Bruce Davidson (Ontario politician)

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A. Bruce Davidson is a former administrator in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He served as North York's Commissioner of Planning and Development from 1976 until 1983, when his career ended amid controversy. He later campaigned unsuccessfully for a seat on North York's Board of Control.

Toronto Provincial capital city in Ontario, Canada

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the most populous city in Canada, with a population of 2,731,571 in 2016. Current to 2016, the Toronto census metropolitan area (CMA), of which the majority is within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), held a population of 5,928,040, making it Canada's most populous CMA. Toronto is the fastest growing city in North America, and is the anchor of an urban agglomeration, known as the Golden Horseshoe in Southern Ontario, located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. Toronto is an international centre of business, finance, arts, and culture, and is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in the world.

Ontario Province of Canada

Ontario is one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada and is in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province accounting for 38.3 percent of the country's population, and is the second-largest province in total area. Ontario is fourth-largest jurisdiction in total area when the territories of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are included. It is home to the nation's capital city, Ottawa, and the nation's most populous city, Toronto, which is also Ontario's provincial capital.

In municipal government a Board of Control is an executive body that usually deals with financial and administrative matters. The idea is that a small body of four or five people is better able to make certain decisions than a large, unwieldy city council. Boards of Control were introduced in many North American municipalities in the early 20th century as a product of the municipal reform movement. They proved unpopular with many as they tended to centralize power in a small body while disempowering city councils.

Contents

Administrator

Davidson was a strong supporter of development plans for North York's city centre. He advocated reforming the city's tenancy laws, calling for the legalization of apartments in single-family dwellings. He argued that the city was experiencing rapid growth, and that several illegal apartments had already sprung up. [1] Davidson also opposed a rapid-transit line for Toronto's waterfront, calling instead for such a line to be built on Finch Avenue. [2] He called for several major development projects, including a new football stadium, to be built in North York rather than downtown Toronto. [3]

Controversy

Davidson became involved in controversy in 1983, when it was discovered that he had borrowed money from regional developer Lou Charles to buy a $530,000 house in Thornhill. The city's solicitor requested that Davidson resign in late August. [4] He initially refused, arguing that he had done nothing wrong, but offered his resignation after city controller Barbara Greene called for him to be fired.

Thornhill, Ontario Suburban district in York, Ontario, Canada

Thornhill is a suburban community in the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canada. It is split between the cities of Vaughan and Markham, lying along the north border of Toronto, centred on Yonge Street. Once a police village, Thornhill is now a community and postal designation. According to the 2001 Census, Thornhill-Vaughan's population was 56,361, and the population of Thornhill-Markham was 47,333. It is immediately south and south-west of Richmond Hill.

Barbara Greene is a Canadian politician. She served in the House of Commons of Canada from 1988 to 1993 as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party. She was previously a municipal politician in North York, and campaigned for mayor of the city in 1985. She is a Red Tory, and holds progressive views on most social issues.

His settlement package was estimated to be around $7,000. [5] When this payout was criticized in the local media, North York council chose to revoke the compensation deal and fire Davidson outright. [6] Davidson subsequently sued the city, arguing that he suffered mental distress by not being given reasonable notice of his firing. He also claimed damages for "loss of reputation", and later launched libel and slander suits against Barbara Greene and Sergio Marchi. [7]

Sergio Marchi, has been involved in the national and diplomatic life of Canada, as both a federal MP and minister, as well as ambassador.

The police found no evidence that Davidson was in a conflict-of-interest situation, and did not file charges against him. The police report observed that Charles and Davidson were partners in deals outside of North York. [8] Davidson worked as a planning consultant after his dismissal. North York introduced an election expenses disclosure by-law one year after Davidson's dismissal, although North York Mayor Mel Lastman argued that the two developments were unrelated. [9]

Mel Lastman 62nd Mayor of Toronto

Melvin Douglas "Mel" Lastman, nicknamed "Mayor Mel" or "Mega City Mel", is a Canadian businessman and politician. He is the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain. He served as the mayor of the former city of North York, Ontario, Canada from 1973 until 1997. At the end of 1997, North York, along with five other municipalities, was amalgamated with the city of Toronto. Lastman ran for and won the mayoral race for the new "megacity", defeating incumbent Toronto mayor Barbara Hall. Re-elected in November 2000, he served until his retirement after the 2003 municipal election.

1985 campaign

Davidson campaigned for the North York Board of Control in the 1985 municipal election. At a press conference announcing his candidacy, he acknowledged that the loan from Charles was an "error in judgement", and said that he maintained a strong interest in city issues. [10] He reiterated his call for new facilities to be developed in North York, rather than in downtown Toronto. [11]

The 1985 Toronto municipal election was held to elect members of municipal councils, school boards, and hydro commissions in the six municipalities that made up Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The election was held on November 12, 1985.

Davidson's candidacy was criticized in the local media. John Sewell wrote that Davidson "has exhibited such a skewed idea of public service that he deserves no consideration by voters". [12] He finished in seventh place; only the top four candidates were elected. His wrongful dismissal suit was dismissed before it went to trial, in June 1986. [13]

Davidson reapplied to become a city developer in 1989. His supporters, including Irving Chipley, argued that he had "served in purgatory long enough". Mel Lastman argued that council should not even consider Davidson's application. [14] He does not appear to have been re-hired.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Ann Silversides, "UDI ponders ways to aid apartment construction", Globe and Mail, 5 May 1981, B9; David Hayes, "Wheeling around Toronto", Globe and Mail, 9 May 1981, F2.
  2. ↑ Alden Baker, "Wheeling around Toronto", Globe and Mail, 13 March 1982, P4.
  3. ↑ Denys Horgan, "Unsinkable Mel Lastman can afford a life of ease", Globe and Mail, 25 October 1982, P4.
  4. ↑ Peter Moon, "Loan by developer no reason to quit: North York official", Globe and Mail, 29 August 1983, P1.
  5. ↑ "Planner should be fired North York controller says", Globe and Mail, 30 August 1983, P4; Peter Moon, "North York planner resigns in debt row", Globe and Mail, 1 September 1983, P1.
  6. ↑ Denys Horgan, "North York revokes compensation deal, fires commissioner", Globe and Mail, 7 September 1983, P1.
  7. ↑ "Fired commissioner is suing North York", Globe and Mail, 8 November 1983, P3; "Davidson seeking seat on North York board", Globe and Mail, 7 October 1985, A15.
  8. ↑ "Planner can't find buyer", Globe and Mail, 17 October 1983, P5; Gail Swainson, "Reversal of fortune", Toronto Star, 3 May 1994, A6.
  9. ↑ Joan Breckenridge, "Most Metro municipalities resist disclosure of election expenses", Globe and Mail, 7 July 1984, A20.
  10. ↑ "Davidson seeking seat on North York board", Globe and Mail, 7 October 1985, A15.
  11. ↑ Dyanne Rivers, "Traffic an issue in controllers' race", Globe and Mail, 6 November 1985, A16.
  12. ↑ John Sewell, "Spirit of compromise for Board of Control", Globe and Mail, 8 November 1985, A13.
  13. ↑ Drew Fagan, "Dismissal suit is thrown out before trial", Globe and Mail, 11 June 1986, A15.
  14. ↑ Royson James, "Councillors split over bid to rehire planner", Toronto Star, 12 April 1989, A8.

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