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 | Camille Bacchus, Brenda Eggleton 1978-1994 |
| 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 59th Mayor of Toronto and served the longest in that role, from 1980 to 1991. After being mayor, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1993 for the Liberal Party. He held several important jobs in the government, like Treasury Board president and Minister of National Defence. In 2005, he was appointed to the Senate, where he served until 2018.
Contents
Early Political Career
Joining Toronto City Council
Art Eggleton started his career as an accountant. He was first elected to the Toronto City Council in 1969. He served as a junior alderman for Ward 4. An alderman is like a city council member who helps manage the city.
Budget Chief and Federal Election
In 1973, he became the budget chief for the city council. This meant he helped manage the city's money. In 1978, he ran to become a Member of Parliament for Parkdale, but he did not win. He then returned to Toronto City Council, becoming the senior alderman for Ward 4.
Mayor of Toronto
Longest-Serving Mayor
Art Eggleton was a member of Toronto City Council for 22 years. He served as Mayor of Toronto from 1980 to 1991. He holds the record for being the longest-serving mayor in Toronto's history.
City Development and Growth
As mayor, Eggleton helped Toronto grow a lot. Many new buildings were constructed in the downtown area. These included the Convention Centre, the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre), and the CBC Broadcast Centre.
Social Programs and Parks
He focused on helping people and improving the city. Toronto built many new homes for people with low incomes. About 50 acres (20 hectares) of new parks were created. He also started programs to help people experiencing homelessness.
Economic Boom and Diversity
During his time, Toronto's economy grew significantly. More jobs became available, and unemployment went down. Eggleton also created a committee to help people from different cultures and backgrounds live together peacefully. He supported expanding Toronto's parks and green spaces. In 1984, he helped open the Martin Goodman Trail, a popular path along the waterfront.
Food Security Initiatives
Mayor Eggleton helped create "FoodShare" in the 1980s. This group works to ensure everyone has access to healthy food. In 2018, as a Senator, he proposed a bill to create Canada's first National Food Program. This idea received support from the Canadian government.
Community Relations and Human Rights
Eggleton worked to improve relations between the police and the LGBTQ community. He supported a report that called for better communication and understanding. He later recognized the importance of the Pride Parade. He said he came to see it as a way to celebrate an inclusive society. As mayor, he also supported adding sexual orientation to human rights laws. He later voted to make same-sex marriage legal in Canada.
Re-election and Recognition
In 1985, Eggleton faced a challenge for re-election but won by a large number of votes. In 1992, he received Toronto's highest honor, the Civic Award of Merit. This award recognized his many years of service to the city.
Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister
Joining Federal Politics
In 1993, Eggleton was elected as a Member of Parliament for York Centre. He became part of the new government's cabinet. He was first appointed as the President of the Treasury Board. This role involves managing the government's spending. He also served as the Minister for Infrastructure.
Key Cabinet Roles
From 1996 to 1997, he was the Minister for International Trade. In 1997, he became the Minister of National Defence. In this role, he was responsible for Canada's military.
Defence Initiatives
As Defence Minister, Eggleton supported Canada's involvement in NATO's efforts in Kosovo in 1999. He made big changes to the military justice system. He helped create new groups like the Military Ombudsman. These groups help military members resolve issues. He also improved pay and housing for Canadian Forces members and their families. In 1999, he created a board to help include more women in the Canadian Armed Forces.
International Peacekeeping
Canada continued to participate in international peacekeeping missions under his leadership. These missions took place in places like the Balkans and the Central African Republic. Eggleton led Canada's part in the NATO action in Kosovo. He believed it was important to help stop violence against people there. He also visited Canadian peacekeeping forces in different countries.
Disaster Response and Modernization
The Canadian Forces Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) was used for the first time to help with Hurricane Mitch relief in Honduras. Eggleton also worked to get new equipment and modernize the Canadian Armed Forces.
Stepping Down
In 2002, Eggleton left his cabinet position. He announced in 2004 that he would not run for re-election as an MP. This allowed Ken Dryden to become the Liberal candidate for York Centre.
Senator for Ontario
Appointment and Focus Areas
Art Eggleton was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Paul Martin in 2005. As a Senator, he focused on social justice and health care issues. He led the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science, and Technology for 12 years.
Independent Senator
In 2014, all Liberal Senators, including Eggleton, became independent. This meant they were no longer part of the main Liberal political group. They continued to work as the Senate Liberal Caucus.
Community Housing and Poverty
Eggleton has focused on community housing in Toronto. He has worked on studies and reports about poverty, housing, and homelessness. In 2012, he started the All-Party, Anti-Poverty Caucus. He also created the Open Caucus, a group for Senators and MPs to discuss important issues. In 2015-16, he led a task force on Toronto Community Housing. This group suggested many changes to Canada's largest social housing provider.
Retirement from Senate
Art Eggleton retired from the Senate on September 29, 2018. This was because he reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.
Notable Work
Privacy and Data Protection
In 2018, Eggleton wrote with Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain about updating Canada's privacy laws. They wanted to protect people's data better because of new technologies.
City Data and Sustainable Development
Eggleton was the chair of the World Council on City Data's advisory board. This group collects information about cities worldwide. This data helps cities achieve goals for sustainable development.
Basic Income Advocacy
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Eggleton wrote with Hugh Segal. They argued for a basic income program in Canada. This idea would give everyone a regular income to help with living costs. In 2021, he also called for faster action on the Canada Disability Benefit. This benefit aims to reduce poverty for people with disabilities.
Community Involvement
Eggleton serves on the board of directors for the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club. This charity helps young people in Toronto. He was a member of the Boys and Girls Club when he was a child. He is also a vice-president of Liberal International, a group that promotes democracy around the world.
Images for kids
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Defence Minister Art Eggleton (left) and the Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Kergin (center) meet with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld (right) in 2001.
