Rick Bartolucci
Encyclopedia
Rick Bartolucci is a politician in Ontario
, Canada. He has represented Sudbury
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
since 1995, and is a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty
. Bartolucci is a member of the Ontario Liberal Party
.
and the North Bay Teacher's College, and worked as a teacher and school principal for thirty years before becoming an MPP. He was a Sudbury alderman and regional councillor from 1979 to 1982 and again from 1985 to 1991, and served as the city's deputy mayor
for a time.
, defeating New Democratic Party incumbent Sharon Murdock
. The Progressive Conservative Party
of Mike Harris
won a majority government
in this election, and Bartolucci entered the legislature as a member of the Official Opposition. He was appointed as his party's critic for Northern Development and Culture and Communications. In December 1995, he helped organize a meeting at Queen's Park where artists and cultural workers criticized the Harris government's cuts to the arts sector. He later criticized the Harris government's decision to close two of Sudbury's three hospitals, arguing that it would compromise patient care.
Bartolucci was one of the three MPPs prevented from attending the Harris government's first Speech from the Throne
in September 1995, when police officers contracted by the government to guard against protesters refused them entry into the legislature. The other MPPs were veteran opposition member Sean Conway
and cabinet minister Cam Jackson
. Many opposition legislators and journalists later described the police presence as excessive. A similar incident took place in March 1996, when riot police contracted by the Harris government burst into Bartolucci's legislative office without any warning or explanation, just before a melee with protesting public service workers. The police actions were widely criticized on this occasion as well.
Bartolucci was a co-manager of Dwight Duncan
's bid to lead the Ontario Liberal Party in 1996, and moved to the camp of Gerard Kennedy
when Duncan was eliminated on the third ballot of the party's leadership convention. Kennedy was defeated on the final ballot by Dalton McGuinty
.
Bartolucci introduced a Private Member's Bill
in early 1997 to limit class sizes in Ontario's public and separate schools. The government dropped this bill from the legislative agenda in January 1998. He later introduced a bill giving police the power to apprehend any person under eighteen who was involved in prostitution, and take that person to a safe house. The government introduced legislation modeled on Bartolucci's proposal in 2000, and passed it into law in June 2002. Fourteen months later, Bartolucci complained that the law had not yet been enacted.
Bartolucci was re-elected by an increased margin in the 1999 provincial election
, as the Progressive Conservatives won a second majority government. He was appointed to the Liberal Party's election committee after the campaign, and later served as Chief Opposition Whip
. In 2000, he criticized the provincial government for requiring that cancer patients in Northern Ontario
pay most of their transportation costs to and from treatment in other areas, while patients referred from Toronto to Sudbury were provided with free transportation and lodging.
Bartolucci made frequent calls for Highway 69
to be widened between Sudbury and Parry Sound
, citing a growing number of fatal accidents in the area. He also chaired the JoeMac committee, which undertook a national campaign to have the killers of Sudbury police officer Joe MacDonald moved to a maximum security prison. The group also opposed what it described as lenient treatment for federal offenders. Bartolucci was endorsed by the Sudbury Police Association in the 2003 provincial election
.
.
Initiatives
Bartolucci announced in March 2004 that he would end the previous government's efforts to privatize the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission. He also called for the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
to re-focus its attention on job creation, with support from the private sector.
Bartolucci introduced the McGuinty government's Northern Prosperity Plan in December 2004, the highlights of which included a revamped Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, a GO North program to attract investors to the region, and a pilot Northern Ontario Grow Bonds Program. In July 2005, he announced a Northern Ontario Youth Internship and Co-op program designed to give young workers an incentive to stay in northern Ontario. Bartolucci announced a twelve-year project for the expansion of Highway 69
in June 2005, and brought forward a new provincial mining strategy in March 2006.
In January 2006, Bartolucci announced that the McGuinty government would investigate the possibility of an all-season road to the coast of James Bay
. This decision was welcomed by some First Nations
leaders, who have long experienced difficult access to and from the area.
Bartolucci presided over the opening of Ontario's first diamond mine
in June 2006, and spoke of "limitless" potential for growth in the field. The McGuinty government later proposed a new tax on diamond mining. After criticism by groups such as DeBeers Canada, Bartolucci modified the tax to include deductions for new mining construction, and for expenditures made through agreements with aboriginal communities.
