2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Mayoral Race

[Electrify]

I think the biggest problem with Miller was that he was much too locally focused at the expense of wider needs. Take for example the Jarvis bike lanes, great for people who lived in the area, but it did remove traffic lanes from a major commuter route. The city didn't even look to improve the express bus which runs through the corridor, which could have helped to mitigate some of the anger.

Same goes for the LRT routes. While it is not a streetcar, the fact is that it is far more locally focused than most suburban light rail lines. These lines will stop more frequently than the subway does in the inner city! Once again, great if you are only going a short distance, but won't do much if you are needing to get across the city.

I think this is why Miller was labeled as anti-suburban. Out here fewer of our needs can be met locally and requires longer travel. Even from a downtown perspective, one of the benefits to living in a city over a small town is the ability to experience different things, including those which may not be within a 10 minute walk.

 

[Scarberian]

I lived in Riverdale during the strike, watched Miller when he gave live updates. I thought he was completely reasonable the whole time, as did my wife. We were in a minority of two in the city -- EVERYONE we knew blew up at Miller, 'cause he let the garbagemen strike, and didn't get enough concessions. Which makes zero sense, naturally. It was a full town temper tantrum.

Absolutely. At that point it was probably useless to appeal to logic. Miller's name in most burbs became associated with literally the stink of a garbage strike, again fair or not. That's a hell of a negative to overcome politically and olfactory speaking.

The other issue -- LRT -- is even more bizarre. I cannot fathom why anyone would be anti-LRT, yet Toronto has allowed itself to become the only place on the planet that hates LRT on principle. Remember, Scarborough was against an LRT that did not run on the road in most of its route in Scarborough. Again, completely infantile.

Personally I like the idea of for expansion of the LRT in Scarborough, I thought there should be more LRT stations going beyond McCowan. Chow's promises of more bus services didn't sway me because I think they're short term solutions. Yes obviously improve bus services, but that should not be the end of the story. Ford brand subways seems like a Simpson-ian Monorail scam or possibly a crack pipe dream at least for Scarborough. Tory's transit plans are a bit muddled to me. Basically I'm hoping someone sane will win the Toronto Mayoral Bowl 2014, and the winner would at least look at Socknaki's transit ideas.

Toronto is just a weird, weird electorate, and sometimes unhinged.

As denfromoakvillemilton wrote and I agree with.

Often in these debates we forget York, East York/Leaside, Yonge Eglinton, High Park, Riverdale and other areas that are not downtown but not fully suburban as well.

I think perhaps divisiveness and unaddressed grievances both real and imagined, can contribute to the unhinging sometimes.

 

[StatGeek]

Saddened that Chow hasn't gotten a boost with the Ford swap. Thought that maybe some "anyone but Ford" backers who were backing Tory because he was poised to keep the clown show out would find it safe to go back to Chow, especially with some of Tory's recent screw ups. Seems people are sticking to their camps, and that the shake up has done little to change opinions.

Don't be too down, it normally takes a week to see a momentum switch on the ground level to be shown on polls. Chow freefall has stopped and she seems to be back to even with Ford. Still lots of work to do, but hopefully we will see her going to the positive side of 30 soon. It's just going to be tough as Ford nation is such a messed up group. If Doug falls to third she can't really make an appeal to some of his supporters because the are so loyal to the Ford brand and think everybody else is evil.

A lot of numbers came in and I tabulated some. Ranking them as closest result in the previous municipal election
~Forum (98%) Tory 40%v... DFord 33%v ... Chow 27%^ - decided voters
~Nanos (95%) Tory 49% ... DFord 27% ...... Chow 24%
~Ipsos (86%) Tory 43% ... DFord 28%........ Chow 29%
~mainstreet Tory 46%v... DFord 26%^...... Chow 28%v - mainstreet didn't do any polls in last municipal election

My tabulation so far is Tory 44%, DFord 29%, and Chow 27%.

