Michael Thompson (Canadian politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael Thompson is a city councillor
in Toronto
, Canada
. He represents Ward 37, the western half of Scarborough Centre
. Raised in Scarborough he has a BA in Economics from Concordia University. He is a Black Canadian
.
Thompson graduated from Ionview Public School and Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate in Scarborough
. Prior to being elected as a city councillor, he worked in the financial services industry, and founded a business services company.
He entered local politics in 1994 but was defeated in his attempt to win election to Metro Toronto council by Norm Kelly
. In 1998 he became assistant to Councillor Lorenzo Berardinetti
. When Berardinetti was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, Thompson ran to replace him in the 2003 Toronto municipal election
. Six other candidates ran against him; his main opponent was Laura-Maria Nikolareizi, an associate of outgoing Toronto mayor Mel Lastman
.
With a focus on "law and order" issues, Thompson is considered one of the more right-wing members of Toronto council. Soon after his election, he earned considerable and generally positive media attention for his forceful calls to address urban violence. He campaigned for a time to retain Julian Fantino
as chief of the Toronto Police Service
, and also pushed for a hotline to report troublesome rodents.
In the summer of 2005, during what many saw as a wave of shootings in Toronto, particularly in certain low-income neighbourhoods, Thompson garnered national attention for a suggestion that Toronto police should potentially be allowed or expected to stop and search young Black Canadian males at random. Thompson argued that a large percentage of the guns being used and a large number of victims are in the black community. Many accused Thompson of racial profiling
and also expressed surprise that a black politician would suggest such an idea. Thompson himself said that he did not actually suggest racial profiling and later clarified his proposal, stating that he would not call for police to pull people over just because they're black, but rather because gun violence
was affecting the black community. Thompson said that phone calls and e-mails received by his office had been mostly positive.
Despite this, Thompson quickly withdrew the suggestion, saying it was "not an idea we can or should try", and characterizing his comment as an "off-the-cuff" remark born of frustration with recent violence. Some critics suggested it could have been a calculated attempt to position himself for political advantage, perhaps for a conservative candidacy for mayor. Thompson denied he was thinking of a mayoral run.
Thompson and other Scarborough-area city councillors are currently campaigning to replace the Scarborough RT with a tunnelled extension of the Bloor-Danforth subway, arguing they could gain more ridership than the proposed Spadina line extension to York University
. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1129672214190&call_pageid=968350130169&col=969483202845&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7ChAX&tacodalogin=yes
Unofficial results as of October 26, 2010 03:55 AM
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
in Toronto
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...
, 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 represents Ward 37, the western half of Scarborough Centre
Scarborough City Centre
Scarborough City Centre is the central business district in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is roughly bounded by Kennedy Road to the west, Markham Road to the east, Ellesmere Road to the south, and Sheppard Avenue to the North...
. Raised in Scarborough he has a BA in Economics from Concordia University. He is a Black Canadian
Black Canadian
'Black Canadians is a designation used for people of Black African descent, who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada. The term specifically refers to Canadians with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The majority of Black Canadians are of Caribbean origin...
.
Thompson graduated from Ionview Public School and Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate in Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
. Prior to being elected as a city councillor, he worked in the financial services industry, and founded a business services company.
He entered local politics in 1994 but was defeated in his attempt to win election to Metro Toronto council by Norm Kelly
Norm Kelly
Norman "Norm" Kelly is a Canadian politician. He is a city councillor in Toronto, Ontario representing one of two municipal wards that make up the jurisdiction of Scarborough—Agincourt.-Background:Kelly is a trained historian...
. In 1998 he became assistant to Councillor Lorenzo Berardinetti
Lorenzo Berardinetti
Lorenzo Berardinetti is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is the member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for Scarborough Southwest, representing the governing Ontario Liberal Party....
. When Berardinetti was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
, Thompson ran to replace him in the 2003 Toronto municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 2003
The Toronto municipal election of 2003 was held on November 10, 2003, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to elect the Mayor of Toronto, 44 city councillors, and school board trustees.David Miller was elected mayor ....
. Six other candidates ran against him; his main opponent was Laura-Maria Nikolareizi, an associate of outgoing Toronto mayor Mel Lastman
Mel Lastman
Melvin Douglas "Mel" Lastman , nicknamed "Mayor Mel", is a former businessman and politician. He is the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain. He served as the mayor of the former city of North York, Ontario, Canada from 1972 until 1997. At the end of 1997, North York, along with five other...
.
With a focus on "law and order" issues, Thompson is considered one of the more right-wing members of Toronto council. Soon after his election, he earned considerable and generally positive media attention for his forceful calls to address urban violence. He campaigned for a time to retain Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino
Julian Fantino is a retired police official and the elected Member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of Vaughan following a November 29, 2010 by-election...
as chief of the Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service
The Toronto Police Service , formerly the Metropolitan Toronto Police, is the police service for the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest municipal police service in Canada and second largest police force in Canada after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police...
, and also pushed for a hotline to report troublesome rodents.
In the summer of 2005, during what many saw as a wave of shootings in Toronto, particularly in certain low-income neighbourhoods, Thompson garnered national attention for a suggestion that Toronto police should potentially be allowed or expected to stop and search young Black Canadian males at random. Thompson argued that a large percentage of the guns being used and a large number of victims are in the black community. Many accused Thompson of racial profiling
Racial profiling
Racial profiling refers to the use of an individual’s race or ethnicity by law enforcement personnel as a key factor in deciding whether to engage in enforcement...
and also expressed surprise that a black politician would suggest such an idea. Thompson himself said that he did not actually suggest racial profiling and later clarified his proposal, stating that he would not call for police to pull people over just because they're black, but rather because gun violence
Gun violence
Gun violence defined literally means the use of a firearm to threaten or inflict violence or harm. Gun violence may be broadly defined as a category of violence and crime committed with the use of a firearm; it may or may not include actions ruled as self-defense, actions for law enforcement, or...
was affecting the black community. Thompson said that phone calls and e-mails received by his office had been mostly positive.
Despite this, Thompson quickly withdrew the suggestion, saying it was "not an idea we can or should try", and characterizing his comment as an "off-the-cuff" remark born of frustration with recent violence. Some critics suggested it could have been a calculated attempt to position himself for political advantage, perhaps for a conservative candidacy for mayor. Thompson denied he was thinking of a mayoral run.
Thompson and other Scarborough-area city councillors are currently campaigning to replace the Scarborough RT with a tunnelled extension of the Bloor-Danforth subway, arguing they could gain more ridership than the proposed Spadina line extension to York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
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Election results
| 2010 Toronto election Toronto city council election, 2010 For information on the campaign for mayor see Toronto mayoral election, 2010The 2010 Toronto council election was held on October 25, 2010 to elect councillors to represent Toronto's 44 wards at Toronto City Council... , Ward 37 |
||
| Candidate | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Thompson | 15,129 | 83.636% |
| Isabelle Champagne | 1,571 | 8.685% |
| Fawzi Bidawi | 1,014 | 5.606% |
| Sergio Otoya Salazar | 375 | 2.073% |
| Total | 18,089 | 100% |
Unofficial results as of October 26, 2010 03:55 AM