John Snobelen
Encyclopedia
John Snobelen is a former politician
in Ontario, Canada
. He was a Progressive Conservative
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1995 to 2003, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris
.
Snobelen was raised in Meadowlark, Ontario, and dropped out of high school in Grade 11. He eventually became a successful businessman, making a fortune in the waste-haulage business. He served as President of Jarnso Environmental Inc., Mid-Ontario Equipment Limited and the Cameron Group.
Snobelen was also a chair of the Hunger Project
, and an associate of the Carter Center, a human-rights organization started by former United States
President Jimmy Carter
.
Snobelen first ran for the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1990
, placing third behind incumbent Liberal
Steve Offer
and a New Democrat in Mississauga North
. In the provincial election of 1995
, he ran in the same riding and defeated Offer by about 4,500 votes.
The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government in the 1995 election, and Snobelen was appointed as Minister of Education and Training
in Mike Harris's government on June 26, 1995. Shortly after his appointment, Snobelen was filmed arguing that the PC government needs to "bankrupt" and to create a "useful crisis" in the education system so as to initiate significant reforms. This controversy provoked several calls for his resignation, and further unsettled the relationship between the government and the teaching community, which were already tense after the previous NDP administration unilaterally imposed a Social Contract
.
In 1997, Snobelen introduced Bill 160, which gave the province control of municipal education taxes, introduced standardized testing, cut teaching preparation time, allowed the government to determine class sizes and granted early retirement initiatives to older, more experienced teachers. Critics argue that the purpose of this bill was to cut education spending, and reduce the power of the teachers' unions in order to privatize Ontario's public education system (Klein, N., The Shock Doctrine
). The education restructuring, along with other cuts to government spending, was expected to significantly reduce the province's deficit. Community organizations, teachers and leaders of the provincial unions criticized the bill not only as an attack on local control of public schools and on union bargaining influence, but also as unnecessarily confrontational and as threatening the quality of Ontario's education system.
Snobelen was moved to the Ministry of Natural Resources on October 10, 1997, amid speculation that the Harris government needed a more experienced minister to manage the Education portfolio.. Shortly after his transfer, Ontario's public school teachers entered a two-week strike against the Harris government, with much of their anger directed against the reforms proposed by Snobelen. The Harris government argued that two million students were being held "hostage" by the strike and denounced the teachers for striking in violation of provincial labour laws. Some also criticized the teachers for using their work hours to participate in union activities. Teachers' representatives argued that they had no other viable options to oppose the proposed legislation. A provincial judge later determined that the provincial government did not meet its obligations in seeking to resolve the strike.
Snobelen's successor as Minister of Education, David Johnson
, implemented many aspects of Bill 160 after the strike.
As Natural Resources Minister, Snobelen helped push through the Harris government's "Lands For Life" program, which protected 24,000 km² of public land in parks and conservation reserves, making them off-limit to industrial activity. He also cancelled the Spring Bear Hunt, a decision which was opposed by many Ontario hunters but supported by animal rights groups.
He was re-elected in the provincial election of 1999
, defeating Liberal Bob Delaney
in the redistributed riding of Mississauga West
. He retained the Natural Resources portfolio after the election.
Snobelen was dropped from cabinet when Ernie Eves
succeeded Harris as Premier
in 2002.
In late 2002, it was reported that Snobelen was spending most of his time at a private cattle ranch in Oklahoma
while still drawing a Member of Provincial Parliament's (MPP) salary. Faced with criticism, he returned to the legislature for most of the 2003 session and resigned his seat on March 17.
On January 13, 2007, he was arrested in Milton, Ontario for the possession of an unregistered handgun. He was granted an absolute discharge in April 2008, though the judge noted that he had made a serious error in judgement.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1995 to 2003, and served as a cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
.
Snobelen was raised in Meadowlark, Ontario, and dropped out of high school in Grade 11. He eventually became a successful businessman, making a fortune in the waste-haulage business. He served as President of Jarnso Environmental Inc., Mid-Ontario Equipment Limited and the Cameron Group.
Snobelen was also a chair of the Hunger Project
The Hunger Project
The Hunger Project is a 501 non-profit charitable organization incorporated in the state of California.The Hunger Project describes itself as an organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger...
, and an associate of the Carter Center, a human-rights organization started by former United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
.
Snobelen first ran for the Ontario legislature in the provincial election of 1990
Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
, placing third behind incumbent Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
Steve Offer
Steve Offer
Steven Offer is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1985 to 1995, and was a cabinet minister in the government of David Peterson....
and a New Democrat in Mississauga North
Mississauga North
Mississauga North was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 1988.This riding was created in 1976 from parts of Halton and Mississauga ridings....
. In the provincial election of 1995
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, he ran in the same riding and defeated Offer by about 4,500 votes.