Mining and First Nations communities
In August 2006, Justice Patrick Smith of the Ontario Superior Court issued a ruling against the mining exploration company Platinex Inc. in its ongoing battle with the remote Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug aboriginal community. Platinex was ordered not to work at the site for five months, and was ordered to participate in a consultation process involving the province. Bartolucci welcomed this decision as an "important step forward", but argued that it would not "impact the legitimacy of other mining claims in Ontario". Others questioned this interpretation. In January 2007, the McGuinty government formally applied for intervenor status to participate in injunction proceedings.
In mid-2007, the Ardoch Algonquin
and Shabot Obaadjiwan
First Nations began a protest against proposed uranium
mining in the Sharbot Lake
area. The protesters, who were supported by several members of the local non-aboriginal community, noted that they had not been consulted by the province before the company Frontenac Ventures began prospecting in the area. A spokesperson for Bartolucci's office confirmed that the province had a legal obligation to consult with First Nations communities before allowing exploration, and said that the province was attempting to "establish better processes" in dealing with such matters.
Other
In early 2004, Bartolucci re-designated the Muskoka District
as a part of southern rather than northern Ontario. The area had been a part of southern Ontario before 2000, when the Harris government chose to include it as part of the north. Bartolucci had criticized this decision at the time, arguing that it would allow wealthy cottage communities to access funds earmarked for northern development. Bartolucci declined to intervene when Inco announced the closure of its Copper Cliff copper refinery in May 2005, saying that he would not compel a company to keep open a financially troubled entity. The United Steelworkers of America protested this decision.
Bartolucci rang the ceremonial opening bell at the American Stock Exchange
in New York City on April 19, 2005, when he was in New York City to promote Northern Ontario mining. A press release indicated that he was the first Canadian cabinet minister to be given this honour. He later criticized the federal government of Stephen Harper
in April 2006, arguing that its proposed settlement of a softwood lumber dispute with the United States would amount to "selling out Ontario".
, in which the McGuinty government was re-elected with a second majority. On October 30, 2007, he was appointed as Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
.
Federal relations
In November 2007, Bartolucci called on the federal government of Stephen Harper
to honour an election commitment to hire 2,500 new front-line police officers across Canada. He argued that these officers should be divided among the provinces by population, an arrangement that would give Ontario 1,000 new officers. He later accused the Harper government of short-changing his province, saying that the formula chosen by the federal government would likely result in Ontario receiving only 500 officers.
Bartolucci and Attorney General Chris Bentley
appealed to the federal government to introduce stricter gun control
legislation in March 2008, including a ban on handguns. They also criticized the federal government for extending an amnesty to gun owners who refuse to register their firearms. In April 2009, Bartolucci requested that the federal government reconsider its plans to weaken the provisions of the Canadian Firearms Registry.
Police
Bartolucci has defended by use of taser
s by Ontario police officers, and has described his province's approach to taser use as "very, very measured". He rejected calls for a moratorium on taser use in June 2008, when an Ontario resident died after being tasered in a confrontation with police. In 2009, he rejected a request that Ontario ban taser use on minors.
Bartolucci supported the McGuinty government's decision to renew Julian Fantino
's contract as head of the Ontario Provincial Police in 2008, and announced that Fantino would be re-appointed to another one-year term in 2009.
In February 2008, Bartolucci met with leaders of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation
to discuss grievances about the territory's police detachments. Conditions at many detachments were described as unsafe, and it was estimated that the buildings would cost $23 million to be brought up to code. Bartolucci expressed sympathy, although he did not propose an immediate resolution. In May 2009, he announced that forty new officers would be added to Ontario's First Nations police services.
Goudge Report
Bartolucci announced in October 2008 that the McGuinty government would overhaul Ontario's forensic pathology system and provide compensation for past miscarriages of justice, after receiving a report from Justice Stephen Goudge
. This report confirmed previous media revelations that several people had been wrongly convicted of serious crimes due to errors made by discredited pathologist Charles Randal Smith
. Bartolucci personally apologized on behalf of the government to those who suffered as a result of these errors, and later announced that the McGuinty government would adopt all of the Goudge Report's recommendations into law. Among other things, the report called for the creation of an oversight council to monitor Ontario's chief coroner and chief forensic pathologist, the creation of a public complaints committee, and a provincial registry of pathologists. The Coroners Amendment Act was passed by the legislature in May 2009.
Other
Bartolucci amended the province's sex offender registry in December 2007, after the provincial Auditor General
reported that prisoners released from federal institutions had been omitted from the list.
