Case Ootes
Encyclopedia
Case Ootes is a former city councillor in Toronto
, Canada
, for Ward 29 Toronto—Danforth
. He represented one of the two Toronto—Danforth wards. He served as deputy mayor of the amalgamated City of Toronto under Mayor Mel Lastman
from 1998-2003.
in the Netherlands
, and he and his family immigrated to Canada in 1952 when he was eleven. Settling near Renfrew, Ontario
, his father worked as a miner and the family lived in a log cabin
.
Ootes obtained an Master of Business Administration
degree from York University
, and served several years as an executive with Imperial Oil
. There, he became friends with Dave Johnson
, and when Johnson became involved in Tory politics so did Ootes.
Since 2005, Ootes has served as an Executive-in-Residence in the Centre for Financial Services of Seneca College
, Newnham Campus.
His brother Jake Ootes
is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly
in the Northwest Territories
.
, and in 1988, he convinced Ootes to run for city council. In 1992, Ootes retired from Imperial Oil to become a full time politician. Two years later, he was elected to the council of Metropolitan Toronto
.
When Toronto
and five suburban municipalities were amalgamated in 1998, he was appointed deputy mayor of the new city of Toronto, and held that position until 2003. In that role, he was widely seen as the second only to the mayor in power and influence. While Lastman relished publicity and spectacle, Ootes worked quietly and effectively to advance the mayor's initiatives, putting together ever-changing council majorities from day to day.
In the 2000 municipal election
, he faced what was thought would be a serious challenge from school board chair Gail Nyberg. The election mostly focused on Ootes' strong support of a scheme to ship Toronto's garbage to the Adams Mine
, an abandoned mine outside of Kirkland Lake, Ontario
. Nyberg was supported by Liberal Party
supporters but Ootes had the strong support of the mayor and several other city councillors, and won re-election by 7,660 votes to 4,391.
Ootes was widely considered one of the likely candidates to succeed Lastman, but the Conservative
money and supporters mostly went former Rogers Cable President & CEO John Tory
, and Ootes chose not to run. The left-leaning David Miller narrowly defeated Tory in the 2003 election
to become mayor. Ootes was replaced as deputy mayor by Joe Pantalone
, Sandra Bussin
, and Mike Feldman
jointly for the next council term.
Since then, Ootes has since served as the unofficial head of the councillors opposed to Miller's left-leaning initiatives. During his tenure on the police services board, Ootes and Justice Hugh Locke were instrumental in the selection of the more centrist Bill Blair
over Mike Boyd to succeed Julian Fantino
as Police Chief.
Ootes ran in the 2006 municipal election
with the slogan "Proven Leadership", defeating Diane Alexopoulos by twenty votes.
On July 16, 2007, Ootes voted with a majority of councillors (23-22) to defer voting on mayor Miller's proposed vehicle registration tax and land transfer tax until after the October 2007 provincial election
. Ootes said this was a wakeup call to the city that citizens want more control of city spending. On October 22 council voted to support the new taxes (26-19). Ootes was among those who dissented. He argued that while his side lost the final vote, they had won the public opinion debate.
Ootes announced in January 2010 that he would not run for re-election after his term ending. After the 2010 Toronto municipal elections, mayor-elect Rob Ford
selected Ootes to chair his transition team.
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...
, for Ward 29 Toronto—Danforth
Toronto—Danforth
Toronto—Danforth is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979. It lies to the east of Downtown Toronto....
. He represented one of the two Toronto—Danforth wards. He served as deputy mayor of the amalgamated City of Toronto under 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...
from 1998-2003.
Personal life
He was born in a village northwest of AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and he and his family immigrated to Canada in 1952 when he was eleven. Settling near Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, is a town on the Bonnechere River in Renfrew County. Located one hour west of Ottawa in Eastern Ontario, Renfrew is the third largest town in the county after Petawawa and Pembroke. The town is a small transportation hub connecting Ontario Highway 60 and Highway 132 with...
, his father worked as a miner and the family lived in a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
.
Ootes obtained an Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degree from York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
, and served several years as an executive with Imperial Oil
Imperial Oil
Imperial Oil Limited is Canada's largest petroleum company. The company is engaged in the exploration, production and sale of crude oil and natural gas. It is controlled by US based ExxonMobil, which owns 69.6% of its stock...
. There, he became friends with Dave Johnson
David Johnson (Canadian politician)
David John Johnson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was the mayor of East York from 1982 to 1993, a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1993 to 1999, and a senior cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris.Johnson has a Bachelor of Science...
, and when Johnson became involved in Tory politics so did Ootes.
