Bernie Wolfe, former deputy mayor and longtime councillor, dies at 91

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This article was published 06/11/2014 (4225 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former Winnipeg deputy mayor and city councillor Bernie Wolfe has died at age 91.

Wolfe was deputy mayor from 1971 to 1977. He served on both Metro Winnipeg and Winnipeg city councils from 1960 to 1978.

Winnipeg has a school and swimming pool named after him.

Jim Carr, Liberal candidate for the federal riding of Winnipeg South Centre and the former head of the Manitoba Business Council, tweeted about Wolfe’s passing Thursday.

“Bernie Wolfe was passionate about his city and country. We have lost a model citizen and public servant. Deepest condolences to family and friends,” Carr wrote.

Former city councillor Mike O’Shaughnessy covered Wolfe as a Free Press reporter and also served with him on city council.

He described Wolfe as “very bright” and “very forward.”

“He was no shrinking violet. He called them as he saw them. When he was in a debate he went for the jugular.”

Wolfe endorsed mayoral candidate Judy Wasylycia-Leis in the 2010 civic election against Sam Katz.

He was a founding member and president of Heritage Winnipeg and played a major role in gaining heritage status for many of the City of Winnipeg’s Exchange buildings constructed during the early 1900s.

Cindy Tugwell, executive director of Heritage Winnipeg, was lavish in her praise of Wolfe.

“He was very much a mentor,” she said.

Tugwell said Wolfe’s experience with dealing with government was very helpful for her and he helped teach her “how to be a team player and work with government.”

“His passion for the city stood out. He loved Winnipeg and loved serving people.”

In 2006, Wolfe was an outspoken critic of a proposed hog-processing plant in the St. Boniface Industrial Park.

OlyWest, a consortium of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec hog producers and processors, wanted to build a $200-million hog-processing and rendering plant in the park that would bring 1,100 jobs to Winnipeg.

The plant was later built in Neepawa.

“This is not the kind of industry to have in the park. You can’t just chase after dollars,” Wolfe told the Free Press at the time.

An 2010 article in the Free Press said during part of the 1970s “the deputy mayor was the most powerful elected official at city hall.”

“For most of that period, the job was held by Bernie Wolfe, who some would argue was the real mayor of Winnipeg, and not his rival, the charismatic and mercurial Steve Juba.”

During the 1960s, Wolfe was a councillor on the Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg, which was responsible for regional planning and improvements.

According to the 2010 Free Press article, Wolfe asked then-premier Duff Roblin to implement a one per cent sales tax to help fund city operations. Wolfe said Roblin agreed, but kept the money for the province.

Wolfe was critical of over-reliance on property taxes.

“The size of a person’s roof doesn’t reflect ability to pay,” Wolfe told the Free Press, explaining property taxes are regressive and antiquated. Property taxes should pay for services to property, such as garbage collection, sewer and water, and fire and police protection. But services to people, such as parks and recreation, community clubs, transit and regional streets and freeways, should be funded through income taxes or some other method that reflects ability to pay, he said.

Wolfe’s trademark was his black horn-rimmed thick glasses — his poor vision prevented him from actively serving in the Canadian military in the Second World War.

In 1960, Wolfe was a founding member and councillor of the Metropolitan Corporation, the body which helped shape the development of the city prior to the amalgamation in 1971 into Unicity, bringing together the 12 surrounding cities and adjacent rural municipalities into what is now the city of Winnipeg.

He was a driving force behind the decision to build the Convention Centre as a site to showcase trade shows, concerts and sporting events. Wolfe fought for major projects in Transcona and adjacent districts, including the construction of the Nairn Avenue overpass, which helped solved major congestion linked to the previous level crossing across the rail yard, and also the creation of Lagimodiere Boulevard as a major artery for north-south traffic. He also lobbied, along with St. Boniface MP Joe Guay, for the creation of the Revenue Canada centre in the east of the city and the Royal Canadian Mint.

As a long-serving school trustee, he helped oversee the construction of major schools in his home area — including Murdoch McKay, Transcona and Springfield collegiates.

Wolfe also served as commissioner for the Canadian Transport Commission, adopting decisions that led to major changes in transportation — particularly rail relocation in Regina.