Sylvia Watson

Watson and her family immigrated to Canada when she was a child as displaced person from Austria following World War II. The family settled in Toronto.

She studied at York University and Osgoode Law School and was called to the bar in 1981. She became corporate counsel for Wellesley Hospital in 1986. In 1991 she was hired by the City of Toronto where she performed a number of roles including director of litigation and city solicitor.[http://www.ltb.gov.on.ca/en/About_Us/STDPROD_062762.html Sylvia Watson: Member], Landlord and Tenant Board, biography, last accessed September 24, 2011.

In 2003, Watson ran for city council in (Ward 14), Parkdale–High Park to replace retiring councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski.{{cite news | last =Byers | first =Jim | title =Diverse ward a tale of two parks; From High Park homes to Parkdale rooming houses Voter concerns include crime, lack of services | publisher =The Toronto Star | date = 2003-11-04| page = B2}} Even though she didn't live in the ward, she was known for participating in an affordable housing initiative called the Parkdale Pilot Project. She beat her nearest rival, Ed Zielinski (who was endorsed by Korwin-Kuczynski) by 3,988 votes.{{cite news | title = Miller's city council boosted by fresh faces, ambitious ideas | pages =B12 | publisher =The Toronto Star | date =2003-11-11}}

During her three years as councillor, she chaired the Administration Committee, and served as vice-chair of the Budget Advisory Committee.{{cite web |url=http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/councillors/2004-2006/watson1.htm |title=Former City Councillor Sylvia Watson |publisher=City of Toronto |accessdate=September 24, 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607001659/http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/councillors/2004-2006/watson1.htm |archivedate=June 7, 2011}}

On June 27, 2006, Watson announced that she would run in a provincial by-election to replace Gerrard Kennedy who was moving on to federal politics.{{cite news | title = Councillor Watson to seek Liberal nod | pages = B4 | publisher = The Toronto Star | date = 2006-06-27}} Watson based her campaign on the Liberal government's record of investing in education and health care but acknowledged that she was in a tight race considering that the provincial riding encompassed only half her former city riding.{{cite news | title = Where compassion hides its face | pages = A20 | publisher = The Toronto Star | date =2006-09-01}}

The campaign became contentious when Watson's campaign issued a press release claiming that NDP rival, United Church minister Cheri DiNovo had compared the media treatment of Karla Homolka as "comparable to the persecution of Jesus Christ."{{cite news | title = By-election gets down and dirty | pages = A17 | publisher = The Toronto Star | date =2006-09-13}} The accusation was based on a statement taken out of context in a sermon in which DiNovo had suggested Homolka was being used as a scapegoat villain.{{cite web |last1=AlvinofDiaspar |first1=Alvin |title=Silvia Watson (Parkdale-High Park) going provincial |url=https://toronto.skyrisecities.com/forum/threads/silvia-watson-parkdale-high-park-going-provincial.83/page-2 |website=Urban Toronto |access-date=Feb 5, 2025}} The seemingly desperate attempt to smear an opponent backfired and severely damaged Wilson's campaign.

DiNovo won the election by 2,288 votes.

On May 11, 2007, the Liberals nominated Watson to stand again as their candidate in Parkdale—High Park for the 2007 Ontario election.{{cite web | title =Parkdale-High Park: Sylvia Watson | work =Candidate Details | publisher =Liberal Party of Ontario | date =2007-05-11 | url =http://ontarioliberal.ca/en/Riding2007/Details.aspx/068 | accessdate =2007-08-12 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} She was again defeated by DiNovo, this time by an increased margin.{{cite web | title =Parkdale-High Park: Election 2007 | work =Results | publisher =CTV | date =2007-10-11 | url =http://www.ctvnews.ca/?68+ | access-date =2007-10-11 | url-status =live | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071012084408/http://www.ctv.ca/mini/ontarioElection2007/hub/hubRiding.html?68+ | archive-date =2007-10-12 }}

As of 2011, Watson is employed as an adjudicator for the provincial Landlord and Tenant Board.

{{Canadian election result/top|ON|2007|percent=yes|change=yes}}

{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Cheri DiNovo| 18,136| 44.6| +3.6}}

{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Sylvia Watson| 11,900| 29.3| -3.7}}

{{CANelec|ON|PC|David Hutcheon| 6,013| 14.8| -2.5}}

{{CANelec|ON|Green|Bruce Hearns| 3,937| 9.7| +3.5 }}

{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Zork Hun| 327| 0.8| +0.2 }}

{{CANelec|ON|Family Coalition|Marilee Kidd| 322| 0.8| -0.5 }}

{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 40,635|100.0 | | }}

{{end}}

{{Wikinews|New Democrats score upset in Ontario's Parkdale-High Park by-election}}

{{CANelec/top|ON|September 14, 2006|percent=yes|change=yes|by=yes}}

{{CANelec|ON|NDP|Cheri DiNovo| 11,675| 41.0| +25.2}}

{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Sylvia Watson| 9,387| 33.0| -24.8}}

{{CANelec|ON|PC|David Hutcheon| 4,921| 17.3| +1.1}}

{{CANelec|ON|Green |Frank De Jong| 1,758| 6.2| -0.7}}

{{CANelec|ON|Family Coalition| Stan Grzywna| 366| 1.3| -0.25}}

{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian| Jim McIntosh| 162| 0.6| }}

{{CANelec|ON|Freedom|Silvio Ursomarzo| 111| 0.4| 0.0}}

{{CANelec|XX|Independent|John Turmel| 77| 0.3| }}

{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|28,457 |100.0 | | }}

{{end}}

2003 Toronto Election, Ward 14,

{{Reflist|}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110607001659/http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/councillors/2004-2006/watson1.htm City of Toronto councillor biography (archived)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Sylvia}}

Category:Living people

Category:Ontario Liberal Party candidates in Ontario provincial elections

Category:Toronto city councillors

Category:Women municipal councillors in Ontario

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century Canadian municipal councillors

Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians