David Christopherson

Last updated

Christopherson returned to political life a few months later, defeating Liberal cabinet minister Stan Keyes to win the Hamilton Centre riding in the 2004 federal election. The Liberal Party won a minority government, and Christopherson served as NDP critic for cities, community infrastructure, labour and steel policy in the 38th parliament. He was part of a Canadian delegation that observed presidential elections in Ukraine in late 2004. [30]

He was re-elected in the 2006 federal election with an increased majority, as the Conservatives won a minority government nationally. In May 2006, he called for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police rather than the government to investigate a leak of the Auditor General's report into the Canadian gun registry. Christopherson suspected that someone connected to the government may have been responsible for the leak, given its "self-serving" nature. [31] He has also criticized the previous Liberal government for allowing billions in unpaid tax monies to remain uncollected. [32]

Christopherson was re-elected to his federal seat again in the 2008 federal election, and the 2011 federal election.

Christopherson is often described as a pragmatic politician. He once said that he has never been a "hard-line ideologue", but "the NDP is where I'm most comfortable." [11]

He was appointed Defence Critic for the NDP after Jack Layton's death, and appointed one of the three deputy leaders, by Layton's successor Thomas Mulcair.

After the 2015 federal election, Christopherson was appointed as the NDP's critic for the Planning and Priorities Committee and for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. [33]

Christopherson was involved in the so-called 'Elbowgate' political confrontation on 18 May 2016. Video of the floor of the House of Commons appears to show the MP moving from side to side impeding the path of Conservative whip, Gord Brown MP.

Planned retirement

On July 5, 2018, Christopherson announced his plan to retire [34] at the end of the 42nd Canadian Parliament, and to not seek re-election in the 2019 federal election.

"It has been my distinct honour to have served as the councillor for Ward 4, the Member of Provincial Parliament for Hamilton Centre and now as the federal Member of Parliament for Hamilton Centre," Christopherson wrote in his statement. "I truly love our city and the people who call it home. To have earned the trust and confidence of the people of Hamilton for so many years is truly humbling and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to join with so many dedicated people working to help build a stronger, more fair and diverse community."

