Updated: 7/31/11
About Howard Hampton:
The son of a mill worker in a large northern Ontario riding, Howard Hampton, leader of the Ontario NDP from 1996 to 2009, has a background as a labour lawyer. A vocal and aggressive leader, and a strong adherent to traditional NDP principles, Howard Hampton always fought for the little guy. The results did not reflect his passion and hard work though. In his first election as NDP leader in 1999, the Ontario NDP had their poorest results since the 1950s, with only 9 MPPs elected. In 2003 only 7 NDP MPPs were elected. The NDP lost official party status, although Hampton managed to hang on to the party leadership .
Heading into the 2007 Ontario election campaign, the NDP's popularity was on an upswing, and Hampton focused on raising the minimum wage in Ontario to $10 an hour and other economic issues, including job protection, fair property taxes and gas price regulation. The NDP still won only 10 seats. Hampton did not run for the NDP leadership again in 2009, although he stayed on as an MPP. In the summer of 2011, after 24 years as the MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, Howard Hampton announced it was time for him to move on to other things and he would not run in the fall election.
Leader of the Ontario NDP:
1996 to 2009
Birth:
May 17, 1952 in Fort Frances, Ontario.
Education:
- BA in philosophy and religion (on a hockey scholarship) - Dartmouth College, New Hampshire
- BEd - University of Toronto
- LLB - University of Ottawa
Profession:
Labour lawyer
Political Affiliation:
New Democratic Party of Ontario
Riding (Electoral District):
Kenora-Rainy River
Political Career of Howard Hampton:
- Howard Hampton was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1987.
- He was appointed NDP Justice Critic in 1987.
- Howard Hampton was re-elected in the 1990 Ontario provincial election which put the New Democratic Party in power in Ontario.
- In 1990, he was appointed Attorney General of Ontario in the Bob Rae cabinet.
- Howard Hampton was appointed Minister of Natural Resources in 1993.
- Howard Hampton was re-elected in the 1995 Ontario provincial election, but the New Democratic Party was defeated.
- Howard Hampton was elected Leader of the New Democratic Party of Ontario in 1996. He also served as NDP Critic for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
- In the Ontario provincial election of 1999, Hampton's first election as NDP leader, he managed to lead the Ontario NDP to their poorest results in Ontario since the 1950s, with only 9 MPPs elected.
- In the Ontario provincial election of 2003, just 7 NDP MPPs were elected.
- The popularity of the NDP increased by the 2007 Ontario provincial election, but the NDP only captured 10 seats.
- In the summer of 2008, Howard Hampton announced that he would not run for re-election as leader of the Ontario NDP at the leadership convention in March 2009, but he did plan to stay on as an MPP. Andrea Horwath was elected the new Ontario NDP leader at the 2009 convention.
- In the summer of 2011, after 24 years as the MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, Howard Hampton announced that he would not run in the fall election.
