Jim Flaherty: Difference between revisions
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|}}'''James Michael "Jim" Flaherty''', [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada|PC]], [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Bachelor of Laws|LL.B]], [[Member of Parliament|MP]] (born [[December 30]], [[1949]]) is Canada's [[Minister of Finance (Canada)|Minister of Finance]]; he had formerly served as Ontario's [[Ministry of Finance (Ontario)|Minister of Finance]]. From 1995 until 2005 he was the [[Member of Provincial Parliament]] for [[Whitby—Ajax]], representing the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative Party]]. He was previously a senior [[Cabinet|cabinet minister]] in the government of [[Mike Harris]], and has |
|}}'''James Michael "Jim" Flaherty''', [[Queen's Privy Council for Canada|PC]], [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Bachelor of Laws|LL.B]], [[Member of Parliament|MP]] (born [[December 30]], [[1949]]) is Canada's [[Minister of Finance (Canada)|Minister of Finance]]; he had formerly served as Ontario's [[Ministry of Finance (Ontario)|Minister of Finance]]. |
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From 1995 until 2005 he was the [[Member of Provincial Parliament]] for [[Whitby—Ajax]], representing the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative Party]]. He was previously a senior [[Cabinet|cabinet minister]] in the government of [[Mike Harris]], and has sought the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives on two occasions. |
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Flaherty won the riding of [[Whitby—Oshawa]] in the [[Canadian federal election, 2006|federal election]] held January 23, 2006 as a member of the [[Conservative Party of Canada]] beating [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] incumbent [[Judi Longfield]] by nearly 4000 votes. Flaherty's wife [[Christine Elliott]] is currently representing Whitby-Ajax in the Ontario Legislature. |
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== Education and early political career == |
== Education and early political career == |
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On February 6, 2006, Flaherty became Minister of Finance in Stephen Harper's newly elected Conservative [[Canadian Cabinet|cabinet]].<ref>[http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=79e62b28-720f-461d-8820-da827d78406f 'Western Tories may miss out on Cabinet posts'], ''[[National Post]]'', [[January 16]], [[2006]]</ref> |
On February 6, 2006, Flaherty became Minister of Finance in Stephen Harper's newly elected Conservative [[Canadian Cabinet|cabinet]].<ref>[http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=79e62b28-720f-461d-8820-da827d78406f 'Western Tories may miss out on Cabinet posts'], ''[[National Post]]'', [[January 16]], [[2006]]</ref> |
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=== October 31, 2006 Income trust announcement |
=== October 31, 2006 Income trust announcement === |
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Flaherty has become a central figure in the debate surrounding the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_trusts#New_proposed_rules_for_income_trusts new proposed rules for taxation of Canadian income trusts]. The Finance Minister's October 31, 2006 announcement to changes in rules to tax [[Income Trust]]s, backtracking on a campaign promise. There had been an increasing number of corporations converting to income trusts which would result in them paying lowered taxes; Flaherty argued that income trusts would cost the government hundreds of millions in lost revenue and shift the burden onto ordinary people |
Flaherty has become a central figure in the debate surrounding the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_trusts#New_proposed_rules_for_income_trusts new proposed rules for taxation of Canadian income trusts]. The Finance Minister's October 31, 2006 announcement to changes in rules to tax [[Income Trust]]s, backtracking on a campaign promise. There had been an increasing number of corporations converting to income trusts which would result in them paying lowered taxes; Flaherty argued that income trusts would cost the government hundreds of millions in lost revenue and shift the burden onto ordinary people. <ref> {{cite news | author = Global National TV | title = Exclusive: Flaherty received death threats | publisher = Global National TV | url = http://www.canada.com/globaltv/national/story.html?id=539d04fe-471d-4cfa-9fc6-af81edc7e085 | date = [[February 01]] [[2007]] }} </ref>. |
