John Nunziata: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
→External links: update dead link in parliament bio |
m →External links: recat |
||
| (38 intermediate revisions by 28 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Canadian lawyer and former politician}} |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| honorific-prefix = |
| honorific-prefix = |
||
| name = John Nunziata |
| name = John Nunziata |
||
| honorific-suffix = |
| honorific-suffix = |
||
| image = Jnphotocampaigning.jpg |
| image = Jnphotocampaigning.jpg |
||
| imagesize = |
|||
| caption = Nunziata campaigning in Toronto |
| caption = Nunziata campaigning in Toronto |
||
| riding = [[York South—Weston]] |
| riding = [[York South—Weston (federal electoral district)|York South—Weston]] |
||
| parliament = Canadian |
| parliament = Canadian |
||
| term_start = 1984 |
| term_start = September 4, 1984 |
||
| term_end = 2000 |
| term_end = November 27, 2000 |
||
| predecessor = [[Ursula Appolloni]] |
| predecessor = [[Ursula Appolloni]] |
||
| successor = [[Alan Tonks]] |
| successor = [[Alan Tonks]] |
||
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|01|04}} |
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|01|04}} |
||
| birth_place = [[Revelstoke, British Columbia]], Canada |
| birth_place = [[Revelstoke, British Columbia]], Canada |
||
| party = [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New |
| party = [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democratic]] (1979–1982)<br />[[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] (federal; 1982–1996)<br />[[Independent politician#Canada|Independent]] (1996–2000) |
||
| spouse = Caroline Brett (div., 2007)<ref name=tstar10jan2012/> |
| spouse = Caroline Brett (div., 2007)<ref name=tstar10jan2012>{{cite news |last=Tyler |first=Tracy |title=Former Liberal MP John Nunziata faces Law Society disciplinary charge |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/article/1113653 |accessdate=11 January 2012 |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=10 January 2012}}</ref> |
||
| children = 3 |
| children = 3 |
||
| residence = |
| residence = |
||
| profession = Lawyer |
| profession = Lawyer |
||
}} |
}} |
||
'''John Nunziata''' (born January 4, 1955) is a |
'''John Nunziata''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|n|ʊ|n|t|s|i|ˈ|ɑː|t|ə}} {{respell|NUUN|tsee|AH|tə}}, {{IPA|it|nunˈtsjaːta|lang}}; born January 4, 1955) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician. He first served as an Alderman in the Borough of York from 1978 to 1982. He served three terms as a Liberal MP in the [[House of Commons of Canada]] from York South-Weston and in 1997 was elected as an [[Independent politician#Canada|Independent MP]]. As of March, 2013, he was a partner in the lobbying firm The Parliamentary Group. |
||
==Background== |
==Background== |
||
Nunziata was born on January 4, 1955, in [[Revelstoke, British Columbia]]. He is the fifth of seven children of Italian immigrant parents. In April 1963, his family moved from British Columbia to [[Toronto]], Ontario where he attended grade school at Regal Road Public School and Rockcliffe Senior Public School. He attended high school at Runnymede Collegiate Institute in Toronto where he was elected President of the Student Council in 1973. He was awarded the W.E.H Cross Trophy for his leadership while at Runnymede. In 2002, he was inducted into the Runnymede Collegiate Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/runnymedeci/SchoolInfo/Alumni/WallofFame.aspx |title=Runnymede Collegiate's Wall of Fame |publisher=Toronto District School Board |date=2002}}</ref> |
Nunziata was born on January 4, 1955, in [[Revelstoke, British Columbia]]. He is the fifth of seven children of Italian immigrant parents. In April 1963, his family moved from British Columbia to [[Toronto]], Ontario where he attended grade school at Regal Road Public School and Rockcliffe Senior Public School. He attended high school at Runnymede Collegiate Institute in Toronto where he was elected President of the Student Council in 1973. He was awarded the W.E.H Cross Trophy for his leadership while at Runnymede. In 2002, he was inducted into the Runnymede Collegiate Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/runnymedeci/SchoolInfo/Alumni/WallofFame.aspx |title=Runnymede Collegiate's Wall of Fame |publisher=Toronto District School Board |date=2002}}</ref> |
||
Nunziata graduated from [[York University]] with a Bachelor of Arts degree in [[ |
