Independent candidates in the 1975 Ontario provincial election

Several independent candidates contested the 1975 Ontario provincial election, none of whom were elected. Information about these candidates may be found here.

Marvin Gordon (Oakwood)

Gordon (born in Toronto March 18, 1930, died January 26, 2013) was a frequent candidate for public office during the 1970s. A 1972 newspaper report lists him as a thirty-four-year-old teacher and lawyer.^[1] In the 1974 municipal election, he campaigned for school trustee on the slogans "Cut the high cost of education and reduce your taxes" and "Restore traditional values to the classroom".^[2] He later campaigned in favour of lower property taxes and an increased police presence.^[3]

He was president of York's Ward One Tenants Association in 1975, and opposed plans to have trucks routed through the area by authorities in Metropolitan Toronto.^[4]

Gordon was a member of the Liberal Party during the 1970s, and contested the party's nomination for Oakwood in 1975. After losing to Richard Meagher, he ran as an independent candidate.^[5] He later affiliated with the New Democratic Party, and campaigned with the endorsement of that party and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation in the 1985 municipal election. He opposed the extension of separate school funding, and wanted an increased emphasis on basic learning.^[6]

He received 558 votes (2.96%) in the 1975 election, finishing fourth against New Democratic Party candidate Tony Grande.

Electoral record

Election	Division	Party	Votes	%	Place	Winner
1972 York municipal	Alderman, Ward One	n/a	398		3/3	Ben Nobleman
1974 York municipal	School Trustee, Ward Five	n/a	1,018		2/2	William Bayes[7]
York municipal by-election, 12 May 1975	School Trustee, Ward Five	n/a	271		3/3	Patricia Hainer
1975 provincial	Oakwood	Independent	558	2.96	4/5	Tony Grande, New Democratic Party
1976 York municipal	Board of Control	n/a	6,229		4/5	Douglas Saunders and Alan Tonks
1978 York municipal	Alderman, Ward Two	n/a	351		3/4	Oscar Kogan
1980 York municipal	Alderman, Ward Seven	n/a	743		2/4	John Nunziata
1982 York municipal	Alderman, Ward Seven	n/a	501		7/10	Gary Bloor
1985 North York municipal	School Trustee, Ward Six	n/a (New Democratic Party)	1,065		3/4	Zale Newman

Footnotes

1. Wendy Darroch, "'Highest taxes in Metro', but York voters say they're content", Toronto Star, 17 November 1972, p. 4.
2. "Ward 5 - Borough of York" [advertisement], 30 November 1974, A17.
3. "Borough of York", Toronto Star, 10 November 1978, A20; Lynne Ainsworth, "28 vie for 8 aldermanic seat", Toronto Star, 3 November 1982, C16.
4. "Blockade threat if trucks continue using York Road", Toronto Star, 19 February 1975, B02.
5. Kent Potter, "3 parties claim they lead in Oakwood", Toronto Star, 10 September 1975, A11.
6. Kim Zarzour, "50 run for North York school board", Toronto Star, 29 October 1985, E7.
7. This result was confirmed by a recount. Gordon subsequently challenged the official election result before the courts, and succeeded in overturning the result. A new election was called. See "Judge sets trial date on York trustee vote", Globe and Mail, 20 February 1975, W06.