Toronto municipal election, 1969

Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on December 1, 1969. Across Metro Toronto there were few surprising results, and city of Toronto incumbent mayor William Dennison was easily re-elected. The one dramatic exception to this was on Toronto city council, where a number of long-standing members lost to young new arrivals who shared a common vision of opposition to the megaprojects that had transformed Toronto throughout the post-war period. While the reform movement candidate for mayor lost, it gained a strong presence on city council. The 1970s reform faction dominated Toronto politics for the next decade.

Toronto mayoral race

The NDP chose not to enter an official mayoral candidate, but tacitly endorsed incumbent William Dennison, who ran as an independent but had been active in the New Democratic Party, and its predecessor the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, for many decades previously. The Liberals nominated University of Toronto professor Stephen Clarkson as their candidate. The third candidate was city controller Margaret Campbell. A Progressive Conservative, she ran on an explicitly reform platform.

One important issue in the race was the future of Metro Toronto, with Dennison pushing strongly for amalgamation of Metro into a single city. This initiative was opposed by the Progressive Conservative provincial government. During the election a non-binding referendum was held in the city, and found overwhelming support for amalgamation. There was also debate over whether Metro should continue to grow to incorporate the newly formed suburbs to the north in Markham and Thornhill.

Two of the most important issues was over the continuation of the urban renewal plans that had reshaped to Toronto in the 1950s and 1960s. Campbell staunchly opposed the Spadina Expressway and the further demolition of neighbourhoods to build apartment towers. Clarkson also opposed the expressway, but argued the city was giving up federal funding by abandoning the clearances program and that areas like Kensington Market and Trefann Court should be redeveloped.

Results: William Dennison - 65,988; Margaret Campbell - 52,742; Stephen Clarkson (Civic Liberal) - 31,889; John Riddell (League for Socialist Action) - 2,363

Toronto city council

Ward boundaries used in the 1969 election

With this election, there were three important changes in how Toronto was governed. The Board of Control was abolished, replaced by an executive committee of city council. Political parties were introduced into municipal politics, with both the Liberals and New Democrats running slates. The Progressive Conservatives chose not to run as an organized slate, despite its supporters having a majority of seats on the council prior to the election. The locally based Civic Action Party (CIVAC) also organized for the election. Founded by Ryerson professor David Crombie, it was a loose coalition of moderate reform minded candidates. The Trotskyist League for Socialist Action also ran candidates as a party. Thirdly, the ward map was redrawn with two new wards and the replacement of strip wards with had extended from the northern limits of the city to the lake with block wards with Bloor Street as a border. Under the previous boundaries wealthier neighbourhoods that tended to be north of Bloor were in the same wards as poorer neighbourhoods south of Bloor which usually resulted in alderman being elected from richer neighbourhoods with higher turnout. As a result of the new boundaries, more affluent neighbourhoods north of Bloor were separated from what were normally poorer neighbourhoods south of Bloor and that, as a result, the new wards south of Bloor were more likely to elect alderman who represented the interests of poorer working class residents. The change occurred as a result of demands by social activists who went to the Ontario Municipal Board demanding a "block ward" system. As a result, the 1969 election saw several "reform" aldermen being elected, including John Sewell and Karl Jaffary in the new Ward 7 which had been carved out of the old Ward 2. Mayor Dennison commented that "They never would have been elected in Ward 2".^[1]

In the Toronto election, 22 aldermen were elected from 11 wards, with the two highest vote-getters in each ward being elected. The top vote-getter in each ward also won a seat on Metro Council. The election was a disaster for the Liberals: Clarkson finished a distant third, and only two members were elected to city council. Most successful of the parties was CIVAC, who won five seats. Three New Democrats were elected, and the rest of the winning candidates had run as independents.

The most striking change was the defeat of six incumbent, Tory, pro-development councillors by reform candidates. Michael Grayson, Oscar Sigsworth, Harold Menzies, Helen Johnston, Ken Dear, and Alice Summerville were defeated. Four other aldermen had retired prior to the election, and the new council contained ten new members. New arrivals included David Crombie, John Sewell, and Art Eggleton.

A loose coalition was formed that controlled 11 of the 22 council seats, but there were sharp divisions between the left members such as Sewell and Jaffary and more right-wing members such as Hope and O'Donahue. The coalition soon broke down. O'Donohue, Rotenberg, Eggleton sided more often with the Old Guard pro-development faction leaving only seven members who consistently opposed urban renewal plans.^[2]

The top two from each ward were elected to Toronto City Council. The top candidate from each ward also won a seat on Metro Toronto council.