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The [[Canadian Press]] voted the Harper Government and Jim Flaherty 'Business Newsmaker of 2006' for the surprise announcement to tax [[Income Trust]]s on [[October 31]], [[2006]] <ref> {{cite news | author = CBC | title = Flaherty named business newsmaker of 2006 for trust tax | publisher = CBC | url = http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/12/28/flahertynewsmaker.html | date = [[December 28]] [[2006]] }} </ref> <ref> {{cite news | author = Canadian Press | title = Sudden taxation of income trusts named CP-BN Business Story of the Year | publisher = Canadian Press | url = http://www.cp.org/english/online/OnlineFullStory.aspx?filename=b122933a&newsitemid=31306021&languageid=1 | date = [[December 28]] [[2006]] }} </ref>. [[Diane Francis]], editor-at-large for the [[National Post]], urged that the rule changes to be recanted, arguing that there were flaws in the policy which hurt ordinary hard-working Canadian investors <ref> {{cite news | author = Diane Francis | title = Tory income trust policy is flawed: Taxing trusts will not lead to tax fairness | publisher = Financial Post | url = http://www.caiti.info/resources/diane_francis_articles.pdf | date = [[December 02]] [[2006]] }} </ref>. |
The [[Canadian Press]] voted the Harper Government and Jim Flaherty 'Business Newsmaker of 2006' for the surprise announcement to tax [[Income Trust]]s on [[October 31]], [[2006]] <ref> {{cite news | author = CBC | title = Flaherty named business newsmaker of 2006 for trust tax | publisher = CBC | url = http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/12/28/flahertynewsmaker.html | date = [[December 28]] [[2006]] }} </ref> <ref> {{cite news | author = Canadian Press | title = Sudden taxation of income trusts named CP-BN Business Story of the Year | publisher = Canadian Press | url = http://www.cp.org/english/online/OnlineFullStory.aspx?filename=b122933a&newsitemid=31306021&languageid=1 | date = [[December 28]] [[2006]] }} </ref>. [[Diane Francis]], editor-at-large for the [[National Post]], urged that the rule changes to be recanted, arguing that there were flaws in the policy which hurt ordinary hard-working Canadian investors <ref> {{cite news | author = Diane Francis | title = Tory income trust policy is flawed: Taxing trusts will not lead to tax fairness | publisher = Financial Post | url = http://www.caiti.info/resources/diane_francis_articles.pdf | date = [[December 02]] [[2006]] }} </ref>. |
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Special hearings by the Finance Committee commenced January 30, 2007. [[John McCallum]], the Liberal Finance critic has called on Minister Flaherty to explain the reasoning behind the change in Income Trust Tax policy <ref> {{cite news | author = John MacCallum | title = Your first problem is that having lured hundreds of thousands of ordinary Canadians |
Special hearings by the Finance Committee commenced January 30, 2007. [[John McCallum]], the Liberal Finance critic has called on Minister Flaherty to explain the reasoning behind the change in Income Trust Tax policy <ref> {{cite news | author = John MacCallum | title = Your first problem is that having lured hundreds of thousands of ordinary Canadians |
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into income trusts by promising not to raise taxes you then cut them off at the knees | publisher = National Post | url = http://www.caiti.info/resources/john_mccallum_op_ed.pdf | date = January 03, 2007 }} </ref> |
into income trusts by promising not to raise taxes you then cut them off at the knees | publisher = National Post | url = http://www.caiti.info/resources/john_mccallum_op_ed.pdf | date = January 03, 2007 }} </ref><ref> {{cite news | author = Liberal.ca | title = Minister of Finance Stonewalling Finance Committee’s Request for Information on Income Trust Decision: Liberal Finance Critic | publisher = Liberal.ca | url = http://www.liberal.ca/news_e.aspx?type=news&id=12240 | date = [[February 8]] [[2007]] }} </ref> <ref> {{cite news | author = CAITI | title = Mr. Harper Is this what you mean by Transparency? | publisher = CAITI | url = http://www.caiti.info/resources/redacted.pdf | date = [[February 8]] [[2007]] }} </ref>." The Conservatives have the support of the [[Jack Layton]] and the [[New Democratic Party | NDP]] on this issue. |
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Revision as of 19:23, 20 February 2007
Hon. James Michael "Jim" Flaherty | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Whitby—Oshawa | |
| Assumed office 2006 Federal Election | |
| Preceded by | Judi Longfield |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 30, 1949 Lachine, Quebec |
| Political party | CPC |
| Spouse | Christine Elliott |
| Residence(s) | Whitby, Ontario |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Cabinet | 37th Minister of Finance |
James Michael "Jim" Flaherty, PC, BA, LL.B, MP (born December 30, 1949) is Canada's Minister of Finance; he had formerly served as Ontario's Minister of Finance.
