William Donald Dennison (January 20, 1905 – May 2, 1981) was a Canadian social-democratic politician who served in both the Ontario Legislative Assembly and finally as the City of Toronto's mayor. He served two nonconsecutive terms as a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in the 1940s and early 1950s. After his provincial-level career, he focused on Toronto's municipal politics, holding offices as an alderman, member of the Toronto Board of Control, and finally as the city's mayor. He was the mayor from 1967 to 1972, winning two consecutive three-year terms. Prior to entering politics, he was a school principal and teacher. As of 2022, he was the last mayor of Toronto to be a member of the Orange Order.
Dennison grew up on a farm in Renfrew County.[2] He first left home at age 15 to work in the lumber camps of Northern Ontario. As a young man, he would trek west to Saskatchewan in the summers to earn money helping with the harvest and pitching grain. By night, he would educate himself by reading Little Blue Books.[3]
As a child and a young man he stammered to the point where he struggled to pronounce his name, although after several attempts to manage his stammering, first at a school in Kitchener and later at a school in New York City, he learned how to control it himself, opening his own School of Speech Correction.[4]
In 1938, he was elected a school trustee and served three successive one-year terms. In 1941 and 1943 he won election to serve as an alderman on Toronto City Council for Ward 2 (Cabbagetown and Rosedale)[3] After a ten-year interlude with his involvement in provincial politics, Dennison returned to Toronto City Council in 1953 serving again as an alderman for Ward 2. In 1958, he was elected to the Toronto Board of Control. On council he interrogated other politicians and officials on conflict of interest, expense accounts, and their relationships with companies doing business with the city.[5] He ran to be Toronto's mayor in 1966, campaigning on providing "a strong voice for labour in city affairs" and opposing the pro-development policies of incumbent Philip Givens.[6] He was elected despite being opposed by all three daily newspapers.[6] He was the first member of the CCF or NDP to serve as mayor of Toronto since James Simpson in 1935, and the last until Barbara Hall.
He opposed the early Eaton Centre development plan that would have seen the demolition of Toronto's Old City Hall, Dennison was a pro-labour mayor but later became more conservative in response to early criticism.[3] Serving as mayor during the Canadian Centennial, he urged the organizers of Caribana to make it a recurring event.[7]
He generally favoured development and complained about hippies and deserters from the US military flocking to the city, saying that "a few hippies and deserters are Toronto's only problem." He decided not to run again for mayor, and due to a prostate operation, watched the 1972 municipal election from a bed at St. Michael's Hospital.[8]
Retirement and deathedit
Dennison and his wife Dorothy (née Bainbridge) had a Christmas tree farm in Caledon East, where they went to get away from the city.[9] He was also a beekeeper, and at one point, had 900,000 bees living in his Jarvis Street home's backyard.[3] During his retirement, the Dennisons would vacation in Florida during the winter months. While vacationing in the United States, a medical emergency arose due to his Parkinson's disease, and it finally forced him to be evacuated back to Toronto in April 1981.[10] He died at Toronto General Hospital from complications due to Parkinson's Disease on May 2, 1981.[10] Their only child, Lorna Dennison Milne, was a community activist who was appointed to the Senate of Canada, sitting in the Red Chamber as a Liberal from 1995 to 2009.[11]
Referencesedit
^ Star Staff (5 December 1972). "4 new mayors in the boroughs: 'I didn't think I could win' Crombie youngest since 1867". The Toronto Star. p. 1.
^ Bruner, Arnold (6 December 1966). "A barefoot boy from Renfrew who'll be our next mayor". The Toronto Daily Star. p. 7.
^ abcde Globe staff (4 May 1981). "William Dennison: Stammering farm lad became mayor of Toronto". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. 20.
^ "Obituary: Dennison, William Donald". The Toronto Star. 4 May 1981. p. B11.
^ Horwath, Jean (5 May 1981). "Editorial: William Dennison". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. 6. ISSN 0319-0714.
