Mario Gentile
Encyclopedia
Mario Gentile is a former municipal politician in Toronto
, Canada
. He served as a councillor and city controller in North York
, and was also a member of the Metropolitan Toronto
council. His political career ended with a criminal conviction in 1994.
, and moved to Canada as a young adult. He initially worked as a welder before moving into selling insurance, where he built up a strong network of clients in the Italian-Canadian community. He left the insurance business in 1979 to open a travel agency.
on the city's Board of Control. He was also re-appointed to Metro in 1982 and 1985.
Gentile sought election to the Metro Board of Police Commissioners in December 1984, but lost to Art Eggleton
. He later served as chairman of the Metro works committee.
Gentile was affiliated with the Liberal Party
and the Progressive Conservative Party
at different times in his career. He announced his intention to seek the Progressive Conservative
nomination in Downsview
for the 1985 provincial election
, but withdrew before nomination day.
Gentile was generally on the right-wing of council. He was one of only three North York councillors to oppose a resolution which called for a boycott of South Africa
for its apartheid policies in 1986, arguing that the measure was beyond the scope of a municipal council. He later opposed efforts to make municipal titles gender-neutral, and said that he still wanted to be recognized as an "alderman" when his title was formally changed to "councillor". He was a vocal critic of Sunday shopping
extensions in 1988. Like Esther Shiner, whom he replaced on the Board of Control, Gentile supported extending the Spadina Expressway
into downtown Toronto.
Gentile indicated in 1988 that he wanted to run for Mayor of North York at some point in the future, but would wait for incumbent mayor Mel Lastman
to retire. He was an ally of Lastman on council, and once described him as "unbeatable".
Toronto's political system was restructured in 1988, as the regional Boards of Control were eliminated and the direct election of Metro councillors introduced. Gentile won an easy victory over Angelo Natale
to represent North York's Humber ward on Metro, and was re-elected without opposition in 1991. He sought an appointment to the Metro Executive in 1988, but was unsuccessful. In January 1989, Gentile was appointed as chair of the board of governors for Exhibition Place
. In April 1991, he recommended that the city work with the private firm Metrex Centre Inc. to create an international trade centre on the Exhibition grounds.
Gentile criticized certain Ontario municipalities for declaring themselves officially unilingual in 1990, and brought forward a successful motion which re-confirmed Metro's support for official bilingualism in Canada. He described the trend toward English-only municipalities as "bigotry" targeted at minority language groups.
In 1989, he was the victim of a break-in where a burglar took $10,000 in cash and $50,000 worth of property from his house. In early 1992, Gentile argued that fellow councillor Norman Gardner
should not be charged after shooting a would-be robber his family-owned bakery. He argued that Gardner, a friend of several years, would not use a firearm carelessly.
He continued to oppose employment equity policies in 1993.
Nine of the charges against Gentile were dismissed in March 1993. In May of the same year, a judge ruled that he would stand trial for two counts of breach of trust and nine counts of receiving secret commissions. During the resulting trial, it was revealed that Gentile had accepted several gifts from jailed developer Lou Charles over a period of several years. Charles denied that there was anything improper about the gifts, and said that he considered Gentile to be like "a son". Gentile acknowledged receiving the gifts, but said Charles was neither promised nor received preferential treatment in return.
In June 1994, Gentile was found guilty of one count of breach of trust and seven counts of receiving commissions. He continued to protest his innocence, although he later acknowledged that he had made errors in judgement in his relationship with Charles. After some hesitation, he announced his resignation from council on August 10, 1994. In September, Gentile was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $92,000. He was also found guilty of four offences under the Income Tax Act in November 1994, for failure to declare almost $200,000 in gifts from Charles. He was fined $58,648.49. One day after this conviction, Gentile pled guilty to a further charge of breach-of-trust relating to a 1987 trip to Las Vegas
paid for by a firm that had just received a contract for garbage disposal in North York. He was given day parole in May 1995.
Gentile considered running for municipal council again in 1997, but withdrew before the vote. He was presented with a ceremonial key to the city of North York by Mel Lastman in October 1997, just prior to the city's amalgamation into the new City of Toronto.
In February 2000, he announced that he would be a candidate for Toronto City Council
's twelfth ward in the municipal election
to be held later in the year. Mel Lastman described his decision as "unfortunate," adding that Gentile was making a mockery of the election. He finished third against Frank Di Giorgio
.
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 served as a councillor and city controller in North York
North York, Ontario
North York is a dissolved municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. As of the 2006 Census, it has a population of 635,370. The official 2001 census count was 608,288...
, and was also a member of the 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...
council. His political career ended with a criminal conviction in 1994.
Early life and career
Gentile was born in Puglia, ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and moved to Canada as a young adult. He initially worked as a welder before moving into selling insurance, where he built up a strong network of clients in the Italian-Canadian community. He left the insurance business in 1979 to open a travel agency.
Municipal politician
Gentile was elected to represent North York's second ward in 1976, following a failed bid in 1974. He was the first person of Italian-Canadian background to serve on the North York council. He also received an appointment to the Metro Toronto council in 1980, after an unsuccessful attempt in 1978. He remained a ward councillor in North York until early 1988, when he was appointed to replace the late Esther ShinerEsther Shiner
Esther Shiner was a municipal politician in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She served on the North York city council from 1973 until her death, and was also a member of the Metropolitan Toronto council. She served as North York's Deputy Mayor in the 1980s.-Early life and career:Shiner's parents were...
on the city's Board of Control. He was also re-appointed to Metro in 1982 and 1985.
Gentile sought election to the Metro Board of Police Commissioners in December 1984, but lost to Art Eggleton
Art Eggleton
Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...
. He later served as chairman of the Metro works committee.
