Mario Silva
| Mario Silva | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 28 June 2004 – 2 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Caccia |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Cash |
| Constituency | Davenport |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 11, 1966 Azores, Portugal |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Residence | Toronto |
| Profession | Legal Scholar |
Mario Silva, (born June 11, 1966) is an international legal scholar and former Canadian politician. Silva served as a Canadian Member of Parliament from 2004 to 2011. He began his political career as a Toronto City Councillor (1994–2003) and acting mayor.[Note 1] He moved to federal politics, being elected for the Liberal Party of Canada in the 2004 election in the Toronto riding of Davenport. He served as the Official Opposition Critic for Foreign Affairs (Americas) after having served as Critic for the Treasury Board and Labour. In 2007, the President of the French Republic bestowed him the title of Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur). He has also been awarded the Order of Merit of Portugal.[1] and the Order of Rio Branco from Brazil.
Silva holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Toronto, a "Certificat de Langue Francaise" from Paris-Sorbonne University, and a Master's degree in International Human Rights Law from University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.[2] Silva holds a Ph.D. in the Faculty of Law at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Silva's Ph.D. thesis is titled "Failed and Failing States: Causes and Conditions."[2] On December 15, 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed him to chair the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research (ITF) in 2013.[3] He also serves as the honorary chair of the International Forum of Rights and Security (IFFRAS).
Local politics
Born in the Azores, Portugal, he was first elected to city council in 1994 after defeating veteran councillor Tony O'Donohue by 15 votes.[4] Silva received a high grade from the Toronto Environmental Alliance for his support of environmental initiatives, and has strong support from the Labour Movement. Silva is of Portuguese background and is popular in the local Portuguese community.
Federal politics
Silva's move to federal politics saw him claim the Liberal nomination in Davenport instead of Liberal incumbent Charles Caccia. An ally of new Prime Minister Paul Martin, Silva was seen by the party as a preferable candidate to Caccia.
As a Member of Parliament Silva served on several committees including the Environment Committee and the Canadian Heritage Committee. He has championed several human rights and environmental issues including being the first MP to back the Canadian Boreal Initiative, and an outspoken critic for the defence of undocumented workers.
Silva chaired the inquiry panel of the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism (CPCCA), a multi-partisan group of MPs which conducted investigations into antisemitism in Canada. He was vice-chair of the CPCCA's steering committee, which organized an international conference on antisemitism in Ottawa in 2010.
Silva was the first Portuguese-Canadian Member of Parliament.
Shortly after the election, Silva came out as gay in a Toronto Star profile.[5]
Silva retained the seat in the 2006 election and was the only GTA Liberal MP to increase his voter margin but was defeated in the 2011 election, losing his seat to Andrew Cash. Silva will assume the role of the Chair the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research (ITF) in 2013.
Publications
•“Island of Distress: State Failure in Haiti”, Florida Journal of International Law, Vol. 23, 2011
•“Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence and the Right to Self-Determination Under International Law”, The Journal of Eurasia Law, Vol. 3(2), 2011, Duke University
•“Somalia: State Failure, Piracy, and the Challenges to International Law”, Virginia Journal of International Law, Vol. 50 (3), 2010