Bartolucci introduced new animal protection legislation in April 2008, and the province's new Animal Welfare Act was officially proclaimed in March 2009. The law requires that veterinarians report suspected cases of animal abuse, gives legal protection for veterinarians who make good faith reports, and increases penalties for animal abuse.
In August 2008, a neighbourhood in northern Toronto
was hit by a propane
explosion that caused two deaths and extensive damage. Media reports noted that the propane site was located near two area schools, both of which had several windows blown out and ceilings and walls damaged. Bartolucci indicated that his government would undertake a cross-ministry review in accordance with Ontario's Technical Standards and Safety Authority
to ensure that such an incident would not recur.
Bartolucci and others in the McGuinty government have rejected calls for a provincial inquiry into a native land dispute at Caledonia
, arguing that this dispute is a federal issue.
In July 2009, Bartolucci announced $10 million in new funding for the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy. Supporters of this program argue that it has led to a dramatic reduction in Toronto's crime rate since 2006.
In October 2009, Bartolucci faced some criticism from his constituents for avoiding a vote on Peter Kormos
' private member's bill
to ban the use of replacement worker
s during a strike
. With Vale Inco workers in Sudbury on strike, Bartolucci chose to remain neutral on the legislation in the hope that his position would encourage the company and the striking workers to return to the bargaining table.
All provincial electoral information is taken from Elections Ontario
. The expenditure entries for all elections after 1995 are taken from official candidate reports as listed by Elections Ontario. The figures cited are the Total Candidate's Campaign Expenses Subject to Limitation, and include transfers from constituency associations.
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. He has represented Sudbury
Sudbury (provincial electoral district)
Sudbury is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1908. It is one of the two districts serving the city of Greater Sudbury.Its population in 2001 was 89,443....
in 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...
since 1995, and is a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
. Bartolucci is a member of the Ontario Liberal Party
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...
.
Early life and career
Bartolucci was born in Sudbury, has degrees from Laurentian UniversityLaurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
and the North Bay Teacher's College, and worked as a teacher and school principal for thirty years before becoming an MPP. He was a Sudbury alderman and regional councillor from 1979 to 1982 and again from 1985 to 1991, and served as the city's deputy mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
for a time.
Opposition member
Bartolucci was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1995 provincial electionOntario 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...
, defeating New Democratic Party incumbent Sharon Murdock
Sharon Murdock
Sharon Margaret Murdock is a politician and administrator in Ontario, Canada. She was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.-Background:...
. The Progressive Conservative Party
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...
of Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
won a 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...
in this election, and Bartolucci entered the legislature as a member of the Official Opposition. He was appointed as his party's critic for Northern Development and Culture and Communications. In December 1995, he helped organize a meeting at Queen's Park where artists and cultural workers criticized the Harris government's cuts to the arts sector. He later criticized the Harris government's decision to close two of Sudbury's three hospitals, arguing that it would compromise patient care.
Bartolucci was one of the three MPPs prevented from attending the Harris government's first Speech from the Throne
Speech from the Throne
A speech from the throne is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the government's agenda for the coming session...
in September 1995, when police officers contracted by the government to guard against protesters refused them entry into the legislature. The other MPPs were veteran opposition member Sean Conway
Sean Conway
Sean Conway is a Canadian university professor and administrator. He served for 28 years as a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, from 1975 to 2003, and was a high-profile cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson...
and cabinet minister Cam Jackson
Cam Jackson
Cameron "Cam" Jackson is a Canadian politician. A Progressive Conservative, he was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1985, and held the office of Member of Provincial Parliament for Burlington until his resignation on September 28, 2006 to run for mayor of Burlington in the...
. Many opposition legislators and journalists later described the police presence as excessive. A similar incident took place in March 1996, when riot police contracted by the Harris government burst into Bartolucci's legislative office without any warning or explanation, just before a melee with protesting public service workers. The police actions were widely criticized on this occasion as well.
Bartolucci was a co-manager of Dwight Duncan
Dwight Duncan
Dwight Duncan, MPP is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, and is the Minister of Finance in the government of Dalton McGuinty...
's bid to lead the Ontario Liberal Party in 1996, and moved to the camp of Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Kennedy
Gerard Michael Kennedy is a Canadian politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as Ontario's Minister of Education from 2003 to 2006, when he resigned to make an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada...
when Duncan was eliminated on the third ballot of the party's leadership convention. Kennedy was defeated on the final ballot by Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
.
