Amaro Silva

Amaro Silva is a former municipal politician in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He served on the Winnipeg City Council from 1992 to 1998.

Silva is a computer operator, architectural draftsman and consultant. [Nick Martin, "It's his home", "Winnipeg Free Press", 26 March 1995, Lifestyles section.] He is a member of the Liberal Party, and was listed as thirty-eight years old in a 1995 newspaper article. [Stevens Wild, "Daniel McIntyre candidates' platforms", "Winnipeg Free Press", 24 October 1995, A7.]

First term

Silva was first elected to the Winnipeg City Council in the 1992 municipal election, defeating incumbent councillor Donovan Timmers in the inner-city Daniel McIntyre ward. He was considered to be a "swing vote" on council during his first term. He described himself as a progressive, although he supported the council's conservative faction on key matters in return for their support on issues of concern to his ward. ["Gang's all here to back tax freeze", "Winnipeg Free Press", 23 March 1993, City Page; William Neville, "Honoring - if that's the word - some councillors", "Winnipeg Free Press", 1 April 1993, editorial page.] He was appointed as chair of the civic protection, parks and culture committee in October 1993. [Dan Lett, "Mayor talks unity but not rationale", "Winnipeg Free Press", 19 October 1993, City Page.]

Late in 1993, Silva provided crucial support on council for the construction of a bridge in Charleswood. [Bruce Owen, "A bridge too far no more", "Winnipeg Free Press", 9 January 1994, Special Section.] He supported an early to community policing in the same period, and expressed concerns about the use of pepper spray by city police. [Brad Oswald, "Police overhaul weighed", "Winnipeg Free Press", 10 January 1994, City Page; Paul Wiecek, "Pepper spray trial wildly successful", "Winnipeg Free Press", 11 March 1994, City Page.] He later called for a comprehensive review of the city's police force, after four officers were charged with corruption. [Dan Lett, "Silva urges hard look at police", "Winnipeg Free Press", 14 May 1994, City Page.] Silva also suggested that Winnipeg consider "tasteful" advertising on police cruisers and ambulances as a means of generating revenue. [Kim Guttormson, "Police would plug goods, services under ad plan", "Winnipeg Free Press", 7 September 1994, City Page.]

As the representative of an inner-city ward, Silva was frequently involved in debates about urban renewal. He opposed a private-sector core renewal project in 1995, arguing that it would provide financial benefits to the city and province but would do nothing to help the area targeted for improvement. [Patrick Nagle, "Down and out at Portage and Main", "Hamilton Spectator", 1 April 1995, A12.] Silva initially opposed public financing for a new area that was proposed by the Manitoba Entertainment Complex in 1994, as a means of keeping the Winnipeg Jets hockey franchise in the city. [Stevens Wild, "Referendums coming back?", "Winnipeg Free Press", 12 January 1995, City Page; Stevens Wild, "Arena-casino plan refloated", "Winnipeg Free Press", 21 January 1995, City Page.] He later changed his position, and indicated that he would support a plan to fund the arena. [Nick Martin, "Councillors do about-face, approve cash without plan", "Winnipeg Free Press", 21 May 1995, City Page.] The plan was ultimately unsuccessful, and the Jets left the city.

Silva supported the extension of same-sex benefits to municipal workers in 1994. [Daniel Lett, "Same-sex debate stews", "Winnipeg Free Press", 5 July 1994, City Page.]

He was asked to run for the Manitoba Liberal Party in the 1995 provincial election, but declined. [Nick Martin, "It's his home", "Winnipeg Free Press", 26 March 1995, Lifestyles section.]

econd term

Silva was re-elected over former New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Cyril Keeper in the 1995 municipal election. His primary concern in this campaign was public safety, while Keeper criticized Silva for having supported the bridge and arena proposals. [Stevens Wild, "Daniel McIntyre candidates' platforms", "Winnipeg Free Press", 24 October 1995, A7.] Silva was appointed chair of the planning and community services community after the election, and also served on the civic executive policy committee. [Stevens Wild, "Show over for Capitol, Met?", "Winnipeg Free Press", 29 December 1995, A4; Aldo Santin, "Storm brews over police chief", "Winnipeg Free Press", 24 April 1996, A1.] He generally voted with Mayor Susan Thompson and the right-wing of council. ["Thompson gets her way: study", "Winnipeg Free Press", 22 March 1997, A4.]

