Michael Prue
Encyclopedia
Michael D. Prue is a Canadian
politician, who represents the riding
of Beaches—East York
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
. He is the New Democratic Party
(NDP) critic for Finance, Public Infrastructure Renewal, Community and Social Services and the Management Board of Cabinet, and for issues related to Toronto. He was a candidate in the 2009 Ontario NDP leadership election
, finishing in fourth place and dropping off after the first ballot.
neighbourhood. He has a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Political Science
and Anthropology
from the University of Toronto
, and a Master of Arts
degree in Canadian Studies
from Carleton University
. After graduation, he worked as counsel for the Minister of Employment and Immigration.
During his time as a federal government employee, Prue was an activist in the Canada Employment & Immigration Union, a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
In the 1980 federal election
, Prue ran as a federal NDP
candidate in Scarborough Centre and received 9237 votes for a third-place finish. He ran in the same riding in the 1984 election
, again placing third.
Prue became a councillor in East York
in 1988. In 1993 he was appointed mayor
of the borough. The previous mayor David Johnson
resigned when he won a provincial by-election. Rather than pay for the expense of a mayoral campaign, the East York council decided to choose a candidate from amongst themselves. Prue won the position after five ballots. The next year, he was elected Mayor in the 1994 municipal election
and remained in the position until 1997, when East York and the other component municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto
were merged into a single municipality (called the "megacity") by the Ontario government. As mayor, Prue was widely respected for bringing in five consecutive budgets with no tax increases, cutting East York's debt by $7.8 million, and ushering in new industry, commercial growth, and jobs to the community.
Before the megacity election, Prue successfully lobbied the provincial government to allot a third council seat for East York to improve its representation on Toronto City Council
, and then was elected to that council. He was named "Best Local Politician" by the North Toronto Post in 1999.
to replace retiring NDP MPP Frances Lankin
in the Ontario legislature.
There was some controversy during the by-election. Liberal candidate Bob Hunter
accused the NDP of smearing his reputation. He accused Prue of calling him a pedophile based on a book he wrote in 1988. Pages of the book, which portrayed sexual encounters with young prostitutes, were faxed to journalists during the campaign. Hunter launched a libel lawsuit against Prue and NDP leader Howard Hampton
but dropped the idea after the election. Prue won the by-election with 50% of the vote while Hunter received 36%.
He was re-elected in 2003
and 2007
with large pluralities.
In 2002 Prue undertook a week-long "welfare diet", trying to live on $12.05 for an entire week to draw attention to the condition of Ontario's poorest residents under the Mike Harris
government. In 2004 during a debate over expenses charged by school trustees, Prue said that city councillors could do much of the work of trustees. He appeared to support combining the two roles. In 2007 he supported a push for more accountability for executive compensation packages. In May, 2007, he tabled a private member's bill called the Conrad Black Executive Compensation Abuse Act which sought to have pay packages put to binding shareholder votes.
He has also championed affordable housing in Toronto, and measures to improve the lives of those with developmental disabilities.
as leader of the Ontario NDP party, Prue made remarks on public funding for Catholic schools
in Ontario. "The NDP policy is there, it says that we support the dual system," he said. "It is time though, I think, that we take a look at that, but we need to leave that to [the] convention. It cannot be my position or an individual's position... rather it must be a party position and we must have an open and frank debate to get to that point." He insisted he wasn't trying to reopen the debate about religion and schools.
Prue received 11.5% of the votes (weighted) on the first ballot, finishing in fourth place. According to the rules of the contest, as the last place finisher he was dropped off the next ballot. Prue gave his personal endorsement to Gilles Bisson
who finished in third place on the first ballot with 23.7% of the weighted vote. After Bisson was eliminated on the next ballot, Prue endorsed Andrea Horwath
, who won the leadership on the third ballot with 60.4% over rival Peter Tabuns
.
Prue reported income of $79,411.74 for his leadership bid, the lowest of the four contestants. His expenses were the second highest at $222,320.94. His reported deficit was $142,909.20, the highest of the four contestants.
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 represents the 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 Beaches—East York
Beaches—East York (provincial electoral district)
Beaches—East York is a provincial electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It elects one member to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.It was created in 1999 from parts of Beaches—Woodbine , Don Mills , and York East ....
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...
. He is the New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
(NDP) critic for Finance, Public Infrastructure Renewal, Community and Social Services and the Management Board of Cabinet, and for issues related to Toronto. He was a candidate in the 2009 Ontario NDP leadership election
Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election, 2009
The 2009 Ontario New Democratic Party leadership election was held in Hamilton, from March 6 to 8, 2009 to elect a successor to Howard Hampton as leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party . On June 15, 2008, Hampton informed the party's provincial council that he would not stand for re-election as...
, finishing in fourth place and dropping off after the first ballot.
Education and early political career
Prue grew up in Toronto's poor Regent ParkRegent Park
Regent Park is a neighbourhood located in Old Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Regent Park is Canada's oldest and largest social housing project; built in the late 1940s. Formerly the centre of the Cabbagetown neighbourhood, it is bounded by Gerrard Street East to the north, River Street to the east,...
neighbourhood. He has 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 in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and Anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in Canadian Studies
Canadian Studies
Canadian Studies is a Collegiate study of Canadian culture, Canadian languages, literature, Quebec, agriculture, history, and their government and politics. Most universities recommend that students take a double major and French, if not included in the course...
from Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
. After graduation, he worked as counsel for the Minister of Employment and Immigration.
During his time as a federal government employee, Prue was an activist in the Canada Employment & Immigration Union, a component of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
In the 1980 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
, Prue ran as a federal NDP
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
candidate in Scarborough Centre and received 9237 votes for a third-place finish. He ran in the same riding in the 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
, again placing third.
