Roy Donaldson (February 14, 1911 – August 13, 1977) was a Canadian politician. He served as an alderman on Ottawa City Council from 1945 to 1948 and as a controller on the Ottawa Board of Control from 1953 to 1956. He unsuccessfully ran for Mayor of Ottawa in the 1958 mayoral election. As an alderman, he was responsible for designating certain movies as "adult" and the establishment of the city's first wading pool at Strathcona Park. While serving on the city's Board of Control, his appointment by Mayor Charlotte Whitton to chair the playground committee "caused a stir among alderman, who felt their powers were being usurped". On the board, he often butted heads with Whitton.
Early life Donaldson was born in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, the son of Edmond Donaldson and Irene Theriault. The family moved to Ottawa when he was one year old. In his youth, Donaldson had worked as a page boy at the Canadian House of Commons, and the Senate.
Donaldson began work with the civil service in 1930, working in the Administrative and Accounting Branch of the Department of Labour's Unemployment Relief Commission. He worked in the Department of Labour for 11 years before he was transferred to the equipment and aeronautical branch of the Royal Canadian Air Force (part of the Department of National Defence) for six years during World War II. He retired from the federal government in 1947, starting his own import-export business. He later became a manager for at Red Line Chemicals of Canada Ltd. Donaldson was a member of the Council of the Ottawa Junior Board of Trade, the Civil Service Association, and was one of the original members of the RA (Recreation Association of the Public Service of Canada). Later in life, he was a public relations representative for several industrial firms.
Aldermanic career 1944–1946 Donaldson ran in the 1944 municipal election in St. George's Ward, running on a platform of appointing a full-time director of sports and recreation, and construction of a bridge across the Rideau Canal. The two-seat ward only had one incumbent, Arthur Pinard, as H. H. Taylor had retired. On election day, he won 1,504 votes, getting elected to the ward's second seat, winning 210 more than the third place candidate, James W. Jefferson. Following his election, he was appointed to the city's Old Age Pensions Board, and the city's Tree and Street Railway committees. In 1946, he helped form a winter carnival in his Sandy Hill neighbourhood, and was named the chairman of the committee in its charge. On council, he opposed allowing people to exchange houses and apartments, suggesting that it would create a hardship on people without housing in Ottawa, as he believed it favoured people moving into the city at the expense of Ottawans. He also believed inflationary assessments had prevented the construction of homes in the city. He also asked council to "take steps to ensure... cleaning up of untidy conditions at [the] By Ward Market." In terms of local traffic, he came out against a report to the city's traffic committee, suggesting the committee did not allow a complete survey of the city's traffic problems. He also came out against a suggestion that school crossing protection "might have to be curtailed", stating "[t]he safety ... of our school children is ... equally [as] important as ... of adult citizens". He ruffled feathers on the city's playgrounds committee when he suggested a playground in Sandy Hill was in a "state of abandonment", as those on the committee stated that it "had more [amenities] than any [other playground] in the city".
1946–1948 On November 20, 1946, Donaldson registered to run for re-election in the 1946 municipal election. On election day, he was re-elected in St. George's, this time, topping the poll, with 1,695 votes, over 300 more than his seatmate, Arthur Pinard, who finished third, losing his seat. Following his election, Donaldson was appointed to the Old Age Pensions Board, and the Street Railway and Smoke committees. During the 1947–48 term, he raised concerns over 'nuisances' he expected to come as a result of a new apartment complex in his ward, which he did admit would still help to relieve the city's housing shortage. As a member of the city's street railway committee, he came out against suggestions that the city's street car system "are as good as any on the continent", and stated that streetcars "belong to another era and are entirely obsolete... Buses are far more flexible and can be routed to far greater advantage around any traffic obstruction". Adding to his opposition to streetcars, he complained to the city's traffic committee about streetcars parked on Cobourg Street in his ward, as it "created considerable annoyance for residents and others using the street, and seriously impeded the flow of traffic". In September 1947, he was criticized by council for being concerned about the Bayview garbage dump's close proximity to the Lemieux Island filtration plant. Critics pointed out that Ottawa had the "finest water supply on the North American continent" and that the dump was down river half a mile from the plant. In December 1947, he filed a motion at council asking that the Board of Control do a survey of the system of numbering buildings in the city, and associated road signage. In January 1948, he requested a police constable be assigned to the intersection of Laurier Avenue and Nicholas Street during rush hour, but was rejected by the city's traffic committee. In March, he advocated for more "through streets" in Sandy Hill, as Range Road and Nicholas Street were being used by heavy vehicles to access Rideau Street, and residents were complaining about the traffic. In June, he asked council for the playgrounds commissioner be authorized to "negotiated and provide and out-of-town camp for playground use" during the summer, which he believed would "contribute materially to the health of Ottawa children.
