Joe Comuzzi

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Joseph Robert "Joe" Comuzzi, PC , MP (born April 5, 1933) is a Canadian politician.

Joe Comuzzi was born in Fort William, Ontario, on April 5, 1933. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Windsor in 1954. After twenty-four years in the Thunder Bay business community, he returned to his alma mater, and obtained his law degree in 1980.

Comuzzi was first elected to the House of Commons in 1988 for the riding of Thunder Bay—Superior North (Ontario). He has served as chair of the Standing Committee on Transport and a member of the Standing Joint Committee on the Scrutiny of Regulations. Comuzzi has also served as co-chair of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group and chaired the National Highway Committee of the National Liberal Caucus.

Mr. Comuzzi became Minister of State responsible for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) on December 12, 2003 and was also appointed Co-Vice-Chair of the Cabinet committee on Canada-United States Relations. He is a member of the Cabinet Committee on Aboriginal Affairs.

Beginning in 1988, Mr. Comuzzi’s four terms as a member of Parliament were devoted to important riding issues: the pulp and paper industry, the softwood lumber dispute, grain transportation, mining, small business, health care and the local economy. During his terms of office, he served in many leadership capacities that related to transportation and industry.

When the Liberals were asked to form the Official Opposition in 2006 Joe Comuzzi was left out of the Shadow Cabinet and also not included in the associate critic positions.

Mr. Comuzzi is an active member of the community. He has served as a board member for many organizations including the Ontario Hospital Association, the Lakehead Board of Education, the Red Cross Blood Donor Clinic, St. Joseph’s Heritage, and the Liberal Party of Canada. He has served as Honorary Patron of the Easter Seal Society since 1997.

An opponent of same-sex marriage in Canada, he resigned from cabinet on June 28, 2005, so that he could be free of a two-line whip and oppose Bill C-38.

In 1966 Comuzzi received the University of Windsor Alumni Award of Merit, the Alumni Association's most prestigious award. He is married and has four children.

He was expelled from the Liberal caucus for pledging to support the Conservative budget on March 21, 2007. "It's for a single issue that's of absolute critical importance to all the people in Thunder Bay and northwestern Ontario, and that's the cancer research centre", he said.

[edit] External links

• Synopsis of federal political experience from the Library of Parliament
• How'd They Vote?: Joe Comuzzi's voting history and quotes
• Joe Comuzzi's Homepage

Parliament of Canada
Preceded by Ernie Epp	Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Nipigon 1988-2000	Succeeded by The electoral district changed name in 1998 to Thunder Bay—Superior North.
Preceded by The electoral district changed name in 1998 from Thunder Bay—Nipigon.	Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North 2000-	Succeeded by Incumbent

Persondata
NAME	Comuzzi, Joe
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Comuzzi, Joseph Robert (full name)
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Canadian politician
DATE OF BIRTH	April 5, 1933
PLACE OF BIRTH	Fort William, Ontario, Canada
DATE OF DEATH	living
PLACE OF DEATH