 

[SJD_Toronto]

With tonight's debate with Doug Ford, he is basically debating the way Rob Ford would debate. Olivia Chow is awful in this debate.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Doug is winning.

 

[WislaHD]

Tory came out in full absolute support of the Pride Parade.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Absolutely. At that point it was probably useless to appeal to logic. Miller's name in most burbs became associated with literally the stink of a garbage strike, again fair or not. That's a hell of a negative to overcome politically and olfactory speaking.



Personally I like the idea of for expansion of the LRT in Scarborough, I thought there should be more LRT stations going beyond McCowan. Chow's promises of more bus services didn't sway me because I think they're short term solutions. Yes obviously improve bus services, but that should not be the end of the story. Ford brand subways seems like a Simpson-ian Monorail scam or possibly a crack pipe dream at least for Scarborough. Tory's transit plans are a bit muddled to me. Basically I'm hoping someone sane will win the Toronto Mayoral Bowl 2014, and the winner would at least look at Socknaki's transit ideas.



As denfromoakvillemilton wrote and I agree with.



I think perhaps divisiveness and unaddressed grievances both real and imagined, can contribute to the unhinging sometimes.

Nice post, and agreed. I think Riverdale had it, but I will say this: we demand too much and put too little into Toronto.

 

[adma]

Let's also not take the Forum 50-22-22 too much as a benchmark; remember that Nanos put John Tory ahead in Scarborough as well...

 

[Scarberian]

Doug is winning.

It's not over yet, but damn this is worrying. I can't believe I forgot political street fight 101, Thug may actually have the advantage here. His first debate, lowered expectations, if he survives he can still claim "victory". Chow really needs to get her heart and head in this game, and realize Thug is a bully, she can't waver with hecklers like Iola, and her trying to show compassion in this campaign will be used against her as 'weak'. I am not a Tory fan, but dammit, so far he's the only one even trying to hammer Thug.

edited ps. You might be right at the end of this particular debate tonight. I'm hoping Thug will just win a few battles but not the war.

 

[WislaHD]

I'm voting Tory.

Chow doesn't have the ability to convince anyone watching this debate to vote for her. She doesn't have it in her, I doubt she even has the ability to, she is too meek and quiet and fumbles her words constantly. When she does manage to get her words right, she is boring and nobody listens. Elections shouldn't be decided this way but she simply cannot win over Thug, who can shout over her with lies repeatedly until they are truths and Tory who is very articulate. As we see more debates as the month goes on, more and more of this city will not even consider Chow. She is done.

Thug is more of a bulldog than Rob, and he is repeating Rob's popular and ugh, charismatic, talking points and is able to stay on point. The suburb disenfranchised concerns that led to Rob's popularity can really return to Thug if they believe he is Rob without the drugs and scandals. Thug is a real threat and a serious contender for mayor.

Tory is the only option left. I am not going to risk Ford more years, he has my vote.

 

[TOareaFan]

Tory came out in full absolute support of the Pride Parade.

what is there to oppose?

 

[WislaHD]

what is there to oppose?

There was lengthy conversation in this thread about Tory not supporting Pride.

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

I think the biggest problem with Miller was that he was much too locally focused at the expense of wider needs. Take for example the Jarvis bike lanes, great for people who lived in the area, but it did remove traffic lanes from a major commuter route. The city didn't even look to improve the express bus which runs through the corridor, which could have helped to mitigate some of the anger.

Same goes for the LRT routes. While it is not a streetcar, the fact is that it is far more locally focused than most suburban light rail lines. These lines will stop more frequently than the subway does in the inner city! Once again, great if you are only going a short distance, but won't do much if you are needing to get across the city.

I think this is why Miller was labeled as anti-suburban. Out here fewer of our needs can be met locally and requires longer travel. Even from a downtown perspective, one of the benefits to living in a city over a small town is the ability to experience different things, including those which may not be within a 10 minute walk.

So, this is what I mean about unhinged. Thanks, Elec, for the examples!

