While queers were celebrating Pride this past weekend, Tim Hudak won the leadership of Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Party. Hudak is a Blue Tory, which means he’s an ultra-right wing conservative. His leadership ostensibly removes the word ‘Progressive” from Ontario’s Conservative Party.
Tim Hudak will take the “Progressive” out of the Conservative Party.
Unlike former leader John Tory, Hudak is a social conservative who seems little interested in pursuing human rights and equality issues. Disbanding the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal was one of the key issues on his ticket as he ran for party leader.
Here’s what you should know about Ontario’s new Ultra-Conservative leader. Remember this when the next provincial election is called:
· Hudak wants to disband the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and replace it with a panel of “specially-trained judges”
· Hudak was endorsed by former Ontario Premier and Conservative Leader Mike Harris
· Hudak supports the ideals of Harris
· In 2003, Hudak accepted an invitation to a “Canadians for Bush” rally in support of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq
· Hudak supports faith-based school funding
· Hudak voted for Bill 91, which would require parents to be advised of health care treatments for their children including abortion, among other procedures
· Hudak is pro-life
Hudak received broad support from the Conservative Party’s MPPs and from a wide cross-section of people, including Christian Members of Parliament and, ironically, former Ontario Human Rights Chief Commissioner Keith Norton, who is gay. Make of that what you will.
Interestingly, Hudak’s wife Deborah Hutton worked for Mike Harris during his time in office. She is known in political circles as being pro-abortion, pro-gay rights and strongly socially liberal. She could soften Hudak on some of his more stringent social views.
And now you know.