Nunziata graduated from [[York University]] with a Bachelor of Arts degree in [[political science]] in 1977 and went on to earn his Bachelor of Laws degree from [[Osgoode Hall Law School]] in 1980. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1982. Upon graduation, he established the law firm of Nunziata, Anand & Levy. Nunziata's sister, [[Frances Nunziata]], was the last mayor of the city of [[York, Ontario]] before it was merged into the "[[merger (politics)#Canada|megacity]]" of Toronto, and is now a Toronto city councillor for Ward 11 York South-Weston. |
||
On October 20, 2008, Nunziata was arrested by [[Toronto Police]] and charged with assaulting his ex-wife's boyfriend, Murray Milthorpe, allegedly by kicking him in the buttocks. Nunziata said, "I didn't kick him. I don't know how he got the bruise on his ass, but I mean, he deserves an ass-kicking, but I didn't give it to him."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/former-mp-john-nunziata-charged-with-assault/article1064589/|title=Former MP John Nunziata charged with assault |newspaper=Globe and Mail |date=October 22, 2008 |location=Toronto}}</ref> Subsequently, Nunziata pressed charges against Milthorpe whom he claimed was “bugging” his 14-year-old daughter at a rink where Nunziata's son was playing hockey.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-MP John Nunziata press charges a day after he’s charged with assault |newspaper=Truro Daily News |date=October 23, 2008 |url=http://www.trurodaily.com/index.cfm?sid=182915&sc=287}}</ref> These charges were later dropped as the police found no evidence in support of Nunziata's allegations.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nicole |last=Baute |title=John Nunziata faces assault charge |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=October 21, 2008 |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/521473}}</ref> |
|||
Following a two-day trial during which he admitted under oath that he had indeed kicked Milthorpe,<ref name=tstar10jan2012>{{cite news |last=Tyler |first=Tracy |title=Former Liberal MP John Nunziata faces Law Society disciplinary charge |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/article/1113653 |accessdate=11 January 2012 |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=10 January 2012}}</ref> Nunziata was found guilty of assault, and guilty on one count of breaching a court order. Nunziata was ordered to have no contact with his victim and sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to take anger management courses.<ref name=TorontoStar2Oct.2012>{{cite news |last=Scallan |first=Niamh |title=Former MP John Nunziata fined more than $10,000 for lying about assault|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2012/10/02/former_mp_john_nunziata_fined_more_than_10000_for_lying_about_assault.html |accessdate=23 September 2014 |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=2 October 2012}}</ref><ref name=tsun25May2010>{{cite news |last=Godfrey |first=Tom |title=Nunziata gets probation for booting ex-wife's boyfriend |url=http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/05/25/14085801.html |accessdate=26 February 2011 |newspaper=Toronto Sun |date=25 May 2010}}</ref> In January 2012 the [[Law Society of Upper Canada]] started disciplinary hearings against Nunziata for lying under oath.<ref name=tstar10jan2012/> In October 2012 the Law Society found him guilty of lying and fined him $5,000 plus $6,021.41 in costs for his conduct.<ref name=globe02Oct2012>{{cite news |last=Gray |first=Jeff |title=Former MP John Nunziata fined $5,000 for denying assault |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/former-mp-john-nunziata-fined-5000-for-denying-assault/article4582470/ |accessdate=2 October 2012 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=2 October 2012 |location=Toronto}}</ref><ref name="The Star">{{cite news |last=Scallan |first=Niamh |title=The Star: Former MP John Nunziata fined more than $10,000 for lying about assault |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1265821 |work=The Star |publisher=The Star |accessdate=October 5, 2012 |location=Toronto |date=October 2, 2012}}</ref> |
|||
===Awards=== |
===Awards=== |
||
Nunziata has been the recipient of the Borough of York Civic Merit Award (1974), the George Syme and Harwood |
Nunziata has been the recipient of the Borough of York Civic Merit Award (1974), the George Syme and Harwood Ratepayer's "Citizen of the Year Award" (1980) and the [[Canada 125 Medal]] (1992).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliamentarygroup.com/index.php/en/our-team/92-john-nunziata-bcl-eng|title=John Nunziata, BCL|author=Scott|publisher=|accessdate=25 September 2014|archive-date=23 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023003151/http://www.parliamentarygroup.com/index.php/en/our-team/92-john-nunziata-bcl-eng|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
||
==Politics== |
==Politics== |
||
