Denzil Minnan-Wong
{{Short description|Canadian city councillor}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Denzil Minnan-Wong
| image = Denzil Minnan-Wong speaks to reporters - 2012 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Minnan-Wong in 2012
| office = Deputy Mayor of Toronto
for North YorkMinnan-Wong was also designated as the statutory deputy mayor.
| term_start = December 1, 2014
| term_end = November 15, 2022
| predecessor = Norm Kelly
| successor = Jennifer McKelvie (statutory)
Michael Colle (North York; 2023)
| office1 = Toronto City Councillor
for Ward 16 Don Valley East
| term_start1 = December 1, 2018
| term_end1 = November 15, 2022
| predecessor1 = Ward created
| successor1 = Jon Burnside
| office2 = Toronto City Councillor
for Ward 34 Don Valley East
| term_start2 = December 1, 2000
| term_end2 = December 1, 2018
| predecessor2 = Ward created
| successor2 = Ward dissolved
| office3 = Toronto City Councillor
for Ward 11 Don Parkway
| term_start3 = January 1, 1998
| term_end3 = December 1, 2000
| predecessor3 = Ward created
| successor3 = Ward dissolved
| office4 = North York City Councillor
for Ward 12
| term_start4 = January 1, 1995
| term_end4 = December 1, 1997
| predecessor4 = Incumbent
| successor4 = Ward dissolved
| birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|45|2009|6|15}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = Canadian
| residence = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| occupation = Lawyer
| spouse = Colleen
| children = 3
| alongside =
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| t =
| s =
| p = Huáng Mínnán
| w =
| j =
| c = 黃旻南
}}
Denzil Minnan-Wong (born {{circa|1963}}) is a former Canadian politician who was the statutory deputy mayor of Toronto from 2014 to 2022, representing North York. Minnan-Wong served on Toronto City Council from 1995 to 2022, representing a succession of wards in the Don Mills.
Background
Born in 1963,{{cite news |last=Lu |first=Vanessa |date=June 15, 2009 |title=City hall's car guy learns to ride |newspaper=Toronto Star |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/06/15/city_halls_car_guy_learns_to_ride.html}} Minnan-Wong is the son of Denzil Minnan-Wong, Sr. (a Chinese Canadian who became a prominent member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario) and Josephine Cazabon (born in Timmins, Ontario).{{Cite web|url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/scarborough-on/josephine-jo-minnan-wong-9241805|title=Josephine "Jo" MINNAN-WONG Obituary - Scarborough, ON|website=Dignitymemorial.com|access-date=17 July 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/thestar/name/josephine-minnan-wong-obituary?pid=190349268|title=JOSEPHINE "JO" MINNAN-WONG Obituary (2018) Toronto Star|website=Legacy.com|access-date=17 July 2022}} His father died in 1988 at age 53.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
He was educated at Osgoode Hall Law School and became a lawyer specializing in immigration issues. He lives in Toronto with his wife Colleen and their three children.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}
Political career
In 1994 North York councillor Barry Burton died of cancer and the North York city council appointed Minnan-Wong as interim councillor for Ward 12. He was subsequently elected to the position in the November 1994 municipal election. In 1997 he was elected as one of two councillors representing Ward 11 – Don Parkway to the city council of the new amalgamated city of Toronto.{{cite web |url=http://www.toronto.ca/elections/results/results_1997.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021141358/http://www.toronto.ca/elections/results/results_1997.htm |archive-date=21 October 2012 |title=1997 Toronto general election results |year=1997 |publisher=City of Toronto |access-date=12 July 2013}} In July 2022 Minnan Wong announced he would not seek re-election in the October 2022 municipal election after 28 years in elected office.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/denzil-minnan-wong-not-running-toronto-1.6519428|title=Don Valley East councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong says he won't seek re-election this fall|website=Cbc.ca|access-date=2022-07-17}}
