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Stephen LeDrew
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stephen LeDrew (b. 1953) is a Toronto-based lawyer, broadcast commentator and was President of the Liberal Party of Canada from 1998 to 2003.
As a lawyer, LeDrew dealt with public policy issues and inter-governmental affairs. He has served as the Executive Assistant to the Solicitor General of Canada, Government Affairs Counsel for Manulife, and Director of Operations in the Prime Minister’s Office. He also has advised the private sector while serving in law.
He served as president of the Liberal Party from March 1998 to November 2003. Occasionally outspoken, he famously derided the Chretien government's plan to severely limit corporate donations to political parties as being as "dumb as a bag of hammers"[1].
LeDrew is President of the National Club in Toronto, and is an active member of the Global Business and Economic Round Table on Addiction and Mental Health.
In 2005, LeDrew was forced to declare personal bankruptcy. He owed $364,140 CAN in back taxes. The court ordered him to pay 74% of this amount. The judge on the case noted that LeDrew placed priority on personal expenses rather than his tax obligations.[2]
LeDrew is a divorced father of four children.
On September 28, 2006, LeDrew announced his candidacy for Mayor of Toronto. He was competing in the November 13, 2006 election against incumbent David Miller, centre-right challenger Jane Pitfield and a host of fringe candidates. LeDrew's campaign manager was Arthur Potts. Potts is a lobbyist who has worked on behalf of Showline Studios, and opposes the city's deal with a rival company to create a sound studio in the portlands. (Globe and Mail, October 11, 2006). Although he received considerable media coverage and was invited to participate in election debates with Miller and Pitfield he finished a distant third with only 1.3% of the vote.
| Candidate | Total votes | % of total votes |
|---|---|---|
| David Miller | 332,969 | 56.97 |
| Jane Pitfield | 188,932 | 32.32 |
| Stephen LeDrew | 8,078 | 1.38 |
| 35 other candidates | 54,505 | 9.33 |
| Total valid votes | 584,484 | 100.00 |
For full results, see Toronto municipal election, 2006.
- Ex-Liberal chief to run for mayor by Jim Byers Toronto Star September 29, 2006.
- Miller critics beat bushes for mayoral challengers by Jennifer Lewington, Globe and Mail September 29, 2006.
- LeDrew eyes mayoral run by Jim Byers Toronto Star September 29, 2006.
| Preceded by Dan Hays |
President of the Liberal Party of Canada 1998–2003 |
Succeeded by Michael Eizenga |