Controller bids Heading into the 1948 municipal elections, Donaldson was rumoured as a possible candidate for the city's Board of Control, and by mid-October had been confirmed as a candidate. During the campaign, he came out in favour of bi-weekly garbage collection. He came out with a "four-point program", advocating "protection of the taxpayer's dollar, furthering of a youth program, emphasis on leadership and planning, and the effecting of 'drastic civic economy'". He also came out against annexing surrounding areas into the city, stating "we have no right to usurp the property of others". He also opposed building a new bridge over the Rideau Canal, which he believed would not remove the city's "traffic bottleneck" and would "dump traffic into Sandy Hill". On election day, Donaldson won 14,948 votes city-wide, placing sixth in the four seat race, nearly 3,000 votes behind fourth place C. E. Pickering. He did manage to win one ward however, in his home of St. George's.
In 1949, Donaldson was approached by Progressive Conservative Party of Canada and Independent groups to run in Ottawa East in the 1949 Canadian federal election, but declined their offers, saying he was committed to municipal politics.
On October 13, 1950, Donaldson confirmed that he was running for Ottawa's Board of Control once again in the 1950 municipal election. During the campaign, Donaldson complained that "[t]he past two years have been two of the worst in the city's administration... [t]here has been disunity, lack of leadership, a failure to accomplish anything". He also called the four members of the Board "babies", for doing "everything behind closed doors", refusing to "come out and play with... council". While campaigning he wore an emblem of a diaper and safety pin on his lapel to symbolize his view of the board. He promised that if elected, he would propose a by-law forbidding controllers from being on the executive of any outside board, believing it to be a full time job. One big issue during the election was the recent annexation of parts of Nepean and Gloucester Townships into the city. Donaldson believed residents of the newly annexed areas should not have to pay full taxes until they received full services. On election day, he again finished in sixth place, winning 20,180 votes, over 4,000 votes behind Paul Tardif, who won the fourth Board spot. This time, Donaldson dropped to third place in his home ward of St. George's, but finished second in By and Ottawa Wards.
Board of Control 1952 campaign On October 24, 1952, Donaldson announced he would try yet again to run for a spot on the city's Board of Control in the 1952 municipal elections, saying "[t]his time I believe I will make it". His platform was stated as "commonsense and co-operation in civic administration". During the campaign, he was the only controller candidate who came out in favour of Sunday sports, which was on the ballot as a referendum. He also promised "[i]mprovements in creation facilities and careful consideration of all civic business". On election day, he placed third on the four seat board, finally getting elected, winning 32,295 votes city-wide. He didn't place first in any ward, but he did finish second in Wards 2 (By) and 3 (St. George's). His win was credited to his extensive campaigning, including "buttonholing" people on Sparks Street, and "appearing at all kinds of meetings". Following his election, he was appointed to the Firemen's Superannuation and Civil Emergency Committee. On the Board of Control, he was given the fire department, markets and "office re-organization" portfolios. It was believed that Donaldson was disappointed over his "hodge-podge" of portfolios. He was added to the city's municipal recreation committee in February 1953, of which he was named chair. That same month, he was named liaison officer between the federal and civic planning committees in order to prepare for local celebrations of the Coronation of Elizabeth II. Donaldson later announced that for the coronation celebrations, he was going to wear $300 (over $3,400 in 2024 dollars) worth of "accoutrements" for the coronation. For the "going away tea" held to celebrate mayor Charlotte Whitton and her secretary's departure for the Coronation, Donaldson ended up wearing knife-edged grey trousers, a black director's coat, stiff collar and a maroon waistcoat with lapels.
1953–1954 In his first term, he called on streets to be repaved every 25 years. In April 1953, a youth attempted to kick Donaldson in the stomach, and was charged for disorderly conduct after Donaldson was able to single him out at a local restaurant. In August 1953, he travelled to Hamilton, Ontario, with three others on a fact finding tour and provided advice about the location of farmers' markets. The trip was controversial, as the board was divided on whether or not it had authorized it. In September 1953, he complained to the Board about the "poor condition" of Montreal Road, suggesting it was "preventing tourists from visiting" the city. That month, he also called for a meeting to look into building a new football stadium for high school teams. In November, Donaldson complained about the city's "piecemeal planning" which was preventing the city from becoming a "proud national capital", highlighting the construction of the Mackenzie King Bridge which he called a "white elephant". In December, he "blasted" city council for refusing construction of a gym at Riverview Public School, which was requested by the Riverview Park Property Owners' Association.