Next Mayor of Toronto?

[SimonP]

Not sure if you've ever taken the Main bus at 9:30 on a weekend, but it is not where I would go to meet crowds. At most there might be a half dozen people on board. A few more would be on the subway, but it is also pretty empty at that time.

 

[SlickFranky]

Naive n'est pas?

all those people he'll meet on that street car etc?

But since you're already in his camp, working and drinking from the same cool-aid jug. I can totally understand your perspective.

They may be drinking kool-aid...what are you drinking? Twice now he's said he guy took a bus, and twice you came back about streetcars.

Read first. Make your point second.

 

[kettal]

obviously nobody would ever use public transit without some ulterior motives!

 

[waterloowarrior]

obviously nobody would ever use public transit without some ulterior motives!

Yep... as soon as SimonP was out of sight he hopped into his Hummer parked behind the bushes.. +1 vote

 

[nfitz]

I'm glad he has the time to spend 1.5 hours on the street car....

How would the Main Street bus get you 1.5 hours on a streetcar? It's about a 10-minute ride to the Bloor-Danforth subway.

FYI... you know that's all for optics right? ...

Gee, that's how I do it from that location ... or the Woodbine bus from Queen; though that one always gets a bit overloaded when there is fireworks. I can assure you that I don't do it for optics.

I'm not sure I see the need for cynicism on this.

 

[js97]

I'm not sure I see the need for cynicism on this.

nope you're right.... it was just a nauseating moment...


onto the next topic!

 

[MetroMan]

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontomayoralrace/article/817204--is-john-tory-being-wooed-to-run#article
TORONTO STAR
Is John Tory being wooed to run?
June 01, 2010

Vanessa Lu


After all the twists and turns of the 2010 Toronto mayor’s race, could another horse be jumping back in?

Speculation is rampant at city hall that John Tory — who had widely been expected to run but declined in January to throw his hat in the ring — is being courted again to reconsider, a signal that influential people are unhappy with the current field.

Candidates to date include former provincial politician George Smitherman, Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone, Councillor Rob Ford and former Heart and Stroke Foundation chief Rocco Rossi.

Several city councillors were approached last week about whether they would be willing to endorse Tory, the former leader of the provincial Tories, who has chosen instead to host a radio talk show and lead the nonpartisan Toronto City Summit Alliance.

Councillor Peter Milczyn said he has not been called by Tory himself, but others have asked. “I said if he did it, that would be interesting. That was who I was inclined to support,” he said.

However, Milczyn is not convinced Tory would jump back in, noting the former Rogers executive attended Milczyn’s May fundraiser in Etobicoke and told those who were urging him to run that he wouldn’t be running.

“I’m not that close to John Tory, but I think he’s made his decision,” Milczyn said.

Councillor Case Ootes said he has asked colleagues about Tory out of his own curiosity.

“I think people are disappointed with the field,” Ootes said, adding that while Ford has a strong fiscal message, he would have difficulty getting 23 votes on city council to get legislation approved. “You can’t stray too far from the centre,” Ootes said.

When reached in Europe on Monday, where Tory is attending his daughter Susan’s medical school graduation, he declined to comment on the rumours.

Observers say that if Tory changes his mind, there’s still plenty of time for him to jump back in, given his name recognition, noting it would be easy to raise the campaign funds.

Others say Tory is happy with his life outside of politics, where his radio gig gives him the freedom to speak out on issues of the day, and earlier this spring, he accepted a position on the board of Rogers Communications.

I want to revive this because it was diverted by off topic banter.

I was a big supporter of Miller in his first election so by definition, John Tory was the opponent. However, when I chose Miller over Tory, in the back of my mind, I was happy that were Tory to win, I would be almost just as satisfied. The top 2 were acceptable.

In this election, from the current crop of candidates, it is more of looking at supporting the lesser of a pool of unwanted candidates. Were John Tory to jump in at this point, I think he would garner support from the right, the centre and yes, even the Millerites. None of them want to risk seeing Rob Ford in the Mayor's chair and Pantalone doesn't seem to have it in him to tackle that challenge. John Tory would almost assuredly kick Ford and Rossi out of the race and it would probably come down to Tory vs Smitherman, the latter being the Tory of 2010, which although not preferable, would be acceptable as Mayor.

