Irene Jones
Encyclopedia
Irene Jones is a former municipal councillor in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. A member of the social democratic New Democratic Party, she served on the Etobicoke
and Toronto councils from 1988 until 2003, when she stood down to seek election to the provincial legislature
.
. She also served as chair of Home Share Etobicoke, was a member of the Toronto District Health Council, and helped establish the New Toronto Nursery School.
. The election night returns showed her losing to her conservative rival, Helen Wursta, by only ten votes. Her requests for a recount were turned down by the city, and a judge ruled in January 1986 that too much time had passed for a court-ordered scrutiny of the votes (although the judge also ruled that the council was certainly aware of ballot irregularities when it turned down Jones's request). In the aftermath of these events, Bob Mitchell of the Toronto Star
wrote that the real result of the election would never be known for certain.
She sought election to the Etobicoke council again in 1988
, arguing that the city should purchase waterfront properties for recreational use rather than sell them to developers. She was listed as forty-one years old during the campaign. This time, Jones defeated Wursta by an almost two-to-one margin.
Jones was frequently critical of development projects approved by the Etobicoke council. She voted against a high-rise condominium project at Kingsway-on-the-Park, arguing that it set a "dangerous precedent" for the city. She also argued that the redevelopment of the Lakeshore Blvd. area was proceeding at too quick a pace. Jones was especially critical of the council's approach to development issues, saying "While we do planning studies, we frequently don't do financial impact studies. We have to look at the ability of the average taxpayer in Etobicoke (to pay for) the urban responsibility of servicing all the residential redevelopment."
She was also involved in securing a compromise for Etobicoke's motel strip area, promoting affordable housing for the region. In October 1990, Jones endorsed a report from former Mayor of Toronto David Crombie which asserted that the Etobicoke council was placing the interests of developers ahead of the public.
Jones was re-elected without difficulty in 1991
, and continued to oppose many of the city's development plans. In 1993, she criticized the prospect of selling land around the old Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital to private developers. She was re-elected again in 1994
. She chaired the city's Board of Health after the election, and supported plans to designate Etobicoke as smoke-free
. She supported the Courtyards development project in Long Branch, arguing that the planning and development committee "for the first time" took community concerns into account.
's style of government, arguing that the city's first budget had been created in secret.
She supported the city's plans for redeveloping the motel strip area of Etobicoke in 1998, saying that environmental concerns had been taken into account and that property unit prices had been scaled back to reasonable levels. During the same year, Jones supported calls for increased government funding to combat domestic violence. In 1999, she called for Toronto to be made smoke-free by 2001.
On December 14, 1999, Jones was appointed as a member of Toronto's newly-created Food and Hunger Action Committee. She sought a position on the Toronto Police Services Board in 2000, but was passed over in favour of Gordon Chong
. Late in 2000, Jones opposed a plan (which was ultimately rejected) to ship Toronto's garbage to the Adams Mine in Kirkland Lake.
Toronto's ward system was restructured prior to the 2000 municipal election
. Jones was re-elected without difficulty in the new sixth ward, covering the southern part of Etobicoke—Lakeshore
. She was appointed to chair the West Community Council after the election. In late 2001, she spoke out against the city's practice of contracting out services to private firms.
In February 2002, Jones was appointed as the new City of Toronto Water Advocate in a joint program with the federal government
. She later criticized a municipal plan (later abandoned) to create an arm's-length board of private citizens to oversee Toronto's water system, arguing that this was simply a means of evading responsibility for necessary rate increases. In October 2002, she announced that she was seeking public input on future cleanup efforts for Toronto's waterfront. Jones also expressed concern, late in the year, that the proposed arm's-length board would be the first step toward contracting out water services to private developers.
Jones was one of the first Toronto city councillors to endorse David Miller's successful bid for mayor of the city, joining him at his campaign launch in January 2003. Jones herself did not seek re-election municipally, choosing instead to campaign for the provincial New Democratic Party in Etobicoke—Lakeshore for the 2003 provincial election
. She finished third in this contest, against Liberal
candidate Laurel Broten
.
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...
. A member of the social democratic New Democratic Party, she served on the Etobicoke
Etobicoke, Ontario
Etobicoke is a dissolved municipality located within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the western section of the current city, it had an official population of 338,117 as measured by the 2001 Census and 334,491 people as of the 2006 Census. While it only contains 13% of...
and Toronto councils from 1988 until 2003, when she stood down to seek election to the provincial legislature
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...
.
Background
Jones was the director of Storefront Humber during the 1980s, providing home support services to elderly residents of Etobicoke and MississaugaMississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
. She also served as chair of Home Share Etobicoke, was a member of the Toronto District Health Council, and helped establish the New Toronto Nursery School.
Etobicoke councillor
Jones first campaigned for the Etobicoke council in 1985Toronto 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:...
. The election night returns showed her losing to her conservative rival, Helen Wursta, by only ten votes. Her requests for a recount were turned down by the city, and a judge ruled in January 1986 that too much time had passed for a court-ordered scrutiny of the votes (although the judge also ruled that the council was certainly aware of ballot irregularities when it turned down Jones's request). In the aftermath of these events, Bob Mitchell of the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
wrote that the real result of the election would never be known for certain.
