Paul Miller (Canadian politician)
Encyclopedia
Paul Miller is a politician in Hamilton, Ontario
, and Member of Provincial Parliament representing the provincial constituency of Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
. Miller belongs to the Ontario New Democratic Party
. Currently in opposition Miller serves in the party's shadow cabinet
as critic for several portfolios including Economic Development & Trade
and Pensions. He also serves as vice chair of the legislature's Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.
Miller was elected in the 2007 Ontario general election
defeating high profile Liberal candidate Nerene Virgin
.
, now U.S. Steel Canada
) as a mechanic-welder-fitter. While at Stelco he was a member of the United Steelworkers
(USW), Local 1005. On behalf of the union, Miller served as a lobbyist on Parliament Hill and at Queen's Park, participating in 9 different campaigns.
Miller served as a city councillor for two terms in Stoney Creek, Ontario
from 1994 to 2000. During his time on council he chaired the Parks and Recreation committee and served as a member on several other committees. As a youth, he worked on the election campaigns of his uncle, former councillor and Hamilton Mayor, Bill Powell
. More recently, he worked for 2004
New Democratic Party
federal candidate Tony DePaulo, and for 2006
NDP federal candidate and now Member of Parliament Wayne Marston
.
Sam Merulla for the NDP nomination. On election night, October 10, 2007, Miller defeated Liberal
candidate Nerene Virgin.
In April 2008, Miller introduced a private member's bill
that proposed to create a severance fund for workers who were owed money when their companies closed. The fund would be used to cover severances, vacation pay and other items owed to workers. Miller said, "It would allow people ... to have a little bit of a nest egg to hold them over until they get retrained or find another job." The proposed fund which would have been financed by existing companies was criticized by Labour Minister Brad Duguid
, who said the fund was "nothing short of a payroll tax" and that it was "irresponsible in this economy to jack up taxes on businesses, in particular in the manufacturing sector." The proposed bill was shelved by a government committee.
In 2010, Miller introduced another private member's bill called the Eramosa Karst Feeder Lands Protection Act, 2010 that would protect land near the Eramosa Karst
formation. Though he was a member of the NDP, Miller introduced the bill jointly with Niagara West-Glanbrook MPP (and Ontario PC Party
leader) Tim Hudak
. The bill would permanently protect land occupied by streams that feed into the karst formation. The land owned by the Ontario Realty Corporation was designated for possible residential development. Miller called the lands a "geological wonder". He said, "These lands are the lifeline for the Eramosa Karst... we must move now to preserve the Eramosa Karst feeder lands." The bill was passed into law in the spring of 2011.
|-
|Paul Miller
|align="right"|16,256
|align="right"|37.6
|align="right"|
|-
|Nerene Virgin
|align="right"|15,171
|align="right"|35.1
|align="right"|
|-
|Tara Crugnale
|align="right"|9,195
|align="right"|21.3
|align="right"|
|-
|Raymond Dartsch
|align="right"|2,122
|align="right"|4.9
|align="right"|
|-
|Robert Innes
|align="right"|451
|align="right"|1.0
|align="right"|
|}
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, and Member of Provincial Parliament representing the provincial constituency of Hamilton East—Stoney Creek
Hamilton East—Stoney Creek (provincial electoral district)
Hamilton East—Stoney Creek is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since the 2007 provincial election....
in 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...
. Miller belongs to the Ontario New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
. Currently in opposition Miller serves in the party's shadow cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
as critic for several portfolios including Economic Development & Trade
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (Ontario)
The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade in the Canadian province of Ontario is responsible for programs to attract and retain business and economic development in the province...
and Pensions. He also serves as vice chair of the legislature's Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills.
Miller was elected in the 2007 Ontario general election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
defeating high profile Liberal candidate Nerene Virgin
Nerene Virgin
Nerene Virgin is a Canadian journalist, actress and television host, best known for her role on the children's television series Today's Special.-Background:After growing up in Toronto, Ontario, she attended Toronto Teacher's College...
.
Background
Miller was born in Hamilton but has lived in Stoney Creek for most of his life. He is married with three daughters. Miller worked for Hamilton Steel Hilton Works (formerly StelcoStelco
US Steel Canada is a steel company based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.-History:Several existing smaller steelworks combined and were incorporated as the Steel Company of Canada in 1910. Charles S...
, now U.S. Steel Canada
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
) as a mechanic-welder-fitter. While at Stelco he was a member of the United Steelworkers
United Steelworkers
The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union is the largest industrial labor union in North America, with 705,000 members. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, U.S., the United Steelworkers represents workers in the United...
(USW), Local 1005. On behalf of the union, Miller served as a lobbyist on Parliament Hill and at Queen's Park, participating in 9 different campaigns.
