Kristyn Wong-Tam
Encyclopedia
Kristyn Wong-Tam is a city councillor in Toronto, Canada. She is councillor for the Toronto Centre-Rosedale electoral district (Ward 27). She was elected to Toronto City Council
in the 2010 city council election
to replace Kyle Rae
who had chosen to retire, defeating opponent Ken Chan in the heated race by just 400 plus votes.
and raised in a Buddhist family, she immigrated to Toronto with her family in childhood. She grew up in the Regent Park neighbourhood of Toronto; with her family settling there first before a move to the suburbs. A real estate
agent and business owner, she is the former owner of a Timothy's franchise in Toronto's Church and Wellesley
Village, and the owner of the KWT (formerly the XEXE) contemporary art gallery at Bathurst and Richmond Street West.
, came out as a lesbian in high school, at the age of 16 and has been an activist for both LGBTQ and Asian Canadian
community issues, serving on the Chinese Canadian National Council
and helping to found Asian Canadians For Equal Marriage and the Church and Wellesley Village's business improvement area. In 2011, she cooperated with Toronto's Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line
to create an award, named in memory of Toronto artist Will Munro
, to honour LGBT youth involved in community arts projects in Ontario.
Prior to the Toronto City election, it emerged that Wong-Tam had provided support for the political advocacy group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid
(QuAIA). In an interview with the Toronto Sun newspaper, she said that she lent her credit card to register the group's website because no one in the group owned a credit card. Wong-Tam "listed her home address in the registration but gave the contact number as her Coldwell Banker real estate office on Yonge St." Wong-Tam was the registered owner of the site until August 31, 2010.
, street nurse Cathy Crowe
and author Michele Landsberg
.
Wong-Tam, in a post-election interview with the Toronto Sun
, says that she is "really looking forward to working with the Mayor" and that she supports Mayor Rob Ford
's campaign pledge to scrap the personal vehicle tax and the land transfer tax. She also noted that she did not renew her New Democratic Party
membership, saying: "I think all (council) rookies are saying the same thing - they don't want to be pigeon-holed."
Unofficial results as of October 26, 2010 03:55 AM
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 the 2010 city council election
Toronto city council election, 2010
For information on the campaign for mayor see Toronto mayoral election, 2010The 2010 Toronto council election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect councillors to represent Toronto's 44 wards at Toronto City Council...
to replace Kyle Rae
Kyle Rae
Kyle Rae is a former Canadian politician. He was a city councillor for Ward 27 Toronto Centre-Rosedale in Toronto, Ontario from 1991 to 2010. Rae is now a self-described consultant.-Politics:...
who had chosen to retire, defeating opponent Ken Chan in the heated race by just 400 plus votes.
Background
Born in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and raised in a Buddhist family, she immigrated to Toronto with her family in childhood. She grew up in the Regent Park neighbourhood of Toronto; with her family settling there first before a move to the suburbs. A real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
agent and business owner, she is the former owner of a Timothy's franchise in Toronto's Church and Wellesley
Church and Wellesley
Church and Wellesley is an LGBT-oriented community located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is roughly bounded by Gerrard Street to the south, Yonge Street to the west, Charles Street to the north, and Jarvis Street to the east, with the core commercial strip located along Church Street from...
Village, and the owner of the KWT (formerly the XEXE) contemporary art gallery at Bathurst and Richmond Street West.
Activism
Wong-Tam, who is Chinese CanadianChinese Canadian
Chinese Canadians are Canadians of Chinese descent. They constitute the second-largest visible minority group in Canada, after South Asian Canadians...
