Frances Nunziata

Frances Nunziata (Listen), Italian: [nunˈtsjaːta]; born c. 1950) is a Toronto city councillor for Ward 5 York South-Weston (representing one of the two York South—Weston wards). She is the sister of former Member of Parliament John Nunziata.

Frances Nunziata
Toronto City Councillor for (Ward 5) York South-Weston Ward 11 (2000-2018)
Incumbent
Assumed office December 1, 2000
Preceded by	Ward created
Speaker of Toronto City Council
Incumbent
Assumed office December 1, 2010[1]
Preceded by	Sandra Bussin
Chair of Etobicoke and York Community Council
In office June 27, 2005 – November 30, 2010
Preceded by	Suzan Hall
Succeeded by	Mark Grimes
Mayor of York
In office December 1, 1994 – December 31, 1997
Preceded by	Fergy Brown
Succeeded by	Position abolished
York City Councillor for Ward 7
In office December 1, 1988 – November 30, 1994
Preceded by	Gary Bloor
Succeeded by	Randy Leach
Personal details
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	Accounting clerk

Life and career

An accounting clerk, she became head of the Harwood Ratepayers Association. She was first elected to office in 1985 as school board trustee for the City of York School Board. In 1988, she was elected to the York city council, ousting incumbent Gary Bloor.

On York city council, she rose to prominence as a whistleblower in the Fairbank Park affair. A deal had been made to sell part of the city park to a developer to build condominiums. Nunziata leaked material to the press illustrating irregularities in the process, leading to a police investigation of several local politicians. The affair pitted Nunziata against almost the entire York city council in a bitter debate. Nunziata took fellow councillor Nicolo Fortunato to court after he reportedly called her a "slut" and threatened to kill her.

In the 1991 election, Nunziata was vindicated as six of the eight sitting councillors lost their reelection bids, while Nunziata defeated her nearest rival by a ten to one margin. Eventually two York city councillors, one Metro Toronto councillor, and the developer were jailed over the affair.

In the 1994 election, Nunziata chose to challenge York mayor Fergy Brown. Nunziata was considered unlikely to defeat the incumbent, but after a spirited and often bitter campaign, she emerged victorious. As mayor, she ran into her own ethics issues when it was alleged she had used city money to pay a political operative. As mayor, her main cause was an unsuccessful campaign to construct a subway line under Eglinton avenue.

With the creation of the megacity in 1997, she was elected to Toronto city council. On city council, she mostly concerned herself with law and order issues. She also was a prominent defender of Kimberley Glasco in her battle with the National Ballet of Canada.

In 2010, George Berger, an executive assistant who worked for her in 2005 brought her before a human rights tribunal, claiming harassment and discrimination during his employment. Berger claims that he was targeted due to a disability. Nunziata denied the claim. Berger was asking for monetary compensation and an apology.[2] The judge ruled that his disability and her conduct were not related.[3]

On December 7, 2010, she was nominated by Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday and elected as Speaker of Toronto City Council.[4] In 2020, she voted to not defund the police.

Election results

2014 Toronto election, Ward 11
Candidate	Votes	%
Frances Nunziata	13,201	71.334
Jose Garcia	3,212	17.357
Dory Chalhoub	2,093	11.310
Total	18,506	100%

Unofficial results as of October 27, 2014 11:51 PM [5]

2010 Toronto election, Ward 11
Candidate	Votes	%
Frances Nunziata	10,544	66.789
Fulvio Sansone	2,290	14.506
Leo Marshall	1,718	10.882
Abdi Hashised	1,235	7.823
Total	15,787	100%

2010 City Clerk's Official Declaration of Results [6]

2006 Toronto election, Ward 11
Candidate	Votes	%
Frances Nunziata	6,469	49.601
Paul Ferreira	4,812	36.896
Rocky Gualtieri	1,235	9.469
Pansy Mullings	526	4.033
Total	13,042	100%

2006 City Clerk's Official Declaration of Results [7]

2003 Toronto election, Ward 11
Candidate	Votes	%
Frances Nunziata	9,819	77.984
Rosemarie Mulhall	2,772	22.016
Total	12,591	100%

2003 City Clerk's Official Declaration of Results [8]

References

1. "Mayor John Tory calls on smaller city council to 'work together'". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 2019-12-25.
2. Anna Mehler Paperny. Nunziata awaits rights tribunal verdict in he-said, she-said case The Globe and Mail. February 1, 2011.
3. Robyn Doolittle. City violated rights of disabled ex-aide The Toronto Star. March 31, 2011.
4. "Agenda Item History".
5. "Councillor Toronto Election 2014Poll By Poll Results" (PDF). October 27, 2014. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
6. "Declaration of Results of Voting – Monday, October 25, 2010" (PDF). October 28, 2010. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
7. "Declaration of Results of Voting – Monday, November 13, 2006" (PDF). November 16, 2006. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
8. "Declaration of Results of Voting – Monday, November 10, 2003" (PDF). November 13, 2003. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2014.

External links

• City of Toronto Councillor Profile