See Sarah Thomson run, again

She is Liberal’s Trinity-Spadina provincial candidate
After last year’s mayoral run, she’s aiming for MPP
Kris Scheuer
(Written Mar 10 for Town Crier/Toronto Today)

Sarah Thomson is seeking a seat in the provincial legislature on the Liberal ticket. Giordano Ciampini/Town Crier file photo.

Sarah Thomson has accepted an invitation from the provincial Liberals to be their candidate in Trinity-Spadina this fall.
She made the announcement March 9 in a Facebook post.
“I’ve said I want to run in a nomination,” she said hours later, in confirming the report for Toronto Today.
Herman Ng, Trinity-Spadina riding association president, confirmed Thomson will be the only Liberal candidate at a nomination meeting held March 27.
“I investigated both the Ontario Liberal Party and the Ontario PC Party to find which party today best represents my core values,” Thomson stated in her Facebook announcement.
Thomson, a midtown Toronto resident who once lived in the Annex, is a business woman who ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Toronto in last year’s municipal race, dropping out before election day and throwing her support behind second-place finisher George Smitherman.
“There are politicians who critique others but never actually initiate anything — they run because they want a job or news headlines,” wrote the Women’s Post publisher on her Facebook page. “And there are politicians who stick their neck out and do what they believe is right — they run because they want to contribute to building a better world.”
If nominated Thomson will be taking on incumbent Rosario Marchese, who has represented the riding since 1990.
“We don’t have someone who is a doer,” Thomson told Toronto Today. “(The riding) is getting poor representation in the legislature.
“He has been there for 21 years. What has he done?”
Marchese, who was part of the Bob Rae government and has been in opposition to both the PCs and Liberals, defended his record.
“I’ve been a strong advocate for education,” he said.
He said the Liberals have decreased funding for special education and parents have fundraised $600 million to supplement school needs, creating a two-tier education system for poor and richer communities.
He’s also put forward three private member’s bills to make amendments to the condo act that the Liberals have rebuffed.
If Thomson is serious about reforms, Marchese said, she’ll have to defend the Liberals’ non-action on issues of housing, education and healthcare.
“I’m hard pressed to see what Sarah thinks she will accomplish as a backbencher or minister, assuming this government gets re-elected,” he said. “What would she be proposing?”
Marchese won with 41.1 percent of the vote to then-Liberal candidate Kate Holloway’s 31.5 percent in 2007. In 2003, he got 47.5 percent to Liberal Nellie Pedro’s 31.8 percent.

Rocco Rossi quits mayoral race

With Rossi out, it leaves three frontrunners left
Rob Ford, George Smitherman, Joe Pantalone
By Kris Scheuer

 

Rocco Rossi has bowed out of Toronto mayor's race. Photo by Karolyn Coorsh/Town Crier.

 

RoccoRossi is no longer running to be Mayor of Toronto.
I don’t know the exact moment when he made the decision but he made the announcement at 9 pm last night, just five hours after attending an editorial board meeting at the Town Crier newspaper where I work.
Here’s Rossi’s goodbye speech and read it in full below.
“Good evening and thank you for coming.
Over the past nine months I have had the privilege to meet thousands of Torontonians and their families and speak with them about their lives, hopes and dreams for our great city.
Torontonians graciously invited me into their homes, parks, offices, churches, mosques and synagogues. They spoke candidly about their concerns for the city, their desire for change, but also their hopes for their children, and their vision for a better Toronto.
I thank every one of those individuals who took the time to tell me how they wanted the city to change, to improve – now and for future generations.
We are a great city and a generous people, but our city is at a crossroads. We cannot go on as we have, yet the road ahead is unclear. As a community, and as a city, we need to decide what new direction we…together… will take. That is what elections are for, and that is why I was the first candidate to officially enter this race last January.”

Rob Ford’s election platform vision

Mayoral hopeful shares his ideas for running Toronto
Ford’s thoughts on transit, taxes, controversies, consensus-building
Kris Scheuer
(Written Aug. 24/10 for Town Crier.)

Mayoral candidate Rob Ford at an Aug. 24 Town Crier editorial board meeting. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

Faced with a packed room full of Town Crier and cultural media reporters, mayoral candidate Rob Ford was peppered with questions about whether he’d welcome newcomers to Toronto.
“The official plan says we need another million people in the GTA or Toronto. We can’t even take care of the 2.5-2.7 million people we have in the city now,” he told the Town Crier editorial board this afternoon.
He said wait times in hospitals are too long, there are 70,000 people on the city’s affordable housing list and the homeless population is increasing.
“We don’t have the right to say you can’t move to Toronto,” he said. “Of course not. But in a perfect world, what I’d like to do is get us from the red into the black, have a surplus, reduce our debt, have our finances under control then I’d say great let’s welcome more people.”