Since 2005, Ootes has served as an Executive-in-Residence in the Centre for Financial Services of Seneca College
Seneca College
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology is a Canadian public college in the greater Toronto area. Seneca College is currently Canada's largest college with approximately 108,000 students.-History:...
, Newnham Campus.
His brother Jake Ootes
Jake Ootes
Jake Ootes is a retired territorial level politician and newspaper and magazine publisher from Northwest Territories, Canada.Ootes began his career in politics working for the Northwest Territories Legislative Council in 1964 as a Hansard editor, he worked in that position until 1967...
is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
in the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
.
Politics
Johnson was elected mayor of East YorkEast York
East York can refer to:*East York, Pennsylvania, United States*East York, Ontario, Canada...
, and in 1988, he convinced Ootes to run for city council. In 1992, Ootes retired from Imperial Oil to become a full time politician. Two years later, he was elected to the council 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...
.
When 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...
and five suburban municipalities were amalgamated in 1998, he was appointed deputy mayor of the new city of Toronto, and held that position until 2003. In that role, he was widely seen as the second only to the mayor in power and influence. While Lastman relished publicity and spectacle, Ootes worked quietly and effectively to advance the mayor's initiatives, putting together ever-changing council majorities from day to day.
In the 2000 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 2000
The Toronto municipal election of 2000, dubbed "Toronto Vote 2000" was the municipal and school board election held in the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada on November 13, 2000.Elections were held to elect:* the Mayor of Toronto,* councillors for each of Toronto's 44 wards,* trustees...
, he faced what was thought would be a serious challenge from school board chair Gail Nyberg. The election mostly focused on Ootes' strong support of a scheme to ship Toronto's garbage to the Adams Mine
Adams Mine
Adams Mine is an abandoned open pit iron ore mine located in the Boston Township of the District of Timiskaming, south of Kirkland Lake in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is situated on the Canadian Shield....
, an abandoned mine outside of Kirkland Lake, 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....
. Nyberg was supported by Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
supporters but Ootes had the strong support of the mayor and several other city councillors, and won re-election by 7,660 votes to 4,391.
Ootes was widely considered one of the likely candidates to succeed Lastman, but the Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
money and supporters mostly went former Rogers Cable President & CEO John Tory
John Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
, and Ootes chose not to run. The left-leaning David Miller narrowly defeated Tory 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 ....
to become mayor. Ootes was replaced as deputy mayor by 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...
, Sandra Bussin
Sandra Bussin
Sandra Bussin was a politician in Toronto, Canada. She was a municipal councillor for Toronto City Council representing Ward 32, an area called the Beaches. From 2006 to 2010 she was Speaker of Toronto City Council.-Background:...
, and Mike Feldman
Mike Feldman
Michael "Mike" Feldman was city councillor for Ward 10 from 1992 to 2010, and former Deputy Mayor, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Feldman was first elected in 1992 to the City Council of what was then the City of North York...
jointly for the next council term.
Since then, Ootes has since served as the unofficial head of the councillors opposed to Miller's left-leaning initiatives. During his tenure on the police services board, Ootes and Justice Hugh Locke were instrumental in the selection of the more centrist Bill Blair
Bill Blair (police chief)
William Sterling "Bill" Blair, is the police chief of Toronto, Ontario. He was selected in a 4–2 vote of the Toronto Police Services Board in early April 2005, and formally appointed Chief of the Toronto Police Service on April 26, 2005. He succeeded Mike Boyd, who had served as interim chief...
over Mike Boyd to succeed Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino is a retired police official and the elected Member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of Vaughan following a November 29, 2010 by-election...
as Police Chief.
Ootes ran in the 2006 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 2006
The 2006 Toronto municipal election took place on 13 November 2006 to elect a mayor and 44 city councillors in Toronto, Ontario. In addition, school trustees were elected to the Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest...
with the slogan "Proven Leadership", defeating Diane Alexopoulos by twenty votes.
On July 16, 2007, Ootes voted with a majority of councillors (23-22) to defer voting on mayor Miller's proposed vehicle registration tax and land transfer tax until after the October 2007 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2007
The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular...
. Ootes said this was a wakeup call to the city that citizens want more control of city spending. On October 22 council voted to support the new taxes (26-19). Ootes was among those who dissented. He argued that while his side lost the final vote, they had won the public opinion debate.
Ootes announced in January 2010 that he would not run for re-election after his term ending. After the 2010 Toronto municipal elections, mayor-elect Rob Ford
Rob Ford
Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006...
selected Ootes to chair his transition team.