Thomas J. Higgins (1931[1] – August 24, 1995) was a Canadian educator and municipal politician who served as the mayor of Saint John, New Brunswick from 1994 to 1995. He was Saint John's first Catholic mayor.[2]
Higgins taught at St. Malachy's High School,[5] serving as a coach,[6] as well as a principal until his retirement.[7] During the 1970s, Higgins served as Deputy Mayor of Saint John,[8] and he was sworn in as Mayor of Saint John on February 14, 1994.[9] During his time as mayor, Higgins attended the Bangor-Saint John Sister City Exchange program, a cooperation meeting between Saint John city officials and American city officials of Bangor, Maine to discuss strengthening the relationship between Maine and New Brunswick.[10] On May 8, 1995,[11] Higgins had a memorial stone placed at Jervis Bay-Ross Memorial Park in recognition for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #53.[12] He additionally honoured two individuals with the Freedom of the City.[13]
During the summer of 1995, Higgins resigned from his position due to declining in health. He was succeeded by Shirley McAlary, his interim mayor.[14]
Personal life and death
On August 24, 1995,[15] Higgins died from cancer.[5] His wife, Dorothy Ann Higgins, died in March 2013 at the age of 79.[4] The Thomas J. Higgins Award was created in his honour, with recipients including Moosehead Breweries.[16] His daughter, Patty Higgins, was another municipal politician who was elected to the Saint John City Council in 2008,[17] and ran for mayor of Saint John in 2016.[2]
