Raymond Cho
Encyclopedia
Raymond Cho is a City Councillor
in Toronto
, Canada
representing Ward 42 Scarborough-Rouge River. Before being elected, he worked as a social worker for the Catholic Children's Aid Society, the Toronto Board of Education, and the Scarborough Board of Education.
Cho holds a Masters' degree in Social Work and Doctorate in Education from the University of Toronto
. He is married to Soon-Ok Cho, and has three adult sons.
Council for Scarborough-Malvern in 1991, and was re-elected in 1994. After the Scarborough and the other suburbs were amalgamated into the new City of Toronto, Cho was elected to the new council representing Scarborough-Malvern in 1997 along with Bas Balkissoon
. In 2000, he was again re-elected and now represents the new ward of Scarborough Rouge-River. He won re-election in 2003, 2006 and 2010.
On August 13, 2004, the Toronto Star
reported that Cho spent nearly all of his allotted councillor expense fund, one of the highest on city council. While there was some speculation that some of this money was diverted to Cho's failed bid to run in the federal election campaign, his executive assistant said the money was needed for newsletters mailed out to constituents to provide information on a rash of fatal shootings in the Malvern
neighbourhood earlier in the year.
Cho was Chairman of the Toronto Zoo
for two successive terms.
candidate for election to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1988 federal election
and was initially identified as a New Democrat when he joined Metro Council, however, he soon became an ally and supporter of then Metropolitan Toronto Chairman Alan Tonks
and dropped his NDP affiliation. He subsequently took out membership in the Liberal Party
though, like most non-NDP municipal politicians in Ontario
he did not run on a party label in municipal elections.
He ran in the 2004 federal election
as an independent candidate in Scarborough—Rouge River
. Cho called himself an "independent Liberal", and used the Liberal Party of Canada
's red-and-white colours for his campaign materials. He was accused of trying to mislead voters by the official Liberal candidate, Derek Lee. Lee, who has been the MP since 1988 said that Cho caused some controversy by claiming to have been shut out of the candidate nomination process. Lee won the election, although Cho placed a respectable second with 6,692 votes (17.8% of the total).
's candidate in the Scarborough—Rouge River
provincial by-election
which was made necessary by the appointment of incumbent Liberal MPP Alvin Curling
to a diplomatic position. However, the Liberal riding association used a clause of its constitution to declare another city councillor, Bas Balkissoon, as its candidate without a contested nomination process. Media reports suggested that this was done to exclude Cho as the provincial riding association was displeased with Cho's "independent Liberal" candidacy in the 2004 federal election. Cho was also mentioned as a potential candidate for the Progressive Conservatives
since he helped former leader John Tory
during the March 2005 by-election in Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey
. In the end, Cho chose not to run in the by-election which was won handily by Balkissoon.
Unofficial results as of October 26, 2010 03:55 AM
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....
in 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...
, 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...
representing Ward 42 Scarborough-Rouge River. Before being elected, he worked as a social worker for the Catholic Children's Aid Society, the Toronto Board of Education, and the Scarborough Board of Education.
Cho holds a Masters' degree in Social Work and Doctorate in Education 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...
. He is married to Soon-Ok Cho, and has three adult sons.
Municipal politics
He was first elected to Metropolitan TorontoMetropolitan 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 for Scarborough-Malvern in 1991, and was re-elected in 1994. After the Scarborough and the other suburbs were amalgamated into the new City of Toronto, Cho was elected to the new council representing Scarborough-Malvern in 1997 along with Bas Balkissoon
Bas Balkissoon
Bas Balkissoon is a politician in Toronto, Ontario. Formerly the Toronto city councillor representing Ward 41 in northeast area of Scarborough, Balkissoon won election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on November 24, 2005 as the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament for Scarborough—Rouge...
. In 2000, he was again re-elected and now represents the new ward of Scarborough Rouge-River. He won re-election in 2003, 2006 and 2010.
