Glenn Thibeault

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Glenn Thibeault

| image = Glenn Thibeault.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Thibeault in 2014

| parliament2 = Ontario Provincial

| office1 = Ontario Minister of Energy

| premier1 = Kathleen Wynne

| term_start1 = 13 June 2016

| term_end1 = 29 June 2018

| predecessor1 = Bob Chiarelli

| successor1 = Greg Rickford
(Energy, Northern Development and Mines)

| riding2 = Sudbury

| term_start2 = 5 February 2015

| term_end2 = 7 June 2018

| predecessor2 = Joe Cimino

| successor2 = Jamie West

| parliament3 = Canadian

| riding3 = Sudbury

| term_start3 = 14 October 2008

| term_end3 = 2 January 2015

| predecessor3 = Diane Marleau

| successor3 = Paul Lefebvre

| birth_name = Glenn Edward Thibeault

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1969|10|23}}

| birth_place = Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

| party = Ontario Liberal (2014–present)

| otherparty = New Democratic (2008–2015)

| spouse = Yolanda Thibeault

| residence =

| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|journalist|executive director}}

}}

Glenn Edward Thibeault{{cite tweet |user=ONPARLeducation|number=1547261235305058304|date=13 July 2022 |title=Within the halls of the Legislature are walls that contain the names of every Member of Provincial Parliament elected to Ontario's Legislature since 1867.}} (born 23 October 1969) is a former Canadian politician. He was Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2015 to 2018 who represented the riding of Sudbury. He served as a cabinet minister in the government of Kathleen Wynne. From 2008 to 2015, he represented the federal electoral district of Sudbury in the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the New Democratic Party.

On 16 December 2014, Thibeault announced that he would be resigning from the House of Commons in order to run for the provincial Ontario Liberal Party in a by-election in the provincial riding of Sudbury for a seat in the Ontario legislature after being recruited by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. His resignation became official on 5 January 2015, shortly before Wynne called the by-election.{{cite news|title=NDP MP defects to run for Wynne's Liberals in Sudbury|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/12/16/ndp_mp_defects_to_run_for_wynnes_liberals_in_sudbury.html|work=Toronto Star|first=Robert|last=Benzie|department=Queen's Park Bureau|access-date=16 December 2014|date=16 December 2014|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612140542/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/12/16/ndp_mp_defects_to_run_for_wynnes_liberals_in_sudbury.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Kathleen Wynne calls Sudbury byelection for Feb. 5|first=Rob|last=Ferguson|department=Queen's Park Bureau|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/01/07/kathleen_wynne_calls_sudbury_byelection_for_feb_5.html|work=Toronto Star|date=7 January 2015|access-date=29 August 2017|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141306/https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2015/01/07/kathleen_wynne_calls_sudbury_byelection_for_feb_5.html|url-status=live}} He won the by-election on 5 February 2015 but was defeated in the general election in 2018.{{cite news |url=http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2015/02/05-thibeault-wins-sudbury.aspx |title=Sudbury decides to go red, despite controversy |newspaper=Northern Life |date=5 February 2015 |access-date=6 February 2015 |archive-date=6 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206073641/http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2015/02/05-thibeault-wins-sudbury.aspx |url-status=live }}

Background

Thibeault was born in Sudbury, and was a newscaster and reporter at local stations CIGM and CJRQ during the 1990s. He later graduated from the developmental services worker program at Cambrian College, and was hired as a behavioural consultant for the West Vancouver School Board in British Columbia. He worked for five years as coordinator at the Mainstream Association for Pro-Active Community Living in Vancouver, and returned to Sudbury in 2003 to become campaign director of the United Way of Sudbury and District.{{Cite news|first=Lara|last=Bradley|title=United Way director glad to be back home|work=Sudbury Star|date=10 September 2003|at=A1}} In June 2005, he was promoted to executive director.{{Cite news|title=United Way to get new boss|work=Sudbury Star|date=10 June 2005|at=A3}} The United Way held several successful campaigns in this period, increasing its total from $1.3 million in 2003 to $2.3 million in 2007.{{Cite news|first=Rachel|last=Punch|title=It was a team approach|work=Sudbury Star|date=11 October 2003|at=A3}}

Federal politics

Thibeault won the New Democratic Party's Sudbury nomination in September 2008, after the resignation of previously nominated candidate Gerry McIntaggart and the withdrawal of Dave Battaino from the contest.{{Cite news|first=Rachel|last=Punch|title=Parties ready for fall vote|work=Sudbury Star|date=29 August 2008|at=A1}}{{Cite news|title=Thibeault lone NDP contender|work=Sudbury Star|date=30 August 2008|at=A3}} He received endorsements from the Sudbury Star newspaper, the Sudbury and District Labour Council and United Steelworkers of America Local 2020, and won an upset victory over six-term Liberal Party incumbent Diane Marleau.{{Cite news|title=Thibeault in Sudbury|type=editorial|work=Sudbury Star|date=11 October 2008|at=A10}}{{Cite news|title=NDP candidates get council's nod|work=Sudbury Star|date=13 October 2008|at=A3}}{{Cite news|title=Vote NDP, say Steelworkers|work=Sudbury Star|date=14 October 2008|at=A2}}{{Cite news|first=Denis|last=St. Pierre|title=Sudbury goes orange|work=Sudbury Star|date=15 October 2008|at=A1}}

