Toronto's Election for Mayor: Come Clean Kathleen

The coming election for Mayor of Toronto pits two formidable rivals against one another.

On the one hand there are the people of Toronto, en masse. These are the people you see on the sidewalk, rich, poor, happy, sad, angry and miserable. They are across the counter from you when you shop, They share an office with you. They drive your buses, streetcars and cabs. They cut you off in traffic and they yield to you like chivalrous knights of old. They sit in meetings in big corporations and lean on shovels next to ditches in the road. They sweat with you. They curse at you. They laugh with you. They laugh at you.

They are your neighbors. They are you.

Against the people of Toronto, in this election, are political operators, mainly in the provincial government, who have political patronage debts to pay, and who have a vested FINANCIAL interest in who becomes Mayor of Toronto.

In brief, this election pits the People of Toronto against the Government of Ontario.

Up until now, the statements and behavior of Oliva Chow in this campaign have convinced me that she is the candidate of the provincial government. Everything she has said, has coincided with policies designed to increase expenses and increase time frames for completion of projects. Proceeding in this way facilitates the distribution of plum contracts to political friends.

She went so far as to "stand down" during the recent provincial election. She did not campaign for candidates from her own political party, the NDP, and may very well have contributed to a loss by the NDP incumbant in a riding in the east end of Toronto, where he lost by less than 100 votes.

This was not done inadvertently. After the provincial election, Olivia explained why she failed to support her own political party.

www.torontosun.com...

The good news for all of Toronto’s mayoral candidates is they now know it will be the Liberals they will be dealing with for the next four years.

The buck stops with Wynne. (The Premier-elect of Ontario)

“That’s why I stayed neutral throughout the entire provincial campaign,” said former NDP MP Olivia Chow, a frontrunner in the mayoral race.

Olivia's attitude in this is typical and understandable. She knows that the Government of Ontario holds the purse strings. She knows that she will have to go, cup in hand, to the provincial government to secure the release of funds for projects that the City of Toronto, that means YOU gentle citizen and TAXPAYER, depend on to have a functioning city that is not torture to live in and do business.

Does the province have a candidate in this election? Of course it does. However, at this point in the campaign I no longer believe that the province's candidate is Olivia Chow. Let me explain why.

Like many other Torontonians who were not obsessed with Rob Ford's personal problems and short comings, I thought that the main issue in the current mayoralty campaign was transit. Much of the campaign has consisted of candidates backing one approach or the other as solutions to the problem of transit in this city. Now, several months into the campaign, I have realized that the transit issue is not the central issue of this election. The central issue of the campaign is how transit and other infrastructure projects are going to be funded.

With unlimited funding, Toronto could begin a building campaign aimed at solving all transit issues, large and small, bit by bit, constructing whatever subway lines and LRT lines served a need or solved a specific problem. There would be no need of a "Grand Plan". Termites don't have a grand plan when they start tunneling through your house, but by the time they are finished, the house has been thoroughly ventilated. Think the Paris Metropolitain.

There is no reason, except cost efficiency, to have a grand plan. There is nothing wrong with solving one problem at a time, no matter how small the problem. At least, doing it that way, one headache at a time is removed. It makes a lot more sense than sitting on a horrendous set of migraines for decades because you can't decide what to do or how to pay for it. Think the Toronto Transit Commission and its political overseers.

So what's my point?

There is only one source that is absolutely dependable when it comes to financing transit expansion in the form of subways or LRT lines and that is TAX DOLLARS. These tax dollars can be found in different places. the principle places are YOUR POCKET in the form of tax increases, THE FUTURE in the form of expected tax increments forcast to follow from development and lastly and very importantly THE PROVINCIAL AND FEDERAL BUDGETS in the form of TAXES ALREADY PAID.

Rob Ford is considered an undesirable political candidate in various quarters for numerous frivolous reasons associated with his personal problems. Like John A. MacDonald, Canada's first Prime Minister, one of the foundering fathers of the country, he's got substance abuse problems, but even worse, among the political power nexi of the province, he hates the idea of RAISING TAXES.

Olivia Chow is not averse to raising taxes in certain sectors of the economy, i.e., business and the wealthy. Olivia is not considered a threat to the budgets of the province or the country. She was a very acceptable candidate to the provincial government until she started to fall behind in the polls.

At that point another "compliant" candidate had to be found. Someone who was not averse to raising taxes. Someone who could be counted upon to refrain from drawing the attention of Torontonians to the fact that they have ALREADY PAID substantial amounts of tax to both the federal and provincial governments. (In this case we are concerned more with the provincial government.) They wanted someone who wouldn't do a Mel Lastman and threaten to take the city INDEPENDANT by seceding from the province.

They found John Tory.

