Jim Watson (Canadian politician)
| Rank: | 56th Mayor |
|---|---|
| Term of Office: | January 1, 1998–July, 2000 |
| Predecessor: | Jacquelin Holzman |
| Successor: | Bob Chiarelli |
| Date of Birth: | 1961 |
| Place of Birth: | Montreal |
| Spouse: | ? |
| Profession: | Public service/Journalist |
| Political affiliations: | Liberal Party of Ontario |
Jim Watson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a former Ottawa city councillor (1991-1997) and mayor (1997-2000), and currently represents the riding of Ottawa West—Nepean in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He is a member of the Ontario Liberal Party, and was appointed by Premier of Ontario Dalton McGuinty as Minister of Consumer and Business Services on October 23, 2003.
Mr. Watson attended Carleton University and graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Journalism and Communications. He entered the federal public service and rose to the position of director of communications for the Speaker of the House of Commons.
He was elected city and regional councillor in 1991 and re-elected in 1994. In 1996, he supported Dalton McGuinty's bid to lead the Ontario Liberal party (Ottawa Citizen, 2 December 1996). In 1997, he was elected Mayor of Ottawa with 83 per cent of the popular vote. His terms of office brought fiscal stability back to Ottawa by freezing taxes, reducing debt and increasing the city's reserve funds.
Jim Watson's term as mayor was largely defined, however, by his plan to redevelop Lansdowne Park, the city's recreational, sports, and cultural hub. This would have included demolition of the city's only large outdoor sports venue, Frank Clair Stadium. Intense community opposition and the timely involvement of the Regional government forced the mayor to back down and agree to turn the facility over to the Region. This paved the way both for the return of CFL football to Ottawa and Jim Watson's short-lived withdrawal from politics. He did not run for re-election for mayor in 2000, which current incumbent Bob Chiarelli won.
In 2000, Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chrétien appointed Watson president and CEO of the Canadian Tourism Commission.
Mr. Watson left public service to pursue a career in journalism as host of The New RO @ Noon. He was also a regular contributor to the Ottawa radio station CFRA and the Ottawa Citizen, the city's largest newspaper.
Mr. Watson has served on the board or as honorary chair of several community organizations including the Riverside Hospital, the National Arts Centre, the Central Canada Exhibition Association, the Christmas Exchange of Ottawa and the Forum for Young Canadians. He served as chair of the United Way's 2002 campaign, which raised a record $21 million.
An avid volunteer with several groups, he has helped serve meals at the Shepherds of Good Hope, a local soup kitchen. His commitment to those less fortunate was evident when, in August 2000, he contributed his entire municipal severance payment of $31,000 to Ottawa's Union Mission for Men.
His years of active involvement and community service have earned him several awards and accolades including: Maclean's Magazine's 100 Young Canadians to Watch; Carleton University Honours Award; the City of Ottawa's highest civic honour, the Key to the City; and in 2002, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal.
In the 2003 provincial election, Watson defeated Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario incumbent Garry Guzzo to become the Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the Ottawa West-Nepean riding. He was appointed to Dalton McGuinty's first cabinet, and is generally regarded as being on the fiscally conservative wing of the Liberal Party.
Following a cabinet shuffle on June 29, 2005, Watson was named as Ontario's first Minister of Health Promotion.
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Preceded by: | List of Ottawa mayors |
Succeeded by: |