 

[MetroMan]

... and the need for a sensible centre/right candidate able to kick Ford out of the race just got more urgent: Rob Ford is rising in the polls, a close second to Smitherman. Rossi and Pantalone are fizzling.

George Smitherman 34%
Rob Ford 27%
Thomson 14%
Rocco Rossi 13%
Pantalone 9%
Giorgio Mammoliti 4%


http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontomayoralrace/article/819508--may-poll-had-thomson-ahead-of-pantalone?bn=1

May poll had Thomson ahead of Pantalone
Also finds strong support for reforming TTC board

David Rider
Urban Affairs Bureau Chief

An Environics poll suggests Women’s Post publisher Sarah Thomson was a more popular choice for mayor during the survey period, April 19 to May 8, than Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone.

Of the decided voters in the telephone poll of 485 Toronto residents, 34 per cent said they were most likely to vote for George Smitherman, followed by Rob Ford at 27, Thomson at 14, Rocco Rossi at 13, Pantalone at 9 and Giorgio Mammoliti at 4.

However, the poll found the race still fluid, with almost half of respondents, 44 per cent, undecided.

The margin of error is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

A Toronto Star-Angus Reid poll conducted earlier, April 9 to 12, had the same numbers for Smitherman and Ford but put Pantalone at 14 per cent, followed by Rossi at 13 per cent, Thomson at 7 per cent, Mammoliti at 3 per cent and other at 2 per cent.

The Environics poll also asked about support for proposed policies and found:

• 69 per cent favoured reforming the TTC board so most members are from the private sector, not politicians.

• 58 per cent favoured cutting the size of the 44-member council in half.

• 45 per cent favoured charging a $5 toll on the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway during rush hours to pay for more subways.

• 44 per cent favoured banning future bike lanes from major roads.

• 24 per cent favoured selling city assets such as Toronto Hydro.

• 58 per cent favoured using half the development fees coming from downtown projects on suburban neighbourhoods facing challenges.

• 68 per cent favoured rezoning unused industrial lands to commercial and residential.

 

[adma]

John Tory would almost assuredly kick Ford and Rossi out of the race

Rossi, maybe. Ford, not so sure--he's too much the maverick populist to be pushed out by Tory...

 

[MetroMan]

I think that many of the same anti-Miller supporters that are gathering behind Ford would switch to the more sensible Tory who they probably supported in the 2003 election. Ford would maintain some support, but I think he'd lose enough core voters to Tory to make him a fringe candidate like Mammoliti.

Tory should get in the race. He has a very very good chance of riding to an easy win because nearly half of Torontonians are already familiar with supporting him for Mayor and he's already defined as the alternative to Miller, which many people are looking for -- even Millerites like me.

 

[MetroMan]

I'd be interested in joining a "Draft John Tory" movement. Does anybody have John Tory's 2003 platform on file?

His old website is unsurprisingly taken down (7 years is an eternity online) and I can't seem to find any old caches of the site.

EDIT: I found it at the waybackmachine.org: http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20030618094902/http://www.johntory.ca/issues.php

John Tory on the issues facing Toronto:

Management Experience
"People have the right to expect a mayor with proven ability at managing large and complex organizations. I offer senior and successful managerial experience acquired in the corporate and legal sectors."

Co-operation Between Governments
"There is a need in this country to see the three levels of government stop competing with one another. Our cities are experiencing a decline in infrastructure, services and reputation."

Property Taxes
"If elected mayor I will limit tax increases to no greater and hopefully less than the rate of inflation, sell Metro Hall and pursue mixed uses for the pre-amalgamation city halls to preserve public access to these buildings."

Downloading
"Today, while we have eliminated fiscal deficits in Ottawa and Queen's Park, hopefully never to return, we have at the same time created massive social and physical deficits in our cities, which, if left unaddressed, probably pose as much of a threat to our economic prosperity and our social fabric as the financial deficits of yesteryear."

