Adam Giambrone

Growing up in the Davenport area of Toronto, he first became active with the New Democratic Party in its youth wing at age 15. While attending Harbord Collegiate Institute in Toronto, he was active in the model UN club and took great interests in politics. While studying at McGill University in Montreal, he served as treasurer of the New Democratic Youth of Canada. At age 20, he ran for the NDP in the riding of Mount Royal in the 1997 federal election, in which he finished fifth out of six candidates.{{Cite web |url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/features/decisioncanada/story.html?id=b4a18a1f-e2cb-4d19-b039-58b5a3710b59 |title=Montreal Gazette. September 17, 2008. |access-date=2010-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604123758/http://www.canada.com/topics/news/features/decisioncanada/story.html?id=b4a18a1f-e2cb-4d19-b039-58b5a3710b59 |archive-date=2011-06-04 |url-status=dead }} He graduated from McGill with a bachelor's degree in archaeology.{{cite news|author=Francine Kopun|accessdate=2008-04-28|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/01/06/riding_high_on_the_ttc.html|title=Riding high on the TTC |publisher=Toronto Star | date=January 6, 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080418202555/http://www.thestar.com/News/article/168444| archivedate= 18 April 2008 | url-status= live}}

At McGill, Giambrone ran for the position of vice-president finance of the Students' Society (undergraduate student union) and lost to fellow student Duncan Reid by a wide margin, but was later elected to the student council as one of three ad hoc councilors representing McGill's student clubs.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Returning to Toronto, he took up employment at the Royal Ontario Museum. He ran for Toronto City Council in the southern Davenport ward against Mario Silva in the 2000 municipal election, losing 6,037 to 3,338.

At the federal NDP convention of 2001, Giambrone won a first two-year term as president of the party. He was a grassroots challenger to the "official slate" candidate customarily supported by the party brass, but the official slate candidate stood down in Giambrone's favour. The president of the NDP is the administrative chairperson of the party, chairing party conventions, councils and executive meetings. Giambrone was 24, and no younger person had ever become president (or leader) of a major Canadian party. He became a frequent guest on television and figure in the news, and travelled the country extensively speaking to New Democrats.

Seeking re-election at the 2003 convention at which Jack Layton was elected party leader, Giambrone faced a strong challenge from respected New Brunswick NDP leader Elizabeth Weir. Midway through the convention, Giambrone and Weir decided to seek a co-presidency. Many delegates balked, especially at the assumption that they could push through a sudden constitutional change in a party often dearly concerned with internal process. The joint ticket was withdrawn, and Giambrone won a second term against Weir and a challenger from the NDP Socialist Caucus.

He announced in the summer of 2006 that he would not seek a third term as federal NDP president. Anne McGrath was elected to succeed him at the party convention in Quebec City.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Giambrone continued his attempts to win the south Davenport seat on Toronto city council. When Silva left city council and was elected a federal Liberal Member of Parliament in Davenport in the 2004 federal election, Giambrone became a leading candidate to replace him in the 2003 municipal election. With the endorsements of the Toronto Star, Now Magazine, Bloor West Villager newspapers and councillors Joe Pantalone and Fred Dominelli, Giambrone defeated Ana Bailão, Silva's former assistant, by a 51-40 margin in a field of six candidates.

As Vice-Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, he helped develop solutions to Toronto's garbage challenges, and promoted recycling and organic collection. Giambrone worked with the Mayor to implement a multibillion-dollar road and water infrastructure upgrade program.

Toronto Council unanimously approved a September 2007 motion to allow the Toronto Parking Authority to proceed with a plan to expropriate the Matador, a famed Toronto music hall and cultural landmark. After considerable media attention,Christopher Hume, [https://www.thestar.com/opinion/columnists/2007/09/26/43_years_of_history_vs_20_parking_spots.html "43 years of history vs. 20 parking spots"], Toronto Star, September 26, 2007. an organised group of citizens, including noted author Michael Ondaatje and folk singer Sylvia Tyson, lobbied Giambrone to successfully reverse the expropriation.John Goddard. [https://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/259716 "Is it closing time for the Matador?"], Toronto Star. September 24, 2007.[https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/iconic-matador-club-saved-from-expropriation-1.260628 "Iconic Matador Club saved from expropriation"], CTV.ca. October 17, 2007.

