Dalton McGuinty

2016 Speaker's Book Award — Shortlisted

Former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty shares the story of his life in politics and the leadership lessons he has learned.

Dalton McGuinty was premier of Ontario for ten years, from 2003 to 2013. Inheriting a province wounded from years of cutbacks and divisive politics, McGuinty led Ontario through a deep recession and a challenging shift away from a manufacturing-based economy. Moving boldly, he initiated a major rebuilding of the province's schools and hospitals as well as a transformation of its transportation and energy infrastructure.

Here, McGuinty tells the story of his life in politics, including his first crushing defeat, the victories that followed, his campaign for the leadership of the Liberal Party, and his years as premier. Delivering a frank look at his years in power, he offers insight into major issues, like the closing of the coal-fired electricity plants, the HST, full-day kindergarten, and the two cancelled Ontario Hydro gas plants.

Perpetually underestimated by both his opponents and the media, Dalton McGuinty prevailed through a mix of sheer determination and political shrewdness, becoming the longest-serving Liberal leader in Ontario in over a century. Here he shares the valuable lessons he has learned along the way about leadership and the limitations and expectations for political leaders in the twenty-first century.

Dalton McGuinty, the twenty-fourth premier of Ontario, served from 2003 to 2013 — the first Liberal to serve three successive terms as premier of the province in over a century. He is now the special advisor to the president of Desire2Learn, and a Senior Fellow at the School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Toronto. He currently lives in Ottawa.