Howard Moscoe recalls political career

Veteran councillor bows out after 31 years at city hall
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Sept.16)

Howard Moscoe says goodbye to city politics. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Councillor Howard Moscoe hasn’t shied away from controversy, humour or creative ways to achieve change in his 31 years as a politician.
“I found in politics humour is a significant tool,” he said from his city hall office Sept. 16. “Humour is a way of focusing ideas. You also have to enjoy this job and have fun.”
But all good things must come to and end so he’s not seeking re-election.
“It’s not that I haven’t loved the job. And I still have as much excitement about doing it as I used to have but it seems to be the perfect time to move on,” said the Ward 15 rep.
Moscoe has never lost a city election since he was first voted in, in 1978. About two thirds of his career was served under former mayor Mel Lastman both in the old city of North York and then the amalgamated City of Toronto.
In fact one of his stand out moments was after Lastman got hair plugs and auctioned off his old toupee to charity. Moscoe bought the toupee and used it to dust his seat in North York council chambers.
It’s vintage Moscoe. 

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Howard Moscoe not seeking re-election

Veteran city councillors will withdraw Sept 1
Moscoe endorsing candidate Josh Colle
Kris Scheuer
(Written Aug. 31 for Town Crier.)

Councillor Howard Moscoe is calling it quits after 31 years in politics. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier file.

It’s official. Veteran Councillor Howard Moscoe is withdrawing from the Ward 15 race.
“It’s true,” he told the Town Crier this afternoon. “I decided a few weeks ago.”
He sent out a newsletter to his community today announcing his retirement.
“It’s not that I don’t love the job,” said Moscoe. “I’ve been in public office for 31 years.”
Moscoe has represented at least some section of Eglinton-Lawrence’s Ward 15 that entire time.
Currently there are six candidates (Moscoe, Rob Davis, Ron Singer,William Reitsma, Giuseppe Pede and Josh Colle) registered in Ward 15. Moscoe said that he will be formally withdrawing Sept. 1.

Josh Colle ward 15 candidate

Ex-trustee Josh Colle challenging Howard Moscoe
Son of MPP Mike Colle looks to unseat veteran councillor
Kris Scheuer
(Written June 15 for Town Crier.)

Photo courtesy of Joshua Colle.

The son of MPP Mike Colle decided to take his own political plunge today by entering the race for Eglinton-Lawrence Ward 15.
Joshua Colle is running against veteran North Toronto councillor Howard Moscoe.
“For me personally, there’s a bit of disenchantment with the way the city is run and how business is conducted,” said Colle. “In the past five years, I’ve had three kids. I see my city, community and neighbourhood through a different lens. It’s incredibly tough for families in this city.”
One of his key issues is to have the city do more for families.
“How long will it take for the city to have schools become community hubs?” asks the former Catholic school trustee for Eglinton-Lawrence. “I have a park near us that is not well maintained so no one uses it. Effective transit is a huge issue for families.”

Lawrence Heights skateboard park

New facility opens after four years of pressure by local kids
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier May 18.)

Shaquille Williams, second from left, has been pushing for a Lawrence Heights skateboard park since 2006. It opened May 1. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Teen Shaquille Williams has been waiting four years to hear the sound of boards and bikes rolling through Lawrence Heights.
Williams and his friend Joshua Orticello pushed for a local skateboard park for nearly four years and it opened May 1 at Lawrence Ave. West and Varna Drive.
The pair, both 14, solicited a campaign promise from councillor Howard Moscoe in 2006 and went door to door getting over 200 signatures in favour of the skateboard park.
The persistent youth followed up with Moscoe and city officials in order to ensure their dream came true.

Rosina Bonavota withdraws Ward 15

Bonavota no longer running against Howard Moscoe
She registers instead for Catholic trustee race
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier May 19.)

Rosina Bonavota withdrew from council race and is supporting another candidate. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Councillor Howard Moscoe has one less opponent to worry about in this fall’s election.
Rosina Bonavota has withdrawn from the Eglinton-Lawrence Ward 15 race. She’s registered instead for Catholic school board trustee in North York Ward 5.
Bonavota said she wasn’t pressured to drop out but after meeting up with candidate Ron Singer decided to support his campaign.
“I think Ron Singer has a better chance of beating out Moscoe,” she said May 19.
Both Singer and Bonavota ran against Moscoe in the 2006 election.

Oakwood Vaughan community action plan

Local residents creation a plan to improve neighbourhood
West end Toronto vision for Toronto spurs improvements
By Kris Scheuer
(Written April 28 for Town Crier.)

Oakwood residents and council reps have found new ways to engage the community, including hosting movie nights and potluck dinners at Laughlin Park. Photo courtesy of Tamara Massey.

Oakwood Village residents Tamara Massey and Josh Colle see ways to improve the neighbourhood they love.
They’ve put their passion for the community into a plan that could see the once-troubled neighbourhood become a thriving arts district.
Massey and Colle are members of the 5 Points Community Action residential association that’s produced an Envisioning 2010 document with the help of neighbours, local business, police, politicians, charities and service agencies.
Don’t expect this report to sit on the shelf collecting dust – it’s already producing results.
“It’s become a second job on nights and weekends,” said Massey of the action
plan. “When I started this in January 2009 with (councillor) Howard Moscoe
it was an envisioning exercise with maybe 12 people at the meeting.”
Massey and Colle, co-authors of the document, spent a year planning, and
this January 70 people showed up to participate in brainstorming session on
how to improve the neighbourhood.

Ron Singer ward 15 candidate

Eglinton-Lawrence candidate worried about traffic and safety
Singer runs for third time against incumbent Howard Moscoe
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier April 22.)

Ward 15 candidate Ron Singer. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Ron Singer is running for councillor in Ward 15 on a platform of crime reduction, safety and traffic — especially as it relates to the new revitalization plan for Lawrence Heights.
“They will bring in 10,000 more cars (as) they want to bring in 8-9,000 more (residential) units,” said Singer, of the Toronto Community Housing plan for the under-served neighbourhood.
“With more cars, the main intersection will be blocked and people will be racing down (side) streets.”
Drivers may turn down residential side streets to avoid congested main roads, he said, which could increase safety risks for kids.
“I am fighting how this will be set up. I don’t want to see a small kid hit by a car just to say, ‘I told you so,’” he said. “Cars and kids don’t mix well.”

Rosina Bonavota ward 15 candidate

Bonavota’s running for second time against Councillor Moscoe
Eglinton-Lawrence candidate concerned about local crimes
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier April 22.)

Candidate Rosina Bonavota. Town Crier file photo/Kris Scheuer.

When Rosina Bonavota was helping run the family business Bonamico Cafe, everyone from teenagers to grandmothers would chat about their concerns.
Lending an ear, Bonavota became known as the neighbourhood problem-solver in the Oakwood and Vaughan community she’s lived in since age seven.
Now as an Eglinton-Lawrence ward 15 candidate, Bonavota wants to tackle issues from within city hall.
The school bus driver has lived in the area since she was seven and says she has keen knowledge of local issues. One of the persistent problems in the area is crime, she says. It was a personal tragedy that hit very close to home last November.
“My friend’s son died six months ago, shot by a stray bullet. He was studying to be a police officer,” said Bonavota, who has two grown sons of her own.
She’s referring to the murder of 18-year-old Robert Flagiello, who was fatally wounded as he stood on Vaughan Road. He was not the intended victim.

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.

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.