JAKARTA – Olivia Chow vowed to support tenants, fight for social causes and curb any excessive power in her office, when she on Monday became the first Canadian of Chinese descent to be elected mayor of Toronto, Canada.

“I will dedicate myself to working tirelessly to build a more united, more affordable and safer city, where everyone can live,” Chow told his supporters in his victory speech, according to Reuters June 27.

Chow received 37.2 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results, ahead of his closest rival Ana Bailao, a former deputy mayor.

“Thank you Toronto!” he tweeted.

Chow (66) will be the first woman to become mayor, since Barbara Hall in 1997. She had already run for mayor in 2014, but then only finished third.

Since the start of the campaign, Chow has been well ahead of his rivals in opinion polls. Tory supported his former deputy, Bailao, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford supported former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders.

Ford praised Chow, saying he was willing to work with anyone who was willing to “work with our government to improve our city and our province.”

A prominent voice in progressive politics, Chow's campaign draws on her record as a former MP in Ottawa and as a member of Toronto City Council, as well as the historic connections established by her late husband, former leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and the leader of the federal opposition, Jack Layton.

Chow will lead Canada's financial capital at a time when rising housing costs and increasing violent attacks on public transit have led to calls for more action from police.

Chow has pledged to build 25,000 government-controlled housing units over eight years to cope with rising rents.

Born in Hong Kong, Chow emigrated to Canada at the age of 13. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Guelph.

Chow will replace John Tory who resigned after winning his third election last October.

Tory left office in February after admitting to having an affair with a member of his staff while he was married.

Tag: Canadian international policy