View source for Howard Hampton

{{Short description|Canadian politician (born 1952)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name             = Howard Hampton
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECO|size=100%}}
| image         = Howard Hampton, Toronto City Summit Alliance (cropped).jpg
| alt           = 
| caption       = Hampton in 2003
| office1       = Leader of the  [[Ontario New Democratic Party]]
| term_start1   = June 22, 1996
| term_end1     = March 7, 2009
| predecessor1  = [[Bob Rae]]
| successor1    = [[Andrea Horwath]]
| office2       = [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Ontario MPP]]
| term_start2   = 1999
| term_end2     = 2011
| predecessor2  = ''Riding established''
| successor2    = [[Sarah Campbell]]
| constituency2 = [[Kenora—Rainy River (provincial electoral district)|Kenora—Rainy River]]
| term_start3   = 1987
| term_end3     = 1999
| predecessor3  = [[Jack Pierce (politician)|Jack Pierce]]
| successor3    = ''Riding abolished''
| constituency3 = [[Rainy River (electoral district)|Rainy River]]
| party         = [[Ontario New Democratic Party|Ontario New Democratic]]
| birth_name    = Howard George Hampton
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1952|5|17|mf=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Fort Frances]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| residence     = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada 
| relatives     = [[Elie Martel]] (father-in-law)
| spouse        = [[Shelley Martel]]
| children      = Sarah Hampton<br />Jonathan Hampton
| occupation    = Lawyer
}}

'''Howard George Hampton''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|ECO}} (born May 17, 1952) is a politician who was a [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|member of Provincial Parliament]] for the province of [[Ontario]]. He served in the [[Legislative Assembly of Ontario]], Canada, from 1987 to 1999 in the electoral district of [[Rainy River (electoral district)|Rainy River]], and from 1999 to 2011 in the redistributed electoral district of [[Kenora—Rainy River (provincial electoral district)|Kenora—Rainy River]]. A member of the [[Ontario New Democratic Party]], he was also the party's leader from 1996 to 2009. Hampton retired from the legislature at the [[2011 Ontario general election|2011 Ontario provincial election]]<ref name="Hampton retires">{{cite news|last=Robert|first=Benzie|title=Former NDP leader Howard Hampton quits|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1032630--former-ndp-leader-howard-hampton-quits|access-date=2011-07-30|newspaper=The Toronto Star|location=Toronto|date=2011-07-30}}</ref> and subsequently joined [[Fasken Martineau|Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP]] as a member of the law firm's [[corporate social responsibility]] and aboriginal affairs groups.<ref name=fasken>{{cite news|last=Gray|first=Jeff|title=Former Ontario A-G joins Fasken Martineau|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/investment-ideas/streetwise/former-ontario-a-g-joins-fasken-martineau/article2206882/|access-date=October 20, 2011|newspaper=Globe and Mail|date=October 19, 2011|archive-date=23 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223112604/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/investment-ideas/streetwise/former-ontario-a-g-joins-fasken-martineau/article2206882/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

His wife, [[Shelley Martel]], was also an MPP until 2007, representing [[Nickel Belt (provincial electoral district)|Nickel Belt]].<ref>''George Hampton, Ontario NDP leader's father, dies of heart attack'', Niagara Falls Review (ON). Canada, Wednesday, January 4, 2006, p. A8. accessed on October 6, 2006.</ref>

==Early life, education, and early career==
Hampton was born in [[Fort Frances]], [[Ontario]] to a [[blue collar]] family, George (April 17, 1928 - January 2, 2006) and Elsie (November 8, 1931 - April 18, 2016) Hampton.<ref name=Barrie>''Howard Hampton's father dies'', Barrie Examiner (ON). News, Wednesday, January 4, 2006, p. A8. accessed on October 6, 2006.</ref><ref>https://memorials.northridgefuneralhome.com/elsa-hampton/2478584/obituary.php</ref> He was a good student, but also athletically gifted and politically active. He first joined the NDP when he was a teenager.

