For immediate release
April 9, 2013
Queens Park –Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett stood in the Ontario Legislature today to recognize the passing of, “one of the most important and influential politicians of the 20th century.”
“Across the globe people are recalling the impact and far-reaching international legacy of a shopkeeper’s daughter – the iron willed, Margaret Thatcher,” Barrett began. “As the first British female Prime Minister in 1979, Thatcher took the reins and guided Britain – then the sickman of Europe – to economic and international heights.”
Barrett went on to recount Thatcher’s legacy through, “three successive elections with grassroots conservative values – tax cuts, deficit reduction and international strength.”
Thatcher’s leadership, Barrett noted had far reaching impacts both at home and abroad.
“On the homefront, Margaret Thatcher curbed union militancy, and privatised state industries. Millions who previously had little stake in the economy found themselves able to own their council houses and buy shares in former state-owned businesses,” reported Barrett. “Along with Ronald Reagan, Prime Minister Thatcher was instrumental in ending the cold war. She narrowly escaped death in an IRA attack. She achieved victory in the Falklands.”
Barrett concluded echoing the words of former party chairman Kenneth Baker,
“We shall not see her like again.”
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett
at (519) 428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629
Original draft of MPP Barrett statement (please check with delivery at ontla.on.ca)
SPEAKER, WE RECOGNIZE THE PASSING OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND INFLUENTIAL POLITICIANS OF THE 20TH CENTURY,
ACROSS THE GLOBE PEOPLE ARE RECALLING THE IMPACT AND FAR-REACHING INTERNATIONAL LEGACY OF A SHOPKEEPER’S DAUGHTER – THE IRON WILLED MARGARET THATCHER.
BECOMING THE FIRST BRITISH FEMALE PRIME MINISTER IN 1979, THATCHER TOOK THE REINS AND GUIDED BRITAIN – THEN THE SICKMAN OF EUROPE – TO ECONOMIC AND INTERNATIONAL HEIGHTS.
MOVING THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY, AND GREAT BRITAIN ITSELF, THROUGH THREE SUCCESSIVE ELECTIONS WITH GRASSROOTS CONSERVATIVE VALUES – TAX CUTS, DEFICIT REDUCTION AND INTERNATIONAL STRENGTH – THATCHERISM BOOSTED THE FREE MARKET AND REDUCED THE ROLE OF THE STATE.
ON THE HOMEFRONT, MARGARET THATCHER CURBED UNION MILITANCY, AND PRIVATISED STATE INDUSTRIES. MILLIONS WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD LITTLE STAKE IN THE ECONOMY FOUND THEMSELVES ABLE TO OWN THEIR COUNCIL HOUSES AND BUY SHARES IN FORMER STATE-OWNED BUSINESSES.
ALONG WITH RONALD REAGAN, PRIME MINISTER THATCHER WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ENDING THE COLD WAR. SHE NARROWLY ESCAPED DEATH IN AN IRA ATTACK. SHE ACHIEVED VICTORY IN THE FALKLANDS.
SHE WAS, AS RICHARD LONGWORTH OF THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE REPORTED IN 1989, “PERHAPS THE MOST ADMIRED, HATED, FASCINATING, BORING, RADICAL AND CONSERVATIVE LEADER IN THE WESTERN WORLD.”
IN THE WORDS OF KENNETH BAKER, A FORMER PARTY CHAIRMAN…
“WE SHALL NOT SEE HER LIKE AGAIN.”