===Provincial=== |
===Provincial=== |
||
Originally, he was a member of the [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democratic Party]] while in high school from 1969 |
Originally, he was a member of the [[Ontario New Democratic Party|New Democratic Party]] while in high school from 1969 to 1974. He campaigned as a [[Ontario Liberal Party|Liberal]] for a 1982 provincial [[by-election]] in [[York South (Ontario provincial electoral district)|York South]], but lost to new NDP leader [[Bob Rae]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Rae hold York South for NDP|newspaper=The Toronto Star|date=1982-11-05 |location=Toronto |page=A1,A23}}</ref> |
||
===Federal=== |
===Federal=== |
||
Nunziata was elected to the |
Nunziata was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the [[1984 Canadian federal election|1984 general election]] as a [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] despite a national [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]] landslide.<ref name="1984 results">{{cite web |title=How Canada voted |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 5, 1984 |pages=14–15}}</ref> Nunziata thrived as a member of the opposition [[Liberal Party of Canada Rat Pack|Rat Pack]], a group of Liberal [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Members of Parliament]] (MPs) including [[Don Boudria]], [[Brian Tobin]], and [[Sheila Copps]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Bob |last=Hepburn |title=Liberals' Rat Pack aims for credibility. |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=October 6, 1985 |page=F4}}</ref> |
||
Nunziata's ideological position in the Liberal Party was not clearly defined at this stage. He stressed "family values" and was opposed to [[abortion]],<ref>{{cite news |first=William |last=Walker |title=Nunziata to stress family in his bid to lead Liberals |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=January 25, 1990 |page=A12}}</ref> but his views on other issues were not always [[social conservatism|socially conservative]]. During the national debate on [[capital punishment]] in 1986, he was one of the strongest parliamentary opponents of any restoration of the death penalty. He was re-elected without difficulty in the [[Canadian federal election |
Nunziata's ideological position in the Liberal Party was not clearly defined at this stage. He stressed "family values" and was opposed to [[abortion]],<ref>{{cite news |first=William |last=Walker |title=Nunziata to stress family in his bid to lead Liberals |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=January 25, 1990 |page=A12}}</ref> but his views on other issues were not always [[social conservatism|socially conservative]]. During the national debate on [[capital punishment]] in 1986, he was one of the strongest parliamentary opponents of any restoration of the death penalty. He was re-elected without difficulty in the [[1988 Canadian federal election|1988 election]]. |
||
While in Parliament Nunziata served as Opposition Critic for the Solicitor General from 1984 to 1992. He served as the critic for Employment from January 1992 to November 1992. He was chairman of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group and headed a Caucus Task Force on [[Pearson International Airport]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://openparliament.ca/politicians/4892/?page=42|title=John Nunziata|publisher=|accessdate=25 September 2014}}</ref> Nunziata introduced several Private Members Bills including those to repeal the Faint Hope Clause of the [[Criminal Code]] and to improve the [[Young Offenders Act]]. |
While in Parliament Nunziata served as Opposition Critic for the Solicitor General from 1984 to 1992. He served as the critic for Employment from January 1992 to November 1992. He was chairman of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group and headed a Caucus Task Force on [[Pearson International Airport]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://openparliament.ca/politicians/4892/?page=42|title=John Nunziata|publisher=|accessdate=25 September 2014}}</ref> Nunziata introduced several Private Members Bills including those to repeal the Faint Hope Clause of the ''[[Criminal Code (Canada)|Criminal Code of Canada]]'' and to improve the ''[[Young Offenders Act]]''. |
||
When [[John Turner]] resigned as Liberal leader, Nunziata ran to succeed him in the [[Liberal Party of Canada leadership election |
When [[John Turner]] resigned as Liberal leader, Nunziata ran to succeed him in the [[1990 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election|1990 Liberal leadership convention]]. He placed last in a field of five candidates.<ref>{{cite news |first=David |last=Vienneau |title=Martin says he'll run again |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=June 25, 1990}}</ref> |
