James Pasternak

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Canadian politician

title: "James Pasternak" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1959-births", "jewish-canadian-politicians", "living-people", "toronto-district-school-board-trustees", "toronto-city-councillors", "alumni-of-the-london-school-of-economics", "university-of-western-ontario-alumni", "york-university-alumni", "21st-century-canadian-municipal-councillors"] description: "Canadian politician" topic_path: "economics" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Pasternak" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Canadian politician ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

FieldValue
nameJames Pasternak
imageJames Pasternak portrait, 2010 (S2311 fl3158 it0001).jpg
captionPasternak in 2010
officeToronto City Councillor
for Ward 6 York Centre
term_startDecember 1, 2018
predecessorWard created
office1Toronto City Councillor
for Ward 10 York Centre
term_start1December 1, 2010
term_end1November 3, 2018
predecessor1Mike Feldman
successor1Ward dissolved
office2Toronto District School Board Trustee
for Ward 5 York Centre
term_start2December 1, 2006
term_end2November 30, 2010
predecessor2Shane Manikowsky
successor2Howard Kaplan
birth_date
birth_placeToronto, Ontario, Canada
occupationPolitician
::

| name = James Pasternak | image = James Pasternak portrait, 2010 (S2311 fl3158 it0001).jpg | imagesize = | caption = Pasternak in 2010 | office = Toronto City Councillor for Ward 6 York Centre | term_start = December 1, 2018 | term_end = | predecessor = Ward created | successor = | office1 = Toronto City Councillor for Ward 10 York Centre | term_start1 = December 1, 2010 | term_end1 = November 3, 2018 | predecessor1 = Mike Feldman | successor1 = Ward dissolved | office2 = Toronto District School Board Trustee for Ward 5 York Centre | term_start2 = December 1, 2006 | term_end2 = November 30, 2010 | predecessor2 = Shane Manikowsky | successor2 = Howard Kaplan | birth_date = | birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada | occupation = Politician James Pasternak ( ; born February 15, 1959) is a Canadian politician who represents Ward 6 York Centre on the Toronto City Council. Pasternak has served on council since he was elected in 2010, representing Ward 10 (later amalgamated into Ward 6). He was a Toronto District School Board trustee before his election to council.

Background

Pasternak is a graduate of York University. He also has degrees from the University of Western Ontario and the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a devout Jew.

Political career

Pasternak was elected to Toronto City Council in the 2010 city council election to succeed Mike Feldman in Ward 10. He was previously a Toronto District School Board trustee.

In 2012, Pasternak introduced a motion that asked City Manager Joe Pennachetti to update Toronto's anti-discrimination policy and to determine whether including Queers Against Israeli Apartheid in Pride events violated the policy. Pasternak believes "QuAIA is not there to support the Palestinian people; it’s there to bully and demonize Israel, its supporters and the Jewish community." The following year, in 2013, Pasternak continued to lead the effort to defund Toronto Pride over the use of the term Israel apartheid by its participating members.

In July 2025, he called on the Canadian government to ban Irish hip hop band Kneecap from entering Canada. In November 2025, Pasternak attended a briefing in Israel by Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel while on a trip sponsored by the Israeli government.

Election results

::data[format=table]

CandidateVotesVote shareTotal16,574
James Pasternak12,18773.54%
Mike Arkin1,91611.6%
Hope Schrier1,2927.8%
Basil Canning1,1797.1%
Source: City of Toronto
::

::data[format=table]

CandidateVotesVote shareTotal24,279
James Pasternak11,55947.61%
Maria Augimeri9,22337.99%
Louise Russo2,72611.23%
Edward Zaretsky7713.17%
Source: City of Toronto
::

::data[format=table] | Candidate | Votes | % | Total||align=right| 19,353 ||align=right| 100% | |---|---|---|---| | James Pasternak | 11,183 | 57.78% | | | Igor Toutchinski | 3,112 | 16.08% | | | Epstein David | 2,126 | 10.99% | | | Mitchell Michael | 1,096 | 5.66% | | | Bucao Randy | 1,040 | 5.37% | | | Masucci Liberato | 796 | 4.11% | | ::

::data[format=table] | Candidate | Votes | % | Total||align=right| 16,491 ||align=right| 100% | |---|---|---|---| | James Pasternak | 3,159 | 19.15% | | | Nancy Oomen | 2,777 | 16.83% | | | Brian Shifman | 2,632 | 15.96% | | | Igor Toutchinski | 2,605 | 15.79% | | | Konstantin Toubis | 1,887 | 11.44% | | | Magda Gondor Berkovits | 935 | 5.67% | | | Jarred Friedman | 850 | 5.15% | | | Joseph Cohen | 535 | 3.24% | | | Eric Plant | 355 | 2.15% | | | Edward Zaretsky | 326 | 1.97% | | | Robert Freedland | 244 | 1.48% | | | Drago Banovic | 186 | 1.12% | | ::

::data[format=table] | Candidate | Votes | % | Total||align=right| 9,972 ||align=right| 100% | |---|---|---|---| | James Pasternak | 6,210 | 62.27% | | | Mitchell Worsoff | 1,940 | 19.45% | | | Donna Khaner | 1,077 | 10.80% | | | Frank Bonavota | 745 | 7.48% | | ::

References

References

  1. [https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=682830023&v=info "James Pasternak Official Facebook Page"] ''[[Toronto Star]]'', November 22, 2010.
  2. "James Pasternak's Official Campaign Site".
  3. [https://nowtoronto.com/news/ford-allies-refuse-to-move-meeting-from-jewish-holiday/ Ford allies refuse to move meeting from Jewish holiday]
  4. [https://www.thestar.com/news/elections/article/881076--changed-council-faces-new-mayor "Changed council faces new mayor"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', October 25, 2010.
  5. [http://www.jewishtribune.ca/news/2012/05/29/make-pride-parade-funding-contingent-on-non-participation-of-quaia-pasternak-says Make Pride Parade funding contingent on non-participation of QuAIA, Pasternak says] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-03-10 , MAY 29, 2012, Jewish Tribune)
  6. [http://www.jewishtribune.ca/news/2012/06/11/%E2%80%98israeli-apartheid%E2%80%99-out-but-quaia-in-and-funded Israeli Apartheid out, QuAIA in – and funded] {{Webarchive. link. (2012-06-20 , June 11, 2012, Jewish Tribune.)
  7. (March 19, 2013). "Council delays report on 'Israeli apartheid'". Xtra.
  8. (July 23, 2025). "City councillor calls on Canada to bar band Kneecap from entering country".
  9. Mannie, Kathryn. (December 17, 2025). "Toronto councillors’ trip to Israel was sponsored by Israeli government".
  10. "Declaration of Results for the Toronto Municipal Election". Toronto City Clerk's Office.
  11. "Declaration of Results". Toronto City Clerk's Office.
  12. "City of Toronto elections results 2014".
  13. [http://election.toronto.ca/epr/textlist.html City of Toronto elections page] {{webarchive. link. (2010-10-26)
  14. "Wayback Machine".

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1959-birthsjewish-canadian-politiciansliving-peopletoronto-district-school-board-trusteestoronto-city-councillorsalumni-of-the-london-school-of-economicsuniversity-of-western-ontario-alumniyork-university-alumni21st-century-canadian-municipal-councillors