Brian Ashton (politician)
Encyclopedia
Brian Ashton was a city councillor in Toronto
, Canada
, representing Ward 36 Scarborough Southwest. He did not run for re-election in the 2010 municipal election and was succeeded by Gary Crawford
.
.
He was first elected to the city council of Scarborough
in a 1984 by-election. He also served jointly on Metro Council
for the ward of Scarborough Bluffs. Originally a member of the social democratic
New Democratic Party
, he declared himself unaffiliated, but was regarded as one of the more progressive members of the council. He also became known for his outspokenness, appearing frequently in the media. Chris Stockwell
famously described him as "someone who carries a Tory membership card, talks like a Liberal, and votes like a New Democrat."
When Metro Council was separated from the city councils in 1988, Ashton ran for election to Metro Council and defeated Scarborough controller Bill Belfontaine. On Metro Council, he was best known for spearheading Toronto's failed bid for Expo 2000
, which was awarded to Hanover, Germany by a narrow margin of one vote.
He went on to launch in the early 1990s and chair several innovative and progressive task forces: Social Development Strategy, Youth Task Force, and Gun Control Task Force.
He was a prominent opponent of Metro chairman Alan Tonks
and was frequently considered to have ambitions to replace him. After being re-elected in the 1994 election, Ashton ran for the position when Metro councillors elected a new chairman. Running with the unreserved endorsement of the Toronto Star
, his campaign ended when NDP and left-liberal councillors moved their support to Joe Pantalone
. Ashton ended up receiving only three votes and Tonks won re-election.
When the former six municipalities and Metropolitan Toronto regional government were amalgamated into Canada's largest city government, Ashton was elected to the council of the new city of Toronto
in 1997.
He quickly campaigned for the establishment of a standing committee responsible for economic development. Shortly thereafter Ashton became the first chair of the Economic Development and Parks Committee for the new city.
In 2000, Ashton was appointed chair of the Toronto Transit Commission
. An opponent of mayor Mel Lastman
, he backed David Miller for mayor in the 2003 election
.
Ashton continued to retain his maverick streak. In 2006, he voted to censure Howard Moscoe
for leaking information from a confidential meeting, but decided against removing Moscoe as TTC chairman for giving Bombardier a non-bid contract. Moscoe retained his post but was forced to make an apology to David Shiner
who faced a lawsuit as a result of the leak.
Ashton retained his council seat in the 2006 municipal election and was one of the few outsiders appointed to the Mayor's new executive committee. In 2007, Miller proposed a $60 vehicle-registration tax and 1.5% land transfer tax. Miller argued that the new measures were essential to sustaining the city's budget, without reducing services or raising property taxes. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Toronto Board of Trade were opposed on the grounds that it would hurt businesses, with polls showing that 70% of respondents supported cutting expenditures instead of raising taxes. Ashton himself supported the taxes and maintained that he would vote for them in October. He became the deciding vote against immediately implementing the measures which passed 23-22, as the motion deferred the debate until after the October 2007 provincial election.
Ashton defended his decision to break with Miller's allies, citing the numerous complaints from his constituents against the new taxes, and saying that he maintained his independence and that he expected to lose his committee seat. Ashton also alleged that Miller had called him an `a--hole' right after the vote, while Gord Perks
called him a weasel. As a result of his failure to support the vote, Ashton was forced to resign from the executive committee. Ashton also voted against both taxes when council met to consider the matter after the provincial election.
In 2008, Ashton complained about a proposed wind farm 2 km off the shore of Scarborough would mar its natural beauty. He said "I think putting a wind farm off the [Scarborough] Bluffs is like throwing paint on the Mona Lisa."
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...
, representing Ward 36 Scarborough Southwest. He did not run for re-election in the 2010 municipal election and was succeeded by Gary Crawford
Gary Crawford (politician)
Gary Crawford is a Canadian politician, who was elected to Toronto City Council in the 2010 city council election to succeed Brian Ashton in Ward 36. Crawford is a strong advocate for the arts...
.
Career
Ashton has been involved in local politics since 1972, and worked as the research assistant to Scarborough mayor Gus HarrisGus Harris
Augustus John Harris was a Canadian politician. He was born in Liverpool, United Kingdom. He was the mayor of Scarborough, Ontario from 1978 to 1988....
.
He was first elected to the city council of 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...
in a 1984 by-election. He also served jointly on Metro Council
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...
for the ward of Scarborough Bluffs. Originally a member of the social democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
, he declared himself unaffiliated, but was regarded as one of the more progressive members of the council. He also became known for his outspokenness, appearing frequently in the media. Chris Stockwell
Chris Stockwell
Chris Stockwell is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 2003, and served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Mike Harris and Ernie Eves. Before entering provincial politics, he had been a...
famously described him as "someone who carries a Tory membership card, talks like a Liberal, and votes like a New Democrat."
