Josh Matlow

Josh Matlow (born November 27, 1975) is a Canadian politician and has represented the midtown Toronto riding of St. Paul's since 2003 at the [Toronto District School Board][www.tdsb.on.ca]. He is a former Director for [Earthroots][www.earthroots.org], an Ontario environmental organization where he worked on achieving protection legislation for the Oak Ridges Moraine the Oak Ridges Conservation Act 2001), campaign organizer for the [Canadian Peace Alliance][1] and ran for the Ontario Liberal Party in a 2002 provincial by-election against then-Progressive Conservative Premier Ernie Eves.

As a Toronto school trustee, he initiated a cell phone ban inside Toronto's public schools, a ["Green Grid" project] [2]that will see renewable energy generators (such as solar panels) on school rooftops in 2007, a scent-free policy, an animal dissection policy, a redevelopment plan for North Toronto Collegiate Institute and has been a high profile advocate for environmental education, combatting youth violence and fair funding for the school board budget.

The son of an Ontario Superior Court Judge (father) and a public school teacher (mother), Matlow was raised in Toronto, Ontario and has lived in England, Israel, France and the United States,

Since receiving considerable media and public attention for his environmental and social justice campaigns, along with his [close by-election race][3] with Ernie Eves (2002, Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey), Matlow has been the most high profile member of the [Toronto District School Board][www.joshmatlow.ca] on most issues facing public education in Toronto.

Matlow's voting record is both to the right and left of the political center and is often referred to as a maverick.