Frank D'Amico

Frank D'Amico is a politician in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He represented Ward 8 on city council between 1991 and 2003, and campaigned for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 1999 provincial election.

Early life and career

D'Amico was born in Hamilton, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Languages from McMaster University. He took additional courses at the University of Brussels in Belgium and the University of Grenoble in France, and completed a Master of Arts degree in Italian at the University of Toronto. In private life, he has been a credit analyst and personal banker for the Royal Bank in Toronto. ["Hamilton Spectator", 8 January 1992]

Municipal politician

D'Amico was 28 years old when he first ran for municipal office in 1991. He called for expanded business development in the city, supporting completion of the Red Hill Creek Expressway and endorsing public spending on a baseball stadium and park. The city media noted that his campaign was supported by members of the Liberal Party. ["Hamilton Spectator", 4 and 5 November 1991] He was elected, defeating incumbent Tom Murray for the second position in Ward 8. Immediately after the election, he was chosen as vice-chair of the city's finance committee ("Spectator", 18 December 1991). He later helped organize the "Yes" side in the national 1992 referendum on the Charlottetown Accord. ["Spectator", 28 October 1992]

D'Amico was re-elected in the 1994 municipal campaign, again finishing second in the two-member ward. He supported the amalgamation of Hamilton with neighbouring municipalities in the late 1990s, and also favoured a reduction in the number of councillors ("Spectator", 13 September 1997). He was re-elected atop the polls in 1997, and later served as planning committee chairman. ["Spectator", 30 January 1998]

The city of Hamilton was amalgamated in 2000, and new municipal elections were held for the united region. D'Amico campaigned for re-election in a new single-member ward against fellow councillor Duke O'Sullivan, and was easily returned. During the campaign, he supported calls to hire fifty new police constables for the city. ["Spectator", 26 October 2000] He retired from council in 2003. He attempted a comeback in 2006, but was unsuccessful.

Provincial and federal politics

D'Amico campaigned for the Ontario Liberal Party in Hamilton West in the 1999 provincial election, and finished third against New Democrat David Christopherson. He continued to serve on council after the loss.

D'Amico was an active supporter of Paul Martin's bid to succeed Jean Chrétien as party leader in 2003. ["Spectator", 27 November 2003] He reportedly considered running against Beth Phinney for the party nomination in Hamilton Mountain before the 2004 federal election, but an early cut-off date for nominations prevented him from organizing. ["Spectator", 11 February 2004]

References