||
In the buildup to the [[Canadian federal election |
In the buildup to the [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993 federal election]], Nunziata criticised Liberal leader [[Jean Chrétien]] for appointing [[Art Eggleton]] over a local candidate in [[York Centre (federal electoral district)|York Centre]]. |
||
On April 21, 1996, Nunziata was expelled from the Liberal [[caucus]] after he voted against the government's [[budget]] in protest over the government breaking a promise to rescind the [[Goods and Services Tax (Canada)|Goods and Services Tax]]. |
On April 21, 1996, Nunziata was expelled from the Liberal [[caucus]] after he voted against the government's [[Canadian federal budget|budget]] in protest over the government breaking a promise to rescind the [[Goods and Services Tax (Canada)|Goods and Services Tax]]. |
||
Despite the difficulties of winning a seat as an independent, Nunziata ran and won re-election in the [[Canadian federal election |
Despite the difficulties of winning a seat as an independent, Nunziata ran and won re-election in the [[1997 Canadian federal election|1997 general election]]. He defeated Toronto councillor [[Judy Sgro]] by 4,431 votes to retain his riding, and so became the only independent member elected to the new parliament.<ref name="1997results">{{cite news |title=Final Results Riding by Riding |newspaper=Calgary Herald |date=June 4, 1997 |page=A5}}</ref> |
||
In the [[Canadian federal election |
In the [[2000 Canadian federal election|2000 election]], he was defeated by Liberal [[Alan Tonks]].<ref name="2000results">{{cite news |title=Election Results |newspaper=Star - Phoenix |location=Saskatoon, SK|date=November 28, 2000 |page=A8}}</ref> |
||
===Municipal=== |
===Municipal=== |
||
Nunziata started his political career in 1978 when he was elected an [[alderman]] in the former borough of [[York, Toronto|York]] at age 23 and while still attending law school. In 1979, Nunziata was the only alderman to vote against the closing of the Beech Hall Seniors' Apartments. He learned that the residents had not been informed that they were to be evicted, and leaked the story to the ''[[Toronto Star]]''. He was responsible for getting the residents to organise and fight for their rights. Eventually, the residents, with the help of the Co-op Housing Foundation of Canada, managed to convert the rental apartments into Toronto's first [[housing co-op]].<ref>{{cite video |title=The Battle of Beech Hall |year=1981 |publisher=Cinemagic Productions |author1=Christopher Wilson (director, producer) |author2=Roy Bonisteel (narrator) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esNnITHRj60}}</ref> He ran for [[Mayor of Toronto]] in the [[Toronto municipal election |
Nunziata started his political career in 1978 when he was elected an [[alderman]] in the former borough of [[York, Toronto|York]] at age 23 and while still attending law school. In 1979, Nunziata was the only alderman to vote against the closing of the Beech Hall Seniors' Apartments. He learned that the residents had not been informed that they were to be evicted, and leaked the story to the ''[[Toronto Star]]''. He was responsible for getting the residents to organise and fight for their rights. Eventually, the residents, with the help of the Co-op Housing Foundation of Canada, managed to convert the rental apartments into Toronto's first [[housing co-op]].<ref>{{cite video |title=The Battle of Beech Hall |year=1981 |publisher=Cinemagic Productions |author1=Christopher Wilson (director, producer) |author2=Roy Bonisteel (narrator) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esNnITHRj60}}</ref> He ran for [[Mayor of Toronto]] in the [[2003 Toronto municipal election|2003 municipal election]], pledging support for the police, and to bring the homeless off the streets and into institutional care facilities.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://accenti.ca/running-for-mayor-john-nunziata-wants-a-fair-deal-for-toronto/ |title=Running for Mayor: John Nunziata Wants a "Fair Deal" for Toronto|date=May 15, 2003 |first=Sandra|last=Danilovic|work=Accenti Magazine|access-date=July 23, 2021}}</ref> He finished 4th behind winner [[David Miller (Canadian politician)|David Miller]] with about 5% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/toronto//features/2003/to_election.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050223054158/http://www.cbc.ca/toronto/features/2003/to_election.html |archivedate=February 23, 2005 |title=Miller wins mayoral race |date=November 10, 2003 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> Since 2003, Nunziata has become a partner with the Parliamentary Group and he has responsibility for Queens Park government relations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Team |publisher=The Parliamentary Group |url=http://www.parliamentarygroup.com/index.php/en/our-team/72-john-nunziata-bcl |accessdate=October 15, 2014}}</ref> |
