Art Eggleton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Art Eggleton
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Eggleton in 1999
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| Canadian Senator from Ontario |
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| In office March 24, 2005 – September 29, 2018 |
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| Nominated by | Paul Martin |
| Appointed by | Adrienne Clarkson |
| Member of Parliament for York Centre |
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| In office October 25, 1993 – June 28, 2004 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Kaplan |
| Succeeded by | Ken Dryden |
| 59th Mayor of Toronto | |
| In office December 1, 1980 – November 30, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | John Sewell |
| Succeeded by | June Rowlands |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 29, 1943 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Independent Liberal |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal (until 2014) |
| Spouses | Brenda Eggleton (m. 1978, div. 1994), Camille Bacchus |
| Children | Stephanie Vass |
| Residence | Toronto |
| Occupation | Accountant |
| Cabinet | Minister of National Defence (1997–2002) Minister for International Trade (1996–1997) Minister responsible for Infrastructure (1993–1996) President of the Treasury Board (1993–1996) |
Arthur C. Eggleton (born September 29, 1943) is a Canadian politician who is now retired. He was the Mayor of Toronto for the longest time, serving from 1980 to 1991.
Later, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1993. He was part of the Liberal Party. He held important jobs in the government, like Minister of National Defence. In 2005, he was chosen to be a Senator and served until 2018.
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Early Political Career
Arthur Eggleton started his career as an accountant. He was first elected to the Toronto City Council in 1969. He worked as the budget chief for the council in 1973.
He also ran in a federal election in 1978 but was not elected that time. He continued to serve on the Toronto City Council.
Mayor of Toronto
Eggleton was a member of Toronto City Council for 22 years. He became the Mayor of Toronto in 1980. He served as mayor until 1991, making him the longest-serving mayor in Toronto's history.
Key Projects and Growth
During his time as mayor, Toronto grew a lot. New buildings were constructed, like the Convention Centre and the SkyDome. Eggleton focused on helping people and the economy.
He supported building many affordable homes for people with lower incomes. He also helped create new parks and green spaces. For example, he helped open the Martin Goodman Trail in 1984.
Toronto's economy also grew stronger during the 1980s. More jobs became available, and unemployment went down.
Community and Social Initiatives
Eggleton started the Mayor's Committee on Community and Race Relations. This committee helped people from different backgrounds live together peacefully.
He also helped create "FoodShare" in the 1980s. This organization works to make sure everyone has access to food. In 2018, Eggleton worked to create Canada's first National Food Program.
Supporting LGBTQ+ Rights
In 1981, after police raids on gay bathhouses, Eggleton helped start an inquiry. This inquiry looked into how the police and the gay community interacted. The report from this inquiry suggested ways to improve relations.
Eggleton later supported the Pride Toronto parade. He also voted to change human rights laws to protect people based on their sexual orientation. He supported the law that made same-sex marriage legal in Canada.
Recognition for Service
In 1992, Eggleton received Toronto's highest honour. It was called the Civic Award of Merit. This award recognized his many years of service to the city.
Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister
In 1993, Eggleton was elected to the Canadian Parliament. He became a Member of Parliament for the area of York Centre. He was given important jobs in the government's cabinet.
Roles in Government
He first became the President of the Treasury Board. This role involves managing the government's money. He was also the Minister for Infrastructure.
From 1996 to 1997, he was the Minister for International Trade. In 1997, he became the Minister of National Defence.
Defence Minister's Work
As Defence Minister, Eggleton made big changes to the military justice system. He helped create new groups to oversee the military, like the first Military Ombudsman. These groups helped resolve problems for military members.
He also worked to improve pay and housing for Canadian soldiers and their families. He supported Canada's involvement in international peacekeeping missions. This included missions in the Balkans and the Persian Gulf. He also helped lead Canada's part in the NATO action in Kosovo.
In 2002, Eggleton faced questions about information regarding prisoners of war. He stated he was not aware of certain policies at the time. He stepped down from his cabinet role in May 2002. He continued to serve as a Member of Parliament until 2004.
Senator for Ontario
In 2005, Art Eggleton was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Paul Martin. He represented the province of Ontario.
Senate Work and Focus
In the Senate, he led committees focused on social issues and health care. He worked on topics like poverty, housing, and homelessness. He also studied issues like autism and dementia.
In 2012, he started the All-Party, Anti-Poverty Caucus. This group brought together politicians from different parties to discuss poverty. He also created the Open Caucus, a place for Senators and MPs to discuss important issues.
In 2014, all Liberal Senators, including Eggleton, became independent. This meant they were no longer part of the main Liberal group in Parliament.
Retirement
In 2015-2016, he volunteered to lead a task force on Toronto Community Housing. This group suggested ways to improve social housing in Toronto. Many of these ideas are now being put into action.
Eggleton retired from the Senate on September 29, 2018. This was because he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.
Notable Work After Retirement
Even after retiring from the Senate, Eggleton continued to work on important issues.
In 2018, he wrote with Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain about updating privacy laws in Canada. This was to protect people's information as new technologies developed.
He also served on the advisory board for the World Council on City Data. This group collects information about cities worldwide to help them develop sustainably.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Eggleton wrote about the idea of a basic income program for Canada. He supported efforts to create such a policy. In 2021, he called for faster action on a Canada Disability Benefit.
Eggleton is also involved with the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club. This charity helps young people in Toronto. He was a member of the club when he was a boy.
