Dave Wilson (Ontario politician)

Dave Wilson is a municipal politician in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He was a member of Hamilton City Council from 1990 to 2000.

Early life and career

Wilson was a Bell Canada cable splicer before running for office.^[1] He is a member of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada,^[2] and served as president of the Hamilton and District Labour Council in the 1980s.^[3] Originally a Progressive Conservative, he left that party in 1979 due to its pro-development stand on the Red Hill Creek Expressway and later joined the New Democratic Party.^[4] He was an international election observer in Panama in 1986.^[5]

Wilson campaigned for the federal New Democratic Party in the 1988 federal election, and finished second against Liberal incumbent Sheila Copps in Hamilton East.

City councillor

By-election victory and first full term

Wilson was first elected to city council in a 1990 by-election, after incumbent councillor David Christopherson was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He quickly emerged as a prominent voice on the council's progressive wing, and was re-elected without difficulty in the 1991 municipal election. The only New Democrat on the new council, he won support from across the political spectrum for his performance on council and commitment to municipal affairs. He was appointed to the Hamilton-Wentworth Region Airport Management Board, and chaired the regional environmental services committee.^[6] In 1992, he served on an investigation into problems at the sludge-drying system at the Woodward Avenue sewage treatment plant.^[7] He called for the city's diesel-powered buses to be replaced over time with trolley and natural-gas buses, and unsuccessfully sought to keep the trolley cars active in 1994.^[8]

Wilson criticized the provincial New Democratic Party government of Bob Rae in 1992 for its proposal to expand gambling services in selected Ontario cities. He indicated that he would oppose plans to introduce a casino to Hamilton.^[9] Subsequently, Wilson opposed the Rae government's plans to expand Sunday shopping services.^[10] In each instance, he argued that the NDP government was violating its own party policy. Wilson also opposed plans to establish the Red Hill Creek Expressway near the city, although he reluctanctly supported a compromise plan brought forward by the Rae government in 1994.^[11]

Wilson was an early supporter of putting condom machines in Hamilton-area schools, with the intent of reducing the spread of diseases and saving lives. The Hamilton-Wentworth Regional Council rejected the move in November 1992.^[12]

Second term

Wilson was re-elected in the 1994 municipal campaign, in which he was the only candidate in the city to be officially endorsed by the NDP.^[13] He was re-appointed as chair of the regional environmental services committee after the election, represented Hamilton-Wentworth of the Royal Botanical Gardens Board of Directors, and served as chair of the city's licencing committee.^[14] He also chaired the region's air quality task force, and welcomed a federal study into the city's air quality in 1996.^[15] Wilson indicated that environmental services in Hamilton were a billion-dollar industry, in marked contrast to the city's reputation for industrial pollution a decade earlier.^[16]

In 1995, he recommended cuts to the local arts community in order to retain social services for at-risk and low-income residents. He was quoted as saying, "I'd rather see someone get into the Wesley Urban Ministries men's shelter than Opera Hamilton".^[17] He later suggested that the city should withdraw financial support from the Art Gallery of Hamilton, arguing that it was not serving a useful purpose for most citizens.^[18]

Wilson continued to oppose a casino option for the city,^[19] and led a move to ban lap dancing in city bars in late 1995.^[20] He strongly opposed the workfare policies introduced by the Mike Harris provincial government, describing them as "nothing more than indentured servitude".^[21] He also spoke against a revised plan for the Red Hill Creek Expressway in 1997.^[22] Following a serious industrial fire the same year, Wilson argued that Hamilton should be given the power to close businesses that violate the fire code.^[23]

Wilson supported a single-tier government for the Hamilton-Wentworth region, involving the amalgamation of Hamilton with neighbouring municipalities.^[24] He proposed a referendum on the issue,^[25] and fought to ensure the rights of labour in the proposed transition.^[26]

In 1995, Wilson oversaw a contract which allowed the private firm Philip Utilities Management Corp. (PUMC) to treat the city's water. He acknowledged that he had "serious reservations" about the deal, and was opposed to privatization in principle. Nonetheless, he indicated in 1999 that the plan was working properly.^[27] Serious difficulties later developed with the project, and its leading proponent, Stuart Smith, described it as a great disappointment.