When Metro Council was separated from the city councils in 1988, Ashton ran for election to Metro Council and defeated Scarborough controller Bill Belfontaine. On Metro Council, he was best known for spearheading Toronto's failed bid for Expo 2000
Expo 2000
Expo 2000 was a World's Fair held in Hanover, Germany from Thursday, June 1 to Tuesday, October 31, 2000. It was located on the Hanover fairground , which is famous for hosting CeBIT...
, which was awarded to Hanover, Germany by a narrow margin of one vote.
He went on to launch in the early 1990s and chair several innovative and progressive task forces: Social Development Strategy, Youth Task Force, and Gun Control Task Force.
He was a prominent opponent of Metro chairman Alan Tonks
Alan Tonks
Alan Tonks is a Canadian politician. He was the Liberal MP for the federal electoral district of York South—Weston in Toronto from 2000 to 2011, and was the final Metro Toronto Chairman before the amalgamation of Metro Toronto into the new City of Toronto.-Background:Tonks is the son of the late...
and was frequently considered to have ambitions to replace him. After being re-elected in the 1994 election, Ashton ran for the position when Metro councillors elected a new chairman. Running with the unreserved endorsement of the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, his campaign ended when NDP and left-liberal councillors moved their support to Joe Pantalone
Joe Pantalone
Joe Pantalone is a former Canadian politician, city councillor for Ward 19, one of two wards in Trinity—Spadina. He served as deputy mayor under David Miller from 2003 to 2010...
. Ashton ended up receiving only three votes and Tonks won re-election.
When the former six municipalities and Metropolitan Toronto regional government were amalgamated into Canada's largest city government, Ashton was elected to the council of the new city of Toronto
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...
in 1997.
He quickly campaigned for the establishment of a standing committee responsible for economic development. Shortly thereafter Ashton became the first chair of the Economic Development and Parks Committee for the new city.
In 2000, Ashton was appointed chair of the Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
. An opponent of mayor Mel Lastman
Mel Lastman
Melvin Douglas "Mel" Lastman , nicknamed "Mayor Mel", is a former businessman and politician. He is the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain. He served as the mayor of the former city of North York, Ontario, Canada from 1972 until 1997. At the end of 1997, North York, along with five other...
, he backed David Miller for mayor in the 2003 election
Toronto municipal election, 2003
The Toronto municipal election of 2003 was held on November 10, 2003, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to elect the Mayor of Toronto, 44 city councillors, and school board trustees.David Miller was elected mayor ....
.
Ashton continued to retain his maverick streak. In 2006, he voted to censure Howard Moscoe
Howard Moscoe
Howard Moscoe was a city councillor in Toronto, Canada, representing Ward 15 in the western part of Eglinton-Lawrence. Among the most prominent and longest-serving councillors in the city, he is also known for an outspokenness which has landed him in controversy at times. Moscoe is a member of...
for leaking information from a confidential meeting, but decided against removing Moscoe as TTC chairman for giving Bombardier a non-bid contract. Moscoe retained his post but was forced to make an apology to David Shiner
David Shiner (politician)
David Shiner is a city councillor in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He represents ward 24, one of the two wards in Willowdale.-Background:He is the son of the late Esther Shiner, who served on the borough and later city council of the City of North York as alderman, and later as a member of the Board of...
who faced a lawsuit as a result of the leak.
Ashton retained his council seat in the 2006 municipal election and was one of the few outsiders appointed to the Mayor's new executive committee. In 2007, Miller proposed a $60 vehicle-registration tax and 1.5% land transfer tax. Miller argued that the new measures were essential to sustaining the city's budget, without reducing services or raising property taxes. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Toronto Board of Trade were opposed on the grounds that it would hurt businesses, with polls showing that 70% of respondents supported cutting expenditures instead of raising taxes. Ashton himself supported the taxes and maintained that he would vote for them in October. He became the deciding vote against immediately implementing the measures which passed 23-22, as the motion deferred the debate until after the October 2007 provincial election.
Ashton defended his decision to break with Miller's allies, citing the numerous complaints from his constituents against the new taxes, and saying that he maintained his independence and that he expected to lose his committee seat. Ashton also alleged that Miller had called him an `a--hole' right after the vote, while Gord Perks
Gord Perks
Gord Perks is a Canadian environmentalist, political activist, writer and is the city councillor for the Toronto municipal electoral district of Parkdale—High Park, Ward 14.-Environmentalist:...
called him a weasel. As a result of his failure to support the vote, Ashton was forced to resign from the executive committee. Ashton also voted against both taxes when council met to consider the matter after the provincial election.
In 2008, Ashton complained about a proposed wind farm 2 km off the shore of Scarborough would mar its natural beauty. He said "I think putting a wind farm off the [Scarborough] Bluffs is like throwing paint on the Mona Lisa."