On May 7, 2009, Giambrone sent an email from his mobile phone, warning fellow councillor Cesar Palacio to "stop messing in my ward" or face "problems". Giambrone apologized for the "hastily composed" email when Palacio distributed copies to local media.Allison Hanes. [http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2009/05/09/ttc-chair-apologizes-after-e-mail-threat-to-neighbouring-councillor.aspx "TTC chair apologizes after e-mail threat to neighbouring councillor"] {{dead link|date=November 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}. National Post. May 5, 2009.

Shortly after taking office, he was appointed as a commissioner of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). He also served along with Greater Toronto Area mayors and regional chairs on the board of Metrolinx from its inception in 2006 until 2009.

During the TTC workers' wildcat strike on May 29, 2006, Giambrone was prominent in the media representing the TTC's position as commission chair Howard Moscoe was out of town. After being re-elected in the 2006 municipal election, taking almost 67 per cent of the vote in his ward, Giambrone was elected as Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission on December 6, 2006.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

As chair of the TTC, Giambrone oversaw a large expansion of bus service in Toronto, which saw then-record ridership,[https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/763943 "Miller champions Giambrone and TTC Plan"]. Toronto Star, Feb 10, 2010. and the launch of a new, improved TTC website {{cite web|last=Topping |first=David |url=http://torontoist.com/2008/06/ttc_new_website_nears.php |title=One Way Or Another |publisher=Torontoist |date=2008-06-05 |accessdate=2010-12-31}} electronic service advisories,{{cite web|url=http://www3.ttc.ca/News/2009/January/TTC_launches_e-Alert_subscription_service.jsp |title=TTC TTC launches e-Alert subscription service |publisher=.ttc.ca |date=2009-01-14 |accessdate=2010-12-31}} as well as next vehicle arrival information systems,{{cite web|url=http://www3.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Coupler/2009/January/Real_time_vehicle_arrival_info_is_here.jsp |title=TTC Real-time vehicle arrival info is here |publisher=.ttc.ca |date=2008-12-15 |accessdate=2010-12-31}} and an affinity discount program for the Metropass. Some of these ideas were discussed at Transit Camp, a community consultation early in his term as chair.

Giambrone also established the station modernization and station renaissance renewal programs for TTC subway stations, the latter in conjunction with the Toronto Community Foundation. Giambrone also started a program to install bicycle racks on all TTC buses.{{cite web |url=http://biketoronto.ca/topic/show/573.htm |title=bikeToronto: TTC votes to support bike racks on buses program |publisher=Biketoronto.ca |accessdate=2010-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917213247/http://biketoronto.ca/topic/show/573.htm |archive-date=2011-09-17 |url-status=dead }} although naysayers complained that they were not worth the expense and seldom used.{{cite web|url=http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/05/02/13798976.html |title= Bus fleet's bike racks barely used |publisher=Toronto Sun |date= |accessdate=2010-05-02}}

Giambrone together with Mayor David Miller unveiled Transit City, a $10 billion expansion{{Cite web |url=http://www3.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Adam_Giambrone.jsp |title="Biography: Adam Giambrone, TTC Chair" Toronto Transit Commission. February 12, 2010. |access-date=2010-02-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100416203357/http://www3.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Adam_Giambrone.jsp |archive-date=2010-04-16 |url-status=dead }} of light rail into neighborhoods and areas not served by rapid transit, and reaching into the GTA. Transit City calls for 120 kilometres of electric light rail along seven new routes.Tess Kalinowski & John Spears. [https://www.thestar.com/news/2007/03/17/success_driven_by_ttc_miller.html "Success driven by TTC: Miller"]. Toronto Star. March 17, 2007. Premier Dalton McGuinty announced funding for Transit City as a component of its MoveOntario 2020 plan on June 15, 2007.{{cite web|url=http://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2007/06/mcguinty-government-action-plan-for-rapid-transit-will-move-the-economy-forward.html |title=McGuinty Government Action Plan For Rapid Transit Will Move The Economy Forward |publisher=News.ontario.ca |date= |accessdate=2010-12-31}} Transit City was also included in Metrolinx's "Big Move" funding plan when it was released on November 27, 2008.[http://www.metrolinx.com/thebigmove/index.html ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227045437/http://www.metrolinx.com/thebigmove/index.html |date=February 27, 2009 }}

On April 24, 2009, Giambrone announced that the TTC had opted to replace its aging fleet of Canadian Light Rail Vehicles and Articulated Light Rail Vehicles with 204 new streetcars, procured competitively from Bombardier Transportation. New streetcars began to enter service in 2012. The deal, valued at more than $1.2 billion, called for the streetcars to be manufactured in Thunder Bay.[https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/623916 "TTC picks Bombardier to supply streetcars"]. Toronto Star, April 24, 2009.

