Brian Charlton
Encyclopedia
Brian Albert Charlton is a former politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He was a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1977 to 1995, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae
.
Charlton worked as a property assessor before entering political life. His father, John Charlton, was a candidate of the Ontario NDP in the 1963 provincial election
.
Charlton first ran for the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1975
, but lost to Progressive Conservative
John Smith by 1,667 votes in Hamilton Mountain
. He ran again in the 1977 provincial election
, and defeated Smith by 373 votes. He was re-elected over Progressive Conservative Duncan Beattie
in the 1981 provincial election
by 197 votes, despite the fact that the NDP lost several seats elsewhere in the province. He was re-elected by a greater margin in the 1985 provincial election
, and defeated Liberal
Jane Milanetti by 1,632 votes in the 1987 election
. Charlton supported Bob Rae for the provincial NDP leadership in 1982.
The NDP won an unexpected majority government in the 1990 provincial election
, and Charlton was re-elected by a landslide. Most expected that he would be appointed as Minister of Energy under NDP Premier
Bob Rae
. Instead, Charlton was the only incumbent New Democratic MPP to be left out of Rae's first cabinet. Charlton had openly speculating about possible policy decisions in the Energy department before the official cabinet announcement was made. This was regarded as a serious violation of protocol, and Charlton was temporarily relegated to the backbenches as parliamentary assistant to the Energy Minister.
Charlton was belatedly appointed to cabinet on March 18, 1991, as Minister of Financial Institutions. He held this position until February 3, 1993, and was also named interim Minister of Energy on February 14, 1992, finally being appointed to the full portfolio on September 23 of the same year. Following a cabinet shuffle on February 3, 1993, he was named Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet.
As Energy Minister, Charlton opposed suggestions that Ontario Hydro
could be privatized. In 1994, some suggested Charlton as a possible replacement for Bob Rae as NDP leader.
As Chair of the Management Board, Charlton acknowledged in 1993 that the Rae government's employment equity policies could have the effect of barring white male applicants from some civil service jobs for a number of years (some sources claim he said "fifteen years", though this figure was actually used as a high-end extreme). Charlton justified this policy as an attempt at redressing past discrimination, although many opponents of employment equity (and even some supporters) considered his comments misguided.
The NDP were defeated in the provincial election of 1995
, and Charlton finished third in Hamilton Mountain, coming behind Liberal Marie Bountrogianni
and the winner, Progressive Conservative Trevor Pettit
. He has not sought a return to office since this time, though his wife Chris Charlton
has campaigned for federal, provincial and municipal office numerous times since 1997, being elected in 2006 and re-elected since as NDP Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain
. In 1998, he worked as a staff member in the office of Howard Hampton
, who replaced Rae as provincial NDP leader in 1996.
Charlton is currently a member of Green Venture, and has chaired employment adjustment committees for the Hamilton Steelworkers Area Council and the Canadian Auto Workers
. In 2002-2003, both Brian and Chris Charlton supported Bill Blaikie
for the leadership of the federal New Democratic Party
.
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...
. He 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 1977 to 1995, and was a cabinet 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....
.
Charlton worked as a property assessor before entering political life. His father, John Charlton, was a candidate of the Ontario NDP in the 1963 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1963
The Ontario general election of 1963 was held on September 25, 1963, to elect the 108 members of the 27th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
.
Charlton first ran for the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1975
Ontario general election, 1975
The Ontario general election of 1975 was held on September 18, 1975, to elect the 125 members of the 30th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, but lost 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...
John Smith by 1,667 votes in Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. The riding is located in the Hamilton, Ontario region....
. He ran again in the 1977 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1977
The Ontario general election of 1977 was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, and defeated Smith by 373 votes. He was re-elected over Progressive Conservative Duncan Beattie
Duncan Beattie
Duncan Beattie was the Progressive Conservative Member of the Canadian House of Commons for the riding of Hamilton Mountain in Ontario from 1972 to 1974 and again from 1979 to 1980.-References:...
in the 1981 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1981
The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
by 197 votes, despite the fact that the NDP lost several seats elsewhere in the province. He was re-elected by a greater margin in the 1985 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1985
The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada...
