Warrior for the Working Class
Peter Kormos (1952-2013)
| Peter will be honoured with a Memorial Service at Pleasantview Funeral Home and Reception Centre in Thorold at 1 p.m. on May 11. |
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Welland MPP Peter Kormos – a one-of-a-kind socialist cowboy and a stalwart in Ontario’s New Democratic Party for 23 years – hung up his signature cowboy boots on March 30, 2013 when he passed away peacefully in his home at age 60. There is no question that Peter left big boots to fill.
Peter has been eulogized by friends and politicians of every political leaning as a rebel, a maverick and a cowboy. He is universally recognized as a principled champion of the underdog. Peter’s unrestrained “give ‘em hell” approach earned him the love of his constituents, but his contrarian independent streak often ruffled the feathers of his colleagues in government and in his own caucus.
“There is no question that Peter’s firebrand politics, brilliant speaking skills and unwavering convictions earned him a place as the true conscience of Queen’s Park,” said OFL President Sid Ryan. “Peter was born to speak truth to power and, while in government, he never suffered fools, opportunists or flip-floppers. He saved his loyalty for the working class.”
Peter hailed from the blue-collar town of Welland where his father worked in the Atlas Steels plant. He grew up in the union hall and never forgot his roots. Peter’s tenacious idealism fueled his commitment to justice and caused him to lead a week-long high school strike against an autocratic principal and restrictions on students’ right to expression. His campaign earned him an arrest and expulsion. Living on his own from the age of 16, Peter put himself through Toronto’s Osgoode Hall Law School. He returned to Welland as a criminal defence lawyer where he earned a reputation for his pro bono work and his penchant for long-shot cases.
Peter was first elected as the Ontario NDP MPP for Welland in a 1988 provincial by-election when he replaced veteran NDP legislator Mel Swart. He was re-elected in every subsequent Ontario general election until he retired from Queen’s Park in 2011 and was promptly elected to the Niagara Regional Council.
Peter served as NDP House Leader from 2001 until his retirement in 2011 and also held numerous critic portfolios in Opposition, including Labour, Justice, Community Safety and Correctional Services, Consumer and Business Services, and Democratic Renewal.
From his first days in office, Peter established himself as one of Ontario’s most eloquent and intellectual politicians, with a legendary encyclopedic knowledge of parliamentary procedure. In 1990, Peter launched into a 17-hour filibuster against the Liberal government’s no-fault insurance plan that kept politicians sitting through the night as he sermonized without relying on written notes. It was an early signal to his colleagues and opponents that Peter’s true loyalties were with the people he represented.
In government, as in life, Peter was, in the affectionate words of former NDP Leader Howard Hampton, “a brilliant man and a stubborn son-of-a-gun.” He was a thorn in the side of Premiers of any stripe. In opposition, Peter was a principled watchdog who championed many issues and hounded the party’s opponents. In government, he refused to be muzzled when his own party strayed from its values.
Grasping for excuses to silence his internal critic, Rae booted Peter from cabinet in 1991, citing a recent controversy surrounding Peter’s fully-clothed pose for a Toronto Sun “sunshine boy” feature as the cause. For the remainder of Rae’s term in office, Peter acted as part of an unofficial “left opposition” within the NDP caucus. In 1993, he and three other colleagues—Dennis Drainville, Karen Haslam and Mark Morrow—were the only NDP MPPs to vote against the Rae government’s notorious Social Contract legislation that imposed unpaid days off on civil servants.
In 1996, Peter ran for leader of the NDP in a close three-way race with Frances Lankin and Howard Hampton. After Hampton took the top spot, Peter went on to play a prominent role within Opposition. He served as the NDP Labour Critic from 2001 to 2011 and during that time, proudly introduced anti-scab legislation in every legislative session.
Always a man of words, Peter was known for pouring over a thesaurus to find vivid and creative new ways to describe scabs for the government records. “Scabs, union busters, hired goons and other thugs … earn their pay by busting unions and breaking up union drives,” he said. “To allow corporate bosses to circumvent, to avoid, collective bargaining at the table by importing scabs is an outrage.”
On another occasion, he declared: “Rats, sneaks, scabs and finks: Nobody likes any of them.” According to Peter, “the most despicable form of life possibly conceivable, [is a scab] who would cross a picket line to steal a job from a worker fighting for a little bit of improvement.”
“Peter had a deep respect for working class people that permeated everything he did. He didn’t believe that you could be a part-time supporter of Labour,” said Ryan. “He stood by workers through every labour dispute, regardless of popular support. He defended our right to collectively bargain and when we were killed or injured on the job, he demanded justice and fair treatment for victims and survivors. Peter respected the NDP’s labour roots and refused to shift his convictions with changing political winds. He was a true warrior for the working class.”
Peter’s deep respect for working people was most evident in the action he put behind his words. His outspoken support for organ donation and health care produced many memorable quotes and his dedication to child support for single mothers almost earned him a criminal conviction. He dressed like a worker in the legislature and insisted on using bank tellers over ATMs. He was a regular presence on picket lines and at plant gates. Peter was truly a man of the people.
When he retired from provincial office, Peter told the Welland Tribune: “I’ve been incredibly lucky. … I’ve been blessed to work in a job I would have done for half the price. Not too many working people have that luxury. Not too many working people do a job they love, enjoy and that inspires them.”
The labour movement, joins working people across Ontario in mourning the loss of one of their most principled and straight-talkin’ allies.
Click here to download a PDF version of this statement.
GREAT QUOTES FROM PETER:
“When I die, there’s going to be a ’94 Chevy pickup down there on Bald Street. And the organs. Anybody who needs the pickup, come by and get it. It has probably been better maintained than my organs. But if you want my organs, get them, too. I’m going to the tattoo parlour and getting a dotted line on my belly that says, ‘Upon death, open here.’” – On organ donation.
“Don’t lecture us about dress codes because we believe that it’s the substance that’s far more significant than the style.” – A tuxedo-clad Kormos, still wearing cowboy boots, on a move to impose a dress code on MPPs.
GREAT QUOTES ABOUT PETER:
“He never minced words and he never put on airs. … Peter Kormos was the genuine article and truly one of a kind. He made a difference in people’s lives and left behind a pair of cowboy boots that will never be filled.” – Andrea Horwath, Leader of the Ontario NDP
“Love him or hate him, Peter Kormos was undoubtedly a socialist cowboy.” – Dr. Larry Savage, Director of the Centre for Labour Studies at Brock University
“Peter was principled. You knew where he stood. That’s where he would be. Didn’t care who liked it. He wasn’t afraid to ruffle feathers. I always respected him for being that kind of politician. He wasn’t going to be lobbied or influenced. He was going to do what his heart told him was right.” – Shelley Martel, former NDP MPP for Nickel Belt
“Peter was one of the smartest people I’ve ever known. He took complex issues and communicated them in a relatable way. Peter weighed in on every local issue from point of view of regular working people. Our whole community will miss him.” – Daniel Peat, President of the Niagara Regional Labour Council
“The best tribute is to call him acerbic, obnoxious, relentless, fiercely left-wing and razor sharp. He was a warrior for working-class people. I hope he joins the ghosts of Queen’s Park so he can keep scaring politicians and corporate leaders.” – Dr. Kendra Coulter, Brock University labour studies professor and former Executive Assistant to Kormos
