Randy Hope
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Randy Hope (born 1959 in Kent County, Ontario) is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is the mayor of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario. He also served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995.
Hope was involved in the labour movement before entering political life. He served as a plant worker at Rockwell International, and was president of the Canadian Auto Workers Local 1941 in Tilbury, Ontario from 1985 to 1990. He also served as president of the Chatham and District Labour Council from 1988 to 1990, and was an area coordinator of the Coalition for Social Justice.
Hope was elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1990 provincial election, in which the NDP under Bob Rae won an unexpected majority government. He defeated Maurice Bossy, the Liberal Party incumbent, by almost 4,000 votes in Chatham-Kent, and served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Community and Social Services for the entirety of the Rae government's tenure in office. In late March 1995, he announced a government grant of $2.9 million dollars in Kent County. Hope also supported the domestic production of ethanol during his time in government.
The Rae government lost considerable support during its time in office, and was defeated in the 1995 provincial election. Hope finished third in Chatham—Kent, placing 3,017 votes behind the winner, Progressive Conservative Jack Carroll.
In 2006, Hope was elected mayor of the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario. He narrowly defeated Diane Gagner, the incumbent mayor.