2018 Municipal Election: Toronto Council Races

[DSC]

to the contrary, chaos is the intended result. It'll take years to make council effective under the new structure, which supports Doug's dysfunction argument. This paves the way for a strong Mayor system in time for Mayor Mikey in 2022.

I am not sure it will take the new 25 to get things re-organised but it will depend on whether we elect people who actually want to (and are able to) operate at a 'higher level' and leave the pot-holes and fences to their (expanded) staff. The Rob Ford type of Councillor who (supposedly) returned constituent phone calls 24/7 will simply get over-whelmed and it will be very interesting to see how the new Council deals with what will be, for ALL of them, a 'brave new world".

 

[PinkLucy]

Does it though? Doug did this ostensibly to stop the chaos, but it will cause more. How will he justify that? I agree that he doesn’t actually want a more functional council, which is what I was getting at ... he hates Toronto and its council. What he cares about is sticking it to Toronto, not about providing them with a solution. Whether or not there is actually a problem that requires a solution is a whole other matter.

 

[sixrings]

it is so hard for me to understand how a cosmopolitan city could possibly elect Rob Ford (who went to school for one year at Carleton) to Mayor, Doug Ford (who went to Humber College for who knows how long???) to Premier and then possibly Michael Ford (who went to no secondary schooling) as Mayor.

It is also hard for me to understand how after Rob did a poor job, Doug got elected. If things stay the same Doug does a poor job and Michael gets elected.

 

[MetroMan]

it is so hard for me to understand how a cosmopolitan city could possibly elect Rob Ford (who went to school for one year at Carleton) to Mayor, Doug Ford (who went to Humber College for who knows how long???) to Premier and then possibly Michael Ford (who went to no secondary schooling) as Mayor.

It is also hard for me to understand how after Rob did a poor job, Doug got elected. If things stay the same Doug does a poor job and Michael gets elected.

I think it was the perfect storm both times. With Ford, people were ready for a different type of mayor after 7 years of Miller. Adam Giambrone was the wrong candidate to succeed him and messed up, having to drop out, literally crying on his way out the door. That left their team scrambling to replace him last minute with Joe Pantalone who was a terrible campaigner and totally not ready to run for Mayor. Yet, he refused to let go and split the vote with George Smitherman. Ford was a populist and got just enough momentum with the help of the split left get elected. Had it been Adam Giambrone vs Smitherman, I don't know if Rob Ford would have gotten enough air time.

With Doug, it's very clear that people wanted very badly to get rid of Kathleen Wynne. She refused to leave despite all the signs. Then campaigned against Horwath who could have beat the PCs had she not been fighting off Wynne. People didn't vote for Ford, they voted against Wynne.

Ultimately, it's the system that sucks. If we had truly representative democracy, there's no way that a majority progressive city and province like Toronto and Ontario would ever elect someone like a Ford again.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Update on the update.

From the Toronto election website, at this link:

On September 19, 2018, the Court of Appeal for Ontario stayed the Superior Court of Justice decision of September 10, 2018 and reinstated Bill 5 – Better Local Government Act, 2018 requiring the October 22 election to proceed on the basis of 25 wards.

As a result of the Court of Appeal’s decision and in order to conduct a municipal election in October 2018, the nomination period will reopen for the offices of councillor and school board trustee on Thursday, September 20 and Friday, September 21 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Nominations will be accepted at the Election Services offices located at:

• Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W., first floor
• 89 Northline Rd.

More information and forms are available on Update on the 2018 Election page.​

 

[W. K. Lis]

From link.

Voting Days:

Election Day:

Monday, October 22
10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Electors must vote in the ward they live in.

Advance Voting:

Wednesday, October 10 to Sunday October 14 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Electors can vote at one of two locations in their ward or at City Hall. A Voter Assist Terminal will be located at each voting place.​

 

[Jasmine18]

it is so hard for me to understand how a cosmopolitan city could possibly elect Rob Ford (who went to school for one year at Carleton) to Mayor, Doug Ford (who went to Humber College for who knows how long???) to Premier and then possibly Michael Ford (who went to no secondary schooling) as Mayor.

It is also hard for me to understand how after Rob did a poor job, Doug got elected. If things stay the same Doug does a poor job and Michael gets elected.

