Claudette Millar

Claudette Millar (1935 - February 10, 2016) was a Canadian politician, most noted as the first mayor of Cambridge, Ontario.[1]

Claudette Millar
Mayor of Cambridge, Ontario
In office
1973–1974
Preceded byfirst mayor
Succeeded byRobert Kerr
Mayor of Cambridge, Ontario
In office
1978–1988
Preceded byErwin Nelson
Succeeded byJane Brewer
Personal details
Born1935
DiedFebruary 10, 2016

Millar was born in Belleville and grew up primarily in Kitchener. She obtained her pilot’s license at age 16. She attended Kitchener Collegiate Institute and Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.

Millar was elected mayor of Preston in 1969, becoming Canada's youngest mayor at 35.[2]. When Preston, was amalgamated into Cambridge in 1973, Millar was elected to be Cambridge's first mayor, serving two non-consecutive term, from its creation in 1973 until 1974, and from 1978 to 1988.[3]

As mayor, she was noted particularly for her work in preserving the city's cultural and environmental heritage,[1] including opposing the construction of a freeway bypass which would have disrupted parkland in the city, including the Dumfries Conservation Area and the Rare Charitable Reserve.[4]

She was a three-time Ontario Liberal Party candidate for the electoral district of Cambridge, losing to Monty Davidson in the 1975 election and the 1977 election, and to Mike Farnan in the 1987 election.[5] She sought the Liberal nomination for Cambridge again in the 1999 election, but lost to Jerry Boyle.[6]

Following the end of her term as mayor, she was appointed to the Ontario Municipal Board.[7]

In 2003 Millar returned to municipal politics, winning election to a seat on Waterloo Regional Council.[8] In that role, she was instrumental in bringing the Toyota plant to Cambridge. She held the role until announcing her retirement in 2014.[9]

Millar died in February 2016 of stomach cancer. In November 2017, University of Waterloo announced the naming of a recently opened residence building as Claudette Millar Hall.[10]

References
  1. "A loss for Cambridge: former mayor Claudette Millar was 81". Waterloo Region Record, February 11, 2016.
  2. "Memorial for Cambridge's 'feisty' Claudette Millar set for Feb. 20". CBC News, February 14, 2016.
  3. "Former mayor Claudette Millar was 'a real fighter'". Cambridge Times, March 2, 2016.
  4. "Road angers park donor's heirs". The Globe and Mail, May 31, 1979.
  5. "Liberal in Cambridge gets election recount after narrow defeat". The Globe and Mail, September 17, 1987.
  6. "Liberal newcomer defeats Claudette Millar". Waterloo Region Record, April 1, 1999.
  7. "Former Cambridge mayor enjoys making OMB decisions". Waterloo Region Record, February 10, 1993.
  8. "Regional council looks a lot like the old one". Waterloo Region Record, November 11, 2003.
  9. "Changes loom at regional council". Waterloo Region Record, September 27, 2014.
  10. "Waterloo Residences announces name for the New Residence Building in UW Place" (Press release). Waterloo, Ontario: University of Waterloo. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2020-07-22.


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