Sandra Pupatello

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Sandra Pupatello is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She has served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1995 as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party, and is currently the Minister of Education and Minister Responsible for Women's Issues in the government of Dalton McGuinty.

Contents

1 Early life and career
2 In opposition
3 In government
4 External links and sources
5 Electoral Record
6 Notes

Early life and career

Pupatello was born in Windsor, Ontario, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Windsor. She remained in the city after her graduation, serving as general manager of the city's Rotary Club,^{[#endnote_Rotary]} and executive director of the Essex County Kidney Foundation of Canada. She was also a board member of the Windsor Regional Hospital and Windsor Regional Children's Centre, and was president of the Fogular Furlan Club. Pupatello was named "Italian of the Year" for Windsor-Essex County in 1996, received the Charlie Clark Award for Outstanding Service from the University of Windsor in 2001, and was named "Windsor Woman of the Year" in 2003.^{[#endnote_bio]}

In opposition

Pupatello was first elected to the Ontario legislature in the 1995 provincial election, defeating New Democratic Party candidate Arlene Rousseau by 5,526 votes in Windsor—Sandwich. The seat had previously been held by New Democrat George Dadamo, who did not seek re-election. The Progressive Conservative Party won a majority government in the election, and Pupatello entered the legislature as an opposition Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). During her first term, she served as Official Opposition Critic for Community and Social Services, Children's issues, Youth Issues, and the Management Board of Cabinet.

Pupatello was co-manager of Dwight Duncan's 1996 campaign to lead the Ontario Liberal Party.^{[#endnote_Duncan]} Like Duncan, she supported Gerard Kennedy on the final ballot.^{[#endnote_Kennedy]}

Pupatello was re-elected by a landslide in the 1999 provincial election for the redistributed constituency of Windsor West, while the Progressive Conservatives were re-elected to a second consecutive majority government. Pupatello remained a member of the opposition frontbench, serving over the next four years as Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Official Opposition Critic for Health and Long-Term Care. She became known as a vocal critic of the Mike Harris and Ernie Eves administrations.

In government

The Liberal Party won a majority government in the 2003 provincial election, and Pupatello was again re-elected in Windsor West with a significant majority. On October 23, 2003, she was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Community and Social Services with responsibility for Women's Issues. There was some speculation that she would be appointed Deputy Premier as well, but this position was instead left vacant and has not been filled as of 2006.^{[#endnote_Deputy]}

One of Pupatello's ministerial responsibilities is overseeing the provincial welfare and disability assistance system. She introduced a 3% rate increase in 2004, the first such increase after twelve years of freezes (mechanical difficulties subsequently delayed its implementation).^{[#endnote_rate]} Later in the year, she announced that her government would eliminate a rule requiring welfare recipients to liquidate their education savings plans. Speaking to the media, she described the requirement as "a dumb rule that works at cross-purposes to what welfare is suppose to be doing for people and their families".^{[#endnote_edu]} Rates were raised again in 2006 by 2%, and Pupatello allowed further money to be 'flowed through' from the federal government's National Child Benefit Supplement in each year since 2003.

In 2005, Pupatello advanced the Adoption Information Disclosure Act, a somewhat controversial measure to release birth records to adoptees. Among the critics of this bill was Ann Cavoukian, Ontario's Privacy Commissioner, who argued that it was not sufficiently respectful of the promises of anonymity made to birth parents at the time of adoption.^{[#endnote_Cavoukian]} Pupatello has argued that the bill is necessary to provide adoptees with answers about their personal history, and has noted that the bill provides safeguards for instances where safety issues are a concern.^{[#endnote_adopt]}

Pupatello was promoted to Minister of Education on April 5, 2006, following the resignation of Gerard Kennedy.

|- style="text-align: center;" |- style="text-align: center;"

Elliott's official title was "Minister of Community, Family and Children's Services". The department was restructured and renamed in 2003.

External links and sources

Biographical information from both of these sites has been incorporated into this article.

Electoral Record

|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
|- |bgcolor="lightcoral"|
2003 provincial election, Windsor West
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal (x)Sandra Pupatello 21,993 62.51 align="right"
,548.00 |- |bgcolor="sandybrown"|     New Democratic Party Yvette Blackburn 7,383 20.99 align="right"
5.51
,508.14 |- |bgcolor="#9999FF"|     Progressive Conservative Derek Insley 4,187 11.90 align="right"
,958.37 |- |bgcolor="yellowgreen"|     Green Cary M. Lucier 1,233 3.50 align="right"
2.37
,046.40 |- |bgcolor="gainsboro"|     Ind. (Independent Renewal) Enver Villamizar 386 1.10 align="right"
0.37
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87
.00
Total valid votes 35,182 100.00
Rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 317
Turnout 35,499 43.87

Notes

↑ "Rotary club names Rudman to top post", Windsor Star, 14 February 1996, A3.
↑ Sandra Pupatello, official biographical sketch. [link]
↑ Richard Brennan, "It's official: Duncan wants Grit top job", Windsor Star, 25 June 1996, A1.
↑ Jim Coyle, "Hapless Grit leadership hopeful taped his own demise", Ottawa Citizen, 6 December 1996, A17.
↑ Adam Radwanski, "Few veterans, more untrieds", National Post, 22 October 2003, A13.
↑ Canadian Press, "Computer problems delay hike for Ontario's disabled and welfare recipients", 6 July 2004, 01:38 report.
↑ Richard Brennan, "Education plans safe under welfare change", Toronto Star, 7 October 2004, A08.
↑ "New adoption bill threatens privacy", Toronto Star, 27 October 2005, A24.
↑ Sandra Pupatello, "Why Ontario's adoption law had to be changed", Toronto Star, 7 November 2005, A17.

All electoral information is taken from Elections Ontario. The 1999 and 2003 expenditure entries are taken from official candidate reports as listed by Elections Ontario. The figures cited are the Total Candidate's Campaign Expenses Subject to Limitation, and include transfers from constituency associations. The 1995 expenditures do not include these transfers, and cover only candidate expenses subject to limitation.

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