Editing David Christopherson (section)

==Early life and career==

Christopherson was born in [[Hamilton, Ontario]]. He is self-educated, having dropped out of [[high school]] in the ninth [[Educational stages|grade]]. A voracious reader, he is a particular fan of books on politics. He began working with International Harvester in Hamilton at age 19, and remained with the company for eleven years. He was active with the [[United Auto Workers]] union, becoming plant chairman in 1978 and president of the Local 525 in 1979.<ref>Jill Morrison, "Great expectations", ''Hamilton Spectator'', 13 February 1993, B3.</ref>

Christopherson campaigned in [[Hamilton East (federal electoral district)|Hamilton East]] in the [[1984 Canadian federal election|1984 federal election]], finishing second against [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] candidate [[Sheila Copps]]. He was elected to [[Hamilton, Ontario City Council]] the following year for the city's fourth ward, and re-elected in 1988. Christopherson became chairman of Hamilton's licensing committee, and made a concerted effort to reform the city's notorious regulatory practices.<ref>Terry Cooke, "Licensing mess could consume council term", ''Hamilton Spectator'', 10 February 2007, A19.</ref>  He developed a reputation on as a hard worker, and was one of three councillors to decline a pay increase in 1988.<ref>"3 Hamilton aldermen refuse pay raise", ''Globe and Mail'', 28 April 1988, A22.</ref>

Christopherson was also a constituency assistant for NDP [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) [[Ian Deans]] in the mid-1980s.<ref>"Political infighting erupts in race for Deans' Hamilton riding", ''Toronto Star'', 19 January 1987, A8.</ref>  He sought the NDP nomination for [[Hamilton Mountain (federal electoral district)|Hamilton Mountain]] after Deans's retirement in 1986, but lost to [[Marion Dewar]].<ref>"Dewar wins Hamilton nomination", ''Globe and Mail'', 24 January 1987, A5.</ref>