Mayor John Tory's Toronto

[Richard White]

The legislation can be changed by Queens Park on a dime; they've done it before. I'm not sure it matters what the legislation says, if the PCs put their mind to it.

I don't see anything in the legislation that even mentions the deputy - other than a reference to allowing for regulations to have one. And I see nothing in the regulations about it - though I haven't searched as extensively - have you seen something?

My understanding was that the Deputy Mayor takes over much like when Rob Ford had his issues. Norm Kelly took over in that case.

That said, you're right. I can see Ford changing the legislation to suit his needs.

 

[lenaitch]

It's way too early on a Sunday morning, but the Municipal Act provides authority for handling and filling council vacancies. I haven't cross-referenced it with the City of Toronto Act or the City's by-laws (there are a lot). Typically, the procedural details of corporate governance (municipalities are a type of corporation) are in its bylaws.

Of course, as mentioned, the Province yields a lot of power over municipalities. I'm not too sure even this government would get directly involved because it would own the result.

 

[DSC]

It's way too early on a Sunday morning, but the Municipal Act provides authority for handling and filling council vacancies. I haven't cross-referenced it with the City of Toronto Act or the City's by-laws (there are a lot). Typically, the procedural details of corporate governance (municipalities are a type of corporation) are in its bylaws.

Of course, as mentioned, the Province yields a lot of power over municipalities. I'm not too sure even this government would get directly involved because it would own the result.

I have zero doubt here will be an election, the new Strong mayor Act is quite clear on timing:

Vacancy, head of council
226.10 (1) Despite section 208, if a vacancy occurs in the office of head of council, the City shall, subject to subsection (3) and in accordance with the regulations, if any, require a by-election to be held, in accordance with the Municipal Elections Act, 1996, to fill the vacancy.
Rules applying to filling vacancies
(2) Subject to subsection (3) and the regulations, if any, the following rules apply to filling vacancies in the office of head of council:
1. Within 60 days after the day a declaration of vacancy is made under section 207 with respect to the vacancy, the City shall pass a by-law requiring a by-election to be held to fill the vacancy.
2. Despite paragraph 1, if a court declares the office of head of council to be vacant, the City shall act under subsection (1) within 60 days after the court makes its declaration.
3. Despite subsection (1), if a vacancy occurs within 90 days before voting day of a regular election, the City is not required to fill the vacancy.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

In terms of commenting on the substance of the Mayor's conduct, here is my take:

1) Insofar as his conduct was lawful; and involved a consenting adult, one no longer in the City's employ, and it had no tangible, adverse effect on his management of the City.......... I don't care.

2) I don't know what arrangement he has or has not had with his wife; and that frankly is none of my business.

3) Men like sex, powerful men with money often get opportunity thrown their way quite regularly, and very often take advantage of that; is this sometimes unwise or ethically suspect? Quite probably, however, its worth saying,
if John's conduct is the litmus test for holding power, several politicians more powerful than he are due for immediate resignation, and so are a few members of council.

4) I don't hire (vote for) any politician, irrespective of their sex or orientation based on whom they do or do not have an intimate relationship with......... unless the act is directly linked to something illegal or corrupt, I don't care. I care what you do or not achieve in your job.

5) Is having a relationship, even a consenting one, with a subordinate, illegal? No. Is it generally contrary to most human resource guidelines and almost certainly a suspect idea? Yes. However, there are countless suspect ideas pursued by people at all levels of society, economic and social that are dubious, if they all had to resign over such where it wasn't impacting their job performance, I suspect 97% of jobs would be vacant.

6) John Tory was a profoundly under-achieving Mayor, who by way of not-so-benign neglect in some measure, and by actively spending too much on IMIT and the Gardiner rebuild served to see an overall decline in quality of life, with diminished infrastructure, more crowding, more homelessness and not much to show for all that either. I will not miss him. However, I will not miss him for those reasons immediately above and not for his sexual indiscretions.

It's the power structure of this relationship that makes it highly inappropropriate no matter how it's cut.

...glad he did the right thing and resigned here. His predecessor would of flat out refused to. So I can least say that.

 

[tiffer24]

John Tory has been mayor for two full terms. What kind of legacy does he leave Toronto?