||
In 2013, Nunziata was one of several candidates for appointment to Ward 3 to replace [[Doug Holyday]], who resigned to become an MPP. Nunziata lost out to [[Peter Leon]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/community-council-recommends-chris-stockwell-for-ward-3-seat-1.1874406 |title=Community council recommends Chris Stockwell for Ward 3 seat |date=October 1, 2013 |work=[[CBC News]]}}</ref> |
In 2013, Nunziata was one of several candidates for appointment to Ward 3 to replace [[Doug Holyday]], who resigned to become an MPP. Nunziata lost out to [[Peter Leon]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/community-council-recommends-chris-stockwell-for-ward-3-seat-1.1874406 |title=Community council recommends Chris Stockwell for Ward 3 seat |date=October 1, 2013 |work=[[CBC News]]}}</ref> |
||
On September 12, 2014, the last day to register as a candidate, Nunziata registered to run for [[Toronto city council]] in Ward 12 (York-South Weston) against incumbent [[Frank Di Giorgio]], community leader Lekan Olawoye and former city staffer Nick Dominelli in the [[Toronto municipal election |
On September 12, 2014, the last day to register as a candidate, Nunziata registered to run for [[Toronto city council]] in Ward 12 (York-South Weston) against incumbent [[Frank Di Giorgio]], community leader Lekan Olawoye and former city staffer Nick Dominelli in the [[2014 Toronto municipal election|October 27 municipal election]]. Nunziata said he wanted to win the ward to help build consensus on council "so we can actually make a difference".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2014/09/13/nunziata-digiorgio-set-to-duke-it-out-in-ward-12 |title=Nunziata, DiGiorgio set to duke it out in Ward 12 |first=Don |last=Peat |date=September 13, 2014}}</ref> However, lost to Di Giorgio by a margin of 238 votes or about 1.44% of the popular vote in the ward.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Clerks/Elections/Library/Files/Results%20PDFs/2014%20Election/2014-Councillor.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-11-01 |archive-date=2015-08-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820171955/http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Clerks/Elections/Library/Files/Results%20PDFs/2014%20Election/2014-Councillor.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
||
===Electoral record=== |
===Electoral record=== |
||
{| |
{| class="wikitable" |
||
|- |
|- |
||
|Colspan="3" align="center"|'''[[Toronto municipal election |
|Colspan="3" align="center"|'''[[2014 Toronto municipal election|2014 Toronto election]], Ward 12''' |
||
|- |
|- |
||
! width="150px" | Candidate |
! width="150px" | Candidate |
||
| Line 98: | Line 96: | ||
[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario]] |
[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario]] |
||
[[Category:Ontario Liberal Party candidates in Ontario provincial elections]] |
[[Category:Ontario Liberal Party candidates in Ontario provincial elections]] |
||
[[Category:Ontario municipal |
[[Category:Ontario municipal councillors]] |
||
[[Category:People from Revelstoke, British Columbia]] |
[[Category:People from Revelstoke, British Columbia]] |
||
[[Category:Politicians affected by a party expulsion process]] |
|||
[[Category:20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]] |
|||
Latest revision as of 20:34, 16 October 2024
John Nunziata | |
|---|---|
 Nunziata campaigning in Toronto | |
| Member of Parliament for York South—Weston | |
| In office September 4, 1984 – November 27, 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Ursula Appolloni |
| Succeeded by | Alan Tonks |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 4, 1955 Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada |
| Political party | New Democratic (1979–1982) Liberal (federal; 1982–1996) Independent (1996–2000) |
| Spouse(s) | Caroline Brett (div., 2007)[1] |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Lawyer |
John Nunziata (/ˌnʊntsiˈɑːtə/ NUUN-tsee-AH-tə, Italian: [nunˈtsjaːta]; born January 4, 1955) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician. He first served as an Alderman in the Borough of York from 1978 to 1982. He served three terms as a Liberal MP in the House of Commons of Canada from York South-Weston and in 1997 was elected as an Independent MP. As of March, 2013, he was a partner in the lobbying firm The Parliamentary Group.
