Tom Wappel
Encyclopedia
Thomas William "Tom" Wappel (born February 9, 1950) is a Canadian
politician. He was a Liberal
member of the House of Commons
from 1988 to 2008, representing the Toronto
riding of Scarborough West
and its successor riding of Scarborough Southwest
. He did not seek re-election in the 2008 general election
.
Wappel is a staunch social conservative
. He is a prominent opponent of abortion
and gay rights, and has made controversial comments on immigration
and the role of religion in government. He opposes the death penalty
, and describes himself as holding liberal views on economic issues. In 1998, he was awarded the Joseph P. Borowski Award. He is separated, with five children.
parents. He holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the University of Toronto
(1971), and a Bachelor of Laws
from Queen's University (1974). He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1976, and worked in civil litigation and corporate law and taught classes in negotiation. Wappel is a member of the Knights of Columbus
.
, a star candidate who had been personally recruited by party leader John Turner
. His campaign was supported by members of the anti-abortion group Campaign Life, and his election platform included a pledge of "respect for human life, from conception to the natural end of life". He also opposed the Canada-United States free trade agreement, and criticized the media for portraying him as a single-issue candidate. He won a narrow victory in the general election, defeating Progressive Conservative
incumbent Reg Stackhouse by 440 votes.
During the election, Campaign Life activists circulated a pamphlet that accused Stackhouse of supporting "baby-killing" in some circumstances. There is no evidence that Wappel personally endorsed the pamphlet.
The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government in 1988, and Wappel entered parliament as a member of the opposition. John Turner resigned as party leader in 1989, and a new leadership contest was called to select his replacement.
and "distinct society" status for Quebec
.
Wappel spoke against federal daycare programs during one all-candidates meeting, arguing that the Canadian government should promote stay-at-home parenting instead. Late in the campaign, he said that he did not consider single-parent households or homosexual couples to be families.
His candidacy was not supported by any other MPs although he won the endorsement of Liberals for Life
, an anti-abortion pressure group working inside the Liberal Party, in March 1990. During his nomination speech at the convention, Wappel called for abortion to be made a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. He finished in fourth place, as Jean Chrétien
won the leadership on the first ballot.
to be automatically denied status. His suggestions were leaked to the media, and were immediately rejected by the Liberal Party leadership. He was removed as the Liberal Party's immigration Critic in January 1992, and reassigned as critic for the Solicitor-General. In his new position, he called for increased safeguards in Canada's parole system.
Wappel was endorsed by the Canadian Police Association
in the 1993 federal election
, and focused his campaign on "law and order
" issues. He was easily re-elected as the Liberals won a majority government
nationally.
Wappel was not appointed to Jean Chrétien's cabinet, and was a frequent critic of his own party's social legislation. He opposed the Chrétien government's decision to extend anti-discrimination protection to homosexuals in 1994, describing homosexuality as "statistically abnormal, [...] physically abnormal and [...] morally immoral". Some politicians and journalists called for Chrétien to expel Wappel from caucus after this remark, but no disciplinary action was taken. Later in the year, Wappel described homosexuality as "not genetic, but a choice", while arguing that religion is "virtually genetic, since it is passed from generation to generation". He remained active on law enforcement issues, introducing a private member's bill
to create a national witness protection program and calling for tougher provisions under Canada's Young Offenders Act
.
He was re-elected to a third term in the 1997 election
, again running on a "law and order" platform. When parliament resumed, he introduced a private member's bill designed to prevent persons convicted of serious crimes (and their relatives and collaborators) from receiving any financial benefit resulting from artistic depictions of their acts. The bill was supported by some members of the law enforcement community, but was criticized by artists and was often described as poorly drafted. Toronto journalist Michael Valpy
dismissed it as "legal gibberish" and "a piece of junk". The bill passed the House of Commons but was rejected by the Canadian Senate
in 1998, despite last-minute adjustments.
Wappel ran for Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
in 2001, seeking support from backbench Liberals and opposition members. He was eliminated after the first ballot of a secret vote by all Members of Parliament
(MPs).
He faced media scrutiny in May 2001, when he refused to help a veteran
in his riding whom he suspected of having voted for a rival candidate in the previous election. Wappel wrote a letter to the constituent, asking "How is it that you are writing me for my help if you did not think enough of my abilities to justify voting for me?" The letter was released to the media, and Wappel's remarks were widely criticized by journalists and MPs from all parties. Chrétien reprimanded Wappel, and required him to issue an apology. Wappel later described the letter as a "stupid mistake", and called for voters to forgive him.
