April 5, 2014(2014-04-05) (aged 90) Toronto, Ontario
Nationality
Canadian
Alma mater
University of Toronto
Profession
Insurance broker
Willis Lincoln Blair (May 14, 1923 – April 5, 2014) was a Canadian politician and public servant who was mayor of the Metropolitan Toronto municipality of East York, Ontario, from 1973 to 1976[1] and chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board of Ontario from 1981 to 1986.[2]
Blair was born to the descendants of Scottish immigrants to Canada in the town of West Zorra and grew up on his parents' dairy farm, the eldest of eight children.[1]
During World War II he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force serving on home soil as a mechanic and test pilot. After the war he attended the University of Toronto where he became president of the campus Progressive Conservative club. After graduating he worked for Canada Life as an insurance broker.[1]
Blair became involved in municipal politics and was elected an alderman on East York's town council in 1958 and would serve on council for 18 years. He was elected mayor of what was by then the borough of East York in the 1972 municipal election, succeeding True Davidson, and took office on January 1, 1973. Blair was re-elected to a second two-year term in 1974 but resigned in 1976 to accept an appointment to the Ontario Municipal Board.[1] During his term as mayor, he was instrumental in East York becoming host city for the first World Junior Curling Championships in 1975.[1]
Blair also served on Metropolitan Toronto Council from 1967 to 1976.[2] He worked closely with Metro Toronto Chairman Paul Godfrey and others in the successful bid to convince Major League Baseball to award Toronto what became the Toronto Blue Jays franchise, and helped ensure that Exhibition Stadium was renovated to accommodate major league baseball.[1]
In the late 1970s, Blair was appointed by the provincial government of Bill Davis to head a commission examining how property tax rates should be set.[3] He was then appointed to serve as the chair of the Liquor Licensing Board of Ontario[4] from 1981 to 1986.[2]
He died in Toronto on April 5, 2014, at the age of 90 and was survived by his wife Elsie, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.[4]
v
t
e
1963 Canadian federal election: York East
Party
Candidate
Votes
Liberal
Steve Otto
21,038
Progressive Conservative
Willis Blair
14,777
New Democratic Party
Sid Dunkley
11,234
Social Credit
James Mackie
349
^ abcdef"Willis Blair, 90, remembered for his common touch running East York". Toronto Star. April 11, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
^ abc"Official Records for 8 June 2006 - LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO - WILLIS BLAIR". www.ontla.on.ca. Archived from the original on 2017-01-03.
^"Official report of debates (Hansard) : Legislative Assembly of Ontario = Journal des débats (Hansard) : Assemblée législative de l'Ontario 1978". 1978.
^ ab"Former East York mayor Willis L. Blair dead at age 90". CBC News. April 6, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
Willis Lincoln Blair (May 14, 1923 – April 5, 2014) was a Canadian politician and public servant who was mayor of the Metropolitan Toronto municipality...
2012; with Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes) Willis, Kim (May 31, 2021). "'A beautiful journey': Blair Underwood, Desiree DaCosta reveal split after...
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and 2003. Born on June 25, 1942, in Hico, Louisiana, Willis Reed Jr. was the only child of Willis Sr. and Inell Reed. His parents moved from his grandparents'...
1976 when he became interim mayor, appointed to complete the term of WillisBlair upon his appointment to the Ontario Municipal Board. He was re-elected...
Nealson to become the new borough of East York's first mayor. 1973-1976 WillisBlair - resigned in 1976 to accept an appointment to the Ontario Municipal...
the rule". SI.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Willis, Blair (2010). 2010 Arizona Baseball Media Guide (PDF). Tempe, Arizona: Ben...
Betty Webb, code breaker at Bletchley Park during World War Two May 14 WillisBlair, Canadian politician (d. 2014) Alberto Ortiz, Uruguayan pentathlete Adnan...
known for his political roles during Tony Blair's leadership of the Labour Party. Campbell worked as Blair's spokesman and campaign director in opposition...
Virginia since January 2021. 2024 Republican Primary Republican Tom Willis defeated Blair in the West Virginia Republican primary on Tuesday, May 14, 2024...
and Lake Michigan. The observatory (360 Chicago), which competes with the Willis Tower's Skydeck, has a 360° view of the city, up to four states, and a distance...
she was the housekeeper to the Drummond family in New York City after Willis and Arnold's mom Lucy (the Drummonds' original housekeeper) died. In 1979...
season in the winter of 1981: Blair and Natalie appeared in the Diff'rent Strokes episode "The Older Man," and Willis from Diff'rent Strokes appeared...
was Sin City, in which she played young Nancy Callahan, alongside Bruce Willis. Vega then appeared in Just My Luck as Katy, starring Lindsay Lohan and...
Montgomery Blair High School (MBHS) is a public high school in the Four Corners neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland, United States. It is operated...
2007, p. 109 Willis Lent at the Arlington National Cemetery, retrieved March 2, 2008 Blair 1996, p. 83 Blair, p.105. Blair, pp.18 & 119. Blair 1996, pp. 120...
Larry Brown (1981–1983) Bill Blair (1983) Stan Albeck (1983–1985) Dave Wohl (1985–1987) Bob MacKinnon (1987–1988) Willis Reed (1988–1989) Bill Fitch (1989–1992)...
mile. In 2000, Willis won the 800m and 1500m double at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships. On the 20th of January, 2001, Willis became the fastest...
Deranged (Vols. 1 & 2), Wicked/Pulse Jane Wilde – Stars, Adult Time Emily Willis – One Night in Los Angeles, Dorcel/Pulse Best Actor Seth Gamble – Going...
Sylvester Stallone Hailee Steinfeld Tilda Swinton Blair Underwood Olivia Wilde Vanessa Williams Bruce Willis Robert De Niro Gia Mantegna (daughter of Joe Mantegna...
Tallest skyscraper to top of antenna: 829.8 m (2,722 ft) (previously the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower – 527 m or 1,729 ft) Building with most floors: 163...
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