Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2000
The Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2000 was held in the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on November 13, 2000. All municipal elections in the province of Ontario are held on the same date.
The election chose the mayor and city councillors who would sit on the new Greater Sudbury City Council from 2000 to 2003, as well as trustees for the four school boards (Rainbow District School Board, Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Grand Nord de l'Ontario and Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario) that serve the city.
Issues
The city of Greater Sudbury, in its current form, did not yet exist on the election date, but was legislated to come into effect on January 1, 2001. On the election date, the former government structure of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury and its seven constituent municipalities was still in place. The election, however, was held to choose the new city council.
The municipal amalgamation was controversial and unpopular, especially in the suburban municipalities. Virtually all of the municipal councils had only nominal authority over their own affairs throughout the year, as much of their power was transferred to the appointed transition board — consisting of Jim Ashcroft, Ron MacDonald, George Lund, Jim Griffin, Maurice Lamoureux, Gaetan Doucet and Terry Lee — which was overseeing the amalgamation.[1] For example, Valley East's city council attempted in June to reduce its property taxes due to a budget surplus, but was overruled by the board as the council had lost its authority to adjust taxes during the transition period.[2] The transition board also had sole authority over issues such as staffing decisions,[3] user fees for municipal services,[4] the possible closure of some public library branches, the structure and status of Greater Sudbury Utilities,[5] and the new city's organizational structure, budget and tax assessment rates for 2001.[1] Its operations throughout the year were frequently criticized as secretive and undemocratic,[6] with some critics, including the Canadian Union of Public Employees, alleging that the board was preparing a sweeping privatization plan.[7] Lamoureux, a former mayor of the preamalgamation city of Sudbury, also faced some controversy when he resigned from the transition board to register as a candidate for city council.
By election day, the transition board claimed that it had identified $13.8 million in savings as a result of the amalgamation process.[8]
Election and inauguration
With many incumbent councillors from all of the old municipalities running for a vastly reduced number of seats on the new amalgamated city council, many respected longtime councillors went down to defeat.[9] Losses included longtime Sudbury councillors Ricardo de la Riva and Jim Ilnitski, Walden mayor Dick Johnstone, and Nickel Centre councillor Russ Thompson.[9]
The new council was nominally sworn in on December 9, 2000, at the same time as in other Ontario municipalities;[10] however, this was purely ceremonial and the council was unable to conduct any city business until the transition board's political authority was transferred back to them on January 1, 2001.[10]
Mayoral race
The winner of the mayoral race was Jim Gordon, the long-serving mayor of the former city of Sudbury. Gordon did not face serious opposition, and secured over 80 per cent of the vote.
| Candidate | Total votes | % of total votes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Gordon | 44,220 | 81.0 | |
| Mary Fournier Pagnutti | 3,923 | 7.2 | |
| Rick Doyon | 3,668 | 6.7 | |
| Carl St. John | 1,955 | 3.6 | |
| Ed Pokonzie | 472 | 0.9 | |
| David Popescu | 339 | 0.6 |
Council races
Ward 1
Two to be elected.
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Eldon Gainer | 4,245 | 26.9 |
| Gerry McIntaggart | 3,543 | 22.5 |
| Vicki Kett | 2,858 | 18.1 |
| Dick Johnstone | 2,371 | 15.0 |
| Joe Cimino | 1,998 | 12.7 |
| Jim Chénier | 745 | 4.7 |
| Total valid votes | 15,759 |
Ward 2
Two to be elected.
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Lalonde | 5,257 | 31.7 |
| Ron Bradley | 4,126 | 24.9 |
| Claude Berthiaume | 3,388 | 20.4 |
| Jim Ilnitski | 2,618 | 15.8 |
| Bill Hedderson | 1,186 | 7.2 |
| Total valid votes | 16,575 |
Ward 3
Two to be elected.
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Dupuis | 2,907 | 19.8 |
| Louise Portelance | 2,617 | 17.8 |
| André Rivest | 2,340 | 15.9 |
| Joe Niceforo | 1,916 | 13.0 |
| Maurice Lamoureux | 1,395 | 9.5 |
| Marc Landry | 1,011 | 6.9 |
| Roger Trottier | 1,000 | 6.8 |
| Leonard Zivny | 913 | 6.2 |
| Nicky Doyon | 585 | 4.0 |
| Total valid votes | 14,684 |
Ward 4
Two to be elected.
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Ted Callaghan | 4,213 | 32.8 |
| Dave Kilgour | 4,066 | 31.7 |
| Russ Thompson | 3,022 | 23.5 |
| Rachel Proulx | 1,540 | 12.0 |
| Total valid votes | 12,841 |
Ward 5
Two to be elected.
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Doug Craig | 5,599 | 35.4 |
| Austin Davey | 3,386 | 21.4 |
| Mila Wong | 2,958 | 18.7 |
| Peter McMullen | 2,956 | 18.7 |
| Marvin Julian | 896 | 5.7 |
| Total valid votes | 15,795 |
Ward 6
Two to be elected.
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| David Courtemanche | 4,357 | 28.6 |
| Mike Petryna | 3,329 | 21.9 |
| Janet Gasparini | 2,939 | 19.3 |
| Ricardo de la Riva | 2,494 | 16.4 |
| Claire Pilon | 1,460 | 9.6 |
| Ernie Savard | 636 | 4.2 |
| Total votes | 15,215 | 100.00 |
School trustees
| Candidate | Total votes | % of total votes |
|---|---|---|
| Gord Santala | 2,349 | 46.09 |
| (x)Muiriel MacLeod | 2,150 | 42.18 |
| Stephen L. Butcher | 598 | 11.73 |
| Total valid votes | 5,097 | 100.00 |
References
- 1 2 "Transition selections good ones". Sudbury Star, January 30, 2000.
- ↑ "Year in Review: Transition board busy in June". Sudbury Star, December 28, 2000.
- ↑ "Two key managers picked for new city". Sudbury Star, September 20, 2000.
- ↑ "Transition board to reconsider ice-time fees". Sudbury Star, May 16, 2000.
- ↑ "Transition board has to decide whether to pull the plug on hydro: Decision comes Tuesday". Sudbury Star, July 22, 2000.
- ↑ "Union rips transition board". Sudbury Star, April 18, 2000.
- ↑ "Union calls for public meeting: Transition board, CUPE at odds over plans for new city". Sudbury Star, August 19, 2000.
- ↑ "Transition board finds $13.8-M in savings". Sudbury Star, November 11, 2000.
- 1 2 "Lots of upsets in ward races: De la Riva, Ilnitski among 8 incumbents who lost last night"]. Sudbury Star, November 14, 2000.
- 1 2 "Council set to take reins of City of Greater Sudbury". Sudbury Star, December 9, 2000.