Gord Perks

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Gordon Perks
Gord Perks addressing a crowd in 2009.
Toronto City Councillor
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 1, 2006
Preceded by Sylvia Watson
Constituency Ward 14, Parkdale–High Park
Chair of the Toronto and East York Community Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 1, 2010
Preceded by Pam McConnell
Personal details
Born 1963 (age 50–51)
Nationality Canadian
Political party New Democratic Party[N 1]
Spouse(s) Sarah Winterton
Children 3
Residence Toronto
Occupation Environmentalist

Gordon "Gord" Perks (Born 1963) is a Canadian environmentalist, political activist, writer and is the current city councillor for Toronto's Ward 14, Parkdale—High Park municipal electoral district.

Environmentalist

Perks has worked for a number of environmental organizations. He was a writer for Pollution Probe from 1987 to 1989 and a "Pulp and Paper" campaigner at Greenpeace Canada from 1989 to 1993. He was executive director of the Better Transportation Coalition from 1994 to 1996 and was a senior campaigner at the Toronto Environmental Alliance from 1997 until 2006 with a focus on waste reduction and public transit. He also works as an adjunct professor at the Environmental Studies department of the University of Toronto.[1]

Perks was the focus of province-wide attention when he disrupted Ontario Premier David Peterson's press conference launching the 1990 provincial election campaign.[2] As Peterson announced the election and began to make a statement as to why his government should be re-elected, Perks appeared with a briefcase chained to his wrist containing a tape recorder playing a recording of environmental promises made by Peterson, in an act of criticism of the Liberal government's environmental record.[2] Perks also heckled Peterson with a bullhorn.[3] Greenpeace and other groups inspired by Perks' disruption plagued Peterson's campaign appearances.[3]

Writer

Perks has written and co-authored a number of publications including The Green Consumer Guide (1989), Waste Less Now (1987) and Oil Drop (1989).[4][5] In addition, he has written articles for Alternatives magazine and he wrote an environmental column for Torstar-owned Eye Weekly newspaper from 2003 to 2011.[1]

Politics

Perks was a candidate for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in Toronto's Davenport electoral district, in the 2006 federal election. He lost by over 7,000 votes to the incumbent Liberal Party Member or Parliament, Mario Silva.

A few months later, he ran for city councillor in the nearby Ward 14, Parkdale—High Park electoral district, in the 2006 Toronto municipal election. He was endorsed by then Mayor, David Miller, and ran against a slate of 13 other candidates.[6][7] He won this highly-contested race by a seven percent margin over his nearest rival.[8]

With an endorsement from the The Toronto Star newspaper, Perks easily won re-election in Ward 14, over nine other candidates in the 2010 municipal election.[9][10] In his second term as councillor, Perks was named Chair of the Toronto and East York Community Council.[11] In 2011, Perks voted against scrapping the $60 vehicle registration tax.[12] He also voted against a 40 percent cut on councillors' budgets.[13] He called it "short sighted" because it did not take into account differences in the size of wards and unexpected events and emergencies.[13]

Election results

2010 Toronto election, Ward 14[14]
Candidate Votes %
Gord Perks 8,542 51.8
Ryan Hobson 2,798 17.0
Michael Erickson 2,434 14.8
7 other candidates[N 2] 2,713 16.5
Total 16,487 100
2006 Toronto election, Ward 14[15]
Candidate Votes %
Gord Perks 3,81630.1
Rowena Santos 2,97823.5
Ted Lojko 1,87214.8
John Colautti 1,64513.0
10 other candidates[N 3] 2,350 18.6
Total 12,661 100
Canadian federal election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes%±pp
LiberalMario Silva 20,172 51.87 +1.18
New DemocraticGord Perks 12,681 32.61 -1.52
ConservativeTheresa Rodrigues 4,202 10.80 +1.50
GreenMark O'Brien 1,440 3.70 -0.48
CommunistMiguel Figueroa 172 0.44 +0.03
Canadian ActionWendy Forrest 122 0.31 +0.02
Marxist–LeninistSarah Thompson 103 0.26 +0.02
Total valid votes 38,892100.00
Total rejected ballots 2400.61-0.22
Turnout 39,13260.61+7.72
Elections Canada, Riding of Davenport, Electoral District 35015.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ City Council does not have a political party system, but he is a member of both the federal and provincial parties.
  2. ↑ Candidates who polled less than 1,000 votes in 2010 election were (in descending order): Bill Vrebosch, Cullen Simpson, Gus Koutoumanos, Barry Hubick, Jules-José Kerlinger, István Tar, Jimmy Talpa
  3. ↑ Candidates who polled less than 1,000 votes in 2006 election were (in descending order): David White, Tom Freeman, Walter Jarsky, Dilorece South, Anthony Quinn, Beverly Bernardo, David Hanna, Matthew Vezina, Jimmy Talpa, Barry Hubick
Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "City Councillor Gord Perks". City Councillors. City of Toronto. Retrieved August 13, 2010. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Israelson, David (1990-08-25). "Environment ministry aide blasts Greenpeace criticism of Premier". Toronto Star (Toronto). p. A18. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Walker, William (1990-08-18). "Peterson last on Greenpeace list". Toronto Star (Toronto). p. A9. 
  4. ↑ Perks, Gord (1987). Waste Less Now: final report. Toronto: Pollution Probe Foundation. 
  5. ↑ Winterton, Sarah; Clutchey, Carl; Perks, Gord (1989). Oil drop : final report. Toronto: Pollution Probe Foundation. Retrieved 2011-11-29. 
  6. ↑ James, Royson (2006-11-20). "The election that was, and what's next: Role for Perks?". Toronto Star (Toronto). p. B8. 
  7. ↑ City Bureau (2006-11-14). "GTA Votes: Toronto Results". Toronto Star (Toronto). p. B2. 
  8. ↑ City Bureau (2006-11-14). "Toronto Hot Races: Gord Perks Ward 14–Parkdale-High Park". Toronto Star (Toronto). p. B1. 
  9. ↑ "Toronto Votes 2010 Candidates". Elections –Toronto Votes. City of Toronto. Retrieved August 13, 2010. 
  10. ↑ "The Star's choices for Toronto council, Wards 1-21". Toronto Star (Toronto). 2010-10-18. Archived from the original on 2011-11-29. Retrieved 2011-08-07. 
  11. ↑ Nickle, David (2010-12-08). "Gord Perks to chair Toronto and East York Community Council". Inside Toronto (Toronto). Archived from the original on 2011-11-29. Retrieved 2011-08-24. 
  12. ↑ Peat, Don (2010-12-16). "Ford plays Santa to taxpayers". Toronto Sun (Toronto). Archived from the original on 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2011-08-24. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Scheuer, Kris (2010-12-28). "Office budgets cuts short sighted: Perks". Town Crier (Toronto). Archived from the original on 2011-11-29. Retrieved 2011-08-24. 
  14. ↑ City of Toronto elections page
  15. ↑ City Clerk's Official Declaration 2006

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