Bert Weeks
| Bert Weeks | |
|---|---|
| 28th Mayor of Windsor, Ontario | |
|
In office 1975–1982 |
|
| Preceded by | Frank Wansbrough |
| Succeeded by | Elizabeth Kishkon |
| Constituency | Windsor, Ontario |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 1, 1917 Montreal, Quebec |
| Died | December 10, 1990 Windsor, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | NDP |
| Spouse(s) | Sheila Ruth Marshall Weeks; Sheelagh Beneteau Weeks |
| Children | 6 and 2 step children |
| Profession | politician, business owner, watch repairman |
Albert Howard "Bert" Weeks (July, 1 1917 - Dec. 10, 1990) was the 28th mayor of the city of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, from 1975 to 1982 and considered by many to be its best in recent memory. Previously, he had been a perennial candidate for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and its successor, the New Democratic Party (NDP), in the Windsor area. He ran 22 times (at the municipal, provincial and federal levels) between the 1950s and 1980s, winning 12 times. It was during a 1974 November blizzard that stretched the voting into second day and night that Weeks upset then mayor Frank Wansbrough to first become mayor. He went on to serve two more terms (the last by acclimation). During his first term, he successfully advocated to change the term length from two to three years as he felt mayors would be more productive with three-year terms. He is remembered for advocating for public green space in the city of Windsor and spearheaded the formation of 9 parks including the Gnatchio Trail, Peche Island, Ojibway Prairie Grass Reserve, Malden Park, as well as the beautification of Windsor's waterfront along the Detroit River. He was also an avid gardener.
He was born in Montreal and moved to Windsor in 1946 with his wife Sheila and two-year-old twin daughters. Four other children were born in Windsor. He ran a watch repair and jewellery business.
Frustrated with blatant illegal activities in Windsor, Weeks organized the Citizens Action Committee shortly after moving to Windsor in 1946 to look into police inaction "after hearing that people were being beaten up and disappearing" [Windsor Star, Dec. 11/90]. He later collected information on corruption in the Windsor police force and provided it to the Ontario Provincial Police, but had to do so in Detroit in order to ensure his safety. At his wife's insistence, he armed himself with a large screwdriver figuring if he was questioned at the Windsor/Detroit border, "I could always way I was going to fix a clock" [Windsor Star, Dec. 11/90]. This led to a report from the provincial Attorney General Dana Porter in 1950 which was critical of the Windsor police force. Two members of the police commission resigned and later the police chief and deputy chief also resigned. Although mayor Reaume denied any knowledge of the situation, as the third member of the police commission, his reputation was tarnished as well. Weeks was elected to Windsor city council in 1954 and 1965.
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