Maurice Lamoureux
Encyclopedia
Maurice Lamoureux is a former politician in Sudbury, Ontario
, Canada
. He was an alderman for several years, and served as mayor of Sudbury from 1981 to 1982.
Lamoureux was an office supervisor at Falconbridge Ltd.
in private life. He retired in 1992, and later worked as a real estate representative with Coldwell Banker Marsh Real Estate.
He was elected as an alderman in 1974 representing the suburban New Sudbury Ward, and was re-elected in 1976
, 1978
and 1980
. He was twice defeated for the provincial New Democratic Party nomination, and later joined the Progressive Conservative Party
. He was chosen as deputy mayor by council in 1978, and became acting mayor in 1981 when Jim Gordon suspended his duties for the provincial legislature
.
Gordon was elected to the legislature in the 1981 provincial election
, and members of Sudbury City Council subsequently chose Lamoureux as his replacement on March 30, 1981. His only opponent, Sterling Campbell
, withdrew before voting took place. Newspaper reports indicate that council declined to hold a by-election
, even though almost twenty months remained in Gordon's two-year term. Lamoureux was chosen as mayor at a time of hostile relations between Sudbury City Council and the Sudbury Regional Council. He opposed a round of layoffs at Inco in 1982, and called on local businesses to support striking workers.
Lamoureux brought forward what he described as a "severe attrition policy" in 1982, cutting 19 jobs to save $500,000 at city hall. Several senior bureaucrats were demoted, and many chose to resign. One of the bureaucrats to lose his job was city engineer Peter Wong
, who subsequently challenged Lamoureux for the mayoral position. Wong argued that it was inconsistent for Lamoureux to target the city's high unemployment rate while simultaneously cutting municipal jobs. On election day
, Wong defeated Lamoureux for the mayor's position.
Lamoureux was later re-elected to city council. In 1987, he argued that the city was losing money from selling surplus land at less than the assessed value. He criticized the federal government's cuts to unemployment insurance in 1989, arguing that it would devastate Sudbury's economy.
Lamoureux campaigned for the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1993 federal election
as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party, and finished third against Liberal
incumbent Diane Marleau
. In 2000, he was appointed by provincial Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Tony Clement
to a transitional board to amalgamate Sudbury and its neighbouring communities into the new city of Greater Sudbury. Board members were paid $400 per day. After his appointment, Lamoureux acknowledged that he was not entirely comfortable with an appointed board imposing terms on elected officials. He supported the board's decision to merge Sudbury Hydro, Capreol Hydro and Nickel Centre Hydro, and said the board made the right decision in not selling the utilities to Ontario Hydro One.
Lamoureux resigned from the transition board in October 2000 to run for the Greater Sudbury Municipal Council in the 2000 municipal election
. He defended the work of the transition board, and called for tax cuts through the amalgamation process. He was defeated, finishing fifth in a two-member ward. He later applied to council for a position on Greater Sudbury Utilities, but was not hired. He ran again in the 2003 municipal election
, calling for a five-year roads program. He finished sixth in the city's fourth ward.
In May 2003, Lamoureux purchased a former nursing home in Sudbury called Garson Manor. He reopened the building the following year as alternative housing for seniors.
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
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 was an alderman for several years, and served as mayor of Sudbury from 1981 to 1982.
Lamoureux was an office supervisor at Falconbridge Ltd.
Falconbridge Ltd.
Falconbridge Limited was a Toronto, Ontario-based natural resources company with operations in 18 countries, involved in the exploration, mining, processing, and marketing of metal and mineral products, including nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum. It was listed on the TSX and NYSE , and had...
in private life. He retired in 1992, and later worked as a real estate representative with Coldwell Banker Marsh Real Estate.
He was elected as an alderman in 1974 representing the suburban New Sudbury Ward, and was re-elected in 1976
Ontario municipal elections, 1976
All municipalities in the Canadian province of Ontario held municipal elections on December 6, 1976, to elect mayors or reeves, councillors, and school board trustees. Some areas also held local referendums....
