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Michael Prue


Michael Prue (born July 14, 1948 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian politician, who represents the riding of Beaches—East York in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He is currently the New Democratic Party critic for Finance, Municipal Affairs and Housing, Public Infrastructure Renewal, Community and Social Services and the Management Board of Cabinet, and for issues related to Toronto.

Prue has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Anthropology from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Arts degree in Canadian Studies from Carleton University. After graduation, he worked as counsel for the Minister of Employment and Immigration.

In the 1980 federal election, Prue ran as a federal NDP candidate in Scarborough Centre and received 9237 votes for a third-place finish. He ran in the same riding in the 1984 election, again placing third.

Prue became a councillor in East York in 1988 and mayor of the burough in 1993. He held the position until 1997, when East York and the other component municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto were merged into a single municipality. As mayor, Prue was widely respected for bringing in five consecutive budgets with no tax increases, cutting East York's debt by $7.8 million, and ushering in new industry, commercial growth, and jobs to the community.

Before the megacity election, Prue successfully lobbied the provincial government to allot a third council seat for East York to improve its representation on Toronto City Council, and then was elected to that council. He was named "Best Local Politician" by the North Toronto Post in 1999.

On September 20, 2001 Prue won a by-election to replace retiring NDP MPP Frances Lankin in the Ontario legislature. The by-election was controversial, with allegations of producing child pornography levelled against Liberal candidate Bob Hunter for an ambiguously but possibly autobiographical book he had written in the 1980s, which included first-person descriptions of sexual activities with underage prostitutes in Bangkok. Hunter claimed the allegations were from the NDP campaign and denied them in context, claiming the book was satire. Regardless, Prue won the by-election with almost 50% of the vote, and was re-elected with over 50% support in the 2003 election. He remains a prominent figure in the NDP's Toronto organization.

In 2002 he undertook a week-long "welfare diet", trying to live on $12.75 for an entire week to draw attention to the condition of Ontario's poorest residents under the Mike Harris and Ernie Eves governments. He has also championed affordable housing in Toronto.

Last updated: 08-14-2005 05:16:14
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