^ ab Star Staff (6 December 1966). "It took Dennison 25 years". The Toronto Daily Star. pp. 1, 11.
^ Wickens, Max (14 August 1967). "Caribana whoop-up may become annual affair". The Toronto Daily Star. p. 19.
^ Star Staff (5 December 1972). "Dennison sits this one out". The Toronto Star. p. 4.
^ Weiers, Margaret (6 December 1966). "Mrs. Dennsion's not surprised". The Toronto Daily Star. p. 51.
^ ab Sutton, Bill (3 May 1981). "Ex-mayor Bill Dennsion dies". The Toronto Star. p. A3.
^ Library of Parliament (2014). "MILNE, The Hon. Lorna, B.S.A." Parliament of Canada: Parlinfo. Ottawa: Queen's Printer For Canada. from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
External linksedit
Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history
October 28, 2023
william, dennison, canadian, politician, william, donald, dennison, january, 1905, 1981, canadian, social, democratic, politician, served, both, ontario, legislative, assembly, finally, city, toronto, mayor, served, nonconsecutive, terms, member, provincial, p. William Donald Dennison January 20 1905 May 2 1981 was a Canadian social democratic politician who served in both the Ontario Legislative Assembly and finally as the City of Toronto s mayor He served two nonconsecutive terms as a Member of Provincial Parliament MPP in the 1940s and early 1950s After his provincial level career he focused on Toronto s municipal politics holding offices as an alderman member of the Toronto Board of Control and finally as the city s mayor He was the mayor from 1967 to 1972 winning two consecutive three year terms Prior to entering politics he was a school principal and teacher As of 2022 he was the last mayor of Toronto to be a member of the Orange Order William Bill Donald DennisonDennison c 195955th Mayor of TorontoIn office January 1 1967 December 31 1972 1 Preceded byPhilip GivensSucceeded byDavid CrombieMember of Provincial ParliamentIn office 1948 1951Preceded byRoland MichenerSucceeded byEverett WeaverConstituencySt DavidIn office 1943 1945Preceded byAllan LamportSucceeded byRoland MichenerConstituencySt DavidToronto Ward 2 Cabbagetown amp Rosedale AldermanIn office 1941 1943 1953 1958Toronto Board of ControlIn office 1959 1966Personal detailsBorn 1905 01 20 January 20 1905Renfrew County Ontario CanadaDiedMay 2 1981 1981 05 02 aged 76 Toronto Ontario CanadaPolitical partyCo operative Commonwealth FederationOther politicalaffiliationsUnited Farmers of Ontario New Democratic Party of CanadaSpouseDorothy Gertrude BainbridgeChildrenLorna MilneResidenceTorontoAlma materWestmeath S S 8OccupationSchool Principal Contents 1 Background 2 Politics 2 1 UFO CCF 2 2 City of Toronto 3 Retirement and death 4 References 5 External linksBackground editDennison grew up on a farm in Renfrew County 2 He first left home at age 15 to work in the lumber camps of Northern Ontario As a young man he would trek west to Saskatchewan in the summers to earn money helping with the harvest and pitching grain By night he would educate himself by reading Little Blue Books 3 As a child and a young man he stammered to the point where he struggled to pronounce his name although after several attempts to manage his stammering first at a school in Kitchener and later at a school in New York City he learned how to control it himself opening his own School of Speech Correction 4 Politics editUFO CCF edit Dennison was a member of the United Farmers of Ontario in the 1920s and became a member of the Co operative Commonwealth Federation and its successor the New Democratic Party He was the CCF candidate in the Rosedale electoral district during the 1935 federal election he placed third He won a seat in the 1943 provincial election as the Ontario CCF Member of Provincial Parliament MPP representing St David electoral district in downtown Toronto He defeated Progressive Conservative candidate Roland Michener a future Governor General of Canada In the legislature Dennison was an early environmentalist As an early conservationist in the 1940s he tried to stop the de Havilland aircraft factory from polluting Black Creek He also tried to force the government