Don Atchison
Encyclopedia
Donald J. Atchison is a Canadian
politician who was elected mayor
of Saskatoon
, Saskatchewan
on October 22, 2003. He won a close four-way contest, running on a platform that included being tough on crime, freezing property taxes, and resuming control of the city's police commission. He was re-elected as mayor in 2006
and 2009
.
Prior to being mayor, Atchison was first elected
to Saskatoon's city council
as a councillor
for Ward 10 in 1994, and was re-elected in 1997 and 2000.
As a city councillor, Atchison suggested a part of downtown Saskatoon should be enclosed by a $80 million 10-storey climate-controlled glass atrium, dubbed the "Atreos." He also is known to be precise about his dress, as he owns a men's clothing store. On his first election as mayor, he required citizens visiting the Mayor's office to be formally dressed. Both points were ridiculed by CBC satirist Rick Mercer
who sponsored an online contest that went on to name Atchison "Canada's Craziest Mayor."
where he attended Queen Elizabeth and Holliston elementary schools, Walter Murray Collegiate and the University of Saskatchewan
. He has participated in curling
, tennis
, Canadian football
, golf
and hockey
as both a player and a coach
.
Atchison is the owner/operator of a longtime men's clothing store in downtown Saskatoon (Atch & Co). He is also a member of the Saskatchewan Grand Lodge of Freemasons
. He and his wife Mardele have five children.
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 who was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
on October 22, 2003. He won a close four-way contest, running on a platform that included being tough on crime, freezing property taxes, and resuming control of the city's police commission. He was re-elected as mayor in 2006
Saskatchewan municipal elections, 2006
-Corman Park No. 344:-Estevan:-Humboldt:-Lloydminster:-Melfort:-Moose Jaw:-North Battleford:-Prince Albert:-Mayoral race:-City council:Elected councillors-Mayoral race:-City council:...
and 2009
Saskatchewan municipal elections, 2009
The Canadian province of Saskatchewan held municipal elections in its municipalities on October 28, 2009.Listed are the results of selected municipal mayoral races in the province.-Estevan:-Lloydminster:-Melfort:-Moose Jaw:-North Battleford:...
.
Prior to being mayor, Atchison was first elected
Elected
Elected is the latest EP by Dutch Progressive metal project Ayreon. It was released on April 25, 2008 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and on April 28 in the rest of Europe...
to Saskatoon's city council
Saskatoon City Council
Saskatoon City Council is the governing body of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The council consists of the mayor and ten councillors representing wards. The current council sits between 2009 and 2012. The last civic election was held on October 28, 2009...
as a councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
for Ward 10 in 1994, and was re-elected in 1997 and 2000.
As a city councillor, Atchison suggested a part of downtown Saskatoon should be enclosed by a $80 million 10-storey climate-controlled glass atrium, dubbed the "Atreos." He also is known to be precise about his dress, as he owns a men's clothing store. On his first election as mayor, he required citizens visiting the Mayor's office to be formally dressed. Both points were ridiculed by CBC satirist Rick Mercer
Rick Mercer
Richard Vincent "Rick" Mercer is a Canadian comedian, television personality, political satirist, and blogger.Mercer first came to national attention in 1990, when he premiered his one man show Show Me the Button, I'll Push It, or Charles Lynch Must Die at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in...
who sponsored an online contest that went on to name Atchison "Canada's Craziest Mayor."
Personal life
Atchison was born and raised in SaskatoonSaskatoon
Saskatoon is a city in central Saskatchewan, Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. Residents of the city of Saskatoon are called Saskatonians. The city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Corman Park No. 344....
where he attended Queen Elizabeth and Holliston elementary schools, Walter Murray Collegiate and the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
. He has participated in curling
Curling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
as both a player and a coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
Atchison is the owner/operator of a longtime men's clothing store in downtown Saskatoon (Atch & Co). He is also a member of the Saskatchewan Grand Lodge of Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. He and his wife Mardele have five children.