Editing Mel Lastman (section)

==Personal life and death==
Having met during the late 1940s when they were both teenagers, 19-year-old Lastman and his [[childhood sweetheart]] Marilyn Bornstein, three years his junior, got married in 1952.<ref name=“globe-2000”/> The couple's first child, son [[Dale Lastman|Dale]], was born in March 1957. Their second son, Blayne, was born during the early 1960s.

In 1988, with Lastman in his seventh consecutive term as mayor of North York, more than 15 years after he first took the office, his wife Marilyn decided to enter local politics in her own right by running for the council seat representing North York’s Ward 13.<ref name=“torontostar-2020”>{{cite news|last=Royson|first=James|url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/marilyn-lastman-touched-the-hearts-of-those-who-mattered-most/article_cc6b96fb-ccf1-5f37-9f62-1cfe9536c112.html/|title=Marilyn Lastman touched the hearts of those who mattered most|agency=[[The Toronto Star]]|archivedate=18 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250218231159/https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/marilyn-lastman-touched-the-hearts-of-those-who-mattered-most/article_cc6b96fb-ccf1-5f37-9f62-1cfe9536c112.html|url-status=live|date=17 January 2020|access-date=18 February 2025}}</ref> At the [[1988 Toronto municipal election|November 1988 municipal election]], incumbent Lastman ended up securing his eight mayoral term, while she lost to former school trustee Bob Bradley.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bittersweet victory for Mel as Marilyn loses |first=Royson |last=James |newspaper=Toronto Star |date=November 15, 1988 |page=8}}</ref><ref name="1988TorontoResults">{{cite news |title=Civic election '88 |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=November 16, 1988 |page=A16}}</ref>

In 1989, Lastman contracted hepatitis C during a surgery.<ref name = "Hepatitis C">
{{cite news
| last         = Abbate
| first        = Gay 
| date         = 31 January 2003
| title        = Lastman says illness led to gaffe
| url          = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/lastman-says-illness-led-to-gaffe/article1010392/
| work         = The Globe & Mail
| location     = Toronto
| access-date  = 2021-12-12
| archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20211212162723/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/lastman-says-illness-led-to-gaffe/article1010392/
| archive-date = 2021-12-12
| url-status   = live
}}</ref> He was one of thousands of [[Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada |
Canadians infected from tainted blood]] products provided by [[Canadian Red Cross]] in the 1980s and early 1990s.<ref name = "Hepatitis C"/> In his final year in mayoral office, Lastman had spent much of it dealing with his medical conditions, including a bout with [[cancer]].<ref name = "Hepatitis C"/>

In late November 2000, weeks after being re-elected for a second term as Toronto mayor—and facing an impending [[Can$]]6million retroactive [[child support]] lawsuit by former Bad Boy Furniture employee Grace Louie claiming to have been Lastman's 14-year [[mistress (lover)|mistress]] who bore him two [[illegitimate children]], Kim (born in September 1958) and Todd Louie (born in March 1962), both of whom were also named as [[plaintiff]]s—Lastman called a press conference where, flanked by his wife of 47 years, he admitted to the [[extramarital affair]] with Louie while neither confirming nor denying [[paternity (law)|paternity]] of the two children.<ref>{{cite news|last=Priest|first=Lisa|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/lastman-mortified/article18428185/|title=Lastman 'mortified': Facing lawsuit, mayor reveals affair but doesn't admit paternity|agency=[[The Globe and Mail]]|page=A1, A19|archivedate=19 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250219050138/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/lastman-mortified/article18428185/|url-status=live|date=1 December 2000|access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref><ref name="globe-and-mail">{{cite news|last=Immen|first=Wallace|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/documents-paint-picture-of-life-as-mels-mistress/article4169561/|title=Documents paint picture of life as Mel's mistress|agency=[[The Globe and Mail]]|archivedate=17 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250217213537/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/documents-paint-picture-of-life-as-mels-mistress/article4169561/|url-status=live|date=1 December 2000|access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref><ref name=“globe-2000”/> Addressing the media, Lastman further claimed to have disclosed the affair to his wife and kids "some years ago" and that they had given him their "unqualified forgiveness".<ref name=“globe-2000”/><ref name="brothers-duty">{{cite news|last=|first=|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brothers-want-toronto-mayor-to-fulfill-his-duty-1.218286|title=Brothers want Toronto mayor to fulfill his 'duty'|agency=[[CBC News]]|archivedate=17 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250217204805/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/brothers-want-toronto-mayor-to-fulfill-his-duty-1.218286|url-status=live|date=1 December 2000|access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref> Grace, Kim, and Todd Louie's lawsuit against Lastman further alleged "neglect and mental suffering", claiming Kim and Todd grew up in poverty while Mel and Marilyn Lastman's sons enjoyed a life of privilege.<ref name="cbc-6mil-lawsuit">{{cite news|last=|first=|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/lastman-faces-6-million-paternity-suit-1.200415|title=Lastman faces $6-million paternity suit|agency=[[CBC News]]|archivedate=17 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250217204343/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/lastman-faces-6-million-paternity-suit-1.200415|url-status=live|date=1 December 2000|access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref> Various details of the Lastman-Louie affair that began in 1957 and ended in 1971 soon became public, including their 1966 trip to [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]], [[Francoist Spain|Spain]], and [[Morocco]] and that in 1974, three years after the relationship ended, Louie accepted a Can$27,500 settlement from Lastman in return for signing a [[legal release]] document freeing him from allegations or suggestions that he is the father of the two children.<ref name="cbc-6mil-lawsuit"/><ref name="globe-and-mail"/><ref>{{cite news|author=[[James Brooke (journalist)|James Brooke]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/04/world/a-secret-life-emerges-in-lawsuit-facing-toronto-mayor.html|title=A Secret Life Emerges in Lawsuit Facing Toronto Mayor|agency=[[The New York Times]]|archivedate=17 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250217210004/https://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/04/world/a-secret-life-emerges-in-lawsuit-facing-toronto-mayor.html|url-status=live|date=4 January 2001|access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref> 