The Conservative Party won a minority government in this election, and Thibeault entered parliament as a member of the opposition. He was appointed as his party's critic for consumer protection and amateur sport in late November 2008.{{Cite news|title=Thibeault named to NDP posts|work=Sudbury Star|date=26 November 2008|at=A3}} Along with other New Democratic Party MPs, he later called for an investigation into the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's handling of tainted milk that was sold in Sudbury and other parts of Ontario.{{Cite news|first=Lara|last=Bradley|title=Federal agency concealed tainted milk: MPs|work=Sudbury Star|date=29 November 2008|at=A1}}{{Cite news|first=Rachel|last=Punch|title=Milk contained steel powder|work=Sudbury Star|date=9 December 2008|at=A1}} Thibeault supported a planned coalition government of Liberals and New Democrats in late 2008, and wrote an editorial describing Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper as a "coward" for proroguing parliament when it appeared his government would be defeated by the coalition in a motion of non-confidence.{{Cite news|first=Glenn|last=Thibeault|title=Prime Minister a coward|type=editoral|work=Sudbury Star|date=5 December 2008|at=A11}} The coalition was abandoned when Michael Ignatieff became Liberal Party leader, and decided to support the Conservative government's January 2009 budget.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

Thibeault called on the federal government to regulate interest rates and fees on credit cards and debit cards in March 2009, describing existing rates as "out of control" and a hindrance to consumers and businesses during an economic downturn.{{Cite news|first=Rita|last=Trichur|title=MPs press for curbs on credit card firms|work=Toronto Star|date=2009-03-12|access-date=2024-11-10|url=https://www.thestar.com/business/mps-press-for-curbs-on-credit-card-firms/article_171278bb-96e4-50bf-bcac-487167786e21.html|url-status=live|archive-date=2024-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110121546/https://www.thestar.com/business/mps-press-for-curbs-on-credit-card-firms/article_171278bb-96e4-50bf-bcac-487167786e21.html}}{{Cite news|title=Poll Shows That Canadians Support New Democrat Proposal to Protect Consumers|type=press release|agency=States News Service|date=27 March 2009}}{{Cite news|title=New Democrats Table Plan for Credit Card Relief|type=press release|agency=States News Service|date=22 April 2009}} Finance Minister Jim Flaherty later announced that his government would launch an education campaign and provide for increased disclosure on credit-card statements, but would not regulate rates. Thibeault described this as "disappointing".{{cite news | first=Sarah | last=Schmidt | title=New regulations on credit cards needed, but users must wise up, too -- Flaherty | newspaper=Edmonton Journal | date=9 May 2009 | at=G8}}{{cite news | first=Rita | last=Trichur | title=Credit-card firms ordered to come clean with clients | newspaper=Toronto Star | date=21 May 2009 | at=A1}}{{cite news | title=Conservatives fail to stop credit card fleecing | type=press release| publisher=States News Service | date=21 May 2009}} On 18 June 2009, Thibeault introduced a private member's bill to cap annual interest rates on credit cards to no more than five per cent above the current Bank of Canada target for overnight rates.{{Cite act|url=http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=4329978&Language=e&Mode=1&File=30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014135544/http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=4329978&File=30%60%60&Language=e&Mode=1 |archive-date=2012-10-14|date=2009-06-18|legislature=House of Commons of Canada|title=C-426, First Reading (40-3)|type=Private Member's Bill|first=Glenn|last=Thibeault}}

Thibeault also introduced a private member's bill in April 2009 to ensure the cost of Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) and Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) for autistic persons is provided by health insurance programs in every province.{{cite news |title=Federal Autism Legislation, Bill C-360, a 'Step in the Right Direction'|type=press release|newspaper=Market News |date=15 April 2009}} He later introduced another private bill to have the third Saturday in June recognized as Emergency Services Appreciation Day in Canada.{{cite news |title=MP wants to recognize emergency response workers |newspaper=Sudbury Star |date=17 July 2009 |at=A3}}

Thibeault stood with striking workers from Vale Inco in the summer of 2009, and criticized Industry Minister Tony Clement's announcement that the federal government would not intervene to stop job and production cuts in Sudbury.{{cite news |title=MPs blast government over jobs |newspaper=Sudbury Star |date=11 June 2009 |at=A3}} He called for Clement's resignation after the minister stated that Vale had "saved Sudbury" from becoming a "Valley of Death" by purchasing Inco in 2006.{{cite news |first=Carol |last=Mulligan |title=Calls erupt for Clement's resignation |newspaper=Sudbury Star |date=21 July 2009 |at=A1}} He also protested cuts to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Northern Ontario radio services in this period.{{cite news |title=Fuming over funding cuts |newspaper=Timmins Daily Press |date=30 March 2009 |at=A5}}

