sixteen to twenty. He served as his party's critic for Environment, Finance, and Citizenship, Race Relations and Human Rights at various times in next parliament. Interviewed by the CBC in 1988, he spoke against voting rights for people who lived in mental health facilities. He criticized Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) John Sola in 1991, after Sola made comments about Canadian Serbs that were generally regarded as racist. Sola was later expelled from the Liberal Party. Cousens once brought forward a private member's bill to outlaw smoking in public places. A Red Tory by inclination, Cousens played little role in the party's drift to the right under Mike Harris. He resigned his seat in the legislature on September 30, 1994 to campaign for mayor of Markham. Cabinet positions Municipal politics Markham is considered a diverse community with a thriving economy, and grew significantly under Cousens's watch. During that time, the town was debt free and gained many jobs in the software field. Unlike Mike Harris's provincial government, Cousens was a supporter of photo radar to discourage speeding in the Greater Toronto Area. There is a Don Cousens Charitable Foundation within Markham. In 2003, he was award a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. On June 1, 2006 Cousens announced that he would not seek re-election as Mayor of Markham due to on-going health problems related to the need for a kidney transplant. Donald Cousens Parkway in Markham is named after him. There is also a public school in Markham, Donald Cousens Public School, named after him. References External links 1938 births 2017 deaths Canadian people of Danish descent Mayors of Markham, Ontario Members of the Executive Council of Ontario People from the United Counties of Prescott and Russell Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs University of Toronto alumni