Eddie Francis
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| Image:Efrancis.jpg | ||
| Rank: | 33rd Mayor | |
|---|---|---|
| Term of Office: | December 1, 2003–Present | |
| Predecessor: | Michael D. Hurst | |
| Successor: | incumbent | |
| Date of Birth: | 1974 | |
| Place of Birth: | Windsor, Ontario | |
| Spouse: | Michelle Prince | |
| Profession: | Lawyer | |
| Political affiliations: | ||
Eddie Francis (born May, 1974) is the current mayor of Windsor, Ontario. When he was born, his family had just arrived from Lebanon. The mayor speaks fluent English, French and Arabic. He was just 29 years old when he was elected as mayor, the youngest mayor in the city of Windsor's history. Mayor Francis was first elected to Windsor City Council in a by-election in June, 1999. He became the youngest city councillor in Windsor's history when he was chosen to represent Ward 5 (Riverside / Forest Glade) at the age of 25. In the November 2000 general election, Mayor Francis was re-elected to his Ward 5 seat with the largest majority ever recorded. As an active member of City Council, Mayor Francis was involved in many of the city's major committees, agencies and boards. He held the positions of Director of the Windsor Canada Utilities, member of the Windsor Tunnel Commission, Chair of the Windsor Licensing Commission and Chair of the International Relations Committee.
Prior to entering politics, Mayor Francis, along with his brothers, ran and operated Royal Pita Baking Company. Under their stewardship the "mom and pop" operation's distribution quickly grew to include London, Toronto and 12 US states. Mayor Francis is an alumnus of Notre Dame Elementary School and Holy Names High School, both in Windsor. While in high school, Mayor Francis was a major contributor to student life while participating in the Student Administrative Council, and held the office of student body President. He was the first President to start the Much Music Video Dance in Windsor.
In 2003, he was awarded the Windsor Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year for his work with Royal Pita.
Shortly after being elected to Windsor City Council in June 1999, Francis enrolled in the University of Windsor Law School. He graduated in 2002 and articled with the International Law Firm of Miller Canfield Paddock and Stone. Subsequently, Francis was called to the Bar of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Mayor Francis also holds a combined Honours Degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Western Ontario.
He is married to Michelle Prince, a Doctor of Chiropractic who has a family wellness practice in Windsor. Both Eddie and Michelle enjoy travelling and staying fit. They reside in East Riverside.
Eddie is running in the 2006 mayoral election as incumbent. His main competitor is a retired surgeon, Dr. David Wonham. There are two other candidates for the position, however neither of them have been reached for comment by the media.
An issue that has sparked much debate is the East-end Arena deal, which the council agreed upon in an 8-1 vote on October 4th, 2006. Critics argue that the need for an arena has been met by the township of Tecumseh, Ontario which is building an arena nearby. Furthermore, the details on the finances of the East-end project have been called into question, citing the PWR report which states that costs were understated by over 15 million dollars, while profits have been overstated by 2 million dollars.