In late 1995, Silva called for the federal government to reconsider its planned cuts to social assistance recipients. [Stevens Wild, "Grinch in Ottawa may steal Xmas from city welfare", "Winnipeg Free Press", 5 December 1995, A1.] He later supported a law giving the city power to shut down massage parlours and other businesses that violate zoning bylaws, [Aldo Santin, "City lusts after big muscles", "Winnipeg Free Press", 21 February 1996, A4.] and unsuccessfully called for a youth curfew to reduce crime rates. [Treena Khan, "Councillors say no to curfew for youths", "Winnipeg Free Press", 4 June 1996, A4.]

In 1996, Silva was one of Winnipeg's two negotiators in discussions with promoter Wayne Flett to set up "Music City Manitoba", a tourist destination planned for the downtown core. [Aldo Santin, "Flett's move strikes right note with civic officials", "Winnipeg Free Press", 23 November 1996, A5.] A tentative deal was announced in November 1996, although discussions later dissolved amid acrimony. [Aldo Santin, "Flett, city hit same notes", "Winnipeg Free Press", 29 November 1996, A1.] The city wanted Flett to provide his financial records, while Flett argued that the city was assuming bad faith. [Aldo Santin, "Flett, city exchange accusations", "Winnipeg Free Press", 11 December 1996, A2.]

Silva was promoted to chair of the city's finance committee in March 1997. ["Steek loses plum job", "Winnipeg Free Press", 26 March 1997, A1.] One day after his appointment, he oversaw the approval of a plan to give property tax rebates to new home owners. [Kevin Rollason, "Councillors approve property tax rebate", "Winnipeg Free Press", 27 March 1997, A4.] Later in the year, he introduced a plan that would have restricted discussions between city employees and the media. ["Muzzle on civic workers urged", "Winnipeg Free Press", 14 August 1997, A5.] This plan was widely criticized. [see for instance Brian Cole, "Gag order backfires", "Winnipeg Free Press", 22 August 1997, A14.]

Silva introduced a motion in October 1997 to radically reform the structure of city hall, including the hiring of a chief administrative officer and the dismissal of the four-member Board of Commissioners. The plan was strongly supported by Mayor Susan Thompson, and was passed without difficulty. [Aldo Santin, "City hall overhaul done deal", "Winnipeg Free Press", 25 October 1997, A3; Aldo Santin, "Firings usher in council's new era", "Winnipeg Free Press", 30 October 1997, A1.] The following month, Silva was reassigned as chair of the protection and community services, and was also appointed to a new expenditure management committee. ["Thompson announces new city team", "Winnipeg Free Press", 6 November 1997, A5; Kim Guttormson, "Civic committee finds $2.8 million in savings", "Winnipeg Free Press", 8 November 1997, A3.]

Winnipeg's community services committee granted a licence to an escort service in April 1998, even though councillor suspected (but could not prove) that it was a front for prostitution. Silva subsequently called for Winnipeg to be given the legislative powers to shut down escort services, massage parlours, pawn shops and related services. [David O'Brien, "Silva seeking changes to business bylaws", "Winnipeg Free Press", 24 April 1998, A5.]

Throughout his time on council, Silva complained that insurance firms were discriminating against residents of his ward. [Bud Robertson, "Insurance firms 'unfair'", "Winnipeg Free Press", 4 March 1996, A4.]

Silva originally announced that he would run for mayor in the 1998 municipal election, but he withdrew months before election day. [Kim Guttormson, "Thompson decides she won't seek third term in mayor's office", "Winnipeg Free Press", 25 April 1998, A1; David O'Brien, "Silva and Steek back out of mayoral race", "Winnipeg Free Press", 14 June 1998, A3.] He instead sought re-election to council, and was defeated by Harvey Smith.

ince 1998

Silva has been executive director of the Better Business Bureau of Manitoba since 1999. ["BBB flags Ontario company", "Winnipeg Free Press", 8 December 1999, A15.] A newspaper report from 2001 indicates that he was planning to co-manage Brian Tobin's Manitoba campaign in his bid to become leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Tobin eventually decided not to run. [Daniel Lett, "Tobin woos leadership support in Manitoba", "Winnipeg Free Press", 31 December 2001, A3.]

Footnotes