2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Mayoral Race

[BurlOak]

I really hope Rob Ford doesn't win. The fact that he is polling so close is scary. Something is seriously wrong with people in Toronto for him to have such high numbers. I honestly think he could win again. And that is sad.

Why does Ford have support?

From the Forum poll that had him in 2nd.

Transit plan like Rob Ford's most popular

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

How is Chow a "nutty politico"? She's the only one with realistic policies (aside from Soknacki). Tory is the one promising two heavy-rail transit lines running through Scarborough only 2km apart with no realistic plan to pay for either of them.

People keep giving Tory the benefit of the doubt because he's an upper class white guy wearing a suit. We have ZERO evidence that he's actually a good leader, and a lot of evidence to the contrary. If he wins, I predict he will be just as erratic a mayor as he is a candidate.

This is why Ford will pull ahead. Who cares of John is white, or wears a suit? Why can't you admit Chow has run a bad campaign since the end of July? You have to look like you care when you campaign. People on this board and outside or not getting that from her. It looks like she doesn't care whether she wins or not. Olivia was supposed to be a game changer and right now she has been a let down. And yes, it will come down on her head and not John if Ford wins. She was the front runner since day 1 in December 2013 after all.

So Silence, will you vote for Tory if he keeps ford out? Or will you just vote for Chow knowing she might finish a distant third.

 

[Greg Banks]

Why does Ford have support?

From the Forum poll that had him in 2nd.

Transit plan like Rob Ford's most popular

View attachment 32148

The question "Replacing the east end of the Eglinton/Crosstown LRT with a subway, building the Scarborough subway and then building the Downtown Relief paid for by public private partnerships, the province and the federal government."

I suprised the the approval rate was only 50% that question seemed to be all things to all people as far as the Toronto subterrarean transit universe is concerned....

 

[JGHali]

Marion Barry got re-elected and only recently lost a primary for city council in DC.

And Marion Barry quite rightly doesn't appreciate the RoFo comparisons.

Fair enough, but it's not like you wouldn't have had to hold your nose to vote for Pantalone ... though perhaps not quite as hard.

So what does that leave? Chow? Her transit plan is almost as poor. She thinks she can fix TTC for only $20 million? That alone suggests she doesn't have a clue. In the meantime she's downplaying the DRL, and hasn't even spoken about critical projects, such as the East Bayfront LRT. It was her husband after all who played such a large role in getting the DRL cancelled in the 1980s.

Solnacki? maybe.

Hopefully a more viable centrist candidate appears.

I'm not exactly happy about Chow's campaign, but I'd maintain she's a better choice than Tory. However, Tory is still probably "good enough" because if there's one consistency throughout his career it's that he has no particular principles or passions and will change his mind to suit the wind. The wind, in this case, being Council. He would not be a particularly strong mayor, and I don't think he'd be especially effective at implementing any agenda. That may or may not be bad, as what the city needs is someone reasonably milquetoast and bland to dial down the temperature and, well, heal. I could easily see him lose re-election (or not run at all).

If there's one silver lining of Ford's tenure, it's that it has caused an explosion of interest in local politics. The really great candidates haven't shown up prominently in the mayor's race this time, but council may be another story.

Anyway, Forum's samples remain problematic, and Ford has pretty much maxed out his ceiling. I can think of no reason why any of the 70% of people who say they would never vote for him would suddenly change their mind (as this poll was widely interpreted as suggesting). The narrative of Rob Ford's comeback was broken way back on Canada Day by Shirtless Joe in East York. And if anything distinguishes Ford's "angry, disenfranchised" supporters from the Anti-Forders, it isn't emotion, but the actual likelihood of voting.

 

[evvabeing]

That sign just makes me think of more coerced wealth re-distribution and a level of gov't stepping out of its role. I don't want the city gov't using property taxes on anti-poverty measures. I want the city to be focused on providing core city services in the most efficient way. Once the roads, sewers, public utilities, infrastructure, emergency services, sidewalks and transit are near perfect, then the city can look for pet projects. I'll be voting for Tory, but you can't win my vote through new spending outside of traditional city services.

i enjoyed seeing that rob's name was missing from a declaration that contains basically all the things he claims to care about.

 

[King of Kensington]

The Chow campaign seems to be trying to resurrect the Miller coalition by using the Barbara Hall strategy.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

If Ford does indeed win, my partner and I will have to leave this town.

