Mario Racco
Encyclopedia
Mario G. Racco is a politician
in Ontario
, Canada. He sat in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, representing the Greater Toronto Area
riding
of Thornhill
for the Liberal Party from 2003 to 2007.
Racco has degrees in Business Administration from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (1977) and York University
. He also received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from York University
in 1992. Racco has practiced as a Chartered Accountant
, for the firms of Thorne Riddell and Dunwoody Chartered Accountants.
Racco was elected to the city council of Vaughan
, Ontario in 1982, and retained this position until his election to the Ontario legislature. He ran for the federal Liberal
nomination in Markham—Whitchurch—Stouffville in 1993, but lost to Jag Bhaduria
under controversial circumstances.
In the 2003 provincial election
, Racco defeated Susan Kadis
for the Liberal nomination in Thornhill and ran against Tina Molinari
, an incumbent from the Progressive Conservatives
. Denominational education was a leading issue in this campaign, with Molinari supporting the extension of tax credits for religious education and Racco opposing it; some members of Thornhill's Orthodox Jewish community supported Molinari because of this issue. Racco eventually won by 796 votes.
Racco is a leading supporter of allowing municipalities to use red light camera technology for safety purposes. In 2004, he was the driving force behind the construction of a new statue of Pierre Trudeau
in Vaughan.
During the provincial election of 2007
, Racco was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Peter Shurman
. In one of the most hotly contested races in the province, Shurman came out with about 1500 votes more than Racco.
He is married to Sandra Yeung Racco, a city councillor for the city of Vaughan for Ward 4 (formerly held by her husband for 6 terms). They have two children: Alexander and Katrina.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in 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....
, Canada. He sat in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
, representing the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Thornhill
Thornhill (electoral district)
Thornhill is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.It covers the community of Thornhill, Ontario, which is made up of portions of Vaughan and Markham, and was created in 1996 from parts of...
for the Liberal Party from 2003 to 2007.
Racco has degrees in Business Administration from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (1977) and 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....
. He also received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
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....
in 1992. Racco has practiced as a Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
, for the firms of Thorne Riddell and Dunwoody Chartered Accountants.
Racco was elected to the city council of Vaughan
Vaughan, Ontario
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
, Ontario in 1982, and retained this position until his election to the Ontario legislature. He ran for the federal Liberal
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...
nomination in Markham—Whitchurch—Stouffville in 1993, but lost to Jag Bhaduria
Jag Bhaduria
Jagdish Singh Bhaduria is a former Canadian politician....
under controversial circumstances.
In the 2003 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2003
The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, Racco defeated Susan Kadis
Susan Kadis
Susan R. Kadis is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Thornhill in the Canadian House of Commons from 2004 to 2008.-Background:...
for the Liberal nomination in Thornhill and ran against Tina Molinari
Tina Molinari
Tina R. Molinari is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a Justice of the Peace and was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1999 to 2003, serving as an associate minister and member of the Cabinet in the government of Ernie Eves.-School...
, an incumbent from the Progressive Conservatives
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...
. Denominational education was a leading issue in this campaign, with Molinari supporting the extension of tax credits for religious education and Racco opposing it; some members of Thornhill's Orthodox Jewish community supported Molinari because of this issue. Racco eventually won by 796 votes.
Racco is a leading supporter of allowing municipalities to use red light camera technology for safety purposes. In 2004, he was the driving force behind the construction of a new statue of Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
in Vaughan.
During the provincial election of 2007
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...
, Racco was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Peter Shurman
Peter Shurman
Peter Shurman is a Progressive Conservative Member for Thornhill in the Ontario Legislature. Prior to his election, he was a radio talk show host on CFRB in Toronto.-Background:Shurman was born in Montreal in 1947...
. In one of the most hotly contested races in the province, Shurman came out with about 1500 votes more than Racco.
He is married to Sandra Yeung Racco, a city councillor for the city of Vaughan for Ward 4 (formerly held by her husband for 6 terms). They have two children: Alexander and Katrina.