‘He was an institution. He was the City of York’
Fergy Brown was a conservative with a social conscience, two characteristics that gained the former mayor of York the respect and admiration of politicians across party lines.
“He had an excellent career as a politician and was able to straddle the political landscape by being supported by both the left and the right,” said Toronto Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday, who knew Brown for more than 30 years. “He was fiscally responsible with a social conscience.”
James Fergus Brown died Wednesday at Sunnybrook hospital. He was 90.
Councillor Joe Mihevc echoed the sentiments about the former York alderman who served two terms as mayor, from1988 to1994.
“Fergy was a Tory. A very red Tory,” said Mihevc. But “he worked well with (Bob) Rae when he was the premier. He endorsed David Miller for his election campaigns. He supported people who were committed to community building.”
Brown fought for the Eglinton subway, which was being constructed when former premier Mike Harris cancelled the project.
Brown launched Children First, an initiative to highlight the importance of early education and care, with Dr. Fraser Mustard, and Dr. Paul Steinhauer at Sick Kids, said Barbara Hume-Wright, Brown’s executive assistant from his days as mayor.
He was also elected as a controller for the City of York, sitting on a board similar to what is now Toronto’s executive committee. The position gave him a seat on Metro Council.
Brown became chairman of the Metro Hall building committee and was responsible for construction of the new municipal building that would eventually house Metro council. Under his direction, Hume-Wright said, it was built on time and within budget. (Metro council vanished with amalgamation.)
Brown “worked very hard on a range of things that he was passionate about,” said Hume-Wright. “(He) always said it is amazing what you can accomplish as long as you do not care who gets the credit. He believes that and that is how he operates — it is why he was such a successful politician and so well loved.”
Brown grew up in Mount Dennis and later enlisted in the Second World War, where he engaged in conflict as a bombardier.
He owned a pharmacy on Eglinton Ave. W. and that’s where he began his political career, said Hume-Wright. “People always came to him looking for help because they couldn’t afford medication. Or guidance for family issues. He was so helpful, people said he should run for office. He had a huge heart.”
Mihevc remembers going into Brown’s pharmacy at the age of 5 or 6. “He was an institution. He was the City of York. He personified it better than anyone.”
His friend, Alan Tonks, who served with Brown on York council in the ’70s, described him as “one of the most dearest and loyal, faithful people that I knew. He epitomized what a real Canadian is all about — the values, the service to community and country.” The Learning Enrichment Foundation, a skills development and job training centre, recently honoured Brown for serving on its board for more than 30 years. “His interest was making sure people who are looking for jobs had all the support that they could get,” said Mihevc. The foundation was one of many organizations Brown was devoted to. He served on the board of York Community Services — a community health centre — and the Harold and Grace Baker Centre for seniors. Brown was one of the few politicians who survived a scandalous period in the late ’80s and early ’90s when the City of York was mocked as the “city of pork” after a corrupt development deal. Two York councillors and one Metro councillor were convicted of corruption for taking bribes from a developer who wanted to build a condo on a public park. Brown leaves his wife, Marjorie, and daughter, Judy Ventura.