Quit being so dramatic.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

TonyV, I hear you. I've always thought the "I'll leave town" thing was just being overly-dramatic. But thoughts of Ford winning again really have me thinking about it too. I love Toronto, but I'm not sure that I love a city that would elect this idiot twice, especially given the past four years.

Mind that the huge majority of people did not vote for Ford. 70% of people voted against him. Only 30% of people voted for him (approximately).

 

[TheTigerMaster]

So you would rather have Ford re-elected?

I think many people would.

Another 4 more years of the clown known as Rob Ford? Plus, you'll have Doug Ford and possibly Michael Ford. That 3 Fords running Toronto city hall.

The problem is that youve assumed they have any power to "run" City Hall. The Fords have no power to run City Hall at all. They have no political capital at all. Mayor Ford would have a extraordinarily difficult time pushing through a right wing agenda, compared to Mayor Tory.

 

[jje1000]

The problem is that youve assumed they have any power to "run" City Hall. The Fords have no power to run City Hall at all. They have no political capital at all. Mayor Ford would have a extraordinarily difficult time pushing through a right wing agenda, compared to Mayor Tory.

My one consolation thought. As long as council make-up remains the same, Ford will be the same useless sack of air he is now. There won't be any streetcars torn up, or any programs cut again like last time. The flipside though, is that there won't be a unified vision for our city, and things like transit will continue to be bogged down by petty squabbles.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Quit being so dramatic.

It's a legitimate feeling.

Mind that the huge majority of people did not vote for Ford. 70% of people voted against him. Only 30% of people voted for him (approximately).

it was 53/47 last time. that's half the city give if we consider the margin of error.

I think many people would.



The problem is that youve assumed they have any power to "run" City Hall. The Fords have no power to run City Hall at all. They have no political capital at all. Mayor Ford would have a extraordinarily difficult time pushing through a right wing agenda, compared to Mayor Tory.

Not true. New council. Clean Slate. There will be new Councillors as well.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

it was 53/47 last time. that's half the city give if we consider the margin of error.

To be fair, I don't think most people were aware of Ford's true character back then. Everyone is now, and his support lies at only 30%

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

To be fair, I don't think most people were aware of Ford's true character back then. Everyone is now, and his support lies at only 30%

Thing is Tory is at only 34 percent. This election will be won at with less then 40 percent and probably 35 is Ford is still in this on election day. Chow is blowing this.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

There's still two months to go. Nobody is blowing anything.

 

[adma]

I have viewed the 2010 Ford "victory" as an indication of the real divide that exists in amalgamated Toronto, and from my perspective a second victory by Ford (this time as a loner; no Droug Ford in tow) would ignite the real thing, a class war, a giant screaming match that would last for years.

I'm not sure about "for years"--and part of it's because you're simply portraying it in terms of a screaming match. I can see said "class war" escalating in quick time into something *truly* violent; because, well, under the circumstances, screaming's not enough--and the only thing that could hold things back is that, well, we don't have the logistical or cultural infrastructure for massacres or suicide bombings or whatnot. But once something *really* explosive happens, that may sober people up pretty quickly, even erstwhile Ford Nationals.

If Ford does indeed win, my partner and I will have to leave this town. It would be a clear message that downtown elites (and we definitely are downtown elites if you all will please pardon my sarcasm) are not appreciated. I wouldn't want to stick around for the screaming matches. And I have never contemplated leaving Toronto, but there you have it.

And again--don't pussyfoot about it. It isn't the "screaming matches" you fear. It's the potential for worse.

And not only that--it could be from "someone like me". No, I'm not saying myself myself--more that unlike you, I haven't the means to leave Toronto. Nor have I the disposition, Ford notwithstanding. Essentially, I'm stuck.

And I'm not alone.

So, I'm speaking--part-strategically, part-empathetically--for a class of person that could well wind up in a hairtrigger situation in the event of Ford More Years. Like, if a Western version of "suicide attack culture" existed here, they could well be candidates for offering themselves up on behalf of whatever--though it'd help if there were an unlikely Osama Bin Manson anti-Ford anarchist capable of gathering and motivating such folks.

Unless even *that's* necessary. And for all I know, what I'm presently writing might be read by some disturbed-or-not individual as a call to arms--so if I've presented myself backhandedly as that critical Osama Bin Manson hairtrigger motivator; well, fate is fate.

And maybe that's good reason to skip town, lest you be a collateral victim.