Life and Career
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, Ugo (Joe). 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 London City Council later in the year and served there until 1988, sitting on London's Board of Control from 1985 to 1988. In 1986 he married his second wife Vicky.
Read more about this topic: Joe Fontana
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