, came out as a lesbian in high school, at the age of 16 and has been an activist for both LGBTQ and Asian Canadian
Asian Canadian
This is a list of Canadians of Asian ancestry. Asian Canadians comprise the largest visible minority in Canada, at 11% of the Canadian population.- Ethnicity :List of Asian Canadian Demographies according to the 2006 Census- Notable Asian Canadians :...
community issues, serving on the Chinese Canadian National Council
Chinese Canadian National Council
The Chinese Canadian National Council , known in the Chinese-Canadian community as Equal Rights Council , is an organization whose purpose is to monitor racial discrimination against Chinese in Canada and to help young Chinese Canadians learn about their cultural history.The organization was...
and helping to found Asian Canadians For Equal Marriage and the Church and Wellesley Village's business improvement area. In 2011, she cooperated with Toronto's Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line
Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line
The Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line, founded in 1994, is a Toronto-based peer support organization for LGBT youth. Although best known for their phone support line, the organization also offers Internet chat and e-mail support services, as well as promoting and supporting other events and programs...
to create an award, named in memory of Toronto artist Will Munro
Will Munro
William Grant "Will" Munro was a Toronto artist, club promoter, and restaurateur known for his work as a community builder among disparate Toronto groups...
, to honour LGBT youth involved in community arts projects in Ontario.
Prior to the Toronto City election, it emerged that Wong-Tam had provided support for the political advocacy group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid
Queers Against Israeli Apartheid
Queers Against Israeli Apartheid is a Toronto-based grassroots LGBT group involved in the movement against what the organization see as Israeli apartheid and is a member of the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid. The group has been involved in Israeli Apartheid Week as well as Pride Week...
(QuAIA). In an interview with the Toronto Sun newspaper, she said that she lent her credit card to register the group's website because no one in the group owned a credit card. Wong-Tam "listed her home address in the registration but gave the contact number as her Coldwell Banker real estate office on Yonge St." Wong-Tam was the registered owner of the site until August 31, 2010.
Politics
In the 2010 election, Wong-Tam was endorsed by the Toronto and York Labour Council. She was also supported by neighbouring councillor Adam VaughanAdam Vaughan
Adam Vaughan is a councillor representing Ward 20 Trinity—Spadina in Toronto, Canada. For about 20 years, Vaughan worked as a political journalist and activist, most recently as the Political Specialist at Citytv/CP24. Before that, for ten years, he reported for CBLT in Toronto as a municipal...
, street nurse Cathy Crowe
Cathy Crowe
Cathy Crowe, RN is a Canadian nurse, educator and social activist, specializing in advocacy for the homeless in Canada. She was the Ontario New Democratic Party's candidate in the 2010 provincial by-election and in the 2011 provincial election in Toronto Centre.-Early life and education:Raised in...
and author Michele Landsberg
Michele Landsberg
Michele Landsberg, OC is an award-winning Canadian writer, social activist and feminist who wrote a column for the Toronto Star newspaper.-Life and career:...
.
Wong-Tam, in a post-election interview with the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
, says that she is "really looking forward to working with the Mayor" and that she supports Mayor Rob Ford
Rob Ford
Robert Bruce "Rob" Ford is the 64th and current Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to city council in the 2000 Toronto municipal election, and was re-elected to his council seat in 2003 and again in 2006...
's campaign pledge to scrap the personal vehicle tax and the land transfer tax. She also noted that she did not renew her New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
membership, saying: "I think all (council) rookies are saying the same thing - they don't want to be pigeon-holed."
Election results
| 2010 Toronto election Toronto city council election, 2010 For information on the campaign for mayor see Toronto mayoral election, 2010The 2010 Toronto council election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect councillors to represent Toronto's 44 wards at Toronto City Council... , Ward 27 |
||
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Kristyn Wong-Tam | 7,527 | 28.277% |
| Ken Chan | 7,065 | 26.541% |
| Chris Tindal | 3,447 | 12.949% |
| Simon Wookey | 2,128 | 7.994% |
| Joel Dick | 1,667 | 6.262% |
| Robert Meynell | 1,223 | 4.594% |
| Enza Anderson | 1,127 | 4.234% |
| Ella Rebanks | 838 | 3.148% |
| Ben Bergen | 380 | 1.428% |
| Susan Gapka | 367 | 1.379% |
| Gary Leroux | 283 | 1.063% |
| Paul Spence | 243 | 0.913% |
| Jonas Jemstone | 142 | 0.533% |
| Ram Narula | 108 | 0.406% |
| Perry Missal | 74 | 0.278% |
| Total | 26,619 | 100% |
Unofficial results as of October 26, 2010 03:55 AM