Joseph Gould (Ontario politician)
Encyclopedia
Joseph M. Gould (1911–May 8, 1965) was an Ontario municipal and provincial politician. He was a trail lawyer in private life. Gould was first the alderman for the City of Toronto's Ward 5 in the 1950s and was the Ontario Liberal Party
's Member of Provincial Parliament for the Bracondale
electoral district in Toronto, from 1959 to 1965, serving in both the 26th and 27th Ontario parliaments. He died in office at age 54.
to Russian-Jewish immigrants. His father, Zusha Goled was a tailor and cantor. His name was changed to Jacob Gold when he entered the United States at Ellis Island
. His mother, Henyagitel (Annie) walked across Europe from Russia to take a boat to join her husband in New York. Along with his parents and older brother Max, the family moved from the Lower East side to the cleaner air of Toronto. Gould was captain of the Osgoode Hall
debating team at the University of Toronto
. He practised criminal law
and entered politics at a time when restrictive practices posed numerous challenges and he changed his name from Gold to the more Anglo-Saxon Gould.
Gould was married to Esther Freeman. They had three children Stephen, Marshall and Corrine. Stephen is a graduate of Berklee College of Music
, an associate professor, and director of the Educational Leadership PhD program at Lesley University
in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Marshall is a businessman in Toronto. Corinne is the owner of Esther Gould's Finest, a Toronto business based on her mother's mandelbread recipe.
. Ontario general election. In 1950, he was elected as an Alderman, representing Ward 5 in the old City of Toronto. He represented Ward 5 until 1955. In the 1959 Ontario general election, he ran for the Liberal Party again, this time in the Bracondale
electoral district, which was near Ward 5. He defeated the incumbent MPP, Progressive Conservative Arthur Frost, and would remain the MPP for this district until his death in 1965. Gould was a candidate in the 1964 Ontario Liberal leadership convention
but placed last on the first ballot with only 13 of 1,370 votes cast. His candidacy was supported by Paul Hellyer
who represented part of Gould's riding in the Canadian House of Commons
.
, the Liberal Party candidate that ran to succeed him, won Gould's seat in a by-election
, and became that riding's last MPP, as Bracondale was abolished and redistributed into two adjacent electoral districts for the 1967 Ontario general election. When he died, Gould was married to Esther Gould and they had three children who were in their mid-teens to early twenties at the time of his death.
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
's Member of Provincial Parliament for the Bracondale
Bracondale
Bracondale was a provincial electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1926 to 1967. It's most notable achievement, was electing one of two women Members of the Provincial Parliament to share the title "first-woman MPP" in 1943...
electoral district in Toronto, from 1959 to 1965, serving in both the 26th and 27th Ontario parliaments. He died in office at age 54.
Background
One of five children, he was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Russian-Jewish immigrants. His father, Zusha Goled was a tailor and cantor. His name was changed to Jacob Gold when he entered the United States at Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
. His mother, Henyagitel (Annie) walked across Europe from Russia to take a boat to join her husband in New York. Along with his parents and older brother Max, the family moved from the Lower East side to the cleaner air of Toronto. Gould was captain of the Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
debating team at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. He practised criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
and entered politics at a time when restrictive practices posed numerous challenges and he changed his name from Gold to the more Anglo-Saxon Gould.
Gould was married to Esther Freeman. They had three children Stephen, Marshall and Corrine. Stephen is a graduate of Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
, an associate professor, and director of the Educational Leadership PhD program at Lesley University
Lesley University
Lesley University is a private, coeducational university in Boston, Massachusetts and Cambridge, Massachusetts.The university is a member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and New England Collegiate Conference.-History:The...
in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Marshall is a businessman in Toronto. Corinne is the owner of Esther Gould's Finest, a Toronto business based on her mother's mandelbread recipe.
Politics
Gould was a revered member of the community, a tireless fighter for the "little man" and appointed as a Queen's Counsel (QC). He ran for the Liberal party in the provincial St. Patrick electoral district in the June 4, 1945, placing second to Progressive Conservative Kelso RobertsKelso Roberts
Archibald Kelso Roberts was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as the Member of Provincial Parliament for the Toronto riding of St...
. Ontario general election. In 1950, he was elected as an Alderman, representing Ward 5 in the old City of Toronto. He represented Ward 5 until 1955. In the 1959 Ontario general election, he ran for the Liberal Party again, this time in the Bracondale
Bracondale
Bracondale was a provincial electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1926 to 1967. It's most notable achievement, was electing one of two women Members of the Provincial Parliament to share the title "first-woman MPP" in 1943...
electoral district, which was near Ward 5. He defeated the incumbent MPP, Progressive Conservative Arthur Frost, and would remain the MPP for this district until his death in 1965. Gould was a candidate in the 1964 Ontario Liberal leadership convention
Ontario Liberal leadership conventions
Ballot-by-ballot results of leadership elections in the Ontario Liberal Party, a political party in the Province of Ontario, Canada.Note: Before 1919, the leaders of the Ontario Liberal Party were chosen by the party's elected Members of the Legislative Assembly...
but placed last on the first ballot with only 13 of 1,370 votes cast. His candidacy was supported by Paul Hellyer
Paul Hellyer
Paul Theodore Hellyer, PC is a Canadian engineer, politician, writer and commentator who has had a long and varied career. He is the longest serving current member of the Privy Council, just ahead of Prince Philip.-Early life:...
who represented part of Gould's riding in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.
Death
When Gould died, he did so coincidentally a few hours after Frost, the man he defeated to become Bracondale's MPP. Both men died on May 8, 1965. George BenGeorge Ben
George Ben was an Ontario lawyer and political figure. He represented Bracondale and then Humber in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1965 as a Liberal member until his defeat in the 1971 provincial election...
, the Liberal Party candidate that ran to succeed him, won Gould's seat in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
, and became that riding's last MPP, as Bracondale was abolished and redistributed into two adjacent electoral districts for the 1967 Ontario general election. When he died, Gould was married to Esther Gould and they had three children who were in their mid-teens to early twenties at the time of his death.