Louie's lawsuit was dismissed in May 2001 by the [[Ontario Superior Court of Justice]] judge Mary Lou Benotto who, though not challenging claims by Todd and Kim Louie that Lastman fathered them, ruled that it was too late to claim retroactive child support.<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/judge-throws-out-lawsuit-against-mayor-lastman-1.268682|title=Judge throws out lawsuit against Mayor Lastman|agency=[[CBC News]]|archivedate=17 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250217211259/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/judge-throws-out-lawsuit-against-mayor-lastman-1.268682|url-status=live|date=23 May 2001|access-date=17 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|url=https://ca.vlex.com/vid/louie-v-lastman-680554393|title=Louie v. Lastman, [2001] O.T.C. 368 (Superior Court of Justice of Ontario): May 22, 2001|agency=VLex.com|archivedate=19 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250219170921/https://ca.vlex.com/vid/louie-v-lastman-680554393|url-status=live|date=|access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref> The plaintiffs appealed the decision in June 2001;<ref>{{cite news|last=Gadd|first=Jane|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/louie-family-launches-appeal/article4149773/|title=Louie family launches appeal|agency=[[The Globe and Mail]]|archivedate=19 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250219171832/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/louie-family-launches-appeal/article4149773/|url-status=live|date=21 June 2001|access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref> and the case went before the [[Court of Appeal for Ontario|Ontario Court of Appeal]]<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|url=https://ca.vlex.com/vid/louie-v-lastman-681595253|title=Louie v. Lastman, (2001) 152 O.A.C. 341 (Court of Appeal for Ontario): December 14, 2001|agency=VLex.com|archivedate=19 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250219174502/https://ca.vlex.com/vid/louie-v-lastman-681595253|url-status=live|date=|access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=|first=|url=https://ca.vlex.com/vid/louie-v-lastman-680983673|title=Louie v. Lastman, (2002) 164 O.A.C. 161 (Court of Appeal for Ontario): May 14, 2002|agency=VLex.com|archivedate=19 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250219165730/https://ca.vlex.com/vid/louie-v-lastman-680983673|url-status=live|date=|access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref> where it was dismissed in September 2002 by judge Marc Rosenberg who also ruled the claim "too late" along with an explanation that "child support can not be claimed decades after the plaintiffs are no longer [[dependent]]s (children)".<ref>{{cite news|last=Makin|first=Kirk|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/louies-suits-against-lastman-dismissed/article1026355/|title=Louies' suits against Lastman dismissed|agency=[[The Globe and Mail]]|archivedate=19 February 2025|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20250219172511/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/louies-suits-against-lastman-dismissed/article1026355/|url-status=live|date=18 September 2002|access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref> The plaintiffs appealed the appeals court ruling, taking the case to the [[Supreme Court of Canada|Canadian Supreme Court]] where it was dismissed in March 2003.<ref>{{cite news|last=Abbate|first=Gay|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/louies-out-of-luck/article20448248/|title=Louies out of luck|agency=[[The Globe and Mail]]|archivedate=28 October 2024|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20241028025638/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/louies-out-of-luck/article20448248/|url-status=live|date=28 March 2003|access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref>

Lastman's wife, Marilyn died after a brief illness on January 1, 2020, at the age of 84.<ref>{{cite news |title='Lost His Best Friend': Marilyn Lastman, wife of former mayor Mel Lastman, dies |url=https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/marilyn-lastman-wife-of-former-mayor-mel-lastman-dies |access-date=January 2, 2020 |newspaper=Toronto Sun |date=January 2, 2020 |archive-date=January 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102224410/https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/marilyn-lastman-wife-of-former-mayor-mel-lastman-dies |url-status=live }}</ref> One year later, Lastman died of [[heart failure]] on December 11, 2021, at the age of 88.<ref>{{Cite news|last=The Canadian Press|title=Mel Lastman, long-serving and often controversial former Toronto mayor, dead at age 88|work=CBC News|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/former-toronto-mayor-mel-lastman-dies-age-88-1.6282854|access-date=December 12, 2021|archive-date=December 12, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212043411/https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6282854|url-status=live}}</ref> He and his wife Marilyn were both laid to rest at the [[Mount Sinai Memorial Park (Toronto)|Mount Sinai Memorial Park]] in [[North York]], [[Toronto]].