1. Jarvis is no more a major commuter route than I am a pineapple. It's a 'major commuter route' for Rosedale & Moore Park. The bike lanes moved one LANE which reversed. The change added about 90 seconds to the commute of a whack of lawyers, and BOY did we hear about it. And to think that ANYONE who complained about this change would have been assuaged by a better express bus? <giggle>

2. LRT in Calgary spans the entire burg. Goes fast. Is used by thousands of commuters. You, average Torontonian, have been so brainwashed about the supposed negative aspects of LRT that you have stopped even thinking about it in a rational way. I look forward to the day when every Torontonian starts calling the Eglinton line a 'subway' so they don't have the cognitive dissonance of a fast, efficient LRT explode their skulls on impact.

3. 'Out here', wherever that is, you could have had faster, more efficient public transit to take you in 15 minutes to Bloor West Village, or North York Centre, or Scarborough Town Centre, or the Danforth. But... Miller was anti-suburban. Whatever.

 

[Silence&Motion]

It's hard to see how Toronto will ever have a woman mayor if our debates always end up being shouting matches in front of heckling crowds.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

It's not over yet, but damn this is worrying. I can't believe I forgot political street fight 101, Thug may actually have the advantage here. His first debate, lowered expectations, if he survives he can still claim "victory". Chow really needs to get her heart and head in this game, and realize Thug is a bully, she can't waver with hecklers like Iola, and her trying to show compassion in this campaign will be used against her as 'weak'. I am not a Tory fan, but dammit, so far he's the only one even trying to hammer Thug.

edited ps. You might be right at the end of this particular debate tonight. I'm hoping Thug will just win a few battles but not the war.

Of course. John could have done better tonight but he held his own. I can't believe the floated so many supporters in there, but Doug really hammer it home and he can go into detail unlike rob.

I'm voting Tory.

Chow doesn't have the ability to convince anyone watching this debate to vote for her. She doesn't have it in her, I doubt she even has the ability to, she is too meek and quiet and fumbles her words constantly. When she does manage to get her words right, she is boring and nobody listens. Elections shouldn't be decided this way but she simply cannot win over Thug, who can shout over her with lies repeatedly until they are truths and Tory who is very articulate. As we see more debates as the month goes on, more and more of this city will not even consider Chow. She is done.

Thug is more of a bulldog than Rob, and he is repeating Rob's popular and ugh, charismatic, talking points and is able to stay on point. The suburb disenfranchised concerns that led to Rob's popularity can really return to Thug if they believe he is Rob without the drugs and scandals. Thug is a real threat and a serious contender for mayor.

Tory is the only option left. I am not going to risk Ford more years, he has my vote.

Chow didn't take this seriously. It's sad this will be a chapter in her otherwise great career. She backs down too easy and often and goes for the low hanging fruit.

So, this is what I mean about unhinged. Thanks, Elec, for the examples!

1. Jarvis is no more a major commuter route than I am a pineapple. It's a 'major commuter route' for Rosedale & Moore Park. The bike lanes moved one LANE which reversed. The change added about 90 seconds to the commute of a whack of lawyers, and BOY did we hear about it. And to think that ANYONE who complained about this change would have been assuaged by a better express bus? <giggle>

2. LRT in Calgary spans the entire burg. Goes fast. Is used by thousands of commuters. You, average Torontonian, have been so brainwashed about the supposed negative aspects of LRT that you have stopped even thinking about it in a rational way. I look forward to the day when every Torontonian starts calling the Eglinton line a 'subway' so they don't have the cognitive dissonance of a fast, efficient LRT explode their skulls on impact.

3. 'Out here', wherever that is, you could have had faster, more efficient public transit to take you in 15 minutes to Bloor West Village, or North York Centre, or Scarborough Town Centre, or the Danforth. But... Miller was anti-suburban. Whatever.

Truth? They don't want it on the roads because it gets in the way of cars. But, I think once Toronto voters see LRT's in action they will change their minds.