In July 2002, Wappel joined with fifteen other Liberal MPs in calling for Paul Martin
to succeed Jean Chrétien as Liberal leader. Later in the year, he was unexpectedly elected chair of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in a free vote of other committee members. He issued a report in June 2003 arguing that federal bureaucrats had "badly managed" the sockeye salmon
fishery in British Columbia
's Fraser River
two years earlier.
Martin government
Paul Martin succeeded Chrétien as party leader and prime minister
in December 2003. Wappel remained a government backbencher
, and was returned to a fifth parliamentary term in the 2004 election
as the Liberals were reduced to a minority government
.
Wappel remained one of the most vocal social conservatives in the Liberal caucus, and was a prominent opponent of the Martin government's 2005 same-sex marriage legislation
, which he described as "discriminatory, a sham, and a hoax". According to one report, Wappel told Martin that he was "profoundly disappointed" with his handling of the issue during a private caucus meeting. There was some speculation that Wappel would join fellow MP Pat O'Brien
in leaving the Liberal caucus over the marriage bill, but he decided to remain in the party.
, as the Conservative Party
won a national minority government
. Wappel was one of twenty-four Liberal MPs to vote for an extension of Canada's military mission in Afghanistan
in May 2006. He also renewed his call for abortion legislation, describing Canada as "the only western democracy that has absolutely no law whatsoever when it comes to protecting the unborn child". In February 2007, he was the only Liberal MP to vote for the extension of two controversial anti-terrorism measures that had first been passed by the Chrétien government in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The measures, which critics described as a threat to civil liberties, were defeated when the Bloc Québécois
, New Democratic Party and most Liberals voted not to support their extension. Wappel expressed surprise that more Liberal MPs did not support the extension.
Wappel did not endorse any candidate in the 2006 Liberal leadership election, as none of the candidates were declared social conservatives. He indicated that he would personally vote for Joe Volpe
at the convention.
In 2004, he introduced a separate bill requiring fast food
restaurants to list salt and fat content on their menus. It was defeated by a vote of 198 to 64 in November 2006.
.
Wappel joined the Campaign Life Coalition
as its legal counsel on January 1, 2009.
. Italicized expenditures from elections after 1997 refer to submitted totals, and are presented when the final reviewed totals are not available. Expenditures from 1997 refer to submitted totals. The +/- figures from 1997 and 2004 are adjusted for redistribution.
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 was a Liberal
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...
member of the 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 1988 to 2008, representing 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...
riding of Scarborough West
Scarborough West
Scarborough West was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commonsfrom 1968 to 1997. It was located in the province of Ontario...
and its successor riding of Scarborough Southwest
Scarborough Southwest
Scarborough Southwest is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons.On Toronto City Council, the southeast portion is represented by Gary Crawford. The northwest section is represented by Michelle Berardinetti.-Geography:It covers the...
. He did not seek re-election in the 2008 general election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
.
Wappel is a staunch social 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...
. He is a prominent opponent of abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and gay rights, and has made controversial comments on immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and the role of religion in government. He opposes the death penalty
Capital punishment in Canada
Capital punishment in Canada dates back to 1749. Before Canada eliminated the death penalty for murder on July 14, 1976, 1,481 people were sentenced to death, with 710 executed. Of those executed, 697 were men and 13 were women. The only method used in Canada for capital punishment in nonmilitary...
, and describes himself as holding liberal views on economic issues. In 1998, he was awarded the Joseph P. Borowski Award. He is separated, with five children.
Early life and career
Wappel was born in Toronto, to HungarianHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
parents. He holds a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor 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 from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
(1971), and a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
from Queen's University (1974). He was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1976, and worked in civil litigation and corporate law and taught classes in negotiation. Wappel is a member of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
.
1988 election
Wappel won the Scarborough West Liberal nomination in 1988 in a surprising upset over Patrick JohnstonPatrick Johnston (Canadian politician)
Patrick Johnston is a Canadian administrator, policy analyst and former politician. He was recruited by Liberal Party leader John Turner to contest the 1988 election for the party, but unexpectedly lost his nomination to a rival candidate supported by pro-life activists.A teacher and social worker...
, a star candidate who had been personally recruited by party leader John Turner
John Turner
John Napier Wyndham Turner, PC, CC, QC is an English Canadian lawyer and retired politician, who served as the 17th Prime Minister of Canada from June 30 to September 17, 1984....
