Hudak Elected head of Ontario Progressive Party (6/29/09)

Tim Hudak is the new leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative party after being elected to the position at the party convention this past weekend. For labor leaders and workers in Canada, his election alone stands as a reason to oppose Progressive Conservative party candidates and platforms.

"Hudak is a rabidly anti-worker, anti-union conservative in the Mike Harris mold," said RWDSU Northern Joint Council President Derik McArthur, referring to the former Premier of Ontario who made destroying worker rights a priority of his administration. In fact, Hudak won Harris' endorsement and is married to a former senior advisor to Harris.

"Hudak has made it clear he wants to push to continue the Harris attacks on workers. He has pushed for the abolition of card-check, and supports costly and time-consuming legislation that would cripple unions' ability to be politically involved in the fight for working people," McArthur pointed out.

Hudak has also pushed for the abolition of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which was created in 1961 to prevent discrimination in the workplace and in public education and public policy.

"Hudak's election shows just how out of step the values of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives have become with working people in the province.  Mr Hudak is attempting to re-establish the far right platform of Mike Harris that the people of Ontario have already rejected," McArthur added.  "Thier adoption of this platform shows they are not ready to lead in Ontario."