· First elected a Member of Parliament in 1997; re-elected in 2000

· NDP critic for Citizenship and Immigration, Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources, Government Operations and Estimates

· Driving force behind the NDP campaign to ban trans fatty acids from Canada's food supply

· Introduced private members bills to ensure CPP premiums are invested ethically; to disallow the practice of deducting fines and penalties as expenses for income tax purposes; to establish an Energy Price Commission to prohibit gouging by oil companies; to protect workers who 'blow the whistle' on unsafe or illegal practices in the workplace; to bring equity to rural mail contractors; to introduce national standards to apprenticeship and institutional training for trades

· Significant contributor to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, as well as parts 1 and 2 of the new Canada Labour Code

· Founding member of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption

· Canadian member of International HIV/AIDS Committee of the Parliamentary Network of the World Bank

· Worked tirelessly and successfully for withdrawal of the proposed First Nations Governance Act, including a 26-hour filibuster in the Committee on Aboriginal Affairs

· Honoured by the Assembly of First Nations with a spiritual name “Soong-Wi-Wi-Itong”, meaning “Strong Eagle Speaking Spirit”

· Coordinated NDP/Steelworkers' lobby that led to endorsement by the House of Commons of a motion calling for “corporate manslaughter” legislation

· Led the campaign against government legislation attacking the right to strike during two major disputes (PSAC in 1999; CUPW in 1997) and government plans to loot the surplus in the public service employees' pension plan

· Author of a private members' motion on producing jobs through the creation of energy efficiency programs, which passed with rare cross-party support in the House of Commons

· Born in 1955 and raised in Winnipeg

· Became a journeyman carpenter in 1983; worked many years in Northern and Western Canada in mines, forest service and construction

· Elected Business Manager of the Carpenters' Union in Manitoba in 1989

· Former Vice-President of the Manitoba Federation of Labour and Executive Member of the Manitoba Building Trades Council

· Developed and promoted “A Brighter Future-Job Creation through Energy Conservation”, an energy retrofit program

· Has two sons and lives with his partner Barbara Martin.