Toronto Mayors: A History of the City's Leaders

The first-ever look at all 65 Toronto mayors - the good, the bad, the colourful, the rogues, and the leaders - who have shaped the city. Toronto's mayoral history is both rich and colourful. Spanning 19 decades and the growth of Toronto, from its origins as a dusty colonial outpost of just 9,200 residents to a global business centre and metropolis of some three million, this compendium provides fascinating biographical detail on each of the city's mayors. Toronto's mayors have been curious, eccentric, or offbeat; others have been rebellious, swaggering, or alcoholic. Some were bigots, bullies, refugees, war heroes, social crusaders, or bon vivants; still others were inspiring, forward looking, or well ahead of their time. One Toronto mayor attempted to kill a predecessor, but his pistol jammed. Another simply beat up the councillors he didn't like. One committed murder, while another carried out a home invasion. And under the threat of capture and certain death, two mayors were forced to escape the city and live for years in exile, while another had 18 kids and cried poor, yet died on a luxury European vacation (minus the kids). One mayor was involved in the brutal torture of an opposition candidate. Another went insane while in office due to acute third stage syphilis. looks at where each came from, how they came to lead the city, what issues they dealt with, and how they steered Toronto's City Council.

About the Author :
Mark Maloney is a government relations professional specializing in the City of Toronto. He has worked full-time with three Toronto mayors - Barbara Hall, Mel Lastman, and John Tory - serving on either their mayoral campaign or at City Hall. Mark headed the initial bids that obtained the 2002 World Youth Days event, which remains the largest multi-day conference in Toronto history. He later served as coordinator of the Greater Toronto Area Economic Summit, a GTA-wide initiative to chart the region's future. Mark has been a municipal reporter with the former CHUM Radio Network and assignment desk researcher with CTV News in Ottawa. He also chaired the Ottawa region's Board of Health and served for eight years as a member of Ottawa City Council. Mark has served on the boards of Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the federal Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. He recently served as secretary of Toronto's bid for the Expo 2025 World's Fair. Mark lives in Toronto.

Review :
Toronto Mayors is an important and valuable contribution to the city’s political history An impressive amount of work has gone into this book. It's excellent. The stories woven through are interesting, lively, and engaging, and they bring to life the mayors who have led us. It also disproves the notion that our history is boring. A comprehensive look at the development of Toronto through the efforts, policies, and miscues of those who have occupied the office of mayor. Murder, treason, torture, infidelity, drug abuse — Toronto mayors have done it all.… Maloney’s masterful and lively chronicle proves what I have been trying to tell people for years — City Hall is never boring. Maloney’s book on the history of the mayors of Toronto is long overdue. It’s a great read! A must read for aspiring politicians on how Toronto has evolved, and how many of today’s challenges remain unchanged over the decades. A treasure trove of stories, information, and history; with this book, Maloney has done our city and residents a tremendous service. An invaluable contribution to the history of one of North America's great cities. His exploration of the lives of its mayors and their legacies tells a fascinating story about Toronto's evolution from the town of York to Canada's largest city, becoming its economic engine and one of the most diverse cities in the world. At times when we fear we may have reached a low ebb in civic life, a book like this reminds us that extraordinary efforts can yield extraordinary results. Toronto continues to be a remarkable work-in-progress, and I hope readers — now reflecting the richly diverse resident base that is Toronto this century, will be inspired to encourage the next generation of leaders to step into the ring of civic leadership. Mark Maloney has woven a scintillating tale of Toronto's history. It is a fascinating read — a page-turner filled with people, politics and policies that shaped Canada's largest city, from inspirational to scandalous and everything in-between. An essential — and fascinating — contribution to scholarship on how one of the world’s greatest cities learned how to manage its growth. Who in their right mind puts their name on a ballot? Mark Maloney’s labour of love answers that question in all the colourful detail one could hope for. Toronto Mayors offers great insights and captivating stories about how the Toronto we know has been influenced by the varied and complex cast who have played this part.