Mel Lastman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mel Lastman
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Lastman in 2018
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| 62nd Mayor of Toronto | |
| In office January 1, 1998 – November 30, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Barbara Hall (Mayor of Old Toronto) Alan Tonks (Chairman of Metropolitan Toronto) |
| Succeeded by | David Miller |
| 3rd Mayor of North York | |
| In office January 1, 1973 – December 31, 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Basil H. Hall |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Melvin Douglas Lastman
March 9, 1933 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | December 11, 2021 (aged 88) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Resting place | Mount Sinai Memorial Park |
| Political party | Independent (municipal) Progressive Conservative (provincial) |
| Spouse |
Marilyn Bornstein
(m. 1952; died 2020) |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Businessman |
Melvin Douglas Lastman (March 9, 1933 – December 11, 2021) was a Canadian businessman and politician. He was the third mayor of North York from 1973 to 1997. Later, he became the 62nd mayor of Toronto from 1998 to 2003.
Mel Lastman was the first mayor of Toronto after the big amalgamation in 1998. This event joined Metro Toronto and its six smaller cities into one large "megacity." He was also famous for starting the "Bad Boy Furniture" store chain.
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Early Life and Career
Melvin Douglas Lastman was born in Toronto in 1933. His parents were immigrants from Poland. He started working young, selling fruits and vegetables at his family's grocery store. This was in Kensington Market.
He met Marilyn Bornstein when he was 16. They got married five years later. After finishing Grade 12, he got a job at a furniture store. He quickly became a very good salesman. He then started selling appliances and called himself "Mr. Laundry," also known as "the Bad Boy."
Bad Boy Furniture Stores
In 1955, at age 22, Mel Lastman opened his own store. It was a small building in Scarborough, Ontario. He sold used appliances there. Soon after, he bought another business and officially started Bad Boy Furniture.
Lastman used his "Bad Boy" nickname for his stores. He made the Bad Boy Furniture chain popular around Toronto. He was known for fun publicity stunts. One time, in the 1960s, he even traveled to the Arctic. He wanted to "sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo."
In 1975, Lastman sold the chain to focus on politics. The "Bad Boy" name was later bought by another company. However, they didn't use it, and the trademark expired.
In 1991, Mel's son, Blayne, and a business partner relaunched the chain. Mel Lastman wasn't sure it was a good idea at first. But the new stores became very famous for their TV commercials. These ads often featured Mel Lastman himself. They always ended with the catchy line: "Who's better than Bad Boy? Nooobody!" The stores are now called Lastman Bad Boy Superstore.
Becoming a Mayor
Mayor of North York
Mel Lastman started his political career in 1969. He was elected to the North York Board of Control. On December 4, 1972, he was elected mayor of North York. He officially took office on January 1, 1973. As mayor, he also became a member of the Metro Council.
Many people in North York liked Lastman. They felt he ran the city well and kept property taxes low. He helped create North York City Centre. This area became known as the "new downtown" of Toronto. There is even a place called Mel Lastman Square named after him.
In 1975, Lastman tried to become a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He ran as a Progressive Conservative. But he lost this election. This was his only election loss in his whole career.
Lastman was not a fan of the Metro Hall building. He thought it was too expensive and built in the wrong place. He believed it would have been cheaper to build it in the suburbs.
Mayor of Toronto's Megacity
In 1997, the provincial government made a big change. They combined North York with five other cities, including Old Toronto. This created a new, larger City of Toronto, often called the "megacity." Mel Lastman decided to run for mayor of this new big city.
He won the election, beating the current Toronto Mayor, Barbara Hall. Lastman's victory was largely due to his strong support in the suburban areas. These included North York, Etobicoke, and Scarborough.
Lastman gained national attention in 1999. Toronto was hit by huge snowstorms, and the city was almost completely stuck. He made the decision to call in the Canadian Army to help. The army used their equipment to clear snow and help emergency services. Some people made fun of this decision. But Lastman's supporters said the city was at a standstill. They also pointed out that more severe storms were expected.
Lastman thanked the soldiers by giving them free tickets to a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game. He was proud of his decision to bring in the army. He said so in an interview years later.
In November 2000, Lastman was re-elected as mayor. He won with a huge 80% of the votes.
As mayor of Toronto, Lastman had many achievements. He helped bring World Youth Day 2002 to Toronto in 2002. He also pushed for the construction of the TTC Sheppard line. This was the first new subway line in Toronto in many decades. He also played a big part in developing the Yonge and Sheppard area. This included the Empress Walk complex.
On January 14, 2003, Lastman announced he would not run for re-election. He mentioned his health was getting worse. David Miller was elected to take his place.
Personal Life and Health
In 1989, Mel Lastman faced health challenges. He got a medical condition during a surgery. In his last year as mayor, he dealt with several health issues, including a battle with cancer.
His wife, Marilyn, passed away on January 1, 2020, at age 84. Mel Lastman himself died on December 11, 2021, at the age of 88. Both he and his wife were buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in North York.
See also
- Moose in the City