From 1995 until 2005 he was the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby—Ajax, representing the Progressive Conservative Party. He was previously a senior cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris, and has sought the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives on two occasions.
Flaherty won the riding of Whitby—Oshawa in the federal election held January 23, 2006 as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada beating Liberal incumbent Judi Longfield by nearly 4000 votes. Flaherty's wife Christine Elliott is currently representing Whitby-Ajax in the Ontario Legislature.
Education and early political career
Flaherty holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University, as well as a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University. He practised law before entering political life, and became a senior partner at the firm Flaherty Dow Elliott. He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1990, but finished third against New Democrat Drummond White and Liberal Allan Furlong in the riding of Durham Centre. He ran again in the 1995 election, and this time defeated Furlong and White during a significant regional shift in favour of his party.
In the Ontario cabinet
He was named Minister of Labour in the Cabinet of Premier Mike Harris on October 10, 1997, and kept this position until after the 1999 election. He also served as interim Solicitor General and Minister of Correctional Services from April 27 to July 27, 1998, when Minister Bob Runciman temporarily resigned from active duty after revealing privileged information in the legislature.
Flaherty was easily re-elected in the 1999 election in the redistributed riding of Whitby--Ajax, and was named Attorney General with responsibility for Native Affairs on June 17, 1999. On February 8, 2001, he was promoted to Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier. It was during this period that Flaherty became identified as one of the most right-wing figures in the Harris administration. He was a key promoter of tax credits for parents sending their children to private and denominational schools, which the Tories had campaigned against in 1999. Minister of Education Janet Ecker did not support this policy change, and there are reports that she considered leaving cabinet after its announcement.
2002 Ontario PC leadership campaign
Flaherty ran to succeed Harris in the 2002 PC leadership election, but lost to Ernie Eves. His leadership campaign focused on "law and order" themes, and one of his most controversial proposals was to make homelessness illegal. Flaherty's plan was to have special constables encourage homeless persons to seek out shelters or hospitals. He claimed that his policy would save the lives of homeless persons; critics described it as callous, and ineffective against the root causes of homelessness. His proposal was denounced by leadership rival Elizabeth Witmer, who stated that "I find his plan absolutely disgusting. It is inhumane and is totally lacking in compassion."
Flaherty also promised to implement further tax cuts, carry through with plans to create a tax credit for parents sending their children to private school, and privatizing the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Flaherty also emerged as a social conservative in this campaign, distinguished by his vocal stance against abortion, and his association with pro-life groups.
Later provincial career and second leadership campaign
On April 15, 2002, Eves appointed him to the less-prominent position of Minister of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation. He retained this position until the Tories were defeated in the provincial election of 2003. Flaherty himself was re-elected, though by a sharply reduced margin.
Following the defeat of the Conservatives, Eves announced that he would resign as leader in 2004. Flaherty declared himself a candidate to succeed him, but was defeated by John Tory by a margin of 54% to 46% on the second ballot of the PC leadership election held on September 18, 2004. His supporters included former cabinet ministers John Baird, Tim Hudak and Norm Sterling.
Flaherty's 2004 leadership campaign was similar to that of 2002. He again emphasized right-wing themes, including further tax cuts and greater privatization. He also promised to create EXCEL scholarships, wherein students attaining high grades in high school would have half their university tuition paid by the government.
