Mel Lastman
Overview
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...
from 1972 until 1997. At the end of 1997, North York, along with five other municipalities, was amalgamated with the city of 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...
. Lastman ran for and won the mayoral race for the new "megacity", defeating incumbent Toronto mayor Barbara Hall
Barbara Hall
Barbara Hall is a Canadian lawyer, public servant and former politician. She was the 61st mayor of Toronto, the last to run before amalgamation. She was elected mayor of the pre-amalgamation City of Toronto in 1994, and held office until December 31, 1997...
.
Quotations
"When have you ever heard the United States take the blame for anything? This is no different."
when questioned on the origins of the 2003 US-Canada blackout
"What the hell do I want to go to a place like Mombassa?... I just see myself in a pot of boiling water with all these natives dancing around me."
before leaving for Kenya in 2001 to promote Toronto's bid for the 2008 Olympics. The comment spark a flood of criticism. Later on Lastman explained the comment was caused by irritation from his then secret condition of having hepatitis.
"I heard you've been talking about my wife . . . Leave my family alone. If you don't fcking leave them alone, I'll kill you!"
Speaking with CityTV reporter Adam Vaughan, who had reported on his wife shoplifting.
"I don't know what that is."
Live on CNN, after being asked about the W:World Health Organization|World Health Organization during an interview about the outbreak of SARS in Toronto.
"You will never be mayor, because you say dumb and stupid things!"
said during a council debate to his eventual successor, David Miller|David Miller.