D. Paul Ayotte is a retired Canadian politician in the Canadian province of Ontario. Formerly a city councillor, he was the mayor of Peterborough from 2006 to 2010.
Early life and private career Ayotte was born and raised in Peterborough, where members of his family have lived since 1835. He has a certificate in public administration and was a technical writer for General Electric before retiring in 2002.Alek Gazdic, "Ayotte urges voters to 'elect experience'," Peterborough Examiner, 10 October 2003, B2; Mike Lacey, "'Quarterback' Paul anxious to call plays," Peterborough This Week, 24 October 2003, p. 00. He is a member of the American Institute of Parliamentarians and is known for being very knowledgeable on parliamentary procedure.Paul Rutherford, "Ayotte 'officially' begins crusade for job he's long coveted," Peterborough This Week, 10 October 2003, p. 02.
Ayotte was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 1981. In a 2003 interview, he said that the disease had been in remission for years.JoElle Kovach, "Multiple sclerosis can't stop Ayotte's mayoral bid," Peterborough Examiner, 8 November 2003, B1.
Councillor Ayotte first ran for the Peterborough city council in 1978, saying he did not want the only two other candidates in Ashburnham Ward to win without opposition.Other candidates later joined the contest, resulting in a crowded field. He finished at the head of the polls and was returned in every subsequent election until 1985. After a two-year break, he returned to council in 1987 and served until his first mayoral run in 2003.Mike Lacey, "'Quarterback' Paul anxious to call plays," Peterborough This Week, 24 October 2003, p. 00. He was chair of the city's finance committee for sixteen years, chair of the planning committee for nine years, and deputy mayor for fifteen years."Ayotte officially launches mayoralty campaign Thursday," Peterborough This Week, 8 October 2003, p. 05. An editorial in the Peterborough Examiner describes him as having focused his attention on city-wide issues, rather than acting as a "parochial ward councillor.""A city's thanks" [editorial], Peterborough Examiner, 5 November 2003, A4.
In 2003, he voted against a motion that advised the government of Canada to remain out of the American invasion of Iraq. He was quoted as saying, "I don't think I'm elected to advise the federal government on foreign policy."JoElle Kovach, "Council votes to ask Ottawa to stay out of Iraq conflict," Peterborough Examiner, 14 February 2003, A1.
Mayor Ayotte first ran for mayor of Peterborough in the 2003 municipal election. He supported a controversial parkway extension from Clonsilla Avenue to Cumberland Avenue, an area that covered municipal green space.David Smith, "Mayoralty candidates talk Parkway," Peterborough Examiner, 8 October 2003, A1; David Smith, "Polite crowd asks mayoral hopefuls about Parkway," Peterborough Examiner, 9 October 2003, B3. He also called for increased public transportation and greater private sector involvement in affordable housing."Ayotte officially launches mayoralty campaign Thursday," Peterborough This Week, 8 October 2003, p. 05; Alek Gazdic, "Ayotte urges voters to 'elect experience'," Peterborough Examiner, 10 October 2003, B2. Fifty-nine years old at the time, he finished third against incumbent mayor Sylvia Sutherland. After the election, he wrote a series of columns on municipal politics for Peterborough This Week.Ayotte's articles are referenced in Mike Lacey, "Election night 'losers' feeling pretty lucky," Peterborough This Week, 12 March 2004, p. 00. When flood waters damaged more than three thousand homes in mid-2004, he was appointed to chair the Peterborough Area Flood Relief Committee."Ayotte heads flood relief group," Peterborough This Week, 28 July 2004, p. 01.
Ayotte was elected mayor on his second attempt in 2006, after Sutherland announced her retirement. As mayor, he has established an Action Committee on Poverty that identified six priority areas for investment, including a day warming room, shelter services for adult women, and reduced transportation fare for people receiving Ontario Works benefits.Kathryne Miller, "Warming room funding a top priority in fight against poverty, states mayor's report," Peterborough This Week, 6 February 2008, p. 1. In November 2008, he issued a comprehensive Peterborough Community Poverty Reduction Strategy. See Lauren Gilchrist, "Peterborough Community Poverty Reduction Strategy released Thursday," Peterborough This Week, 27 November 2008, p. 1. He also recommended several procedural changes for council meetings in 2008.Lindsey Cole, "Mayor's revision on procedure gets mixed reviews," Peterborough This Week, 29 April 2008, p. 1.
Peterborough This Week rated him as the best member of city council in its 2007 annual report card, notwithstanding what it described as his "low-key, cut-and-dry manner."Kathryne Miller, "Peterborough City Council Report Card," Peterborough This Week, 8 November 2007, p. 1. His 2008 rating was somewhat lower, as the journal noted that some of his key proposals on poverty and procedural reform had not yet been fulfilled."Council Report Card 2008," Peterborough This Week, 19 November 2008, p. 1. In 2009, Ayotte appeared with federal and provincial representatives to announce more than three million dollars for affordable housing.Paul Rellinger, "Peterborough affordable housing projects granted $3 million-plus," Peterborough This Week, 2 May 2009, p. 1.
Ayotte sought re-election in the 2010 municipal election and lost to local businessman Daryl Bennett. He indicated after the election that some of his financial backers from 2006 had shifted to Bennett's campaign.Brendan Wedley, "Ayotte blames late start, lack of ad dollars , Peterborough Examiner, 2010, accessed 13 November 2010.
Electoral record (partial)
References