Tom Teahen

Tom Teahen is a Toronto employment and labour lawyer who is notable for having been the Liberal candidate for the riding of Beaches-East York in the 2007 Ontario general election. Between September, 2005 and the 2007 election, he was the Chief of Staff to Ontario's Minister of Labour. After the election, he became Chief of Staff to Ontario's Minister of Education. He is the president of the Toronto Beaches Rotary Club. In the past, he was a Director of L'Arche in Stratford as well as a Director of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He also served on the Advisory Board of Humewood House in Toronto, an organization providing assistance for pregnant and parenting young women.

Teahen received a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree from the University of Western Ontario, and received his Bachelor of Laws from Queen's University in 1995.

Political candidacy

Teahen ran against the New Democratic incumbent, Michael Prue. Beaches-East York was considered a safe riding for the NDP and it was not expected that he would win. On his candidacy web site, he stressed positive aspects of the Liberal Party's track record on health care, sanitation, crime, financial support for Toronto, education, the environment and affordable housing since coming to power in the 2003 election.

He placed second to Michael Prue, receiving 25.8 per cent of the vote as opposed to Prue's 44.4 per cent.

After the results of the election came in, he made the following remarks:

Quote|I was happy to put my name on the ballot but I am disappointed I didn't win...This is, however, a great victory for the McGuinty team and I will continue to work hard in the community and make (Michael) Prue accountable for the constituents in Beaches-East York...We had a really great campaign and we did better than the last time. [ cite web |url=http://www.tobserver.com/CCC/CYCLE%201/7-10-10-SuelianPrue.html |title=Prue rock solid for New Democrats in Beaches-East York |accessdate=2008-01-20 |author=Suelian White |date=2007-10-10 |work=The Toronto Observer ] He has not indicated whether he will run for political office again.

Miscellaneous

Teahen's father was a councillor and then mayor of St. Mary's, Ontario. His brother is Mark Teahen, who plays for the major league baseball team, the Kansas City Royals. [cite web |url=http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/262849 |title=Vintage politician Prue in fight to keep seat from Grit insider, Tory `consummate volunteer' |accessdate=2008-01-20 |author=Peter Small |date=2007-10-04 |work=The Toronto Star]

References

External links

* [http://www.voteteahen.ca Official candidacy web site]
* [http://www.rogerstelevision.com/option.asp?lid=114&rid=16&sid=2660&mid=6&gid=17297 Candidacy video]
* [http://network.staging.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2007/10/05/jonathan-kay-on-the-ndp-smear-job-against-tom-teahen.aspx National Post article: "Jonathan Kay on the NDP smear job against Tom Teahen"]