= Garbage collection privatization =
In 2011, he led an initiative to contract out garbage collection in Toronto west of Yonge Street in 2011 which projected savings of $12 million a year.{{cite news |title=Toronto has saved $11.9M through private garbage December 16, 2013 |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-has-saved-11-9m-through-private-garbage-pickup-1.2466736 |publisher=CBC News}} As of 2021, reports published by the City of Toronto state the privatized garbage collection west of Yonge was actually costing more than the city’s in-house garbage operations, at $143.48 per household per year as opposed to the city’s garbage collection services at $139.24 per household per year. Despite this, Minnan-Wong has continued to voice his support for privatization of garbage collection services and strenuously opposes returning these services to the city’s operation.{{Cite news|last=Rider|first=David|date=2021-11-08|title=Private trash haulers were supposed to save Toronto taxpayers millions. Rubbish, suggests a new report|language=en-CA|work=The Toronto Star|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2021/11/08/private-trash-haulers-were-supposed-to-save-toronto-taxpayers-millions-rubbish-says-a-new-report.html|access-date=2021-11-10|issn=0319-0781}}
= Bike lanes =
Although Minnan-Wong did not learn to ride a bicycle until the age of 46 in 2013, he supported the development of the first on street separated bike lane network in Toronto, resulting in the creation of the Sherbourne, Wellesley, Hoskin,{{cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/transportation/city-way-behind-on-bike-lane-target/|title=City way behind on bike lane target|website=Nowtoronto.com|date=29 December 2013 |access-date=July 17, 2022}} Richmond and Adelaide protected cycle tracks while voting for the removal of three painted bike lanes on Jarvis Street, Pharmacy Avenue and Birchmount Road.{{cite news |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2014/07/30/new-bike-lanes-open-on-richmond-adelaide |title=New bike lanes on Richmond Adelaide |newspaper=Toronto Sun |date=July 30, 2014}}{{cite web |title=Bikeway Network - 2011 Update |url=http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2011.PW5.1 |publisher=City of Toronto |date=July 12, 2011}} The same year, he facilitated the move of the Bixi public bike share system to the operation of the Toronto Parking Authority.{{cite news |title=Bixi bike-share program to pedal forward under a new name |first=Robyn |last=Doolittle |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=December 4, 2013 |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/2013/12/04/bixi_bikeshare_program_to_pedal_forward_under_a_new_name.html}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/toronto-unveils-new-separated-bike-lane-on-sherbourne-street/article12454652/ |title=Toronto unveils new separated bike lane on Sherbourne Street |newspaper=Globe and Mail}} Minnan-Wong was instrumental in reaffirming the $150 fine for parking in rush hour zones, a policy described by Mayor Rob Ford as "a cash grab."{{cite news |url=https://nationalpost.com/news/toronto/rob-ford-says-new-parking-ticket-fine-hike-a-cash-grab-but-we-have-to-pay |title=Rob Ford says new parking ticket fine hike a 'cash grab' |newspaper=National Post |date=January 20, 2014}} Toronto was awarded Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) gold status from the Share the Road Cycling Coalition in April 2015, an award criticized by local cycling advocates.{{cite web |title=Share the Road Announces Bicycle Friendly Community Awards April 2015 |url=http://www.sharetheroad.ca/files/News_Release_April_1___Bicycle_Friendly_Communities_1.pdf |publisher=Share the Road Cycling Coalition |date=April 1, 2015}}
{{cite news
| last1 = Simcoe
| first1 = Luke
| title = Bicycle award divides Toronto's cycling community
| work = Metro
| publisher = Free Daily News Group Inc.
