Victor M. Power
{{Short description|Canadian politician (1934–2024)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Victor M. Power
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|CM|size=100%}}
| image = |
| caption =
| birth_name = Victor Michael Power
| birth_date = {{birth date|1934|02|22}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|02|03|1934|02|22}}
| death_place =
| residence =
| office1 = Mayor of Timmins, Ontario
| term_start1 = 1980
| term_end1 = 1988
| predecessor1 = Michael Doody
| successor1 = Dennis Welin
| term_start2 = 1991
| term_end2 = 2000
| predecessor2 = Dennis Welin
| successor2 = Jamie Lim
| term_start3 = 2003
| term_end3 = 2006
| predecessor3 = Jamie Lim
| successor3 = Tom Laughren
| party =
| religion =
| occupation =
}}
Victor Michael Power {{post-nominals|country=CAN|CM}} (February 22, 1934 – February 3, 2024) was a Canadian politician and the longest-serving mayor of Timmins, Ontario. He served as mayor from 1980 to 1988, 1991 to 2000 and 2003 to 2006.Maija Hoggett, [https://www.sudbury.com/around-the-north/timmins-longest-serving-mayor-dies-8208348 "Timmins' longest serving mayor dies"]. Sudbury.com, February 5, 2024. Between 1991 and 2006, he worked to diversify the city's economy beyond mining, erased its debenture and highlighted its connection to Shania Twain. The airport in Timmins is named in his honour.
Early life and education
Power was born in Timmins on February 22, 1934.{{cite news |last1=Hoggett |first1=Maija |title=Timmins' longest serving mayor dies |url=https://www.timminstoday.com/local-news/timmins-longest-serving-mayor-dies-8206984 |access-date=February 9, 2024 |work=TimminsToday.com |publisher=Village Media |date=February 4, 2024 |language=en}} He graduated from Timmins High and Vocational School in 1952, attended the University of Windsor and the University of Toronto, then worked as a teacher and guidance counsellor at his high school before entering municipal politics."Timmins mayor to retire after 17 years at the helm". Sudbury Star, July 8, 2000.
Political career
Power was first elected to Timmins City Council as a city councillor in 1968, and served for twelve years before being elected mayor in 1980.Rudy Platiel, "Dazed mayors ponder defeat in several cities across Ontario". The Globe and Mail, November 12, 1980. His campaign that year attracted a bit of controversy when he stated his intentions to retain his job as a high school guidance counsellor concurrently with serving as mayor, amid a provincewide debate about whether Ontario's smaller cities needed full-time mayors or not, and whether most cities even paid their mayors enough for the job to be a person's sole source of income in the first place.Rudy Platiel, "Full-time mayors an election issue". The Globe and Mail, November 7, 1980.
He served as mayor until 1988, when he was defeated by Dennis Welin. He returned for another term in 1991, during which he led the city to pay off its $16 million debenture debt by 2000."Wide range of issues face newly elected mayors, councillors". Hamilton Spectator, July 8, 2000.
=First retirement=
Power first announced his retirement from politics in 2000"Vic Power leaves mark on Timmins". Timmins Daily Press, July 7, 2000. and was succeeded as mayor by Jamie Lim.{{cite news |title=Une première mairesse noire et autochtone à Timmins |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1904453/nomination-remplacant-mairie-ville-timmins |access-date=February 10, 2024 |work=Radio-Canada |date=August 10, 2022 |language=fr-ca |quote=Jamie Lim a succédé au maire Vic Power en l'an 2000. (Jamie Lim succeeded Vic Power as mayor in the year 2000.)}}
=Return as mayor=
In the 2003 municipal election, Power challenged Lim and was reelected mayor.Bruce McKinnon, "Return to Power: Timmins voters send Vic Power to mayor's office for seventh term". Timmins Daily Press, November 11, 2003.
Power also served as president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities,Trevor Wilhelm, "Ontario municipalities honour Vic Power for tireless service". Timmins Daily Press, August 22, 2001. and as a director of Ontario Northland and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
Power's mayoralty was marked by ongoing efforts to diversify the city's mining-based economy. In 2004, he received national attention when he criticized the producers of Shania: A Life in Eight Albums, a television biopic of country star Shania Twain, for producing the film in Sudbury rather than Twain's actual hometown, Timmins."Timmins mayor miffed Shania flick will be shot elsewhere". Cornwall Standard-Freeholder, October 1, 2004.
=Second retirement=
On August 31, 2006, Power announced his second retirement from politics and that he would not seek the mayoralty in the 2006 elections. He was succeeded by Tom Laughren, the sole declared candidate.Mike Oliveira and Angela Pacienza, "Municipal elections result in changes in Ottawa; status quo in Toronto". Canadian Press, November 14, 2006.
Legacy and death
On May 31, 2007, the city's airport was renamed Timmins/Victor M. Power Airport in honour of the former mayor.Scott Paradis, "Legacy takes flight". Timmins Daily Press, June 1, 2007. In attendance were several councillors and politicians from across the region. Power was named to the Order of Canada in 2009{{cite web |url=https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/industry-news/government/former-timmins-mayor-receives-order-of-canada-366444 |title=Former Timmins mayor receives Order of Canada |date=December 29, 2009 |work=Northern Ontario Business |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207124656/https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/industry-news/government/former-timmins-mayor-receives-order-of-canada-366444 |archive-date=February 7, 2024 |access-date=February 7, 2024}} and died on February 3, 2024, at the age of 89.{{cite web |url=https://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/long-serving-northern-ont-politician-dies-1.6755359 |title= Long-serving northern Ont. politician dies |orig-date=February 4, 2024 |date=February 5, 2024 |last1=Bertrand |first1=Dan |last2=Papineau |first2=Chelsea |work=CTV News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207124927/https://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/long-serving-northern-ont-politician-dies-1.6755359 |archive-date=February 7, 2024 |access-date=February 7, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/theglobeandmail/name/victor-power-obituary?id=54307170 |title=Victor M. Power |date=February 7, 2024 |work=The Globe and Mail |via=Legacy.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240207123558/https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/theglobeandmail/name/victor-power-obituary?id=54307170 |archive-date=February 7, 2024 |access-date=February 7, 2024}}
References
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Category:University of Windsor alumni
Category:University of Toronto alumni
Category:Members of the Order of Canada