1980 Toronto municipal election

The 1980 Toronto municipal election was held on November 10, 1980 in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mayors, controllers, city councillors and school board trustees were elected in the municipalities of Toronto, York, East York, North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough.

1980 Toronto mayoral election

← 1978 November 10, 1980 1982 →
Turnout44.9%[1]
 
Candidate Art Eggleton John Sewell
Popular vote 87,919 86,152
Percentage 47.8% 46.9%

Mayor of Toronto before election

John Sewell

Elected Mayor of Toronto

Art Eggleton

Art Eggleton narrowly defeated incumbent John Sewell to become Mayor of Toronto, and Mel Lastman was re-elected as Mayor of North York.

Toronto edit

Mayoral race edit

In the 1978 election reform candidate John Sewell had won against two more conservative candidates. In 1980 election the right united around Art Eggleton, and he narrowly defeated Sewell.

Eggleton carried eight of the city's eleven wards, dominating in the west end, and prevailing in North Toronto and the east end by narrower margins. While Sewell increased his vote in every ward, he only carried three wards in the heart of the city: midtown's ward 5 (which included the city's Annex district), the downtown core (ward 6) and ward 7, which he had previously represented as an alderman.[2]

Results
Art Eggleton - 87,919
John Sewell - 86,152
Anne McBride - 3,429
Bob Bush - 2,141
Fred Dunn - 1,100
Armand Siksna - 867
Ronald Rodgers - 846
Chris Faiers - 590
Andrejs Murnieks - 571

City council edit

 
Ward boundaries used in the 1980 election

City council saw a handful of major upsets and was considered to have been moved to the right by the election as in addition to losing the mayoralty reformers lost their majority on council. The most notable upset was in the downtown Ward 6. Incumbent Allan Sparrow had stepped aside to allow George Hislop to run, in the belief that the large gay community in the ward deserved a representative on council. Hislop was one of the leading gay rights activists in the city, and his campaign was vigorously opposed by figures such as evangelist Ken Campbell. In a surprise upset Hislop lost to little known local dentist Gordon Chong.

Elsewhere the left won important victories. Tom Wardle Jr., who had been involved in several controversies including an assault conviction, was defeated by former councillor Dorothy Thomas. After four failed attempts Joe Pantalone won a seat on council by capturing the one vacated by Eggleton.

Top two from each ward elected to Toronto City Council. Top one from each ward also wins a seat on Metro Toronto council.

Ward 1 (Swansea and Bloor West Village)
William Boytchuk (incumbent) - 9,415
David White (incumbent) - 8,345
Bill Roberts - 5,785
Brynne Teal - 4,267
Nick Gulycz - 1,143
Yvette Tessier - 742
Michael Horner - 636
Ward 2 (Parkdale and Brockton)
Tony Ruprecht (incumbent) - 9,447
Ben Grys - 4,923
Susan Atkinson - 4,907
Elaine Ziemba - 4,137
Elaine Taylor - 684
John Lauter - 620
Ward 3 (Davenport and Corso Italia)
Joseph Piccininni (incumbent) - 7,509
Richard Gilbert (incumbent) - 7,363
Edward Gardner - 1,246
Mark Llewellyn - 689
Ward 4 (Trinity-Bellwoods and Little Italy)
Tony O'Donohue (incumbent) - 5,005
Joe Pantalone - 3,898
Tony Ianno - 3,362
Bill Moniz - 2,898
Barbara Hurd - 2,279
Nick Figliano - 704
Anthony Russo - 206
Ward 5 (The Annex and Yorkville)
1980 Toronto municipal election: Toronto City Councillor, Ward Five (two members elected)
Candidate Votes %
(x)Ying Hope 9,926 37.07
Ron Kanter 6,409 23.93
Menno Verster 5,777 21.57
David Scott 3,218 12.02
Jimmy Kabitsis 912 3.41
Vincent Corriero 537 2.01
Total valid votes 26,779 100.00

146 out of 148 polls reporting.