| location = Toronto
| date = April 5, 2015
| url = http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2015/04/05/bicycle-award-divides-torontos-cycling-community.html
| access-date = 18 May 2024
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180319153249/http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2015/04/05/bicycle-award-divides-torontos-cycling-community.html
| archive-date = March 19, 2018
| url-status = dead
= TTC board =
He was appointed to the Toronto Transit Commission by City Council under the Mayor Rob Ford administration in December 2010.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2010/12/08/fords_picks_named_to_police_board.html |title=Fords picks named to police board |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=December 8, 2010}} He was one of 5 councillors on the TTC board who voted in 2012 to terminate the services of the TTC General Manager Gary Webster. Andy Byford was hired as Webster's replacement.{{cite news |title='Toadyism wins:' Councillors rage after TTC board sacks Toronto transit chief Gary Webster |first=Megan |last=O'Toole |newspaper=National Post |date=February 21, 2012 |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/posted-toronto/meeting-expected-to-result-in-dismissal-of-ttc-chief-gm-gary-webster-convenes-amid-cheers-and-conflicting-visions-of-transit}} The five councillors who supported Webster's termination, including Minnan-Wong, were removed from the TTC board by council on March 5, 2012, as a result of a motion by Councillor Karen Stintz, chair of the TTC board.{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/mayor-loses-as-ttc-board-restructured/article551600/ |title=Mayor loses as TTC board restructured |newspaper=Globe and Mail}}{{cite news |title=Eglinton LRT first up at new TTC board |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/cityhallpolitics/article/1141766 |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=March 7, 2012}} On December 2, 2014, he was appointed again to the TTC board by city council after the election of Mayor John Tory with his tenure ending with the end of his term of office as a councillor on November 15, 2022.{{cite news |url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/city-hall/old-guard-of-council's-left/ |title=Old guard of council's left |newspaper=NOW Magazine}}
= Ontario provincial 2018 election =
On January 20, 2018 he was acclaimed as the candidate for the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario for the riding of Don Valley East for the 2018 provincial election.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cp24.com/news/deputy-mayor-denzil-minnan-wong-acclaimed-as-pc-candidate-for-don-valley-east-1.3768220|title=Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong acclaimed as PC candidate for Don Valley East|last=Fox|first=Chris|date=2018-01-20|work=CP24|access-date=2018-01-20|language=en-CA}} He placed a close second to the Liberal incumbent, former cabinet minister Michael Coteau.{{cite news |last1=D'Andrea |first1=Aaron |date=June 7, 2018 |title=Liberals' veteran Michael Coteau defeats city councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong in Don Valley East |language=en |work=Toronto Star |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/06/07/in-don-valley-east-liberals-veteran-michael-coteau-leads-longtime-city-councillor-denzil-minnan-wong.html |access-date=July 16, 2018}}
During his run for the Don Valley East seat, Minnan-Wong stated that he would take an "unpaid" leave from Toronto City Council, remitting the salary he would have collected from the 30-day provincial campaign period to either the city or a charity. He ultimately donated his councillor salary for that period to the City of Toronto and directed the money be spent on roads.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/votedenzil/status/1022576701048598528?lang=en|title=Donating the salary I made during my leave of absence. I directed the funds be spent on roads|first=Vote|last=Denzil|date=26 July 2018}}
= "Stick to knitting" controversy =
In an interview published on August 30, 2017, in the Toronto Sun,{{cite news |date=August 30, 2017 |title=Councillors have goals for new planner |newspaper=Toronto Sun |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2017/08/30/dont-let-door-hit-you-on-way-out-councillors-to-keesmaat/}} Minnan-Wong said in reference to outgoing chief planner of Toronto Jennifer Keesmaat that he wanted the planner to "stick to knitting". Although Minnan-Wong had previously also used the term to describe men he was accused of making a sexist comment by Keesmaat.{{cite web |title=Minnan-Wong discovers the perils of getting stuck in the knitting: Keenan - The Star |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/09/09/minnan-wong-discovers-the-perils-of-getting-stuck-in-the-knitting-keenan.html |website=Thestar.com|date=9 September 2017 }} Minnan-Wong apologized for his words and said that they were taken out of context.{{cite news |date=September 8, 2017 |title=Minnan-Wong apologizes for saying Keesmaat 'should stick to the knitting' |newspaper=Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/minnan-wong-apologizes-for-saying-keesmaat-should-stick-to-the-knitting/article36196885/}}
= 2018 municipal election =
