New Democratic Party - Strength of Conviction

Copyright Tom Mulcair, 2015

Published simultaneously in French under the title Le courage de ses convictions by Michelle Tisseyre diteur.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (except for brief passages for purpose of review) without the prior permission of Dundurn Press. Permission to photocopy should be requested from Access Copyright.

Project editor: Carrie Gleason

Editor: Michelle Tisseyre

Copy editor: Cy Strom

Cover designer: Grafikar

Interior design: Courtney Horner

Cover photographer: Michel Cloutier

Epub Design: Carmen Giraudy

All family photographs unless otherwise noted the Mulcair family and may not be reused without permission. Photos of the NDP NDP Party and may not be reproduced without permission. Additional photographs are from the Quebec Assemble nationale and are in the public domain.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Mulcair, Tom, 1954-, author

Strength of conviction / Tom Mulcair

Includes index.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-1-4597-3295-7 (paperback).--ISBN 978-1-4597-3296-4 (pdf).-

ISBN 978-1-4597-3297-1 (epub)

1. Mulcair, Tom, 1954-. 2. Politicians--Canada--Biography. 3. New

Democratic Party--Biography. 4. Canada--Politics and government-

2006-. I. Title.

FC641.M84A3 2015 971.073092 C2015-904028-0

C2015-904029-9

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council for our publishing program. We also acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and Livres Canada Books, and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Book Publishing Tax Credit and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.

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J. Kirk Howard, President

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by Ed Broadbent

S trength of Conviction is at once a biography, a behind the scenes look at an exciting period in our politics, and a blueprint for a stronger and more compassionate Canada.

In these pages Tom Mulcair makes a compelling case for change. Change, not only in the priorities we need to focus on to make life better for all Canadians, but in the tone of our politics.

I hope that Canadians, who now have the opportunity to choose a truly progressive government in Ottawa, come to know better the Tom Mulcair that I have gotten to know. Toms upbringing shaped his values and principles. He was the second oldest of ten children in a middle-class household north of Montral. Growing up in a full and lively house, Tom was encouraged by his parents to witness and participate in adult political discussion. His high-school teacher, Father Cox, taught him as a teenager that it was not only possible to rid the world of certain injustices, it was morally important to do so. Action, not simply talk, was what a good life should be all about.

The distinguished editor of Le Devoir and Qubec Cabinet minister, Claude Ryan, mentored Tom in his early years in public service. Ryan taught his associates that, at its best, politics transcends mere compromise and embodies elements of pure justice.

And of course from Jack Layton, who brought Tom into the New Democratic Party as his Qubec lieutenant, Tom learned unyielding optimism and Jacks own inspiring catchphrase: Dont let them tell you it cant be done!

But those who know Tom best know that of all the influences on Toms life, that of his wife Catherine has been the greatest. If Toms passion in politics comes through most vividly when he discusses the environment, his personal warmth comes through most strongly when his family and friends are in the picture. Catherine is his moral compass.

The one theme throughout Toms impressive public life has been his determination to back his principles with action. He did so as a regulator defending patients who were abused by their doctors. He did so again when he resigned his Cabinet post as Qubecs environment minister for refusing to permit condo developments on parkland. And most recently, he followed his principles with courageous action when he led the Opposition to the gross curtailment of civil liberties in the Conservative governments surveillance law, Bill C-51 .

Tom Mulcair writes that he wants to build a good and decent Canada where all can prosper, and no one is left behind. His strong stand on principle, in the tradition of the New Democratic Party and its past leaders, has brought the party within reach of this worthy goal.

Ed Broadbent

Ottawa, 2015