Bartolucci 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...
in early 1997 to limit class sizes in Ontario's public and separate schools. The government dropped this bill from the legislative agenda in January 1998. He later introduced a bill giving police the power to apprehend any person under eighteen who was involved in prostitution, and take that person to a safe house. The government introduced legislation modeled on Bartolucci's proposal in 2000, and passed it into law in June 2002. Fourteen months later, Bartolucci complained that the law had not yet been enacted.
Bartolucci was re-elected by an increased margin in the 1999 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, as the Progressive Conservatives won a second majority government. He was appointed to the Liberal Party's election committee after the campaign, and later served as Chief Opposition Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
. In 2000, he criticized the provincial government for requiring that cancer patients in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
pay most of their transportation costs to and from treatment in other areas, while patients referred from Toronto to Sudbury were provided with free transportation and lodging.
Bartolucci made frequent calls for Highway 69
Ontario Highway 69
King's Highway 69, commonly referred to as Highway 69, is a major north–south highway in the central area of the Canadian province of Ontario, linking Highway 400 north of Parry Sound with Sudbury...
to be widened between Sudbury and Parry Sound
Parry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound is a town in Central Ontario, Canada, located on Parry Sound on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is located south of Sudbury and north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It is also the...
, citing a growing number of fatal accidents in the area. He also chaired the JoeMac committee, which undertook a national campaign to have the killers of Sudbury police officer Joe MacDonald moved to a maximum security prison. The group also opposed what it described as lenient treatment for federal offenders. Bartolucci was endorsed by the Sudbury Police Association in the 2003 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2003
The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
.
Minister of Northern Development and Mines
Bartolucci was re-elected by a landslide in 2003, as the Liberals won a majority government across the province. On October 23, 2003, he was appointed as Minister of Northern Development and Mines in the newly-formed government of Dalton McGuintyDalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
.
Initiatives
Bartolucci announced in March 2004 that he would end the previous government's efforts to privatize the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission. He also called for the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund
The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund is a division of the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry in the Canadian province of Ontario, whose purpose is to provide funding and program support to foster economic development in the economically disadvantaged Northern Ontario region.The NOHF...
to re-focus its attention on job creation, with support from the private sector.
Bartolucci introduced the McGuinty government's Northern Prosperity Plan in December 2004, the highlights of which included a revamped Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, a GO North program to attract investors to the region, and a pilot Northern Ontario Grow Bonds Program. In July 2005, he announced a Northern Ontario Youth Internship and Co-op program designed to give young workers an incentive to stay in northern Ontario. Bartolucci announced a twelve-year project for the expansion of Highway 69
Ontario Highway 69
King's Highway 69, commonly referred to as Highway 69, is a major north–south highway in the central area of the Canadian province of Ontario, linking Highway 400 north of Parry Sound with Sudbury...
in June 2005, and brought forward a new provincial mining strategy in March 2006.
In January 2006, Bartolucci announced that the McGuinty government would investigate the possibility of an all-season road to the coast of James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
. This decision was welcomed by some First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
leaders, who have long experienced difficult access to and from the area.
Bartolucci presided over the opening of Ontario's first diamond mine
Diamond Mine
Diamond Mine is the second album by Blue Rodeo, released in 1989. It includes several instrumental interludes by Bob Wiseman between songs.-Track listing:All songs by Greg Keelor and Jim Cuddy.#"Swells"#"God and Country" – 3:32#"How Long" – 3:59...
in June 2006, and spoke of "limitless" potential for growth in the field. The McGuinty government later proposed a new tax on diamond mining. After criticism by groups such as DeBeers Canada, Bartolucci modified the tax to include deductions for new mining construction, and for expenditures made through agreements with aboriginal communities.
Mining and First Nations communities
In August 2006, Justice Patrick Smith of the Ontario Superior Court issued a ruling against the mining exploration company Platinex Inc. in its ongoing battle with the remote Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug aboriginal community. Platinex was ordered not to work at the site for five months, and was ordered to participate in a consultation process involving the province. Bartolucci welcomed this decision as an "important step forward", but argued that it would not "impact the legitimacy of other mining claims in Ontario". Others questioned this interpretation. In January 2007, the McGuinty government formally applied for intervenor status to participate in injunction proceedings.
In mid-2007, the Ardoch Algonquin
Ardoch Algonquin First Nation
Ardoch Algonguin First Nation is a non-status Algonquin community that is located around the Madawaska, Mississippi and Rideau watersheds, north of Kingston, Ontario-History:...
and Shabot Obaadjiwan
Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation
The Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation, formerly known as the Sharbot Mishigama Anishinabe Algonquin First Nation and as the Sharbot Lake Algonquin First Nation, is a non-status Algonquin community located north of Kingston, Ontario. It is currently in negotiation with the federal and provincial...
