51 Facts About Dwight Duncan

Dwight Duncan was born on 3 January 1959 and is a former politician in Ontario, Canada.

Dwight Duncan was a senior member in the government of Dalton McGuinty who served in several cabinet roles including Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance.

Dwight Duncan earned his bachelor's degree in economics from McGill University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Windsor.

Dwight Duncan has been a member of the Liberal Party since the early 1970s, and skipped class in 1972 to attend a rally for his political hero, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Dwight Duncan later worked for provincial Labour Minister Bill Wrye between 1985 and 1987.

Dwight Duncan was Administrator of Brentwood Recovery Centre, Canada's largest alcohol and drug rehabilitation centre, between 1987 and 1995.

Dwight Duncan served on Windsor City Council from 1988 until 1994, when he chose not to seek re-election in order to prepare for his first provincial campaign.

The Progressive Conservative Party won a majority government in this election, and Dwight Duncan became a member of the official opposition.

Dwight Duncan became a candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party leadership following the resignation of Lyn McLeod in 1996.

Dwight Duncan finished third on the first and second ballots at the party's 1996 leadership convention, but was eliminated after falling to fourth place behind Dalton McGuinty on the third.

Dwight Duncan then endorsed Gerard Kennedy, who lost to McGuinty on the fifth ballot.

Dwight Duncan was again successful, defeating Lessard by over 4,000 votes.

The Progressive Conservatives won a second majority government, and Dwight Duncan became opposition House Leader on 25 June 1999.

Dwight Duncan served as Liberal Party critic for Municipal Affairs and the Management Board of Cabinet over the next four years.

Dwight Duncan was appointed Minister of Energy and Government House Leader on 23 October 2003.

Dwight Duncan appointed a new interim board led by former federal Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources Jake Epp to lead the organization's renewal.

Dwight Duncan subsequently announced plans for a comprehensive audit of OPG, when its budgetary shortfall was found to be $850 million.

Dwight Duncan issued a strategic report from the Electricity Conservation and Supply Task Force in January 2004.

Two months later, Dwight Duncan brought forward a conservation plan highlighted by the use of "smart" electricity meters to discourage overuse during peak hours.

Dwight Duncan argued that the body would "depoliticize" energy debates in Ontario.

The Globe and Mail raised concerns over the authority's expanding budget in late 2006, but Dwight Duncan argued that its expenses are necessary to create a planning regime for the future.

Premier McGuinty described this situation as "completely unsustainable" in light of the deficit, and Dwight Duncan announced that the rate would increase to 4.7 cents per kilowatt on 1 April 2004.

In making the change, Dwight Duncan acknowledged that his party had erred in its initial support for a freeze.

Dwight Duncan was forced to revise his government's plans to shut down all of Ontario's coal-burning generators by 2007.

In June 2005, Dwight Duncan announced that the Nanticoke coal plant would remain open past 2007.

Dwight Duncan later announced that the Lambton station would remain open as well.

Dwight Duncan has said that Ontario will reduce its coal consumption in the coming years, even if plants remain open.

In July 2004, based on a recommendation of the OPG Review Committee, which Dwight Duncan appointed to review the cost over-runs and delays plaguing the restart of the four reactors at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, Dwight Duncan announced the government would proceed with the restart of reactor one at the Pickering station.

In 2005, Dwight Duncan concluded a deal with Bruce Power to provide the province with nuclear energy at a cost above the market rate.

Dwight Duncan has maintained that it was a good policy decision, and argued that much of the financial risk had been transferred to the private sector.

Dwight Duncan promoted green energy initiatives such as the Deep lake water cooling project, wherein water from Lake Ontario is used to provide energy to buildings in Toronto.

Dwight Duncan has proposed a national power grid to provide Canada with more autonomy in determining its energy policies.

Dwight Duncan outlined his support for the policy in a speech before power company executives in Toronto in February 2007, arguing that the grid would significantly reduce Canada's rate of greenhouse gas emissions.

Shortly after the 2003 election, Dwight Duncan was required to enter into discussions on the legislative status of the New Democratic Party.

Dwight Duncan offered to provide the NDP with $420,000 and some guaranteed speaking time, but NDP leader Howard Hampton rejected this as "nothing short of a bribe" After an extended filibustering campaign by the New Democrats, a compromise was reached wherein the NDP received $775,000 and was permitted to take part in Question Period.

Later in the same day, Dwight Duncan was appointed to replace Sorbara as Minister of Finance and Chair of the Management Board of Cabinet.

Dwight Duncan announced his government's long-term strategic energy plan in June 2006, calling for an increased investment in nuclear power and the construction of two new reactors in the next ten years.

In November 2006, Dwight Duncan opened Canada's largest wind farm near Sault Ste.

In July 2006, Dwight Duncan directed the Ontario Power Authority to provide $400 million over three years to assist local electricity distribution utilities in conservation and demand-side management projects.

The project was successful, and Dwight Duncan announced in November 2006 that Toronto Hydro's conservation measures would be expanded across the province.

In July 2006, Dwight Duncan described OPG's turnaround as "[o]ne of the untold stories of the last two years".

Dwight Duncan indicates that his government has added 3,000 megawatts of power to the provincial grid.

In November 2006, Dwight Duncan announced that the governments of Ontario and Quebec had agreed to join their power grids, to reduce Ontario's dependence on American power when demand exceeds capacity.

Dwight Duncan is attempting to finalize a deal with Manitoba, which has an abundance of hydroelectric power.

Dwight Duncan said that the review would help reduce bureaucratic waste.

Also in April 2007, Dwight Duncan announced that Ontario would ban the sale of inefficient incandescent light bulbs by 2012.

Dwight Duncan resigned from the legislature effective 14 February 2013 in order to accept a job as a Senior Strategic Advisor at McMillan LLP, a Bay Street law firm.

On 1 January 2016, Dwight Duncan was appointed to be the interim chair of the Board of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

Dwight Duncan supported Paul Martin's bid to succeed Jean Chretien as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Dwight Duncan acted as Ontario co-chair of Michael Ignatieff's bid to become leader of the federal party in 2006.

Dwight Duncan supported Justin Trudeau's candidacy for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada, and in December 2012 he announced he was considering running in the 42nd Canadian federal election, currently scheduled for October 2015.