Wilson considered running for the federal New Democratic Party in a 1996 by-election in Hamilton East, but declined.^[28]

Third term

Wilson was re-elected without difficulty in the 1997 municipal election. He refused to distribute campaign signs, arguing that they were environmentally unsound.^[29] He was appointed chair of the city's finance and administration committee, and became vice-chair of its transport and environment committee.^[30] Wilson criticized the Harris government's tax reform policy, arguing that it added unnecessary complexity to the municipal system.^[31]

In May 1998, he supported a compromise plan on amalgamation that called for a blending of regional government services.^[32] When this plan was rejected, Wilson again spoke in favour of a single municipality for the region.^[33] Following numerous delays, the new City of Hamilton was created in 2000 by an amalgamation of the old city with the neighbouring suburbs. Wilson was a prominent ally of regional chair Terry Cooke in support of the amalgamation position.

In early 1998, Ontario Court Justice David Crane ruled that Wilson libelled former alderman John Gallagher and George Watson by making public reference to allegations that Gallagher assaulted a worker at a Hamilton sludge treatment plant.^[34] The city appealed the decision. Madame Justice Rosalie Abella upheld Crane's ruling in July 2000, while also determining that the region could not be held liable for damages.^[35]

Wilson filled in for wardmate Geraldine Copps on city and regional committees in 1999, when ill health prevented her from attending meetings.^[36] As finance chair, he was sometimes critical of demands for police spending.^[37]

Wilson lost his council seat in the 2000 municipal election, narrowly falling to challenger Sam Merulla following what he described as the "ugliest" and "dirtiest" campaign he had ever seen.^[38] After his defeat, became president of Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union Local 42.^[39]

He was defeated by Merulla again in the 2006 municipal election.

