Donald Abel

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Donald Abel (born February 4, 1952 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) is a former Canadian politician and community activist. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 1990 provincial election as the NDP MPP representing the former riding of Wentworth North (which is now part of Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Aldershot). He studied Economics, Industrial Sociology, Political Science, Labour History and Labour Law at the Labour College of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario.

Prior to entering politics, Abel served 10 years as the President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1572, and was a CUPE National Representative for a brief period preceding his election to the Ontario Legislature.

[edit] Election success

Abel's election victory was rated as one of the biggest election upsets of the 1990 provincial election. He defeated the high profile Liberal cabinet minister and Government House Leader Chris Ward. Prior to the election, Liberal insiders declared Ward's seat "the safest seat in Ontario". Abel won by a mere 88 votes.

[edit] Achievements

During his tenure with the Bob Rae Government, Abel served as Government Whip (1990-1993), Deputy Chief Government Whip (1993-1995), and Government Caucus Personnel Committee Chairperson (1993-1995). He played a major role in supporting the NDP Government's controversial Rent Control Bill. He is best remembered for his stand on environmental issues including his adamant opposition to the proposed construction of a mega-dump in Flambough Ontario. Plans for the mega-dump were cancelled in 1996. He also introduced a Private Member's Bill providing certain rights for Hearing Ear Dogs, which failed to pass through the legislature due to the governments defeat in 1995.

In 1994, Abel was one of twelve NDP MPPs to vote against a government bill which would have extended spousal benefits to same-sex couples. This decision cost him support within the party.

Province-wide dissatisfaction with the NDP government's attempts to deal with the worst global recession in sixty years prompted the general public to switch their support to Progressive Conservative leader Mike Harris and his party's Common Sense Revolution. Abel, along with 54 other NDP members, lost his seat in the 1995 provincial election.

After the election, Abel established the Dundas Review, a weekly community newspaper that provided local news coverage to thousands of community readers. He ran for Mayor of Dundas during the last election held in Dundas before the Hamilton Wentworth amalgamation. He lost to incumbent John Addison. Abel and his wife Debra now own and operate a cottage resort in central Ontario.