page_title: 2009 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election
section_title: Tim Hudak
hierarchical_section_title: 2009 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leadership election / Registered candidates / Tim Hudak
caption_attribution_description: English: Tim Hudak.
context_page_description: On March 6, 2009, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario leader John Tory announced his intention to step down as leader following his defeat in a by-election. Tory was elected party leader in the party's 2004 leadership election, and led the party to defeat in the 2007 provincial election in which he failed to win personal election to the Ontario Legislature. He attempted again to enter the legislature in a March 5, 2009 by-election but was defeated by the Liberal candidate.
  The party's executive set June 27, 2009 as the date for the new leader to be announced over the objections of several MPPs who called for a September vote. Candidates were required to register as such by April 17; in order to be able to cast a ballot it was necessary for one to have been a member of the party by May 14. Of the 25 members caucus, interim leader Bob Runciman remained neutral in the race and MPP Joyce Savoline has yet to endorse a candidate.
  The party reported that it had over 40,000 members eligible to vote in the leadership contest as of the membership cut-off of May 15, up from 8,500 at the beginning of the leadership race.
context_section_description: Tim Hudak, 41, was the MPP for Niagara West—Glanbrook and had sat in the provincial legislature since 1995. He was the party's finance critic and was seen to be on the right of the party. Some  consider Hudak to be the "front runner". Including himself, Hudak had the backing of a majority of the 24 member caucus. 
  Policies: Abolition of the Ontario Human Rights Commission and replace it with a court-based system based on rules of evidence., Paycheque Protection Law to give workers the option of opting out of funding political campaigns, a secret ballot vote when employees decide to join a union as opposed to card check, introduction of a high school exit exam.
  MPPs who were supporters (12): Bob Bailey; Toby Barrett; Ted Chudleigh; Garfield Dunlop; Lisa MacLeod; Gerry Martiniuk; Norm Miller; Julia Munro; Norm Sterling; Jim Wilson; John Yakabuski; Ernie Hardeman.
  Federal MPs who were supporters (17): Cabinet ministers John Baird, Tony Clement, Jason Kenney, Rob Nicholson, and Peter Van Loan; MPs Dean Allison, Gord Brown, Patrick Brown, Paul Calandra, Barry Devolin, Rick Dykstra, Royal Galipeau, Daryl Kramp, Pierre Poilievre, Joe Preston, Gary Schellenberger, and David Sweet.
  Other high-profile supporters: Mike Harris, former Premier of Ontario, Blair McCreadie, former party President, Tom Long, former party President and strategist, former Cabinet Ministers Brenda Elliott and Dave Johnson, former MPPs Doug Galt, Ron Johnson, Bart Maves, Tim Peterson, and Joe Tascona, as well as 2007 candidates Kevin Ashe, Ron Swain, Pam Hundal, Dan McCreary, Doug Jackson, Antonio Garcia, Bill Fehr, Richard Kniaziew, Bob Senechal, Chris Robertson, Tara Crugnale, Bob Charters, Rob Morley, Penny Lucas, Michael Harris, Monte McNaughton, Rob Alder, Allison Graham, Zoran Churchin, David Brown, Nina Tangri, Bill Vrebosch, Cathy Galt, Phil Bannon, Rick Byers, Richard Raymond, Bruce Poulin, John Rutherford, John Del Grande, Bruce Timms, Lillyann Goldstein, Louis Delongchamp, Scott Hobbs, Doug Shearer, Steve Kidd, Ron Bodner, Lisa Lumley, 2008 federal Conservative candidate Hugh Arrison, John Cruickshank 2nd Vice President, Mark Spiro 4th Vice President, Kate Bartz Southwest Regional Vice President, Tony Quirk South Central Regional Vice President, Eric Merkley President Ontario PC Campus Association, former federal MP and cabinet minister Monte Solberg, former MP Jean Pigott.
  Date campaign announced: April 2, 2009
  Date campaign officially launched: April 2, 2009
  Date officially registered: April 7, 2009
  Result: Winner
caption: Tim Hudak, MPP for Niagara West—Glanbrook
exif: {}