2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Mayoral Race

[nfitz]

The only direction Chow's numbers are going is down as her progressive base realize that ousting Ford is more important.

Are her progressive supporters really going to jump to a man like John Tory with a history of supporting racists and bigots? I doubt it.

 

[Rufus8]

I find that people throw terms like racist or bigot around in an attempt to get a response, so as to avoid any articulate discussion. Another smoke screen so as to avoid debating real issues. What it boils down to is not who are you voting for but are you voting at all? I haven't voted for anyone in ages but I do vote, it is condemned as not real voting but voting is too important to take it too personally. It is not strategic voting it is participating in the democracy without being selfish.

 

[ShonTron]

Chow really blew it spectacularly. She's the only left wing candidate in the race and yet she is at 3rd place behind Ford.

How is that misleading? Please explain how this platform is not conservative:
- Wants low taxes
- Proposes fantasy transit financing schemes
- Pandering to motorists
- "I will not support any solution that extends people’s commute times" (i.e for drivers)
- Against Eglinton connects
- Against open streets
- Pro-subway in Scarborough, anti-subway where it's actually needed
- Pro business
- No bike plan
- Supports privatization of city services
- Blablabla "efficiencies"

Thank you. Tory can't even agree to supporting a few downtown streets closed to motorists a few summer Sunday mornings.

 

[picard102]

Are her progressive supporters really going to jump to a man like John Tory with a history of supporting racists and bigots? I doubt it.

I mean, Chow did apologize for supporting the Iron Sheik after enough people got upset. So she has that going for her.

 

[nfitz]

I find that people throw terms like racist or bigot around in an attempt to get a response, so as to avoid any articulate discussion.

No. I throw it around, because that is primarily what this election is about. Toronto elected a racist as mayor in 2010. Anyone who supports him is a racist.

We need to make sure this is clear and simple.

I mean, Chow did apologize for supporting the Iron Sheik after enough people got upset. So she has that going for her.

If I knew what an iron shiek was I'd comment. It's not a condom brand then?

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

No. I throw it around, because that is primarily what this election is about. Toronto elected a racist as mayor in 2010. Anyone who supports him is a racist.

We need to make sure this is clear and simple.

No you throw it around to get a response. Be honest man. Rob Ford is a lot of bad things, but he has a lot of minority supporters as well. They don't care. If they did, he would not be within striking distance. Let's make that clear

If I knew what an iron shiek was I'd comment. It's not a condom brand then?

Very funny.

 

[nfitz]

No you throw it around to get a response. Be honest man. Rob Ford is a lot of bad things, but he has a lot of minority supporters as well. They don't care. If they did, he would not be within striking distance. Let's make that clear.

No, I throw it around, because some seem to think it's okay to support a racist. This is serious. We need to make sure than anyone who has ever supported Rob Ford - like John Tory - never come anywhere near elected office again.

We don't need

I don't want a reaction. I want to make sure that supporters of racism like John Tory don't get elected.

 

[the lemur]

No you throw it around to get a response. Be honest man. Rob Ford is a lot of bad things, but he has a lot of minority supporters as well. They don't care. If they did, he would not be within striking distance. Let's make that clear

Ford is not running on an overtly racist platform or race-based policies. He does, however, have a tendency to use every racial epithet under the sun and people who support him either aren't aware of it or choose not to make anything of it. Their arguments tend to be 'well, everyone's a little bit racist' (so it's okay for Ford, hey, he's not perfect, etc.) or 'Hey, I'm no racist - I make fun of everyone equally! So does Ford!'.

People don't support Ford based on his statements about different groups, which come out of him almost as if he doesn't realize what he's saying is offensive.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Daniel Dale ‏@ddale8 46s
In Forum poll coming out tomorrow, Chow gained most in then-hypothetical 3-way race without Soknacki, but only a minor impact.

He was the most fiscally conservative candidate in the race. He was the only one willing to tackle the biggest runaway budget item in the city: the police department.

That's certainly true too. It's all a little blurred at the municipal level, I think.

Latest Forum poll: http://poll.forumresearch.com/post/133/tory-opens-12-point-lead-in-toronto/

In the three way race it's Tory 41%, Ford 30%, Chow 24%.

Silence, you still think she's trying. These are abysmal numbers and this late into the race? Olivia should have 45 percent at this point. How do you lose to a guy that supported Ford and is 0 for 3 in elections!
jml, if tory was not were not in, I think soknacki would be polling much, much higher. I maintain that.

Chow really blew it spectacularly. She's the only left wing candidate in the race and yet she is at 3rd place behind Ford.

If I were Chow, I'd bow out, with an agreement in writing from Tory that he supports some of her progressive initiatives. It would be a graceful exit and would avoid her mayoral election legacy being that of the candidate who burned out in flames, and rather, as the kingmaker to oust Ford.

This signed agreement could include commitments from Tory to:

- Support his original - and widely agreed upon - DRL alignment, while still going ahead with SmartTrack
- Invest in school breakfast programs
- Increase bus services in under-serviced communities

I agree mjl08. I think we need to see Tory at 55 percent or more to really show the Ford we want them out . I think Salsa has it though. Chow is blowing it. I wonder what stories will come out a few years from now about how she got in in the first place and where it all went wrong.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Ford is not running on an overtly racist platform or race-based policies. He does, however, have a tendency to use every racial epithet under the sun and people who support him either aren't aware of it or choose not to make anything of it. Their arguments tend to be 'well, everyone's a little bit racist' (so it's okay for Ford, hey, he's not perfect, etc.) or 'Hey, I'm no racist - I make fun of everyone equally! So does Ford!'.

People don't support Ford based on his statements about different groups, which come out of him almost as if he doesn't realize what he's saying is offensive.

Exactly. And sadly about one and three of Toronto is this way, no reasoning with them at all. There is 70 percent that wants change, that's a huge mandate. Rob will go to Hollywood when this is all over and leave these people behind.

 

[nfitz]

Ford is not running on an overtly racist platform or race-based policies. He does, however, have a tendency to use every racial epithet under the sun and people who support him either aren't aware of it or choose not to make anything of it. Their arguments tend to be 'well, everyone's a little bit racist' (so it's okay for Ford, hey, he's not perfect, etc.) or 'Hey, I'm no racist - I make fun of everyone equally! So does Ford!'.

People don't support Ford based on his statements about different groups, which come out of him almost as if he doesn't realize what he's saying is offensive.

I don't see any reason to be defending racism.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

No, I throw it around, because some seem to think it's okay to support a racist. This is serious. We need to make sure than anyone who has ever supported Rob Ford - like John Tory - never come anywhere near elected office again.

We don't need

I don't want a reaction. I want to make sure that supporters of racism like John Tory don't get elected.

I don't see any reason to be defending racism.

It's not about that anymore. It's about the fact he can't run the city effectively.

 

[nfitz]

It's not about that anymore. It's about the fact he can't run the city effectively.

I don't see that John Tory can't run the city effectively.

I'm concerned with his past support of racists and bigots.

 

[Rufus8]

I am curious who has Tory supported in the past that is a known racist and/or bigot?

 

[salsa]

I am curious who has Tory supported in the past that is a known racist and/or bigot?

Rob Ford