On August 13, 2004, the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
reported that Cho spent nearly all of his allotted councillor expense fund, one of the highest on city council. While there was some speculation that some of this money was diverted to Cho's failed bid to run in the federal election campaign, his executive assistant said the money was needed for newsletters mailed out to constituents to provide information on a rash of fatal shootings in the Malvern
Malvern, Toronto
Malvern is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 44,315. It is located in the northeast corner of the city, in the district of Scarborough. Scarborough was merged with five other municipalities and a regional government to form the new City of Toronto in 1998...
neighbourhood earlier in the year.
Cho was Chairman of the Toronto Zoo
Toronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo is a zoo located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It opened August 15, 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo and is owned by the City of Toronto; the word "Metropolitan" was dropped from its name when the cities of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto were amalgamated to form the...
for two successive terms.
Federal politics
Cho was a New Democratic PartyNew 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 for election to 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 1988 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
and was initially identified as a New Democrat when he joined Metro Council, however, he soon became an ally and supporter of then Metropolitan Toronto Chairman Alan Tonks
Alan Tonks
Alan Tonks is a Canadian politician. He was the Liberal MP for the federal electoral district of York South—Weston in Toronto from 2000 to 2011, and was the final Metro Toronto Chairman before the amalgamation of Metro Toronto into the new City of Toronto.-Background:Tonks is the son of the late...
and dropped his NDP affiliation. He subsequently took out membership in 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...
though, like most non-NDP municipal politicians 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....
he did not run on a party label in municipal elections.
He ran in the 2004 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
as an independent candidate in Scarborough—Rouge River
Scarborough—Rouge River
Scarborough—Rouge River is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988....
. Cho called himself an "independent Liberal", and used the Liberal Party of Canada
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...
's red-and-white colours for his campaign materials. He was accused of trying to mislead voters by the official Liberal candidate, Derek Lee. Lee, who has been the MP since 1988 said that Cho caused some controversy by claiming to have been shut out of the candidate nomination process. Lee won the election, although Cho placed a respectable second with 6,692 votes (17.8% of the total).
Provincial politics
In 2005, Cho expressed interest in being the Ontario Liberal PartyOntario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
's candidate in the Scarborough—Rouge River
Scarborough—Rouge River
Scarborough—Rouge River is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988....
provincial by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
which was made necessary by the appointment of incumbent Liberal MPP Alvin Curling
Alvin Curling
Alvin Curling is a prominent Black Canadian. He was Canada's envoy to the Dominican Republic from 2005-2006. A former politician in Ontario, Canada, he was Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario until he resigned on August 19, 2005 to accept his diplomatic appointment...
to a diplomatic position. However, the Liberal riding association used a clause of its constitution to declare another city councillor, Bas Balkissoon, as its candidate without a contested nomination process. Media reports suggested that this was done to exclude Cho as the provincial riding association was displeased with Cho's "independent Liberal" candidacy in the 2004 federal election. Cho was also mentioned as a potential candidate for 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...
since he helped former leader John Tory
John Tory
John Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
during the March 2005 by-election in Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey
Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey (provincial electoral district)
Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey is a former provincial electoral district in southwestern Ontario, Canada that elected one Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It was created in 1999 from Wellington, Grey and Dufferin—Peel...
. In the end, Cho chose not to run in the by-election which was won handily by Balkissoon.
Election results
| 2010 Toronto election Toronto city council election, 2010 For information on the campaign for mayor see Toronto mayoral election, 2010The 2010 Toronto council election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect councillors to represent Toronto's 44 wards at Toronto City Council... , Ward 42 |
||
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Raymond Cho | 10,811 | 52.93% |
| Neethan Shan | 6,873 | 33.65% |
| Shamoon Poonawala | 586 | 2.869% |
| Mohammed Ather | 474 | 2.321% |
| Namu Ponnambalam | 443 | 2.169% |
| Ruth Tecle | 437 | 2.14% |
| George Singh | 353 | 1.728% |
| Leon Saul | 323 | 1.581% |
| Venthan Ramanathavavuniyan | 125 | 0.612% |
| Total | 20,425 | 100% |
Unofficial results as of October 26, 2010 03:55 AM