Information AboutBob Rae |
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Robert Keith (Bob) Rae, PC , OC , O.Ont , QC , LL.B , LL.D (born August 2 , 1948 , in Ottawa , Ontario ) is a candidate seeking the Leadership of the Liberal Party Of Canada . Rae, a former member of the New Democratic Party , was the 21st Premier Of Ontario , and the first leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) to serve in that capacity. He was premier from October 1 , 1990 , to June 28 , 1995 .
FAMILY Rae's father, Saul Rae , was an eminent career diplomat who had postings in Washington, Geneva, New York, Mexico and The Hague. He spent a year in Vietnam as part of the Canadian team in the three country transitionary government in 1955 (following the battle of Dien Bien Phu). He was on the first plane to land in France after the liberation in 1945. Rae's brother John is a Vice-President of Power Corporation , and is a prominent member of the Liberal Party . He was also an adviser to Jean Chrétien from the 1970s until Chrétien retired in 2003. Rae's younger brother David was diagnosed with Lymphatic Cancer in 1987 . Despite a bone marrow transplant from his brother, David died in 1989 at age 32. Rae's sister Jennifer, worked for many years for the IMAX Corporation but has now retired. For a time she dated Pierre Elliot Trudeau in the late 1960's. EARLY CAREER Rae attended 's campaign in the 1968 Federal Election . Rae and Caccia remained personal friends through their political careers. As a result of his strong student record, Bob Rae was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University , where he studied under Isaiah Berlin . His Bachelor's thesis criticized the Cultural Imperialism of early Fabian Socialists in the United Kingdom , such as Sidney and Beatrice Webb . During his period in Britain he became involved with social work, helping squatters find rental accommodation in London . He attributes the experience with helping him develop a deepened commitment to social justice and, on his return to Canada in 1974 Rae joined the Social-democratic New Democratic Party {Link without Title} . He was first elected to the Canadian parliament in 1978. Rae soon became known as one of the most prominent NDP figures at the national level. He was elected to Canadian House Of Commons in a 1978 By-election , defeating Progressive Conservative Tom Clifford by 420 votes in the Toronto Riding of Broadview . He was re-elected in the new riding of Broadview—Greenwood in the 1979 Federal Election , and gained national prominence as the NDP's finance critic. It was the vote on Rae's Motion Of No Confidence that brought down the Progressive Conservative government of Joe Clark in December 1979. ONTARIO NDP LEADER Rae was re-elected to the federal parliament in the 1980 Election . During the same period, the Ontario New Democratic Party was suffering from internal disunity under the leadership of Michael Cassidy . Cassidy resigned as leader after a poor performance in the 1981 Provincial Election , and a movement began to draft Rae as his replacement. In 1981 , a provincial delegation led by Member Of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Dave Cooke tried to convince Rae to seek the provincial leadership. He initially declined, but reconsidered after further entreatments from Stephen Lewis , and many others. Rae, the most centrist candidate in the race, easily defeated Richard Johnston and Jim Foulds at a leadership convention in early 1982 . Although supported by the party establishment, Rae was initially unpopular with some members of the NDP caucus. Eleven of the party's 21 MPPs had endorsed his candidacy, but he had few strong allies apart from Cooke and former leader Donald C. MacDonald . Elie Martel , who had supported Rae for the leadership, later became a prominent rival in caucus. There was a delay of several months before MacDonald resigned his seat in York South to force a by-election, so that Rae could enter the Legislative Assembly Of Ontario . He defeated Liberal John Nunziata , later a federal Member Of Parliament (MP), in a by-election on November 4 , 1982 . Counting the leadership contest, this was Rae's fifth election in as many years. Ontario, at the time, had been governed by the Progressive Conservative Party since 1943 . The opposition Liberals were led by the inexperienced David Peterson , and many senior NDP strategists believed their party could surpass the Liberals for second place. The NDP won two Liberal seats in late 1984 by-elections, and polling by Decima Research from this period put the NDP slightly ahead of the Liberals (although still well behind the PCs). Viewed in this light, the results of the 1985 Provincial Election were disappointing for many in the party. The party won 25 seats out of 125, only a modest improvement from their 1981 showing. The Progressive Conservative Party lost considerable support after selecting Frank Miller as their new leader before the election, but it was the Liberals rather than the NDP who reaped the benefits of this change. Rae nonetheless played a pivotal role in bringing the Progressive Conservative Party's 42-year dynasty to an end. The 1985 election resulted in a minority parliament, in which the Tories held only four more seats than David Peterson's Liberals. After a series of negotiations -- begun by a phone call from Rae to Peterson shortly after election day -- Rae and Peterson signed a "Liberal-NDP Accord" in which the New Democrats agreed to support