Gentile was affiliated with the 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...
and the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
at different times in his career. He announced his intention to seek the Progressive 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...
nomination in Downsview
Downsview (electoral district)
Downsview was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada. It was created for the 1963 provincial election, and was retained until redistribution in 1999...
for the 1985 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1985
The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada...
, but withdrew before nomination day.
Gentile was generally on the right-wing of council. He was one of only three North York councillors to oppose a resolution which called for a boycott of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
for its apartheid policies in 1986, arguing that the measure was beyond the scope of a municipal council. He later opposed efforts to make municipal titles gender-neutral, and said that he still wanted to be recognized as an "alderman" when his title was formally changed to "councillor". He was a vocal critic of Sunday shopping
Sunday shopping
Sunday shopping refers to the ability of retailers to operate stores on Sunday, a day that Christian tradition typically recognizes as the Sabbath, a "day of rest". Rules governing shopping hours, such as Sunday shopping, vary around the world but some European nations continue to ban Sunday shopping...
extensions in 1988. Like Esther Shiner, whom he replaced on the Board of Control, Gentile supported extending the Spadina Expressway
Spadina Expressway
The Spadina Expressway was a proposed north-south freeway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was only partially built before being cancelled in 1971 due to public opposition. It was proposed in the mid-1960s as part of a network of freeways for Metropolitan Toronto. Its cancellation prompted the...
into downtown Toronto.
Gentile indicated in 1988 that he wanted to run for Mayor of North York at some point in the future, but would wait for incumbent 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...
to retire. He was an ally of Lastman on council, and once described him as "unbeatable".
Toronto's political system was restructured in 1988, as the regional Boards of Control were eliminated and the direct election of Metro councillors introduced. Gentile won an easy victory over Angelo Natale
Angelo Natale
Angelo Natale is a former trade union leader and candidate for political office in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He served as leader of the Ontario Haulers' Association in the 1970s and 1980s, and campaigned in several municipal elections.-Early career:...
to represent North York's Humber ward on Metro, and was re-elected without opposition in 1991. He sought an appointment to the Metro Executive in 1988, but was unsuccessful. In January 1989, Gentile was appointed as chair of the board of governors for Exhibition Place
Canadian National Exhibition
Canadian National Exhibition , also known as The Ex, is an annual event that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 18 days leading up to and including Labour Day Monday. With an attendance of approximately 1.3 million visitors each season, it is Canada’s largest...
. In April 1991, he recommended that the city work with the private firm Metrex Centre Inc. to create an international trade centre on the Exhibition grounds.
Gentile criticized certain Ontario municipalities for declaring themselves officially unilingual in 1990, and brought forward a successful motion which re-confirmed Metro's support for official bilingualism in Canada. He described the trend toward English-only municipalities as "bigotry" targeted at minority language groups.
In 1989, he was the victim of a break-in where a burglar took $10,000 in cash and $50,000 worth of property from his house. In early 1992, Gentile argued that fellow councillor Norman Gardner
Norman Gardner
Norman "Norm" Gardner is a politician and administrator in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is a former North York and Toronto City Councillor, serving most recently as chair of the Toronto Police Services Board .-Private life and career:...
should not be charged after shooting a would-be robber his family-owned bakery. He argued that Gardner, a friend of several years, would not use a firearm carelessly.
He continued to oppose employment equity policies in 1993.
Arrest and conviction
Criminal charges were laid against Gentile in late 1991, following his acclamation to city council but before the actual election. He was charged with five counts of municipal corruption, two charges of breach of trust, and five counts of accepting a secret commission. Gentile spoke to the media on the day the charges were laid, and said that he looked forward to a full exoneration. He was quoted as saying, "My conscience is clear ... My hand was not shaking when I signed the arrest papers with the police". Following an expansion of the criminal probe in 1992, he was charged with an additional one count of breach of trust, five counts of municipal corruption and five counts of accepting payoffs. He again denied the charges. Gentile continued to serve on Metro council following the charges.Nine of the charges against Gentile were dismissed in March 1993. In May of the same year, a judge ruled that he would stand trial for two counts of breach of trust and nine counts of receiving secret commissions. During the resulting trial, it was revealed that Gentile had accepted several gifts from jailed developer Lou Charles over a period of several years. Charles denied that there was anything improper about the gifts, and said that he considered Gentile to be like "a son". Gentile acknowledged receiving the gifts, but said Charles was neither promised nor received preferential treatment in return.
In June 1994, Gentile was found guilty of one count of breach of trust and seven counts of receiving commissions. He continued to protest his innocence, although he later acknowledged that he had made errors in judgement in his relationship with Charles. After some hesitation, he announced his resignation from council on August 10, 1994. In September, Gentile was sentenced to two years in prison and fined $92,000. He was also found guilty of four offences under the Income Tax Act in November 1994, for failure to declare almost $200,000 in gifts from Charles. He was fined $58,648.49. One day after this conviction, Gentile pled guilty to a further charge of breach-of-trust relating to a 1987 trip to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
paid for by a firm that had just received a contract for garbage disposal in North York. He was given day parole in May 1995.
Gentile considered running for municipal council again in 1997, but withdrew before the vote. He was presented with a ceremonial key to the city of North York by Mel Lastman in October 1997, just prior to the city's amalgamation into the new City of Toronto.
In February 2000, he announced that he would be a candidate for Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
's twelfth ward in the 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...
to be held later in the year. Mel Lastman described his decision as "unfortunate," adding that Gentile was making a mockery of the election. He finished third against Frank Di Giorgio
Frank Di Giorgio
Frank Di Giorgio is a city councillor in Toronto, Canada, representing one of the two York South—Weston wards, Ward 12 York South-Weston. With a mathematics degree from McMaster University, he was a high school math teacher before entering politics. He ran for a position on North York city...
.