First Nations began a protest against proposed uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
mining in the Sharbot Lake
Sharbot Lake
Sharbot Lake is a village in Central Frontenac Township, Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada, located on the eponymous Sharbot Lake.Being situated in the Land O'Lakes Tourist Region and surrounded by many lakes in the area that are used for outdoor recreation, Sharbot Lake has tourist-oriented shops...
area. The protesters, who were supported by several members of the local non-aboriginal community, noted that they had not been consulted by the province before the company Frontenac Ventures began prospecting in the area. A spokesperson for Bartolucci's office confirmed that the province had a legal obligation to consult with First Nations communities before allowing exploration, and said that the province was attempting to "establish better processes" in dealing with such matters.
Other
In early 2004, Bartolucci re-designated the Muskoka District
Muskoka District Municipality, Ontario
The District Municipality of Muskoka, more generally referred to as the District of Muskoka, or simply Muskoka, is a Regional Municipality located in Central Ontario, Canada. Muskoka extends from Georgian Bay in the west, to the northern tip of Lake Couchiching in the south, to the western border...
as a part of southern rather than northern Ontario. The area had been a part of southern Ontario before 2000, when the Harris government chose to include it as part of the north. Bartolucci had criticized this decision at the time, arguing that it would allow wealthy cottage communities to access funds earmarked for northern development. Bartolucci declined to intervene when Inco announced the closure of its Copper Cliff copper refinery in May 2005, saying that he would not compel a company to keep open a financially troubled entity. The United Steelworkers of America protested this decision.
Bartolucci rang the ceremonial opening bell at the American Stock Exchange
American Stock Exchange
NYSE Amex Equities, formerly known as the American Stock Exchange is an American stock exchange situated in New York. AMEX was a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953, it was known as the New York Curb Exchange. On January 17, 2008, NYSE Euronext announced it would acquire the...
in New York City on April 19, 2005, when he was in New York City to promote Northern Ontario mining. A press release indicated that he was the first Canadian cabinet minister to be given this honour. He later criticized the federal government of Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
in April 2006, arguing that its proposed settlement of a softwood lumber dispute with the United States would amount to "selling out Ontario".
Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Bartolucci was re-elected without difficulty in the 2007 provincial electionOntario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
, in which the McGuinty government was re-elected with a second majority. On October 30, 2007, he was appointed as Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (Ontario)
The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services is responsible for law enforcement services in the Canadian province of Ontario, including the Ontario Provincial Police, correctional centres, detention centres/jails The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (French:...
.
Federal relations
In November 2007, Bartolucci called on the federal government of Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
to honour an election commitment to hire 2,500 new front-line police officers across Canada. He argued that these officers should be divided among the provinces by population, an arrangement that would give Ontario 1,000 new officers. He later accused the Harper government of short-changing his province, saying that the formula chosen by the federal government would likely result in Ontario receiving only 500 officers.
Bartolucci and Attorney General Chris Bentley
Chris Bentley
For the Canadian politician, see Christopher Bentley.Chris Bentley is a Rugby Union Player for Exeter Chiefs in the Aviva Premiership. He made his debut in 2004 against London Welsh. His position of choice is Lock-External links:*...
appealed to the federal government to introduce stricter gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
legislation in March 2008, including a ban on handguns. They also criticized the federal government for extending an amnesty to gun owners who refuse to register their firearms. In April 2009, Bartolucci requested that the federal government reconsider its plans to weaken the provisions of the Canadian Firearms Registry.
Police
Bartolucci has defended by use of taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
s by Ontario police officers, and has described his province's approach to taser use as "very, very measured". He rejected calls for a moratorium on taser use in June 2008, when an Ontario resident died after being tasered in a confrontation with police. In 2009, he rejected a request that Ontario ban taser use on minors.
Bartolucci supported the McGuinty government's decision to renew Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino is a retired police official and the elected Member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of Vaughan following a November 29, 2010 by-election...
's contract as head of the Ontario Provincial Police in 2008, and announced that Fantino would be re-appointed to another one-year term in 2009.