Thibeault, as the New Democrat critic for Sport, has been instrumental in raising national awareness about the very serious increase of violence in amateur sport and the ongoing concussion epidemic plaguing amateur hockey. He called for a Royal Commission to study violence in sports in February 2010; his call has been echoed by others, including Jaime Watt, a conservative strategist.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/watt-royal-commission-needed-on-hockey-violence-1.1112459 |title=Watt: Royal Commission needed on hockey violence |publisher=CBC |type=special|first=Jamie|last=Watt|date=16 March 2011 |access-date=23 March 2011 |archive-date=18 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110318061804/http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/03/16/pol-vp-jaime-watt.html |url-status=live }} In February 2011, Thibeault introduced Bill C-616, calling for a national strategy to reduce the incidence of serious injury in amateur sport.{{cite web|url=https://www.ndp.ca/press/new-democrats-applaud-talks-to-curb-concussion-epidemic|title=New Democrats applaud talks to curb concussion epidemic|type=press release|website=New Democratic Party of Canada|date=2011-03-15|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120805200102/https://www.ndp.ca/press/new-democrats-applaud-talks-to-curb-concussion-epidemic}}

He was successfully re-elected in the 2011 election.{{cite news |title=Riding results from across Canada |newspaper=Edmonton Journal |date=3 May 2011 |at=A6}} The next year he supported Thomas Mulcair's successful bid to become leader of the NDP. Thibeault served as caucus chairperson from April 2014 until resigning on 2 December 2014 citing family reasons.{{cite news|title=NDP's Glenn Thibeault to defect to Ontario Liberals: Wynne|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/ndp-s-glenn-thibeault-to-defect-to-ontario-liberals-wynne-1.2874576|access-date=16 December 2014|work=CBC News|date=16 December 2014|archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111211615/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/ndp-s-glenn-thibeault-to-defect-to-ontario-liberals-wynne-1.2874576|url-status=live}}{{cite web | url=http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members/Glenn-Thibeault(59047)/Roles | title=Roles - Glenn Thibeault - Current and Past - Members of Parliament - House of Commons of Canada | access-date=17 December 2014 | archive-date=22 December 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222142317/http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members/Glenn-Thibeault(59047)/Roles | url-status=live }}

Provincial politics

Thibeault supported Gilles Bisson's bid to lead the Ontario New Democratic Party at its 2009 leadership convention.{{cite news |title=NDP candidate nets support |newspaper=Sudbury Star |date=6 February 2009 |at=A3}}

Following the resignation of Ontario NDP Sudbury Member of Provincial Parliament Joe Cimino, Thibeault announced on 16 December 2014, that he would be resigning as an NDP MP in order to run in the upcoming by-election in the provincial Sudbury riding as the Ontario Liberal Party's candidate after being appointed the party's candidate by Premier Kathleen Wynne. His appointment faced some controversy when Andrew Olivier, the party's candidate in the 2014 election, alleged that he had been offered a job or appointment by party strategists in exchange for withdrawing his candidacy from the nomination contest, although Thibeault himself was never personally implicated in the allegations.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/15/spurned-candidate-discussed-jobs-with-liberals-transcripts-indicate.html |title=Sudbury byelection candidate Andrew Olivier says tapes show Liberals discussed 'jobs' with him |newspaper=Toronto Star |first=Rob|last=Ferguson|department=Queen's Park Bureau|date=15 January 2015 |access-date=29 August 2017 |archive-date=15 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170315072615/https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/15/spurned-candidate-discussed-jobs-with-liberals-transcripts-indicate.html |url-status=live }}

Thibeault was a Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change from 2015 to 2016.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/adding-up-a-scandal-the-sudbury-byelection-by-the-numbers-1.2985207 |title=Adding up a scandal: the Sudbury byelection by the numbers: A rundown of how Sudbury-obsessed Queen's Park has become |first=Robert |last=Fisher |publisher=CBC News |date=9 March 2015 |access-date=9 March 2015 |archive-date=9 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150309235354/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/adding-up-a-scandal-the-sudbury-byelection-by-the-numbers-1.2985207 |url-status=live }}

On 13 June 2016, Thibeault replaced Bob Chiarelli as Minister of Energy in a Liberal cabinet shuffle.{{cite news |title=Kathleen Wynne's shuffled cabinet features 40% women |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-cabinet-changes-1.3632476 |publisher=CBC News |date=13 June 2016 |access-date=20 June 2016 |archive-date=18 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160618135903/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-cabinet-changes-1.3632476 |url-status=live }}