I believe that Tory has been brought "onside" with the provincial government with regard to budgetary and tax matters. What that means is that Tory will not be pressing too hard for the provincial government to cough up money to fund transit expansion. Tory will try to cooperate with the provincial government in downloading the costs of transit expansion to taxpaying Torontonians and will leave the status quo of funding arrangements with the provincial government intact.

Tory is Kathleen Wynne's man.

Ford is not.

Ford hates the idea of raising taxes. Ford is guaranteed to be more confrontational and to demand a bigger cut of the provincial budget for funding transit and other projects in the city.

For that reason, from the point of view of the "snugger buggers", the powerful forces on the inside of Ontario politics, Ford must be removed from the political equation in Toronto. Forces allied with the provincial government want this to happen. They don't want this guy rocking the boat. The whole system of "gubmint" (dispensing patronage) depends on it.

That has been the pet project of the Toronto Star, the "snugger buggers" hit team, from the moment Ford decided to run for office and they have not ceased their attacks upon him since. They have not ceased the torrent of ridicule and contempt for the first mayor in decades to save Toronto taxpayers substantial amounts of money. That is because the Toronto Star is also "onside" with the provincial government in the sense of wanting to be rid of Ford. If you want to follow this campaign at all, with any expectation of fair and reasonable coverage, read the Globe and Mail or the National Post or the Toronto Sun.

Kathleen Wynne ought to do the decent and honest thing and declare which candidate her government would like to see elected mayor of Toronto. Not to do so, is to attempt to misle voters. It is to disguise the financial implications of a vote cast for a candidate. It is to conceal which candidate is going to represent the interests of the provincial government rather than the interests of the people of Toronto. It is to conceal what I believe to be the truth of this matter, that John Tory is that candidate.

Some may say, "First you tried to tag sweet little Olivia Chow with the lable of "fifth columnist" for the Province on abundant evidence for the allegation and now, you writhing weasel, you are trying to tag dignified dunce, John Tory, with the label. You shameless swine. Why have you switched your poisonous attention to Tory? Why is he now the boogie man in the plot and not sweet Olivia?"

I'm glad you asked.

Tory is "it" now because Tory is ahead in the race to be Mayor. Olivia has shown her true colors in deserting her NDP colleagues in the provincial election. She blew it. She's not going to be elected, thank heavens, and the provincial government needed another stooge with a chance to win. Tory is that stooge in my opinion. I have absolutely no proof of it, but it makes a hellacious amount of sense. I would bet a lot of money that Kathleen Wynne and John Tory have come to an understanding and that he is her candidate in this election.

Tory admitted in an interview on radio during the last election for Mayor in this city, that he "would never trust his own judgement". This is someone who thus gives an indication that he might very well opt to allow someone else to do his thinking for him. I think Kathleen Wynne would be more than happy to take up that option. I think she has taken up that option. I think she owes it to the voters of this city to admit it.

Just for the record. I adore Kathleen Wynne. I think she's as cute as a button. (I know she's a lezboing.) I think she's smart, personable and will probably go down as a great provincial premier.

But . . . this is politics. This issue goes to the very foundation of the way politics is practiced in this province today.

Torontonians have been convinced over the years that their needs come second to the needs of the province as a whole, as if Toronto were not part of the province, as if Toronto were a greedy beggar always banging on the door at Queen's Park.

Taxes paid by the people and businesses of Toronto form a large percentage of the budget dollars available to the provincial government. What percentage? Well, that seems to be a number that is very hard for an average citizen like me to find out.

I think Torontonians have a right to know that number. I think the Mayor of Toronto has a right to know that number. I think Toronto has a right to a fair return of much of that money to the city.

It is very difficult to know how much we are entitled to. Tax Increment Financing, as proposed by John Tory, for transit expansion, is a way of ignoring the issue of TAXES ALREADY PAID and the issue of how much of that money Toronto is entitled to and whether the provincial government or Toronto City Council should be deciding where that money is spent.

Still love ya, Kathleen, but political business is political business.

Tory and Chow are bigger losers than Ford.

I'll vote for any candidate that vows to keep jet airliners out of downtown Toronto.

None of them have.

We're fecked.

a reply to: Psynic

One issue voters usually have an easy time of it in elections, but I agree with you on the airport. The long term prognosis re noise is probably bad. Do you live on the island?

originally posted by: ipsedixit
a reply to: Psynic

Do you live on the island?

Not quite, but close.

Been a lifeguard on the beach, worked Ontario place, Aquarama show at the Ex, couple Marinas, windsurfer, dinghy and keel boat sailor stuff like that.

The airport has been buoying off a larger and larger 'Exclusion Zone' in the name of safety despite there never having been a airplane/boat collision. It's gotten to the point that a small boat has to sail all the way to OP to enter a marked channel, just to go around the island.

