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{{Infobox officeholder
'''Sylvia Watson''' is a ] ]. She was a ] for ward 14, part of the riding of ].
| name = Sylvia Watson
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| office1 = ] for ]
| term_start1 = December 1, 2003
| term_end1 = November 30, 2006
| predecessor1 = ]
| successor1 = ]
| birth_date =
| birth_place = ]
| spouse =
| children =
| occupation = Lawyer
| nationality = ]
}}


'''Sylvia Watson''' is a former ] ]. She was a ]lor for ] from 2003 to 2006 and the candidate for the ] in the 2006 ] and in the ].
Prior to being elected, Watson was a city employee with the Legal Department. Watson was elected in the ] replacing the long serving ] who retired from politics. She handily beat a field of seven other candidates.


==Background==
Watson's voting record positioned her as left-leaning, supporting many of mayor ] initiatives. Her support garnered her influential positions on city committees including chair of the Administration Committee.{{fact}}
Watson and her family immigrated to Canada when she was a child as ] from ] following ]. The family settled in Toronto.


She studied at ] and ] and was called to the bar in 1981. She became corporate counsel for ] in 1986. In 1991 she was hired by the City of Toronto where she performed a number of roles including director of litigation and city solicitor.<ref name="ltb">, Landlord and Tenant Board, biography, last accessed September 24, 2011.</ref>
However, in 2004 she broke with progressive ranks, and voted against a citywide pesticide ban, despite the recommendation of the city's medical officer of health.


==Municipal politics==
In June 2006, Watson withdrew her candidacy for re-election to city council in order to run unsuccessfully as an ] candidate to succeed ] in the ] ]. The Liberals fully supported her candidacy, with eleven ministers making visits to her riding, while Premier ] himself made three trips there. Kennedy, who had resigned to contest the federal Liberal leadership, and ] also made campaign stops in the riding.
In ], Watson ran for city council in ] to replace retiring councillor ].<ref>{{cite news | last =Byers | first =Jim | title =Diverse ward a tale of two parks; From High Park homes to Parkdale rooming houses Voter concerns include crime, lack of services | publisher =] | date = 2003-11-04| page = B2}}</ref> Even though she didn't live in the ward, she was known for participating in an affordable housing initiative called the ''Parkdale Pilot Project''. She beat her nearest rival, Ed Zielinski (who was endorsed by Korwin-Kuczynski) by 3,988 votes.<ref>{{cite news | title = Miller's city council boosted by fresh faces, ambitious ideas | pages =B12 | publisher =] | date =2003-11-11}}</ref>


During her three years as councillor, she chaired the Administration Committee, and served as vice-chair of the Budget Advisory Committee.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/councillors/2004-2006/watson1.htm |title=Former City Councillor Sylvia Watson |publisher=City of Toronto |accessdate=September 24, 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607001659/http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/councillors/2004-2006/watson1.htm |archivedate=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
Some saw that the election indicated the differential between the Liberals' popularity and Kennedy's personal popularity. Kennedy's work as food bank director and education critic/minister appealed to the many NDP voters in the riding. Watson was apparently unable to ride the coattails of his popularity. While she ran on the McGuinty government's record of education and health care, her opponents targeted numerous Liberal broken promises, including delaying the replacement of coal-fired power plants, and the addition of the $2.4-billion health premium after campaigning on a pledge to not raise taxes


==Provincial politics==
In the last week of the election, falling behind in polls, her campaign released a number of controversial press releases attacking NDP candidate ]. These releases have made reference to DiNovo's LSD use at a younger age and alleged that she endorsed the church ordination of ]s and axe murderers in ''Qu(e)erying Evangelism''. They also targeted DiNovo's past comments in which she compared Canadian murderer ] to a ]-like figure. Education minister ] said "DiNovo's comments do not reflect the views of any candidate who should be running for office". Both NDP and Conservative candidates for the riding denounced the press releases as mudslinging, saying that DiNovo's comments were taken out of context. The backlash extended to the Premier himself, with NDP MPPs accusing him of condoning and even orchestrating the smear attacks. McGuinty himself claimed that he was unaware of the press releases.


