Politics
Gray served as a Councillor for both the City of Oshawa and the Regional Municipality of Durham for nine years prior to being elected as Mayor in November 2003. The 2003 election was a benchmark for Gray - not only had he unseated a four term mayor (Nancy Diamond), but he had also pulled in more than 40% of the vote in a 5 candidate race.
Gray was re-elected for a second term on November 13, 2006 with a sweeping majority. He was later defeated by local businessman, John Henry on October 25, 2010.
Upon leaving the mayor's office in December 2010, Gray collected a severance payment of $110,821. Severance payments are made to all politicians who serve two or more consecutive terms. In January 2011 Gray had accepted employment as a solar energy consultant, and subsequently as a municipal project management consultant.
Read more about this topic: John Gray (Oshawa Politician)
Famous quotes containing the word politics:
“The real grounds of difference upon important political questions no longer correspond with party lines.... Politics is no longer the topic of this country. Its important questions are settled... Great minds hereafter are to be employed on other matters.... Government no longer has its ancient importance.... The people’s progress, progress of every sort, no longer depends on government. But enough of politics. Henceforth I am out more than ever.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
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