Matt Brown (Canadian politician)

Matthew Brown is a Canadian politician who served as the 63rd mayor of London from 2014 and 2018.[1]

Matt Brown
63rd Mayor of London
In office
December 1, 2014 – November 30, 2018
Preceded byJoni Baechler
Succeeded byEd Holder
Personal details
Born
Matthew Brown

London, Ontario, Canada
Political partyIndependent
ChildrenJohn Brown, Braden Brown

Background

edit

Brown was born in London, Ontario, in 1973. He grew up in Woodstock before graduating from the University of Waterloo.[2] He has two sons, named John Brown and Braden Brown.[2]

Mayoralty

edit

In the 2014 mayoral race, he defeated runner up Paul Cheng. Prior to his election to the mayoralty, Brown represented Ward 7 on London City Council.[3]

As mayor, Brown oversaw the planning phase of the controversial Shift bus rapid transit (BRT) network, on which construction began after his term as mayor.[4][5]

In a 2017 episode of the television series Political Blind Date, Brown and Giorgio Mammoliti discussed their differing perspectives on the issue of safe injection sites.[6]

In April 2018 Brown announced that he would not seek re-election in the upcoming municipal election.[7]

Affair

edit

On June 14, 2016, he temporarily suspended his duties as mayor following his disclosure of an affair with deputy mayor Maureen Cassidy.[8] The affair drew national attention across Canada.[9][10][11] The London Integrity Commissioner issued a report to City Council stating that Matt Brown and Maureen Cassidy violated sections 2.4, 5.1 and 5.1(1)(e) of the Municipal Code of Conduct.[12] In the report the integrity commissioner stated that he "has no authority" under current guidelines, to demand a resignation or prevent either office holder from running for re-election.[12]

Brown announced his return to duties as mayor on June 22, 2016, and on June 23, 2016, attended his first council meeting since the leave.[13]

On September 29, 2016, it was reported by CBC News that he had separated from his wife, Andrea.[14]

Electoral record

edit

2010 Ward 7 Council race

edit
Name Votes %
Matt BROWN 4,976 58.16
Walter LONC 1,818 21.25
Phil MCLEOD 1,455 17.01
Justin SAMLAL 307 3.59
Total 8,556

2014 mayoral race

edit
Name Votes %
Matt BROWN 63,842 57.75
Paul CHENG 37,938 34.32
Joe SWAN 4,623 4.18
Roger CARANCI 1,190 1.08
Arnon KAPLANSKY 700 0.63
Donna KELLEY 543 0.49
Marie MISZCZAK 522 0.47
Steven GARDNER 351 0.32
Jim KOGELHEIDE 276 0.25
Tae Khun HA 112 0.10
Dan LENART 110 0.10
Dennis PERRY 107 0.10
Alexander MAIN 87 0.08
Carlos MURRAY 76 0.07
Ma'in SINAN 74 0.07
Ali Hamadi 7 0.01
Total 110,551

References

edit
  1. ^ "Matt Brown elected as new mayor of London". CTV London. October 27, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Who is Matt Brown? The 'Mr. Nice Guy' leading the race to be London's mayor". Metro. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  3. ^ "London mayoral race: Matt Brown wins". Metro. October 27, 2014.
  4. ^ "Timeline: London bus rapid transit". Global News. May 3, 2017.
  5. ^ LeBel, Jacquelyn (April 6, 2021). "London's BRT construction begins with Phase 1 of the Downtown Loop". Global News.
  6. ^ "Political Blind Date series hopes opposites attract, or at least get along". Toronto Star, November 4, 2017.
  7. ^ "London Mayor Matt Brown won't seek a second term". CBC London, April 6, 2018.
  8. ^ "Mayor Matt Brown Admits "Inappropriate" Affair With Deputy Mayor". AM980. June 14, 2014.
  9. ^ "Five things to know about the mayor's affair scandal in London, Ont". The Globe and Mail. June 15, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  10. ^ "London mayor takes temporary leave after affair with deputy mayor". CBC News. June 14, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  11. ^ "London, Ont., deputy mayor resigns after admitting 'brief' affair with city's mayor". National Post. June 14, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-07-05. Retrieved 2017-11-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "London's Matt Brown, returning to the job in the fallout of an affair with a council colleague, hop-scotched between marriage and magistrating in a surreal city council meeting Thursday". London Free Press, June 24, 2016.
  14. ^ "London Mayor Matt Brown separates with wife after affair". CBC News. September 29, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.