Robert Yuill

Robert Frederick Murray (Bob) Yuill (1924—May 17, 2006) was a municipal politician in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He served on the North York council for twenty-four years, at first as a ward councillor and later as a member of the North York Board of Control. He was also a member of the Metro Toronto council.

Background

Yuill was born in Toronto, and served in the Canadian reserve forces during World War II. He received a Commerce degree from the University of Toronto in 1948, and later operated a business forms company for twenty-five years. His son Donald Yuill was a North York City councillor for Ward 10 for the years 1988-1996.

Political career

Yuill was first elected to the North York Council in the 1964 Toronto election, following a failed bid in the 1962 Toronto election. He remained a ward councillor until 1976, when he was elected as a controller on the North York Board of Control in the 1976 Toronto election. He served as a controller until 1988, when the position was eliminated. Yuill's controller position also gave him a seat on the Metro council, where he was a close ally of Paul Godfrey. He served on the powerful Metro budget committee in the late 1970s,[1] and was also parks committee chair a member of the Canadian National Exhibition Association Board.[2] Yuill was also chair of the North York Papal Visit Committee in 1984, during John Paul II's visit to the city.[3]

Yuill was a fiscal conservative. He opposed plans for Metro Toronto to provide financial aid to university students, and once described a proposed 34% raise for Metro managers as "baloney".[4] He also supported an extension of the Spadina Expressway to downtown Toronto, arguing "Suburbs were designed for cars".[5]

He also held socially conservative views on some issues. During the 1970s, he recommended that North York Mayor Mel Lastman give a Mayor's Medallion to anti-gay rights advocate Anita Bryant during her visit to the city. Lastman declined.[6] In 1985, he tried to convince Metro Council to cancel its grant to the Toronto Counselling Centre for Lesbians and Gays.[7] Yuill also supported an early workfare scheme in 1979, which was rejected by the Metro Council.[8] In 1988, he supported a ban on Now Magazine from parts of city hall as a response to the journal's adult-themed personal ads.[9] He also argued that Toronto's police should be allowed to use "strong-arm tactics" to combat the city's drug problem.[10] He opposed the extension of Sunday shopping, and was skeptical of affirmative action.[11] In 1986, he was one of seven Metro Councillors to oppose a boycott of goods from South Africa.[12]

Yuill opposed the construction of the Skydome in downtown Toronto, arguing that its location would lead to increased traffic jams.[13]

Toronto's municipal government system was significantly changed in 1988, with the introduction of direct elections to the Metro Council and the elimination of control boards. Yuill ran for North York Ward 8 councillor in the 1988 Toronto election, saying "I don't want to go down to Metro. I don't like it anymore. They're reckless spenders."[14] He was defeated by Joanne Flint, a political newcomer, and was subsequently appointed as chair of the newly created North York Parking Authority.[15]

Later life

Yuill was known both for his frugality and his love of practical jokes. He once wore a sailor's cap to a Metro Toronto budget debate, to argue that council was spending money like drunken sailors.

He died of heart failure in May 2006, at age 82. He was buried in Elmvale, in south Georgian Bay.

References
  • John Goddard, "Bob Yuill, 82: Frugal councillor had a fun side", Toronto Star, July 14, 2006, B03.

Footnotes
  1. Alden Baker, "Ruling Metro: private deals, outer serenity", Globe and Mail, 3 January 1978, P1.
  2. Jacquie McNish, "Metro politicians sniping at each other over 171,500 drop in CNE attendance", Globe and Mail, 26 August 1980.
  3. "Car permits planned", Globe and Mail, 12 June 1984, M3.
  4. Michael Smith, "Aid to students is province's job Metro decides", Toronto Star, 28 May 1986, A8; Jim Byers, "Committee urges 34 per cent hikes for Metro managers", Toronto Star, 8 November 1986, A6.
  5. Marina Strauss, "Hopefuls want end to chaos in North York", Globe and Mail, 30 October 1980, P4.
  6. Dick Beddoes, "Love? Ha! 'Twas all lies", Globe and Mail, 5 January 1978, P8.
  7. "133 Metro groups given civic grants worth $2 million", Globe and Mail, 29 May 1985, M5. Yuill argued that the grant was discriminatory against heterosexuals. He also opposed municipal grants for AIDS support.
  8. Dick Beddoes, "Job maker? Could be", Globe and Mail, 31 January 1979, P8.
  9. David Lewis Stein, "Flap over Now ban has turned quite nasty", Toronto Star, 24 March 1988, A29.
  10. Michael Smith, "'Get tough' in the war on drugs Metro told", Toronto Star, 15 June 1988, A6.
  11. Michael Best, "North York council divided on Sunday shopping plebiscite", 3 February 1988, A7; Dyanne Rivers, "Controllers wary of affirmative action", Globe and Mail, 27 September 1984, M5.
  12. "Metro rejects South African goods", Toronto Star, 16 April 1986, A6. Yuill argued that the anti-apartheid measure would actually be harmful to South African blacks.
  13. Geoffrey York, "Metro defeats bid to reopen discussion on dome contribution", Globe and Mail, 13 October 1984, P17.
  14. Bruce DeMara, "Status quo important in posh North York ward", Toronto Star, 21 October 1988, A7.
  15. Gail Swainson, "North York's parking authority a patronage haven: councillor", 1 March 1990, N5. Councillor Anthony Perruzza described this as a patronage appointment.
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