Tony Valeri

File:Tonyvaleri.JPG

Hon. Tony Valeri, PC

Tony Valeri, PC, BA (born August 11, 1957) was the Canadian Government House Leader in Paul Martin's government from 2004 until 2006. He was narrowly (19,271 — 18,878) defeated by New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Wayne Marston in the 2006 general election held on January 23, 2006.

Valeri represented the ridings of Lincoln (1993-1997), then Stoney Creek (1997-2004) and Hamilton East—Stoney Creek (2004-2006). He is a graduate of Hamilton's McMaster University, and lived in Hamilton while he served as President of Canadian Financial Group Ltd.

He first ran for office in the 1993 election, winning the Liberal Party nomination over former cabinet minister John Munro, and easily won in the Liberal sweep of Ontario. Valeri served as a backbencher before being appointed to the Cabinet on December 12, 2003, by incoming Prime Minister Paul Martin. Valeri is known for his close ties to industry and business, and his appointment to the transport portfolio was viewed positively by this group. He was also known as a supporter of Hamilton Mayor Larry Di Ianni and the Red Hill Valley Expressway.

In 2004, the decennial redistribution process took place and Valeri's old riding of Stoney Creek, which straddled the border between Hamilton and Grimsby, was split in two. A part of Valeri's Stoney Creek riding was merged with a part of Hamilton - East. A slight majority of the constituents of the new riding of Hamilton East - Stoney Creek were from Valeri's Stoney Creek riding. Although the other Hamilton-area MPs shifted to the eastward half of their ridings, in Valeri's case this would have meant shifting from a suburban Hamilton riding to the rural Niagara West—Glanbrook riding.

He therefore decided to run in the western half of his former riding, resulting in a passionate nomination battle with former cabinet heavyweight and party leadership candidate Sheila Copps. Many accused Martin of orchestrating these events to try to expel the left-leaning Copps from the House of Commons. Copps pointed out that Valeri lived in the Niagara West-Glanbrook riding that also included around 43% of his old constituents and an airport, the latter which complemented his Transport Ministry. In response, Valeri pointed out that Copps no longer lived in Hamilton, no Member of Parliament enjoyed any entitlement to any consituency without a nomination meeting and the majority of the constituents of Hamilton East - Stoney Creek in fact originated from his Stoney Creek riding. On March 6, 2004, Valeri won the nomination by 311 votes. Stelco's economic troubles and the large pension deficit galvanized support for NDP candidate Tony DePaulo in Hamilton East - Stoney Creek. The conflict with Copps, public reaction to the first budget of the Ontario Liberals, as well as the government's sinking fortunes, almost cost him his seat, but he was narrowly (less than 1,000 votes) re-elected on June 28, 2004.

On July 20, 2004, he was appointed to the sensitive position of Government House Leader in Paul Martin's minority government.

On January 23, 2006, he was narrowly (less than 500 votes) defeated by the NDP candidate Wayne Marston. Valeri had been under controversy for a questionable land deal that he made, since he purchased a property for $225,000 only to later sell it to a Liberal supporter for $500,000 a few months later[1].

Template:Ministry box 27