Sylvia Watson is a former

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. She was a

Toronto City Council Toronto City Council is the governing body of the municipal government of Toronto, Ontario. Meeting at Toronto City Hall, it comprises 25 city councillors and the mayor of Toronto. The Toronto City Council 2022–2026, current term began on Nove ...

lor for Ward 14 Parkdale-High Park from 2003 to 2006 and the candidate for the

Ontario Liberal Party The Ontario Liberal Party (OLP; , PLO) is a political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. The party has been led by Bonnie Crombie since December 2023. The party espouses the principles of liberalism, with their rival the Progressive Co ...

in the 2006

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

and in the 2007 general election.

Background

Watson and her family immigrated to Canada when she was a child as

displaced person Forced displacement (also forced migration or forced relocation) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The UNHCR defines 'forced displacement' as follows: displaced "as a result of perse ...

from

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

following

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The family settled in Toronto. She studied at

York University York University (), also known as YorkU or simply YU), is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, and it has approximately 53,500 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, ...

and

Osgoode Law School Osgoode Hall Law School, commonly shortened to Osgoode, is the law school of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Law Commission of Ontario, the ''Journal of Law and Social Policy'', and the ''Osgoode Hall Law Journal ...

and was called to the bar in 1981. She became corporate counsel for

Wellesley Hospital The Wellesley Hospital was a teaching hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, affiliated with the University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is ...

in 1986. In 1991 she was hired by the City of Toronto where she performed a number of roles including director of litigation and city solicitor.Sylvia Watson: Member
Landlord and Tenant Board, biography, last accessed September 24, 2011.

Municipal politics

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

, Watson ran for city council in (Ward 14), Parkdale–High Park to replace retiring councillor

Chris Korwin-Kuczynski Chris Korwin-Kuczynski (born 1953) is a former Canadian municipal politician. He served as a councillor in Toronto from 1981 to 2003, and was the city's deputy mayor for a time. He was born in Toronto, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in po ...

. Even though she didn't live in the ward, she was known for participating in an affordable housing initiative called the ''Parkdale Pilot Project''. She beat her nearest rival, Ed Zielinski (who was endorsed by Korwin-Kuczynski) by 3,988 votes. During her three years as councillor, she chaired the Administration Committee, and served as vice-chair of the Budget Advisory Committee.

Provincial politics

By-election, 2006

On June 27, 2006, Watson announced that she would run in a provincial by-election to replace Gerrard Kennedy who was moving on to federal politics. Watson based her campaign on the Liberal government's record of investing in education and health care but acknowledged that she was in a tight race considering that the provincial riding encompassed only half her former city riding. The campaign became contentious when Watson's campaign issued a press release claiming that NDP rival, United Church minister

Cheri DiNovo Cheri DiNovo (born ) is a United Church of Canada minister and former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served at the Emmanuel-Howard Park congregation in Toronto before entering politics and, since January 2018, is the minister for the Tri ...

had compared the media treatment of

Karla Homolka Karla Leanne Homolka (born May 4, 1970), also known as Karla Leanne Teale, Leanne Teale and Leanne Bordelais, is a Canadian serial killer who acted as an accomplice to her husband, Paul Bernardo, taking active part in the rapes and murders of at ...

as "comparable to the persecution of Jesus Christ." The accusation was based on a statement taken out of context in a sermon in which DiNovo had suggested Homolka was being used as a scapegoat villain. The seemingly desperate attempt to smear an opponent backfired and severely damaged Wilson's campaign. DiNovo won the election by 2,288 votes.

Provincial general election, 2007

On May 11, 2007, the Liberals nominated Watson to stand again as their candidate in Parkdale—High Park for the 2007 Ontario election. She was again defeated by DiNovo, this time by an increased margin.

After politics

As of 2011, Watson is employed as an adjudicator for the provincial Landlord and Tenant Board.

Electoral record

2003 Toronto Election, Ward 14,

References

External links

City of Toronto councillor biography (archived)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Sylvia Living people Ontario Liberal Party candidates in Ontario provincial elections Toronto city councillors Women municipal councillors in Ontario Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century Canadian municipal councillors 21st-century Canadian women politicians