, 1978
Ontario municipal elections, 1978
All municipalities in the Canadian province of Ontario held elections on November 13, 1978, to elect mayors or reeves, councillors, school trustees, and public utilities commissioners. Some municipalities also held referendums on various issues....
and 1980
Ontario municipal elections, 1980
All municipalities in the Canadian province of Ontario held elections to November 10, 1980, to elect mayors on reeves, councillors, and school trustees. Some areas also held local referendums.Incumbent mayors were defeated in several cities...
. He was twice defeated for the provincial New Democratic Party nomination, and later joined 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....
. He was chosen as deputy mayor by council in 1978, and became acting mayor in 1981 when Jim Gordon suspended his duties for the provincial legislature
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...
.
Gordon was elected to the legislature in the 1981 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1981
The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
, and members of Sudbury City Council subsequently chose Lamoureux as his replacement on March 30, 1981. His only opponent, Sterling Campbell
Sterling Campbell (politician)
Sterling Campbell is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1987 to 1990....
, withdrew before voting took place. Newspaper reports indicate that council declined to hold a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, even though almost twenty months remained in Gordon's two-year term. Lamoureux was chosen as mayor at a time of hostile relations between Sudbury City Council and the Sudbury Regional Council. He opposed a round of layoffs at Inco in 1982, and called on local businesses to support striking workers.
Lamoureux brought forward what he described as a "severe attrition policy" in 1982, cutting 19 jobs to save $500,000 at city hall. Several senior bureaucrats were demoted, and many chose to resign. One of the bureaucrats to lose his job was city engineer Peter Wong
Peter Wong (Canadian politician)
Peter Wong was a Canadian politician, who served as mayor of Sudbury, Ontario from 1982 to 1991, and chair of the Regional Municipality of Sudbury from 1997 until his death the following year....
, who subsequently challenged Lamoureux for the mayoral position. Wong argued that it was inconsistent for Lamoureux to target the city's high unemployment rate while simultaneously cutting municipal jobs. On election day
Ontario municipal elections, 1982
All municipalities in Ontario held elections on November 8, 1980, to elect mayors or reeves, city councillors, and school trustees. Some areas also held referendums....
, Wong defeated Lamoureux for the mayor's position.
Lamoureux was later re-elected to city council. In 1987, he argued that the city was losing money from selling surplus land at less than the assessed value. He criticized the federal government's cuts to unemployment insurance in 1989, arguing that it would devastate Sudbury's economy.
Lamoureux campaigned for the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1993 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party, and finished third against 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...
incumbent Diane Marleau
Diane Marleau
Diane Marleau, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. She represented the riding of Sudbury in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2008, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Jean Chrétien...
. In 2000, he was appointed by provincial Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Tony Clement
Tony Clement
Tony Peter Clement, PC, MP is a Canadian federal politician, President of the Treasury Board, Minister for the Federal Economic Initiative for Northern Ontario and member of the Conservative Party of Canada....
to a transitional board to amalgamate Sudbury and its neighbouring communities into the new city of Greater Sudbury. Board members were paid $400 per day. After his appointment, Lamoureux acknowledged that he was not entirely comfortable with an appointed board imposing terms on elected officials. He supported the board's decision to merge Sudbury Hydro, Capreol Hydro and Nickel Centre Hydro, and said the board made the right decision in not selling the utilities to Ontario Hydro One.
Lamoureux resigned from the transition board in October 2000 to run for the Greater Sudbury Municipal Council in the 2000 municipal election
Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2000
The Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2000 was held in the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on November 13, 2000. All municipal elections in the province of Ontario are held on the same date....
. He defended the work of the transition board, and called for tax cuts through the amalgamation process. He was defeated, finishing fifth in a two-member ward. He later applied to council for a position on Greater Sudbury Utilities, but was not hired. He ran again in the 2003 municipal election
Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2003
The Greater Sudbury municipal election, 2003 was held in the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on November 10, 2003. All municipal elections in the province of Ontario are held on the same date; see Ontario municipal elections, 2003 for elections in other cities.The election chose the mayor...
, calling for a five-year roads program. He finished sixth in the city's fourth ward.
In May 2003, Lamoureux purchased a former nursing home in Sudbury called Garson Manor. He reopened the building the following year as alternative housing for seniors.