Lawrence Heights mayoral debate

Debate in high needs needs ‘hood draws tough questions
Five Toronto mayoral candidates face off on their city vision
Kris Scheuer
(Written July 26 for Town Crier newspaper.)

L-R: Candidates Thomson, Ford, Smitherman, Pantalone, Achampong and debate moderator David Mitchell. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

His opposition to plans to redevelop of Lawrence Heights put mayoral candidate Rob Ford in the hot seat at a recent debate held in the neighbourhood.
At the July 23 debate, one resident accused Ford of carrying a virtual axe to “kill things” as his campaign symbol.
Ford was one of only three councillors who voted against the Lawrence Heights plan July 6 at city council.
Ford responded by saying he didn’t support the plan to replace 1,208 rent-geared-to income units to the area and add around 5,000 private homes because he’d heard opposition from among the 4,000 people who he said signed a petition against the project. But he did support helping residents with access to affordable housing.
“When I drove along Lawrence, every single private apartment that I drove by said bachelor, one bedroom, two bedroom for rent,” said Ford. “We can subsidize your income or rent and put you into private buildings.”

Mayoral debate on development, transit

Top candidates talk transportation and city’s financial health
Forum at Board of Trade moderated by John Tory
By Kris Scheuer
(Written June 21 for Town Crier.)

Mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson wants to build subways not LRTs, if elected. Photo by Josh Freeman/Town Crier file.

Six top mayoral candidates faced off on development, transit and city-building at the Toronto Board of Trade this morning.
John Tory moderated the debate that was hosted by the Urban Land Institute and attracted over 150 property owners, investors, developers, lawyers, architects, planners and engineers.
Less than 10 minutes into the debate came one of the first heated exchanges between mayoral candidates Rob Ford and George Smitherman seen as the frontrunners in recent polls.
“I can’t believe George Smitherman would have the nerve to come here and run for mayor of the city when he blew and squandered $1 billion when he was the health minister?” Ford said.
Smitheman retorted, “The allegations of $1 billion expediture on E-health counts the time when your father’s (Douglas) colleague Elizabeth Witmer was the minister of health in the province.”
Ford, “My dad passed away three year’s ago. Thanks.”

Mayoral hopefuls debate development

Ideas range from status quo to reducing city planners
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier June 17.)

MAYORAL CANDIDATES Rob Ford, Giorgio Mammoliti, Joe Pantalone, Rocco Rossi, George Smitherman and Sarah Thomson (not pictured) debated development and design issues at a June 16 forum. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

Six top Toronto mayoral contenders were on the hot seat at a debate on their vision to make the city more development and design-friendly.
The standing-room only June 16 event at the Art Gallery of Ontario preceded the annual PUG Awards for architectural excellence.
Mayoral candidate Rob Ford focused a lot on his skills as a businessman heading his late father’s company Deco Labels and his plan to save the city money by cutting expenses such as cutting council from 44 to 22 councillors.
But he got heckled more than once to answer the questions related to development and city planning.
Ford did mention there needs to be more public input on planning.
“I have had so many people frustrated at the process,” he said. “The residents don’t get listened to at all. I stick up for the little guy. There person who doesn’t have a voice at city hall.”

George Smitherman transit platform

Smitherman’s mayoral platform unfolds
By Kris Scheuer
(Published in Town Crier May 28.)

Mayoral candidate George Smitherman outside Toronto City Hall. Photo by Kris Scheuer/Town Crier.

George Smitherman  has started his mayoral campaign in earnest by unveiling his expansive transportation plan.
At an May 27 editorial board meeting at the Town Crier, Smitherman gave insight into his platform, which also includes a detailed roadmap emphasizing core services, jobs and community development.
His 10-year transportation plan includes specifics on the current Transit City plan for light rapid transit, bike lanes and subways.
Smitherman fundamentally backs provincial agency Metrolinx’s funding of the four key Transit City projects but would like to see some changes to the current plan.

Joe Pantalone for mayor

Pantalone takes a run for Toronto’s top political post
Has been on city council for almost 30 years
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Feb. 25 for Town Crier.)

 

Coun. Pantalone is running to be Toronto's next mayor. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

 

Trinity-Spadina Councillor Joe Pantalone has worked with five mayors and three Metro chairmen since he was first elected in 1980.
He served with mayors Art Eggleton, June Rowlands, Barbara Hall, Mel Lastman and David Miller plus Metro chairman Paul Godfrey, Dennis Flynn and Alan Tonks.
Now after 29 years as a councillor, Pantalone is running to be the next mayor of Toronto.
“I’ve shown I can work with anyone,” he says in an interview from city council chambers. “You either work logically or there will be a mess here.”
Pantalone said with the city responsible for some much from police, roads, transit, forestry, libraries, child care, public housing, water, sewage and so on, it’s important for council to function well.
“If city hall is working, it means the city is working,” he says.

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?