Ward 1 (Swansea and Bloor West Village): Ben Grys (incumbent)- 9,031; William Boytchuk - 4,544; Frank Paznar - 3,895; William Zock (NDP) - 2,861; Reta Hirons (NDP) - 2,069; Robert Karfell (Liberal) - 1,245; Harry Bradley - 800

Ward 2 (Parkdale and Brockton): Allan Lamport (incumbent) - 5,817; Archie Chisholm (NDP) - 4,412; Kenneth Dear (incumbent) - 3,526; Michael Comar (Liberal)- 1,670; Robert Grossi - 1,345; Nino De Costa (Liberal)- 1,116; Michael Kaschuck - 677; Harry Stone (League for Socialist Action)- 405

Ward 3 (Davenport and Corso Italia): Hugh Bruce (Liberal, incumbent) - 5,131; Joseph Piccininni (incumbent) - 4,340; Fortunato Rao (NDP) - 1,563; Marc Llanos (NDP) - 1,007; Pamela Ward - 559; Alice Maigis - 516

Ward 4 (Trinity-Bellwoods and Little Italy): Tony O'Donohue (incumbent, CIVAC) - 4,962; Art Eggleton (CIVAC) - 2,668; Johnny Lombardi - 2,473; Vernon Kimball (NDP) - 1,083; Frank Lacka - 1,044; Jack Matraia - 609; Norman Brudy - 392; Harold Peerenboom (Liberal) - 332

Ward 5 (The Annex and Yorkville): Ying Hope (CIVAC) - 6,016; William Archer - 5,370; Harold Menzies (incumbent) - 3,916; Hugh Marchand (NDP) - 3,058; Kenneth Counsell (Liberal) - 2,679; Frank Ricciuti (Liberal) - 2,300; Ted Culp (NDP) - 768; David Astle - 574; Joan Newbigging (League for Socialist Action) - 330

Ward 6 (Financial District, Toronto - University of Toronto): June Marks (incumbent) - 4,738; Horace Brown (incumbent) - 2,810; Peter Stollery (Liberal) - 2,768; Michael Grayson (incumbent) - 2,755; John Conforzi (CIVAC) - 2,314; Helen Roedde (NDP) - 2,052; Donald Flowers (Liberal) - 977; Charles Downes - 624; Dorothy Cureatz - 301; James Sanderson - 180

Ward 7 (Regent Park and Riverdale): Karl Jaffary (NDP) - 5,433; John Sewell - 5,054; Oscar Sigsworth (incumbent) - 3,093; Michael Doran - 2,554; Sam Rotenburg - 2,515; Douglas Loney (Liberal) - 1,379; Richard Fidler (League for Socialist Action) - 418; Charles Rolfe - 324; Steve Necheff - 270

Ward 8 (Riverdale): Fred Beavis (incumbent) - 7,154; Tom Clifford - 4,158; Tony Barclay (NDP) - 3,090; Betty Knight - 2,763; Steve Arvanitis (NDP) - 2,681; Tony Calderaro (Liberal) - 990; Kenneth Swire - 331

Ward 9 (The Beaches): Tom Wardle Sr. (incumbent) - 9,178; Reid Scott (NDP) - 8,965; Alice Summerville (incumbent) - 5,697; Gerry Thompson (NDP) - 3,528; Robert Fullerton - 1,733; Don Grills (Liberal) - 1,116

Ward 10 (Rosedale and North Toronto): Paul Pickett (incumbent) - 13,700; William Kilbourn (Liberal) - 8,221; Helen Johnston (incumbent) - 5,371; Ann Tomlinson (Liberal) - 3,508; Juanna Hemsol (CIVAC) - 2,353; Eleanor O'Connor (NDP) - 1,849; Michael Harper - 962

Ward 11 (Forest Hill and North Toronto): David Rotenberg (incumbent, CIVAC) - 15, 389; David Crombie (CIVAC) - 14,036; Samuel Kellner (Liberal) - 7,512; Bernard Eastman (NDP) - 1,773; Robert MacGilchrist - 1,466; Pauline Shapero - 673

Results taken form the December 2, 1969 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

Vacancy

Ward 9 Alderman Tom Wardle Sr., elected in the 1971 Provincial Election resigned September 13, 1972 when the Provincial Government passed legislation to prohibit MPPs from holding municipal office; Reid Scott now became sole Alderman and Metro Councillor

Outside Toronto

There were few surprises in the elections outside the city of Toronto. Incumbent mayors True Davidson, Robert W. White, Edward A. Horton respectively in East York, Scarborough, and Etobicoke were reelected. Philip White won the vacant mayoralty in York and Basil H. Hall won the empty seat in North York. There were few upsets on the councils. One notable new arrival on North York council (Board of Control) was Bad Boy furniture owner Mel Lastman. Paul Godfrey is re-elected to the Board of Control and Robert Yuill was re-elected as ward alderman.

Notes

↑ http://www.connexions.org/SevenNews/Docs/Horrocks-SevenNews.htm
↑ Stoffman, Daniel. "Old Guard in Disarray." Toronto Star. December 5, 1972.

References

Beast Michael, "Party Politics Provide a Lively Life in Race for Toronto City Council" Toronto Daily Star November 29, 1969. pg 26-27
"Election Results." Toronto Daily Star December 2, 1969. pg. 8