Giambrone announced the launch of the TTC's Transit City Bus Plan on August 21, 2009.[https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/684751 "TTC unveils proposal to improve bus service"]. Toronto Star, August 21, 2009. The plan took the 'network approach' of the Transit City Light Rail Plan and applied it to buses, creating a network of 10-minute service on 21 of its 139 bus routes which began in the fall of 2010.

Giambrone appeared on CP24's monthly television show called On The Rocket in which he rides a streetcar and discusses daily transit operations, improvements, plans and concerns.

In the wake of a sex scandal (see 2010 mayoral campaign), fellow councilor Brian Ashton called for Giambrone to resign as chairman of the TTC, which had been beset by bad publicity. Ashton said "The TTC is under serious assault around issues of customer relations and performance. The union is now fragmented from the management. I think his moral authority has been totally debased and undermined," said Ashton. "I think mentally he's going to be distracted by both his mayoralty bid and this sex scandal. His ability to come to terms with the TTC issues is tremendously weakened."{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontomayoralrace/article/763124--adam-giambrone-admits-to-multiple-affairs |title=Emotional Adam Giambrone admits to multiple affairs |work=thestar.com |date= February 10, 2010|accessdate=2010-12-31 |location=Toronto |first=Linda |last=Diebel}} He did not step down, but also did not seek re-election and so his term as TTC chair ended in December, 2010.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Giambrone launched a campaign for Mayor of Toronto in the 2010 municipal election to succeed David Miller on February 1, 2010,{{cite news|author=Katie Daubs and Paul Moloney|date=2010-02-02|title=Hip hop and squeals greet Adam Giambrone|publisher=The Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontomayoralrace/article/759034--hip-hop-and-squeals-greet-adam-giambrone|url-status=live|accessdate=2010-02-02|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100204022406/http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontomayoralrace/article/759034--hip-hop-and-squeals-greet-adam-giambrone|archivedate=4 February 2010}} ending it on February 10, 2010.[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/giambrone-offers-brief-apology-exits-mayors-race/article1462680/ "Giambrone offers brief apology, exits mayor's race"]. The Globe and Mail, February 10, 2010. Before Giambrone entered the race, two polls showed him in second place among declared mayoral candidates,[https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontomayoralrace/article/750562--smitherman-leads-mayoral-race "Smitherman leads Mayoral race"]. Toronto Star, January 14, 2010. though he also had a high unfavorability rating of 40 per cent.[http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/polls-analysis/opinion-polls/torontonians-split-miller%E2%80%99s-legacy-2010-mayoral-race-wide-open "Angus Reid Opinion Poll" Angus Reid. Nov. 3, 2009.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100312020211/http://www.angusreidstrategies.com/polls-analysis/opinion-polls/torontonians-split-miller%E2%80%99s-legacy-2010-mayoral-race-wide-open|date=2010-03-12}} He remained a leading candidate until February 9, when the Toronto Star published an interview with undergraduate student Kristen Lucas, who revealed that she had a past sexual relationship with Giambrone, including acts in his city office.[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/giambrones-career-damaged-not-crippled-by-sex-scandal/article1462275/ "Giambrone's career damaged, not crippled, by sex scandal"]. Toronto Star, February 9, 2010. Giambrone apologized for an "inappropriate relationship" and admitted to intimate relationships with women other than his live-in partner, to whom he is now married.[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/giambrone-admits-to-multiple-intimate-relationships/article1462529/ "Giambrone admits to multiple 'intimate' relationships"]. The Globe and Mail, February 10, 2010. In the immediate wake of the revelations, Giambrone initially pledged to continue with his mayoral campaign, but announced his withdrawal the following day.