Hampton took an [[undergraduate degree]] in [[philosophy]] and [[religion]] from [[Dartmouth College]] in New Hampshire, where he played varsity hockey for the school's Division I [[NCAA]] [[ice hockey]] team.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Internet Hockey Database - Howie Hampton  |url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=43463 |publisher=HockeyDB.com |access-date=4 November 2022}}</ref> He later obtained a degree in education from the [[University of Toronto]] and a [[law degree]] from the [[University of Ottawa]]. He worked as a [[lawyer]] for the [[Canadian Labour Congress]], and for the [[Saskatchewan New Democratic Party|provincial NDP]] government of [[Allan Blakeney]] in [[Saskatchewan]].

==Enters provincial politics==
Hampton sought election to the Ontario legislature under the NDP banner in the [[1977 Ontario general election|1977 provincial election]], placing third against incumbent [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal]] [[T. Patrick Reid|Pat Reid]] and [[Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario|Progressive Conservative]] Gordon Armstrong in [[Rainy River (electoral district)|Rainy River]].<ref name="1977 Election Results">{{cite news |title=Ontario provincial election results riding by riding |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=June 10, 1977 |page=D9}}</ref> He ran for the riding again in the [[1985 Ontario general election|1985 provincial election]], and lost to Progressive Conservative candidate [[Jack Pierce (politician)|Jack Pierce]] by 278 votes.<ref name="1985 Election Results">{{cite news |title=Results of vote in Ontario election |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=May 3, 1985 |page=13}}</ref>

==Cabinet minister==
Hampton was elected to [[Queen's Park (Toronto)|Queen's Park]] on his third attempt, in the [[1987 Ontario general election|provincial election of 1987]].<ref name="1987 Election Results">{{cite news |title=Results from individual ridings |newspaper=The Windsor Star |date=September 11, 1987 |page=F2}}</ref> He was re-elected in the [[1990 Ontario general election|1990 provincial election]], in which the NDP won a majority government.<ref name="1990 Election Results">{{cite news |title=Ontario election: Riding-by-riding voting results |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 7, 1990 |page=A12}}</ref> On October 1, 1990, he was appointed [[Ontario Attorney General|Attorney General]] in the government of [[Bob Rae]].<ref name="1990RaeCabinet">{{cite news |title=Ontario cabinet |newspaper=The Windsor Star |date=October 1, 1990 |page=A4}}</ref>

By all accounts, Hampton and Rae were not cabinet allies. Hampton disapproved of many of the Rae government's centrist policies; in particular, he opposed Rae's decision to retreat from an election pledge to introduce public automobile insurance in the province. Journalist [[Thomas Walkom]] has argued that Rae deliberately undermined Hampton's control over the Attorney General's office, staffing the ministry with bureaucrats to which he was ideologically incompatible. However, Walkom has also noted that Hampton supported Rae's decision to impose a [[Social Contract]] of wage restraints and cost-saving measures on Ontario public servants.

Following a cabinet shuffle on February 3, 1993, Hampton was demoted to [[Ontario Minister of Natural Resources|Minister of Natural Resources]], responsible for [[Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs (Ontario)|Native Affairs]]. [[Marion Boyd]] replaced him as Attorney General.<ref name="1993RaeCabinet">{{cite news |title=Rae chops 10 ministries 'leaner' cabinet sworn in |first=William |last=Walker |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=February 3, 1993 |page=A1}}</ref> The NDP was defeated in the [[1995 Ontario general election|provincial election of 1995]], and Hampton was re-elected over Progressive Conservative [[Lynn Beyak]] by only 205 votes.<ref name="1995 Election Results">{{cite web|url=http://results.elections.on.ca/results/1995_results/valid_votes.jsp?e_code=36&rec=0&district=rainy+river&flag=E&layout=G |title=Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate |publisher=Elections Ontario |date=June 8, 1995 }}{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Cabinet posts===
{{s-start}}
{{Canadian cabinet member navigational box header |ministry=Bob_Rae}}
{{ministry box cabinet posts
| post2preceded = [[Bud Wildman]]
| post2         = [[Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario)|Minister of Natural Resources]]
| post2years    = 1993&ndash;1995
| post2note     = Also Responsible for Native Affairs
| post2followed = [[Chris Hodgson]]

| post1preceded = [[Ian Scott (Ontario politician)|Ian Scott]]
| post1         = [[Attorney General of Ontario|Attorney General]]
| post1years    = 1990&ndash;1993
| post1note     =
| post1followed = [[Marion Boyd]]
}}
{{s-end}}

