Frances Nunziata Explained

Frances Nunziata
Office1:Toronto City Councillor
for Ward 5 York South—Weston
Term Start1:December 1, 2000
Predecessor1:Ward created
Successor1:Incumbent
Office2:Speaker of Toronto City Council
Term Start2:December 1, 2010[1]
Predecessor2:Sandra Bussin
Successor2:Incumbent
Office3:Chair of the Etobicoke York Community Council
Predecessor3:Suzan Hall
Successor3:Mark Grimes
Term Start3:June 27, 2005
Term End3:November 30, 2010
Office4:Mayor of York
Term Start4:December 1, 1994
Term End4:December 31, 1997
Predecessor4:Fergy Brown
Successor4:Office dissolved
Office5:York City Councillor for Ward 7
Term Start5:December 1, 1988
Term End5:November 30, 1994
Predecessor5:Gary Bloor
Successor5:Randy Leach
Occupation:Accounting clerk
Nationality:Canadian

Frances Nunziata (pronounced as /it/; born) is a Canadian politician who has served as the speaker of Toronto City Council since December 1, 2010. Nunziata presently represents Ward 5 York South—Weston.

She is the sister of former member of Parliament (MP) John Nunziata and aunt of Toronto District School Board Trustee Patrick Nunziata.

Background

An accounting clerk, she became head of the Harwood Ratepayers Association. She was first elected to office in 1985 as school board trustee for the City of York School Board.

Political career

City of York

In 1985 she was elected as school board trustee for the City of York School Board. In 1988, she was elected to the York City Council, ousting incumbent Gary Bloor.[2]

On city council, she was involved in the Fairbank Park affair as a whistleblower. Nunziata leaked material to the press illustrating irregularities in the process, leading to a police investigation of several local politicians.[3] After he reportedly threatened her, Nunziata took councillor Nicolo Fortunato to court. Fortunato also filed charges against Nunziata.[4]

In the 1994 election, Nunziata challenged incumbent York mayor Fergy Brown and was elected. As mayor, her main cause was an unsuccessful campaign to construct a subway line under Eglinton avenue.

Toronto City Council

The amalgamation of Toronto, in 1998, led to Nunziata being elected to Toronto city council. On city council, she mostly concerned herself with law and order issues, like advocating for the city to have the power to impound the vehicles of men caught soliciting street prostitutes.[5]

On December 7, 2010, she was elected as Speaker of Toronto City Council.[6]

In 2021, she stopped an effort by councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam to get details on city expenditures and decision-making associated with the controversial clearing of park encampments for the homeless.[7]

Committees & Boards

Nunziata also serves on the Weston Village BIA, the Mount Dennis BIA, Rockcliffe-Smythe NAP, York South-Weston NAP, Weston Village Residents Association, the Syme 55+ Centre Board of Directors and the George Bell Arena Board of Management.

Controversies

Discrimination Claims

In 2010, George Berger, an executive assistant who worked for her in 2005 brought her before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, claiming harassment and discrimination during his employment. Berger claims that he was targeted due to a disability. Nunziata’s lawyer argued that there was no discrimination on the basis of disability. Berger was asking for monetary compensation and an apology.[8]

While Nunziata’s alleged conduct toward him was found to be “clearly rude and demeaning”, the judge ruled that his disability and her conduct were not related. However, the Ontario’s human rights tribunal found the City of Toronto had violated his rights.[9]

Code of Conduct Violation

In July 2024, the City of Toronto's Integrity Commissioner released a report that Nunziata "violated Articles 5 and 7 of the Code of Conduct"[10] for city councillors by using constituent contact information for election purposes without permission, during the 2022 Toronto municipal elections. Though the Integrity Commissioner determined that Nunziata "had no intention to mislead my office" and "did not know the truth until my investigation revealed it.", the Integrity Commissioner determined that Nunziata was ultimately responsible for the conduct of her staff in the matter.[11] [12] The election was hotly contest with the runner up, Chiara Padovani, losing by 94 votes.[13]

