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| Affiliation | Progressive Conservative |
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| Name | David Crombie |
| Address |
Toronto, Ontario , Canada |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
April 24, 1936 |
| Died |
Still Living
(88 years) |
| Contributor | Monsieur |
| Last Modifed | Monsieur
Jan 30, 2005 10:17am |
| Tags |
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| Info | David Edward Crombie is a Canadian politician and professor and consultant. Crombie was a lecturer in politics and urban affairs at Ryerson in the 1960s when he became involved in Toronto's urban reform movement. At the time the city had a very pro-development city council which approved projects that levelled neighbourhoods to make way for the construction of huge apartment blocks and office towers. Crombie became a leader with John Sewell and other urban reformers in a grassroots pro-neighbourhood movement that favoured curtailing development in favour of improving social services and prioritising community interests. Crombie was elected to Toronto's city council in 1970 and became mayor of Toronto in 1972 ushering in a reform era inspired by thinkers such as Jane Jacobs. Under Crombie's leadership the city council developed city plans to manage development, imposed a 40 foot limit on new buildings, promoted public transit, opposed the construction of new highways, and enhanced community input in local government.
Crombie was enormously popular as mayor being re-elected in 1974 and 1976 with large majorities. He was described as the city's "tiny, perfect mayor". He left City Hall in 1978 to move to federal politics winning a seat in the Canadian House of Commons as a Progressive Conservative. Crombie served as minister of health and welfare in the short lived minority government of Prime Minister Joe Clark which was elected in 1979 only to lose power the next year.
After the Mulroney led Conservaties were elected to government in the 1984 election Crombie became minister of Indian and Northern Affairs before moving to the position of secretary of state and minister of multiculturalism. Frustrated in Ottawa, as a Red Tory in an increasingly conservative government Crombie decided not to run in the 1988 election and returned to urban affairs as head of the royal commission on the future of Toronto's waterfront.
In 1983, Crombie stood as a candidate at the Progressive Conservative leadership convention. He finished fourth and moved his support to John Crosbie rather than Brian Mulroney, a move that probably hurt his chances at being appointed to a senior position in a future Tory cabinet. Throughout the 1990s he served in various advisory capacities to city and provincial governments relating to urban issues in the Toronto area. He serves as CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute.
David Crombie is the father of actor Jonathan Crombie.
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