Michael C. Feldman (December 29, 1927 – May 10, 2023) was a Canadian politician in Toronto, Ontario. He was a municipal councillor from 1992 to 2010, and served as deputy mayor from 2003 to 2006.

Mike Feldman
Feldman in 2003
City Councillor for Ward 10 (York Centre)
In office
2000–2010
Preceded byNew ward
Succeeded byJames Pasternak
Deputy Mayor of Toronto
In office
2003–2006
Preceded byCase Ootes
Succeeded byJoe Pantalone
City Councillor for Ward 8 - North York Spadina
In office
1998–2000
Serving with Howard Moscoe
Preceded byNew ward
Succeeded byWard abolished
North York Councillor for Ward 7
In office
1992–1997
Preceded byIrv Chapley
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Personal details
Born(1927-12-29)December 29, 1927
DiedMay 10, 2023(2023-05-10) (aged 95)
SpouseSue
Children3
OccupationBusinessman

Background

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Before entering municipal politics, Feldman was a businessman who founded Teela Data Management, a company specializing in real estate information, which was sold to Moore Corporation Ltd. in 1982. He retired from business in 1988.

Feldman served as president of the Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue and of the Ontario Region of the United Synagogue of America, the central organization of synagogues in Conservative Judaism. He was active with the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews.

Feldman and his wife, Sue, had three children. He died on May 10, 2023, at the age of 95.[1]

Politics

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Feldman was elected in 1992 in a by-election to North York council to replace longtime councillor Irv Chapley who had died in office early in the year.[2] In addition to his job as a municipal councillor, he served as chair of the Metro Housing Development Corporation, a public housing agency serving the second-tier municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. In 1997 he was elected to the newly amalgamated Toronto City Council.

Feldman was a longtime supporter of Mel Lastman, the generally conservative mayor first of North York, then of the merged Toronto until 2003. In that year's municipal election, Feldman supported John Tory, a moderate conservative, for mayor. When David Miller, a social democrat, was elected, one of his first appointments was to name Feldman one of his three Deputy Mayors, jointly with Joe Pantalone and Sandra Bussin.

Along with the appointment of fellow councillor David Soknacki as budget chief, Feldman’s appointment was seen as a key outreach to conservatives on the new mayor’s part. The left-wing alternative weekly newspaper ‘’Now‘’ magazine wrote that “Miller has long respected Feldman’s financial acumen and his commitment to neighbourhood issues. The retired business executive is a straight-shooting conservative who can get along with both sides at council and give North York a high-profile voice at City Hall.”[3]

After the 2006 election, Miller appointed a single deputy mayor, Pantalone. In 2009, Feldman joined the Responsible Government Group, a conservative caucus seen as an unofficial opposition to Miller and the centre-left majority of council.

Electoral history

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2006 Toronto municipal election: Councillor, Ward Ten
Candidate Votes %
Mike Feldman (incumbent) 6,527 51.95
Igor Toutchinski 1,940 15.44
Magda Berkovits 1,586 12.62
Max Royz 1,106 8.80
Robert Freedland 561 4.47
Craig Smith 440 3.50
Alex Dumalag 404 3.22
Total valid votes 12,564 100.00
2003 Toronto municipal election: Councillor, Ward Ten
Candidate Votes %
Mike Feldman (incumbent) 9,962 73.84
Lorne Berg 3,530 26.16
Total valid votes 13,492 100.00
2000 Toronto municipal election: Councillor, Ward Ten
Candidate Votes %
Mike Feldman (incumbent) 12,221 81.98
Lorne Berg 2,687 18.02
Total valid votes 14,908 100.00
1997 Toronto municipal election: Councillor, Ward Eight (two members elected)
Candidate Votes %
(x)Howard Moscoe 16,187 35.74
(x)Mike Feldman 14,737 32.54
Frank Di Giorgio 11,487 25.36
Henry Braverman 1,572 3.47
Nickeisha Hudson 923 2.04
Roy Dzeko 383 0.85
Total valid votes 45,289 100.00

References

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  1. ^ "Michael C. Feldman". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 20, 2023 – via Legacy.com.
  2. ^ Gombu, Phinjo (October 16, 1992). "North York by-election puts activist on council". Toronto Star. p. A6.
  3. ^ Now magazine 27 November 2003 Archived 12 January 2005 at the Wayback Machine