Rob Sampson
Encyclopedia
Rob Sampson is a politician
in the Canadian
province
of Ontario
. He was a Progressive Conservative
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1995 to 2003, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris
.
degree and an MBA from Queen's University. Sampson worked at the Toronto
branch of the Toronto Dominion Bank from 1980 to 1987, and at the Toronto branch of Chase Manhattan from 1987 to 1995. He also worked for Brays Lane Consulting in 1995, and is a Fellow in the Institute of Canadian Bankers. In 1992-93, he was an Executive Member of the Planning Advisory Committee for the City of Toronto.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1995
, defeating Liberal
Steve Mahoney
(later a federal cabinet minister under Jean Chrétien
) by about 3,000 votes in the riding
of Mississauga West
. This was considered an upset; the Tories performed extremely well in Mississauga
in this election, but most observers expected that Mahoney would retain his seat. He was named a Minister without Portfolio
in Mike Harris
's government on 16 August 1996, with responsibility for Privatization.
Sampson was re-elected in the new riding of Mississauga Centre
in the provincial election of 1999
, defeating Liberal George Winter
by over 4,000 votes. He was promoted to Minister of Correctional Services on 17 June 1999. He stepped down from this position on 4 December 2000 to demonstrate ministerial responsibility after a backbench Tory named Doug Galt
listed the names of several young offenders in the legislature; he was returned to his position on 8 May 2001.
Sampson is a committed Neo-conservative, and supported numerous right-wing economic policy initiatives during his time in government, including the controversial privatization of Highway 407. As Correctional Services minister, he promoted the privatization of Ontario's prison system despite warnings that this could result in decreased safety. Sampson was dropped from cabinet when Ernie Eves
succeeded Mike Harris as party leader in 2002.
In the provincial election of 2003
, he was defeated by Liberal Harinder Jeet Singh Takhar by fewer than 3,000 votes, amid a general decline in support for the Tories in Mississauga.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in the Canadian
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...
province
Provinces and territories of Canada
The provinces and territories of Canada combine to make up the world's second-largest country by area. There are ten provinces and three territories...
of 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....
. He was a 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...
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 1995 to 2003, and was a cabinet minister in the government 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...
.
Career
Sampson has a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree and an MBA from Queen's University. Sampson worked at the 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...
branch of the Toronto Dominion Bank from 1980 to 1987, and at the Toronto branch of Chase Manhattan from 1987 to 1995. He also worked for Brays Lane Consulting in 1995, and is a Fellow in the Institute of Canadian Bankers. In 1992-93, he was an Executive Member of the Planning Advisory Committee for the City of Toronto.
He was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1995
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...
, defeating 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...
Steve Mahoney
Steve Mahoney
Steven W. Mahoney, PC is a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1995, and a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004. In the latter capacity, he served as a cabinet minister in the government of Jean Chrétien...
(later a federal cabinet minister 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....
) by about 3,000 votes in the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Mississauga West
Mississauga West
For the current provincial electoral district, see Mississauga West Mississauga West was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2003. It was located in the city of Mississauga in the province of Ontario...
. This was considered an upset; the Tories performed extremely well in Mississauga
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
in this election, but most observers expected that Mahoney would retain his seat. He was named a 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...
in 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...
's government on 16 August 1996, with responsibility for Privatization.
Sampson was re-elected in the new riding of Mississauga Centre
Mississauga Centre
Mississauga Centre was a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2004 an in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2007....
in the provincial election of 1999
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....
, defeating Liberal George Winter
George Winter
George Winter may refer to:*George Winter, 1st Baronet, grandson of Robert Wintour*George D. Winter , British doctor and medical pioneer*George Winter , English-born painter of American frontier life...
by over 4,000 votes. He was promoted to Minister of Correctional Services on 17 June 1999. He stepped down from this position on 4 December 2000 to demonstrate ministerial responsibility after a backbench Tory named Doug Galt
Doug Galt
Doug Galt is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 2003, and an unsuccessful contender for the Canadian House of Commons in 2004....
listed the names of several young offenders in the legislature; he was returned to his position on 8 May 2001.
Sampson is a committed Neo-conservative, and supported numerous right-wing economic policy initiatives during his time in government, including the controversial privatization of Highway 407. As Correctional Services minister, he promoted the privatization of Ontario's prison system despite warnings that this could result in decreased safety. Sampson was dropped from cabinet when Ernie Eves
Ernie Eves
Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Eves was the 23rd Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003.-Beginnings:...
succeeded Mike Harris as party leader in 2002.
In the provincial election of 2003
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....
, he was defeated by Liberal Harinder Jeet Singh Takhar by fewer than 3,000 votes, amid a general decline in support for the Tories in Mississauga.