Jim McMillan (politician)

For other uses, see James McMillan (disambiguation).

Jim McMillan (born c.1933) is a small businessman in Toronto, Canada and a former independent political candidate. He was once the treasurer of the Eglinton branch of the socialist Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, but later shifted his political views to the right. Although an independent candidate in 1979, he ran in support of Fabien Roy and the Social Credit Party. McMillan called for the return of capital punishment and corporal punishment, and supported the right to a home for every couple.[1] McMillan was once a fundamentalist Christian preacher.[2]

His political views are an unusual combination of social conservatism and anti-poverty activism. In 1980, he and his young children took part in a demonstration against homosexuality outside the headquarters of the Toronto Star newspaper.[3] He was a member of the Fair Play Crusaders during the same period, and protested against government cutbacks.[4]

McMillan was charged with assault in 1986 while protesting Sunday shopping.[5] Newspaper reports do not indicate if the charges went to trial.

1985 municipal election

McMillan has been a candidate in several municipal elections, and ran for Mayor of Toronto in 1985 under the pseudonym "Aaron Abraham". He chose the name to appear first on the alphabetically listed ballot. He became known for yelling "Throw the bum out" at Mayor Art Eggleton during all-candidates meetings, and for giving advice on where to buy bacon bits at 69 cents to the pound.[6]

McMillan successfully defended himself against a charge of causing a disturbance during the 1985 election. The charge resulted from an altercation with Toronto police, who had asked him to remove property that was blocking a sidewalk in front of his home. McMillan responded to the request by saying that he was holding a charity sale for the United Way, grabbing a portable amplifier and microphone and yelling "Why do the police hate people who want to help charities?". The presiding judge ruled that the matter was a "tempest in a teapot", did not constitute a disturbance in the legal sense of the term. In its coverage of the proceedings, the Globe and Mail newspaper drew attention to McMillan's "rambling method" of questioning witnesses and noted that the assistant crown attorney objected to one of his questions "on the grounds that it [was] stupid". When asked why McMillan was not informed of his rights as soon as he was arrested, Constable Peter Benney testified that "at the time no one could get a word in edgewise".[7]

2014 municipal election

In the 2014 Toronto election, McMillan registered to run for mayor, but withdrew on June 30.[8] While running as a candidate for City Council in Ward 18, McMillan started a volunteer group he called the "Rob Ford Rangers" to clean up areas of the city in honour of Mayor Ford. His campaign featured the slogan, "Rob Ford rangers on patrol, cleaning our city is our goal. Dirty streets and transit is sad, volunteer and make Rob glad."[9]

McMillan subsequently "threw his support" to Ford's opponent, Olivia Chow because of Ford's brother, Councillor Doug Ford, and because of a trespass notice that was issued by City Hall on August 26, 2014. A City of Toronto spokesman stated that McMillan “has been involved in a number of security incidents at City Hall, including being arrested.... Under the terms of the Trespass Notice, he can attend City Hall for business but must provide advanced notice to corporate security."[10]

Election results

Electoral record
Election Division Party Votes % Place Winner(s)
1977 provincial Oriole Independent 929 4/6 John Williams, Progressive Conservative
1978 municipal Toronto Ward Eight n/a 374 7/10 Fred Beavis and Tom Clifford
1979 federal Beaches Independent 69 8/8 Robin Richardson, Progressive Conservative
1980 municipal Toronto Ward Eight n/a 1,264 7/10 Fred Beavis and Tom Clifford
1985 municipal Toronto Mayor n/a 1,089 5/14 Art Eggleton
2014 municipal Toronto Ward 18 n/a 213 7/12 Bailão, Ana

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Jim McMillan" [advertisement], Toronto Star, 16 May 1979, A28.
  2. ↑ Robert Sutton, "'Fringe' candidate's charge is dismissed", Toronto Star, 6 November 1985, D25.
  3. ↑ "Protesters berate Star", Toronto Star, 5 November 1980, A24.
  4. ↑ "Loser charges Star unfair in coverage", Toronto Star, 26 November 1980, A26.
  5. ↑ "Man opposed to Sunday openings charged after visiting Simpsons", Toronto Star, 5 December 1986, A4.
  6. ↑ "Mayoral race draws diverse group", Globe and Mail, 5 November 1985, A13.
  7. ↑ Drew Fagan, "Candidate wins the day over charge", Globe and Mail, 6 November 1985, A15.
  8. ↑ City of Toronto Election Services - Withdrawn Candidates
  9. ↑ "'Rob Ford Rangers' meet with mayor" By Don Peat, Toronto Sun, Thursday, August 07, 2014
  10. ↑ "'Rob Ford Ranger' throws support to Olivia Chow" By Don Peat, Toronto Sun, Wednesday, September 03, 2014
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