Joe Comartin Politician

Joseph John "Joe" Comartin (born December 26, 1947 in Stoney Point, Ontario) is a Canadian lawyer and politician. Comartin joined the New Democratic Party in 1969.A civil litigation lawyer based in Windsor, Ontario, Comartin enjoyed strong support from local union members when he ran for a seat in the House of Commons, but narrowly lost in the 1997 general election and in a 1999 by-election.He won the seat in the 2000 election, becoming the first federal NDP candidate to win a seat in Ontario in ten years (Mike Breaugh of Oshawa had been the last to win in a 1990 by-election ). He was re-elected in 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2011.Comartin stood as a candidate in the leadership of the NDP in 2003, and finished fourth.He was the Opposition House Leader from October 18, 2011 to April 19, 2012.On September 17, 2012, due to the resignation of Denise Savoie, Comartin was chosen to become Deputy Speaker.In July 2014, Comartin announced that he will not run for another term in the 2015 election.