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Mayor John Tory's Toronto

The juxtaposition to Toronto is profound, let alone the serendipity of this considering recent events: (This author Christian Wolmar ran for London Mayor, mostly on transportation policy, and I subscribe to his newsletter. He graciously defers to Khan, the Mayoral winner)
Dear subscriber,
I was on BBC radio London this morning talking about Tube rage. Well, now I am suffering from policy rage. I have just read a piece in the Evening Standard about some Neanderthal Tory councillor who wants to stop Sadiq from pedestrianising Oxford Street and that has what inspired me to write this newsletter.
Daniel Astaire, apparently the Westminster councillor with responsibility for Oxford Street, is clearly running scared of local opponents who are standing in next week’s elections on this single issue and has announced that he has ordered the council to stop working on the scheme. This is naked Nimby politics at its worst. Oxford Street is a London wide resource, and it is right that it should be the decision of the mayor, who stood a platform of wanting it pedestrianised. In any case, Astaire is dancing on thin ice since, hopefully, an influx of new Labour councillors in the election will lead to a more co-operative attitude.
Interestingly the New York Times has almost simultaneously published an article demonstrating the futility of trying to accommodate yet more cars on the roads of US cities and gives London as an example where money from the congestion charge is helping provide cycle lanes. If only it were that simple and if only London politicians were really on board with that agenda.
The truth is that it is ridiculous that these battles are still being fought. Everyone in transport knows that cars in central city areas make no sense economically or environmentally. As the New York Times piece says, every other car apart from the one that you are in is the enemy and makes your life more difficult. Yet, apart from in our small central congestion charge area, cluttering up roads – a scarce resource – is free.
It would be great to think that many of the new councillors coming in next week were aware of the need for a new consensus on transport, a policy based on people not cars. If you are going to a hustings for the elections, or a candidate knocks on your door, give them an earful about clean air, kids being able to walk to school, reducing obesity and all the other advantages of a society less reliant on cars.
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https://mailchi.mp/14d2f64eea53/dont-let-the-neanderthals-win?e=c1141da4b3
 
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TransitBart said:
That is a silly comment. Some may choose not to vote hard right on principle. Some may choose not to vote hard left.
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The point is there are options. No one is being forced to vote Doug. Additionally the poster seemed to imply that since NDP WERE Not gaining traction that it was a waste of a vote. What comes first,the traction or the vote.
 
sixrings said:
The point is there are options. No one is being forced to vote Doug. Additionally the poster seemed to imply that since NDP WERE Not gaining traction that it was a waste of a vote. What comes first,the traction or the vote.
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The viable attractive policy, and character of the leader come before any decision about where to place a vote.
 
sixrings said:
they can vote NDP... you're making it out like they have no option.
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That isn't really an option for those of us looking to not vote Liberals. Why should I double-down on the very things that as a Liberal voter makes me dislike the Liberals in the first place?

At this point, I am going to hold my nose and vote Wynne (only because Thug is the leader of the PC party) or vote Green.
 
Can we move this discussion to the appropriate thread please and keep this one about John Tory ‘s Toronto
 
I noticed that Cp2Ford was giving Sarah Climenhaga some attention. Maybe they are setting her up as a "progressive" opponent for Tory.
 
Videodrome said:
I noticed that Cp2Ford was giving Sarah Climenhaga some attention. Maybe they are setting her up as a "progressive" opponent for Tory.
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I've noticed her name pop up a few times in progressive circles I am a part of on Facebook. Still though, I don't think her candidacy will worry Mayor Tory.

It feels like thus far, that several progressive candidates are looking to split the 10-15% of the vote that will naturally fall to them.
 
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