Jonah Schein

Jonah Schein (born c. 1974) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a New Democratic Party member in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the Toronto Davenport riding from 2011 to 2014. Prior to winning the 2011 provincial election, he was also an unsuccessful candidate for municipal office in part of the same electoral district in the 2010 City of Toronto elections.

Jonah Schein
Ontario MPP
In office
2011–2014
Preceded byTony Ruprecht
Succeeded byCristina Martins
ConstituencyDavenport
Personal details
Born1974 (age 48–49)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political partyNew Democrat
Residence(s)Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OccupationSocial Worker/Community Activist

Background

Schein was born in Toronto in 1974.[1] He worked as a social worker and community organizer dealing with food issues as part of The Stop Community Food Centre between 2005 and 2010.[2]

Politics

In 2010 Schein ran as a candidate for Toronto City Council finishing second to Cesar Palacio in Ward 17.[3] He helped campaign for fellow New Democrat, Andrew Cash in the federal Davenport district during the winter and spring of 2011, leading up to the 2 May 2011 election, which saw Cash win, a first for the NDP in the federal district.[3] With Cash's support, he ran for the provincial NDP's nomination and became their candidate.[1] The incumbent MPP, Tony Ruprecht surprised the media and the district with his sudden announcement that he would not run in the 2011 provincial election.[4] This left the seat wide-open, and Schein did not have to face the politician that held the riding since 1981.[4]

In the fall of 2011, Schein ran against Liberal candidate Cristina Martins.[1] One of the main issues in the campaign was the airport rail link along the district's western border, and why it was not going to utilize electric trains.[1] Schein campaigned for an immediate electrification against the Liberals idea of diesel first and electrification later.[1] Schein won by 1,414 votes becoming the first New Democratic to win the provincial district under its current boundaries.[5][6]

Since being elected, he has come out in favour of re-establishing the Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) provincial operating funding, which covered approximately 50 percent of the TTC's budget, prior to 1997.[7] The subsidy was cut by former Premier Mike Harris's government, in the late 1990s, around the same time that his Conservative government downloaded services to the newly amalgamated City of Toronto.[7]

In the 2014 election he ran against Martins again, this time being defeated by 2,041 votes.[8][9]

On August 18, 2014, New Democratic Party Leader Andrea Horwath appointed Schein as Special Adviser on Urban Issues. Schein will consult on issues such as public transit, cycling, vulnerable workers and tenant protection. Critics argued that this was a move to shore up support in urban areas where they did poorly in the 2014 election.[10]

References
  1. Poisson, Jayme (7 October 2011). "Davenport: Schein wins tug-of-war". Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  2. "Ward Pick Ward 17 Davenport". Now Magazine. Toronto. 21 October 2010. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  3. Peesker, Saira (29 September 2011). "NDP Schein on in Davenport". Now Magazine. Toronto. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  4. Benzie, Robert; Tanya Talaga (5 July 2011). "Duncan warns Liberals won't sit back when Tories are "lying"". The Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  5. "015, Davenport". Provincial Election Results by District 2011. Toronto: Elections Ontario. 2011. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  6. Spurr, Ben (7 October 2011). "Dippers double up in Davenport". Now Magazine. Toronto. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  7. Kalinowski, Tess (9 December 2011). "Toronto MPP calls on province to fund TTC". Toronto Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on 13 June 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  8. "General Election by District: Davenport". Elections Ontario. 12 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2014.
  9. Dale, Daniel (13 June 2014). "Liberal Cristina Martins recaptures Davenport in Ontario election". CBC News.
  10. Ferguson, Rob (18 August 2014). "Andrea Horwath hires defeated MPP Jonah Schein as adviser". The Toronto Star.
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