Document generated on 09/29/2021 7:51 p.m. Ontario History Governing Toronto: Bringing Back the City That Worked by Alan Redway John C. Carter Volume 107, Number 2, Fall 2015 URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1050639ar DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/1050639ar See table of contents Publisher(s) The Ontario Historical Society ISSN 0030-2953 (print) 2371-4654 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this review Carter, J. C. (2015). Review of [Governing Toronto: Bringing Back the City That Worked by Alan Redway]. Ontario History, 107(2), 265–268. https://doi.org/10.7202/1050639ar Copyright © The Ontario Historical Society, 2015 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ book reviews 265 Free Blacks in Delaware had long been using sides of the border. the courts to address grievances and conduct The interplay between the essays in the business, but by the mid nineteenth century, first part of the collection and those in the many were becoming increasingly frustrated second and third parts show some discon- with lack of opportunity, justice and unre- nect between academia and local, avocation- lenting prejudice. At first hesitant to aban- al researchers and writers. But the strength of don their homeland, some free black families the second and third sets of essays highlight moved to Pennsylvania to access educational the history of individuals and settlements, and economic opportunities denied them in bringing forth more historical data and add- Delaware. Moving to a free state allowed them ing more depth and nuance to the region’s to participate more openly in anti-slavery and history, as well as adding dimensions beyond Underground Railroad activities. When the local and national borders. The examination Fugitive Slave Act was passed, some families, of African-Canadian and African-Ameri- like the Shadds, felt compelled to move to can kinship, social, and economic networks Canada and supported other emigres to join deeply informed the nature of abolition in them. Unlike the Shadds, the Andersons sup- Canada, America, and across the Atlantic. ported the Colonization Movement, believ- These essays also make it clear that the in- ing there was only one place where Blacks terpretation of the Black experience in this could feel secure and totally free, and moved region has been influenced by a web of cul- to Liberia. The last essay—and second one tural, historical, and social dynamics and by Marie Carter—in Part Three brings the points of view, leading to multiple outcomes. reader back to the Dawn Settlement in the The “Promised Land” was a complex place. Chatham-Kent region, mapping out the dis- This history, the survival strategies and tinct places that scholars and the public have strategies for freedom practiced and experi- long conflated. For anyone researching the enced by people of colour within the highly history in this region, this essay is well worth oppressive and segregated eras of slavery and reading. The volume ends with a fine epi- beyond, should be fully integrated into na- logue by historian Afua Cooper, whose call tional histories. for action should motivate many professional scholars and local researchers to continue Kate Clifford Larson, uncovering this important history, to replace Winchester, Massachusetts, the “feel good” history of the Underground Author, Bound For the Promised Land: Har- Railroad with the reality of Black life on both riet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero Governing Toronto Bringing Back the City That Worked By Alan Redway Toronto: the author (using Friesen Press, Victoria), 2014. 305 pages. $47.36 hardcover. ISBN 978-1-46025-199-7. $31.53 paperback. ISBN 978-1-46025-200- 0. $3.79 eBook. ISBN 978-1-46025-201-7. www.friesenpress.com) hen first reading the sub-title of Alan gamation of the Megacity. Such is not the WRedway’s book, one might think that case. For twelve of the fourteen chapters, the focus of this work would be on de-amal- Redway masterfully weaves personal experi- OH autumn 2015.indd 265 08/09/2015 10:22:02 PM 266 ONTARIO HISTORY ence, interviews, newspaper articles and a wealth of carefully unearthed research data and fascinating archival material, to guide us through the creation and development of Metro Toronto, leading up to the eventual amalgamated city. Four years of work on this project has produced a superb product. The author, who is a retired lawyer, is well qualified to write this book. Redway was a member of the East York council from 1972- 82, that borough’s mayor from 1977-82 (dur- ing this period also a metro councillor and a member of its executive committee), then for almost ten years an MP, who laterally served as Minister of State (Housing) in the Mul- roney federal