Footnotes

1. ^ "Ward 4 candidates", Hamilton Spectator, 26 October 1994, B3.
2. ^ Lee Prokaska, "NDP MPPs lose place of honor at head of Labor Day parade", Hamilton Spectator, 1 September 1993, B1.
3. ^ Paul Mitchison, "Hamilton labor plans boycott in paper strike", Toronto Star, 20 April 1988, A16.
4. ^ Jim Poling, "Red Hill roller coaster", Hamilton Spectator, 6 June 1995, D2.
5. ^ Jim Poling, "Why do so many voters avoid visit to polling booth?", Hamilton Spectator, 9 November 1994, B1.
6. ^ Ken Peters, "Aerial manoeuvres", Hamilton Spectator, 23 November 1991, B1; "New faces on police beat", Hamilton Spectator, 23 November 1991, B1.
7. ^ Jim Poling, "Sludgegate investigation runs into snag", Hamilton Spectator, 18 February 1992, C2.
8. ^ Jim Poling, "Plan would keep trolley buses on the road", Hamilton Spectator, 25 February 1992, B3; Jim Poling, "Region dumps trolley buses for natural gas", Hamilton Spectator, 2 March 1994, B1.
9. ^ Jim Poling, "Wilson ready to fight any NDP plan to expand gambling", Hamilton Spectator, 23 April 1992, B4.
10. ^ Ken Peters, "Sunday shopping flip-flop booed", Hamilton Spectator, 5 June 1992, C1.
11. ^ Jim Poling, "Region eyed for Red Hill funding", Hamilton Spectator, 10 July 1992, B1; Ken Peters, "Expressway plan back in the hands of NDP", Hamilton Spectator, 20 July 1994, A1.
12. ^ Jim Poling, "Region sidesteps condom question", Hamilton Spectator, 18 November 1992, B1.
13. ^ Mike Davison, "What's happened to the left in this municipal election?", Hamilton Spectator, 4 November 1994, A12.
14. ^ Mark McNeil, "Environmental hopes", Hamilton Spectator, 2 December 1994, B1; Farah Tayabali, "RBG director departs suddenly", Hamilton Spectator, 29 September 1995, B3; Jim Poling, "Strip club threatened", Hamilton Spectator, 17 November 1995, C1.
15. ^ Mark McNeil, "Hamilton air - how dirty is it?", Hamilton Spectator, 6 January 1996, A1. See also Mark McNeil, "Hamiltonians are warned not to breathe easy", Hamilton Spectator, 17 August 1996, C3.
16. ^ Jim Poling, "From cesspool to greenspace", Hamilton Spectator, 25 April 1995, B1.
17. ^ Ken Peters, "Top arts groups may be spared cuts", Hamilton Spectator, 16 March 1995, C3.
18. ^ Ken Peters, "Blue period: Hamilton's art gallery is struggling with hard times", Hamilton Spectator, 12 April 1997, A4.
19. ^ "Top hotel executives want a casino in Hamilton", Hamilton Spectator, 17 July 1995, A1; Ken Peters, "Cooke betting on casino bid for Hamilton", Hamilton Spectator, 17 July 1995, B1.
20. ^ "Lap dancing ban by city council one step closer", Hamilton Spectator, 16 September 1995, B2.
21. ^ Denise Davy, "Committee will take second look at workfare", Hamilton Spectator, 1 May 1996, D3.
22. ^ Shaun N. Herron, "Tax shuffle could kill Red Hill", Hamilton Spectator, 28 January 1997, A3.
23. ^ "Call for harsh fines, jail terms in wake of Plastimet disaster", Hamilton Spectator, 15 July 1997, A7.
24. ^ Jim Poling, "Hamilton backs single tier", Hamilton Spectator, 18 November 1995, B4.
25. ^ Mark Sproule-Jones, "A referendum to set region's future?", Hamilton Spectator, 1 August 1996, A9.
26. ^ Kate Barlow, "Labour wants protection for workers in supercity plan", Hamilton Spectator, 26 November 1996, A4.
27. ^ Jon Wells, "Return to tender", Hamilton Spectator, 30 January 1999, A8.
28. ^ Sharon Boase, "Getting a head start: Sheila's knocking on doors", Hamilton Spectator, 3 May 1993, C3.
29. ^ Nancy DeHart, "Dull and duller: It's hard to find evidence that they're even holding an election in Ward 4", Hamilton Spectator, 3 November 1997, A6.
30. ^ Mark McNeil, "Fire chief seizes warehouse", Hamilton Spectator, 9 December 1997, A1; Lee Prokaska, "Region's rookies ready to hit ground running", Hamilton Spectator, 11 December 1997, A1.
31. ^ Lee Prokaska, "Tax reform causing chaos", Hamilton Spectator, 29 October 1998, A3.
32. ^ Adrian Humphreys, "Last-ditch merger plan may not fly", Hamilton Spectator, 11 May 1998, A1.
33. ^ Lee Prokaska, "ONE-TIER WILL SAVE $16 MILLION", Hamilton Spectator, 20 October 1999, A3.
34. ^ Paul Benedetti, "A Campaign for Truth", Hamilton Spectator, 7 March 1998, A1.
35. ^ Barbara Brown, "Gallagher win upheld in libel appeal", Hamilton Spectator, 11 July 2000, A11.
36. ^ "Ward 4 alderman Wilson will sit in for ailing Copps", Hamilton Spectator, 2 October 1999, A5.
37. ^ Fred Vallance-Jones, "Police aim to increase hiring", Hamilton Spectator, 19 September 2000, A5.
38. ^ Joanna Frketich, "Merulla takes Wilson in gritty fight", Hamilton Spectator, 14 November 2000, D4.
39. ^ Steve Arnold, "Bell to cut 215 jobs, workers in shock", Hamilton Spectator, 3 March 2006, A1.

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