===By-election, 2006===
On June 27, 2006, Watson announced that she would run in a provincial by-election to replace ] who was moving on to federal politics.<ref>{{cite news | title = Councillor Watson to seek Liberal nod | pages = B4 | publisher = The Toronto Star | date = 2006-06-27}}</ref> Watson based her campaign on the Liberal government's record of investing in education and health care but acknowledged that she was in a tight race considering that the provincial riding encompassed only half her former city riding.<ref>{{cite news | title = Where compassion hides its face | pages = A20 | publisher = The Toronto Star | date =2006-09-01}}</ref>


The campaign became contentious when the Liberals issued a press release claiming that NDP rival, United Church minister ] had compared the media treatment of ] as "comparable to the persecution of Jesus Christ."<ref>{{cite news | title = By-election gets down and dirty | pages = A17 | publisher = The Toronto Star | date =2006-09-13}}</ref>


DiNovo won the election by 2,288 votes.
==External links==

{{wikinewspar|New Democrats score upset in Ontario's Parkdale-High Park by-election}}
===Provincial general election, 2007===
*

*
On May 11, 2007, the Liberals nominated Watson to stand again as their candidate in Parkdale—High Park for the ].<ref>{{cite web | title =Parkdale-High Park: Sylvia Watson | work =Candidate Details | publisher =] | date =2007-05-11 | url =http://ontarioliberal.ca/en/Riding2007/Details.aspx/068 | accessdate =2007-08-12 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref> She was again defeated by DiNovo, this time by an increased margin.<ref>{{cite web | title =Parkdale-High Park: Election 2007 | work =Results | publisher =] | date =2007-10-11 | url =http://www.ctvnews.ca/?68+ | access-date =2007-10-11 | url-status =live | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071012084408/http://www.ctv.ca/mini/ontarioElection2007/hub/hubRiding.html?68+ | archive-date =2007-10-12 }}
*
</ref>

==After politics==
As of 2011, Watson is employed as an adjudicator for the provincial Landlord and Tenant Board.<ref name="ltb"/>

==Electoral record==
{{Canadian election result/top|ON|2007|percent=yes|change=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|]| 18,136| 44.6| +3.6}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Sylvia Watson| 11,900| 29.3| -3.7}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|David Hutcheon| 6,013| 14.8| -2.5}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green|Bruce Hearns| 3,937| 9.7| +3.5 }}
{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian|Zork Hun| 327| 0.8| +0.2 }}
{{CANelec|ON|Family Coalition|Marilee Kidd| 322| 0.8| -0.5 }}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 40,635|100.0 | | }}
{{end}}

{{Wikinews|New Democrats score upset in Ontario's Parkdale-High Park by-election}}

{{CANelec/top|ON|September 14, 2006|percent=yes|change=yes|by=yes}}
{{CANelec|ON|NDP|]| 11,675| 41.0| +25.2}}
{{CANelec|ON|Liberal|Sylvia Watson| 9,387| 33.0| -24.8}}
{{CANelec|ON|PC|David Hutcheon| 4,921| 17.3| +1.1}}
{{CANelec|ON|Green |]| 1,758| 6.2| -0.7}}
{{CANelec|ON|Family Coalition| Stan Grzywna| 366| 1.3| -0.25}}
{{CANelec|ON|Libertarian| Jim McIntosh| 162| 0.6| }}
{{CANelec|ON|Freedom|Silvio Ursomarzo| 111| 0.4| 0.0}}
{{CANelec|XX|Independent|]| 77| 0.3| }}
{{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes|28,457 |100.0 | | }}
{{end}}

'''], Ward 14,'''

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="background:#ddf; width:150px;"| Candidate
! style="background:#ddf;"| Votes
! style="background:#ddf;"| %
|-
|Sylvia Watson ||7,441 ||52.51%
|-
|Ed Zielinski ||3,453 ||24.37%
|-
|Walter Jarsky ||847 ||5.97%
|-
|Neil Webster ||782 ||5.51%
|-
|Steven Aspiotis ||705 ||4.97%
|-
|David Smaller ||635 ||4.48%
|-
|Mark Chmielewski ||210 ||1.48%
|-
|Ed Veri ||95 ||0.67%
|}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist|}}
Source: http://www.toronto.ca/vote2003/results/officialdeclaration.pdf

==External links==
*


] {{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Sylvia}}
]
]
]
]
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Latest revision as of 19:43, 24 April 2023

Sylvia Watson
Toronto City Councillor for (Ward 14) Parkdale–High Park
In office
December 1, 2003 – November 30, 2006
Preceded byChris Korwin-Kuczynski
Succeeded byGord Perks
Personal details
BornAustria
NationalityCanadian
OccupationLawyer

Sylvia Watson is a former Canadian politician. She was a Toronto City Councillor for Ward 14 Parkdale-High Park from 2003 to 2006 and the candidate for the Ontario Liberal Party in the 2006 by-election and in the 2007 general election.