a Liberal government in office for two years. The Liberals, in return, agreed to implement some policies favoured by the NDP. There was some discussion that the NDP could receive cabinet representation in a formal coalition, but this was rejected by all concerned. The Progressive Conservatives were defeated in the legislature on June 18 , 1985, and Peterson was sworn in as Premier shortly thereafter. With support from Rae, Peterson's government implemented socially progressive legislation on such matters as pay equity, and an end to extra-billing by doctors. In 1986 , Ian Orenstein challenged Rae for the leadership of the Ontario NDP. Orenstein's campaign was a symbolic protest against the party's centrist policy decisions under Rae's leadership. Rae won the challenge without difficulty. The Liberals won a landslide majority government in the 1987 Provincial Election , called after the conclusion of the Liberal-NDP accord. The NDP were reduced to nineteen seats, and Rae defeated Liberal challenger Alan Tonks (later the Mayor of York and a federal MP) by only 333 votes. The Progressive Conservatives fell to only sixteen seats, however, and Rae served as Leader Of The Opposition in the parliament that followed. There was considerable speculation that Rae would resign the leadership of the provincial NDP to seek the leadership of the federal party, following the resignation of Ed Broadbent in 1989 . High-profile party members such as Stephen Lewis, Allan Blakeney , Roy Romanow , Gary Doer and Alexa McDonough all encouraged him to run, while Bud Wildman , Ruth Grier and Richard Johnston were preparing provincial campaigns to succeed him. On October 5 , 1989 , however, Rae announced that he would not return to federal politics and would remain as provincial leader. The NDP entered the 1990 Election with low expectations, as the Liberals still held a significant lead in opinion polls. Reports from this period indicate that the party expected to lose seats, and that Rae was planning to retire as party leader after the election. A number of prominent MPPs, including Johnston, Marion Bryden , Michael Breaugh and David Reville , chose not to seek re-election in the following campaign. Floyd Laughren was planning to retire as well, but had not finalized his plans when a snap election was called in the summer of 1990 . PREMIER Contrary to expectations, however, the Liberal Party's support base declined significantly in mid-campaign. The Progressive Conservatives were led by the inexperienced Mike Harris , who did not have a strong public profile at the time -- as such, Rae's NDP was the primary beneficiary of the Liberal slide. Polls taken late in the campaign showed the NDP holding a slight lead over the Liberals. On September 6 , 1990 , the party won an unexpected majority government with 74 seats in the legislature. Rae became the province's Premier-designate, and the NDP formed their first (and to date only) government in Ontario. There were several reasons for this surprising victory. Peterson had called an early election less than three years into his mandate because of his confidence of re-election. The early call was interpreted by many voters as a sign of arrogance. This, combined with a weak campaign, the Patti Starr Affair and scandal over redevelopment of Toronto's Harbourfront, resulted in Rae and the NDP being vaulted into office with just 37 per cent of the popular vote. Some have also suggested that Peterson's support for the Meech Lake Accord cut into his government's popularity, although Rae supported the Accord as well. Rae was extremely popular for his first six months as Premier, with one early poll showing his personal approval rating at over 70%. The federal NDP were also improving their standing in the polls during this period, and many believed they had the potential to win an historic breakthrough in the next federal election. The Rae government was unable to sustain its popularity, however, and by late 1992 had fallen to third place in public opinion polls. The party's popularity continued to ebb throughout 1993 , followed by only a modest recovery in the next two years. This, combined with the unpopularity of Michael Harcourt 's New Democratic Party government in British Columbia , led to a significant loss in support for the federal party. As of 2006 , the federal and Ontario New Democratic Parties have not recovered to their 1991 levels of support. There are many reasons for the Rae government's loss of popularity between 1991 and 1993. The NDP had never governed Ontario before, and Ontario was experiencing its worst Recession since the Great Depression . The government backtracked on several campaign promises, most notably the introduction of public Auto Insurance . A number of scandals in cabinet and caucus, and disagreements among the party and its supporters, also cut into the government's popularity. In addition, the Rae government initially underestimated the extent of the North American recession. Their first budget projected a deficit of almost ten billion dollars, and enacted a series of spending programs to mitigate the worst effects of an economic lag. Some have described this budget as following a Keynesian orthodoxy, spending money in the public sector to stimulate employment and productivity. Unfortunately, the monies provided for in the budget were insufficient against the recession, and did not create enough productivity. Thomas Walkom described the budget as "the worst of both worlds" -- angering