Mel Lastman

Melvin Douglas ( " Mel" ) Lastman ( born March 9, 1933, Toronto, Ontario ) is a Canadian politician, 1972-1997 Mayor of North York and from 1 January 1998 to 30 November 2003, the 62nd Mayor of Toronto was.

Mel Lastman is the son of Jewish immigrants from Poland. He began his career as a salesman of fruit and vegetables at the Kensington Market and founded his own company with 22 years of Bad Boy Furniture. Lastman's political career began in 1969 when he was elected to the executive arm of the Board of Control of the former municipality of North York.

Lastman is a member of the party since 1987 Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, and sat down by the restructuring of the Metropolitan Toronto by merger of surrounding municipalities upon by Barbara Hall, who was from 1994 to 1997 Mayor of Toronto. His victory was based primarily on the districts of North York and Etobicoke and Scarborough. Hall was able to unite the majority in the districts of Old Toronto, York and East York in coming. In November 2000, Lastman was re-elected with a majority of 80%.