Politics of Toronto

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The politics of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada involve the election of representatives to the federal, provincial, and municipal levels of government. A total of 25 Members of Parliament (MPs) representing Toronto sit in the House of Commons of Canada in Ottawa (the federal capital), and another 25 Members of Ontario's Provincial Parliament (MPPs) sit in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at Queen's Park, in Toronto. Being Ontario's capital, many provincial offices are located in the city.

Contents

Overview

In terms of electoral politics, Toronto had been an important source of support for the federal Liberal Party of Canada and the provincial Ontario Liberal Party although the downtown area tends to support the New Democratic Party (NDP). The federal Conservative Party and the provincial Progressive Conservative Party have historically been weaker in the city, but some right-leaning Liberals come from Toronto ridings.

In the past, the Liberals usually dominated the inner portions of the city federally, and the outer portions were split between the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. However, the Liberals swept every seat in Toronto from 1993 to 2004, when former city councillor and NDP leader Jack Layton won a downtown riding. The NDP won two more seats in 2006 but lost one in 2008. In the 2011 federal election, Toronto sent nine Conservative MPs to Ottawa, eight NDP MPs, and six Liberal MPs, the first time that a centre-right party had won seats in Toronto since 1988. However, in 2015, the Liberals swept every seat in Toronto.

Large parts of Toronto, mainly its outer portions, supported the right-wing government of Mike Harris during the 1995 and 1999 Ontario elections. However, largely as a result of amalgamating Metro Toronto municipalities against the wishes of three quarters of voters in a municipal plebiscite, as well as of the downloading of responsibility for costly services onto the city, the Conservatives were shut of Toronto in provincial elections from 2003 to 2013, when they won a byelection.

The businessman and politician Mel Lastman was the first mayor of the newly-amalgamated City of Toronto and the 62nd mayor of Toronto after he won the 1997 and was re-elected in 2000. [1] The centre-leftist David Miller was elected as Toronto's 63rd mayor in December 2003 and was re-elected in November 2006 with nearly 60% of the popular vote with a mandate to make Toronto a city of prosperity, livability, and opportunity for all. [2] Miller declined to run in the following election and a conservative ally, Rob Ford, won the 2010 election handily. Three years later, however, Ford's tumultuous reign and admission to smoking crack, as well as other indiscretions that attracted unwanted international media attention, led City Council to remove many of his powers and much of his office's budget. In the following election, Ford was forced to drop out because of treatment for pleomorphic liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer. [3] The mayoral election was won by John Tory, a lawyer and a former a talk show host, businessman, Member of Provincial Parliament, and Leader of the Official Opposition at Queen's Park. Among Tory's top priorities are tackling transit and traffic congestion. [4]

The Stronger City of Toronto for a Stronger Ontario Act, 2006 (Bill 53) was enacted by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on June 12, 2006. [5] The provincial law changed the city's legal powers and responsibilities. [6]

Members of Parliament

Toronto is represented by 25 MPs.

Members by riding

RidingPicNamePartyPrior ExperienceEducationAssumed OfficeBorn In
Beaches—East York Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Lawyer Queen's University (BA; JD)

University of Oxford (BCL)

20151984
Davenport Julie Dzerowicz LiberalDirector of Strategic Planning and Communications at the Bank of Montreal McGill University (B.Comm.)

University of British Columbia (MBA)

London Business School

2015
Don Valley East Michael Coteau LiberalEducator & Businessman Carleton University 20211972
Don Valley West Rob Oliphant Liberal United Church minister

CEO of the Asthma Society of Canada

University of Toronto (B.Comm)
Vancouver School of Theology (M.Div.)
Chicago Theological Seminary (D.Min.)
20151956
Don Valley North Han Dong (politician) LiberalBusinessman20191977
Eglinton—Lawrence Marco Mendicino LiberalLawyer

Adjunct Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School

Carleton University (BA)

University of Windsor (LL.B.)

20151973
Etobicoke Centre Yvan Baker LiberalManagement Consultant Schulich School of Business (BBA)

Tuck School of Business (MBA)

20191977
Etobicoke—Lakeshore James Maloney LiberalLawyer Bishop's University (BA)

University of Windsor (LL.B.)

University of Wales (BCL)

2015
Etobicoke North Kirsty Duncan in 2019 (cropped).jpg Kirsty Duncan Liberal Ontario Medical Association University of Edinburgh (PhD)20081966
Humber River—Black Creek Judy Sgro.jpg Judy Sgro LiberalNorth York City Council
Toronto City Council
Toronto Police Services Board
University of Toronto (BA, JD)19991944
Parkdale—High Park Arif Virani LiberalLawyer McGill University (BA)20151971
Scarborough—Agincourt Jean Yip Liberal2017
Scarborough Centre Salma Zahid Liberal University of London (Masters of Educational Management and Administration)

Quaid-i-Azam University (MBA)