Toronto's existence is due to it's location on the old Indian canoe route along the Humber River. I think we should honour our heritage and keep the Toronto Islands a recreational destination where kids can grow up with beaches and little boats.

Bringing thousands of passengers and dozens of jets into the heart of the city, where traffic can't move because of out-dated infrastructure is idiotic. Rome, London, Paris, Amsterdam and many other world class cities are doing the EXACT OPPOSITE by banning even automobiles from the core of the downtown area.

All of our crumby politicians see nothing but a money trough for them, with complimentary "research" flights.

Look at the Leslie Street Spit sitting there unoccupied. Designed to be an airport but laying dormant and ignored as it grows larger EVERY DAY. Eventually it will be an airport but until the insiders have bought up every piece of adjoining land it's better for them to keep it hush hush.

Is there a way to slur the Green party as well? For some reason I don't like leaving them out of the dissing. This is party line BS. If Chow was a Conservative I'm sure this piece would have been much nicer. Toronto Sun? Best sports coverage in Canada. Politics? About as unbiased as Hun Central. That was Genghis Khan's PR arm.

If Chow decided to NOT run I think that Rob had a decent chance at reelection. Olivia in = Rob out. Thus the reason for this thread imo.

I think Ip, that you are very informed and I enjoy reading your take on this election.

www.robfordformayor.ca...

a reply to: intrepid

I don't like Olivia Chow or her late husband for reasons I've stated in other threads and won't go into here.

One of the best places to read about City Hall in Toronto is Sue-Ann Levy's column in the Toronto Sun. All the papers have taken shots at Rob Ford, but the Star has been relentless from the moment he announced he would run before the last election.

I'm just talking about the issues.

I think somebody has to go after Queen's Park. I hope Ford will do it but that is not crystal clear at this time. He himself has put forward TIF (Tax Increment Financing) before in another connection but I think it is a scheme that amounts to "snake oil". It is like counting your tax chickens before they hatch and buying a new transit system with them, keeping your fingers crossed that they do actually hatch.

Olivia Chow's presence in this election benefits nobody more than Rob Ford. I hope she stays in the campaign right to the bitter end.

a reply to: InTheLight

Thanks. I appreciate your appreciation.

I've got some more to come on this topic. I will probably get to it tomorrow morning. (Laundry and other chores tonight.)

originally posted by: ipsedixit
a reply to: InTheLight

Thanks. I appreciate your appreciation.

I've got some more to come on this topic. I will probably get to it tomorrow morning. (Laundry and other chores tonight.)

It's always nice to be told that you are appreciated.

originally posted by: ipsedixit
Olivia Chow's presence in this election benefits nobody more than Rob Ford. I hope she stays in the campaign right to the bitter end.

Um. OK. Reality. What a concept. You should try it. With Oliva in Rob is done. It's written in stone.

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: ipsedixit
Olivia Chow's presence in this election benefits nobody more than Rob Ford. I hope she stays in the campaign right to the bitter end.

Um. OK. Reality. What a concept. You should try it. With Oliva in Rob is done. It's written in stone.

She has yet to tell Torontonians that she definitely will get all moneys from their unbottomless pockets.

a reply to: intrepid

I think Olivia is going to split the "anybody but Rob Ford" vote with John Tory. That will benefit the Mayor.

Olivia has a constituency, but it is mostly NDP, with probably some Liberals thrown in. I think her NDP support may be a little shaky for reasons stated earlier in the thread.

I think I'm being very realistic about this situation. There is no question that Ford is in a tough fight and that he got there because of his personal "issues". On political issues, he's got a good record and probably would have cruised to a second term, absent the personal stuff.

originally posted by: ipsedixit
I think I'm being very realistic about this situation.

I don't. Olivia will win like Hazel won. HUGE! Keep wasting your time though. Can I post a huge I TOLD YOU SO! when the election is over?

originally posted by: intrepid

Can I post a huge I TOLD YOU SO! when the election is over?

Sure. On the other hand, when the Mayor wins, I will be the soul of decorum and magnanimity on ATS and confine my cackling to my own room.

originally posted by: ipsedixit

originally posted by: intrepid

Can I post a huge I TOLD YOU SO! when the election is over?

Sure. On the other hand, when the Mayor wins, I will be the soul of decorum and magnanimity on ATS and confine my cackling to my own room.

You mean coughing in your room? Yup. That's what's going to happen. Trudeau couldn't beat Chow in Toronto.

a reply to: intrepid

As they say in the army, "Down with Chow!"

originally posted by: ipsedixit
a reply to: intrepid

As they say in the army, "Down with Chow!"

a reply to: ipsedixit

I want a stance. Are you saying Olivia won't win the mayoral election?