[1] Sutherland also had a labour background, having served as a shop steward with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1977 while working at the Zehrs grocery store in Ingersoll.
Sutherland was only 24 years old at the time, and was studying Political Science at the University of Western Ontario.
[1] During the summer of 1990, his job had been as a vendor at London's Labatt Park, selling hot dogs at baseball games.
He agreed to run for the NDP in 1990, after a riding association member broached the possibility with him during a ball game.
As of 2016, Sutherland taught history, as well as Civics and Careers, at Central Elgin Collegiate Institute.