Electoral record

Candidate Vote%
Frances Nunziata (X) 10,077 47.61
Chiara Padovani 9,983 47.16
Gabriel Takang 1,107 5.23
2018 Toronto municipal election, Ward 5 York South—Weston
CandidateVotesVote share
Frances Nunziata8,42532.18%
Frank Di Giorgio5,67421.67%
Chiara Padovani5,35820.47%
Lekan Olawoye3,88914.85%
Deeqa Barre1,1724.48%
Keaton Austin4671.78%
Luis Portillo3521.34%
Fred Fosu2450.94%
Joey Carapinha2410.92%
Cedric Ogilvie1890.72%
Harpreet Gulri1680.64%
Total26,180
Source: City of Toronto[14]
2014 Toronto election, Ward 11
CandidateVotes%
Frances Nunziata 13,201 71.334
Jose Garcia 3,212 17.357
Dory Chalhoub 2,093 11.310
Total18,506 100%
[15]
2010 Toronto election, Ward 11
CandidateVotes%
Frances Nunziata 10,544 66.789
Fulvio Sansone 2,290 14.506
Leo Marshall 1,718 10.882
Abdi Hashised 1,235 7.823
Total15,787 100%
[16]
2006 Toronto election, Ward 11
CandidateVotes%
Frances Nunziata6,46949.601
4,81236.896
Rocky Gualtieri 1,2359.469
Pansy Mullings 5264.033
Total13,042 100%
[17]
2003 Toronto election, Ward 11
CandidateVotes%
Frances Nunziata9,81977.984
Rosemarie Mulhall 2,77222.016
Total12,591 100%
[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mayor John Tory calls on smaller city council to 'work together' . www.cbc.ca . 2019-12-25.
  2. Web site: Councillor Frances Nunziata . 22 August 2017 . 2022-10-21.
  3. News: How Bob Rae helped nail two corrupt pols. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927001218/http://www.eyeweekly.com/eye/issue/issue_03.11.93/NEWS/cit0311.php . 2007-09-27. Paul. Palango. Eye Weekly. March 11, 1993. July 5, 2004.
  4. Web site: Feuding York Aldermen. Aldermen Nicolo Fortunato and Frances Nunziata today leave East Mall court, where Fortunato appeared on charges of threatening . 2022-10-21.
  5. News: Councillor wants city to seize johns' cars. October 21, 2022.
  6. Web site: City Council consideration on December 7, 2010 . 2022-10-21.
  7. News: John Tory's failure of leadership on homelessness is a shame . October 21, 2022.
  8. Anna Mehler Paperny. Nunziata awaits rights tribunal verdict in he-said, she-said case The Globe and Mail. February 1, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  9. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2011/03/31/city_violated_rights_of_disabled_exaide.html City violated rights of disabled ex-aide
  10. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-247811.pdf
  11. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-247811.pdf
  12. https://www.cp24.com/news/two-toronto-councillors-used-constituent-contact-info-for-election-purposes-without-permission-integrity-commissioner-1.6970885
  13. Web site: Cohen . Ben . 2024-07-23 . Frances Nunziata campaign ‘cheated,’ says election rival in the wake of ethics report . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240801201214/https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/frances-nunziata-campaign-cheated-says-election-rival-in-the-wake-of-ethics-report/article_56684106-4861-11ef-9505-5b0561975d95.html . 2024-08-01 . 2024-08-01 . Toronto Star . en.
  14. Web site: Declaration of Results. Toronto City Clerk's Office. November 25, 2021.
  15. Web site: Councillor Toronto Election 2014Poll By Poll Results. October 27, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141029150336/http://election.toronto.ca/epr2014/eprDetail.do?C%3B011%2C106%2C306%2C204%2C403%2C#1414591387927. October 29, 2014. live. October 29, 2014.
  16. Web site: Declaration of Results of Voting – Monday, October 25, 2010 . 4 . October 28, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141029140844/http://www1.toronto.ca/static_files/city_clerks_office/elections/docs/Results_PDFs/2010/2010clerksofficialdeclaration.pdf . October 29, 2014 . dead . October 29, 2014 .
  17. Web site: Declaration of Results of Voting – Monday, November 13, 2006 . November 16, 2006 . 3 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141029151003/http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Clerks/Elections/Library/Files/Results%20PDFs/2006/2006clerksofficialdeclaration.pdf . October 29, 2014 . dead . October 29, 2014 .
  18. Web site: Declaration of Results of Voting – Monday, November 10, 2003 . November 13, 2003 . 3 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141029154158/http://www1.toronto.ca/static_files/city_clerks_office/elections/docs/Results_PDFs/2003clerkofficialdeclaration.pdf . October 29, 2014 . dead . October 29, 2014 .