Toronto's first female mayor, June Rowlands, dead at age 93

[spaminator]

Toronto's first female mayor, June Rowlands, dead at age 93
Canadian Press
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Published:
December 21, 2017
Updated:
December 21, 2017 9:52 PM EST
June Rowlands was Toronto's first female mayor. (POSTMEDIA NETWORK/FILES)
TORONTO — The first female mayor of Toronto has died. June Rowlands was 93.
Bruce Rowlands says his mother died on Thursday night at a long-term care facility.
Rowlands was elected mayor in 1991 and served until 1994.
Her term as mayor was the culmination of a long career in municipal politics that started when she was elected to city council in 1976.
During her time on council she served as the city’s budget chief and was the first woman to head the Toronto Transit Commission and the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission.
She also made her mark fighting for affordable housing and trying to preserve the city’s ravines and historical neighbourhoods.
Bruce Rowlands said his mother was a humble person who wanted to serve her community.
“She had a burning desire to make a contribution,” he said in an interview.
Rowlands was also a strong advocate for women and always spoke up to help the disadvantaged, her son said.
“Even socially she advocated for the disadvantaged, in terms of the kinds of conversations she got into around the dining room table,” he said.
“There wasn’t a lot of frivolous stuff generally speaking, we zeroed in on issues and that’s what she liked to talk about.”
The family plans to organize a memorial service in the New Year.
Toronto’s first female mayor, June Rowlands, dead at age 93 | Toronto Sun

 

[Walter]

RIP She was a “kick the can down the road” politician.

 

[spaminator]

June Rowlands remembered as trailblazer for women
Antonella Artuso
More from Antonella Artuso
Published:
December 22, 2017
Updated:
December 22, 2017 6:01 PM EST
Toronto Mayor John Tory signs the books of condolence for trailblazer June Rowlands.Antonella Artuso / Toronto Sun/Postmedia
The public has been invited to sign a book of condolence at Toronto City Hall for former mayor June Rowlands who died Thursday at the age of 93.
Mayor John Tory said Rowlands, the first woman to occupy the mayor’s seat, blazed a trail for other women to follow in municipal politics.
“When she was the first woman to be mayor, when she was the first woman to be the budget chief, she allowed other women, including younger women, to see themselves in those positions which previously had not been the case,” Tory said. “I think that was a gigantic contribution to the well-being of our political system and to better representation.”
Rowlands fought for affordable housing, low taxes and a safe city, he said.
Tory said he thanked her in the book of condolence for that record of fighting for things that mattered to a lot of people in the city.
City Councillor Josh Matlow offered his condolences as well.
“We will continue to celebrate her legacy at the park in midtown Toronto that is named in her honour,” he tweeted.
Rowlands was a working mother of five when she served as mayor of the City of Toronto between 1991-94, capping a long career of female firsts in municipal politics — the first female TTC commissioner, budget chief, and chair of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission.
“She defined principled politics,” former councillor Brian Ashton said. “Learned a ton as her seatmate on Metro Council.”
Toronto’s first female mayor, June Rowlands, dead at age 93
Rowlands spent most of her term in office buckling down with the budget numbers and focusing on law and order.
While it was widely thought she was the driving force behind the Bare Naked Ladies ban from Nathan Phillips Square in the 1990s, a former city councillor once told the Toronto Sun she was actually away when the decision was made by bureaucrats who were concerned the then novel name was offensive to women.
The book of condolence will be available at city hall until Friday, Dec. 29.
An online version can be accessed at View Condolences - June Rowlands.
aartuso@postmedia.com
June Rowlands remembered as trailblazer for women | Toronto Sun