Bill Boytchuk
Encyclopedia
William Boytchuk was a long time city councillor in Toronto
, Canada
.
He was born near Sniatyn
, Ukraine
and after spending several years in Germany immigrated to Canada in 1948. Working as a pharmacist he became active in the local Ukrainian committee and was also head of the Canadian National Soccer League
.
Boytchuk was elected to city council in the 1969 election
representing the western most part of the Old City of Toronto covering Swansea
and Bloor West Village
. He was considered one of the council's "Old Guard" of conservative, generally pro-development councillors but became more moderate over his time in office. During the Cold War
he was also notable for his strong anti-Soviet policies. He played a central role in having a monument to the Katyn Massacre
erected in his ward. In 1990 he also led the effort to oppose a sister city agreement with Volgograd
.
In the 1976 election
Boytchuk lost his seat in a surprise upset to left winger David White. He thus decided to run provincially for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1977 Ontario election
for the riding of High Park—Swansea. He lost that race in a close contest to NDP incumbent Ed Ziemba
. With the retirement of Elizabeth Eayrs, the other councillor in his old seat, Boytchuk returned to council in 1978. He continued to represent his west end seat until he retired in 1994.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
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...
.
He was born near Sniatyn
Sniatyn
Sniatyn is a city located in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, in western Ukraine along the Prut river. It is the administrative center of the Sniatynsky Raion , and is located at around . The current estimated population is around 10,500 ....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and after spending several years in Germany immigrated to Canada in 1948. Working as a pharmacist he became active in the local Ukrainian committee and was also head of the Canadian National Soccer League
Canadian National Soccer League
The Canadian National Soccer League, known as the National Soccer League until 1993, was a professional soccer league in Canada that existed from 1926 to 1997...
.
Boytchuk was elected to city council in the 1969 election
Toronto municipal election, 1969
Municipal elections were held in Toronto, 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...
representing the western most part of the Old City of Toronto covering Swansea
Swansea, Toronto
Swansea is a neighbourhood in the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, bounded on the west by the Humber River, on the north by Bloor Street, on the east by High Park and on the south by Lake Ontario...
and Bloor West Village
Bloor West Village
Bloor West Village is a shopping district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located along Bloor Street, it encompasses all businesses along Bloor Street between Jane Street and Ellis Park Road, consisting of more than 400 shops, restaurants and services. The mix of stores include specialty clothing...
. He was considered one of the council's "Old Guard" of conservative, generally pro-development councillors but became more moderate over his time in office. During the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
he was also notable for his strong anti-Soviet policies. He played a central role in having a monument to the Katyn Massacre
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
erected in his ward. In 1990 he also led the effort to oppose a sister city agreement with Volgograd
Volgograd
Volgograd , formerly called Tsaritsyn and Stalingrad is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River...
.
In the 1976 election
Toronto municipal election, 1976
The Toronto municipal election of 1976 was held on December 6, 1976 in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mayors, city councillors and school board trustees were elected in the municipalities of Toronto, York, East York, North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough.Toronto Mayor David Crombie and...
Boytchuk lost his seat in a surprise upset to left winger David White. He thus decided to run provincially for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1977 Ontario election
Ontario general election, 1977
The Ontario general election of 1977 was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
for the riding of High Park—Swansea. He lost that race in a close contest to NDP incumbent Ed Ziemba
Ed Ziemba
Ed Ziemba was an New Democratic Party MPP in the Ontario legislature representing the provincial electoral district of High Park—Swansea.He was first elected in the 1975 provincial election succeeding retired NDP MPP Morton Shulman and was re-elected in 1977 by fewer than 800 votes before being...
. With the retirement of Elizabeth Eayrs, the other councillor in his old seat, Boytchuk returned to council in 1978. He continued to represent his west end seat until he retired in 1994.