True Davidson was born in Hudson, Quebec, the daughter of a Methodist minister.
37 Facts About True Davidson
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True Davidson was educated at the University of Toronto and then worked as a teacher.
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True Davidson worked as a writer, editing a 12-volume compendium of Canadiana by William Perkins Bull.
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True Davidson became a school trustee in 1947 and later chair of the school board.
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True Davidson stayed on as mayor for six years until she retired in 1972.
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True Davidson ran twice as a candidate for the party losing both times.
7.
True Davidson left the party after the CCF merged with the Canadian Labour Congress to form the New Democratic Party of Canada.
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True Davidson's father, John Wilson Davidson was a Methodist minister.
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True Davidson earned her BA there and then went to the Regina Normal School where she obtained a teaching certificate.
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True Davidson taught English and History in Strasbourg, Saskatchewan and Brandon, Manitoba.
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True Davidson was the first female publishing sales representative in Canada.
12.
True Davidson was replacing someone who had gone overseas to fight in World War II.
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True Davidson ran for the CCF in the 1953 federal election in the riding of York East coming third behind Robert McGregor.
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True Davidson ran provincially in the 1955 Ontario election against Hollis Beckett, again with a poor showing.
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True Davidson became concerned with the direction of the party, especially after the disastrous results of the 1951 provincial election.
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True Davidson felt that the party was moving away from grassroots volunteers who discussed social issues with voters and was more concerned with fundraising and member recruitment.
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In 1954 True Davidson walked out of a party conference that called for parties in municipal politics.
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True Davidson felt that party politics should stay out of local councils.
19.
True Davidson moved to East York in 1947 after the death of her mother.
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True Davidson established a neighbourhood kindergarten which led to her being elected as a school trustee in 1948.
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True Davidson was a dedicated politician, often attending community meetings, up to 40 per month.
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True Davidson was a formidable debater, with an abrupt and abrasive style that annoyed her fellow council members.
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In 1966, East York was amalgamated with the Town of Leaside, and True Davidson found herself pitted against Leaside mayor Beth Ne n in an election dubbed the "Battle of the Belles" to become the first mayor of the newly amalgamated Borough of East York.
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True Davidson's goal was the restoration of Todmorden Mills as a heritage museum.
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True Davidson started and served as the first director of the East York Foundation in 1966, which was created with a goal of preserving cultural holdings and artifacts.
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True Davidson replied that he still had plenty of hide left to spare.
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True Davidson was a thorn in the flesh of the smooth men at Metro.
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True Davidson was nominated as the Liberal candidate in the riding of York East.
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True Davidson said she ran because she was frustrated by the way the Conservative government was treating municipalities.
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True Davidson lost badly to the Conservative incumbent Arthur Meen.
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True Davidson continued to remain involved by writing a twice-weekly column on local affairs for the Toronto Sun.
32.
True Davidson wrote occasionally for the Toronto Star and provided commentaries for CBC Radio.
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True Davidson continued to serve as a member of the Metro Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
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True Davidson used some of her free time to travel to Europe and Australia.
35.
True Davidson was diagnosed with cancer and died at Toronto East General Hospital on 18 September 1978.
36.
True Davidson was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1973, received the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 1977 and, just before her death in 1978, was awarded an honorary doctorate from York University, where she had recently enrolled as a doctoral student in Canadian literature.
37.
In 1999 the East York Community Council named one of the new streets of the development "True Davidson Drive" in honour of her impact on the area.