Background
Blair was born to the descendents of Scottish immigrants to Canada in the town of West Zorra in Oxford County, Ontario and grew up on his parents" dairy farm, the eldest of eight children.
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Willis Blair
Edit ProfileEducation
After the war he attended the University of Toronto where he became president of the campus Progressive Conservative club
Career
During World World War II he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force serving on home soil as a mechanic and test pilot. After graduating he worked for Canada Life as an insurance broker. Blair became involved in municipal politics and was elected an alderman on East York"s town council in 1958 and would serve on council for 18 years.
He was elected mayor of what was by then the borough of East York in the 1972 municipal election, succeeding True Davidson, and took office on January 1, 1973.
Blair was re-elected to a second two year term in 1974 but resigned in 1976 to accept an appointment to the Ontario Municipal Board. During his term as mayor, he was instrumental in East York becoming host city for the first World Junior Curling Championships in 1975.
Blair also served on Metropolitan Toronto Council from 1967 to 1976. In the late 1970s, Blair was appointed by the provincial government of Bill Davis to head a commission examining how property tax rates should be set.
He was then appointed to serve as the chair of the Liquor Licensing Board of Ontario from 1981 to 1986.
Achievements
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Born
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Died
April 5, 2014 (aged 91) -
Nationality
Canada -
Political Party
Conservative