Giambrone did not run for re-election to his council seat, and his executive assistant Kevin Beaulieu was defeated by Ana Bailão.{{cite news|last=Dempsey|first=Amy|date=2010-10-26|title=Ward 18: Giambrone legacy ends in Davenport|work=thestar.com|location=Toronto|url=https://www.thestar.com/article/881038--bailao-nabs-giambrone-s-old-seat-in-ward-18|accessdate=2010-12-31}} Giambrone claimed French lessons as a city council expense, as he was Toronto's representative to the Francophone Association of Municipalities of Ontario and does interviews with francophone media.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/article/885601--defeated-bussin-biggest-spender-on-city-council |title=Giambrone continued French studies on his way out |work=thestar.com |date=2010-11-04 |accessdate=2010-12-31 |location=Toronto |first=David |last=Rider}}

On July 5, 2013, Giambrone resigned as co-chair of the candidate search committee and announced his candidacy for the Ontario New Democratic Party's nomination for the August 1, 2013 provincial by-election in Scarborough—Guildwood; he won the nomination on July 7 over community activist Amarjeet Chhabra, reportedly by a margin of 18 to 14.{{cite news|date=July 6, 2013|title=Adam Giambrone, ex-mayoral candidate, to run for NDP in byelection|newspaper=Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/07/06/adam_giambrone_exmayoral_candidate_to_run_for_ndp_in_byelection.html|accessdate=July 6, 2013}}{{cite news|title=Giambrone stays as Scarborough NDP candidate after challenger backs off|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/giambrone-stays-as-scarborough-ndp-candidate-after-challenger-backs-off/article13314337/|accessdate=July 18, 2013|newspaper=Globe and Mail|date=July 18, 2013}}

Giambrone's nomination was the subject of a threatened legal challenge by Chhabra who alleged that 12 of the 32 individuals who voted at the nomination meeting were not on party membership lists and may not have been entitled to vote according to party rules that require an individual to be a party member for 30 days and to live in the riding in order to be able to cast a ballot. Chhabra said she would not proceed with her attempt to force a new nomination meeting due to the tight time frame before the election.

Giambrone came in third place with 28 per cent of the vote, an improvement of 9 per cent from the previous NDP candidate in the 2011 provincial election.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

He has been a transit consultant for clients such as the city of Milwaukee and the Société de transport de Montréal.{{cite news|title=Former TTC chair Giambrone running for NDP in Scarborough by-election|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/former-ttc-chair-giambrone-running-for-ndp-in-scarborough-by-election/article13057555/|accessdate=July 7, 2013|newspaper=Globe and Mail|date=July 7, 2013}}

In 2016, Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio appointed Giambrone to head up the Brooklyn–Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar project.

Giambrone has since left the BQX project to head up transportation infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia.{{cite web|url=https://politi.co/2FqnlIo|title=Stymied in NYC, former BQX czar pursues grander plans in Saudi Arabia|first=Dana|last=Rubinstein|date=|website=Politico PRO|accessdate=16 January 2019}}

Giambrone has participated in excavations in Sudan, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen, and Guatemala.

He speaks English, French, and Arabic fluently.[http://www.toronto.ca/councillors/giambrone1.htm "Councillor Adam Giambrone Profile" City of Toronto. February 12, 2010.] He is of Italian-American ancestry; his father moved to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War.

Since leaving municipal politics, Giambrone has been a commentator and panelist on the Sun News Network and was a columnist for Now, an alternative weekly newspaper.{{cite news|title=Sun News claims the deck is stacked against it|url=http://o.canada.com/2013/04/09/sun-news-network-responds-to-all-the-haters/|accessdate=July 6, 2013|newspaper=National Post|date=April 9, 2013}}

Results for the 1997 federal campaign in the riding of Mount Royal:Election results for Mount Royal

{{Canadian election result/top|CA|1997|percent=yes|change=yes}}

{{CANelec|CA|Liberal|Sheila Finestone|30,115|62.3% |-20.6%}}

{{CANelec|CA|Independent|Howard Galganov|10,090|20.9% |}}

{{CANelec|CA|PC|Carolyn Steinman|5,006|10.3% |+4.6%}}

{{CANelec|CA|BQ|Jacques Thibaudeau|1,981|4.1% |-2.9%}}

{{CANelec|CA|NDP|Adam Giambrone|966|2.0% |+0.3%}}

{{CANelec|CA|Natural Law|Ena Kahn|211|0.4% |-0.2%}}

{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|48,369 |100.0%}}

{{end}}

{{CANelec/top|ON|Scarborough-Guildwood: August 1, 2013
Resignation of Margarett Best|percent=yes|change=yes|by=yes}}