, and defeated 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...
Jane Milanetti by 1,632 votes in the 1987 election
Ontario general election, 1987
The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority...
. Charlton supported Bob Rae for the provincial NDP leadership in 1982.
The NDP won an unexpected majority government in the 1990 provincial election
Ontario 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 Charlton was re-elected by a landslide. Most expected that he would be appointed as Minister of Energy under NDP Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
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....
. Instead, Charlton was the only incumbent New Democratic MPP to be left out of Rae's first cabinet. Charlton had openly speculating about possible policy decisions in the Energy department before the official cabinet announcement was made. This was regarded as a serious violation of protocol, and Charlton was temporarily relegated to the backbenches as parliamentary assistant to the Energy Minister.
Charlton was belatedly appointed to cabinet on March 18, 1991, as Minister of Financial Institutions. He held this position until February 3, 1993, and was also named interim Minister of Energy on February 14, 1992, finally being appointed to the full portfolio on September 23 of the same year. Following a cabinet shuffle on February 3, 1993, he was named Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet.
As Energy Minister, Charlton opposed suggestions that Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro
Ontario Hydro was the official name from 1974 of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario which was established in 1906 by the provincial Power Commission Act to build transmission lines to supply municipal utilities with electricity generated by private companies already operating at Niagara...
could be privatized. In 1994, some suggested Charlton as a possible replacement for Bob Rae as NDP leader.
As Chair of the Management Board, Charlton acknowledged in 1993 that the Rae government's employment equity policies could have the effect of barring white male applicants from some civil service jobs for a number of years (some sources claim he said "fifteen years", though this figure was actually used as a high-end extreme). Charlton justified this policy as an attempt at redressing past discrimination, although many opponents of employment equity (and even some supporters) considered his comments misguided.
The NDP were defeated 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...
, and Charlton finished third in Hamilton Mountain, coming behind Liberal Marie Bountrogianni
Marie Bountrogianni
Marie Bountrogianni BA, MEd, D.Ed is a psychologist, politician, and was the President and Executive Director of ROM Governors. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and a cabinet minister in the government of Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty.Bountrogianni was born in Hamilton,...
and the winner, Progressive Conservative Trevor Pettit
Trevor Pettit
Trevor Pettit is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Ontario legislature from 1995 to 1999....
. He has not sought a return to office since this time, though his wife Chris Charlton
Chris Charlton
Chris Charlton, MP, MA is a German-born, Canadian politician from the City of Hamilton, Ontario. As a New Democrat, she has served as the Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain since 2006...
has campaigned for federal, provincial and municipal office numerous times since 1997, being elected in 2006 and re-elected since as NDP Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. The riding is located in the Hamilton, Ontario region....
. In 1998, he worked as a staff member in the office of Howard Hampton
Howard Hampton
Howard George Hampton, MPP is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He has served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada, since 1987 as the Member of Provincial Parliament from the northern riding of Kenora—Rainy River. A member of the Ontario New Democratic Party, he was also the party's...
, who replaced Rae as provincial NDP leader in 1996.
Charlton is currently a member of Green Venture, and has chaired employment adjustment committees for the Hamilton Steelworkers Area Council and the Canadian Auto Workers
Canadian Auto Workers
The Canadian Auto Workers is one of Canada's largest and highest profile social unions. While rooted in Ontario's large auto plants of Windsor, Brampton, Oakville, St...
. In 2002-2003, both Brian and Chris Charlton supported Bill Blaikie
Bill Blaikie
William Alexander "Bill" Blaikie, PC is a Canadian politician. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba since April 2009, representing the Winnipeg division of Elmwood as a member of the New Democratic Party of Manitoba, and Minister of Conservation and Government House Leader...
for the leadership of the federal New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
.