Paul Szabo
Encyclopedia
Paul John Mark Szabo is a Canadian
politician
. He is a former member of the Canadian House of Commons
, representing the riding
of Mississauga South
for the Liberal Party
.
degree from the University of Western Ontario
in 1970. He worked as an accountant for Price Waterhouse in Toronto from 1970 to 1974, and received certification from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
in 1973. He received an M.B.A. from York University
in 1975, was a Corporate Controller for Heede International Ltd. in 1975-76, and served the Director of Finance for TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. from 1977 to 1983. He then worked as a Corporate Treasurer for United Cooperative of Ontario from 1984 to 1990, when he opened a private accounting practice in Mississauga
. Szabo has also served as Vice-Chair and Director of the Mississauga Hospital for nine years, Director of Interim Place shelter for abused women for five years, and was a Director of the Peel Regional Housing Authority for five years.
and 1984
, losing to Progressive Conservative
Don Blenkarn
on both occasions (the first time by 473 votes, the second time by a greater margin). Szabo was first elected in the election of 1993
, defeating both Blenkarn and Reformer
John Veenstra by a significant margin.
He was re-elected in the 1997 election
, easily defeating Reformer Joe Peschisolido
(who later became a Liberal MP) and PC candidate Dick Barr. He won another comfortable victory in the 2000 election
.
Szabo is known as one of the more socially conservative members of the Liberal caucus. He is pro-life
, and has written two works on the perceived breakdown of traditional family values: Divorce - The Bold Facts and Strong Families Make a Strong Country. Szabo also led the opposition within the Liberal caucus to a bill permitting stem cell research, and has been credited with (or blamed for) modifying the final wording of the bill. He is also an opponent of same-sex marriage
. In 2004, Szabo was awarded the Joseph P. Borowski Award for his pro-life activities.
Szabo has also promoted children's issues, and has brought forward private member's legislation to provide stiffer criminal sentences for abusers of women and children. He has supported greater funding for maternal and parental leave. Here, as well, Szabo's views are strongly influenced by social conservatism
. He has described women's shelters as perpetuating a cycle of poverty, and believes that only a stronger emphasis on the family unit will provide a viable solution to poverty issues.
In addition to the two works mentioned above, Szabo has written four other monographs: Tragic Tolerance of Domestic Violence, The Child Poverty Solution, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - The Real Brain Drain and The Ethics and Science of Stem Cells. All of his publications are available on-line, via his website (see below).
Szabo has never been appointed to cabinet
, though he served as parliamentary secretary
to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services
from 2000 to 2003. He also served as chair of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group for four years.
In 2004, Szabo faced a serious challenge from Charles Sousa
for the Liberal nomination in Mississauga South. Sousa was supported by many on the left-wing of the Liberal Party, and Szabo was supported by many on its right-wing. It has been speculated that Carolyn Parrish, Liberal MP for a neighbouring riding, was assisting Sousa, and that the Campaign Life organization was working for Szabo. Szabo won the challenge, 966 votes to 838.
The nomination proved to be Szabo's most difficult challenge in the 2004 campaign
. Although the newly-founded Conservative Party of Canada
targeted his riding, Szabo was able to win re-election with over 50% support.
In the Canadian federal election, 2006
, Szabo faced a tough effort from Conservative candidate Phil Green (who also ran for the Conservatives in 2004), but still managed to win by just over 2000 votes.
Notably, Szabo was determined to have spoken the most words in the 38th Parliament—154,683 to be exact—by the How'd They Vote website.
On November 21, 2006, Szabo was honoured as "The Hardest-Working" Member of Parliament at the First Annual Parliamentarian of the Year Awards ceremony held at the National Gallery in Ottawa. Sponsored by Macleans, l'Actualite and the Dominion Institute, the selection was based on an Ipsos-Reid survey of all 306 current Members of Parliament. On November 21, 2007, Szabo was honoured with the same award for a second consecutive year at a ceremony held at the Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Ottawa.
Szabo supported Michael Ignatieff
's bid to become leader of the Liberal Party of Canada at the 2006 Liberal leadership convention.
Among his many chairmanship appointments, his position as Chairman of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, commonly known as the "Ethics Committee
", reached high-profile public recognition in late 2007 and early 2008 as the committee was convened to review the monetary and business dealings between former Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney
and German
-Canadian
Karlheinz Schreiber
.
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...
. He 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...
, 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 Mississauga South
Mississauga South
Mississauga South is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979....
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...
.
Early life and education
Szabo received a Bachelor of ScienceBachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
in 1970. He worked as an accountant for Price Waterhouse in Toronto from 1970 to 1974, and received certification from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants
The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants was incorporated by a Private Act of the Canadian Parliament in 1902. This Act, now known as the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants Act, was last amended in 1990 to reflect the CICA’s current mandate and powers.Working in collaboration with...
in 1973. He received an M.B.A. from York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in 1975, was a Corporate Controller for Heede International Ltd. in 1975-76, and served the Director of Finance for TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. from 1977 to 1983. He then worked as a Corporate Treasurer for United Cooperative of Ontario from 1984 to 1990, when he opened a private accounting practice 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...