to stop a pulp and paper mill from polluting the Spanish River In 1946 he personally planted 40 000 trees 3 Michener defeated Dennison in the 1945 provincial election but Dennison regained the seat in the 1948 election Dennison lost his seat for the last time during the Conservative sweep that left the Ontario CCF with only two seats in the 1951 provincial election City of Toronto edit In 1938 he was elected a school trustee and served three successive one year terms In 1941 and 1943 he won election to serve as an alderman on Toronto City Council for Ward 2 Cabbagetown and Rosedale 3 After a ten year interlude with his involvement in provincial politics Dennison returned to Toronto City Council in 1953 serving again as an alderman for Ward 2 In 1958 he was elected to the Toronto Board of Control On council he interrogated other politicians and officials on conflict of interest expense accounts and their relationships with companies doing business with the city 5 He ran to be Toronto s mayor in 1966 campaigning on providing a strong voice for labour in city affairs and opposing the pro development policies of incumbent Philip Givens 6 He was elected despite being opposed by all three daily newspapers 6 He was the first member of the CCF or NDP to serve as mayor of Toronto since James Simpson in 1935 and the last until Barbara Hall He opposed the early Eaton Centre development plan that would have seen the demolition of Toronto s Old City Hall Dennison was a pro labour mayor but later became more conservative in response to early criticism 3 Serving as mayor during the Canadian Centennial he urged the organizers of Caribana to make it a recurring event 7 He generally favoured development and complained about hippies and deserters from the US military flocking to the city saying that a few hippies and deserters are Toronto s only problem He decided not to run again for mayor and due to a prostate operation watched the 1972 municipal election from a bed at St Michael s Hospital 8 Retirement and death editDennison and his wife Dorothy nee Bainbridge had a Christmas tree farm in Caledon East where they went to get away from the city 9 He was also a beekeeper and at one point had 900 000 bees living in his Jarvis Street home s backyard 3 During his retirement the Dennisons would vacation in Florida during the winter months While vacationing in the United States a medical emergency arose due to his Parkinson s disease and it finally forced him to be evacuated back to Toronto in April 1981 10 He died at Toronto General Hospital from complications due to Parkinson s Disease on May 2 1981 10 Their only child Lorna Dennison Milne was a community activist who was appointed to the Senate of Canada sitting in the Red Chamber as a Liberal from 1995 to 2009 11 References edit Star Staff 5 December 1972 4 new mayors in the boroughs I didn t think I could win Crombie youngest since 1867 The Toronto Star p 1 Bruner Arnold 6 December 1966 A barefoot boy from Renfrew who ll be our next mayor The Toronto Daily Star p 7 a b c d e Globe staff 4 May 1981 William Dennison Stammering farm lad became mayor of Toronto The Globe and Mail Toronto p 20 Obituary Dennison William Donald The Toronto Star 4 May 1981 p B11 Horwath Jean 5 May 1981 Editorial William Dennison The Globe and Mail Toronto p 6 ISSN 0319 0714 a b Star Staff 6 December 1966 It took Dennison 25 years The Toronto Daily Star pp 1 11 Wickens Max 14 August 1967 Caribana whoop up may become annual affair The Toronto Daily Star p 19 Star Staff 5 December 1972 Dennison sits this one out The Toronto Star p 4 Weiers Margaret 6 December 1966 Mrs Dennsion s not surprised The Toronto Daily Star p 51 a b Sutton Bill 3 May 1981 Ex mayor Bill Dennsion dies The Toronto Star p A3 Library of Parliament 2014 MILNE The Hon Lorna B S A Parliament of Canada Parlinfo Ottawa Queen s Printer For Canada Archived from the original on 19 December 2013 Retrieved 7 March 2014 External links editOntario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Dennison Canadian politician amp oldid 1163650700, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
