James L. McIntyre

McIntyre was born in Winnipeg on July 12, 1926. He was educated at St. Paul's Jesuit College but was removed from school at 16 after being diagnosed with polio and bed-ridden for a year.[10]

Recovered, McIntyre began work with Trans-Canada Air Lines in Toronto in 1946 and within a year was transferred to Sault Ste. Marie to manage the office in the city. Arriving in June 1947, the 20 year-old quickly began integrating himself into community life, joining the St. Marys River Boat Club. Interested in groups and organizations, McIntyre was elected treasurer and later president of the club and became involved in the Kinsman Club, Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce and the board of the Children's Aid Society.

It was at one of his first visits to the boat club that he met Mary Gallivan. The two were married at Precious Blood Cathedral on July 16, 1949. They would have six children: Paul, Patrick, Mary Anne, Catherine, Sheila and Nora.

McIntyre was encouraged early on by others to get involved in political life of the city. In November 1951, on a friend's urging, he took an appointment to the separate school board.[11] He would later serve as its chair.

While away visiting family in 1957, a group nominated him for a vacant seat on city council in Ward 1. McIntyre agreed and despite his residing in another ward and running a minimal campaign, was elected.[12]

An early advocate of transformation and modernization on council, McIntyre was critical of the city's ward system that he felt advantaged less popular wards in the west end of the city and emphasized ward interests over citywide concerns. He sponsored unsuccessful motions to study ward boundaries and to put the question to voters in the next city election.[13]

Unimpressed by the calibre of those putting themselves forward to replace Walter Harry who was not re-offering as mayor in 1959, McIntyre considered leaving city politics altogether after his one term. However, he was persuaded to run for the mayor's chair instead.[14]

McIntyre's campaign was based on transformational ideas intended to reform city administration and modernize the city in reaction to what he saw as a compliant old-boys club culture in the city.

Prior to announcing his intentions, McIntyre laid out an agenda for civic reform in a speech to the Lion's Club on October 28, 1959, in which he railed against the "almost complete lack of long-range city administrative planning." Specifically he cited the absence of a retirement plan for city employees, the need for council to receive regular spending updates, and the need for citywide approaches to recreation and transit planning. He criticized what he saw as the parochial interests of city councillors, saying "actually we have no ward problems – just ward politicians."[15]

Officially launching his campaign on October 30, 1959, he said "I have been encouraged to stand for this office by the many ratepayers who believe it is time the mayor’s chair was occupied by a young man who is unafraid to express his opinion on current topics regardless of the opposition and will inquire into every detail of civic administration … even if it means changing practices of long-standing."[16]

Again, despite running only a modest campaign, he was elected with 37 per cent of the vote in a field of four candidates including two senior members of council. At 33, he became the city's youngest mayor at that time.

McIntyre was re-elected to another two-year term in 1961. He was again re-elected in 1963 for a term that was limited to only one year due to the provincially-ordered amalgamation of Sault Ste. Marie, Tarentorus and Korah townships. McIntyre attracted a greater number of total votes in each of his subsequent campaigns: 7,481 (52 per cent of the vote) in 1961 and 8,037 (63 per cent of the vote) in 1963.

On the morning of Wednesday, February 11, 2015, McIntyre was struck by a reversing loader that was clearing snow from the parking lot of a Bay Street hotel near his home. Despite efforts by firefighters and paramedics, McIntyre succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead at the scene.[17]

Investigations by the Sault Ste Marie Police Service and the Ontario Ministry of Labour resulted in no charges being laid. After speaking with a number of witnesses, police concluded that the "threshold for (a) criminal charge just isn't there," and ministry officials decided that "charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act would not be laid as there was no reasonable prospect of conviction."[18]

A funeral mass was held at Precious Blood Cathedral in Sault Ste. Marie on Wednesday, February 18, 2015.[19]

Tributes

Immediately following his passing, McIntyre was remembered for his decency, professionalism and long service to his community.

In a statement, city mayor Christian Provenzano described him as "a kind man who cared deeply about our community ... We are grateful for Mayor McIntyre's long and tremendous legacy of service to Sault Ste. Marie."[20] Former mayor Steve Butland described him as "one of those individuals, when he came into a room, the respect was immediately there," adding "[his] commitment to Sault Ste. Marie ... I don't know if it's unparalleled, but it's up there with [former mayors] John Rhodes, John Roswell and other people who have passed on."[21]

A statement by Phil Becker, general manager of the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge Authority described McIntyre as a gentleman whose "integrity - as expressed many times in his firm but fair approach to bridge business - is beyond measure."[22] At its meeting on February 19, the board of the bridge authority passed a resolution commemorating McIntyre's long work on behalf of the bridge and the people served by it.[23]

Micheline Dubé, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Bridge Corporation described being "in awe of his lifetime contribution and more remarkable, well into his eighties, he continued to outpace most Canadians in his passion for serving his community and Canada."[24]

Flags at municipal facilities in Sault Ste. Marie were half-masted on February 12, 2015, until McIntyre's funeral six days later.

Several months after his passing, the Michigan Department of Transportation, which owns the American span of the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, announced that McIntyre's contributions to the bridge would be honoured in a display in the lobby of the department's headquarters in Lansing - the first time a Canadian's individual contributions were so-honoured.[25]

One year following his death, Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge Authority announced that the board room of its new administration building would be named after McIntyre in recognition of his long service to the board and as its chairman.[26] In February 2017, the Federal Bridge Corporation announced that a new service building at the Canadian bridge plaza would be named in honour of McIntyre. In their press release, the Authority noted the prominence of the new building saying, "Every single traveler across the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, northbound or southbound has a clear view of this building. It is the first Canadian building viewed as one enters Canada and the last one seen as you cross the international bridge into the United States."[27] The formal naming ceremony took place on May 17, 2017.[28]

Front portico of the James L. McIntyre Centennial Library in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Plaque dedicating the Sault Ste. Marie Library main branch to James L. McIntyre

In the summer of 2016, a city committee was tasked to recommend a suitable way to honour McIntyre, in cooperation with his family. Possibilities included renaming the Centennial Library, the Police Services headquarters or the parkette across from the international bridge.[29] On June 18, 2018, the city formally renamed the library main branch the James L. McIntyre Centennial Library.[30]