Sydney Moscoe

Sydney (Syd) Moscoe is a lawyer and former politician in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He served on the North York Board of Education from 1962 to 1969, and later sought election to the North York City Council. He is not related to Toronto City Councillor Howard Moscoe.

Moscoe was born in Toronto, but spent most of his childhood in Kirkland Lake in Northern Ontario. [ [http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm.php?id=search_record_detail&lg=English&ex=00000248&rd=131721&hs=1&sy=itm&st=&ci=299 Kirkland Lake: A Jewish History] , Museum of Northern History at the Sir Harry Oakes Chateau, accessed 19 October 2006.] He was politically active in his youth, and was a member of the Ontario Liberal Party in 1951, when he was eighteen years old. [Dick Ryder, "North Ontario neglected too long by Queen's Pk., Walter Thomson says", "Toronto Star", 5 May 1991, 27.] He returned to Toronto in 1954.

Moscoe joined the North York Board of Education on March 26, 1962, when the other trustees nominated him to fill a vacancy in the board's fifth ward. ["Sydney Moscoe ...", "Toronto Star", 27 March 1962, 28. The newspaper report indicates that Moscoe received the position on his birthday.] He was re-elected in 1962, and was re-elected in 1964 and 1966. He opposed religious education in the public school system, and was endorsed by the Toronto Labor Council in 1962. ["Labor council endorses Summerville for Mayor", "Toronto Star", 2 November 1962, 22.] In 1968, Moscoe opposed a motion to have a separate school representative appointed to the board. ["North York trustees defeat separate school appointee", "Toronto Star", 4 January 1968, 23.] He was elected vice-chairman of the board in January 1969. ["North York education chief re-elected", "Toronto Star", 9 January 1969, 21.]

He did not seek re-election in 1969, following allegations of overspending on a retirement party for retiring director of education F.W. Minkler. ["659 demand three trustees quit over Minkler send-off", "Toronto Star", 12 August 1969, 25.] Moscoe and five other councillors were also criticized for taking an expenses-paid trip to Hawaii for the official purpose of studying Pacific music. ["Angry voters re-elect only 2 of 6 trustees who visited Hawaii", "Toronto Star", 2 December 1969, 9.] He campaigned for election to North York's Board of Control in 1972, and was narrowly defeated for the final position by first-time candidate Barbara Greene.

Sydney Moscoe attempted a political comeback in the 1982 municipal election, campaigning for North York's fourth council ward. This campaign was marked by some controversy, when incumbent councillor Howard Moscoe informed voters that the same thirteen nominees signed the nomination forms of Sydney Moscoe and rival candidate Eleanor Rosen. There was speculation that Sydney Moscoe's candidacy was an attempt confuse voters and siphon support from Howard Moscoe, although he denied this charge. ["Alderman cries foul", "Globe and Mail", 20 October 1982, P5.] Four of Sydney Moscoe's nominators stated in signed affidivats that they believed they were signing forms for Rosen. Sydney Moscoe argued that the four nominators had been pressured by Howard Moscoe's campaign into submitting their claims. A judge ruled that both Moscoes were legitimate candidates, citing insufficient evidence of duplicity. [Kathleen Kenna, "Two Moscoes still in running after court bid dismissed", "Toronto Star", 27 October 1982, A10.] Sydney Moscoe finished in fourth place, while Howard Moscoe was re-elected.

Sydney Moscoe launched a $200,000 libel claim against Howard Moscoe during the 1982 campaign for alleging that his candidacy was illegitimate. The claim was dismissed in 1983, on the grounds that it was improperly prepared. Moscoe said that he would re-file, although it is not clear from media reports if he actually did. ["'Vague' claim motion stalls alderman's suit", "Toronto Star", 24 March 1983, A6.]

A 1994 newspaper article identifies Moscoe as a lawyer in Thornhill. [Larry Sicinski, "No action in NHL but talks to resume", "Hamilton Spectator", 3 October 1994, C3.] Moscoe has served as secretary of the Canadian and Commonwealth Shipping Heritage Association, and is active with the The Harbord Club Foundation. [ [http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2003/20030308/html/miscel-e.html Canada Gazette, Vol. 137 no. 10 - March 8, 2003] , accessed 19 October 2006; [http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/general/sub.cfm?source=feature/yearofveteran05/yov_events/05_details&eventid=1761 Rededication of the First World War Monument, Veterans Affairs Canada] , accessed 19 October 2006.] In 1998, he helped organize the re-dedication of the Kirkland Lake Hebrew Cemetery. [ [http://www.cjnews.com/pastIssues/98/june25-98/front4.htm Frances Kraft, "Minyan sought for Kirkland Lake"] , "Canadian Jewish News", 25 June 1998.]

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