Background

Watson and her family immigrated to Canada when she was a child as displaced person from Austria following World War II. The family settled in Toronto.

She studied at York University and Osgoode Law School and was called to the bar in 1981. She became corporate counsel for Wellesley Hospital in 1986. In 1991 she was hired by the City of Toronto where she performed a number of roles including director of litigation and city solicitor.

Municipal politics

In 2003, Watson ran for city council in (Ward 14), Parkdale–High Park to replace retiring councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski. Even though she didn't live in the ward, she was known for participating in an affordable housing initiative called the Parkdale Pilot Project. She beat her nearest rival, Ed Zielinski (who was endorsed by Korwin-Kuczynski) by 3,988 votes.

During her three years as councillor, she chaired the Administration Committee, and served as vice-chair of the Budget Advisory Committee.

Provincial politics

By-election, 2006

On June 27, 2006, Watson announced that she would run in a provincial by-election to replace Gerrard Kennedy who was moving on to federal politics. Watson based her campaign on the Liberal government's record of investing in education and health care but acknowledged that she was in a tight race considering that the provincial riding encompassed only half her former city riding.

The campaign became contentious when the Liberals issued a press release claiming that NDP rival, United Church minister Cheri DiNovo had compared the media treatment of Karla Homolka as "comparable to the persecution of Jesus Christ."

DiNovo won the election by 2,288 votes.

Provincial general election, 2007

On May 11, 2007, the Liberals nominated Watson to stand again as their candidate in Parkdale—High Park for the 2007 Ontario election. She was again defeated by DiNovo, this time by an increased margin.

After politics

As of 2011, Watson is employed as an adjudicator for the provincial Landlord and Tenant Board.

Electoral record

2007 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Cheri DiNovo 18,136 44.6 +3.6
Liberal Sylvia Watson 11,900 29.3 -3.7
Progressive Conservative David Hutcheon 6,013 14.8 -2.5
Green Bruce Hearns 3,937 9.7 +3.5
Libertarian Zork Hun 327 0.8 +0.2
Family Coalition Marilee Kidd 322 0.8 -0.5
Total valid votes 40,635 100.0
Ontario provincial by-election, September 14, 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Cheri DiNovo 11,675 41.0 +25.2
Liberal Sylvia Watson 9,387 33.0 -24.8
Progressive Conservative David Hutcheon 4,921 17.3 +1.1
Green Frank De Jong 1,758 6.2 -0.7
Family Coalition Stan Grzywna 366 1.3 -0.25
Libertarian Jim McIntosh 162 0.6
Freedom Silvio Ursomarzo 111 0.4 0.0
Independent John Turmel 77 0.3
Total valid votes 28,457 100.0

2003 Toronto Election, Ward 14,

Candidate Votes %
Sylvia Watson 7,441 52.51%
Ed Zielinski 3,453 24.37%
Walter Jarsky 847 5.97%
Neil Webster 782 5.51%
Steven Aspiotis 705 4.97%
David Smaller 635 4.48%
Mark Chmielewski 210 1.48%
Ed Veri 95 0.67%

References

  1. ^ Sylvia Watson: Member, Landlord and Tenant Board, biography, last accessed September 24, 2011.
  2. Byers, Jim (2003-11-04). "Diverse ward a tale of two parks; From High Park homes to Parkdale rooming houses Voter concerns include crime, lack of services". The Toronto Star. p. B2.
  3. "Miller's city council boosted by fresh faces, ambitious ideas". The Toronto Star. 2003-11-11. pp. B12.
  4. "Former City Councillor Sylvia Watson". City of Toronto. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  5. "Councillor Watson to seek Liberal nod". The Toronto Star. 2006-06-27. pp. B4.
  6. "Where compassion hides its face". The Toronto Star. 2006-09-01. pp. A20.
  7. "By-election gets down and dirty". The Toronto Star. 2006-09-13. pp. A17.
  8. "Parkdale-High Park: Sylvia Watson". Candidate Details. Liberal Party of Ontario. 2007-05-11. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
  9. "Parkdale-High Park: Election 2007". Results. CTV. 2007-10-11. Archived from the original on 2007-10-12. Retrieved 2007-10-11.

External links

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