Maybe it is also a reflection of how poor the other candidates are able that to lose to people like Ford.

Like I am quite certain whoever becomes PM after Trudeau will be a populist because the next liberal will be useless in comparison to Trudeau.

 

[Jasmine18]

We have a constitutional democracy where the constitution is supreme.

The funny thing people forget is due to the constitution the 3 judges pretty much said Ford had the right to push this through regardless if it was fair or not and used that justification to grant a stay.

My point is that a judge last week interpreted the constitution that some people being treated unfairly was a breach of the constitution.

So frankly, Ford could have gotten this through without using the infinity Stones.

 

[christiesplits]

It's Vuong vs Cressy. Boy, oh boy, this is going to be fun.

Is Dong not running?

 

[sixrings]

Maybe it is also a reflection of how poor the other candidates are able that to lose to people like Ford.

Like I am quite certain whoever becomes PM after Trudeau will be a populist because the next liberal will be useless in comparison to Trudeau.

The other candidates went to University after High School...One even had their masters while the other a degree... Now did the Fords not continue because they weren't bright enough, weren't disciplined enough or were just counting on Dads company to provide for them is the real question. Neither answer reflects well on them. Some may think I am placing too much emphasis on education. However schooling at the bare minimum teaches discipline, work ethic, and consistency. Three qualities I would like in my premier.

 

[Admiral Beez]

IMO there were three similar but different groups countering this Bill.

1) Those who didn’t want Bill 5 rushed through, but in principle would accept the reduced council if delayed until the following election.

2) Those didn’t really have a strong opinion on the reduced council, but felt very strongly against using the NWC.

3) Those who didn’t want the reduced council ever, whatsoever.

Those in group 1 and 3 can’t be happy, but group 2 can rest easy, until the next NWC clause fight, likely sex Ed.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Maybe it is also a reflection of how poor the other candidates are able that to lose to people like Ford.

Like I am quite certain whoever becomes PM after Trudeau will be a populist because the next liberal will be useless in comparison to Trudeau.

Voters only understand slogans. If you have to go into explanations or details, you lose. Stick to the slogan, and repeat it.

 

[Jasmine18]

The other candidates went to University after High School...One even had their masters while the other a degree... Now did the Fords not continue because they weren't bright enough, weren't disciplined enough or were just counting on Dads company to provide for them is the real question. Neither answer reflects well on them. Some may think I am placing too much emphasis on education. However schooling at the bare minimum teaches discipline, work ethic, and consistency. Three qualities I would like in my premier.

I am not talking about whether the Fords are qualified to be in power but why they beat far more qualified candidates. Yeah, we can simply say people are idiots but that is a simplistic answer.

The ability to connect with voters is not gained through education though, that is why so many unqualified leaders are getting into office these days.

It is rather clear from modern politics, that people want politicians that relate to them and if they don't pass that that test they won't ever win regardless of how qualified they are. People are becoming far less deferential to government and institutions these days it seems for a million reasons.

You don't have to be a simplistic populist to do that. Why do you think Justin and Obama play it cool and casual so often when they campaigned and got so much attention, While Muclair, Ignatieff and Hillary failed at it? The latter 3 are highly intelligent and qualified, but learning to connect with voters is a skill that one can attain regardless of education.

 

[JGHali]

The other candidates went to University after High School...One even had their masters while the other a degree... Now did the Fords not continue because they weren't bright enough, weren't disciplined enough or were just counting on Dads company to provide for them is the real question. Neither answer reflects well on them. Some may think I am placing too much emphasis on education. However schooling at the bare minimum teaches discipline, work ethic, and consistency. Three qualities I would like in my premier.

Premier is not an entry-level job. That doesn't mean I think you need an outstanding academic pedigree simply to be a politician, but some semblance of an education and prior independent career are definite assets. Doug Ford inherited everything and built nothing.

 

[torontologist]

The left looses an election and then tries to win with activists judges.
We have a parliamentary system of gov't where Parliament is supreme at the federal level and queens park at provincial level. These gov'ts can thus be voted out in the next election. if we want a system with judges passing laws then we should move always towards a presidential style of gov't like the U.S and have judges run and see those ads on tv with judges running which always has me shaking my head..

And the right bitches and moans about activist judges until the "activist judges" make a decision they like