Pam McConnell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pam McConnell
Pam McConnell in 2014
Deputy Mayor of Toronto for Toronto and East York
In office December 1, 2014 – July 7, 2017
Mayor	John Tory
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Ana Bailão
Toronto City Councillor for Ward 28 Toronto Centre—Rosedale
In office December 1, 2000 – July 7, 2017
Preceded by	Ward created
Succeeded by	Lucy Troisi
Toronto City Councillor for Ward 25 Don River
In office January 1, 1998 – December 1, 2000 Serving with Jack Layton
Preceded by	Ward created
Succeeded by	Ward abolished
Metropolitan Toronto Councillor for Ward 7 Regent Park and Cabbagetown
In office December 1, 1994 – January 1, 1998
Preceded by	Barbara Hall
Succeeded by	City amalgamated
Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board
In office October 21, 2004 – October 14, 2005
Preceded by	Alan Heisey
Succeeded by	Alok Mukherjee
Chair of the Toronto and East York Community Council
In office December 1, 2008 – December 1, 2010
Preceded by	Janet Davis
Succeeded by	Gord Perks
Personal details
Born	Pamela Margaret Ritchie (1946-02-14)February 14, 1946 Carlisle, Cumberland, England
Died	July 7, 2017(2017-07-07) (aged 71) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	New Democratic
Spouse	Jim McConnell
Children	2
Occupation	Teacher

Pamela Margaret McConnell (born February 14, 1946 – died July 7, 2017) was an important Canadian politician. She worked on the Toronto City Council for many years. A city council is a group of elected people who make decisions for a city.

Pam McConnell was first elected to the Metro Toronto Council in 1994. This was a council for the larger Toronto area before it became one big city. She represented different areas in downtown Toronto until 2017. From 2014 to 2017, she was a Deputy Mayor of Toronto. This means she was one of the top leaders helping the mayor.

Before becoming a politician, Pam McConnell was a teacher. She started her public service as a school trustee in 1982. A school trustee helps manage local schools. She held this job until she was elected to the Metro Council in 1994. After Toronto became one big city, she was elected to the new city council in 1998. She continued to serve until her death in 2017.

Pam McConnell received several awards for her work. In 1997, she got an award from the Duke of Edinburgh for helping young people in city areas. She also received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013. After she passed away, several things were named in her honor. These include the Pam McConnell Young Women in Leadership Award and the Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre in Toronto. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities also created an award for gender equality named after her.

Early Life and Education

Pam McConnell was born in England on February 14, 1946. Her family moved to Canada in 1954 when she was nine years old. She became a teacher before starting her political career.

In 1982, she was elected as a school trustee for the Toronto Board of Education. This role meant she helped make decisions about Toronto's public schools. She worked hard to support programs that helped adults learn to read and write. In 1988, she became the vice-chair of the Toronto School Board. By 1992, she was the chair, leading the entire school board.

Political Journey

In 1994, Pam McConnell left her role as a school trustee. She was then elected to the Metro Toronto Council. This was a big step into city-wide politics.

In 1997, Toronto changed a lot. The city of Toronto joined with five nearby towns to form one large city. This was called the amalgamation of Toronto. Because of this, Pam McConnell had to run in a tough election. She was elected to the new Toronto City Council in 1998. She continued to serve as a city councillor for Ward 28 until her death. She was re-elected many times, showing how much people trusted her.

Pam McConnell was known for helping children and families. She worked to reduce poverty in Toronto. She also played a key role in the Regent Park Revitalization Plan. This plan helped to rebuild and improve the Regent Park neighborhood. She strongly supported building an aquatic center (a swimming pool complex) in Regent Park. This center was named the Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre after her.

A large part of the money for the aquatic center came from a special fund. This fund collects money from big building projects in the city. Donald Trump, who was building a hotel in Toronto, called Pam McConnell a "tough negotiator." He said she was a "terrific representative for her district" for getting this funding.

After the 2014 election, the new mayor, John Tory, chose Pam McConnell as one of four deputy mayors for the city. In 2015, he also picked her to lead the city's plan to reduce poverty. She was very important in helping to make Toronto a better place for everyone.

Awards and Special Recognition

Pam McConnell received an award from the Duke of Edinburgh in 1997. This award recognized her great work with young people in city neighborhoods. In 2013, she was given the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. This medal honored her many years of public service.

In January 2018, Toronto Mayor John Tory announced a new award. It was called the Pam McConnell Young Women in Leadership Award. This award helps young women aged 19 to 26 who show leadership skills. In June 2018, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities also honored her. They created the Pam McConnell International Award for Gender Equity. This award recognizes people who help advance gender equality. In July 2018, the Toronto City Council voted to name the aquatic center in Regent Park after her. This center was a project she worked very hard for.

Personal Life

Pam McConnell was married to Jim McConnell. They had two daughters, Heather Ann and Madelyn.

On July 6, 2017, Pam McConnell became very ill and was in the hospital. She sadly passed away on July 7, 2017, due to a lung condition.