She sought election to the Etobicoke council again in 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:...
, arguing that the city should purchase waterfront properties for recreational use rather than sell them to developers. She was listed as forty-one years old during the campaign. This time, Jones defeated Wursta by an almost two-to-one margin.
Jones was frequently critical of development projects approved by the Etobicoke council. She voted against a high-rise condominium project at Kingsway-on-the-Park, arguing that it set a "dangerous precedent" for the city. She also argued that the redevelopment of the Lakeshore Blvd. area was proceeding at too quick a pace. Jones was especially critical of the council's approach to development issues, saying "While we do planning studies, we frequently don't do financial impact studies. We have to look at the ability of the average taxpayer in Etobicoke (to pay for) the urban responsibility of servicing all the residential redevelopment."
She was also involved in securing a compromise for Etobicoke's motel strip area, promoting affordable housing for the region. In October 1990, Jones endorsed a report from former Mayor of Toronto David Crombie which asserted that the Etobicoke council was placing the interests of developers ahead of the public.
Jones was re-elected without difficulty in 1991
Toronto municipal election, 1991
The 1991 Toronto municipal election was held on November 12, 1991 to elect councillors in Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, and mayors, councillors and school trustees in Toronto, York, East York, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke....
, and continued to oppose many of the city's development plans. In 1993, she criticized the prospect of selling land around the old Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital to private developers. She was re-elected again in 1994
Toronto municipal election, 1994
The 1994 Toronto municipal election was held in November 1994 to elect councillors in Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, and mayors, councillors and school trustees in Toronto, York, East York, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke....
. She chaired the city's Board of Health after the election, and supported plans to designate Etobicoke as smoke-free
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
. She supported the Courtyards development project in Long Branch, arguing that the planning and development committee "for the first time" took community concerns into account.
Toronto councillor
The city of Etobicoke was amalgamated into the City of Toronto in 1997. Jones was elected to the new City of Toronto council, winning one of two seats in the Lakeshore Queensway ward. She sought an appointment as community council chair for the former Etobicoke region after the election, but lost to Elizabeth Brown. When committee positions were determined, she was appointed to the Toronto Board of Health and the Urban Environment and Development Committee. Jones quickly emerged as an opponent of Mel LastmanMel Lastman
Melvin Douglas "Mel" Lastman , nicknamed "Mayor Mel", is a former businessman and politician. He is the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain. He served as the mayor of the former city of North York, Ontario, Canada from 1972 until 1997. At the end of 1997, North York, along with five other...
's style of government, arguing that the city's first budget had been created in secret.
She supported the city's plans for redeveloping the motel strip area of Etobicoke in 1998, saying that environmental concerns had been taken into account and that property unit prices had been scaled back to reasonable levels. During the same year, Jones supported calls for increased government funding to combat domestic violence. In 1999, she called for Toronto to be made smoke-free by 2001.
On December 14, 1999, Jones was appointed as a member of Toronto's newly-created Food and Hunger Action Committee. She sought a position on the Toronto Police Services Board in 2000, but was passed over in favour of Gordon Chong
Gordon Chong
Gordon Joseph Chong is a Toronto politician and public servant. He has served as a city of Toronto councillor and was vice-chairman of the Toronto Transit Commission. He served on the board of GO Transit from 2000 to 2006 including periods as vice-chairman of GO Transit and chairman...
. Late in 2000, Jones opposed a plan (which was ultimately rejected) to ship Toronto's garbage to the Adams Mine in Kirkland Lake.
Toronto's ward system was restructured prior to the 2000 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 2000
The Toronto municipal election of 2000, dubbed "Toronto Vote 2000" was the municipal and school board election held in the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada on November 13, 2000.Elections were held to elect:* the Mayor of Toronto,* councillors for each of Toronto's 44 wards,* trustees...
. Jones was re-elected without difficulty in the new sixth ward, covering the southern part of Etobicoke—Lakeshore
Etobicoke—Lakeshore
Etobicoke—Lakeshore is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968....
. She was appointed to chair the West Community Council after the election. In late 2001, she spoke out against the city's practice of contracting out services to private firms.
In February 2002, Jones was appointed as the new City of Toronto Water Advocate in a joint program with the federal government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
. She later criticized a municipal plan (later abandoned) to create an arm's-length board of private citizens to oversee Toronto's water system, arguing that this was simply a means of evading responsibility for necessary rate increases. In October 2002, she announced that she was seeking public input on future cleanup efforts for Toronto's waterfront. Jones also expressed concern, late in the year, that the proposed arm's-length board would be the first step toward contracting out water services to private developers.
Jones was one of the first Toronto city councillors to endorse David Miller's successful bid for mayor of the city, joining him at his campaign launch in January 2003. Jones herself did not seek re-election municipally, choosing instead to campaign for the provincial New Democratic Party in Etobicoke—Lakeshore for the 2003 provincial election
Ontario general election, 2003
The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada....
. She finished third in this contest, against Liberal
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...
candidate Laurel Broten
Laurel Broten
Laurel C. Broten is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore for the Ontario Liberal Party. On October 19, 2011, she was appointed Ontario Minister of Education.-Background:Prior to entering politics,...
.