Just weeks after Valerie Plante became the first female to be elected mayor of Montreal, a woman who helped lay the path for Plante’s victory has passed away.
June Rowlands, the first female mayor of Toronto, died Thursday night at a long-term care facility at age 93.
“She helped build the city and blazed a trail as the first woman to serve as TTC commissioner, budget chief, executive committee member, chair of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission and mayor,” said current Toronto Mayor John Tory in offering his condolences to the Rowlands family.
Culminating a long career in municipal politics, Rowlands was elected mayor in 1991, 15 years after being elected to city council.
After one term in office, Rowlands lost to Barbara Hall in 1994.
Her re-election chances suffered a blow early in her mandate when emerging Toronto pop group Barenaked Ladies was barred from performing at Toronto’s annual New Year’s Eve show in front of City Hall on the grounds that the group’s name objectified women.
Rowlands was out of town at the time and the decision was taken by a staffer in her office, but she could never quite shake the controversy, leading to a perception that she was “out of touch,” a perception she had trouble shedding.
The controversy was a blessing for Barenaked Ladies, who saw their career soar.
Less than a year later, Rowlands ran into problems when she appeared unaware of, or at least uninformed about–of a large-scale riot youth riot on Toronto’s main street, about a block from City Hall.
Neither incident helped in her re-election bid.
Rowlands retired from politics after her 1994 defeat.
With files from CP, CBC, Toronto Star
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