TORONTO – After Andrea Horwath announced her departure from the NDP’s leadership position, the NDP caucus needed to find someone to fill the void. The votes were cast and Toronto—Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns won the hot seat and sets his sights on Queen’s Park as the official opposition.
“The NDP is honoured that the people of Ontario have asked us, once again, to form the Official Opposition, and I’m humbled to have an opportunity to lead the party for a time,” said Tabuns.
Tabun started his career as a property manager and vice-chair of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto before being elected to the city council in 1990.
Representing Ward 8, he was a member of the Board of Health for seven years, chairing the board from 1993 to 1997.
He pioneered smoke-free bar and restaurant bylaws and also led the campaign to set up a large-scale energy conservation project in the city as part of the battle against climate change.
From 1999 to 2004, Tabuns was executive director of Greenpeace Canada, where he was a leader in the push for Canada to adopt the Kyoto Protocol.
Tabuns also served as special advisor on climate change to federal NDP Leader Jack Layton from 2004 to 2005.
First elected in 2006 to represent the people of Toronto—Danforth as MPP, Tabuns held the riding for 16 years.
He has spent decades fighting for the people of his community, stabilizing public health care, affordable housing, and climate justice.
Some of Tabuns’ contributions to Ontario as an MPP include:
- Stopped a high voltage transmission line from being built along Donlands Avenue in his riding.
- Introduced pieces of legislation to fight the climate crisis including bills to:
- Ban fracking
- Make it easier to sue fossil fuel companies for the damage they create
- Accelerate climate action through the use of public sector purchasing power and other tools
- Secured the right for high school students to use ‘Gay-Straight Alliances’ as a title for their in-school clubs organized to promote diversity and oppose homophobia
- Pressured the previous government to expand rent control to new units in Ontario that were excluded by the Mike Harris era rent control limits
- Secured all-party support to make June 22 Chinese Canadian Head Tax Redress Day in Ontario to recognize the historic injustice of a head tax imposed on Chinese immigrants
- Led the successful fight to expand bereavement leave for parents whose children pass away, correcting a long-standing wrong
- Discovered and revealed large-scale criminal destruction of government documents by the McGuinty government leading to charges against prominent government figures as the NDP representative on the inquiry into the gas plant scandal
- Led the fight to stop door-to-door energy marketers
As an east-end Toronto resident, Tabuns was president of Citizens for a Safe Environment, an environmental group organized in the Riverdale neighbourhood that successfully lobbied the city to close the Commissioners Street Incinerator.
Peter has an adult son, Anton, and lives in Toronto with his partner, Shawn Kerwin, who is a professor and theatre designer.
“The Ontario NDP Caucus is energized and committed to holding the Ford government to account. It’s a difficult time for workers whose wages are falling behind. For patients waiting far too long for care. For our parents in long-term care and the kids who need more help to get back on track in school. And for everyone worried about the climate crisis. We’re on their side. We’re going to fight to rebuild health care and long-term care for them. We’re going to fight for education for them. We’re going to fight to lift wages up and bring costs down for them. And we’re going to fight against Conservative cuts that would hurt them,” said Tabuns
Ontario NDP president Janelle Brady said the party is in a strong position.
“We are a diverse, multi-generational, modern social democratic party with supporters and volunteers in every region of this province. We’re financially sound and more energized than ever before,” said Brady.
“I want to thank Andrea Horwath for her leadership, and for guiding our party to a stronger place than we’ve ever been. And I want to congratulate Peter Tabuns on his election as interim leader. The choice of a new leader and the direction of our party belongs to the tens of thousands of NDP members in Ontario — and I can confidently say the party is in good hands.”
As interim leader Tabuns is fighting to repeal Bill 124 and lift wages up; repair and improve public health care, invest in smaller class sizes; give all working people a minimum of 10 paid sick days; tackle the climate crisis, and make homes more affordable including implementing real rent control for Ontarians.
