Sandra Bussin’s 2010 campaign

Beach councillor faces hot issues in election year
Kris Scheuer
(Written June 11 for Town Crier.)

Beaches-East York Councillor Sandra Bussin.

Beaches-East York Councillor Sandra Bussin has come under fire lately over a series of hot button issues in her Ward 32.
There’s the firestorm over 204 Beech Avenue, where the owners bought the property with the intention to tear it down and build an accessible home only to find out it is a candidate for heritage protection.
Bussin got caught up in heated meeting on that issue. A clip depicting her as unsympathetic to the owners subsequently ended up on video streaming site YouTube, and made the rounds via Twitter.
And there’s the controversial 20-year, sole-source contract that awards a lease extension to Tuggs owner George Foulidis for his Boardwalk Café at Ashbridges Bay. Some feel Foulidis got too sweet a deal.
Though she removed herself from any city staff discussions surrounding the Boardwalk Café in 2009, Bussin was a vocal supporter of the sole-source contract for Foulidis back in 2006.
And this is now an election year.
“I am a strong person. I represent this community with integrity,” she told the Town Crier referring in to the criticism she is facing lately.

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Bruce Baker takes on Councillor Bussin

Beach resident running in area Sandra Bussin reps
Bruce Baker a former TTC driver is a council candidate
By Kris Scheuer
(Written  Feb. 10 for Town Crier.)

 

Bruce Baker is running for council in Beaches-East York Ward 32. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

 

Bruce Baker wants to be Ward 32’s next councillor.
Not surprisingly, the former TTC bus driver names transit as a key issue he’d like to tackle if elected.
“(The TTC) can’t even solve the problem of the Queen streetcar,” said Baker, who worked for the commission in the 1970s.
After years of customer complaints, the TTC implemented different solutions to curtail short-turning streetcars including splitting the Queen Street route in half. As well, he was not impressed that current councillor Sandra Bussin secured $400,000 from the TTC as a community benefit for a local skateboard park in exchange for a new streetcar storage yard being housed in the ward.

Sandra Bussin to seek re-election

Councillor Bussin plans to run again in Beaches East York
Toronto Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher already registered
By Kris Scheuer and Karolyn Coorsh
(Written Jan. 14 for Town Crier newspaper.)

Councillor Sandra Bussin will register for re-election in ward 32.

She may be in no hurry to formally register but make no mistake: Beaches-East York councillor Sandra Bussin is seeking re-election in her ward this year.
“Yes, I will be registering sometime in the future,” the ward 32 rep said in an interview at a Danforth Avenue restaurant. “There are a number of projects I am still interested in pursuing.”
One of the issues dear to her heart is ensuring incineration was not brought back to Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant.
In December, she successfully had council remove a certificate for approval for incineration at the treatment plant. This means burning the residue from water treatment is no longer an option as part of the approved Biosolids Master Plan, said Bussin.
She would like to be back to steer the completion of the Beach Skateboard Park and the new TTC streetcar storage and repair facility at Leslie Street and Lakeshore Boulevard.
She hasn’t decided on an election strategy yet.
“Every campaign is different,” she said. “Something (always) happens where there’s a new challenge of some sort.”

Toronto councillors 2010 election

The election campaign already heating up
Who is retiring, running, playing coy in TO election
By Kris Scheuer
(Updated Oct.25- Election Day.)

 

Joe Mihevc is one of the incumbent councillors seeking re-election.

 

One thing is certain in life – that’s change. And we can count on that in this city’s election. The vote is Oct. 25.
Of the 44 incumbent city councillors so far 35 current Toronto politicians have signed up for re-election in their own ward. Of the remaining 9 incumbents: 2 are running for mayor instead and 7 aren’t running at all. Want to see for yourself?
Check the city’s election website that shows all 477 candidates running for mayor, councillor and school trustee positions.
Here’s the scope on where all the candidates stand as of Sept. 10 the final nomination day.
Mayor David Miller is not running for re-election. There are 40 candidates registered to run for mayor.
Council races – there are 279 candidates running for 44 council seats
Ron Moeser (Scarborough East Ward 44) has registered and so have three others: Diana Hall, Heath Thomas and Mohammed Mirza.
Paul Ainslie (Scarborough East Ward 43) is running again and has four challengers: John Laforet, Benjamin Mbaegbu, Bhaskar Sharma and Samuel Getachew.