2023 Toronto Mayoral by-election

[gabe]

Someone apparently threatening Mayoral candidates with a firearm.

Bradford and Saunders withdrawing from a debate tonight pending apprehension of the suspect, waiting to hear from other candidates.

Toronto mayoral campaign event cancelled after security threat; suspect arrested

Suspect in custody late Thursday after threats uttered against mayoral candidates.

www.thestar.com

Police are looking for this thug.

Police hunting for armed man who threatened to shoot Toronto politicians

Toronto Police are on the hunt for a suspect who allegedly burst into a building, wielding a gun, and threatened to shoot multiple candidates running…

www.blogto.com

 

[adma]

Holyday is in year 9 (seems like longer)

Only because he's carrying on the family brand. And much more blatantly in his case than in that of Mike Layton.

 

[Richard White]

In lighter news this election is turning out to be a Gong show.

 

[Rufus8]

Just a thought for all you peeps to ponder. Do any of you think it’s time for a whole new generation at city hall? Everyone seems so stuck on old ideas that no longer work. I’m pretty disillusioned with the legacy hangers-on in power, and entrenched bureaucracies - silos, as someone wisely called them, earlier up.

There’s been a massive change in the demographics of Toronto and I’d love to find out what is on the minds of young people with regard to our future.

You have to remember the change to 25 councillors at the insistence of the province, there is a lot of work to do at the local level. Councillors can NOT stop developments. They can NOT control healthcare in their regions. They do NOT set education policy or structures. They are supposed to set municipal policy but it is limited. When Tory was first elected he said he wanted to deal with term limits and mayoral accountability. When Trudeau was elected he said he wanted to sort out the senate. Neither carbuncle has been dealt with and indeed both continue to fester! This is politics at it's most stagnant. It's not just young people who recognize things don't work. Our administrative structure is colonial on steriods, it is not meant to address the issues of a modern urban landscape. Development, immigration, infrastructure, economic development - they are all managed by other governments, so what is Toronto to do? my guess is continue to tread water, nothing to see here, move along.....

 

[Rufus8]

seriously I WANT TORONTO TO BE A CITY STATE!
TORONTO CANADA - an idea who's time is now.
no one talks about our lack of control in our city. Can't someone come up with something new that allows Toronto to decide on it's own future?

 

[adma]

In lighter news this election is turning out to be a Gong show.

So he's got the Tina Turner RIP vote? ;-)

 

[Fresco]

Police are looking for this thug.

Police hunting for armed man who threatened to shoot Toronto politicians

Toronto Police are on the hunt for a suspect who allegedly burst into a building, wielding a gun, and threatened to shoot multiple candidates running…

www.blogto.com

He's been arrested (but probably out on bail already)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/mayoral-threats-toronto-1.6862506

 

[christiesplits]

New Mainstreet poll.

Chow - 32%
Bailao - 16%
Saunders - 12%
Matlow - 10%
Furey - 9%
Hunter - 7%
Bradford - 4%
Brown - 4%

https://twitter.com/x/status/1664602765463810049

 

[christiesplits]

A run down of Ana Bailao's meeting with the Star editorial board:

Why Ana Bailão claims she is ‘the only alternative’ to election front-runner Olivia Chow

In a meeting with the Star’s editorial board, Bailão, an ally of John Tory, described herself as a negotiator who understands working family fears.

www.thestar.com

Bailao's key message - that she's the only candidate to defeat Chow - coinciding with the release of the Mainstreet poll that has her second, is probably not a coincidence. Kouvalis is working his magic.

 

[Northern Light]

A run down of Ana Bailao's meeting with the Star editorial board:

Why Ana Bailão claims she is ‘the only alternative’ to election front-runner Olivia Chow

In a meeting with the Star’s editorial board, Bailão, an ally of John Tory, described herself as a negotiator who understands working family fears.

www.thestar.com

Bailao's key message - that she's the only candidate to defeat Chow - coinciding with the release of the Mainstreet poll that has her second, is probably not a coincidence. Kouvalis is working his magic.

Of course, only Main Street has been showing Bailao second or in double digits, and this on the heels of Quito predicting an NDP win in Alberta..........

There's a reason people think Quito has his thumb on the scale.... (whether its true or not)

 

[christiesplits]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1664650810796523520

Two endorsements for Chow from Councillors Jamaal Myers and Amber Morley.

As I noted before, endorsements themselves aren't necessarily game-changers, but they can provide mayoral candidates with a pool of volunteers and access to donors. It can also show momentum, as an endorsement from a councillor for a winning mayoral candidate can mean getting a plum chair or speaker gig.

One reason I've always been bullish on Bailao is the large number of endorsements she's racked up from municipal provincial and federal politicians, especially in the early days. Many politicians clearly see her as the consensus (or status quo, I'd argue) candidate.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Toronto's property taxes are the lowest in the region.

I just received my 2nd half 2023 tax bill. Up more than 12% from earlier this year. I’m okay with that, provided we clear Allan Gardens. Provide housing, send in the boots, either or, do something.

 

[lead82]

I’d be ok with taxes going up if services were better. But they aren’t. The money is squandered on pet projects and bureaucratic waste and inertia.

 

[Rufus8]

Okay, candidate who promises to shut off TD bank's mother-ship beacon wins my vote. Tonight I am not permitted to stand on my own balcony and enjoy the night sky because TD bank and it's billions-in-profit haven't got the brain cells to understand there are other people on the planet. I hate this damned light pollution! Not even the airport has lights that bright, and who are they signalling? The Chinese? The Borg? Who?

 

[Fresco]

Okay, candidate who promises to shut off TD bank's mother-ship beacon wins my vote. Tonight I am not permitted to stand on my own balcony and enjoy the night sky because TD bank and it's billions-in-profit haven't got the brain cells to understand there are other people on the planet. I hate this damned light pollution! Not even the airport has lights that bright, and who are they signalling? The Chinese? The Borg? Who?

Resistance is futile