Chris Charlton

Chris Charlton
BA (Western) MA (McMaster), MP
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Hamilton Mountain
Incumbent
Assumed office
April 3, 2006
Preceded by Beth Phinney
Personal details
Born Chris Happel
July 4, 1963
Dortmund, West Germany
Nationality Canadian
Political party New Democratic Party
Spouse(s) Brian Charlton
Residence Hamilton, Ontario
Alma mater University of Western Ontario
McMaster University
Occupation Politician
Profession Director, Political Adviser, Public Affairs Consultant, Teaching Assistant
Website http://www.chrischarlton.ca/

Chris Charlton, MP, MA (born July 4, 1963) is a German-born, Canadian politician from the City of Hamilton, Ontario. As a New Democrat, she has served as the Member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain since 2006.

Background

Charlton was born in Dortmund, Germany and immigrated to Canada with her parents in 1975. She attended the University of Western Ontario for undergraduate studies and then McMaster University to pursue a Master's Degree in Political Science. During this time, she became active with the New Democratic Youth club on campus.[1] Soon after, Bob Rae and the New Democrats came to power in Ontario, and Charlton received a job as a political advisor with the government, where her husband, Brian Charlton (whom she married in 1992), was a cabinet minister. When the Progressive Conservatives defeated Rae's government in the 1995 provincial election.

Politics

At the time the Hamilton Mountain New Democrats held their nomination meeting to declare a candidate to run against Beth Phinney in 1997, Charlton had become a TA at U of T and had nearly completed her studies.[2] Though only 33 at the time, she had already served as an advisor to Bob Rae's government, and went unopposed in the nomination.[3] On election night, she placed 4th out of 6 candidates, which would be the lowest she would ever poll in an election campaign.

Over the course of the next 9 years, she would run in the 1999 provincial election and the 2003 provincial election, the Hamilton municipal election of 2000 and two federal elections in 1997 and 2004.

Just prior to the 2006 election, she was the Director of Community Relations with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Canada,[4] but resigned her position to stand again, this time against Ward 7 Councillor Bill Kelly, who she attempted to unseat in the Hamilton municipal election of 2000. Charlton won that race by a 6 point margin, and retook the riding for the New Democrats after 17 years of Liberal representation.

In 2008, Charlton faced another former Ward 7 councillor, Terry Anderson of the Conservatives and local lawyer Tyler Banham of the Liberals. Despite an aggressive internet campaign on behalf of the Liberals,[5] the race became a New Democrat-Conservative match, which saw Charlton increase voter support despite a lower voter turnout than in 2006.

In the 2009 Ontario New Democratic Leadership race, Charlton officially endorsed Andrea Horwath for leader, who would win the position on the third ballot.[6]

Electoral history

Federal

Canadian federal election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
New DemocraticChris Charlton 25,573 47.2 +3.4%
ConservativeTerry Anderson 17,946 33.1 +2.4%
LiberalMarie Bountrogianni 8,795 16.2 -4%
GreenStephen Brotherston 1,508 2.8 -2.7%
Total valid votes 54,264–-10.9%
Total rejected ballots 261
Turnout – %
Canadian federal election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
New DemocraticChris Charlton 22,796 43.7 +6.4%
ConservativeTerry Anderson 16,010 30.7 +3.5%
LiberalTyler Banham 10,531 20.2 -11.7%
GreenStephen Brotherston 2,884 5.5 +2.9%
Total valid votes 52,221–-10.9%
Total rejected ballots 293
Turnout – %
Canadian federal election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes%∆%
New DemocraticChris Charlton 21,869 37.3%
LiberalBill Kelly 18,697 31.9%
ConservativeDon Graves 15,915 27.2%
GreenSusan Wadsworth 1,510 2.6%
Christian HeritageStephen Downey 458 0.8%
Marxist–LeninistPaul Lane 131 0.2%
Total valid votes 58,580
Canadian federal election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes
LiberalBeth Phinney 18,548
New DemocraticChris Charlton 17,552
ConservativeTom Jackson 15,590
GreenJo Pavlov 1,378
Marxist–LeninistPaul Lane 214
Canadian federal election, 1997
Party Candidate Votes
LiberalBeth Phinney 21,128
Progressive ConservativeJohn Smith 8,877
ReformRichard F. Gaasenbeek 8,154
New DemocraticChris Charlton 7,440
Canadian ActionChristopher M. Patty 374
Marxist–LeninistIqbal Sumbal 146

Provincial

Ontario general election, 2003
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
LiberalMarie Bountrogianni 23,524 51.79 +11.54
New DemocraticChris Charlton 12,017 26.46 4.05
Progressive ConservativeShakil Hassan 8,637 19.02 -15.58
Family CoalitionEleanor Johnson 748 1.65 +0.75
GreenSelwyn Inniss 494 1.09 +0.13
Ontario general election, 1999
Party Candidate Votes%
LiberalMarie Bountrogianni 19,076 40.25
Progressive ConservativeTrevor Pettit 16,397 34.6
New DemocraticChris Charlton 10,622 22.41
GreenKelli Gallagher 456 0.96
Family CoalitionJim Enos 426 0.9
Natural LawBob Danio 261 0.55
IndependentRolf Gerstenberger 159 0.34

Municipal

Councillor - Ward 7[7]

References

  1. ↑ "A campaign to put more women on the ballot", Dana Brown, May 26, 2007 Saturday Final Edition, LOCAL; Pg. A12, 1192 words
  2. ↑ "Charlton seeks federal NDP nod", January 21, 1997 Tuesday Final Edition, LOCAL NEWS; Pg. A4, 168 words
  3. ↑ Another Charlton will run on Mountain, February 6, 1997 Thursday Final Edition, LOCAL NEWS; Pg. A5, 261 words, Lee Prokaska
  4. ↑ "Perseverance pays off; NDP's Charlton, Marston finally make it", Wade Hemsworth, January 25th, 2006 Wednesday Final Edition, LOCAL; Pg. A06, 386 words
  5. ↑ Charlton off to Ottawa for a second term; Hamilton Mountain, October 15, 2008 Wednesday, LOCAL; Pg. A06, 413 words, Jackson Hayes
  6. ↑ http://www.andreahorwath.com/flash/endorsement.html
  7. ↑ "Expressway, balance sheet weigh heavy in Ward 7", October 30, 2003 Thursday Final Edition, LOCAL; Pg. A08, 948 words

External links