David Zimmer

David Zimmer
David Zimmer[1]
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Willowdale
In office
October 2, 2003 – June 7, 2018
Preceded by David Young
Succeeded by Stan Cho
Personal details
Born (1944-04-07) April 7, 1944
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Political party Ontario Liberal Party
Residence Toronto, Ontario Canada
Occupation Lawyer

David Zimmer (born April 7, 1944) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was the Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Willowdale from 2003 to 2018. He was a member of cabinet in the government of Kathleen Wynne. He was the longest serving minister of aboriginal/indigenous affairs in Ontario history to date.

Background

Zimmer was born in Kitchener, Ontario. While associated with the Toronto law firm of Ledrew Laishley Reed, he also served as an administrative law instructor in the Law Society's Bar Admission Course.[2] From 1982 to 1984 he was Director of the Humane Society and from 1993 to 1995 was President of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. He served as chairperson of the city's public housing provider, the Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Upon the start of campaigning for elective office, he relinquished the public post of assistant deputy chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Zimmer was awarded the Greatest Local Hero Award by the North York Town Crier for his volunteer and community work in Willowdale. In 2005, he received a "Social Work Doctors’ Colloquium" Award of Merit for his work toward a just and caring society.[3] He has also been cited for work on Ontario Municipal Board reform and the new City of Toronto Act, which gives Toronto greater power to manage its own affairs.

Politics

Zimmer first sought elected office as an alderman in Kitchener, Ontario in the 1970s but was not successful.

In the 2003 Ontario provincial election, he ran as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Willowdale, defeating Progressive Conservative incumbent and sitting Attorney General David Young by 1,866 votes.[4][5] He was re-elected in 2007,[6] 2011,[7] and 2014,[8] increasing his share of vote and margin of victory each time.

Between 2003 and 2011, Zimmer served as Parliamentary Assistant to Attorneys General Michael Bryant and Chris Bentley. Between 2011 and 2013, Zimmer served as Parliamentary Assistant to Kathleen Wynne, then Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. He was a member of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (2003–06, 2007–11, 2012), Standing Committee on Estimates (2006–07), Standing Committee on Justice Policy (2006–11), Standing Committee on General Government (2012), Select Committee on Elections (2008–09), and Select Committee on the proposed transaction of the TMX Group and the London Stock Exchange Group (2011)

In 2004, his motion to create an "Elder Abuse Awareness Day" was passed with support from all parties.[9] He also assisted former Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant with legislation to ban pit bulls in Ontario. In 2006, he sponsored a Private Member’s Bill which will suspend the driver’s license of anyone who is convicted of impaired boating. It passed with unanimous consent of all parties in the Ontario Legislature.[10]

During Ontario Liberal Party's 2012-13 leadership election, Zimmer along with Linda Jeffrey, Reza Moridi and Mario Sergio, were the first four caucus supporters of Kathleen Wynne's candidacy, declaring their support at Wynne's campaign launch on November 5, 2012.

In February 2013 he was appointed to the cabinet of Kathleen Wynne as the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.[11] On June 13, 2016, his portfolio was renamed to Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.[12] To date, Zimmer is the longest serving minister for indigenous affairs in Ontario history.

In the 2018 provincial election, when the Liberal Party suffered its worst result in the party's 161-year history, Zimmer was defeated locally in Willowdale by Progressive Conservative candidate Stan Cho.[13]

Cabinet posts

Ontario Provincial Government of Kathleen Wynne
Cabinet post (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Chris Bentley Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation[lower-alpha 1]
2013-2018		 Greg Rickford

Electoral record

Ontario general election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDavid Zimmer24,30052.58+1.58
Progressive ConservativeMichael Ceci15,46833.47+0.08
New DemocraticAlexander Brown4,69310.15-2.63
GreenTeresa Pun1,7583.80+1.65
Total valid votes 46,219100.0  
Liberal hold Swing +1.58
Source: Elections Ontario[8]
Ontario general election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes%±%
LiberalDavid Zimmer22,03451.00
Progressive ConservativeVince Agovino14,42833.39
New DemocraticAlexander Brown5,52212.78
GreenMichael Vettese9302.15
FreedomAmy Brown2930.68
Source: Elections Ontario[7]
Ontario general election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes % ±
LiberalDavid Zimmer21,06547.7
Progressive ConservativeDavid Shiner15,41834.9
New DemocraticRini Ghosh3,7558.5
GreenTorbjorn Zetterlund2,9206.6
LibertarianHeath Thomas4691.1
Family CoalitionKristin Monster4050.9
IndependentCharles Roddy Sutherland1210.3
Source: Elections Ontario[6]
Ontario general election, 2003
Party Candidate Votes % ±
LiberalDavid Zimmer21,82346.974.69
Progressive ConservativeDavid Young19,95742.95-7.57
New DemocraticYvonne Bobb3,0846.642.38
GreenSharolyn Vettese9332.011.26
Family CoalitionRina Morra4420.950.02
FreedomVaughan Byrnes2270.490.14
Source: Elections Ontario[4]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ From 2013 to 2016 portfolio was named Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

Citations

  1. ↑ Fraser, Rob (May 12, 2010), Photographer
  2. ↑ "McGuinty Announces Cabinet Committees and Parliamentary Assistants (23-Oct-03)". www.udiontario.com. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Zimmer honoured for social work". The North York Mirror. March 18, 2005.
  4. 1 2 "Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario. October 2, 2003. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014.
  5. ↑ John Goddard (October 11, 2007). "Willowdale: Zimmer trumpets victory over 'high-profile' councillor". Toronto Star. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  6. 1 2 "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. October 10, 2007. p. 17 (xxvi). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. October 6, 2011. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-02.
  8. 1 2 "General Election by District: Willowdale". Elections Ontario. June 12, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Ontario marks first provincial Elder Abuse Awareness Day". Canada NewsWire. October 19, 2004.
  10. ↑ "Ontario tightens penalties for impaired boat operators". www.canada.com. June 24, 2006. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Ontario's new cabinet". Waterloo Region Record. Kitchener, Ont. February 12, 2013. p. A3.
  12. ↑ "Kathleen Wynne's shuffled cabinet features 40% women". CBC News. June 13, 2016.
  13. ↑ Vincent, Donovan (June 7, 2018). "Willowdale's Stan Cho take PCs into Liberal territory". Toronto Star.
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