Anne Johnston
Encyclopedia
Anne Johnston was a longtime city councillor in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. She was first elected to Toronto City Council
in 1972, and served until 1985 when she ran against incumbent Mayor Art Eggleton
, but was defeated. In 1988 she was elected to Metro Toronto
Council (in the first election where Metro Councillors were directly elected). She served until Toronto was amalgamated into the megacity in 1997. That year, she was elected to the new Toronto City Council and served until 2003, when she was defeated by Karen Stintz
. At the time of her defeat, she was the longest-serving and the oldest member of Toronto council.
Johnston was also a candidate for Mayor of Toronto in 1978, when she lost to Fred Beavis
in a deadlocked council vote for David Crombie's interim replacement; that vote literally came down to Beavis' name being drawn out of a hat.
She campaigned for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
in the 1981 provincial election
as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party
, and lost to Progressive Conservative
incumbent Larry Grossman
in St. Andrew—St. Patrick
by 3,835 votes.
Johnston attempted to unseat Art Eggleton
as mayor in the 1985 municipal election
but was defeated 92,994 votes to 59,817. She returned to elected office in the 1988
when she was acclaimed as Metro Council
lor for North Toronto.
For most of her career, Johnston was known as a fairly progressive voice on council. In her final term she supported a controversial condominium
development at the corner of Yonge
and Eglinton in 2002 adjacent to her ward. The North Toronto Tenants Network was so incensed by Johnston's move that they ran an advertisement in a local community paper, seeking applicants to contest Johnston's council seat. Stintz responded, and defeated Johnston in the 2003 municipal election
by 2,321 votes.
Johnston chaired the Toronto Seniors' Assembly and has been appointed as the group's Seniors' Advocate. The Anne Johnston Health Station in Toronto is named after her.
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...
, 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...
. She was first elected to Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
in 1972, and served until 1985 when she ran against incumbent Mayor Art Eggleton
Art Eggleton
Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...
, but was defeated. In 1988 she was elected to Metro Toronto
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
Council (in the first election where Metro Councillors were directly elected). She served until Toronto was amalgamated into the megacity in 1997. That year, she was elected to the new Toronto City Council and served until 2003, when she was defeated by Karen Stintz
Karen Stintz
Karen Stintz is a city councillor in Toronto, Canada. She represents Ward 16, one of two municipal wards enclosed within the federal-provincial riding of Eglinton—Lawrence....
. At the time of her defeat, she was the longest-serving and the oldest member of Toronto council.
Johnston was also a candidate for Mayor of Toronto in 1978, when she lost to Fred Beavis
Fred Beavis
Frederick J. Beavis was a longtime city councillor in Toronto, Ontario, who briefly served as interim mayor of the city in 1978.Beavis operated the Beavis Bros. Roofing Co. with his brothers before becoming a full-time politician....
in a deadlocked council vote for David Crombie's interim replacement; that vote literally came down to Beavis' name being drawn out of a hat.
She campaigned for 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...
in the 1981 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1981
The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
as a member of the Ontario Liberal Party
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...
, and lost to Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
incumbent Larry Grossman
Larry Grossman
Lawrence "Larry" Sheldon Grossman was a politician in Ontario, Canada.-Early years:Born in Toronto, Grossman was the son of Allan Grossman, who had represented a downtown Toronto riding in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for twenty years after defeating Ontario's last Communist Member of...
in St. Andrew—St. Patrick
St. Andrew—St. Patrick
St. Andrew—St. Patrick was a provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that returned Members of Provincial Parliament to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at Queen's Park....
by 3,835 votes.
Johnston attempted to unseat Art Eggleton
Art Eggleton
Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...
as mayor in the 1985 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 1985
The 1985 Toronto municipal election was held to elect members of municipal councils, school boards, and hydro commissions in the six municipalities that made up Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The election was held on November 12, 1985.-Mayor:...
but was defeated 92,994 votes to 59,817. She returned to elected office in the 1988
Toronto municipal election, 1988
The 1988 Toronto municipal election was held to elect members of municipal councils, school boards, and hydro commissions in the six municipalities that made up Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The election was held November 14, 1988.-Metro:...
when she was acclaimed as Metro Council
Metro Council
Metro Council can refer to:*Louisville Metro Council in Louisville, Kentucky*Metropolitan Council in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, Minnesota*Metropolitan Council in Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee...
lor for North Toronto.
For most of her career, Johnston was known as a fairly progressive voice on council. In her final term she supported a controversial condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
development at the corner of Yonge
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and Eglinton in 2002 adjacent to her ward. The North Toronto Tenants Network was so incensed by Johnston's move that they ran an advertisement in a local community paper, seeking applicants to contest Johnston's council seat. Stintz responded, and defeated Johnston in the 2003 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 2003
The Toronto municipal election of 2003 was held on November 10, 2003, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to elect the Mayor of Toronto, 44 city councillors, and school board trustees.David Miller was elected mayor ....
by 2,321 votes.
Johnston chaired the Toronto Seniors' Assembly and has been appointed as the group's Seniors' Advocate. The Anne Johnston Health Station in Toronto is named after her.