the business community, but not doing enough to provide for public relief. For some, the budget reinforced a popular stereotype of the NDP as irresponsible spenders. The government changed its economic focus after 1991, and implemented budget cutbacks to control the province's mounting deficit. His government also brought in the '' Social Contract '', austerity legislation which reopened collective bargaining agreements with the province's public sector unions. This legislation imposed a wage freeze and introduced what became known as " Rae Days ", giving civil servants (including teachers, doctors, nurses, etc.) ten days off without pay per year. These cutbacks led to a falling-out with both the public sector unions, most notably Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), and the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and its leader Buzz Hargrove . Sid Ryan , Ontario President of the Canadian Union Of Public Employees , referred to the ''Social Contract'' as the worst labour legislation he had ever seen. This breach between the NDP and the Labour Movement struck at the party's foundations. The NDP was founded as an alliance between the old Cooperative Commonwealth Federation and the labour movement, and Rae's policy decisions alienated many traditional NDP voters. Thousands of members resigned from the party, and several unions turned against the NDP and vowed to defeat the government in the next election. The Rae government later attempted to regain labour support by passing Bill 40, a measure which (among other things) introduced anti-scab provisions to the province. This was not enough to bridge the gap with organized labour, however, and the party lost much of its organizational support. Rae's decision to approve Casino gambling for the province was also opposed by many in the party. More popular programs included pay equity, saving jobs at Algoma and DeHavilland, beginning a subway extension (work later stopped and the digging actually filled in by the Harris Tories), support for public housing, and the Jobs Ontario job creation program. In the 1993 Federal Election , the NDP fell to an historic low of 6% support in Ontario. One day after the election, defeated parliamentarian Steven Langdon called on Rae to resign as Premier. Langdon had openly campaigned against the Rae government's austerity measures, and received a higher percentage of votes than any other NDP candidate in the province. Rae's government attempted to introduce a variety of socially progressive measures during its time in office, though its success in this field was mixed. In 1994 , the government introduced legislation which would have provided for same-sex partnership benefits in the province. At the time, this legislation was seen as a revolutionary step forward for same-sex recognition; it was defeated, however, when twelve NDP MPPs (including two junior ministers) voted against it. The Rae government's affirmative action measures also proved controversial. In 1993 , the government sought to improve the numbers of women, non-whites, aborginals and disabled persons working in the public sector. It was assumed by many that this would be accomplished through preferential hiring methods. This policy would likely not have occasioned much controversy in a better economic climate; in the middle of a recession, however, many unemployed workers regarded it as threatening. There is little doubt that the controversy cost the NDP support among its working-class base. In addition, there were some on the political left who believed the NDP was unduly emphasizing ethnicity ahead of class considerations. Notwithstanding its setbacks, the Rae government achieved some positive accomplishments during its time in office. It saved many jobs in northern Ontario through its bailout of Algoma Steel , and negotiated a similar contract for workers in Kapuskasing . The government also opened several negotiations with aboriginal groups toward self-government. There were some areas of northern Ontario where the NDP polled better in 1995 than in 1990 . Rae's New Democratic Party lost to the Progressive Conservative Party under Mike Harris in the 1995 Election , falling to only seventeen seats. In 1996 , Rae resigned as party leader and as MPP for York South , and moved to positions in law, academia and the private sector. OUT OF POLITICS, OUT OF THE NDP Rae resigned from the New Democratic Party in the late 1990s, due to his appointment to Security Intelligence Review Committee. There was some speculation that Prime Minister Jean Chrétien would appoint him Governor-General Of Canada in 1999 , but he was passed over in favour of Adrienne Clarkson . There was further speculation that Rae would run for the federal Liberal Party in the 2000 Election , though nothing came of this at the time. Rae was made an Officer of the Order Of Canada in 2000 , and in 2004 he was awarded the Order Of Ontario . He was appointed the sixth chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University on July 2 , 2003 , and was installed at that school's fall Convocation in October . Rae is currently a partner of Goodmans LLP , a Toronto -based corporate law firm, an adjunct professor at the University Of Toronto , and a Senior Fellow of Massey College . He has written two books: ''From Protest to Power: personal reflections on a life in politics'' (1996) and ''Three Questions: Prosperity and the Public Good'' (1998). He is the national spokesperson for the Leukemia Research