Ward 6 (Financial District, Toronto - University of Toronto)
Gordon Chong - 9,522
Dan Heap (incumbent) - 9,341
George Hislop - 7,348
Rose Smith - 2,959
Fred Chappell - 1,339
Darryl Randall - 659
Gary Weagle - 505
Ward 7 (Regent Park and Riverdale)
Gordon Cressy (incumbent) - 12,579
David Reville - 9,066
Frank Dwyer - 3,748
Thelma Forsyth - 2,632
Ward 8 (Riverdale)
Fred Beavis (incumbent) - 9,172
Thomas Clifford (incumbent) - 7,941
Jeanne McGuire - 1,433
James McMillan - 1,264
John Coutts - 550
Ward 9 (The Beaches)
Pat Sheppard (incumbent) - 10,236
Dorothy Thomas - 7,886
John Oliver - 6,102
Bob Yaccato - 5,321
Tom Wardle Jr. (incumbent) - 3,206
Winona Gallop - 915
Ward 10 (Rosedale and North Toronto)
June Rowlands (incumbent) - 17,551
Andrew Paton (incumbent) - 15,201
Patricia Bolton - 2,678
Craig Roberts - 2,367
Ward 11 (Forest Hill and North Toronto)
Anne Johnston (incumbent) - 15,168
Michael Gee (incumbent) - 13,410
Kay Gardner - 6,700
Susan Diamond - 1,447

Results are taken from the November 11, 1980 Toronto Star and might not exactly match final tallies.

By-elections edit

Ward 2 Alderman Tony Ruprecht resigned to contest the 1981 provincial election. Ben Grys was appointed Metro Councillor on April 9. A by-election was held on May 25, 1981:

Chris Korwin-Kuczynski - 4,074
Irene Atkinson - 3,496
Susan Atkinson - 3,425
Bill McGinnis
Timmy Talpa
Henry Orgasinksi
Martin Amber

Ward 6 Alderman Dan Heap resigned having won a Federal by-election for Spadina on 17 August 1981. A by-election was held on October 19, 1981:

John Sewell - 7,278
Gus Young - 1,741
John Curtin - 628
Stanley Anderson - 599
Jay Saint - 181
Jaroslawa Baczkowska - 166
Martin Amber - 130
Jimmy Talpa - 34
Gary Weagle - 45

East York edit

Alan Redway won his third term in office as mayor. All the incumbent councillors were re-elected. The only newcomer to council was Mike Wyatt in ward two.[3]

† denotes incumbent from previous council

Mayor edit

Council edit

Two to be elected from each ward

Ward 1
  • †Dave Johnson - 5,530
  • †Cy Reader - 4,994
  • Edward Shaw - 1,403
Ward 2
  • †Norm Crone - 3,703
  • Mike Wyatt - 2,230
  • George Vasilopoulos - 2,079
  • Joe Tropiano - 1,674
Ward 3
  • †Gordon Crann - Acclaimed
  • †Ken Paige - Acclaimed
Ward 4
  • †Peter Oyler - 3,947
  • †Herbert McGroarty - 3,001
  • Edna Beange - 2,752

Board of education edit

Two to be elected from each ward

Ward 1
  • †Gord Brown - 4,453
  • †Ruth Goldhar - 3,135
  • Bruce Porter - 1,856
Ward 2
  • †James Palmer - 2,901
  • †Kenneth Maxted - 2,441
  • Fred Jackson - 1,088
  • Chad Dakin - 900
Ward 3
  • †Margaret Hazelton - 2,645
  • †William Phillips - 2,603
  • Len Self - 1,929
Ward 4
  • Michael Globe - Acclaimed
  • Steven Overgard - Acclaimed

Hydro Commission edit

Two to be elected

  • †Jack Christie - 13,780
  • Frank Johnson - 10,036
  • †Al Morgan - 7,569

Etobicoke edit

Mayor edit

(762 out of 833 polls)

(Source: Globe and Mail, 11 Nov 1980, pg 12)

Board of Control edit

Four to be elected

  • †Winfield (Bill) Stockwell - 45,580
  • Bruce Sinclair - 35,074
  • Dick O'Brien - 29,916
  • David Lacey - 28,750
  • †Nora Pownall - 27,211
  • Bob Wigmore - 13,032
  • Roz McKenna - 12,270
  • Greta McNabney - 9,095

(762 out of 833 polls)

(Source: Globe and Mail, 11 Nov 1980, pg 12)

North York edit

Mayor edit

(1257 of 1379 polls)

Board of Control edit

(1257 of 1379 polls)

City Council edit

1980 Toronto municipal election: North York Councillor, Ward Four
Candidate Votes %
(x)Howard Moscoe 4,320 66.99
Cary Fox 1,247 19.34
Gus Cusimano 882 13.68
Total valid votes 6,449 100.00

75 out of 78 polls reporting.

Mario Gentile was re-elected as Ward 2 councillor.