Electoral record

David Christopherson
David Christopherson.jpg
Member of Parliament
for Hamilton Centre
In office
June 28, 2004 –September 11, 2019
2015 Canadian federal election : Hamilton Centre
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
New Democratic David Christopherson18,71945.6-11.4–
Liberal Anne Tennier13,71833.4+19.3–
Conservative Yonatan Rozenszajn6,01811.8-8.86–
Green Ute Schmid-Jones1,7784.3+4.6–
Marijuana Michael James Baldasaro 3480.8––
Libertarian Rob Young3160.8––
Independent Maria Anastasiou1860.5––
Total valid votes/expense limit41,083100.0   $201,952.89
Total rejected ballots2690.6-0.2
Turnout41,34360.72+5.57
Eligible voters68,087
New Democratic hold Swing -17.5
Source: Elections Canada [35] [36]
2011 Canadian federal election : Hamilton Centre
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
New Democratic David Christopherson 23,84957.0+7.7–
Conservative James Byron11,02026.4+4.1–
Liberal Anne Tennier5,91214.1-3.5–
Marijuana Michael Baldasaro 7801.9n/a–
Marxist–Leninist Lisa Nussey2520.6+0.3–
Total valid votes41,813 100.0–
Total rejected ballots320 0.8–
Turnout42,133 54.7 –
Eligible voters 77,077 –
2008 Canadian federal election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
New Democratic David Christopherson20,01049.3%-1.99
Conservative Leon O'Connor9,05122.3%+2.01
Liberal Helen Wilson7,16417.6%-5.89
Green John Livingstone3,6258.9%+4.67
Libertarian Anthony Giles5281.3%
Marxist–Leninist Lisa Nussey1260.3%
Communist Ryan Sparrow1250.3%
Total valid votes40,629100.0%
Total rejected ballots2470.6%
Turnout40,87650.9%-14.9%
2006 Canadian federal election : Hamilton Centre
PartyCandidateVotes%Expenditures
New Democratic David Christopherson 24,50351.29$79,917.66
Liberal Javid Mirza11,22423.49$71,436.13
Conservative Eliot Lewis Hill9,69620.29
Green John Livingstone2,0224.23$1,353.15
Canadian Action Tony Des Lauriers3320.69
Total valid votes47,777100.00
Total rejected ballots279
Turnout48,05659.21
Electors on the lists81,161
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
2004 Canadian federal election : Hamilton Centre
PartyCandidateVotes%Expenditures
New Democratic David Christopherson 20,32145.81$72,723.37
Liberal Stan Keyes 14,94833.70$71,403.14
Conservative Leon Patrick O'Connor6,71415.13$25,596.37
Green Anne Marie Pavlov1,4223.21$1,174.56
Christian Heritage Stephen Downey5201.17$1,581.38
Independent Michael James Baldasaro 3450.78$413.20
Marxist–Leninist Jamilé Ghaddar910.21$10.00
Total valid votes44,361100.00
Total rejected ballots328
Turnout44,68955.32
Turnout80,778
Percentage change figures are factored for redistribution. Conservative Party percentages are contrasted with the combined Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative percentages from 2000.
Sources: Official Results, Elections Canada and Financial Returns, Elections Canada.
Candidates for the November 10, 2003 Hamilton, Ontario Mayoral Election
CandidatePopular vote
Votes %±%
Larry DiIanni70,53950.92%-
David Christopherson54,29839.20%-
Dick Wildeman4,4623.22%-
Michael Peters3,2702.36%-
Tom Murray2,8812.08%-
Michael Baldasaro 2,5691.85%+0.75%
Matt Jelly5100.37%-
Total votes139,90237.97%
Registered voters368,480100%
Note: All Hamilton Municipal Elections are officially non-partisan.
Note: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.)
and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.
Sources: [37]
1999 Ontario general election : Hamilton West