•“Extraordinary Rendition: A Challenge to Canadian and United States Legal Obligations Under the Convention Against Torture”, California Western International Law Journal, Vol. 39(2), 2009
•Fabric of a Nation, GOLDENeight Publishers, Toronto, 2002 (Co-Author)
•“Somalia: Challenges to International Law from Piracy and Terrorism in the Horn of Africa”, International Journal of Rights and Security, Vol. 1.1 (2012)
•“Pakistan’s State Failure: Impunity and the Rise of Militancy”, International Journal of Rights and Security, Vol. 1.1 (2012)
Federal election results
| Canadian federal election, 2011 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±pp | Expenditures | |
| New Democratic | Andrew Cash | 21,086 | 53.6% | +22.3% | – | |
| Liberal | Mario Silva | 10,947 | 27.8% | -17.97% | – | |
| Conservative | Theresa Rodrigues | 5,674 | 14.4% | +3.4% | – | |
| Green | Wayne Scott | 1,344 | 3.4% | -7.1% | – | |
| Communist | Miguel Figueroa | 167 | 0.4% | -0.05% | – | |
| Animal Alliance | Simon Luisi | 128 | 0.3% | +0.04% | – | |
| Total valid votes | 39,346 | 100.0% | – | |||
| Turnout | align="right" | align="right"|61.7% | ||||
Source: Elections Canada
| Canadian federal election, 2008 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±pp | Expenditures | |
| Liberal | Mario Silva | 15,953 | 45.77% | -6.1% | $47,491 | |
| New Democratic | Peter Ferreira | 10,896 | 31.26% | -1.3% | $55,530 | |
| Conservative | Theresa Rodrigues | 3,838 | 11.01% | +0.2% | $13,993 | |
| Green | Wayne Scott | 3,655 | 10.48% | +6.8% | $12,172 | |
| Canadian Action | Wendy Forrest | 172 | 0.49% | +0.1% | $723 | |
| Communist | Miguel Figueroa | 160 | 0.45% | – | $432 | |
| Animal Alliance | Simon Luisi | 92 | 0.26% | – | $957 | |
| Marxist–Leninist | Sarah Thompson | 87 | 0.24% | – | ||
| Total valid votes/Expense limit | 34,853 | 100.0% | $79,438 | |||
| Total rejected ballots | 245 | – | ||||
| Turnout | 35,098 | 53.03% | ||||
Source: Elections Canada
| Canadian federal election, 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |
| Liberal | Mario Silva | 20,172 | 51.9% | |||
| New Democratic Party | Gord Perks | 12,681 | 32.6% | |||
| Conservative | Theresa Rodrigues | 4,202 | 10.8% | |||
| Green | Mark O'Brien | 1,440 | 3.7% | – | ||
| Communist | Miguel Figueroa | 172 | 0.5% | |||
| Canadian Action | Wendy Forrest | 122 | 0.4% | |||
| Marxist-Leninist | Sarah Thompson | 103 | 0.3% | |||
| Total valid votes | 38,892 | 100.00% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 240 | 0 | ||||
| Turnout | 39,132 of 62,007 | 63.1% | ||||
Source: Elections Canada
| Canadian federal election, 2004 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures | |
| Liberal | Mario Silva | 16,773 | 50.68% | |||
| New Democratic Party | Rui Pires | 11,292 | 34.12% | |||
| Conservative | Theresa Rodrigues | 3,077 | 9.29% | |||
| Green | Mark O'Brien | 1,384 | 4.18% | – | ||
| Marijuana | Elmer Gale | 251 | 0.75% | |||
| Communist | Johan Boyden | 137 | 0.41% | |||
| Canadian Action | John Riddell | 97 | 0.29% | |||
| Marxist-Leninist | Sarah Thompson | 79 | 0.23% | |||
| Total valid votes | 33,090 | 99.17% | ||||
| Total rejected ballots | 278 | 0.83% | ||||
| Turnout | 33,368 of 63,095 | 52.89% | ||||
Source: Elections Canada
Notes
- ↑ "Acting Mayor" is a non-elected position. For example, the Vancouver City Clerk's office sets out the duties and powers of their Acting Mayor. Other cities will no doubt have somewhat different rules and guidelines.
References
- ↑ "Award to Canadians". Mario Silva. Government of Canada. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Official Biography". Human Rights Doctorate. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
- ↑ "Minister Kenney announces Canada’s appointment to chair International Task Force on Holocaust Education". Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
- ↑ City Staff (1995-12-15). "Court ends seesaw council battle". The Globe and Mail. p. A2.
- ↑ Gulliver, Tanya (2005-12-08), "Eyes on the prize", Xtra!, retrieved 2007-09-14
External links
Political office
| Preceded by Tony O'Donohue |
Toronto City Councillor 1994-2003 |
Succeeded by Adam Giambrone |