Ralph Klein was fine but Peter Kormos was the real deal

Two great populists died last week. For Ralph Klein, the former Conservative premier of Alberta, kudos poured in. For Peter Kormos, the former New Democratic Party MPP from Welland, the praise was more guarded.

Yet of the pair, Kormos was the real deal.

Both were beloved by voters. Klein was Alberta’s premier for 14 years. Kormos held his Ontario seat for 23.

Remembering Peter Kormos: A rebel with a cause

"A working class hero is something to be." - a lyric by John Lennon

 “I don't change my values the way some people change their socks." - Peter Kormos

Peter Kormos, a Niagara regional councillor and former NDP MPP in Ontario, died suddenly on Friday at the age of sixty. Tributes and condolences have poured in from friends and former colleagues. In remembrance of Peter Kormos, we are pleased to share this in-depth profile, first published by Niagara at Large.

In the dimly lit banquet room of Club Social on Welland’s gritty east side, a raucous chant of "Peter, Peter, Peter" rolls up from the floor. It is the night of the October, 2003 provincial election and, to no one’s surprise, the numbers on a nearby tote board show Peter Kormos leading his nearest challenger by a margin of two to one.