Patricia Ann "Paddy" Torsney, PC (born December 19, 1962) is a Canadian politician. She is a former member of the House of Commons of Canada, previously representing the riding of Burlington for the Liberal Party. In 2006, Torsney was defeated by Conservative Party candidate Mike Wallace.

Paddy Torsney
Born (1962-12-19) December 19, 1962 (age 61)
Alma materMcGill University
Occupation(s)politician, administrator

Torsney was educated at McGill University in Montreal, receiving a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1985. From 1985 to 1989, she worked as a special assistant to the office of David Peterson, the Liberal Premier of Ontario. Torsney then worked as a Senior Consultant to the firm of Hill and Knowlton from 1989 to 1993.

Torsney was first elected to parliament in the election of 1993, defeating her closest opponent, Progressive Conservative Mike Kuegle, by almost 10,000 votes. The Progressive Conservatives had previously held the riding since 1972, under retiring Member of Parliament (MP) Bill Kempling.

The PCs under Jean Charest targeted Burlington in the 1997 election, but Torsney again defeated Kuegle by just over 3,500 votes. She won an easier victory in the 2000 election, against a more divided opposition.

The newly formed Conservative Party of Canada made a strong bid for the riding in the 2004 election, running local councillor Mike Wallace against Torsney. Most observers believed that Torsney would lose. However, a last-minute resurgence in Liberal support resulted in a 4,000-vote victory. In the 2006 election, she again faced off against Wallace, losing to him by 2,570 votes. In the 2008 election Torsney lost to Wallace by 9,027 votes.

Torsney was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment from 1998 to 2000. On July 20, 2004, she was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation.

In 2002, Torsney chaired a committee which recommended several changes to Canada's drug laws, including the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana.

Torsney was President of Canadian group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and has worked for the worldwide abolition of land mines. She is also a former board member of UNICEF Canada.

In 2007, Liberal Party of Canada Leader, Stéphane Dion, appointed Torsney as Deputy Principal Secretary in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. She resigned from the position in April 2008.

Electoral record

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2008 Canadian federal election: Burlington
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Mike Wallace 28,614 48.60 +5.50 $82,440
Liberal Paddy Torsney 19,577 33.25 -5.86 $86,026
New Democratic David Carter Laird 6,597 11.20 -1.24 $21,862
Green Marnie Mellish 4,083 6.93 +1.60 $2,280
Total valid votes/expense limit 58,871 100.00 $92,099
Total rejected ballots 239 0.40 +0.05
Turnout 59,110 64.99
2006 Canadian federal election: Burlington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mike Wallace 28,030 43.10 +4.8
Liberal Paddy Torsney 25,431 39.11 -5.9
New Democratic David Carter Laird 8,090 12.44 +1.6
Green Rick Goldring 3,471 5.33 +0.1
Total valid votes 65,022 100.0
Total rejected ballots 227 0.35
Turnout 65,249 72.96
2004 Canadian federal election: Burlington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Torsney 27,423 45.0 -1.8
Conservative Mike Wallace 23,389 38.4 -9.6
New Democratic David Carter Laird 6,581 10.8 +7.2
Green Angela Reid 3,169 5.2
Christian Heritage John Herman Wubs 429 0.7
Total valid votes 60,991 100.0

Note: Conservative vote is compared to the total of the Canadian Alliance vote and Progressive Conservative vote in 2000 election.

2000 Canadian federal election: Burlington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Torsney 22,175 46.8 +2.7
Alliance Don Pennell 11,500 24.3 +6.9
Progressive Conservative Stephen Collinson 11,240 23.7 -9.0
New Democratic Larry McMahon 1,722 3.6 -1.5
Green Tom Snyder 771 1.6
Total valid votes 47,408 100.0

Note: Canadian Alliance vote is compared to the Reform vote in 1997 election.

1997 Canadian federal election: Burlington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Torsney 22,042 44.1 0.0
Progressive Conservative Mike Kuegle 16,344 32.7 +6.5
Reform Terry Lamping 8,662 17.3 -5.9
New Democratic Jim Hough 2,561 5.1 +2.1
Canadian Action Ann Marsden 352 0.7
Total valid votes 49,961 100.0
1993 Canadian federal election: Burlington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Paddy Torsney 22,785 44.1 +17.5
Progressive Conservative Mike Kuegle 13,540 26.2 -25.9
Reform Hugh Ramolla 11,984 23.2
New Democratic Jim Hough 1,554 3.0 -13.1
Independent Bill Barlett 929 1.8
National Bill Watson 535 1.0
Natural Law Ursula Kropfel 336 0.7
Total valid votes 51,663 100.0
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Preceded by Member of Parliament for Burlington
1993-2006
Succeeded by