Foundation. Rae returned to active political controversy on April 16 , 2002 , two days after Mike Harris resigned as premier, with an opinion piece in the '' National Post '' newspaper. In an article entitled, ''Parting Company with the NDP'', Rae strongly criticized what he perceived as a bias against Israel in the federal party. He also criticized the NDP for rejecting Tony Blair 's Third Way and for refusing to accept Globalization and open markets, suggesting that the party's economic policies were insufficient for the 21st century and that the party as a whole was no longer "worthy of support". The Ontario NDP has distanced itself from Rae's policies under the leadership of Howard Hampton . During the 2003 Provincial Election , Hampton argued that Rae was wrong to reverse the NDP's commitment to public auto insurance. The party's relations with the labour movement have not completely healed, although the situation has improved since 1993. Relations with the CAW remain especially fraught, and memories of the social contract have hurt the NDP's credibility with a new generation of public sector workers, despite the party's efforts to distance itself from the measure. Rae worked with great success on the Red Cross tainted blood issue and also worked towards a resolution of the fishing conflict in Burnt Church New Brunswick. His efforts are considered instrumental in the saving and restructuring of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Rae became widely known as a powerful speaker, frequently addressing the challenges facing Canada. In 2005 , Rae wrote a report for the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty on post-secondary education, commonly referred to as the Rae Report . While his report called for increased government funding to colleges and universities, and enhanced student aid especially for low-income students, his proposals on student tuition fees were more controversial. Rae's report suggested that individual institutions ought to be able to determine what rate of tuition fees to charge, free from government controls. Student groups have objected, noting the significant recent increases in tuition fees in Ontario under the government of Mike Harris , and the 57 per cent increase in tuition fees during his tenure as premier. Rae has also become involved with international issues in recent years. In 2002 and 2003, as chair of the Forum of Federations he helped oversee constitutional discussions between the government of Sri Lanka and Tamil Tiger rebels. On April 26 , 2005 , he was appointed to advise Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan on whether or not there should be a government inquiry into the 1985 Air India disaster. He has worked to help the constitution makers in Iraq, and worked towards civil society developments in India, Nigeria, and various other countries. In July 2005, '' The Globe And Mail '' and the '' National Post '' both reported that Rae was again being considered for appointment to the position of Governor General. The appointment went instead to Michaëlle Jean . RETURN AS A LIBERAL In a July 2005 interview with Michael Valpy , Rae indicated that he was still committed to public life and public service. He never attempted a reconciliation with the NDP since his 2002 letter. Valpy's feature on Rae included a comment by Arlene Perly Rae that he could return to politics if there was a National Unity crisis. On November 23 2005 , Rae presented his recommendations that there should be a formal but focused inquiry into the ''Air India'' disaster. Two days later, Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan announced Rae's appointment to conduct a limited inquiry into ''Air India'' under a government Order-in-council . Rae, with a team of young lawyers and advisors led by Taleeb Noormohamed and Benjamin Zarnett , produced a comprehensive report outlining the key issues that could be addressed, leaving Air India Victims' families spokeswoman Lata Pada "encouraged that demands for answers will be addressed". On August 24 2005, the '' Toronto Star '' reported that Rae was under "mounting pressure" to run for the federal Liberals in the 2006 General Election . Though it was unclear how long the Air India inquiry was to last, Rae's appointment precluded any possibility of his running as a candidate in the January 23rd election. A poll by SES Research suggested that Rae was tied for second place behind Frank McKenna as a prospective candidate to lead the federal Liberals. The new government of Stephen Harper appointed a judge to handle the Air India inquiry in March 2006 thus releasing Rae from his previous commitment and freeing him for a possible run for the Liberal Party Leadership . In a speech to the Canadian Club of Winnipeg on March 13 , 2006 , Rae expressed his interest in uniting the 'progressive' forces of Canada in order to regain a majority government in the Canadian House Of Commons . "There's a progressive record that's shared by a majority of Canadians, but so far, we have not succeeded in becoming a majority in the House of Commons, so we must think a bit about how that can happen." On , 2006 . At his campaign launch he responded to his critics by saying ""I made mistakes before I was in politics, I made mistakes when I was in politics, I made mistakes as premier... I can only tell you I have learned from those mistakes and I am the wiser for them.'' {Link without Title} EXTERNAL LINKS
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