# Independent candidates in the 1981 Ontario provincial election

Several independent candidates contested the 1981 Ontario provincial election, none of whom were elected. This article contains information on these candidates.

## Frank Esposito (Yorkview)

Esposito was a perennial candidate for municipal office. He campaigned for the North York Board of Control in 1980, 1982 and 1985, and later ran for office in Vaughan.
The 1981 campaign was his sole bid for provincial office. He called for all existing crown land to be subdivided to provide housing for low income families, and encouraged the abolition of lotteries, which he said encourage "family breakup".
Esposito's main promise in the 1980 election was to improve the functioning of city council committees. He did not actively campaign for office, and did not put up any signs. In 1982, he called for property taxes to be replaced by an income tax. he supported property tax reform in 1985, along with increased day care services and youth centres and initiatives to assist senior citizens with staying in their own homes. He was defeated all three occasions. Esposito also ran for North York City Council in a 1984 by-election, held in the city's first ward.
In 1988, Esposito campaigned for the York Regional Council as a Vaughan representative. He was listed as the fifty-year-old president of a house-building firm, and as being fluent in English, Italian and Spanish. He renewed his support for lower property taxes and increased day care options, also calling for low-density affordable housing while opposing townhouses and highrise projects. He was again defeated.
Esposito's final municipal campaign to date was in 1991, when he sought election to Vaughan Council's first ward. He was listed as a resident of Woodbridge, and a part-time real estate agent. He called for increased recycling services.
Electoral record :
| Election | Division | Party | Votes | % | Place | Winner |
| 1980 North York municipal | Board of Control | n/a | 17,643 | | 7/9 | top four candidates elected |
| 1981 provincial | Yorkview | Independent | 798 | | 4/7 | Michael Spensieri, Liberal |
| 1982 North York municipal | Board of Control | n/a | 19,818 | | 6/11 | top four candidates elected |
| 12 November 1984 North York municipal by-election | Council, Ward One | n/a | not listed | | not listed | Mario Sergio |
| 1985 North York municipal | Board of Control | n/a | 21,365 | 6.18 | 6/13 | top four candidates elected |
| 1988 Vaughan municipal | Regional Council | n/a | 3,820 | | 5/5 | Michael Di Biase and David Chapley |
| 1991 Vaughan municipal | Council, Ward One | n/a | 1303 | | 2/2 | Peter Meffe |
* The 1980 result is taken from the Toronto Star newspaper, with 1,257 of 1,379 polls reporting.
* The 1982 result is taken from the Globe and Mail (8 November) newspaper, with 1,311 or 1,329 polls reporting.
* The 1985 result is taken from the Globe and Mail newspaper (13 November).
* The 1988 result is taken from the Toronto Star newspaper (22 November).
* The 1991 result is taken from the Globe and Mail newspaper (14 November).

## Footnotes

* ↑ Kevin Scanlon, "Meet Fish party a hit for rival", Toronto Star, 11 March 1981, A6.
* ↑ Marina Strauss, "Hopefuls want end to chaos in North York", Globe and Mail, 30 October 1980, P4.
* ↑ Warren Potter, "Civic election deposits urged to weed jokers", Toronto Star, 22 October 1980, A20.
* ↑ Denys Horgan, "Greene bid shakes North York", Globe and Mail, 2 November 1982, P4.
* ↑ Dyanne Rivers, "Traffic an issue in controllers' race", Globe and Mail, 6 November 1985, A16.
* ↑ "Vaughan", Toronto Star, 8 November 1988, N9.
* ↑ "Vaughan", Toronto Star, 7 November 1991, NY2.