Updated: 6/17/2014

About Tim Hudak

Tim Hudak has been an Ontario MPP for most of his working career. An economist by training, he is the son of two teachers, and was brought up in the border town of Fort Erie. He puts a lot of emphasis on families and small town values. Tim Hudak is also a strong proponent of small government and lower business taxes. Tim Hudak raises definite echoes in both style and substance of former Ontario Premier Mike Harris.


That should come as no surprise, since he was a cabinet minister in the Harris government, he is married to Deb Hutton, once a top aide to Mike Harris, and has had access to key Harris organizers.

In the 2014 Ontario provincial election, Tim Hudak and the Progressive Conservatives touted a plan to create a million jobs in Ontario in eight years, although the math behind the plan was widely criticized. Hudak also announced a plan to slash 100,000 public service jobs and reduce corporate taxes. In spite of their steady emphasis on Liberal scandals from McGuinty days, the Conservatives lost nine seats and Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals won a majority government.

Once the results were in on election night, Tim Hudak said he would not be leading the party in the next election, although he would keep his seat in the legislature. It is not clear yet if the caucus will insist on an interim leader while the party gets a leadership race organized.

Leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party

2009 to present

Birth

November 1, 1967 in Fort Erie, Ontario

Education

• BA in Economics - University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario
• MA in Economics - University of Washington in Seattle, Washington

Profession

Economist

Political Affiliation

Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

Ridings (Electoral Districts

• Niagara South (1995-99)
• Erie-Lincoln (1999-2007)
• Niagara West - Glanbrook (2007 to present)

Political Career of Tim Hudak

• Tim Hudak was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at the age of 27 in the 1995 Ontario general election, which gave Mike Harris and the Progressive Conservatives a majority government.
  
• Tim Hudak was re-elected in the 1999 Ontario provincial election and was appointed Minister of Northern Development and Mines. In 2001, he was appointed Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation.
  
• In 2002, Mike Harris resigned as Premier of Ontario and was replaced by Ernie Eves. Tim Hudak became Minister of Consumer and Business Services in the Ernie Eves government.
  
• The Liberals won the 2003 Ontario provincial election and the Progressive Conservatives became the Official Opposition.
  
• John Tory replaced Ernie Eves as Progressive Conservative Party leader in 2004. In 2005 Tim Hudak was appointed Finance Critic. He added the responsibilities of Critic of Research and Innovation and Critic of Public Infrastructure Renewal in 2006.
  
• With the 2007 Ontario provincial election, the Progressive Conservatives were again in opposition. Tim Hudak kept his critic roles and also became critic of Revenue and Critic of Management Board of Cabinet.
  
• In 2009, with the resignation of John Tory, Tim Hudak won the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, and became Leader of the Opposition.