Background
[edit]Nunziata was born on January 4, 1955, in Revelstoke, British Columbia. He is the fifth of seven children of Italian immigrant parents. In April 1963, his family moved from British Columbia to Toronto, Ontario where he attended grade school at Regal Road Public School and Rockcliffe Senior Public School. He attended high school at Runnymede Collegiate Institute in Toronto where he was elected President of the Student Council in 1973. He was awarded the W.E.H Cross Trophy for his leadership while at Runnymede. In 2002, he was inducted into the Runnymede Collegiate Hall of Fame.[2]
Nunziata graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1977 and went on to earn his Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1980. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1982. Upon graduation, he established the law firm of Nunziata, Anand & Levy. Nunziata's sister, Frances Nunziata, was the last mayor of the city of York, Ontario before it was merged into the "megacity" of Toronto, and is now a Toronto city councillor for Ward 11 York South-Weston.
Awards
[edit]Nunziata has been the recipient of the Borough of York Civic Merit Award (1974), the George Syme and Harwood Ratepayer's "Citizen of the Year Award" (1980) and the Canada 125 Medal (1992).[3]
Politics
[edit]Provincial
[edit]Originally, he was a member of the New Democratic Party while in high school from 1969 to 1974. He campaigned as a Liberal for a 1982 provincial by-election in York South, but lost to new NDP leader Bob Rae.[4]
Federal
[edit]Nunziata was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1984 general election as a Liberal despite a national Progressive Conservative landslide.[5] Nunziata thrived as a member of the opposition Rat Pack, a group of Liberal Members of Parliament (MPs) including Don Boudria, Brian Tobin, and Sheila Copps.[6]
Nunziata's ideological position in the Liberal Party was not clearly defined at this stage. He stressed "family values" and was opposed to abortion,[7] but his views on other issues were not always socially conservative. During the national debate on capital punishment in 1986, he was one of the strongest parliamentary opponents of any restoration of the death penalty. He was re-elected without difficulty in the 1988 election.
While in Parliament Nunziata served as Opposition Critic for the Solicitor General from 1984 to 1992. He served as the critic for Employment from January 1992 to November 1992. He was chairman of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group and headed a Caucus Task Force on Pearson International Airport.[8] Nunziata introduced several Private Members Bills including those to repeal the Faint Hope Clause of the Criminal Code of Canada and to improve the Young Offenders Act.
When John Turner resigned as Liberal leader, Nunziata ran to succeed him in the 1990 Liberal leadership convention. He placed last in a field of five candidates.[9]
In the buildup to the 1993 federal election, Nunziata criticised Liberal leader Jean Chrétien for appointing Art Eggleton over a local candidate in York Centre.
On April 21, 1996, Nunziata was expelled from the Liberal caucus after he voted against the government's budget in protest over the government breaking a promise to rescind the Goods and Services Tax.
