2023 Toronto Mayoral by-election

[Northern Light]

You are implying there wasn't a change from Ford to Tory. My view is that I think most Torontonians consider Tory to be a centrist, so they did perceive a shift from right to centre between Ford and Tory.

While there certainly was a rhetorical change; and a presentation change; I'm not sure there was that much of a substantive change.

A series of tax increases that were at or below inflation, nominally, but did not account for population growth at all; thus representing a net funding cut vs the Rob Ford year when seen in per capita terms; combined with continued erosion of City
Services, makes it very difficult to label his administration as anything other than small-c conservative. Indeed, I might go further and suggest that in light of the pressing need for new funds to address homelessness and already strained public services, his administration bordered on 'reactionary' in many respects; the notable exception being the amorphous, non-committal, dithering language of a politician rarely inclined to achieve anything useful one way or the other.

***

As a side note, I've had dicussions w/the former Mayor, though not in many years, going back to when he was leader of the opposition at Queen's Park. He was remarkably accessible, a nice enough guy and capable of carrying on an articulate chat; but you know at the end of our discussion, I came away with 'he just committed to consider possibly doing something, maybe, kinda/sorta, in the fullness of time'. He never changed.

 

[picard102]

Things change but political views don't. Once a Conservative, always a Conservative

Except we've had terms specifically to address conservatives who are more liberal than conservatives. Red Tory.

 

[SJD_Toronto]

True but Tory was the PC leader prior to being Mayor.

Things change but political views don't. Once a Conservative, always a Conservative

I went from being a big Liberal supporter to becoming a Harper Conservative to becoming more of a Blue Liberal. My mother was a Conservative her whole life who became more of a Liberal supporter years ago to going back to being a Conservative (thanks to our current Prime Minister and former Premier Kathleen Wynne). So no, that's not true.

 

[Towered]

Caught a brief blurb of Saunders campaigning on the news last night. The target of his ire? Bike lanes. He said he would remove the bike lanes on University, reverse the decision to make the ones on Yonge Street permanent, and cancel the installation of all proposed bike lanes everywhere in the city. All in the name of "fighting congestion".

What a disgusting troglodyte. The left better coalesce around a single candidate to ensure that this vile idiot doesn't become mayor. I'm furious that he's even suggesting those changes.

 

[Fresco]

I went from being a big Liberal supporter to becoming a Harper Conservative to becoming more of a Blue Liberal. My mother was a Conservative her whole life who became more of a Liberal supporter years ago to going back to being a Conservative (thanks to our current Prime Minister and former Premier Kathleen Wynne). So no, that's not true.

I get what he's saying though.
People switching parties are usually the exception rather than the rule

 

[zang]

Err, not always true.
I've gone from being strong conservative to now completely socially liberal, but fiscally still conservative.

What this country needs is a Libertarian party that can compete with our big 3 parties

Yeah, Libertarianism is totally what this country needs. SMH.

 

[zang]

Caught a brief blurb of Saunders campaigning on the news last night. The target of his ire? Bike lanes. He said he would remove the bike lanes on University, reverse the decision to make the ones on Yonge Street permanent, and cancel the installation of all proposed bike lanes everywhere in the city. All in the name of "fighting congestion".

What a disgusting troglodyte. The left better coalesce around a single candidate to ensure that this vile idiot doesn't become mayor. I'm furious that he's even suggesting those changes.

As headstrong as Matlow is, I think he's pragmatic and smart enough to know that it's ultimately not a competition against Chow but against conservative status quo, and cut bait if he's falling too far behind. I easily see him then getting the Deputy Mayor position if she wins.

 

[Northern Light]

Just wow, Bradford at it again...............its no longer just his foot in his mouth, he's at least knee-deep.

From: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...n-tiktok-using-womens-ttc-horror-stories.html

 

[adma]

True but Tory was the PC leader prior to being Mayor.

Things change but political views don't. Once a Conservative, always a Conservative

It's really best to view John Tory through the prism of his '03 Mayoral run, i.e. he was definitely the "right-wing" candidate to David Miller as the "left-wing" candidate, but the two were so fundamentally collegial as opponents as to, shall we say, soften the differential. Thus while the difference was "stark" in left vs right fundamentals, it didn't really play out as starkly as Tory vs Ford in '14--which was really more a matter of high vs low (whereas Miller vs Tory worked on a more mutually elevated level).

 

[Pacer]

Just wow, Bradford at it again...............its no longer just his foot in his mouth, he's at least knee-deep.

View attachment 475957

From: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...n-tiktok-using-womens-ttc-horror-stories.html

If you look at how he is replying to the promotional video, it seems like they were hoping for the backlash to amplify him and the campaign.

 

[Pacer]

As headstrong as Matlow is, I think he's pragmatic and smart enough to know that it's ultimately not a competition against Chow but against conservative status quo, and cut bait if he's falling too far behind. I easily see him then getting the Deputy Mayor position if she wins.

My understanding from speaking to people working in his campaign is that he will not drop out, and is hoping to galvanize "progressives" behind him at the debate.

 

[Fresco]

Yeah, Libertarianism is totally what this country needs. SMH

Why not??

 

[zang]

Why not??

Because it's a many-time-failed form of politics born of selfish interests, ignores the social compact and is comprised in the vast majority by men.

It goes against almost everything this country has built itself up to be. Healthcare and social programs would be wiped out. Pay to play at every opportunity because some jack hole who hated being told no as a kid thinks he shouldn't have to pay for sidewalks he doesn't use. Tens of thousands of years of social cooperation have brought us to where we are now, Libertarianism wishes to ignore all of that.

 

[zang]

My understanding from speaking to people working in his campaign is that he will not drop out, and is hoping to galvanize "progressives" behind him at the debate.

What people did you speak to?

 

[Richard White]

My understanding from speaking to people working in his campaign is that he will not drop out, and is hoping to galvanize "progressives" behind him at the debate.

Honestly, with Olivia in the race I cannot see progressives rallying behind Josh Matlow. He can hope all he wants but it will not get him anywhere.