Until 2005, Flaherty served as finance critic in John Tory's shadow cabinet.
On February 4 2006, the Toronto Star reported that Flaherty still owed as much as $64,000 to the PC Party of Ontario from his 2004 leadership campaign.[1]
Campaign for the House of Commons
On June 13, 2005, the Canadian news website bourque.org reported that a meeting of prominent Conservative organizers and fundraisers had been held to plan for a Flaherty bid for the leadership of the federal party should Stephen Harper choose or be forced to step down.
In December 2005, the minority Liberal government collapsed, and the 2006 general election was called. Flaherty resigned his seat in the Ontario legislature to run for the Conservative Party of Canada in the riding of Whitby—Oshawa, unseating incumbent Judi Longfield.
Flaherty's wife, Christine Elliott, won Flaherty's former provincial seat in a by-election, defeating Longfield who was running as the provincial Liberal candidate. This marked the first time in Canadian history that a husband and wife have simultaneously represented the same electoral district at two different levels of government.
Appointment to Cabinet
On February 6, 2006, Flaherty became Minister of Finance in Stephen Harper's newly elected Conservative cabinet.[1]
October 31, 2006 Income trust announcement
Flaherty has become a central figure in the debate surrounding the new proposed rules for taxation of Canadian income trusts. The Finance Minister's October 31, 2006 announcement to changes in rules to tax Income Trusts, backtracking on a campaign promise. There had been an increasing number of corporations converting to income trusts which would result in them paying lowered taxes; Flaherty argued that income trusts would cost the government hundreds of millions in lost revenue and shift the burden onto ordinary people. [2].
The Canadian Press voted the Harper Government and Jim Flaherty 'Business Newsmaker of 2006' for the surprise announcement to tax Income Trusts on October 31, 2006 [3] [4]. Diane Francis, editor-at-large for the National Post, urged that the rule changes to be recanted, arguing that there were flaws in the policy which hurt ordinary hard-working Canadian investors [5].
Special hearings by the Finance Committee commenced January 30, 2007. John McCallum, the Liberal Finance critic has called on Minister Flaherty to explain the reasoning behind the change in Income Trust Tax policy [6][7] [8]." The Conservatives have the support of the Jack Layton and the NDP on this issue.
Template:Ministry box 28 Template:Ministry box/EvesTemplate:Ministry box/HarrisFinance ministers of the Group of Eight | |
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References
- ^ 'Western Tories may miss out on Cabinet posts', National Post, January 16, 2006
- ^ Global National TV (February 01 2007). "Exclusive: Flaherty received death threats". Global National TV.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ CBC (December 28 2006). "Flaherty named business newsmaker of 2006 for trust tax". CBC.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Canadian Press (December 28 2006). "Sudden taxation of income trusts named CP-BN Business Story of the Year". Canadian Press.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Diane Francis (December 02 2006). "Tory income trust policy is flawed: Taxing trusts will not lead to tax fairness" (PDF). Financial Post.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ John MacCallum (January 03, 2007). "Your first problem is that having lured hundreds of thousands of ordinary Canadians into income trusts by promising not to raise taxes you then cut them off at the knees" (PDF). National Post.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); line feed character in|title=at position 84 (help) - ^ Liberal.ca (February 8 2007). "Minister of Finance Stonewalling Finance Committee's Request for Information on Income Trust Decision: Liberal Finance Critic". Liberal.ca.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ CAITI (February 8 2007). "Mr. Harper Is this what you mean by Transparency?" (PDF). CAITI.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
- Canadian Ministers of Finance
- Members of the 28th Ministry in Canada
- Current Members of the Canadian House of Commons
- Conservative Party of Canada MPs
- Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs
- Members of the Canadian House of Commons from Ontario
- Deputy premiers of Ontario
- Attorneys-General of Ontario
- Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
- Canadian lawyers
- Princeton University alumni
- York University alumni
- Irish Canadians
- 1949 births
- Living people