Civic Experience
"People have the right to expect a mayor who knows how to deal with governments in the GTA, at Queen's Park and in Ottawa. I offer nearly thirty years of volunteer involvement in the political process at all levels, four years as Principal Secretary in the Premier's Office and co-chairing the Toronto City Summit held to find solutions to the problems facing Toronto."

Federal Budget 2003
"This budget is a significant disappointment for municipalities and for Toronto in particular. Our cities are experiencing a decline in infrastructure, services and reputation. The new funding for municipal infrastructure outlined in the budget is a case of too little money spread over too many communities over too long a period of time."

City Infrastructure
"If people who need it can't find affordable housing, if adequate public transit isn't available, or if sewer and water systems and other vital infrastructure are allowed to crumble, it will ultimately lead to a breakdown of our cities."

Traffic and Transit
"Proper traffic and transit are also vital to our future. Our community will grow by up to one million people within the next thirty years. Traffic gridlock is already a daily nightmare in this city and it will only get worse unless we act. We need to work with other municipalities to plan and to fund capital for traffic and transit solutions on a regional basis. We need to create an authority which can make plans and allocate resources. And we need to gain approval for the extension of rapid transit well into the regions north and west of Toronto."

Education
"We also need a new approach to the appalling condition of our public schools. Career politicians say education is not a municipal responsibility. But it is of vital concern to the people of Toronto and it should be of vital concern to their mayor. I will make it a priority to work with other levels of government and with boards of education to protect and improve our school buildings, to address funding arrangements and to preserve swimming pools for public use."

Transparency
"People also have a right to a new deal when it comes to the transparency of city government. This matter could have been addressed over many years by those who are or have been in office. There is no reason why an integrity package, including my proposal to authorize the city's Auditor General to conduct spot audits, cannot be in place by the summer if the city government has the will to make it happen. "

Decline of Toronto
"I have seen the physical decline of our city through my years of volunteer service with such organizations as the United Way, the Salvation Army and St. Michael's Hospital. The symptoms include increased gunplay in our streets; the failure to update our roads and public transit; the plight of the homeless; garbage in our streets and the breakdown in cooperation between Toronto, neighbouring cities and other levels of government."

New Deal for Cities
"A new deal is crucial to enabling cities to meet the mutually dependent goals of economic prosperity and social justice. There needs to be more formalized dialogue and priority setting involving all levels of government; municipalities should be given more authority; and the way cities are financed needs to change."

The Homeless
"People continue to die on our streets, frozen in the cold. Toronto is in dire need of more affordable housing and support services for the homeless. During this campaign I will propose an action plan designed to achieve a dramatic reduction in the number of homeless people on our streets within the first 12 months of my term."

Consensus Building
"People have the right to expect a mayor who will seek consensus but who will act when action is required. I offer a record of consensus building in community organizations and a proven ability to take decisive action, whether in pursuit of business objectives or to help save the Canadian Football League."

Dedication
"People have the right to expect a mayor who will tackle the city's problems with new passion and energy. I offer a lifelong love of this city and a fresh perspective, free of the divisions and mindset of incumbency that can be the hallmark of city government."

 

[Fresh Start]

... and the need for a sensible centre/right candidate able to kick Ford out of the race just got more urgent: Rob Ford is rising in the polls, a close second to Smitherman. Rossi and Pantalone are fizzling.

George Smitherman 34%
Rob Ford 27%
Thomson 14%
Rocco Rossi 13%
Pantalone 9%
Giorgio Mammoliti 4%

The days of City Hall/City Councillors/labour unions doing whatever they please with the taxpayers' dollars while showing zero oversight, zero accountability, zero remorse are over. Deal with it!

Btw, if you want another centre-right candidate in the race to lessen the polarizing affects of Ford; look no further than Sarah Thomson. Her rise in popularity should tell you just how sick the public is of the same-o, same-o power-abusing and/or ineffectual career politicians; of which even John Tory can be categorized.

I sincerely hope the final 4 are Thomson, Ford, Rossi, Smitherman.

 

[SimonP]

Interesting poll. Pretty poor showing for Joe, he needs to do something to get back into the story.

