Greenwood, Donlands TTC exits

TTC now open to new sites for emergency subway exits
Strathmore Blvd families hopeful their homes won’t be expropriated
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier July 13. July 15 update.)

Grace and Danny Calia with grandson Louie, daughter Bruna Amabile at their Strathmore home. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Danny and Grace Calia hope to get a good night’s rest tonight at their home on 247 Strathmore Boulevard where they’ve lived for 51 years.
At a community meeting July 12, the TTC agreed to pursue an alternative location for a new second exit for Greenwood station that wouldn’t involve expropriating their property and the one next door at 245 Strathmore.
“We’ve been here 50 years. I raised kids here, grandkids here,” said Danny Calia from his home July 13. “I hope they come up with a good idea to make us happy. The mind is relaxed now.”

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When to judge politicians’ behaviour

What are reasonable expectations to have of political reps
How perfect should they be in their private lives
(Opinion column written March 5 for Town Crier.)

Politicians are people too.
Okay I know that sounds obvious, but as Midtown councillor Karen Stintz points out people are flawed.
This means politicians, like us, aren’t perfect.
“Generally, the public is not interested in the flaws of politicians,” she tells me.
“Where it is a problem is if a politician presents themself in a particular light and doesn’t live up to that,” she says. “If you try to present yourself as perfect, you are bound to disappoint people because no one’s perfect.”
So it is when a politician is a hypocrite professing to be one way or preaching on a subject when they can’t uphold those same values that the real problem unfolds.

Adam Giambrone out of mayor’s race

Giambrone’s week long campaign to be mayor of TO ended today
His personal affairs aired in public, force retreat from mayoral race
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Feb. 10)

Adam Giambrone at a press conference apologizes for his "relationships" with women other than his live-in partner. He's no longer running for mayor. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Adam Giambrone’s out of the mayor’s race.
At a hastily called press conference at 11 am Feb. 10, Giambrone apologized for his indiscretions without naming Kristen Lucas specifically.
He did not directly announce his departure from the mayor’s race. However, a few minutes after Giambrone refused to answer questions about the affair and his political future, an executive assistant made the announcement: “His mayoralty campaign ends today.”

Toronto election races to watch

These are the hot races to watch in this city
Election offers plenty of sparks, sparring
By Kris Scheuer
(Updated and expanded Oct. 25)

 

Councillor Case Ootes isn't seeking re-election and the race to replace him in ward 29 is a hotly contested one.

 

There are some exciting races in the Toronto election. Here are my 18 reasons to pay attention. What do you think, am I missing any races?
1. Mayor David Miller is not seeking a third term, but *40 candidates have made their bid to replace him. *Sarah Thomson withdrew but is still on the ballot. Find out who is running, here. Who will you choose?
2. Councillor Adam Giambrone Davenport Ward 18 was running for mayor but now he’s not. He’s also not seeking re-election locally. This race has attracted 12 candidates: Twelve candidates are running: Coun. Giambrone’s Executive Assistant Kevin Beaulieu, Doug Carroll, Nha Le, Joe MacDonald, Mohammad Muhit, Kirk Russell, Joanna Teliatnik, Hema Vyas, Ana Bailao, Ken Wood, Abdirazak Elmi and former Green Party of Ontario leader Frank de Jong.
3. Councillor Joe Pantalone Trinity-Spadina Ward 19 is running for mayor. His seat is up for grabs and 9 people are running: David Footman,  NDP leader Jack Layton’s son Mike Layton an urban planner and environmentalist, Jim Likourezos, sportscaster Sean McCormick, journalist Karlene Nation, George Sawision,  Jason Stevens, community activist, planner and environmentalist Karen Sun and Rosario Bruto.
4. Councillor Anthony Perruzza for York Centre Ward 8 is seeking re-election. This should be a real tough fight between former local rep Peter Li Preti who represented the ward but lost by 579 votes to Perruzza in ’06. Li Preti has signed up for a rematch. Plus six other candidates: John Gallagher, Naseeb Husain, Antonius Clarke, Gerardo Miniguano, Arthur Smitherman (George Smitherman’s brother) and Ramnarine Tiwari are also running here.

Adam Giambrone registers for mayor

Giambrone became a mayoral candidate Feb 1
He remains a councillor and TTC chair throughout campaign
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Feb. 1 for Town Crier. Feb. 10 UPDATE when he resigned.)

Adam Giambrone is running for mayor. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Councillor Adam Giambrone made it official Feb. 1 by becoming a candidate in the Toronto mayor’s race.
Giambrone was at the Town Crier’s head office the same afternoon to meet with the newspaper and multicultural media partners for a sit down editorial board meeting. Read that story.
This is expected to be one of Giambrone’s first interviews on the day he announced his candidacy for mayor.
The 32-year-old councillor has also booked the Rival nightclub for Feb. 1 for an evening of “celebration” beginning at 5:30 p.m. with him speaking between 6-6:30 p.m., according to his city hall office.
Giambone also released a tongue and cheek YouTube video on how to prepare to run for mayor.

Toronto election mayoral race

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?