Miller served as a city councillor for two terms in Stoney Creek, Ontario
Stoney Creek, Ontario
Stoney Creek is a community in Ontario, Canada.Note: This article will only deal with matters up to its amalgamation with Hamilton.-Geography and population:...
from 1994 to 2000. During his time on council he chaired the Parks and Recreation committee and served as a member on several other committees. As a youth, he worked on the election campaigns of his uncle, former councillor and Hamilton Mayor, Bill Powell
William Powell (Canadian politician)
William Powell was Mayor of Hamilton, Canada, from 1980 to 1982.Born in St. Helen’s, Lancashire, England, his family emigrated to Canada in 1911...
. More recently, he worked for 2004
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
federal candidate Tony DePaulo, and for 2006
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
NDP federal candidate and now Member of Parliament Wayne Marston
Wayne Marston
Wayne L. Marston is a Canadian politician. Marston was the New Democratic Party candidate for the Hamilton, Ontario riding of Hamilton East—Stoney Creek in the 2006 federal election, defeating incumbent Tony Valeri by a 466 vote margin.Prior to his election to the Canadian House of Commons,...
.
Provincial politics
On July 12, 2007, he was nominated to run in Hamilton East—Stoney Creek in the 2007 Ontario general election. Miller campaigned on a platform of job retention and a promise to push for an increase in the minimum wage. He also wanted the province to screen companies before they setup in the area. He defeated Hamilton city councillorHamilton City Council
The Hamilton City Council is the governing body of the City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.The current council consists of the mayor plus fifteen councillors, one elected from each of the city's wards. The incumbent council was elected in a municipal election on November 13, 2006...
Sam Merulla for the NDP nomination. On election night, October 10, 2007, Miller defeated 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...
candidate Nerene Virgin.
In April 2008, Miller introduced a private member's bill
Private Member's Bill
A member of parliament’s legislative motion, called a private member's bill or a member's bill in some parliaments, is a proposed law introduced by a member of a legislature. In most countries with a parliamentary system, most bills are proposed by the government, not by individual members of the...
that proposed to create a severance fund for workers who were owed money when their companies closed. The fund would be used to cover severances, vacation pay and other items owed to workers. Miller said, "It would allow people ... to have a little bit of a nest egg to hold them over until they get retrained or find another job." The proposed fund which would have been financed by existing companies was criticized by Labour Minister Brad Duguid
Brad Duguid
Brad Duguid is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Scarborough Centre and is the province's Minister of Economic Development and Innovation in the Liberal government of Premier Dalton McGuinty for the Ontario Liberal...
, who said the fund was "nothing short of a payroll tax" and that it was "irresponsible in this economy to jack up taxes on businesses, in particular in the manufacturing sector." The proposed bill was shelved by a government committee.
In 2010, Miller introduced another private member's bill called the Eramosa Karst Feeder Lands Protection Act, 2010 that would protect land near the Eramosa Karst
Eramosa Karst
The Eramosa Karst is a provincially-significant Earth Science Area of Natural and Scientific Interest in Ontario, Canada, located in Stoney Creek, a constituent community of the City of Hamilton, and immediately south of the Niagara Escarpment....
formation. Though he was a member of the NDP, Miller introduced the bill jointly with Niagara West-Glanbrook MPP (and Ontario PC Party
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...
leader) Tim Hudak
Tim Hudak
Timothy Patrick "Tim" Hudak is a politician in Ontario, Canada, and the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario . He also serves as member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the riding of Niagara West—Glanbrook.-Background:Tim Hudak was born in Fort Erie, Ontario...
. The bill would permanently protect land occupied by streams that feed into the karst formation. The land owned by the Ontario Realty Corporation was designated for possible residential development. Miller called the lands a "geological wonder". He said, "These lands are the lifeline for the Eramosa Karst... we must move now to preserve the Eramosa Karst feeder lands." The bill was passed into law in the spring of 2011.
Electoral record
|-
|Paul Miller
|align="right"|16,256
|align="right"|37.6
|align="right"|
|-
|Nerene Virgin
Nerene Virgin
Nerene Virgin is a Canadian journalist, actress and television host, best known for her role on the children's television series Today's Special.-Background:After growing up in Toronto, Ontario, she attended Toronto Teacher's College...
|align="right"|15,171
|align="right"|35.1
|align="right"|
|-
|Tara Crugnale
|align="right"|9,195
|align="right"|21.3
|align="right"|
|-
|Raymond Dartsch
|align="right"|2,122
|align="right"|4.9
|align="right"|
|-
|Robert Innes
|align="right"|451
|align="right"|1.0
|align="right"|
|}