Despite the difficulties of winning a seat as an independent, Nunziata ran and won re-election in the 1997 general election. He defeated Toronto councillor Judy Sgro by 4,431 votes to retain his riding, and so became the only independent member elected to the new parliament.[10]
In the 2000 election, he was defeated by Liberal Alan Tonks.[11]
Municipal
[edit]Nunziata started his political career in 1978 when he was elected an alderman in the former borough of York at age 23 and while still attending law school. In 1979, Nunziata was the only alderman to vote against the closing of the Beech Hall Seniors' Apartments. He learned that the residents had not been informed that they were to be evicted, and leaked the story to the Toronto Star. He was responsible for getting the residents to organise and fight for their rights. Eventually, the residents, with the help of the Co-op Housing Foundation of Canada, managed to convert the rental apartments into Toronto's first housing co-op.[12] He ran for Mayor of Toronto in the 2003 municipal election, pledging support for the police, and to bring the homeless off the streets and into institutional care facilities.[13] He finished 4th behind winner David Miller with about 5% of the vote.[14] Since 2003, Nunziata has become a partner with the Parliamentary Group and he has responsibility for Queens Park government relations.[15]
In 2013, Nunziata was one of several candidates for appointment to Ward 3 to replace Doug Holyday, who resigned to become an MPP. Nunziata lost out to Peter Leon.[16]
On September 12, 2014, the last day to register as a candidate, Nunziata registered to run for Toronto city council in Ward 12 (York-South Weston) against incumbent Frank Di Giorgio, community leader Lekan Olawoye and former city staffer Nick Dominelli in the October 27 municipal election. Nunziata said he wanted to win the ward to help build consensus on council "so we can actually make a difference".[17] However, lost to Di Giorgio by a margin of 238 votes or about 1.44% of the popular vote in the ward.[18]
Electoral record
[edit]| 2014 Toronto election, Ward 12 | ||
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Frank DiGiorgio | 4,784 | 28.97% |
| John Nunziata | 4,546 | 27.53% |
| Nick Dominelli | 3,742 | 22.66% |
| Lekan Olawoye | 3,441 | 20.84% |
| Total | 16,513 | 100% |
References
[edit]- ^ Tyler, Tracy (10 January 2012). "Former Liberal MP John Nunziata faces Law Society disciplinary charge". Toronto Star. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
- ^ "Runnymede Collegiate's Wall of Fame". Toronto District School Board. 2002.
- ^ Scott. "John Nunziata, BCL". Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ "Rae hold York South for NDP". The Toronto Star. Toronto. 1982-11-05. p. A1,A23.
- ^ "How Canada voted". The Globe and Mail. September 5, 1984. pp. 14–15.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Hepburn, Bob (October 6, 1985). "Liberals' Rat Pack aims for credibility". Toronto Star. p. F4.
- ^ Walker, William (January 25, 1990). "Nunziata to stress family in his bid to lead Liberals". Toronto Star. p. A12.
- ^ "John Nunziata". Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ Vienneau, David (June 25, 1990). "Martin says he'll run again". Toronto Star.
- ^ "Final Results Riding by Riding". Calgary Herald. June 4, 1997. p. A5.
- ^ "Election Results". Star - Phoenix. Saskatoon, SK. November 28, 2000. p. A8.
- ^ Christopher Wilson (director, producer); Roy Bonisteel (narrator) (1981). The Battle of Beech Hall. Cinemagic Productions.
- ^ Danilovic, Sandra (May 15, 2003). "Running for Mayor: John Nunziata Wants a "Fair Deal" for Toronto". Accenti Magazine. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ "Miller wins mayoral race". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. November 10, 2003. Archived from the original on February 23, 2005.
- ^ "Our Team". The Parliamentary Group. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ "Community council recommends Chris Stockwell for Ward 3 seat". CBC News. October 1, 2013.
- ^ Peat, Don (September 13, 2014). "Nunziata, DiGiorgio set to duke it out in Ward 12".
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-08-20. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
[edit]Categories:
- 1955 births
- Canadian people of Italian descent
- Independent MPs in the Canadian House of Commons
- Liberal Party of Canada leadership candidates
- Liberal Party of Canada MPs
- Living people
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario
- Ontario Liberal Party candidates in Ontario provincial elections
- Ontario municipal councillors
- People from Revelstoke, British Columbia
- Politicians affected by a party expulsion process
- 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada