Paddy Torsney
Encyclopedia
Patricia Ann "Paddy" Torsney, PC
(born December 19, 1962 in Burlington
, Ontario
) is a Canadian
politician
. She is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons
, previously representing the riding
of Burlington
for the Liberal Party
. In 2006, Torsney was defeated by Conservative Party
candidate Mike Wallace
.
Torsney was educated at McGill University
in Montreal, receiving a Bachelor of Commerce
degree in 1985. From 1985 to 1989, she worked as a special assistant to the office of David Peterson
, the Liberal
Premier of Ontario
. Torsney then worked as a Senior Consultant to the firm of Hill and Knowlton from 1989 to 1993.
Torsney was first elected to parliament in the election of 1993
, defeating her closest opponent, Progressive Conservative
Mike Kuegle, by almost 10,000 votes. The Progressive Conservatives had previously held the riding since 1972, under retiring Member of Parliament
(MP) Bill Kempling
.
The PCs under Jean Charest
targeted Burlington in the 1997 election
, but Torsney again defeated Kuegle by just over 3,500 votes. She won an easier victory in the 2000 election
, against a more divided opposition.
The newly formed Conservative Party of Canada
made a strong bid for the riding in the 2004 election
, running local councillor Mike Wallace
against Torsney. Most observers believed that Torsney would lose. However, a last-minute resurgence in Liberal support resulted in a 4,000-vote victory. In the 2006 election
, she again faced off against Wallace, losing to him by 2,570 votes. In the 2008 election
Torsney lost to Wallace by 9,027 votes.
Torsney was the Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of the Environment
from 1998 to 2000. On July 20, 2004, she was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation.
In 2002, Torsney chaired a committee which recommended several changes to Canada's drug laws, including the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana
.
Torsney is President of Canadian group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and has worked for the worldwide abolition of land mine
s. She is also a former board member of UNICEF Canada.
In 2007, Liberal Party of Canada Leader, Stéphane Dion, appointed Torsney as Deputy Principal Secretary in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. She resigned from the position in April 2008.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(born December 19, 1962 in Burlington
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
, 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....
) is a 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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. She is a former member of the Canadian 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...
, previously representing 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 Burlington
Burlington (electoral district)
Burlington is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979.-Geography:It consists of the southern part of the city of Burlington, Ontario....
for the Liberal Party
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...
. In 2006, Torsney was defeated by 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...
candidate Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (politician)
Michael L. Wallace is a Canadian politician, currently representing the electoral district of Burlington in the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada....
.
Torsney was educated at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in Montreal, receiving a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
degree in 1985. From 1985 to 1989, she worked as a special assistant to the office of David Peterson
David Peterson
David Robert Peterson, PC, O.Ont was the 20th Premier of the Province of Ontario, Canada, from June 26, 1985 to October 1, 1990. He was the first Liberal premier of Ontario in 42 years....
, the 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...
Premier of Ontario
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...
. Torsney then worked as a Senior Consultant to the firm of Hill and Knowlton from 1989 to 1993.
Torsney was first elected to parliament in the election of 1993
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...
, defeating her closest opponent, 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....
Mike Kuegle, by almost 10,000 votes. The Progressive Conservatives had previously held the riding since 1972, under retiring Member 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,...
(MP) Bill Kempling
Bill Kempling
William James Kempling was a Canadian politician. Born in Grimsby, Ontario, he represented the electoral districts of Halton—Wentworth in the Canadian House of Commons from 1972 to 1979, and Burlington from 1979 to 1993....
.
The PCs under Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
targeted Burlington 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...
, but Torsney again defeated Kuegle by just over 3,500 votes. She won an easier victory in the 2000 election
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
, against a more divided opposition.
The newly formed Conservative Party of Canada
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...
made a strong bid for the riding 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...
, running local councillor Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (politician)
Michael L. Wallace is a Canadian politician, currently representing the electoral district of Burlington in the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada....
against Torsney. Most observers believed that Torsney would lose. However, a last-minute resurgence in Liberal support resulted in a 4,000-vote victory. In the 2006 election
Canadian 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:...
, she again faced off against Wallace, losing to him by 2,570 votes. In the 2008 election
Canadian 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:...
Torsney lost to Wallace by 9,027 votes.
Torsney was the Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of the Environment
Minister of the Environment (Canada)
The Minister of the Environment is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's environment department, Environment Canada...
from 1998 to 2000. On July 20, 2004, she was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation.
In 2002, Torsney chaired a committee which recommended several changes to Canada's drug laws, including the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
.
Torsney is President of Canadian group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and has worked for the worldwide abolition of land mine
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
s. She is also a former board member of UNICEF Canada.
In 2007, Liberal Party of Canada Leader, Stéphane Dion, appointed Torsney as Deputy Principal Secretary in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. She resigned from the position in April 2008.