its final reading. Some believed that he would be barred from sitting on a Commons standing committee for this decision, but he escaped punishment. Iftody's opposition to the gun registry was popular in his mostly rural riding.
International relations
Iftody was of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n background, and was chairman of the Canada-Romanian Parliamentary Group in the 1990s. In 1997, he helped convince the Romanian government to support an international treaty banning land mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
s. He also criticized Shell Oil for its human rights record in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, claiming that the company had violated "the elementary standards of the international code of conduct for business" by failing to intervene against government abuses. He supported increased trade between Canada and the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
).
Nuclear energy
Iftody supported nuclear energy
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
, and actively campaigned to prevent the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. research station in Pinawa
Pinawa, Manitoba
Pinawa is a small Canadian community of about 1500 residents located in southeastern Manitoba, 110 kilometres north-east of Winnipeg. The town is situated on the Canadian Shield within the western boundary of Whiteshell Provincial Park, which lies near the Manitoba-Ontario provincial boundary...
from closing.
Other
In late 1997, Iftody intervened to rescue a woman from a potential sexual assault in an Ottawa boarding house. Hearing a struggle in a room near his own, he discovered an intruder holding the female owner of the establishment against a wall. He stopped the attack, and detained the attacker until the police arrived.Death
Iftody died unexpectedly in on February 5, 2001, after suffering internal bleeding in his liver following a snowmobileSnowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
accident. The House of Commons paid tribute to him the following day. In 2003, Providence College and Theological Seminary
Providence College and Theological Seminary
Providence University College and Theological Seminary is an interdenominational evangelical Christian University College and Theological Seminary located approximately south-east of Winnipeg in Otterburne, Manitoba....
in Otterburne
Otterburne, Manitoba
Otterburne is a small settlement located about 50 kilometers south of Winnipeg. It is named after Otterburn in England, and is perhaps best known as the location of Providence College and Theological Seminary. It is located in the Rural Municipality of De Salaberry...
began an annual series called the David Iftody Memorial Lectures.
External links
- Edited Hansard, 6 February 2001 (includes tributes to Iftody)
Table of offices held
Electoral record
All electoral information is taken from Elections CanadaElections Canada
Elections Canada is an independent, non-partisan agency reporting directly to the Parliament of Canada. Its ongoing responsibility is to ensure that Canadians can exercise their choices in federal elections and referenda through an open and impartial process...
.