Former progressive NDP MPP Peter Kormos is dead at age 60! I saw him one summer day sitting on the steps of Queens Park long after the legislature had finished. I took the opportunity to thank him for all his hard work. I said that I had really regreted when he was kicked out of cabinet after the Toronto Sun got him to pose as the Cabinet Sunshine Boy. A nineties thing .... I thought it was funny myself, but at the time he was given the old heave ho! He said that was all right. He was here to work for the people and that is what he continued to do. IMHO he was one of the few who was into politics for all the right reasons.
Peter was not all that popular within the Bob Rae NDP government. He was an outspoken critic when they reneged on their promise to set up a public auto insurance company. He was also strongly opposed to the NDP "Social contract" when teachers were frozen on the grid and given unpaid holidays [Rae Days] in lieu of further salary cuts. The Globe + Mail reports on his hijinks: In Government
Peter shreds Dalton to pieces. RIP.
The Toronto Star gives an overview of Peter as a maverick political activist who never lost sight of his roots. He even attended an NDP retreat at a tony resort, after they were elected in the early 90's, with his own brown bag lunch. See: Political Maverick
Peter was an unabashed socialist who would not compromise his beliefs. He was funny, passionate and had a personal flair for being unique. Now Magazine Toronto remembers: Now
There was a PC attempt to have Peter tossed out of QP because he dressed in cowboy boots and didn't wear a necktie. He suffered a number of health problems over the past few years. Peter collapsed during a visit to Toronto, was released from hospital on Wednesday, + found dead at home in Welland Saturday morning. See: suspected natural causes
Peter was arrested as a student protester back in the day. When the photo resurfaced years later at QP he just laughed, and agreed that was him alright! Peter was for real. He stuck to his principles. He will be sadly missed in Ontario politics. RIP!
PS: See Peter's last appearance on TVO Agenda @ Steve Paikin TVO Agenda
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Peter Kormos was the man who gave me hope during the darkest years of the Mike Harris regime. I would watch him debate, and ultimately expose the various Harris mouthpieces on Michael Coren's political roundtable television program in the mid-late 90's. Thank you, Peter - you were awesome.
Peter Kormos voted against the contract strips of Bob Rae's union busting social contract. He was a constant ally during the Political Protest of 97 and the OECTA strikes/lockouts of 98. He was on the vanguard during the OFL days of action. He stood up to Harris during the Toronto Catholic lockout of 2003. In the last ONDP leadership he was one of two key MPP's to back Andrea Horwath. He was a great supporter of teachers and publicly funded Catholic education.
You lived you life well my brother. It's now time for you to join Our God in the next life.
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