government. For both non-To- ronto and Toronto residents, Redway’s book provides an invaluable background to, and a history of, how the current amalgamated City of Toronto came to be. In addition, the author uses his intimate knowledge of municipal politics to explain how and why this happened and, importantly, provides Toronto area changed dramatically as pros- personal insight about manoeuvrings which perity returned. The increasing population resulted in amalgamation. created housing, transportation, water sup- Redway’s chronology of municipal ply and sewage treatment problems. In 1947, history begins in 1834 when Toronto was the City of Toronto convened a meeting with incorporated as a city. Annexation of sur- the twelve surrounding suburbs to investi- rounding territory occurred from 1859 to gate improving the organization of public 1925. In 1929, thirteen Toronto civic de- services for the entire area. In 1949 another partment heads recommended that further report recommended that those twelve com- annexations stop until it could be shown that munities be united with the city of Toronto. “undoubted compensating advantages exist.” Premier Leslie Frost wanted a solution ensur- As the depression continued to deepen in ing a municipal system would meet the needs the mid-1930s, ten Toronto area municipali- of the entire population of the region. Early ties were bankrupt and something had to be in 1950, the polling of municipal leaders done. The 1935 Plumtre Report dealt with showed that only Mimico and Toronto sup- the City of Toronto and its twelve adjacent ported amalgamation, so no changes were neighbours. It recommended “a general amal- made. More study was ordered! gamation of the municipalities of metropoli- The Cumming Report, issued on 20 tan Toronto.” Because of negative reaction, January 1953 recommended a federation the Liberal government of Mitch Hepburn with the creation of a new Metropolitan backed off and authorized more study. Toronto council. The City of Toronto con- Towards the end of, and immediately fol- demned this option, but on 25 February lowing, the Second World War, the greater 1953, Premier Frost personally moved the OH autumn 2015.indd 266 08/09/2015 10:22:02 PM book reviews 267 reading of Bill 80 which recommended the that might exist. By 1964, the new Toronto formal establishment of the Municipality of mayor, Donald Summerville, was still in fa- Metropolitan Toronto. All suburban coun- vour of total amalgamation, while most of cils supported this idea, and Frost offered his the local municipalities were still supportive long-time friend and ally Fred Gardiner, the of a metropolitan system. On 10 January job as Chair of Metro Council. Gardiner who 1966, Premier Robarts advocated a two-level had initially supported total amalgamation, federated system that consolidated govern- wrote the premier to say “...that the metro- ment into six local municipalities, versus the politan form of government is a more appro- previous thirteen. priate answer to the problems involved.” In 1986, the Peterson Liberal govern- What was created became the first met- ment established a task force to examine is- ropolitan municipality of its kind in North sues of representation, accountability and America. Gardiner’s leadership resulted in responsiveness. By 1988, direct election of the establishment of a competent municipal Metro councillors was approved, whereas bureaucracy and the implementation of a originally half represented Toronto and half vast programme of public works. However all represented the other municipalities. Alan were not in agreement. Toronto mayor, Nath- Redway believes that this move helped to “... an Phillips, continued to press for total amal- drive a nail into the coffin of Metro Toronto,” gamation, and in doing so caused friction be- because Metro councillors now had no local tween city and suburban council members. In responsibilities. This change turned former 1956, a start on further integration was made Toronto mayor David Crombie, previously when thirteen individual police departments an advocate of neighbourhoods, into a sup- were merged into one, and thirteen licensing porter of total amalgamation. The Rae NDP bodies into one, both under control of Metro government was elected in 1990. Another Council. In a 1958 report, it was found that task force chaired by Anne Golden was ap- “...the application of the principle of federa- pointed to recommend potential restructur- tion was a sound and practical approach.” It ing of municipal and provincial governments. was also suggested that there was “...unwill- This report was released in January 1996, af- ingness to make any drastic change in the ex- ter the election of the Mike Harris govern- isting organization at the present time.” Evi- ment.