  • Cary Fox was an insurance agent, who called for a crackdown on vandalism and accused Howard Moscoe of seeking the media spotlight too often.[4]
  • Gus Cusimano was a perennial candidate for municipal office in North York. He sought election to the North York City Council in the 1974, 1976, 1978 and 1980 elections, losing each time. Cusimano was eighteen years old during his first campaign.[5] He is an insurance agent, and accused Moscoe of seeking the media spotlight too often in the 1980.[4] A 1987 newspaper article identifies him as president of City-Wide Insurance Ltd., Willowdale.[6] As of 2006, he is president of Petek Insurance.[7]

Scarborough edit

In Scarborough, Gus Harris retained his role as Mayor Scarborough. All Board of Control members were re-elected except Frank Faubert. All incumbent aldermen were returned to office.[8] Faubert was returned to office in a by-election as alderman for Ward 5 when Alan Robinson was elected to provincial office in the 1981 Ontario election.[9]

Mayor edit

(incumbent)Gus Harris - 47,440
John Wimbs - 30,718
Frank Visconti - 4,687

(1103 out of 1110 polls)

Board of Control edit

(incumbent)Brian Harrison - 48,933
Ken Morrish - 41,169
(incumbent)Carol Ruddell - 40,637
(incumbent)Joyce Trimmer - 40,564
(incumbent)Frank Faubert - 40,386
Bob Watson - 22,124
John MacMillan - 16,782

(1103 out of 1110 polls)

Borough Aldermen edit

Ward 1
Bill Belfontaine (incumbent)
Ward 2
Barry Christensen
Ward 3
David Dinkworth
Ward 4
Jack Goodlad (acclaimed)
Ward 5
Alan Robinson (incumbent), Frank Faubert after May 25, 1981
Ward 6
Florence Cruikshank
Ward 7
Ed Fulton (incumbent)
Ward 8
Shirley Eidt (incumbent)
Ward 9
Doug Colling (incumbent)
Ward 10
Maureen Prinsloo (incumbent)
Ward 11
Ron Watson
Ward 12
Joe Dekort (incumbent)

York edit

In the borough of York, Gayle Christie was re-elected for a second term as Mayor defeating Alan Tonks by a wide margin.

The five aldermen who ran again were re-elected. Tony Mandarano and James Trimbee were the only new members of York Council.[3][10]

Mayor edit

(incumbent)Gayle Christie 21,470
Alan Tonks 13,674

Board of Control (2 elected) edit

(incumbent)Fergy Brown 19,489
Philip White 17,165
Harriet Wolman 12,834

Council edit

Ward 1
Ben Nobleman 1,870
Michael Colle 1,108
Jay Bell 529
Dan Goldberg 329
A.E. Stollard 213
Ward 2
Tony Mandarano 2,199
Gord Garland 1,045
Ward 3
Ron Bradd 2,108
Tony Rizzo 1,448
Ward 4
Patrick Canavan 1,426
Gary D'Onofrio 1,074
Ward 5
Chris Tonks (acclaimed)
Ward 6
James Trimbee 3,506
Robert MacPherson 2,014
Ward 7
John Nunziata 4,547
Marvin Gordon 743
Frank Ruffolo 621
Vince DeNardo 158

References edit

  1. ^ Page A7. (1991, Nov 21). Toronto Star (1971-2009)
  2. ^ John Sewell, How We Changed Toronto: The Inside Story of Twelve Creative, Tumultuous Years in Civic Life Toronto: Lorimer, 2015
  3. ^ a b "Civic Elections '80". The Toronto Star. November 11, 1980. pp. A12–A13.
  4. ^ a b Marina Strauss, "Hopefuls want end to chaos in North York", Globe and Mail, 30 October 1980, P4.
  5. ^ "The candidates", Toronto Star, 28 November 1974, A20.
  6. ^ George Brett, "Sorting out your insurance options", Toronto Star, 3 February 1987, G8.
  7. ^ Dave Sansom, Candidate for Regional Councillor (Whitby) Archived 2006-11-24 at archive.today, accessed 20 October 2006. Cusimano endorsed Sansom's candidacy.
  8. ^ "Scarboro returns old faces". The Globe and Mail. November 11, 1980. p. 13.
  9. ^ Baker, Alden (May 26, 1981). "Faubert wins Scarborough seat". The Globe and Mail. p. 4.
  10. ^ "'I'm no fluke' says re-elected Christie". The Toronto Star. November 11, 1980. p. A14.