Guide to who’s running for city’s top political job
Mayoral candidates in Toronto election
By Kris Scheuer
(Updated Oct. 21.)
Councillor Joe Pantalone is running for mayor of Toronto.
The Toronto election campaign officially began Jan. 4 and *40 people are registered for mayor’s race.
Coun. Rob Ford registered March 25.
Coun. Joe Pantalone made it official Jan. 13. Former MPP George Smitherman filed his nomination papers Jan. 8.
They are not alone.
As of Sept. 10 (last day to register or withdraw), here’s the list: lawyer Rocco Achampong, Michael Alexander, George Babula, Christopher Ball, Michael Brausewetter, Douglas Campbell, Jaime Castillo, Kevin Clarke, Keith Cole, Charlene Cottle, Diane Devenyi, James Di Fiore, David Epstein, Selwyn Firth, Michael Flie, Councillor Rob Ford, Abdullah-Baquie Ghazi, Howard Gomberg, Barry Goodhead, Monowar Hossain, Dewitt Lee, John Letonja, Colin Magee, Carmen Macklin, Joseph Pampena, deputy mayor Joe Pantalone, former MPP George Smitherman, Vijay Sarma, Mark State, Tibor Steinberger, Himy Syed, Weizhen Tang, Phil Taylor, David Vallance, Ratan Wadhwa and Daniel Walker.
And Gerald Derome who, on his website that he links to from his Twitter account, has written some disturbing passages about wanting to have sexual contact with girls as young as nine (see blue shaded post with heading Ecto Gamma.)
Also running is Don Andrews, who is head of the Nationalist Party of Canada and a white supremacist. You should know he is a proud racist. I interviewed him when he ran for mayor in 2003. He has been convicted and done time for hate crimes in the 1970s.
*Businesswoman Sarah Thomson withdrew after the nominations closed, so she’ll remain on the ballot.
*Liberal strategist Rocco Rossi dropped out on Oct. 13, but will still be on the ballot.
Other Withdrawn candidates: Giorgio Mammoliti officially withdrew his candidacy July 9. Adam Giambrone held a press conference Feb. 10 to apologize for affairs while maintaining a committed relationship and by March 10 had withdrawn from the race. Perpetual mayoral candidate Kevin Clarke withdrew March 31 but is now registered again. Stephen Feek, Ange Maniccia, Mark Cidade, Mell Findlay, Wendell Brereton, Nasseb Husain, Carmen Macklin, Jim McMillan, Sonny Yeung and Andrew Barton.
Who do you like for the next mayor?
Kris Scheuer 