==Ontario NDP Leader==
[[File:Howard Hampton Speech CUPE3903.jpg|thumb|Howard Hampton at [[Queen's Park (Toronto)|Queen's Park]] addressing [[CUPE]] 3903 members protesting against back to work legislation during a York University strike]]
After Rae retired from provincial politics, Hampton became the [[1996 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election|leader of the NDP]] on June 22, 1996, beating [[Frances Lankin]], who was seen as a Rae ally and whom many had considered the front-runner, on the third ballot. Leadership candidate [[Peter Kormos]] and his support generally went to Hampton rather than Lankin, which was seen as important to Hampton's victory. [[Tony Silipo]] also ran for the leadership and would become Hampton's Deputy Leader until 1999.<ref name=Barrie />

<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Howardinterview.jpg|thumb|left|Hampton during an Interview]] -->
In the [[1999 Ontario general election|1999 Ontario election]], some progressives and union leaders, who had been a crucial source of NDP support before 1995, attempted to defeat [[Mike Harris]], the [[Ontario Progressive Conservative Party|Progressive Conservative]] premier, by abandoning the NDP for the [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberals]]. This [[tactical voting]], commonly called "strategic voting," did not succeed in ousting the Harris government, but nearly decimated the NDP, as they took just nine seats and 12 per cent of the popular vote in their worst election showing since the 1950s. As Hampton was not judged to have been at fault, he stayed on as leader.  Hampton himself faced a challenging re-election; the Harris government had reduced the number of ridings in Ontario from 130 to 103, and Hampton faced off against [[Frank Miclash]], the Liberal MPP for the adjoining [[Kenora (provincial electoral district)|Kenora]] riding, in the amalgamated riding of [[Kenora—Rainy River (provincial electoral district)|Kenora-Rainy River]]. Hampton defeated Miclash by 3,000 votes.

[[Image:Mohamed Boudjenane group victory.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Howard Hampton shares the stage at Mohamed Boudjenane's nomination meeting with fellow NDP politicians and candidates. Pictured from left to right; [[Rosario Marchese]], MPP [[Trinity–Spadina]]; Mohamed Boudjenane, provincial candidate for [[Etobicoke North (federal electoral district)|Etobicoke North]]; '''Howard Hampton''', Ontario NDP Leader; and Ali Naqvi, federal NDP candidate for Etobicoke North.July 9, 2007.]]
Hampton endorsed [[Bill Blaikie]] in the latter's unsuccessful bid for the federal [[New Democratic Party of Canada|New Democratic Party]] leadership in 2002. This decision was unpopular with some other members of his caucus, including Deputy Leader [[Marilyn Churley]] who was a leading supporter of [[Jack Layton]].

In Harris' second term, the government unveiled plans to privatize the public electricity utility, [[Ontario Hydro]]. Hampton quickly distinguished himself as an advocate of maintaining public ownership of the utility, and published a book on the subject, ''Public Power'', in 2003. Harris' successor as premier, [[Ernie Eves]], ultimately reached the decision not to sell the hydro utility.

Hampton and the NDP won only seven seats in the [[2003 Ontario general election|2003 Ontario election]], losing [[official party status]] for the first time since [[1963 Ontario general election|1963]]. However, Hampton retained his seat and the party increased its share of the popular vote by 2 per cent. After intense lobbying to lower the minimum number of seats for party status, a compromise was reached which allowed additional funding for the NDP and more inquiry opportunities during [[Question Period]].