The really weird thing about the poll is that it was conducted more than a month ago. Why has it only been released now? Who paid for it? It wasn't The Star.

It seems likely this was an internal poll by one of the campaigns. For obvious reasons I think Pantalone and Rossi can be ruled out. Ford has hired a firm called Campaign Research to do his polling. That leaves Thomson and Smitherman, both of whom do quite well and would have good reason to leak it.

Environics is a prestigious firm, and I'm sure the poll is legit, but Thomson, Rossi, and Pantalone are all within the margin of error of each other. If the dice roll had come out a bit differently, I'm pretty sure this poll wouldn't have been leaked.

 

[SimonP]

The days of City Hall/City Councillors/labour unions doing whatever they please with the taxpayers' dollars while showing zero oversight, zero accountability, zero remorse are over. Deal with it!

Wow just wow. First off the leading candidate in that poll is Smitherman. Hardly the poster boy for fiscal accountability and well managed funding.

Secondly, you need to spend less time reading the Sun. The left on council does not have some callous disregard for waste or spending. It is just expressed differently. Let's say Joe Mihevc (as a random example of a councillor on the left) has concerns about waste or inefficiencies in a city department. He would bring the concerns to Miller and the issue would get resolved. Mihevc has no interest in embarrassing or attacking Miller. If there was a significant savings they might put out a press release afterwards about the new initiative.

By contrast when Ford, or one of the other right wingers on council, find some wasteful spending, they go immediately to the Toronto Sun and use it to hammer Miller with. It's politics and this is a perfectly legitimate tactic, but its wrong to claim that only one side cares about wasteful spending.

For proof of this, just look to when the roles were reversed and the right was in power under Lastman. At that point it was the left wing councillors who'd go to the papers about waste, and Ford and the right wing that seemed to have no interest in government accountability.

For an example consider the early days of the computer leasing inquiry. In those days it was councillors David Miller and Howard Moscoe who led the charge against government waste. When city council voted in 2001 on whether to make the contract documents public, here are the councillors who voted against letting the public see them: Altobello, Balkissoon, Berardinetti, Di Giorgio, Disero, Feldman, Flint, Ford, Hall, Holyday, Kelly, Korwin-Kuczynski, Lastman, LiPreti, Lindsay Luby, Mammoliti, Milczyn, Minnan-Wong, Nunziata, Ootes, Pitfield, Shiner, Sutherland, Tziretas. (current councillors in bold)

Today under Miller it is exactly those councillors who would be leading the charge against a scandal like that, but back then Ford was among those standing in the way against oversight and accountability.

 

[Eug]

Interesting poll. Pretty poor showing for Joe, he needs to do something to get back into the story.

"Back into the story"? As far as I'm concerned it's almost as if he was never in it. I'm not at all surprised he's doing so poorly. I betcha a lot of Joe Public haven't even heard of him yet.

What I am surprised by though is Rob Ford's showing. It's stronger than I expected. That it's way better than Pantalone's is not surprising though.

As for Tory, I dunno. I'm sure many leaning toward that right of centre field are thinking "Fool me once..." etc.

Wow just wow. First off the leading candidate in that poll is Smitherman. Hardly the poster boy for fiscal accountability and well managed funding.

No he isn't, but he's talking about it. He may be a hypocrite to a certain extent, but it's sound bites like this that get people recognized. As for the poll standings, it was always Smitherman's race to lose. In fact, I'm a little surprised he's not doing even better than he is. I guess I was expecting some of the support Ford has would have gone to Smitherman. ie. Smitherman at 35-40% and Ford closer to 20% or less.

Secondly, you need to spend less time reading the Sun. The left on council does not have some callous disregard for waste or spending. It is just expressed differently. Let's say Joe Mihevc (as a random example of a councillor on the left) has concerns about waste or inefficiencies in a city department. He would bring the concerns to Miller and the issue would get resolved. Mihevc has no interest in embarrassing or attacking Miller. If there was a significant savings they might put out a press release afterwards about the new initiative.

Ha! That's a pretty optmistic assumption.