The Progressive Conservatives won a majority government in the 1995 election, and Snobelen was appointed as Minister of Education and Training
Ministry of Education (Ontario)
The Ministry of Education is the agency of the Ontario government in the Canadian province of Ontario responsible for government policy, funding, curriculum planning and direction in all levels of public education, including elementary and secondary schools.This Ministry is responsible for...
in Mike Harris's government on June 26, 1995. Shortly after his appointment, Snobelen was filmed arguing that the PC government needs to "bankrupt" and to create a "useful crisis" in the education system so as to initiate significant reforms. This controversy provoked several calls for his resignation, and further unsettled the relationship between the government and the teaching community, which were already tense after the previous NDP administration unilaterally imposed a Social Contract
Social Contract (Ontario)
The Social Contract refers to a 1993 initiative of the provincial Ontario New Democratic Party government of Bob Rae to impose austerity measures on civil service...
.
In 1997, Snobelen introduced Bill 160, which gave the province control of municipal education taxes, introduced standardized testing, cut teaching preparation time, allowed the government to determine class sizes and granted early retirement initiatives to older, more experienced teachers. Critics argue that the purpose of this bill was to cut education spending, and reduce the power of the teachers' unions in order to privatize Ontario's public education system (Klein, N., The Shock Doctrine
The Shock Doctrine
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism is a 2007 book by Canadian author Naomi Klein, and is the basis of a 2009 documentary by the same name....
). The education restructuring, along with other cuts to government spending, was expected to significantly reduce the province's deficit. Community organizations, teachers and leaders of the provincial unions criticized the bill not only as an attack on local control of public schools and on union bargaining influence, but also as unnecessarily confrontational and as threatening the quality of Ontario's education system.
Snobelen was moved to the Ministry of Natural Resources on October 10, 1997, amid speculation that the Harris government needed a more experienced minister to manage the Education portfolio.. Shortly after his transfer, Ontario's public school teachers entered a two-week strike against the Harris government, with much of their anger directed against the reforms proposed by Snobelen. The Harris government argued that two million students were being held "hostage" by the strike and denounced the teachers for striking in violation of provincial labour laws. Some also criticized the teachers for using their work hours to participate in union activities. Teachers' representatives argued that they had no other viable options to oppose the proposed legislation. A provincial judge later determined that the provincial government did not meet its obligations in seeking to resolve the strike.
Snobelen's successor as Minister of Education, David Johnson
David Johnson (Canadian politician)
David John Johnson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was the mayor of East York from 1982 to 1993, a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1993 to 1999, and a senior cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris.Johnson has a Bachelor of Science...
, implemented many aspects of Bill 160 after the strike.
As Natural Resources Minister, Snobelen helped push through the Harris government's "Lands For Life" program, which protected 24,000 km² of public land in parks and conservation reserves, making them off-limit to industrial activity. He also cancelled the Spring Bear Hunt, a decision which was opposed by many Ontario hunters but supported by animal rights groups.
He was re-elected in the provincial election of 1999
Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, defeating Liberal Bob Delaney
Bob Delaney
Bob Delaney is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Mississauga—Streetsville for the Ontario Liberal Party....
in the redistributed riding of Mississauga West
Mississauga West
For the current provincial electoral district, see Mississauga West Mississauga West was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2003. It was located in the city of Mississauga in the province of Ontario...
. He retained the Natural Resources portfolio after the election.
Snobelen was dropped from cabinet when Ernie Eves
Ernie Eves
Ernest Lawrence "Ernie" Eves was the 23rd Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003.-Beginnings:...
succeeded Harris as Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
in 2002.
In late 2002, it was reported that Snobelen was spending most of his time at a private cattle ranch in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
while still drawing a Member of Provincial Parliament's (MPP) salary. Faced with criticism, he returned to the legislature for most of the 2003 session and resigned his seat on March 17.
On January 13, 2007, he was arrested in Milton, Ontario for the possession of an unregistered handgun. He was granted an absolute discharge in April 2008, though the judge noted that he had made a serious error in judgement.
Preceded by: Dave Cooke Dave Cooke Dave Cooke is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was an NDP member of the provincial legislature from 1977 to 1997, and was a senior cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae.-Early career:... 1993-1995 | Minister of Education (Ontario) 1995-1997 | Succeeded by: David Johnson David Johnson (Canadian politician) David John Johnson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was the mayor of East York from 1982 to 1993, a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1993 to 1999, and a senior cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris.Johnson has a Bachelor of Science... 1997-1999 |
Preceded by: Chris Hodgson Chris Hodgson Chris Hodgson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1994 to 2003, and a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves... 1995-1997 | Minister of Natural Resources (Ontario) 1997-2002 | Succeeded by: Jerry Ouellette Jerry Ouellette Jerry J. Ouellette is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995, representing the riding of Oshawa for the Progressive Conservative Party. Ouellette was Minister of Natural Resources in the government of Ernie Eves.Ouellette graduated... 2002-2003 |