Albert Campbell
Encyclopedia
Albert McTaggart Campbell (1910 – 1973) was a Canadian
politician and the Chairman
of Metropolitan Toronto
from 1969 to 1973.
Campbell was born on a family farm in Ridgetown
, Ontario
in 1910. He attended the Ontario Agricultural College
at Guelph
and the University of Toronto
. After leaving the family farm he was, for almost 15 years, a secondary school teacher teaching chemistry, physics and math. In 1944, he moved to Scarborough to settle on his wife's family farm which they inherited after her father's death the year before. Campbell kept the 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) family farm, bound by Eglinton Avenue, Kingston Road and Markham Road, until the end of his life despite the transformation of Scarborough from a semi-rural community to a metropolitan suburb.
Campbell's political career began as a Scarborough
school board trustee in 1950, then as councillor for Ward 3 and as deputy reeve. In 1957, Campbell became reeve of the township
of Scarborough for the next 11 years. When the township was incorporated as a borough
in 1967, he became its first mayor
from 1967 until 1969.
On October 1, 1969, he was elected by the Metropolitan Toronto council to the position of chairman. He was re-elected to the position unanimously in January 1972 but, ill with cancer, he retired on July 30, 1973 and died shortly thereafter. During his career, he had also served as president of the Canadian Federation of Mayors and Municipalities, the Ontario Municipal Association, and the Association of Ontario Mayors and Reeves.
He attempted to enter provincial politics twice. He was defeated for the Ontario Liberal Party
nomination for York—Scarborough
prior to the 1959 provincial election
to former reeve Oliver Crockford. Four years later, he won the Liberal nomination in Scarborough Centre
but was defeated in the 1963 provincial election
placing third.
Where Campbell's predecessors as Metro Chairman, Fred Gardiner and William Allen
, had driven their agendas at Metro Council, Campbell saw himself more as Council's servant with the duty to implement the policies decided upon by the assembly.
Albert Campbell Square
at the Scarborough Civic Centre
, the Albert Campbell District Library and a Scarborough high school
, Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute
, are named after him.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and the Chairman
Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto
The Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto or Metro Chairman was the leader of Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, and the most senior political figure in the municipality. The Metro Chairman was elected by the members of Metropolitan Toronto Council.-New Level of Government:The position...
of Metropolitan Toronto
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
from 1969 to 1973.
Campbell was born on a family farm in Ridgetown
Ridgetown, Ontario
Ridgetown is a community located in south-east Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. It has a population of roughly 3,500 and is one of many small farming communities in Chatham-Kent.-History:...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 1910. He attended the Ontario Agricultural College
Ontario Agricultural College
The Ontario Agricultural College originated at the agricultural laboratories of the Toronto Normal School, and was officially founded in 1874 as an associate agricultural college of the University of Toronto...
at Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
and the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. After leaving the family farm he was, for almost 15 years, a secondary school teacher teaching chemistry, physics and math. In 1944, he moved to Scarborough to settle on his wife's family farm which they inherited after her father's death the year before. Campbell kept the 19 acres (76,890.3 m²) family farm, bound by Eglinton Avenue, Kingston Road and Markham Road, until the end of his life despite the transformation of Scarborough from a semi-rural community to a metropolitan suburb.
Campbell's political career began as a Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
school board trustee in 1950, then as councillor for Ward 3 and as deputy reeve. In 1957, Campbell became reeve of the township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
of Scarborough for the next 11 years. When the township was incorporated as a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in 1967, he became its first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
from 1967 until 1969.
On October 1, 1969, he was elected by the Metropolitan Toronto council to the position of chairman. He was re-elected to the position unanimously in January 1972 but, ill with cancer, he retired on July 30, 1973 and died shortly thereafter. During his career, he had also served as president of the Canadian Federation of Mayors and Municipalities, the Ontario Municipal Association, and the Association of Ontario Mayors and Reeves.
He attempted to enter provincial politics twice. He was defeated for the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
nomination for York—Scarborough
York—Scarborough
York—Scarborough was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1953 to 1988. It was located in the province of Ontario...
prior to the 1959 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1959
The Ontario general election of 1959 was held on June 11, 1959, to elect the 98 members of the 26th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
to former reeve Oliver Crockford. Four years later, he won the Liberal nomination in Scarborough Centre
Scarborough Centre (provincial electoral district)
Scarborough Centre is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1963.It consists of the part of the Scarborough district of the City of Toronto bounded:...
but was defeated in the 1963 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1963
The Ontario general election of 1963 was held on September 25, 1963, to elect the 108 members of the 27th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
placing third.
Where Campbell's predecessors as Metro Chairman, Fred Gardiner and William Allen
William Allen (Canadian politician)
William Randall Allen, QC was a Toronto politician who served as the Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto from 1962 to 1969 and is the namesake of the W.R. Allen Expressway . Metropolitan Toronto was created by the Province of Ontario in 1952 and comprised Toronto, North York,...
, had driven their agendas at Metro Council, Campbell saw himself more as Council's servant with the duty to implement the policies decided upon by the assembly.
Albert Campbell Square
Albert Campbell Square
Albert Campbell Square is a hard surface civic square in Toronto's eastern district of Scarborough outside of the Scarborough Civic Centre, named for the former politician, Metro Chairman and first mayor of Scarborough Albert Campbell....
at the Scarborough Civic Centre
Scarborough Civic Centre
The Scarborough Civic Centre, located in Toronto, Ontario, was designed by architect Raymond Moriyama for the then Borough of Scarborough. It was officially opened by then mayor Albert Campbell and Queen Elizabeth II in 1973...
, the Albert Campbell District Library and a Scarborough high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute
Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute
Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute is a Toronto public high school located in north Scarborough. The school is named after former Scarborough reeve and mayor Albert McTaggart Campbell....
, are named after him.