2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Mayoral Race

[Palma]

I think Tory is or would be for it

 

[W. K. Lis]

The Mayor would have only one vote. He or she has to "play well" with others to get his or her way at council, or accept a compromise.

 

[picard102]

Chow has always been against the airport

It will be interesting to see if that changes now that unions are starting to back the expansion.

 

[the lemur]

There are also all kinds of permutations of being pro or anti the airport/expansion/Porter/jets/island residents among voters that I don't think they're always sure who their candidate should be.

 

[Palma]

Why would unions be backing the expansion? Were they against it at one point? Well I suppose unions are for it if it means work for them - is that the compromise - if unions do the work the expansion goes ahead?

 

[adma]

So, I talked to a relative who basically knows lots of middle-aged Cantonese speaking Chinese-Canadian suburbanites (long list of adjectives eh?), asked him what they thought about the various candidates.

Basically, he told me that Chow being able to speak Chinese, or being Chinese, has almost no relevance. In fact, they are hardcore members of Ford Nation. They absolutely loooove the way Ford talks about not wasting money, keeping taxes low, keeping his office budget low etc. Also, many in Scarborough simply want the subway because "subways make their property values rise", not because of any of the multitude of reasons we discuss on this forum. They don't really like Chow because she's in the NDP and has the reputation of being pro-union and pro-taxes.

At the end of the day, you can't assume that everyone in a given demographic group thinks or votes the same way obviously, but I thought it might be interesting to share my discussion about some members of a demographic that is perhaps less likely to post on this forum or online in general.

Though one caveat I may offer about that demo is that it may be less "lost" than "never-there", i.e. the ones who opted for Tory over Miller in '03; or even Pitfield over Miller in '06.

It's really around the edges of said demo where the key to electing a non-Ford (and the cue for anti-Fords to quit shaking their heads and saying "woe is us") lies.

 

[themarc]

I guess that means Chow will need to address them on how Ford hasn't really saved money/found waste and generally hasn't done much for them.

... and tell them that in Cantonese.

 

[Soop]

Sue Ann Levy's column about Chow. No interviews for SAL because, according to Chow's communication's director, it would be “like Obama talking to a birther."

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/16/ndp-wants-to-take-back-the-city

 

[Roy G Biv]

I thought SAL was on the Provincial beat?

 

[edmundoconnor]

"Shabbily-dressed"? What has this got to do with anything? Yeesh.

SAL is going all-out today.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/17/reinventing-history-olivia-chow-style

 

[edmundoconnor]

I thought SAL was on the Provincial beat?

So did I. Apparently all is well at the Pink Palace, so she can mosey on down Queen Street, back to her old haunt.

 

[TonyV]

Olivia Chow has a style that is very encouraging at this point; I hope she has the energy to keep this up, her taking dead aim at the circus show at City Hall should be the game and it appears that it is the game. I guess that should be easy with such a huge target in the crosshairs.

Not to be ignored: Yesterday, Chow even said "Hear this, John Tory, there is no such thing as a kinder, gentler version of failure". Yep, she said that, at this early stage. This is the stuff we need in this campaign.

I do expect the Sun to sink really low and Chow is surely prepared for that.

 

[PinkLucy]

"Shabbily-dressed"? What has this got to do with anything? Yeesh.

SAL is going all-out today.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/17/reinventing-history-olivia-chow-style

Oh, those commentors -- tax contributors? Good for you edmundoconnor at trying to engage them, but I fear you're going to end up banging your head against a wall.

 

[edmundoconnor]

I do expect the Sun to sink really low and Chow is surely prepared for that.

Levy has already hit the sewer, and we're still in the first week of her campaign.

 

[edmundoconnor]

Oh, those commentors -- tax contributors? Good for you edmundoconnor at trying to engage them, but I fear you're going to end up banging your head against a wall.

*bows*

I think of it as gladiatorial bloodsport. Not for the faint-hearted, and I have no illusions that anyone's mind will be moved a micron. But it is useful to see what's going on out there. Sometimes you have to break out of your comfort zone. Just bring your mental Kevlar.