Joe Fontana
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The Honourable Joe Fontana PC |
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Fontana in 2012
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| 59th Mayor of London, Ontario | |
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In office December 1, 2010 – June 19, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Anne Marie DeCicco-Best |
| Succeeded by | Joni Baechler |
| Member of Parliament for London East | |
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In office 1988–1997 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Jepson |
| Succeeded by | riding dissolved |
| Member of Parliament for London North Centre | |
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In office 1997–2006 |
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| Preceded by | first member |
| Succeeded by | Glen Pearson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 13, 1950 Cellara, Cosenza, Italy |
Joseph Frank "Joe" Fontana, PC (born January 13, 1950) is an Italian-born Canadian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1987 to 2006, and mayor of London, Ontario from 2010 until his 2014 convictions for fraud and forgery.
Fontana was born in Cellara, Cosenza, Italy in 1950, and moved to Canada with his parents at the age of four.
He studied chemical engineering at the University of Waterloo, but left school after becoming the drummer in a rock band. He later moved to London and briefly returned to school at the University of Western Ontario, but left to work in real estate and the insurance industry.
He opposed the building of a federal prison in London and soon became involved in local politics. In 1976 he ran for city council, representing Ward 3, but lost; in 1978 he also lost the Liberal nomination for the federal riding of London-Middlesex, but was elected to London City Council later in the year and served there until 1988, sitting on London's Board of Control from 1985 to 1988.
In 1988 he was elected to the House of Commons as a member of the opposition and served as Critic for Urban Affairs and Housing. He also formed the band "True Grit" with several Liberals including Roger Gallaway and future prime minister Jean Chrétien (who played trombone). He became the Ontario chair of the Liberal caucus and was involved in the Task Force on Via Rail and the Task Force on the Economy and Recession. In 1990 he supported Paul Martin's attempt to become leader of the Liberal Party.
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