William Sutherland (Canadian politician)

William "Bill" Sutherland (died June 11, 1998) was a municipal politician in Toronto, Canada. He served on the North York City Council and the Metropolitan Toronto Council for several years, and challenged Mel Lastman for Mayor of North York in 1976.

Early life and career

Sutherland was born in Toronto, received a journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, and worked for a large electrical manufacturing firm before entering political life.

North York councillor

Sutherland was elected to North York's eleventh ward in 1964, following failed bids in 1960 and 1962. He remained a ward councillor until 1974, when he was elected to a seat on the North York Board of Control. The position also gave him an automatic place on the Metropolitan Toronto council.

Sutherland campaigned for Mayor of North York in 1976, as the primary challenger to incumbent mayor Mel Lastman. A "Globe and Mail" editorial from the election campaign indicates that his area of expertise was finance, and that his approach to politics was "responsible - if somewhat stiff". ["Those borough ballots" [editorial] , "Globe and Mail", 29 November 1976, p. 6.] He said that North York's council had developed a "circus image" under Lastman, and promised to restore dignity and respect to the institution. Lastman argued that Sutherland's approach to politics was grounded in secretive backroom deals. ["The tortoise and hare mayoral race in North York", "Globe and Mail", 4 December 1976, p. 4.] Lastman won by a convincing margin.

Sutherland spent two years out of politics after losing to Lastman; a newspaper report from 1977 lists him as chair of the North York Historical Board. [Zena Cherry (column), "Globe and Mail", 5 December 1977, P29.] He was elected to a position on the North York Hydro Commission in 1978, and was later chosen as Commission Chair. ["Hydro customers prefer old name", "Globe and Mail", 10 August 1979, P4.] In 1980, he encouraged North York residents to delay washing their dishes to preserve electricity during peak hours. ["Hydro persuading housewives to put off doing those dishes", "Globe and Mail", 3 January 1980, T8.] After two years on the Hydro Commission, Sutherland was re-elected to North York's Board of Control in 1980 and re-assumed his position on the Metro Council. He was re-elected in 1982.

His wife, Esther Sutherland, was also a municipal councillor in North York. At one time, the Sutherlands were the only elected husband-and-wife duo on a major municipal council in Canada. [Jack Lakey, "Lastman family name 'worth gold' for Marilyn in vote, professor says", "Toronto Star", 19 September 1988, A11.] Both Sutherlands supported the Progressive Conservative Party, although William Sutherland acknowledged that he was more conservative than his wife. [Alden Baker, "Marriage survives two political careers", "Globe and Mail", 9 May 1984, M5.] They both retired from council in 1985. Their son, Paul Sutherland, is also a Toronto politician.

Sutherland frequently supported the autonomy of municipal councils over perceived encroachments from the provincial and federal governments. [Alden Baker, "5-year deal raises Metro rent in City Hall 50%", "Globe and Mail", 23 April 1981, P20; Denys Horgan, ""Greene bid shakes North York", "Globe and Mail", 2 November 1982, P4.] He was also critical of the degree of power centred in Metro Chairman Paul Godfrey. [Alden Baker, "Pushes buttons and pulls strings Godfrey's in charge of Metro", "Globe and Mail", 19 July 1982, P4.]

As a Metro Councillor, Sutherland was entrusted with overseeing the police budget. He was also a prominent advocate of the SkyDome and the Metro Zoo. [Ross Laver, "Metro approves $30 million stadium grant", "Globe and Mail", 29 February 1984, S1. Sutherland was quoted as saying "damn the torpedoes - full speed ahead" on the plan to construct the Skydome.] He once advocated against a proposal to study the feasibility of a bridge or tunnel to the Toronto Islands, speaking on the joys of ferry travel. His speech is believed to have helped defeat the proposal. [Alden Baker, "Marriage survives two political careers", "Globe and Mail", 9 May 1984, M5.]

He opposed an affirmative action plan for North York in 1984, arguing that women in the city were not discriminated against. [Dyanne Rivers, "Globe and Mail", 27 September 1984, M5.] Sutherland also supported an extension of the Spadina Expressway into downtown Toronto. [Geoffrey York, "Stadium backers irked by Spadina decision", "Globe and Mail", 25 January 1985, M5.] Near the end of his term in 1985, he called for the abolition of North York's Board of Control. ["Yuill pressing for referendum in North York", "Globe and Mail", 21 March 1985, M6.]

Retirement

Early in 1986, Sutherland wrote against a plan to make the North York Hydro Commission a city department and directly responsible to council. He argued that plans to roll the city's Hydro surplus into general revenue would result in higher electricity rates. [William Sutherland, "Hydro's surplus shouldn't be seen as tax revenue", "Toronto Star", 27 May 1986, N4.] He later supported a plan for Toronto to incinerate its own garbage. [William Sutherland, "Metro's garbage should be burned right in Metro", "Toronto Star", 2 September 1986, N4; William Sutherland, "Metro's garbage should be burned and in Metro only", "Toronto Star", 23 September 1986, E4.]

He moved to Parry Sound after retiring, and died there in 1998 at age 71.

ources

*Mike Hanlon, "Politician served North York well", "Toronto Star", 13 June 1998, A22.

Footnotes