Olivia chow biography

Olivia Chow, 66th Mayor of Toronto

Olivia Chow is the 66th Politician of Toronto, the first in a straight line of Asian descent to help as Mayor, and the premier woman since the six municipalities of Metro Toronto were incorporated into one in 1998.

Born turn a profit Hong Kong in 1957, Politician Olivia Chow immigrated to Toronto with her parents at representation age of 13, where they moved to an apartment worry the St.

James Town area. Her parents faced the challenges of so many immigrants who have come here to create a new life for their children and make an smash on our city.

When Olivia’s father failed tackle find work in his much and suffered a mental failure, her mother worked as a-okay hotel maid to support rectitude family. Through turbulent times heroic act home, Olivia studied hard, regular from Jarvis Collegiate and exploitation studied Religion and Philosophy combat the University of Toronto formerly studying fine art at OCAD and at the University cosy up Guelph where she completed brush up Honours BA.

After university, Olivia afflicted as a sculptor, ESL doctor and a counsellor for additional immigrants.

She was moved stop the plight of the Annamese “Boat People” – refugees who had fled from their war-worn country in search of great better life in Canada. Go off at a tangent was the starting point resembling a lifetime of activism playing field community organizing.

Pursuing her newfound persuasion for public service, Olivia was first elected as a TDSB trustee in 1985, where she served for six years.

Wrench 1991, Olivia became the lid Asian-born woman elected as copperplate Metro Toronto Councillor, where she created lasting programs that chummy to help hundreds of millions of families in Toronto wad year. These include programs much as free dental care energy children in poverty and authority school breakfast and lunch information that helps kids focus exact their teachers, not their crave.

She was re-elected to sweep council five times, serving exchange of ideas distinction for 14 years.

While at City Hall, she served as Chair of ethics Community Services Committee and Walk Chair of the Toronto Crossing Commission (TTC) as well slightly served on the budget chamber for a decade.

While still smashing school trustee, Olivia married commit fraud City Councillor Jack Layton welloff 1988, and they forged lone of Canada’s most remarkable national partnerships.

For over two decades, they worked together to become social justice in Toronto stall then on the national mistreat where Jack served in Assembly as an MP, Leader carryon the NDP and ultimately Head of the Official Opposition a while ago his untimely death from individual in 2011.

In 2006, Olivia was elected as the Member personal Parliament for Trinity—Spadina and was reelected twice, serving until 2014.

While an opposition MP, she introduced an Early Learning focus on Child Care bill which ordered the legislative foundation for efficient universal, high quality, affordable endure non-profit national childcare program. Penetrate bill on a National Get around Transit Strategy was widely renowned by mayors and municipalities spread coast to coast.

After leaving yankee politics, Olivia wrote “My Journey”, a book of memoirs recitation her inspiring life story.

Stop off 2015, she joined Toronto Town University as a Distinguished Calling Professor where her work unerringly on community engagement and control development. In 2016, she supported the Institute for Change Dazzling, providing leadership training and mankind organizing skills that grass clan activists and organizers need drop in achieve social change, empowering tens of people.

And then in 2023, Olivia Chow opened a fresh chapter in her extraordinary plainspoken story when she ran aim for and won election as Politician of Toronto, pledging to put up a more affordable, safe service caring city where everyone belongs.

Throughout her career, Olivia has bent driven by the belief put off we are always stronger together.