. His campaign was supported by members of the anti-abortion group Campaign Life, and his election platform included a pledge of "respect for human life, from conception to the natural end of life". He also opposed the Canada-United States free trade agreement, and criticized the media for portraying him as a single-issue candidate. He won a narrow victory in the general election, defeating Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
incumbent Reg Stackhouse by 440 votes.
During the election, Campaign Life activists circulated a pamphlet that accused Stackhouse of supporting "baby-killing" in some circumstances. There is no evidence that Wappel personally endorsed the pamphlet.
The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government in 1988, and Wappel entered parliament as a member of the opposition. John Turner resigned as party leader in 1989, and a new leadership contest was called to select his replacement.
Leadership candidate
Wappel was the first declared candidate in the Liberal Party's 1990 leadership convention, announcing his candidacy on June 29, 1989. He described himself as the only candidate willing to make abortion a leadership issue. Wappel spoke against abortion in all circumstances, saying that while rape and incest are terrible tragedies, "they cannot possibly be compounded by the further tragedy of destroying human life." He also called for increased immigration to Canada and harsher penalties against drug traffickers, while opposing the Meech Lake AccordMeech Lake Accord
The Meech Lake Accord was a package of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Canada negotiated in 1987 by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and ten provincial premiers. It was intended to persuade the government of the Province of Quebec to endorse the 1982 Canadian Constitution and increase...
and "distinct society" status for Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Wappel spoke against federal daycare programs during one all-candidates meeting, arguing that the Canadian government should promote stay-at-home parenting instead. Late in the campaign, he said that he did not consider single-parent households or homosexual couples to be families.
His candidacy was not supported by any other MPs although he won the endorsement of Liberals for Life
Liberals for Life
Liberals for Life was a pro-life advocacy group that worked within the Liberal Party of Canada during the 1980s and early 1990s. Some of its members were also affiliated with the Campaign Life Coalition, and, as such, the group was often accused of entryism....
, an anti-abortion pressure group working inside the Liberal Party, in March 1990. During his nomination speech at the convention, Wappel called for abortion to be made a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. He finished in fourth place, as 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....
won the leadership on the first ballot.
Opposition Critic
Wappel was appointed as the Liberal Party's immigration critic in January 1991. Late in the year, he prepared an internal party document calling for the creation of detainment camps (to be called Welcome Centres) for refugees arriving in Canada. Claimants would be provided with food, lodging and clothing, but would not be permitted to work outside the centre while their cases were under review. The proposal also called for any claimant with HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
to be automatically denied status. His suggestions were leaked to the media, and were immediately rejected by the Liberal Party leadership. He was removed as the Liberal Party's immigration Critic in January 1992, and reassigned as critic for the Solicitor-General. In his new position, he called for increased safeguards in Canada's parole system.
Wappel was endorsed by the Canadian Police Association
Canadian Police Association
The Canadian Police Association is an organization of Canadian police officers.In 2003, the original "Canadian Police Association" was merged with the National Association of Professional Police to form the Canadian Professional Police Association....
in the 1993 federal election
Canadian 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 focused his campaign on "law and order
Law and order (politics)
In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
" issues. He was easily re-elected as the Liberals 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...
nationally.
Government backbencher
Chrétien governmentWappel was not appointed to Jean Chrétien's cabinet, and was a frequent critic of his own party's social legislation. He opposed the Chrétien government's decision to extend anti-discrimination protection to homosexuals in 1994, describing homosexuality as "statistically abnormal, [...] physically abnormal and [...] morally immoral". Some politicians and journalists called for Chrétien to expel Wappel from caucus after this remark, but no disciplinary action was taken. Later in the year, Wappel described homosexuality as "not genetic, but a choice", while arguing that religion is "virtually genetic, since it is passed from generation to generation". He remained active on law enforcement issues, introducing 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...
to create a national witness protection program and calling for tougher provisions under Canada's Young Offenders Act
Young Offenders Act
The Young Offenders Act was an act of the Parliament of Canada, granted Royal Assent in 1984, that regulated the criminal prosecution of Canadian youths...
.
He was re-elected to a third term 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...
, again running on a "law and order" platform. When parliament resumed, he introduced a private member's bill designed to prevent persons convicted of serious crimes (and their relatives and collaborators) from receiving any financial benefit resulting from artistic depictions of their acts. The bill was supported by some members of the law enforcement community, but was criticized by artists and was often described as poorly drafted. Toronto journalist Michael Valpy
Michael Valpy
Michael Granville Valpy is an award-winning Canadian journalist and author. He writes for the Globe and Mail newspaper where he made his reputation on both political and human interest stories...
dismissed it as "legal gibberish" and "a piece of junk". The bill passed the House of Commons but was rejected by the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
in 1998, despite last-minute adjustments.
