Karen Haslam
Encyclopedia
Karen Haslam is a politician
in Ontario, Canada
. She was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1990 to 1995, and served as a Minister in the government of Bob Rae
. Later, she became the Mayor
of Stratford, Ontario
.
, Nova Scotia
in 1984, and as a school board trustee in Stratford in 1987.
, and was elected over her Liberal
opponent by almost 3,000 votes in the southwestern Ontario riding of Perth
. The NDP under Rae won a majority government in this election, and Haslam was initially appointed as a Deputy Speaker
. On July 31, 1991, she was promoted to cabinet as Minister of Culture and Communications
.
Haslam's cabinet performance was criticized in some circles, particularly for her controversial management of the Art Gallery of Ontario
. On February 3, 1993 she was appointed to the cabinet position of minister without portfolio
responsible for health serving as Associate Minister of Health to Minister of Health Ruth Grier
.
She subsequently emerged as a prominent opponent of the Rae government's Social Contract
austerity legislation, which revised labour contracts and mandated unpaid leave days for many provincial workers. After the government decided to move forward with the legislation, Haslam resigned her cabinet position on June 14, 1993. She was the only cabinet minister in the Rae government to resign on principle over this matter. Later, she joined with maverick NDP MPPs Peter Kormos
and Mark Morrow
and former New Democrat Dennis Drainville
to vote against the legislation.
Haslam's decision won her the respect of many dissidents within the party. The NDP were defeated in the 1995 provincial election
, and Haslam lost her own seat to Progressive Conservative
Bert Johnson, but she managed a credible second-place finish in a riding where the NDP had little historical support.
workers in Stratford during a protracted strike in the city. The following year, she scored an upset victory over incumbent Dave Hunt for mayor of the city, winning by 6305 votes to 4228. She was defeated in 2003 in her bid for re-election winning only 12% of the popular vote against two other prominent opponents.
. She subsequently resigned in March 2006.
Haslam currently serves on the Provincial Conservation Review Board.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario, 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, and served as a Minister in the government of 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....
. Later, she became the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Stratford, Ontario
Stratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
.
Background
Haslam was a teacher and librarian before entering public life. She was elected as a Rate Payer's trustee in BeaverbankBeaverbank, Nova Scotia
Beaver Bank is a community northeast of Lower Sackville on the Beaver Bank Road within the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is about 35 kilometres from the City of Halifax...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
in 1984, and as a school board trustee in Stratford in 1987.
Provincial politics
She first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1990 provincial electionOntario 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 was elected over her 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...
opponent by almost 3,000 votes in the southwestern Ontario riding of Perth
Perth (electoral district)
Perth was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1988...
. The NDP under Rae won a majority government in this election, and Haslam was initially appointed as a Deputy Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
. On July 31, 1991, she was promoted to cabinet as Minister of Culture and Communications
Ministry of Culture (Ontario)
The Ministry of Culture in the Canadian province of Ontario was responsible for the development of policies and programs and the operation of programs related to arts, cultural industries, heritage sectors and libraries, in Ontario...
.
Haslam's cabinet performance was criticized in some circles, particularly for her controversial management of the Art Gallery of Ontario
Art Gallery of Ontario
Under the direction of its CEO Matthew Teitelbaum, the AGO embarked on a $254 million redevelopment plan by architect Frank Gehry in 2004, called Transformation AGO. The new addition would require demolition of the 1992 Post-Modernist wing by Barton Myers and Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg...
. On February 3, 1993 she was appointed to the cabinet position of minister without portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
responsible for health serving as Associate Minister of Health to Minister of Health Ruth Grier
Ruth Grier
Ruth Anna Grier is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1995, and served as a high-profile cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae....
.
She subsequently emerged as a prominent opponent of the Rae government's Social Contract
Social Contract (Ontario)
The Social Contract refers to a 1993 initiative of the provincial Ontario New Democratic Party government of Bob Rae to impose austerity measures on civil service...
austerity legislation, which revised labour contracts and mandated unpaid leave days for many provincial workers. After the government decided to move forward with the legislation, Haslam resigned her cabinet position on June 14, 1993. She was the only cabinet minister in the Rae government to resign on principle over this matter. Later, she joined with maverick NDP MPPs 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...
and Mark Morrow
Mark Morrow
Mark Morrow is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.-Background:...
and former New Democrat Dennis Drainville
Dennis Drainville
Dennis Paul Drainville is a Canadian bishop an educator and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1993; later taught Humanities and History for 12 years at the Cegep College de la Gaspésie et des Îles, and is now Anglican Bishop of Quebec.-Ontario...
to vote against the legislation.
Haslam's decision won her the respect of many dissidents within the party. 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 Haslam lost her own seat to 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...
Bert Johnson, but she managed a credible second-place finish in a riding where the NDP had little historical support.
Municipal politics
In 1999, Haslam supported Canadian Union of Public EmployeesCanadian Union of Public Employees
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is a Canadian trade union serving the public sector - although it has in recent years organized workplaces in the non-profit and para-public sector as well...
workers in Stratford during a protracted strike in the city. The following year, she scored an upset victory over incumbent Dave Hunt for mayor of the city, winning by 6305 votes to 4228. She was defeated in 2003 in her bid for re-election winning only 12% of the popular vote against two other prominent opponents.
Later life
In October 2005, Haslam took on the position of Provincial Secretary of the Nova Scotia New Democratic PartyNova Scotia New Democratic Party
The Nova Scotia New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial party in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is aligned with the federal New Democratic Party . Originally founded as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in 1932, it became the New Democratic Party in 1961. It became the governing...
. She subsequently resigned in March 2006.
Haslam currently serves on the Provincial Conservation Review Board.