Angelo Natale
Encyclopedia
Angelo Natale is a former trade union leader and candidate for political office in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. He served as leader of the Ontario Haulers' Association in the 1970s and 1980s, and campaigned in several municipal elections.
Natale campaigned for a seat on the North York
City Council in the 1974 municipal election
. In the 1976 campaign
, he sought election to the North York Board of Control. He lost both times.
-like" tactics against Natale were not supported by evidence. Natale was sentenced to a 90-day prison term. He successfully appealed the sentence, and a new trial was ordered in 1981. After several delays, Natale and his associates were found not guilty of all charges in May 1983. After the verdict, Natale told reporters that suggestions of mafia
links had been hurtful to himself and his family.
, unsuccessfully seeking election to the North York Board of Control. He campaigned for a seat on the Metro Toronto council in the 1988
and 1991
elections, losing to Mario Gentile
the first time, and to Maria Augimeri
the second time.
He was fifty-four years old at the time of the 1988 election, and worked as a mortgage consultant. He described 75% of welfare recipients as "parasites", and indicated that they should be forced to work if they were able. He also supported day care programs to help mothers leave the welcome system, and called for a crackdown on crime.
During this campaign, Natale filed an injunction to prevent Mario Gentile from using the word "re-elect" on his signs. Gentile had previously served on Metro Toronto Council for nine years, but had not technically been elected to the position as North York did not introduce direct elections for Metro councillors until 1988 (he had been elected as a North York councillor, and was chosen by council as a Metro representative). The judge dismissed the accusation as one of semantics.
In 1991, Natale called for a stronger police presence and more job opportunities for the unemployed.
Natale led another protest at Queen's Park in 1992, this time as president of the Ontario Aggregate Haulers Benevolent Association. He opposed provincial legislation passed in late 1991 that established loan brokers for the trucking industry, arguing that truckers were at risk of being exploited. Transport Minister Gilles Pouliot
argued that the change was needed to bring order to the brokers' industry, and noted that brokers were required to post bonds under the new law as a standard of reliability. The protest ended after a few days.
Natale was banned from campaigning in the 1994 municipal election
, after failing to file reports from his 1991 campaign.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served as leader of the Ontario Haulers' Association in the 1970s and 1980s, and campaigned in several municipal elections.
Early career
Natale was leader of the Ontario Haulers' Association during the 1970s and 1980s. He led an independent truckers' protest at Queen's Park in 1973, demanding better wages, and led an attempted boycott of Metro Toronto's snow clearing services in January 1974. In later years, the Haulers' Association would block off access to Queen's Park several times to protest against Ontario's trucking laws.Natale campaigned for a seat on the North York
North York, Ontario
North York is a dissolved municipality within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the central part of the northern section of Toronto. As of the 2006 Census, it has a population of 635,370. The official 2001 census count was 608,288...
City Council in the 1974 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 1974
The 1974 Toronto municipal election was held on December 2, 1974 in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mayors, controllers, city councillors and school board trustees were elected in the municipalities of Toronto, York, East York, North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough.David Crombie was...
. In the 1976 campaign
Toronto municipal election, 1976
The Toronto municipal election of 1976 was held on December 6, 1976 in Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mayors, city councillors and school board trustees were elected in the municipalities of Toronto, York, East York, North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough.Toronto Mayor David Crombie and...
, he sought election to the North York Board of Control. He lost both times.
Trials
In 1978, Natale and three others were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion. The following year, he was found guilty of extorting $12,700 from Nicola Torres, the president of Torres Transport Ltd. of Mississauga, by threatening work stoppages. Notwithstanding his ruling, the presiding judge also found that allegations of "Jimmy HoffaJimmy Hoffa
James Riddle "Jimmy" Hoffa was an American labor union leader....
-like" tactics against Natale were not supported by evidence. Natale was sentenced to a 90-day prison term. He successfully appealed the sentence, and a new trial was ordered in 1981. After several delays, Natale and his associates were found not guilty of all charges in May 1983. After the verdict, Natale told reporters that suggestions of mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
links had been hurtful to himself and his family.
Later career
Natale returned to political life in the 1985 municipal campaignToronto municipal election, 1985
The 1985 Toronto municipal election was held to elect members of municipal councils, school boards, and hydro commissions in the six municipalities that made up Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The election was held on November 12, 1985.-Mayor:...
, unsuccessfully seeking election to the North York Board of Control. He campaigned for a seat on the Metro Toronto council in the 1988
Toronto municipal election, 1988
The 1988 Toronto municipal election was held to elect members of municipal councils, school boards, and hydro commissions in the six municipalities that made up Metropolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The election was held November 14, 1988.-Metro:...
and 1991
Toronto municipal election, 1991
The 1991 Toronto municipal election was held on November 12, 1991 to elect councillors in Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, and mayors, councillors and school trustees in Toronto, York, East York, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke....
elections, losing to Mario Gentile
Mario Gentile
Mario Gentile is a former municipal politician in Toronto, Canada. He served as a councillor and city controller in North York, and was also a member of the Metropolitan Toronto council. His political career ended with a criminal conviction in 1994....
the first time, and to Maria Augimeri
Maria Augimeri
Maria Augimeri is a city councillor in Toronto, Ward 9 representing one of the two York Centre wards.-Background:Augimeri moved to Canada with her family at age two. Before entering politics, she was a Social Anthropologist at York University...
the second time.
He was fifty-four years old at the time of the 1988 election, and worked as a mortgage consultant. He described 75% of welfare recipients as "parasites", and indicated that they should be forced to work if they were able. He also supported day care programs to help mothers leave the welcome system, and called for a crackdown on crime.
During this campaign, Natale filed an injunction to prevent Mario Gentile from using the word "re-elect" on his signs. Gentile had previously served on Metro Toronto Council for nine years, but had not technically been elected to the position as North York did not introduce direct elections for Metro councillors until 1988 (he had been elected as a North York councillor, and was chosen by council as a Metro representative). The judge dismissed the accusation as one of semantics.
In 1991, Natale called for a stronger police presence and more job opportunities for the unemployed.
Natale led another protest at Queen's Park in 1992, this time as president of the Ontario Aggregate Haulers Benevolent Association. He opposed provincial legislation passed in late 1991 that established loan brokers for the trucking industry, arguing that truckers were at risk of being exploited. Transport Minister Gilles Pouliot
Gilles Pouliot
Gilles Pouliot is a retired politician in Ontario, Canada. He served as a member of the Ontario legislature from 1985 to 1999, representing the Northern Ontario riding of Lake Nipigon for the New Democratic Party....
argued that the change was needed to bring order to the brokers' industry, and noted that brokers were required to post bonds under the new law as a standard of reliability. The protest ended after a few days.
Natale was banned from campaigning in the 1994 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 1994
The 1994 Toronto municipal election was held in November 1994 to elect councillors in Metropolitan Toronto, Canada, and mayors, councillors and school trustees in Toronto, York, East York, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke....
, after failing to file reports from his 1991 campaign.