Wappel ran for Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Parliament of Canada and is elected at the beginning of each new parliament by fellow Members of Parliament...
in 2001, seeking support from backbench Liberals and opposition members. He was eliminated after the first ballot of a secret vote by all Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MPs).
He faced media scrutiny in May 2001, when he refused to help a veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
in his riding whom he suspected of having voted for a rival candidate in the previous election. Wappel wrote a letter to the constituent, asking "How is it that you are writing me for my help if you did not think enough of my abilities to justify voting for me?" The letter was released to the media, and Wappel's remarks were widely criticized by journalists and MPs from all parties. Chrétien reprimanded Wappel, and required him to issue an apology. Wappel later described the letter as a "stupid mistake", and called for voters to forgive him.
In July 2002, Wappel joined with fifteen other Liberal MPs in calling for Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
to succeed Jean Chrétien as Liberal leader. Later in the year, he was unexpectedly elected chair of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in a free vote of other committee members. He issued a report in June 2003 arguing that federal bureaucrats had "badly managed" the sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon , also called red salmon or blueback salmon in the USA, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it...
fishery in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
's Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
two years earlier.
Martin government
Paul Martin succeeded Chrétien as party leader and prime minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
in December 2003. Wappel remained a government backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
, and was returned to a fifth parliamentary term in the 2004 election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
as the Liberals were reduced to a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
.
Wappel remained one of the most vocal social conservatives in the Liberal caucus, and was a prominent opponent of the Martin government's 2005 same-sex marriage legislation
Same-sex marriage in Canada
On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition...
, which he described as "discriminatory, a sham, and a hoax". According to one report, Wappel told Martin that he was "profoundly disappointed" with his handling of the issue during a private caucus meeting. There was some speculation that Wappel would join fellow MP Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (politician)
Patrick Wayne "Pat" O'Brien, is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons. Elected as a Liberal, he ended his career in 2005 as the independent Member of Parliament for London—Fanshawe in London, Ontario....
in leaving the Liberal caucus over the marriage bill, but he decided to remain in the party.
Opposition MP
Wappel was re-elected to the House of Commons in the 2006 federal electionCanadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
, as the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
won a national minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
. Wappel was one of twenty-four Liberal MPs to vote for an extension of Canada's military mission in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in May 2006. He also renewed his call for abortion legislation, describing Canada as "the only western democracy that has absolutely no law whatsoever when it comes to protecting the unborn child". In February 2007, he was the only Liberal MP to vote for the extension of two controversial anti-terrorism measures that had first been passed by the Chrétien government in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The measures, which critics described as a threat to civil liberties, were defeated when the Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
, New Democratic Party and most Liberals voted not to support their extension. Wappel expressed surprise that more Liberal MPs did not support the extension.
Wappel did not endorse any candidate in the 2006 Liberal leadership election, as none of the candidates were declared social conservatives. He indicated that he would personally vote for Joe Volpe
Joe Volpe
Giuseppe Joseph "Joe" Volpe, PC, was a Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 until the 2011 federal election, being surpassed by the conservative member Joe Oliver Joe Oliver, and held two senior positions in Prime Minister Paul Martin's Cabinet...
at the convention.
Food labels
Wappel has promoted several private member's bills calling for better nutritional labels on food products. In 1998, he introduced a bill that would have required nutritional labels on all foods sold in grocery stores. It was supported by the Alliance for Food Label Reform, and Wappel argued that it would help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer among consumers. The bill was not passed.In 2004, he introduced a separate bill requiring fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
restaurants to list salt and fat content on their menus. It was defeated by a vote of 198 to 64 in November 2006.
Retirement
On March 23, 2007, Wappel announced that he would not stand in the next federal election. His tenure as a Member of Parliament ended with the 2008 federal electionCanadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
.
Wappel joined the Campaign Life Coalition
Campaign Life Coalition
The Campaign Life Coalition is a Canadian conservative Christian pro-life group. It is based in Toronto, Ontario...
as its legal counsel on January 1, 2009.
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...
. Italicized expenditures from elections after 1997 refer to submitted totals, and are presented when the final reviewed totals are not available. Expenditures from 1997 refer to submitted totals. The +/- figures from 1997 and 2004 are adjusted for redistribution.