Maurizio Bevilacqua
Maurizio Bevilacqua | |
|---|---|
| 4th Mayor of Vaughan | |
| In office December 1, 2010 – November 15, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Linda Jackson |
| Succeeded by | Steven Del Duca |
| Member of Parliament for Vaughan Vaughan—King—Aurora (1997-2004) | |
| In office June 2, 1997 – August 25, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Riding established |
| Succeeded by | Julian Fantino |
| Member of Parliament for York North | |
| In office November 21, 1988 – June 2, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Tony Roman |
| Succeeded by | Karen Kraft Sloan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 1, 1960 Sulmona, Italy |
| Citizenship | Canada Italy |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Profession | Consultant |
Maurizio Bevilacqua PC (Italian: [mauˈrittsjo ˌbeviˈlakkwa]; born June 1, 1960) is a Canadian politician who was mayor of Vaughan from 2010 to 2022. He was a Liberal member of Parliament (MP) from 1988 to 2010 and was one of eleven candidates for the 2006 leadership contest, but dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006. He has been described in the media as a "right-of-centre, business friendly Liberal".[1]
He resigned his seat in the House of Commons of Canada[2] and announced on September 3, 2010, that he would be a candidate for mayor of Vaughan.[3] On October 25 he was elected mayor.
Early life
Born in Sulmona, Italy, he arrived in Canada in 1970 at the age of 10.[4] As a youth, he attended Emery Collegiate and received a Bachelor of Arts from York University. He is also a graduate of Fordham University- The Jesuit University of New York City where he earned his Master of Arts degree. He has two children, Jean-Paul and Victoria.
Politics
He first got involved in party politics by working as a staffer for Sergio Marchi,[5] and would later participate in student politics at York University.
Initially elected in the 1988 election, he defeated the Progressive Conservative candidate by only 77 votes. Due to the closeness of the race, the results were voided by the courts, and a by-election was called for 1990.[6]
Bevilacqua surprised many when he defeated parachute candidate Maria Minna for the Liberal nomination in the 1990 by-election of York North. He won the by-election by over 7,000 votes, despite a strong effort by the New Democratic Party.
Bevilacqua represented the districts of York North (1988–1997), Vaughan—King—Aurora (1997–2004) and Vaughan (2004–2010). He is a former secretary of state (Science, Research and Development) and (International Financial Institutions). He is also a former parliamentary secretary to the minister of Labour (Human Resources Development) and to the Minister of Employment and Immigration (Human Resources Development). He was formerly a consultant.
He was the longtime chair of the Commons finance committee. While a fiscal conservative, Bevilacqua has supported same-sex marriage.[1]
Bevilacqua was the first Liberal to declare his support for Paul Martin's failed 1990 bid for the leadership of the party.
He holds the record for the largest personal margin of victory in a Canadian federal election, winning his seat by a margin of 51,389 votes over his closest rival in 1993.
2006 Liberal leadership bid
On April 19, 2006, he declared his candidacy for the leadership of the Liberal Party, joining Martha Hall Findlay, Michael Ignatieff, and Stéphane Dion as official entrants into the leadership race. His supporters included MPs Gerry Byrne and Roy Cullen, former Cabinet minister Roy MacLaren and former party pollster Michael Marzolini. He also attracted the support of former Chrétien organizers Tennio Evangelista, Jeff Angel and Jeff Smith.[1] His campaign for the Liberal Party leadership was not successful and he dropped out of the race on August 14, 2006 to support fellow Liberal Party leadership candidate Bob Rae.[7]
Mayor of Vaughan
Bevilacqua officially announced in early September 2010 that he was running in the 2010 Vaughan municipal election for the position of mayor. The announcement came shortly after his resignation as Member of Parliament for Vaughan.[3]
He defeated controversial incumbent Linda Jackson, the former mayor who was still facing charges from election finance irregularities stemming from her 2006 mayoral victory.[8]
Bevilacqua was re-elected mayor of Vaughan in 2014 and again in 2018, both times with greater than seventy percent of the vote.[9][10]
On June 1st, 2022 Bevilacqua announced he would not be seeking re-election in the 2022 election[11] and subsequently endorsed Steven Del Duca to succeed him.
References
- ^ a b c "Centrist Bevilacqua to seek Liberal leadership". CTV Saskatchewan. 18 April 2006. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
- ^ San Grewal. Bevilacqua resigns as MP, clears way for run at Vaughan’s top job. Toronto Star. August 25, 2010. Retrieved 2014-06-04.
- ^ a b "Bevilacqua confirms Vaughan mayoral run", CBC News, September 3, 2010. Retrieved 2014-06-4.
- ^ "Mayor's Profile".
- ^ Bevilacqua considers leadership bid[permanent dead link]
- ^ History of Federal Ridings since 1867
- ^ Bevilacqua pulls out of Liberal leadership race. CBC News. August 14, 2006.
- ^ Bevilacqua wins in Vaughan. National Post. October 25, 2010.
- ^ "2014 General Election Results". City of Vaughan. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
- ^ "2018 General Election Results". City of Vaughan. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
- ^ "Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua announces he will not seek re-election". Toronto Star. June 2, 2022. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
External links
- 1960 births
- Italian emigrants to Canada
- Liberal Party of Canada MPs
- Living people
- Members of the 26th Canadian Ministry
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario
- Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada
- People from Sulmona
- Liberal Party of Canada leadership candidates
- York University alumni
- Mayors of Vaughan