Prue became a councillor in East York
East York
East York can refer to:*East York, Pennsylvania, United States*East York, Ontario, Canada...
in 1988. In 1993 he was appointed 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 the borough. The previous mayor David Johnson
David Johnson (Canadian politician)
David John Johnson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was the mayor of East York from 1982 to 1993, a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1993 to 1999, and a senior cabinet minister in the government of Mike Harris.Johnson has a Bachelor of Science...
resigned when he won a provincial by-election. Rather than pay for the expense of a mayoral campaign, the East York council decided to choose a candidate from amongst themselves. Prue won the position after five ballots. The next year, he was elected Mayor in the 1994 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 1994
The 1994 Toronto municipal election was held in November 1994 to elect councillors in Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, and mayors, councillors and school trustees in Toronto, York, East York, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke....
and remained in the position until 1997, when East York and the other component municipalities of 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...
were merged into a single municipality (called the "megacity") by the Ontario government. As mayor, Prue was widely respected for bringing in five consecutive budgets with no tax increases, cutting East York's debt by $7.8 million, and ushering in new industry, commercial growth, and jobs to the community.
Before the megacity election, Prue successfully lobbied the provincial government to allot a third council seat for East York to improve its representation on 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....
, and then was elected to that council. He was named "Best Local Politician" by the North Toronto Post in 1999.
Election to the Ontario legislature
On September 20, 2001 Prue won a by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
to replace retiring NDP MPP Frances Lankin
Frances Lankin
Frances Lankin, PC is a former president and CEO of United Way Toronto, and a former Ontario MPP and cabinet minister. On November 30, 2010, Frances Lankin was appointed by the province to co-chair, along with Dr. Munir Sheikh, a comprehensive review of social assistance in Ontario...
in the Ontario legislature.
There was some controversy during the by-election. Liberal candidate Bob Hunter
Robert Hunter (journalist)
Robert Lorne Hunter was a Canadian environmentalist, journalist, author and politician. A member of the Don't Make a Wave Committee in 1969 with Dorothy and Irving Stowe, Marie and Jim Bohlen, and Ben and Dorothy Metcalfe...
accused the NDP of smearing his reputation. He accused Prue of calling him a pedophile based on a book he wrote in 1988. Pages of the book, which portrayed sexual encounters with young prostitutes, were faxed to journalists during the campaign. Hunter launched a libel lawsuit against Prue and NDP leader Howard Hampton
Howard Hampton
Howard George Hampton, MPP is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He has served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada, since 1987 as the Member of Provincial Parliament from the northern riding of Kenora—Rainy River. A member of the Ontario New Democratic Party, he was also the party's...
but dropped the idea after the election. Prue won the by-election with 50% of the vote while Hunter received 36%.
He was re-elected in 2003
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....
and 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...
with large pluralities.
In 2002 Prue undertook a week-long "welfare diet", trying to live on $12.05 for an entire week to draw attention to the condition of Ontario's poorest residents under the Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
government. In 2004 during a debate over expenses charged by school trustees, Prue said that city councillors could do much of the work of trustees. He appeared to support combining the two roles. In 2007 he supported a push for more accountability for executive compensation packages. In May, 2007, he tabled a private member's bill called the Conrad Black Executive Compensation Abuse Act which sought to have pay packages put to binding shareholder votes.
He has also championed affordable housing in Toronto, and measures to improve the lives of those with developmental disabilities.
NDP leadership convention
On July 18, 2008, Prue announced his intention to seek the leadership of the Ontario NDP at its 2009 leadership convention. At a press conference to announce his bid to replace Howard HamptonHoward Hampton
Howard George Hampton, MPP is a Canadian lawyer and politician. He has served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada, since 1987 as the Member of Provincial Parliament from the northern riding of Kenora—Rainy River. A member of the Ontario New Democratic Party, he was also the party's...
as leader of the Ontario NDP party, Prue made remarks on public funding for Catholic schools
Separate school
In Canada, separate school refers to a particular type of school that has constitutional status in three provinces and statutory status in three territories...
in Ontario. "The NDP policy is there, it says that we support the dual system," he said. "It is time though, I think, that we take a look at that, but we need to leave that to [the] convention. It cannot be my position or an individual's position... rather it must be a party position and we must have an open and frank debate to get to that point." He insisted he wasn't trying to reopen the debate about religion and schools.
Prue received 11.5% of the votes (weighted) on the first ballot, finishing in fourth place. According to the rules of the contest, as the last place finisher he was dropped off the next ballot. Prue gave his personal endorsement to Gilles Bisson
Gilles Bisson
Gilles Bisson is a Franco-Ontarian Canadian politician who has represented the northern riding of Timmins—James Bay in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1990...
who finished in third place on the first ballot with 23.7% of the weighted vote. After Bisson was eliminated on the next ballot, Prue endorsed Andrea Horwath
Andrea Horwath
Andrea Horwath , is a Canadian activist and politician. She is the Leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party in Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Hamilton Centre, and was chosen as the party's leader at its 2009 leadership convention.She is...
, who won the leadership on the third ballot with 60.4% over rival Peter Tabuns
Peter Tabuns
Peter Charles Tabuns is a Canadian politician. He is serving as a member of the Ontario Legislative Assembly where he represents the riding of Toronto-Danforth as a member of the New Democratic Party. He launched a bid to lead the party after the previous leader, Howard Hampton, resigned. A...
.
Prue reported income of $79,411.74 for his leadership bid, the lowest of the four contestants. His expenses were the second highest at $222,320.94. His reported deficit was $142,909.20, the highest of the four contestants.