Ultimately, this controversy was all for nought as on May 13, 2004, the NDP regained official party status in a [[by-election]] in [[Hamilton East (federal electoral district)|Hamilton East]], where city councillor [[Andrea Horwath]] was elected to fill the vacancy left by the death of Liberal member [[Dominic Agostino]]. When [[Marilyn Churley]] resigned her [[Toronto—Danforth (provincial electoral district)|Toronto—Danforth]] seat in May 2005, the NDP was granted official party status at first until the by-election, and then until the [[2007 Ontario general election|2007 provincial election]]; NDP candidate [[Peter Tabuns]] won the seat.

The Ontario NDP increased its seat count to nine in September 2006, when well-known local [[United Church]] minister [[Cheri DiNovo]] won a byelection. The seat became vacant when Liberal MPP [[Gerard Kennedy]] resigned to seek the [[Liberal Party of Canada]] [[2006 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|leadership]].

Hampton launched the Ontario NDP's 2007 provincial election campaign at the party's Fresh Ideas New Energy January 2007 policy convention. Hampton's keynote speech focused on the party's campaign to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour, and signalled the NDP's renewed focus on matters of economic justice.<ref>Kerry Gillespie, "[https://www.thestar.com/Unassigned/article/175702 NDP leader wants $10 wage vote] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013194827/http://www.thestar.com/Unassigned/article/175702 |date=2012-10-13 }}", ''Toronto Star'', January 28, 2007</ref> The NDP also unveiled a new logo and look.<ref>Canada News Wire, "[http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/January2007/26/c9871.html Ontario's NDP moves forward with confidence, new look] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929100105/http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/January2007/26/c9871.html |date=2007-09-29 }}", January 26, 2007</ref>

Hampton's NDP increased its seat count to 10 in February 2007, when businessman and community activist [[Paul Ferreira]] defeated star Liberal candidate [[Laura Albanese]] in a byelection in the Toronto riding of [[York South—Weston (federal electoral district)|York South-Weston]]. The seat became vacant when Liberal cabinet minister [[Joe Cordiano]] resigned. The NDP's campaign for the $10 minimum wage and its opposition to a controversial 25 per cent pay raise for MPPs were cited as key factors in the upset win.<ref>Rob Ferguson, "[https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/02/09/ndp_pulls_upset.html NDP pulls upset]", ''Toronto Star'', February 8, 2007</ref>

Despite several encouraging opinion polls that predicted a gain of several seats, Hampton's NDP failed to increase its seat count beyond 10 in the [[2007 Ontario general election|2007 provincial election]]. While there was speculation following the election that he may retire, Hampton announced at the November 24, 2007, NDP provincial council that he was staying as party leader.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stuffco |first=Jared |date=November 25, 2007 |title=Hampton to stay at NDP helm |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/hampton-to-stay-at-ndp-helm/article_3ac265af-5343-5d7f-98a8-0801f801882c.html |url-status=live |work=[[Toronto Star]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |location=Toronto, Ontario |access-date=January 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240113172050/https://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/hampton-to-stay-at-ndp-helm/article_3ac265af-5343-5d7f-98a8-0801f801882c.html |archive-date=January 13, 2024}}</ref> However, in April 2008, he indicated he was considering his political future<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=April 7, 2008 |title=Hampton to outline political future |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-bay-nugget-hampton-to-outline-poli/138648981/ |work=[[North Bay Nugget]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |location=Toronto, Ontario |page=A7 |access-date=January 13, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> and, on June 14, 2008, he announced that he would not stand for re-election as party leader at the March 2009 party convention.<ref>Keith Leslie, [https://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/443215 "Hampton to step down as NDP leader: Sources"], ''Toronto Star''. June 13, 2008.</ref> He remained an MPP for the remainder of his parliamentary mandate, but did not run in the [[2011 Ontario general election|2011 election]].

==Recent career==
Hampton currently lives Fort Frances. He and his wife Shelley Martel are separated.

