Rebel with a Cause
2013 2013-05Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 9 →
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Peter Kormos, Niagara Regional Councillor, and for 23 years the NDP MPP for Welland, was an outstanding fighter for the working class, the poor, and the disenfranchised. He was a person of principle who openly identified as a so cialist. He fearlessly stood up to corporate foes, and fought traitors to the cause, including inside his own party. He passed away on March 30 at age 60. The cause of death was not released.
Kormos was Minister of Consumer and Commercial Rela tions in the NDP government elected in Ontario in Septem ber 1990. Kormos was dropped from cabinet on March 18, 1991. The stated reason was that he posed fully-clothed, wearing his trademark cowboy boots, on page 3 of a rightwing tabloid. The real reason was his criticism of NDP Pre mier Bob Rae for abandoning the party’s commitment to introduce public auto insurance.
For the remainder of Rae’s term in office, Kormos acted as an unofficial “left opposition” within the NDP caucus. Kormos also challenged the contracting-out of government services, the expansion of casino gambling and Sunday shopping, and the privatization of public highway 407.
He was a constant presence at picket lines far and wide, a legendary fundraiser for the party, and served as NDP House Leader in the Ontario Legislature from 2001-2011.
Peter Kormos will be sorely missed. Our sincere condo lences go out to his family and to his vast legion of com rades and friends. — B.W.
SOCIALIST ACTION MAY 2013 9