John’s career has been distinguished by accomplishments in business, law and politics.

 

John was born on January 4, 1955 in Revelstoke, British Columbia. He is the fifth of seven

children of Italian immigrant parents. His family moved from British Columbia to Toronto in

April 1963. He attended grade school at Regal Road Public School and Rockcliffe Senior Public.

 

John attended high school at Runnymede Collegiate Institute in Toronto where he was elected President of the Student Council in 1973. He was awarded the W.E.H. Cross trophy for his leadership while at Runnymede. In 2002 he was inducted into the Runnymede Collegiate Hall of Fame.

 

John graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Political Science in 1977. John went on to earn his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1980. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1982.  Upon graduation he established the law firm of Nunziata, Anand & Levy. John is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada.

 

In 1978, at the age of 23 and while still a law student, John was first elected to public office. He served two terms as a City Councillor.

 

John was first elected to the House of Commons on September 4, 1984. He was subsequently re-elected three times, serving a total of 16 years as the Member of Parliament for York South-Weston in Toronto’s west end.

 

On June 2, 1997 John made political history and was re-elected as the only independent MP in Canada, a distinction achieved by only a few individuals since Confederation.

 

While in Parliament John served as Opposition Critic for the Solicitor General and on the Justice Committee from 1984 to 1992. John also served as the Opposition Critic for Employment from January 1992 to November 1992. He was chairman of the Canada-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group and headed a Caucus Task Force on Pearson International Airport.

 

John served passionately on the Justice Committee as a champion for the rights of victims, and introduced many Private Members Bills including those to repeal the “faint hope clause” of the Criminal Code and to improve the Young Offenders Act.

 

John has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Borough of York Civic Merit Award (1974), the George Syme and Harwood Ratepayer’s “Citizen of the Year Award” (1980) and the Canada 125 Medal (1992).

 

In 2001 John joined Mandrake, a leading Toronto-based consulting and executive search firm, as Vice President. While at Mandrake John was instrumental in launching Mandrake’s successful new business Nex Career Management, a leading Canadian career planning and outplacement agency.

 

An effective communicator and with an in depth knowledge of the political process, John is also a regular media commentator on legal and political matters.

 

In 2004, together with former MP’s Deb Grey, Patrick Gagnon and Val Meredith, John launched the Parliamentary Group, a national government relations firm consisting solely of former parliamentarians.

 

As well as being a government relations consultant John practices law in the City of Toronto.

 

John has three children Patrick, Lauren & Matthew.