In February 2008, Bartolucci met with leaders of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Nishnawbe Aski Nation is a political organization representing 49 First Nation communities across Treaty 9 and Treaty 5 areas of northern Ontario, Canada...
to discuss grievances about the territory's police detachments. Conditions at many detachments were described as unsafe, and it was estimated that the buildings would cost $23 million to be brought up to code. Bartolucci expressed sympathy, although he did not propose an immediate resolution. In May 2009, he announced that forty new officers would be added to Ontario's First Nations police services.
Goudge Report
Bartolucci announced in October 2008 that the McGuinty government would overhaul Ontario's forensic pathology system and provide compensation for past miscarriages of justice, after receiving a report from Justice Stephen Goudge
Goudge Inquiry
The Inquiry into Pediatric Forensic Pathology in Ontario, commonly known as the Goudge Inquiry, was created to address serious concerns over the way criminally suspicious deaths involving children are handled by the Province of Ontario in Canada....
. This report confirmed previous media revelations that several people had been wrongly convicted of serious crimes due to errors made by discredited pathologist Charles Randal Smith
Charles Randal Smith
Charles Randal Smith was a Canadian pathologist who was the head pediatric forensic pathologist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, from 1982 to 2003. The quality of his autopsies, and the resulting criminal charges and convictions of several people, have been called into...
. Bartolucci personally apologized on behalf of the government to those who suffered as a result of these errors, and later announced that the McGuinty government would adopt all of the Goudge Report's recommendations into law. Among other things, the report called for the creation of an oversight council to monitor Ontario's chief coroner and chief forensic pathologist, the creation of a public complaints committee, and a provincial registry of pathologists. The Coroners Amendment Act was passed by the legislature in May 2009.
Other
Bartolucci amended the province's sex offender registry in December 2007, after the provincial Auditor General
Auditor General of Ontario
The role of the Auditor General of Ontario is to aid accountability by conducting independent audits of provincial government operations. The office was created in 1869. In 1886 the Auditor’s Office was an adjunct of Treasury. Since then the office has evolved into an independent agency. The office...
reported that prisoners released from federal institutions had been omitted from the list.
Bartolucci introduced new animal protection legislation in April 2008, and the province's new Animal Welfare Act was officially proclaimed in March 2009. The law requires that veterinarians report suspected cases of animal abuse, gives legal protection for veterinarians who make good faith reports, and increases penalties for animal abuse.
In August 2008, a neighbourhood in northern Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
was hit by a propane
Propane
Propane is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula , normally a gas, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used as a fuel for engines, oxy-gas torches, barbecues, portable stoves, and residential central...
explosion that caused two deaths and extensive damage. Media reports noted that the propane site was located near two area schools, both of which had several windows blown out and ceilings and walls damaged. Bartolucci indicated that his government would undertake a cross-ministry review in accordance with Ontario's Technical Standards and Safety Authority
Technical Standards and Safety Authority
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority administers and enforces technical standards in the province of Ontario in Canada.It is a non-profit organization that has been given powers to enforce and create public safety rules in such areas as elevators, ski lifts, upholstery, amusement rides and...
to ensure that such an incident would not recur.
Bartolucci and others in the McGuinty government have rejected calls for a provincial inquiry into a native land dispute at Caledonia
Caledonia, Ontario
Caledonia is a small riverside community and former town located on the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada. Haldimand County is in the western part of the Niagara Peninsula, and had a population of 43,280 in 2001. The current mayor of Haldimand County is Ken Hewitt; Caledonia is...
, arguing that this dispute is a federal issue.
In July 2009, Bartolucci announced $10 million in new funding for the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy. Supporters of this program argue that it has led to a dramatic reduction in Toronto's crime rate since 2006.
In October 2009, Bartolucci faced some criticism from his constituents for avoiding a vote on 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...
' 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...
to ban the use of replacement worker
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
s during a strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
. With Vale Inco workers in Sudbury on strike, Bartolucci chose to remain neutral on the legislation in the hope that his position would encourage the company and the striking workers to return to the bargaining table.
Electoral record
Bartolucci was also elected as a Sudbury councillor from 1979 to 1982, and from 1985 to 1991.All provincial electoral information is taken from Elections Ontario
Elections Ontario
Elections Ontario is a non-partisan Agency of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. They work under the Chief Electoral Officer, an officer of the Legislative Assembly. responsible for the conduct of provincial elections.-External links:*...
. The expenditure entries for all elections after 1995 are taken from official candidate reports as listed by Elections Ontario. The figures cited are the Total Candidate's Campaign Expenses Subject to Limitation, and include transfers from constituency associations.