After leaving politics, Hampton worked for several years for the Toronto law firm [[Fasken Martineau]].<ref name=fed/>

In November 2014, Hampton was appointed as a consultant to [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|federal NDP]] leader [[Thomas Mulcair]] on the [[Northern Ontario Ring of Fire]] mining development. After several months of being encouraged by the party to run as its candidate in [[Kenora (federal electoral district)|Kenora]] against federal Natural Resources minister [[Greg Rickford]],<ref name=fed>{{cite news|title=NDP seeking Howard Hampton's return to politics|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ndp-seeking-howard-hampton-s-return-to-politics-1.2940286|access-date=February 2, 2015|work=CBC News|date=February 2, 2015}}</ref> Hampton announced that he would seek the party's nomination in the riding for the [[42nd Canadian federal election|October 19, 2015 federal election]]; he subsequently won the nomination.  The federal riding includes much of Hampton's old provincial riding.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Jamie|title=Former Ontario NDP leader makes jump into federal politics|url=http://www.tbnewswatch.com/News/371715/Former_Ontario_NDP_leader_makes_jump_into_federal_politics|access-date=29 May 2015|agency=TBNewswatch|date=29 May 2015}}</ref>  Hampton finished second behind the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] candidate, former MP and cabinet minister [[Bob Nault]], pushing Rickford into third place.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/liberals-defeat-conservative-cabinet-minister-in-kenora-1.3279570|title=Liberals defeat Conservative cabinet minister in Kenora|publisher=CBC News|date=October 20, 2015|access-date=December 1, 2015}}</ref>

==Election results==

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|2015|Kenora (federal electoral district)|Kenora|percent=yes}}
{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[Bob Nault]]|10,898|35.39}}
{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Howard Hampton|10,379|33.71}}
{{CANelec|CA|Conservative|[[Greg Rickford]]|8,760|28.45}}
{{CANelec|CA|Green|Ember C. McKilop|501|1.63}}
{{CANelec|CA|Independent|Kelvin Boucher-Chicago|162|0.53}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|30,791|100.00}}
{{end}}

{{Canadian election result/top|ON|2007|Kenora—Rainy_River_(provincial_electoral_district)|Kenora-Rainy River|percent=yes|change=yes}}	
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Howard Hampton|14,281|60.62|+0.87}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Mike Wood|5,752|24.42|-1.31}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Penny Lucas|2,757|11.70|-1.05}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Jo Jo Holiday|769|3.26|+1.49}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|23,559|100.00}}
{{Canadian party colour|ON|NDP|row}}
|align="left" colspan=2|[[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democrat]] '''hold'''
|align="right"|'''Swing'''
|align="right"| +1.09
{{end}}

^ Change is from redistributed results

{{Canadian election result/top|ON|2003|Kenora—Rainy_River_(provincial_electoral_district)|Kenora-Rainy River|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Howard Hampton|15,666|60.12|+15.38}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Geoff McClain|6,746|25.69|-9.45}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|Cathe Hoszowski|3,343|12.83|-4.36}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Dan King|305|1.17|}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|26,060| 100.0| | }}
{{end}}

{{Canadian election result/top|ON|1999|Kenora—Rainy_River_(provincial_electoral_district)|Kenora-Rainy River|percent=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Howard Hampton|14,269|44.74}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|[[Frank Miclash]]|11,209|35.14}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|[[Lynn Beyak]]|5,483|17.19}}
{{CANelec|CA|Independent|Richard Bruyere|934|2.93}}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 31,895| 100.0}}
{{end}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{Ontario MPP biography|id=howard-hampton|old_id=42|name=Howard Hampton}}

{{Ontario NDP Leaders}}
{{Ontario general election, 2007A}}
{{Rae Ministry}}
{{Ontario Attorneys General}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hampton, Howard}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Attorneys general of Ontario]]
[[Category:Canadian ice hockey players]]
[[Category:Canadian non-fiction writers]]
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[[Category:Leaders of the Ontario New Democratic Party]]
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[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Ontario]]
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[[Category:People from Fort Frances]]
[[Category:University of Ottawa alumni]]
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[[Category:University of Ottawa Faculty of Law alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario]]