James Pasternak ( ; born February 15, 1959"James Pasternak Official Facebook Page" Toronto Star, November 22, 2010.) is a Canadian politician who represents Ward 6 York Centre on the Toronto City Council. Pasternak has served on council since he was elected in 2010, representing Ward 10 (later amalgamated into Ward 6). He was a Toronto District School Board trustee before his election to council.
Background Pasternak is a graduate of York University. He also has degrees from the University of Western Ontario and the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a devout Jew.Ford allies refuse to move meeting from Jewish holiday
Political career Pasternak was elected to Toronto City Council in the 2010 city council election to succeed Mike Feldman in Ward 10."Changed council faces new mayor". Toronto Star, October 25, 2010. He was previously a Toronto District School Board trustee.
In 2012, Pasternak introduced a motion that asked City Manager Joe Pennachetti to update Toronto's anti-discrimination policy and to determine whether including Queers Against Israeli Apartheid in Pride events violated the policy. Pasternak believes "QuAIA is not there to support the Palestinian people; it’s there to bully and demonize Israel, its supporters and the Jewish community."Make Pride Parade funding contingent on non-participation of QuAIA, Pasternak says , MAY 29, 2012, Jewish TribuneIsraeli Apartheid out, QuAIA in – and funded , June 11, 2012, Jewish Tribune. The following year, in 2013, Pasternak continued to lead the effort to defund Toronto Pride over the use of the term Israel apartheid by its participating members.
In July 2025, he called on the Canadian government to ban Irish hip hop band Kneecap from entering Canada. In November 2025, Pasternak attended a briefing in Israel by Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel while on a trip sponsored by the Israeli government.
Election results 2022 Toronto municipal election, Ward 6 York CentreCandidateVotesVote shareJames Pasternak12,18773.54% Mike Arkin 1,91611.6% Hope Schrier1,2927.8% Basil Canning 1,1797.1%Total16,574Source: City of Toronto 2018 Toronto municipal election, Ward 6 York CentreCandidateVotesVote shareJames Pasternak11,55947.61%Maria Augimeri9,22337.99%Louise Russo2,72611.23%Edward Zaretsky7713.17%Total24,279Source: City of Toronto 2014 Toronto election, Ward 10 Candidate Votes %James Pasternak 11,183 57.78% Igor Toutchinski 3,112 16.08% Epstein David 2,126 10.99% Mitchell Michael 1,096 5.66% Bucao Randy 1,040 5.37% Masucci Liberato 796 4.11% Total 19,353 100%
2010 Toronto election, Ward 10City of Toronto elections page Candidate Votes %James Pasternak 3,159 19.15% Nancy Oomen 2,777 16.83% Brian Shifman 2,632 15.96% Igor Toutchinski 2,605 15.79% Konstantin Toubis 1,887 11.44% Magda Gondor Berkovits 935 5.67% Jarred Friedman 850 5.15% Joseph Cohen 535 3.24% Eric Plant 355 2.15% Edward Zaretsky 326 1.97% Robert Freedland 244 1.48% Drago Banovic 186 1.12% Total 16,491 100%
2006 Toronto District School Board election, Ward 5 Candidate Votes %James Pasternak 6,210 62.27% Mitchell Worsoff 1,940 19.45% Donna Khaner 1,077 10.80% Frank Bonavota 745 7.48% Total 9,972 100%
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