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News Roundup for August 29, 2024
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Next Mayor of Toronto?

Well, Ford's problem isn't one of "purely suburban support"; it's that he's more of an Al Sharpton than an Obama figure, if you get my drift. Or maybe, if you want to get real extreme, he's more Le Pen than Sarkozy. He might get a sizeable share, but his following, while loud and scary, has its limits--and he'd have less pull among the "Board Of Trade" crowd than Rossi, Smitherman, or even (thanks to the Laschinger machine) Pantalone.

A Pantalone victory would be Joe Clark-like. A Ford victory would be Evan Mecham-like.
 
One benefit that Smitherman would bring to this city would be that he would be the final piece needed to orchestrate the perfect storm to adopt a strong mayor system and undertake other municipal structure overhauling.

If elected, and if he hit the ground running, Smitherman could easily get McGuinty on his side to implement a system where the Mayor would be more than just another vote on council and be able to start targeting big problems that were never touched because the Mayor never had enough political capital and council support to get big things done.

If the city is going to grow up and become more independent and less a child of the Province, it will need to go through these steps and with the appetite for change and the city's financial troubles, there has never been a better time for this.
 
I don't know what you would do to make a Mayor any stronger. You could give the Mayor a veto, but that isn't a power to get anything done, just a power to stop things, which the Mayor already has in his ability to set agendas, draft the budget, and fill committees at his choosing. Miller has been pretty good at pushing his stuff through with even just limited use of these powers, we haven't even seen someone use them to the full extent to keep order.

You would still have the inability to implement new revenue tools due to council resistance, whether it be a casino, road tolls, or bringing up property taxes to the 905 level. Even if the city had the power to implement a supplemental income, payroll or sales tax, given councils reticence to implement the taxes they already have powers to do, why would anyone think they would implement the other ones? (plus those ones in particular could trigger another round of 905 flight)

I think many over estimate the need for a strong Mayor system or even for more powers from the province. If there isn't the political will to solve a problem, there isn't the political will to solve a problem. What are these 'big things' the city has avoided doing anyways?
 
MetroMan said:
Rob Ford will only become Mayor if the media is complicit in his election. They went after Giambrone for a personal failure which ultimately led to him dropping out but they won't cover Rob Ford's many personal failures and scandals?

Like another poster here suggested, I think the media is just keeping it low to ensure that Ford remains in the race and doesn't return to council after this election.
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I too am baffled by the lack of coverage about Ford's past, including his family, yet I highly doubt it is some conspiracy by TheStar for him to lose his seat as councillor. Since when has he had any clout as a councillor? Heck, most of the right wingers on council think he's a nut. I attribute it to bad journalism and this phony Fordist populism that the media has bought into. I can't wait for "Populist" Rob Ford running on eliminating public garbage collection, as since its on the public tab, people should simply charge it to their privately owned company to seem fiscally responsibile and a man of the people. :rolleyes:
 
mjl08 said:
I too am baffled by the lack of coverage about Ford's past, including his family, yet I highly doubt it is some conspiracy by TheStar for him to lose his seat as councillor. Since when has he had any clout as a councillor? Heck, most of the right wingers on council think he's a nut. I attribute it to bad journalism and this phony Fordist populism that the media has bought into. I can't wait for "Populist" Rob Ford running on eliminating public garbage collection, as since its on the public tab, people should simply charge it to their privately owned company to seem fiscally responsibile and a man of the people. :rolleyes:
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I don't think it's a matter of "lack of coverage"; essentially, Rob Ford's, uh, "past" is commonly known, it speaks for itself. In fact, short of the fringier Toronto Sun elements or AM 640, you'll find little actual endorsement of a Ford mayoralty, and probably more of a subliminal speaks-for-itself critique of said "phony Fordist populism" than you're giving credit for. Remember: he's what passes for a Tea Party/Palinista candidate--to his hardcore supporters, his past foibles make him more "authentic".

He wouldn't win unless his opponents cleanly cancel each other out in a miracle-split where nobody gets over 25% or 30% of the vote--and even if he won, he wouldn't last, he's too volatile and toxic. But unless he really cocks up big time--like, arrest-warrant stuff--he'll do better than the Tooker Gomberg-level numbers some are wishfully predicting...
 
Eug said:
I don't think Pantalone has a chance in Hades, but that's me. His closeness to Miller is far too much of an impediment.
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Given Miller easily won the last 2 elections, and has done such an outstanding job over the last 7 years, how can he possibly be an impediment? Particularly as the only other serious candidate is Smitherman, and his campaign seems to be imploding. At worst I don't see Pantalone finishing worst than third. I'd be surprised if he finishes worse than second; unless there are some new entries in this race ... or Rossi, Ford, and George M. don't keep working to try and corner the 905 vote.
 
In case you guys and gals are wondering, I'm still here. (Who will be the next mayor of this burg is of course the most important issue for Toronto right now).

I have eschewed the blow-by-blow of the early campaign. One could make a soap opera of the early bits ... it's the later campaign that really matters.

Within and without the context of the mayoral campaign, dissatisfaction with the TTC, and disagreement over its expansion strategies, dominate local news. I expect this to impact Smitherman's pitch. He's so tight-lipped about transit, really, but as I've said, it's still early days.
 
A furious George Smitherman fired his campaign manager Jeff Bangs yesterday. Despite what the media is saying, insiders report Bangs stormed out of the meeting. This is going to be a keen election. And an important one.
 
Interesting to note, Gorgeous George Smitherman has hired sleaze bag extraordinaire portly Jamie Watt as his official spokesthingy. Students of political history will recall Watt's shocking criminal past.

" In 1984, Watt pleaded guilty to thirteen charges of fraud and forgery. He forged the names of Oakville businessmen and politicians to save a clothing store he was running. He got off with thirty days in the slammer. " - Bryant Watch

This is going to be a fantastic train wreck.
 
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GenerationW said:
Scratch Smitherman off my list.
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Why? Bangs is generally right-wing compared to Smitherman. If he quit, then it could signal that Smitherman has decided to campaign more to the left - which can only be a sensible move (for him) with everyone seeming to campaign to the right of the average Torontonian except Pantalone.
 
nfitz,

I can't fathom why you defend Miller so much. It is like having gone to a restaurant and your host has ordered you a meal that you think is wonderful. Yet the meal has not yet arrived, and are unaware that you are going to be stuck with the bill,let alone are unaware of how much it is going to cost.
 
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