‘Canada’s longest serving councillor’ is retiring. A new book highlights his 49 years of service in Niagara

Joseph Kushner has collected plenty of nicknames during his nearly 50 years on council in St. Catharines, Ont. 

He’s been called Doctor No, Professor Negative, Frosty the No-man, and No Joe Kushner.

“I’ve been given this moniker and I’ve made no apologies for being frugal with your tax dollars,” Kushner told CBC Niagara. “I would spend taxpayer money as I would my own money.”

The 85-year-old says he is relinquishing those titles though at the upcoming municipal elections, retiring to care for his wife Yvette and deal with his own health issues, having once undergone brain tumour surgery. He will also retire as economics professor at Brock University. 

Coun. Matt Harris says Kushner’s fiscal conservatism and contribution to the community will be his legacy.

“One of the things that set Joe apart from everybody else: he didn’t automatically vote for shiny brand new things,” said Harris (who Kushner refers to as his “wardmate” as they both represent St. Andrew’s ward).

Marking his retirement, a second edition biography of Kushner’s life, Canada’s longest-serving councillor, has been published.

Co-author Wesley Turner remembers the day Kushner was first elected — Dec. 6, 1976 — but only recently realized his length of service was unsurpassed.

“I checked it and found yes … Joe is the longest who’s been a municipal councillor for now 50 years, which is a record in Canada,” said Turner, an historian who was previously a colleague of Kushner at Brock University.

That longevity merited recording Kushner’s story, Turner told CBC Niagara.

“I’ve written biographies, I’ve read biographies, I’ve taught biographies,” he said. “Here’s Joe with this record. Let’s get his biography done while he’s still alive.”

Serving under seven different mayors

Canada’s Longest Serving Councillor details Kushner’s career serving under seven different mayors.

The co-authors acknowledge just one point of disagreement from working on the biography: whether it needed photos.

“I really like photos because I can’t concentrate on the words like Wes,” said Kushner. 

“This is not a picture book,” Turner remembered thinking when the issue of photos was raised.

Kushner said Turner’s wife eventually convinced him that illustrations would enhance the book. By way of compromise they were relegated to an appendix.

Those photos include one of a young Kushner playing the accordion. He recalled he was using the instrument to train his German Shepherds to sing.

Lover of animals, antique telephones and cabbage rolls

While Kushner’s lengthy service record is well-known, there is much more to know about the man, according to Coun. Harris.

“It’s amazing to me how many wonderful things he does for the community that people don’t know about,” he said.

Kushner’s love of animals is recognised by “The Kushner Cat Corner” at the Humane Society of Greater Niagara, where he is a longtime volunteer board director.

But for those who know him, he’s more of a rabbit-lover, specifically the Flemish giant kind.

Kushner also collects antique telephones and enjoys recounting information on the Second World War: interests that collide when he displays a hand-cranked telephone magneto mounted on his basement wall.

Every Thursday and Friday, Kushner can be found one of the first in line to buy his family homemade pierogies at St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic church.

“I shouldn’t say that being Ukrainian, but I prefer cabbage rolls better … My mother’s are the best,” said Kushner, whose family moved from Ukraine to Canada during the Great Depression.

For those who want to hear more about Kushner’s story, the Humane Society of Greater Niagara is selling copies of the biography for $20, proceeds from which will be donated to the animal shelter.