20111966
Scarborough-Guildwood Hon. John McKay MP.jpg John McKay Liberal Canadian Bar Association University of Toronto (BA)19971948
Scarborough North Shaun Chen Liberal20151980
Scarborough—Rouge Park Gary Anandasangaree LiberalReal Estate Broker and Lawyer Carleton University (BA) and Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.B.)2015
Scarborough Southwest Bill Blair LiberalToronto Police Chief University of Toronto 20151954
Spadina—Fort York Kevin Vuong Independent2021
Toronto Centre Marci Ien LiberalMedia Personality Ryerson University (BA)20211968
Toronto—Danforth Julie Dabrusin LiberalLawyer20151971
Toronto—St. Paul's Don Stewart Conservative Financial Professional Queen's University (MBA)2024Unknown
University—Rosedale Chrystia Freeland Liberal Ontario Medical Association Harvard University 20151968
Willowdale Ali Ehsassi LiberalLawyer, International Law
Executive of the Ontario Bar Association
University of Toronto (BA)
London School of Economics (M.Sc)
Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.B)
Georgetown University (LL.M)
20151970
York Centre Ya'ara Saks Liberalformer director of Trauma Practice for Healthy Communities McGill University Hebrew University of Jerusalem 20201973
York South—Weston Ahmed Hussen LiberalNational President of the Canadian Somali Congress York University
University of Ottawa
20151976

Members of Provincial Parliament

Toronto is represented by 25 MPPs.

Members by riding

RidingNamePartyPrior ExperienceEducationAssumed OfficeBorn In
Beaches—East York Rima Berns-McGown NDP Author

Researcher

Professor at University of Toronto

Johns Hopkins University (MA)

Aberystwyth University (PhD)

2018
Davenport Marit Stiles NDPNon-profit director

Trustee for the Toronto District School Board

President of the federal New Democratic Party

20181969
Don Valley East Michael Coteau Liberal Toronto Board of Education Carleton University (BA)20141965
Don Valley West Kathleen Wynne.JPG Kathleen Wynne LiberalToronto Board of Education Queen's University (BA)

University of Toronto (MA)

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (M.Ed.)

20031953
Don Valley North Vincent Ke Progressive Conservative Electrical Engineer2018
Eglinton—Lawrence Robin Martin Progressive ConservativeLawyerUniversity of Guelph (B.Comm)2018
Etobicoke Centre Kinga Surma Progressive Conservative Toronto City Council 2018
Etobicoke—Lakeshore Christine Hogarth Progressive ConservativeChief of Staff to John Tory

Director of Events for the Toronto Board of Trade

Government Relations Manager for the Canadian Automobile Association

Lake Superior State University (BSc)2018
Etobicoke North Doug Ford in Toronto - 2018 (41065995960) (cropped).jpg Doug Ford Progressive ConservativeToronto City Council20181964
Humber River—Black Creek Tom Rakocevic NDPExecutive Assistant to Anthony Perruzza 2018
Parkdale—High Park Bhutila Karpoche at All Candidates Meeting.jpg Bhutila Karpoche NDP Epidemiologist

Public Health Researcher

Executive Assistant to Cheri DiNovo

University of British Columbia (BSc)

University of Toronto (MPH)

Ryerson

University (PhD candidate)

2018
Scarborough—Agincourt Aris Babikian Progressive ConservativeCitizenship Judge2018
Scarborough Centre Christina Mitas Progressive Conservative2018
Scarborough—Guildwood Mitzie Hunter LiberalCEO of Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance
CAO of Toronto Community Housing

Vice-President of Goodwill Industries (Toronto)

University of Toronto (BA)

Rotman School of Management (MBA)

20131968
Scarborough North Raymond Cho Progressive ConservativeSocial Worker

Toronto City Council

Chairman of the Toronto Zoo

University of Toronto (MSW, PhD)20161936
Scarborough—Rouge Park Vijay Thanigasalam Progressive ConservativeFinancial Advisor20181989
Scarborough Southwest Doly Begum NDPCo-Chair of the Scarborough Health Coalition

Vice-Chair of Warden Woods Community Centre

Research Analyst

University of Toronto (BA)

University College London (Master of Development, Administration & Planning)

20181989
Spadina—Fort York Chris Glover NDPAdjunct Professor at York University 20181961
Toronto Centre Suze Morrison NDPCommunications Consultant

Public Relations

University of Guelph (B.A.A.)2018
Toronto—Danforth Peter Tabuns.jpg Peter Tabuns NDPToronto City Council York University (BA)20061951
Toronto—St. Paul's Jill Andrew NDPPublic Speaker

Activist

Owner of Glad Day Bookshop

2018
University—Rosedale Jessica Bell NDPCommunity Organizer

Lecturer at Ryerson University

Director of the California Food & Justice Coalition

Activist

Executive Director of TTCriders

2018
Willowdale Stan Cho Progressive ConservativeReal Estate broker

Auditor

2018
York Centre Roman Baber Progressive ConservativeCivil and commercial litigation lawyer York University (BA)

University of Western Ontario (LL.B.)

2018
York South—Weston Faisal Hassan NDPBroadcaster

Author

2018

See also

References

  1. Biography - Mel Lastman http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=3f274df130113410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=2ad8dddc97703410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
  2. Biography - David Miller http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=1a764df130113410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextfmt=default&vgnextchannel=2ad8dddc97703410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
  3. Pelley, Lauren (September 17, 2014). "Rob Ford's diagnosis: What is a pleomorphic liposarcoma?". Toronto Star. thestar.com. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  4. Mayor's biography http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=947332d0b6d1e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD Archived 2016-03-22 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Text of the act
  6. Background on the City of Toronto Act