{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Mitzie Hunter| 8,852 | 35.83 | -13.10}}

{{CANelec|ON|PC|Ken Kirupa| 7,606 | 30.79 | +2.14}}

{{CANelec|ON|NDP| Adam Giambrone | 7,010 | 28.37 | +8.95}}

{{CANelec|ON|Green|Nick Leeson| 532 | 2.15 | +0.86}}

{{CANelec|ON|Independent|Jim Hamilton| 195| 0.79 | - }}

{{CANelec|ON|Special Needs| Danish Ahmed | 185 | 0.75 | - }}

{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Heath Thomas | 118 | 0.48 | -0.80}}

{{CANelec|ON|FCP|Raphael Rosch| 104 | 0.42 | - }}

{{CANelec|ON|Freedom|Matthew Oliver | 80 | 0.32 | -0.10}}

{{CANelec|ON|People's| Bill Rawdah | 24 | 0.10 | - }}

{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 24,706| 100.0| | }}

{{Canadian election result/total|Turnout|24,706| 36.19 | }}

{{Canadian party colour|ON|Liberal|row}}

|align="left" colspan=2|Liberal hold

|align="right"|Swing

|align="right"| -7.62

{{end}}

{{reflist|2|refs=

{{cite news

| url = https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/07/16/adam-giambrone-hired-as-nyc-transit-consultant.html

| title = Adam Giambrone hired as NYC transit consultant

| publisher = Toronto Star

| author = Bruce Demara

| date = 2016-07-16

| page =

| location =

| accessdate = 2016-07-16

| quote = Former city councillor and TTC chair Adam Giambrone has a new gig in New York City, overseeing the creation of a streetcar line along the waterfront linking the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn.

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/brooklyn-queens-streetcar-plan-gets-a-czar.html#

| title = The Mayor's Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Plan Gets a Czar

| publisher = New York magazine

| author = Justin Davidson

| date = 2016-07-16

| page =

| location =

| accessdate = 2016-07-16

| quote = Tall and athletic with a spiky crew cut and a Boy Scout demeanor, the 39-year-old Giambrone comes to the job with both experience and baggage — and with knowledge of New York sketchy enough that at one point during an interview he referred to the "Downtown East Side."

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://www.torontosun.com/2016/07/16/ex-ttc-chair-adam-giambrone-is-new-york-citys-new-streetcar-guru

| title = Ex-TTC chair Adam Giambrone is New York City's new streetcar guru

| publisher = Toronto Sun

| author = Terry Davidson

| date = 2016-07-16

| page =

| location =

| accessdate = 2016-07-16

| quote = Adam Giambrone — the one-time mayoral candidate who was brought down by a sex scandal — is New York City's new streetcar guru.

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/adam-giambrone-bqx-1.3682646

| title = Former TTC chair Adam Giambrone tapped to lead New York City streetcar project

| publisher = CBC News

| author =

| date = 2016-07-16

| page =

| location =

| accessdate = 2016-07-16

| quote = Former Toronto politician Adam Giambrone has been appointed director of a new transit project in New York City. The project, called the BQX (Brooklyn Queens Connector) is a plan for a roughly 26-kilometre streetcar route that would run along the waterfront connecting those boroughs.

}}

}}

{{Archival records|title=Adam Giambrone fonds|location=|inventory_number=Fonds 417|description_URL=http://gencat.eloquent-systems.com/torontodetail.html?key=418543|dates=|access_conditions=}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/councillors/2006-2010/giambrone1.htm Former City Councillor Adam Giambrone]

{{Transit City}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giambrone, Adam}}

Category:1977 births

Category:Canadian people of Italian descent

Category:Canadian people of American descent

Category:New Democratic Party candidates for the Canadian House of Commons

Category:Living people

Category:McGill University alumni

Category:Toronto city councillors

Category:Presidents of the New Democratic Party of Canada

Category:Chairs of the Toronto Transit Commission

Category:Ontario New Democratic Party candidates in Ontario provincial elections

Category:21st-century Canadian municipal councillors