Who Will Challenge Rob Ford?

[W. K. Lis]

Anyone will be able to beat Rob Ford, if, and only if, the opposition candidates do not split the vote. If more than one opposition candidate appears on the ballot, then Rob Ford could win.

In other words, let the best opposition candidate stay on the ballot and the rest should voluntarily quit the mayoralty race, would be best for Toronto.

 

[Ice_Burn]

I'm wondering if an opportunistic right-winger might pop up to split the vote on that side as well. Minion-Wong seems like he could break ranks at any moment.

Haven't heard much from Mams either, lately. I hope he runs again.

 

[JohnQCitizen]

Maybe you could talk Hurricane Hazel into moving to Toronto and running for mayor. Mississauga would miss her, but anything for our pals in the Big Smoke.

 

[TwoDogs_39]

I saw Karen Stintz on the Agenda (TVO) last night. She was on a panel that was discussing Rob Ford half way through his term. Boy was she ever dishing out some strong criticism! I have no doubt that she's making a serious bid to run.

 

[MetroMan]

To think she backed him at the beginning of his term. She has a completely different opinion on Ford these days and she's not afraid to show it.

Another interesting tidbit is that she has always said that she will not run. When asked this time, she said: "We have a Mayor". Does that mean that when we don't have a Mayor, that she will run? If Ford is kicked out, I think she would be running because her Councillor seat would not be in jeopardy.

 

[BurlOak]

I saw Karen Stintz on the Agenda (TVO) last night. She was on a panel that was discussing Rob Ford half way through his term. Boy was she ever dishing out some strong criticism! I have no doubt that she's making a serious bid to run.

She also said that her greatest accomplishment was on the Transit File and getting it back on track. Tranist is still a mess since she ended the Mayors plans and adopted Transit City 5 in 10 plan. Then proposed a different One City plan that was subsequantly defeated.

 

[nfitz]

Then proposed a different One City plan that was subsequantly defeated.

It wasn't exactly defeated. It never went to council. The one component to change the SRT to subway was ruled to have already been decided, and they failed to get the 2/3 majority to re-open it. Council approved prioritising the Lakeshore West LRT, and the entire funding portion (which is the key) everyone concluded was already in front of council, and reports are due back on the funding mechanism in October. Other than the SRT to subway conversion, everything else is still on the table, in various forms, in front of various committees.

 

[js97]

It wasn't exactly defeated. It never went to council. The one component to change the SRT to subway was ruled to have already been decided, and they failed to get the 2/3 majority to re-open it. Council approved prioritising the Lakeshore West LRT, and the entire funding portion (which is the key) everyone concluded was already in front of council, and reports are due back on the funding mechanism in October. Other than the SRT to subway conversion, everything else is still on the table, in various forms, in front of various committees.

If the dippers of downtown can put aside their irrational demands of an NDP rep, then Karen Stintz can definately win. If they run another candidate for the sake of running and continue to be irrational, they will enjoy another term (or 2) of our clueless mayor. It will be Deja Vu 2010 all over again.

 

[Automation Gallery]

If the dippers of downtown can put aside their irrational demands of an NDP rep, then Karen Stintz can definately win. If they run another candidate for the sake of running and continue to be irrational, they will enjoy another term (or 2) of our clueless mayor. It will be Deja Vu 2010 all over again.

Yeah in todays Toronto, I say good luck for anyone imagining a future left-wing mayor getting elected .....only maybe by a fluke

 

[ShonTron]

If the dippers of downtown can put aside their irrational demands of an NDP rep, then Karen Stintz can definately win. If they run another candidate for the sake of running and continue to be irrational, they will enjoy another term (or 2) of our clueless mayor. It will be Deja Vu 2010 all over again.

I'm not sold on Karen Stintz. I find her weak and not a good leader. Just look at One City.

What, really does Karen Stintz stand for? What accomplishments does she have under her belt?

 

[MetroMan]

Josh Matlow seems to be coming out with some big punches against the Mayor lately, then getting on with business. I think this city needs a centrist like him to unite the city and mediate the extreme factions on City Council.

 

[nfitz]

If the dippers of downtown can put aside their irrational demands of an NDP rep ...

Not sure what part has to do with anything. If the criteria was to have an NDP rep, then we'd have to consider Mammoliti.

 

[ShonTron]

Not sure what part has to do with anything. If the criteria was to have an NDP rep, then we'd have to consider Mammoliti.

Mammo? Believe it or not, John Nunziata started off as a Dipper too.

The NDP councillors are not exclusively "downtown." In North York, Augimeri was and remains an unofficial Dipper. Probably Peruzza (her former assistant) as well.

 

[pw20]

Josh Matlow seems to be coming out with some big punches against the Mayor lately, then getting on with business. I think this city needs a centrist like him to unite the city and mediate the extreme factions on City Council.

Like what?

Josh Matlow is a blow hard who loves to see his name in print. He has no experience doing anything anywhere. He's an example of the type of small type of politicians local politics attracts. Blech.

 

[adma]

If the dippers of downtown can put aside their irrational demands of an NDP rep, then Karen Stintz can definately win. If they run another candidate for the sake of running and continue to be irrational, they will enjoy another term (or 2) of our clueless mayor. It will be Deja Vu 2010 all over again.

Except that aside from her dissent from Ford, Stintz remains firmly identified w/the right-of-centre, i.e. you're asking the "dippers of downtown" to hold their noses and shift even further right than they (or some of them) did with Smitherman. Sorry: no can do.

Remember: this isn't about hollowly piling on an anti-Ford "candidate of convenience". It's about offering a persuasive anti-Ford candidate--or even candidates--that can cut a big hole or holes into Ford's support (and remember: a lot of Ford voters would have voted for Miller had he run again in 2010). Maybe the winner'll be left; maybe the winner'll be right. But let's not put Ford on such a pedestal in the process of trying to defeat him.

That is: come 2014: it shouldn't be about uniting behind a single candidate that'll get 50% to Ford's 47%. It should be about chipping away at that 47%. And given Ford's conduct thus far, even if his "approval" ratings remain bewilderingly high for someone who's taken so many lumps, come the next E-day he could well be reduced to a Nunziata-esque 5%. Really. Don't make like he's woe-is-us unbeatable...