Rosario Marchese
Encyclopedia
Rosario Marchese is a politician
in Ontario
, Canada
. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, representing the downtown Toronto
riding of Trinity-Spadina
for the New Democratic Party of Ontario.
degree in English, French and Philosophy from the University of Toronto
in 1978, and later received a Bachelor of Education
degree. Before entering public life, he taught English
and French
in Toronto and Mississauga
. He is also fluent in Italian
.
Board trustee, and Multilingual Literacy Centre Chair.
, defeating incumbent Liberal
Bob Wong
by about 1500 votes in the riding of Fort York
. The NDP won a majority government and Marchese was appointed as the Minister of Culture and Communications
on October 1, 1990. He presided over a significant increase in funding to the Ontario Arts Council
and the provincial film industry, but was dropped from cabinet on July 31, 1991.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 election
, although Marchese actually managed to increase his margin of victory against Wong, who once again ran for the Liberals. In opposition, he managed to distinguish himself as one of the most spirited debaters in the reduced NDP caucus. He again increased his margin of victory in 1999 provincial election
.
Some suspected that Marchese would have difficulty being re-elected against Liberal
Nellie Pedro in the 2003 election
, though as it happened he was re-elected by more than 6,000 votes. He was handily re-elected in 2007 and is currently the NDP critic for Education, Training, Colleges and Universities, Culture, Tourism and Recreation, Multiculturalism, Citizenship and Immigration, and Disabilities.
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
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 is a member of 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 downtown 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...
riding of Trinity-Spadina
Trinity—Spadina (provincial electoral district)
Trinity—Spadina is a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1999....
for the New Democratic Party of Ontario.
Background
Marchese arrived in Canada with his family at age nine. He received a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor 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 English, French and Philosophy 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...
in 1978, and later received a Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
degree. Before entering public life, he taught English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in Toronto and Mississauga
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
. He is also fluent in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
Political life
He served on the Toronto school board from 1982 to 1990, representing Wards 4 and 5 at different times. During this period, he distinguished himself as an advocate of lingual and racial rights, worked to establish international language programs, alternative schools and school childcare, and helped to end the practice of streaming students into narrow learning programs. As well, he served as Vice-President of the National Congress of Italian Canadians (Toronto), Toronto Public LibraryToronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library is a public library system based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest public library system in Canada and in 2008, had averaged a higher...
Board trustee, and Multilingual Literacy Centre Chair.
Provincial politics
Marchese was first elected to the Ontario parliament in the provincial election of 1990Ontario general election, 1990
The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada....
, defeating incumbent Liberal
Ontario 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...
Bob Wong
Bob Wong
Robert Charles Wong is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1987 to 1990, serving as a cabinet minister in the provincial government of David Peterson....
by about 1500 votes in the riding of Fort York
Fort York (electoral district)
Fort York was a provincial electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was created in 1987 and was subsequently abolished in 1999 when the ridings were redistributed to match their federal counterparts. The riding had only two representatives:...
. The NDP won a majority government and Marchese was appointed as the Minister of Culture and Communications
Ministry of Culture (Ontario)
The Ministry of Culture in the Canadian province of Ontario was responsible for the development of policies and programs and the operation of programs related to arts, cultural industries, heritage sectors and libraries, in Ontario...
on October 1, 1990. He presided over a significant increase in funding to the Ontario Arts Council
Ontario Arts Council
The Ontario Arts Council is a publicly-funded Canadian organization in the province of Ontario whose purpose is to promote and assist the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of all Ontarians...
and the provincial film industry, but was dropped from cabinet on July 31, 1991.
The NDP were defeated in the 1995 election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
, although Marchese actually managed to increase his margin of victory against Wong, who once again ran for the Liberals. In opposition, he managed to distinguish himself as one of the most spirited debaters in the reduced NDP caucus. He again increased his margin of victory in 1999 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1999
An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
.
Some suspected that Marchese would have difficulty being re-elected against Liberal
Ontario 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...
Nellie Pedro in the 2003 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....
, though as it happened he was re-elected by more than 6,000 votes. He was handily re-elected in 2007 and is currently the NDP critic for Education, Training, Colleges and Universities, Culture, Tourism and Recreation, Multiculturalism, Citizenship and Immigration, and Disabilities.