 

[Admiral Beez]

John Tory has been mayor for two full terms. What kind of legacy does he leave Toronto?

Vagrants, beggars, encampments, occupations, broken infrastructure, housing shortages and homeless crisis, record policing budgets, hundreds of dead pedestrians and cyclists, violent nutbars on the TTC, no new revenue tools, etc, etc. it’s a mess.

 

[DSC]

Vagrants, beggars, encampments, occupations, broken infrastructure, housing shortages and homeless crisis, record policing budgets, hundreds of dead pedestrians and cyclists, violent nutbars on the TTC, no new revenue tools, etc, etc. it’s a mess.

Though Tory was certainly not a perfect Mayor (and I did not vote for him last year) and he lost any credibility with me by secretly pressing for strong mayor powers, we should accept that these are not Toronto-specific problems and (low bar though it may be) he was MUCH better than his predecessor. His epitaph could be "He could have been worse"

 

[Rimsky44]

Vagrants, beggars, encampments, occupations, broken infrastructure, housing shortages and homeless crisis, record policing budgets, hundreds of dead pedestrians and cyclists, violent nutbars on the TTC, no new revenue tools, etc, etc. it’s a mess.

The next mayor has some pretty low hanging fruit policies - how about increasing property taxes? I know it's not popular, but it's almost required by now, not to mention it theoretically reduces NOI so housing prices should come down, all things being equal...

 

[DSC]

The next mayor has some pretty low hanging fruit policies - how about increasing property taxes? I know it's not popular, but it's almost required by now, not to mention it theoretically reduces NOI so housing prices should come down, all things being equal...

"Low hanging fruit' implies something is easy. While I am certainly in favour of higher property taxes, it is NOT easy to increase taxes - even if you are a 'strong mayor' who can ignore a majority of Council

 

[Amare]

Though Tory was certainly not a perfect Mayor (and I did not vote for him last year) and he lost any credibility with me by secretly pressing for strong mayor powers, we should accept that these are not Toronto-specific problems and (low bar though it may be) he was MUCH better than his predecessor. His epitaph could be "He could have been worse"

The previous mayor set the bar so low though, to the point that almost anyone was better then him.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Rob Ford, Doug Ford, AND John Tory are all (Progressive) Conservatives. Doug has a hard-right "blue" flavour, while John had right "red" flavour, and Rob had a hard-right "booze" flavour.

Time for left flavour, or at least a "real" centre flavour.

 

[nfitz]

Though Tory was certainly not a perfect Mayor (and I did not vote for him last year) and he lost any credibility with me by secretly pressing for strong mayor powers, we should accept that these are not Toronto-specific problems and (low bar though it may be) he was MUCH better than his predecessor. His epitaph could be "He could have been worse"

Definitely an improvement on Ford.

But Ford was so utterly incompetent and out-of-touch (or perhaps merely stoned and drunk) that council chose its own path on my issues - an improvement in some ways of the directions that Tory took us.

 

[ShonTron]

Definitely an improvement on Ford.

But Ford was so utterly incompetent and out-of-touch (or perhaps merely stoned and drunk) that council chose its own path on my issues - an improvement in some ways of the directions that Tory took us.

Yeah. Tory was also in Mel Lastman's "kitchen cabinet" - who, along with people like Paul Godfrey - ran the show. Getting Rob in was an aberration, while John Tory as mayor was able to keep council in line to continue the agenda. Tory was the worse mayor.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

Time for left flavour, or at least a "real" centre flavour.

If I wanted a "real" waffle, I would get a waffle iron...

 

[toonderly]

I am scratching my head over this assertion from the province that the acting mayor cannot use the strong powers. Are they talking through their hat?

"When Tory does officially resign, council will declare his seat vacant, and Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Ward 25, Scarborough—Rouge Park) will take over until a byelection is held. Legal experts who spoke to the Star said the legislation doesn’t explicitly prevent an interim mayor from wielding the strong-mayor veto. However, the province said Sunday the powers aren’t transferable."

Uncertainty over John Tory’s departure could have big budget consequences

Council is set to debate the budget at a special meeting on Wednesday. Those opposed to the proposed spending measures may try to take advantage of the tumult at City Hall to revisit some of the more contentious items.

www.thestar.com