Joe Fontana

Joseph Frank "Joe" Fontana, PC (born January 13, 1950 in Cellara, Cosenza, Italy) was a Liberal member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of London North Centre, in London, Ontario. In 1954 his father Ugo (a police officer), his mother Pearl and his sisters Anna and Maria emigrated from Italy to Timmins, (where another sister, Adrianna, was later born). He later studied chemical engineering at the University of Waterloo, but left school a... more

Joseph Frank "Joe" Fontana, PC (born January 13, 1950 in Cellara, Cosenza, Italy) was a Liberal member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of London North Centre, in London, Ontario. In 1954 his father Ugo (a police officer), his mother Pearl and his sisters Anna and Maria emigrated from Italy to Timmins, (where another sister, Adrianna, was later born). He later studied chemical engineering at the University of Waterloo, but left school after becoming the drummer in a rock band. While in the band he met his first wife Marilyn, with whom he had a son, Joey. They settled in London and Fontana briefly returned to school at the University of Western Ontario, but left to work in real estate and the insurance industry. He opposed the building of a federal prison in London and soon became involved in local politics. In 1976 he ran for city council, representing Ward 3, but lost; in 1978 he also lost the Liberal nomination for the federal riding of London-Middlesex, but was elected to... less