William Allen (Canadian politician)
| William Randall Allen | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Metro Toronto Chairman | |
|
In office January 10, 1962 – September 30, 1969 |
|
| Preceded by | Fred Gardiner |
| Succeeded by | Albert Campbell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 29, 1919 Buckingham, Quebec |
| Died | October 1, 1985 (aged 66) Toronto, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Spouse(s) | Marjorie |
| Children | 3 |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
William "Bill" Randall Allen, QC (June 29, 1919 – October 1, 1985) was a Toronto politician who served as the Chairman of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto from 1962 to 1969 and is the namesake of the W.R. Allen Road highway. Metropolitan Toronto was created by the Province of Ontario in 1952 and comprised Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, York, and East York. While these municipalities continued to manage some local matters, Metropolitan Toronto assumed the responsibilities of more expensive programs, such as the TTC, police, and welfare. The municipality was presided over by a "super mayor", or Metro Chairman, for its 46-year duration until amalgamation in 1998.
Born in Buckingham, Quebec (in the outskirts of Ottawa, Ontario), Allen was a graduate of St. Michael's College High School, the University of Toronto, and Osgoode Hall Law School. After being called to the Ontario Bar in 1949, he was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1960. During World War II, he enlisted with the Queen's York Rangers and attained the rank of Captain, serving overseas in Britain and Europe.
His father, Robert Aloysius Allen, was an alderman and then a Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament representing Riverdale during the 1930s. Allen was the first Liberal to be elected to the legislature from Riverdale since Confederation in 1867. Robert Allen's father-in-law, Randall McDonnell, was the Mayor of Mayo, Quebec for 13 consecutive years.
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