. Szabo has also served as Vice-Chair and Director of the Mississauga Hospital for nine years, Director of Interim Place shelter for abused women for five years, and was a Director of the Peel Regional Housing Authority for five years.
Politics
Szabo has long been involved with the Liberal Party. He was the party's candidate in Mississauga South for the federal elections of 1980Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
and 1984
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
, losing to 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....
Don Blenkarn
Don Blenkarn
Donald Alex Blenkarn was a Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament. A lawyer and businessman by profession, Blenkarn was elected in 1972 to represent the riding of Peel South. He held on the riding until the 1974 election when he was defeated by Liberal Tony Abbott...
on both occasions (the first time by 473 votes, the second time by a greater margin). Szabo was first elected 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 both Blenkarn and Reformer
Reform Party of Canada
The Reform Party of Canada was a Canadian federal political party that existed from 1987 to 2000. It was originally founded as a Western Canada-based protest party, but attempted to expand eastward in the 1990s. It viewed itself as a populist party....
John Veenstra by a significant margin.
He was re-elected 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...
, easily defeating Reformer Joe Peschisolido
Joe Peschisolido
Joe Peschisolido is a Canadian politician and businessman.Born in Toronto, Ontario, Peschisolido has a BA degree in Political Science from Trinity College at the University of Toronto and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School.In 1993, Peschisolido joined the Reform Party of Canada...
(who later became a Liberal MP) and PC candidate Dick Barr. He won another comfortable 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....
.
Szabo is known as one of the more socially conservative members of the Liberal caucus. He is pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
, and has written two works on the perceived breakdown of traditional family values: Divorce - The Bold Facts and Strong Families Make a Strong Country. Szabo also led the opposition within the Liberal caucus to a bill permitting stem cell research, and has been credited with (or blamed for) modifying the final wording of the bill. He is also an opponent of same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. In 2004, Szabo was awarded the Joseph P. Borowski Award for his pro-life activities.
Szabo has also promoted children's issues, and has brought forward private member's legislation to provide stiffer criminal sentences for abusers of women and children. He has supported greater funding for maternal and parental leave. Here, as well, Szabo's views are strongly influenced by social conservatism
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 has described women's shelters as perpetuating a cycle of poverty, and believes that only a stronger emphasis on the family unit will provide a viable solution to poverty issues.
In addition to the two works mentioned above, Szabo has written four other monographs: Tragic Tolerance of Domestic Violence, The Child Poverty Solution, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - The Real Brain Drain and The Ethics and Science of Stem Cells. All of his publications are available on-line, via his website (see below).
Szabo has never been appointed to cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, though he served as 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 Public Works and Government Services
Minister of Public Works and Government Services (Canada)
The Minister of Public Works and Government Services is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's "common service organization" , an expansive department responsible for the internal servicing and administration of the federal...
from 2000 to 2003. He also served as chair of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group for four years.
In 2004, Szabo faced a serious challenge from Charles Sousa
Charles Sousa
Charles Sousa is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is the Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Mississauga South, and is the province's Minister of Labour in the Cabinet of Premier Dalton McGuinty...
for the Liberal nomination in Mississauga South. Sousa was supported by many on the left-wing of the Liberal Party, and Szabo was supported by many on its right-wing. It has been speculated that Carolyn Parrish, Liberal MP for a neighbouring riding, was assisting Sousa, and that the Campaign Life organization was working for Szabo. Szabo won the challenge, 966 votes to 838.
The nomination proved to be Szabo's most difficult challenge in the 2004 campaign
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...
. Although the newly-founded 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...
targeted his riding, Szabo was able to win re-election with over 50% support.
In the Canadian federal election, 2006
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:...
, Szabo faced a tough effort from Conservative candidate Phil Green (who also ran for the Conservatives in 2004), but still managed to win by just over 2000 votes.
Notably, Szabo was determined to have spoken the most words in the 38th Parliament—154,683 to be exact—by the How'd They Vote website.
On November 21, 2006, Szabo was honoured as "The Hardest-Working" Member of Parliament at the First Annual Parliamentarian of the Year Awards ceremony held at the National Gallery in Ottawa. Sponsored by Macleans, l'Actualite and the Dominion Institute, the selection was based on an Ipsos-Reid survey of all 306 current Members of Parliament. On November 21, 2007, Szabo was honoured with the same award for a second consecutive year at a ceremony held at the Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Ottawa.
Szabo supported Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
's bid to become leader of the Liberal Party of Canada at the 2006 Liberal leadership convention.
Among his many chairmanship appointments, his position as Chairman of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, commonly known as the "Ethics Committee
Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics
The Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics is a permanent standing committee of the Canadian House of Commons that reports to the Parliament of Canada on issues related to ethics and the Access to Information Act. The committee may be referred to...
", reached high-profile public recognition in late 2007 and early 2008 as the committee was convened to review the monetary and business dealings between former 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...
Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-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...
Karlheinz Schreiber
Karlheinz Schreiber
Friedrich Karlheinz Hermann Schreiber is a German and Canadian citizen, an industrialist, lobbyist, fundraiser, arms dealer and businessman...
.