After the 2018 Ontario general election Minnan-Wong ran for Toronto City Council in the 2018 municipal election in newly constituted Ward 16 Don Valley East, winning re-election.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/toronto-election/2018/10/22/denzil-minnan-wong-gets-another-term-in-ward-16-don-valley-east.html|title=Denzil Minnan-Wong gets another term in Ward 16, Don Valley East|website=Thestar.com|date=22 October 2018 }} Minnan-Wong was the only one of seven councillors on the TTC board to be re-elected.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/toronto-voters-shake-up-ttc-board-as-four-members-defeated/ar-BBOO5cw|title=Toronto voters shake up TTC board as four members defeated|website=Msn.com|access-date=2018-12-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203055519/https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/toronto-voters-shake-up-ttc-board-as-four-members-defeated/ar-BBOO5cw|archive-date=2018-12-03|url-status=dead}} He was re-appointed during the 2018 to 2022 council term as deputy mayor and was reappointed, a third time, as a member of the TTC board.{{cite web|url=http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.ST1.1|title=Agenda Item History|website=App.toronto.ca}}
= Retires at 2022 municipal election =
In July 2022, Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong emailed a statement to his constituents advising he would not seek re-election in the 2022 Ontario municipal elections. In the message, Minnan-Wong said he felt it was time to move on to "the next stage of my life".{{Cite news |last=Lavoie |first=Joanna |date=July 13, 2022 |title=Long-time Toronto councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong not seeking re-election this fall |work=CTV News |url=https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/long-time-toronto-councillor-denzil-minnan-wong-not-seeking-re-election-this-fall-1.5986255}}
Election results
=Provincial=
{{Ontario provincial election, 2018/Don Valley East}}
=Municipal=
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Colspan="3" align="center"|2018 Toronto election, Ward 16{{cite web|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4545300/toronto-election-2018-ward-16-don-valley-east/|title=Toronto election 2018: Ward 16 Don Valley East - Toronto - Globalnews.ca|date=13 October 2018|website=globalnews.ca}} | ||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="150px" | Candidate
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Votes ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | % | ||
|---|---|---|
| Denzil Minnan-Wong | align=right| 11,128 | align=right| 46.33% |
| David Caplan | align=right| 7,227 | align=right| 30.3% |
| Stephen Ksiazek | align=right| 1,698 | align=right| 7.07% |
| Dimitre Popov | align=right| 1,104 | align=right| 4.06% |
| Pushpalatha Mathanalingam | align=right| 888 | align=right| 3.7% |
| Michael Woulfe | align=right| 771 | align=right| 3.21% |
| Aria Alavi | align=right| 582 | align=right| 2.42% |
| Diane Gadoutsis | align=right| 569 | align=right| 2.37% |
| Total||align=right| 23,967 ||align=right| 100% |
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Colspan="3" align="center"|2014 Toronto election, Ward 34{{cite web |title=City of Toronto Election Results, Councillor: Ward 34 |publisher=CBC News |date=October 27, 2014 |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/torontovotes/ward-34-don-valley-east-1.2801093}} | ||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="150px" | Candidate
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Votes ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | % | ||
|---|---|---|
| Denzil Minnan-Wong | align=right| 9,761 | align=right| 53.46% |
| Mary Hynes | align=right| 5,953 | align=right| 32.13% |
| Douglas Owen | align=right| 1,171 | align=right| 6.32% |
| Faisal Boodhwani | align=right| 705 | align=right| 3.80% |
| Amer Karaman | align=right| 486 | align=right| 2.62% |
| Alan Selby | align=right| 453 | align=right| 2.44% |
| Total||align=right| 18,529 ||align=right| 100% |
| class="wikitable" | ||
| Colspan="3" align="center"|2010 Toronto election, Ward 34{{cite web |title=City of Toronto Election Results, Councillor: Ward 34 |publisher=City of Toronto |date=October 26, 2010 |url=http://election.toronto.ca/epr/eprDetail.do?034,117,311,202,403,#1393340933517 |access-date=February 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108055827/http://election.toronto.ca/epr/eprDetail.do?034,117,311,202,403,#1393340933517 |archive-date=January 8, 2014 |url-status=dead }} | ||
| bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="150px" | Candidate
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | Votes ! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" | % | ||
|---|---|---|
| Denzil Minnan-Wong | align=right| 8,743 | align=right| 53.42% |
| Peter Youngren | align=right| 6,484 | align=right| 39.63% |
| Stephan Stewart | align=right| 1,140 | align=right| 6.96% |
| Total||align=right| 16,367 ||align=right| 100% |
References
=Notes=
{{Reflist|group=note}}
=Citations=
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{official|http://www.ward34.com/}}{{dead link|date=February 2023}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Minnan-Wong, Denzil}}
Category:Osgoode Hall Law School alumni
Category:Canadian people of Chinese descent
Category:Toronto city councillors
Category:Candidates in the 1997 Canadian federal election
Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons
Category:Ontario candidates for Member of Parliament
Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario candidates in Ontario provincial elections