When he retired from the CBC in August 2006 he began getting involved in municipal politics. That fall he was elected to the first of two terms as a city councillor in Windsor. As a Councillor Hatfield served two terms on the National Board of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and was elected three times to the board of the
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). In 2011, Hatfield served as an AMO chair of the Large Urban Caucus. He has served on numerous City of Windsor and Agency committees including the AMO Host Committee, Arena Board, Armouries Reuse Committee, CAO Performance Review Committee, Clean City Committee, Council Support Services Review Committee, Development Charges Task Force, Environmental Master Plan Implementation Committee, Essex Region Conservation Authority, Heritage Committee, International Relations Committee, Museum Facility Steering Committee, Olde Riverside BIA, Planning & Economic Development Standing Committee, Planning Advisory Committee, Public Health Unit, Roseland Golf Club Board of Directors, Social Development Standing Committee, Solid Waste Authority, Tourism Windsor - Transitional Board, Transit Windsor board of directors, War Memorial Committee, WFCU steering committee, Windsor BIA advisory committee, Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation Board, Windsor Essex County Health Unit, Windsor Essex Environment Committee, Windsor Licensing Commission, and the Windsor Public Library Board. Hatfield was elected to the
Legislative Assembly of Ontario in a
by-election on August 1, 2013, as the
New Democratic candidate in the riding of
Windsor—Tecumseh. He defeated
Progressive Conservative candidate Robert De Verteuil by 10,544 votes. He was re-elected in the
2014 provincial election defeating
Liberal Jason Dupuis by 17,221 votes. Hatfield was re-elected in the
2018 provincial election, defeating Progressive Conservative candidate Mohammad Latif by 13,546 votes. His previous critic roles include Infrastructure, Environment and Climate Change, and Municipal Affairs and Housing. Currently, Hatfield holds the critic role of
OLG and Horse Racing, as well as the position of Second Deputy Speaker of the Committee of the Whole House. In this position, Hatfield was asked by Speaker Ted Arnott to be Ontario's representative on the executive committee of the Council of State Governments (CSG). The CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state and provincial officials shape public policy. Hatfield's appointment was the first time that the Legislative Assembly of Ontario was offered a seat on the CSG executive committee. He was also appointed by Speaker Arnott to serve as a member of the Midwest-Canada Relations Committee for the Midwestern Legislative Conference. This committee provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and consideration of mutual concerns, and has explored subjects ranging from border security, energy, and most recently trade-related issues and the future of Canada – US relations. In December 2017, he introduced the bill
Poet Laureate of Ontario Act In Memory of Gord Downie to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario; it passed in December 2019, establishing the
Poet Laureate of Ontario. In July 2021, Hatfield announced that he would be retiring from politics in 2022.
Electoral record ==Personal life==