PartyCandidateVotes%Expenditures
New Democratic David Christopherson 15,62537.84$63,891.36
Progressive Conservative Lillian Ross 12,26129.70$58,588.68
Liberal Frank D'Amico12,03729.15$48,994.28
Green Phyllis McColl4951.20$6,090.89
Family Coalition Lynne Scime4030.98$1,100.80
Marxist–Leninist Wendell Fields 2360.57$0.00
Natural Law Rita Rassenberg2310.56$0.00
Total valid votes41,288100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots549
Turnout41,83757.87
Electors on the lists72,295
1995 Ontario general election : Hamilton Centre
PartyCandidateVotes%±%Expenditures
New Democratic David Christopherson 8,01236.81-18.49$40,543.33
Liberal Filomena Tassi 7,32233.64+2.84$34,483.85
Progressive Conservative Angie Tomasic5,72326.29+17.99$18,222.88
Family Coalition Tom Wigglesworth3761.72+0.32$1,548.28
Natural Law Monique Poudrette3311.53–$0.00
Total valid votes 21,764 100.0 –
Total rejected ballots 3721.68-0.04
Turnout22,13654.71-5.07
Eligible voters40,459
New Democratic hold Swing -10.66
1990 Ontario general election : Hamilton Centre
PartyCandidateVotes%
New Democratic David Christopherson 14,02955.32
Liberal Lily Oddie Munro 7,81430.81
Progressive Conservative Graham Snelgrove2,1168.34
Green Brent Monkley6052.39
Libertarian Julien Frost4291.69
Family Coalition Jewell Wolgram3651.44
Total valid votes25,358100.00
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots446
Turnout25,80459.78
Electors on the lists43,166
Summary of the November 14, 1988 Hamilton, Ontario Ward Four Alderman Election
CandidatePopular vote
Votes %±%
Geraldine Copps(incumbent)8,17469.38%n/a
David Christopherson(incumbent)8,05568.38%n/a
Bob Fanjoy2,31919.67%n/a
Total votes11,787Note 1
Registered voters28,76440.90%n/a
Note 1: Each ward elected two aldermen and percentages are specific to each candidate, not for the overall total.
Note 2: All Hamilton Municipal Elections are officially non-partisan.
Note 3: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.)
and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.
Sources: Benedetti, Paul. "Clean campaign for a dirty job in Ward 4", The Hamilton Spectator,
November 15, 1988, Metro, B2.
Summary of the November 12, 1985 Hamilton, Ontario Ward Four Alderman Election
CandidatePopular vote Yes check.svg Elected?
Votes %
Geraldine Copps5,99248.33% Yes check.svg
David Christopherson4,95840% Yes check.svg
Don Gray (incumbent)3,06924.75%
Vince Scott (incumbent)2,88323.25%
John Ellis2,37319.14%
Gaspare Bonomo8787.08%
Larry Wheaton5354.32%
Bob Fanjoy2892.33%
Total votes12,398
Registered voters
Note 1: Each ward elected two aldermen and percentages are specific to each candidate, not for the overall total.
Note 2: All Hamilton Municipal Elections are officially non-partisan.
Note 3: Candidate campaign colours are based on the prominent colour used in campaign items (signs, literature, etc.)
and are used as a visual differentiation between candidates.
Sources:Wilson, Paul. "That old Copps magic still works", Hamilton Spectator,
November 13, 1985, A7.
1984 Canadian federal election : Hamilton East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Sheila Copps 14,53337.88
New Democratic David Christopherson 11,87230.95
Progressive Conservative Jack MacDonald 11,71130.53
Social Credit Vince G. Vostrez1020.27
Communist Elizabeth Rowley 870.23
Commonwealth of Canada Ken Perry590.15
Total valid votes38,364100.00
Total rejected ballots348
Turnout38,71274.87
Electors on the lists51,705

