2018 Municipal Election: Toronto Council Races

[Bob Burnhamthorpe]

So much talk about the ineffective Councillors from the right. What about the ones from the left who need to be turfed?

The Left could do much, much better than folks like Maria Augimeri (people forget NOW and others ... used to label her as one of the worst/most useless progressive members of Council ... every year), Sarah Doucette (not the brightest ... at times, over her head), and Mary Fragedakis (useless) ...

(The guy who bombed on Cash Cab? He should go, too.)

 

[Bob Burnhamthorpe]

Among centrist and left leaning city councillors, my top that should be kicked out of office are (in no particular order):

Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon
Councillor Ana Bailão
Councillor Jaye Robinson
Councillor Michelle Holland

Weak-minded councilors who represent their wards differently to how they campaigned.

I'll throw in Councillor Joe Mihevc in there if he doesn't shape up his narrow-mindedness in solving Toronto's transit problems with only operating 'solutions' instead of capital investment. It is difficult enough to push for the transit we need when we have our allied councillors throwing in unnecessary and counter-productive motion amendments behind your back as Mihevc has done consistently during this council.

I would have absolutely no issues seeing Michelle go. She checked out during her divorce ... has yet to return.

Robinson is one of the sharpest members of Council. I wouldn't mind if she ran for Mayor one day.

And ... as for Joe ... he's such a Ned Flanders. Always tryna figure out a *way* ... in his slow, boring, and inoffensive manner. Ugh. No.

 

[Bob Burnhamthorpe]

I'm just waiting for those who'd suggest that RoFo mowing her down in Council was a precipitating factor in her illness. (And they probably *do* exist.)

Yeah ... a lot of them sleaze around UT's Rob Ford's Toronto thread ...

 

[44 North]

Came across this piece by Warmington today, quite nice: http://www.torontosun.com/2017/07/08/mcconnell-a-tough-negotiator-trump
Meh I'll just post it.

McConnell a 'tough negotiator': Trump

By Joe Warmington, Toronto Sun
First posted: Saturday, July 08, 2017 02:19 PM EDT | Updated: Saturday, July 08, 2017 02:33 PM EDT

Late Toronto Councillor Pam McConnell is seen here in 2012 with future U.S. President Donald Trump when he was in town for the opening of the Trump International Hotel and Tower. (Joe Warmington/Toronto Sun)

Councillor Pam McConnell did something Hillary Clinton and many others have tried so hard to achieve but couldn’t.

She got the better of Donald Trump.

And the president of the United States was the first to admit it.

“Pam was a tough negotiator, let me tell you,” Trump told me in 2012 with a chuckle, just four years out from his eventual run for the American presidency. “Very tough.”

Two iconic Toronto structures and two legendary politicians from different camps found a way to work together to make sure 325 Bay St. and 640 Dundas St. E. went from dreams to reality.

The first, until the sale of the building is finalized and the name comes off, is still called The Trump International Hotel and Tower.

The second is called the Regent Park Aquatic Centre. It’s in need of a name change too.
[/QUOTE

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Don't repost full articles please - copyright issues.

MoD

 

[Admiral Beez]

Now for the question: who's McConnell's likely successor? (I'll presume an appointment rather than a byelection)

McConnell was the only counselor I've known in 19 years of living in downtown east. That in itself is an issue, as new ideas and community voices are hindered by the power of imcumbancy and lack of term limits.

 

[ttk77]

McConnell was the only counselor I've known in 19 years of living in downtown east. That in itself is an issue, as new ideas and community voices are hindered by the power of imcumbancy and lack of term limits.

Are you speaking in generalities there, or are you accusing Pam McConnell of hindering community voices?

 

[Admiral Beez]

Are you speaking in generalities there, or are you accusing Pam McConnell of hindering community voices?

In general. Bring in term limits, two terms then give someone else a shot. Unless we consider local politician to be a career, where you get in and use the power of incumbency to stay for decades.

 

[Skeezix]

McConnell was the only counselor I've known in 19 years of living in downtown east. That in itself is an issue, as new ideas and community voices are hindered by the power of imcumbancy and lack of term limits.

Term limits would do nothing to foster new ideas and voices. They are the antithesis of democracy, and create an arbitrary limit on voters' choices. Any reform that starts with the premise that voters are too stupid to make informed choices is not one that in any way improves voter options. There are ways to decrease the advantages of incumbency - term limits is not one of them.

 

[DSC]

In general. Bring in term limits, two terms then give someone else a shot. Unless we consider local politician to be a career, where you get in and use the power of incumbency to stay for decades.

While I have some sympathy with the idea of term limits as it can get rid of dead-wood, it also gets rid of people who think long-term and plan things that will last for generations. Pam McConnell was a long-term planner who worked hard to get all her ducks lined up (often over several Council sessions) and then moved ahead. What is wrong with the current system is that ALL incumbents (good or bad) have an advantage over new-comers but it would be better to deal with levelling the playing-field rather than impose term limits. If each race was 'even' it would allow voters to chose better and I bet that most 'good Councillors' would be re-elected and most 'bad Councillors' would not. Term limits might get rid of the Mammolitis but would also get rid of the McConnells and I think the result would be worse than the disease. At the end of the day it is up to voters to decide, and if (in a fair fight) the voters of Ward 7 re-elect their current representative that is really their choice.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

There is also no guarantee that term limit will get rid of situations like the Fords or the Holydays either. Besides if the councillor is popular, they can and will almost certainly endorse their buddies as candidates and having them come out on top.

AoD

 

[ttk77]

Definitely in agreement that we need to work on ways to reduce the advantages of incumbency without introducing strict term limits. Don't want to thrown the baby out with the bath water. We've had a few great councilors that I would rather keep on until they're not doing a good job anymore.

 

[Admiral Beez]

This article suggests term limits aren't needed.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opi...its-voters-take-care-of-that/article20274623/

Of course, Mammoliti gets relected not because of the lack of term limits, but by the idiocy and complacency of his constituents.

 

[JasonParis]

There is also no guarantee that term limit will get rid of situations like the Fords or the Holydays either. Besides if the councillor is popular, they can and will almost certainly endorse their buddies as candidates and having them come out on top.
AoD

Or they simply come back a cycle later, like Putin!

 

[ShonTron]

I'm not a fan of term limits, but I was thinking of another solution:

Have fewer wards than what we currently have - something like 32 or 36. Small enough that there's access to a local councillor, but larger wards than currently.

Local ward councillors may only run for three terms. That's enough for a balance of institutional history and enough time (12 years) to get some projects through on one councillor's watch. At the end of those three terms, that ward councillor could run for a regional councillor position - 8 or 9 regions, or, at-large. Those positions have no term limits.

A very good city councillor could run for a promotion, and have a much larger area. The mayor's executive and committee chairs could then have to come from those regional (or at-large) councillors. The regional or city-wide council seats would be open to any candidate, but it would be a place for remarkable local politicians who are known outside their wards. It also forces the mayor to not snub parts of the city - something Lastman and Tory are notable for. (Miller had broad suburban representation in his inner circle.)