David Crombie

Crombie, David
David Crombie, teacher, politician (b at Toronto 24 Apr 1936). Educated at Western and U of T, he was appointed lecturer in political science and urban affairs at Ryerson Polytechnical Inst. From 1966 to 1971, Crombie was director of student affairs at Ryerson. A central figure in the civic reform movement of the late 1960s in Toronto, Crombie was a co-founder of the short-lived Civic Action Party (CIVAC). He was unsuccessful in aldermanic elections for 1966, but sat for Ward 11, 1970-72. In 1973 he won the mayoralty, following a well-orchestrated personal campaign.

Crombie's success within city hall and increasing public popularity made the "Tiny Perfect Mayor" unbeatable at the polls; he was easily re-elected in 1975 and 1977. In Aug 1978 he resigned as mayor and won the federal by-election in Rosedale riding for the Progressive Conservatives. He held the seat for the PCs in the general elections of 1979, 1980 and 1984 in spite of strong challenges and was minister of health and welfare in the Joe CLARK government and minister of Indian and northern affairs in the MULRONEY cabinet in 1984. He was made secretary of state and minister responsible for multiculturalism on 30 June 1986. Crombie declined to run in the 1988 general election. He returned to Toronto in 1988 as commissioner of the Royal Commission on the Future of the Toronto Waterfront. Crombie was also asked to intervene in the Railway Lands Dispute in Toronto in 1994.

Author VICTOR RUSSELL