All federal election information is taken from Elections Canada. All provincial election information is taken from Elections Ontario. The 2003 municipal election results are taken from official results provided by the City of Hamilton, available here. Italicized expenditures refer to submitted totals, and are presented when the final reviewed totals are not available.

The 1999 provincial expenditure entries are taken from official candidate reports as listed by Elections Ontario. The figures cited are the Total Candidate's Campaign Expenses Subject to Limitation, and include transfers from constituency associations.

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References

  1. ↑ Jill Morrison, "Great expectations", Hamilton Spectator, 13 February 1993, B3.
  2. ↑ Terry Cooke, "Licensing mess could consume council term", Hamilton Spectator, 10 February 2007, A19.
  3. ↑ "3 Hamilton aldermen refuse pay raise", Globe and Mail, 28 April 1988, A22.
  4. ↑ "Political infighting erupts in race for Deans' Hamilton riding", Toronto Star, 19 January 1987, A8.
  5. ↑ "Dewar wins Hamilton nomination", Globe and Mail, 24 January 1987, A5.
  6. ↑ Emilia Cassella, "Sunday shopping", Hamilton Spectator, 13 May 1992, A1; Emilia Cassella, "NDP betting on optimistic projections", Hamilton Spectator, 1 May 1992, A1.
  7. ↑ Emilia Cassella, "Christopherson touted for NDP cabinet shuffle", Hamilton Spectator, 14 August 1992, A1.
  8. ↑ Richard Mackie, "Critics brand cabinet shuffle 'damage control'", Globe and Mail, 24 September 1992, A7 and "Hiring, Property and Internal Investigations", Hamilton Spectator, 22 July 1993, B4.
  9. ↑ "Ontario unveils policy for police race relations", Globe and Mail, 6 April 1993, A12; Sean Fine, "Prison racism rampant, panel finds", Globe and Mail, 2 February 1994, A5.
  10. ↑ "Rae shuffles deck", Hamilton Spectator, 3 February 1993, A1.
  11. 1 2 3 Richard Brennan, "Street smarts", Hamilton Spectator, 28 December 1994, B3.
  12. ↑ "New guns for police estimated at $17M", Financial Post, 22 October 1993, p. 51. See also "Solicitor General announces new handgun and training for police", Canada NewsWire, 27 January 1994.
  13. ↑ Robert Sheppard, "Ready, aim and hope for the best", Globe and Mail, 31 January 1994, A11.
  14. ↑ "Guidelines on hate crimes issued", Globe and Mail, 23 July 1993, A4; "Hate crime, wife assault crackdown launched", Financial Post, 20 January 1994, p. 55.
  15. ↑ "Sex offender warnings", Globe and Mail, 10 February 1995, A2.
  16. ↑ Amber Nasrulla, "Firearms amnesty launched", Globe and Mail, 17 May 1994, A4 and Ross Longbottom, "Amnesty for guns way to safer streets", Hamilton Spectator, 17 May 1994, B3.
  17. ↑ "Success of province-wide firearms program", Canada NewsWire, 1 September 1994.
  18. ↑ Emilia Cassella, "Too little, too late say PCs, Grits", Hamilton Spectator, 3 March 1994, B2; Sharon Oosthoek, "Friends of valley road embrace", Hamilton Spectator, 22 March 1994, B1.
  19. ↑ Lee Prokaska, "Critics lambast WCB cuts", Hamilton Spectator, 26 July 1995, B3.
  20. ↑ Thomas Walkom, "NDP needs an identity as well as a leader", Toronto Star, 16 January 1996, A15.
  21. ↑ "Hampton to seek NDP leadership", Globe and Mail, 20 February 1996, A11.
  22. ↑ "Just one MPP opposes H-W supercity", Hamilton Spectator, 4 December 1996, A11.
  23. ↑ "Race for top post reveals crack in house of labour", Toronto Star, 1 November 1997, p. 1.
  24. ↑ "Hampton announces critic portfolios", Canada NewsWire, 28 June 1999, 15:14 report.
  25. ↑ Eric Mcguinness, "Morrow throws his hat into the ring", Hamilton Spectator, 31 May 2000, A01.
  26. ↑ Richard Brennan, "Signs of rift in NDP as house leader quits", 19 April 2001, A11.
  27. ↑ Chinta Puxley, "Mayoral hopeful pushes disclosure rule", Hamilton Spectator, 16 June 2003.
  28. ↑ Fred Vallance-Jones, "Incinerator fuels mayoral clash", Hamilton Spectator, 8 September 2003, A04.
  29. ↑ "Expressway dispute", Broadcast News, 12 November 2003, 03:24 report.
  30. ↑ "Hamilton New Democrat M-P David Christopherson is heading to Ukraine for Christmas", Broadcast News, 17 December 2004, 03:58 report.
  31. ↑ "Who leaked Fraser's report? Harper to probe", Winnipeg Free Press, 13 May 2006, A11.
  32. ↑ Carly Weeks, "Agency lets billions in tax money slip away: Problems reported in 1994 never fixed", Ottawa Citizen, 17 May 2006, A5.
  33. ↑ Kirkup, Kristy (12 November 2015). "Tom Mulcair taps Nathan Cullen, Charlie Angus, Guy Caron for top critic roles". CBC News . The Canadian Press . Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  34. ↑ "David Christopherson for Hamilton Centre « Canada's NDP". Archived from the original on 2018-07-06.
  35. ↑ Elections Canada – Confirmed candidates for Hamilton Centre, 30 September 2015
  36. ↑ Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived August 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  37. ↑ "City of Hamilton Election Summary Report". old.hamilton.ca. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
Ontario provincial government of Bob Rae
Cabinet posts (2)
PredecessorOfficeSuccessor
Allan Pilkey Solicitor-General
1993–1995		 Bob Runciman
Allan Pilkey Minister of Correctional Services
1992–1995		 Bob Runciman
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