Willowdale MPP David Zimmer seeks re-election

Tories set sights on Willowdale riding
But Liberal Zimmer vows to defend his seat
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier March 3)

Liberal MPP David Zimmer seeks a third term in Willowdale. Photo courtesy of David Zimmer.

Liberal MPP David Zimmer knows the Progressive Conservatives have set their sights on Willowdale, but he’s ready to fight to keep his seat in the upcoming provincial election.
He first came to power in 2003 beating then PC incumbent David Young.
“All the pundits, polls, newspapers and blogs in 2003 (stated) the conventional wisdom was Conservatives would lose all seats in 416 except Willowdale,” recalls Zimmer.
The commentators were mostly correct as the PCs lost all their Toronto seats including Willowdale.
“David Young was a good candidate, a lawyer. I know him and we had a good campaign,” said Zimmer, also a lawyer by trade. “I won by 2,000 votes.”
Fast forward to the 2007 provincial race and then PC leader John Tory looked closely at running in Willowdale against Zimmer but settled on Don Valley West where he eventually lost to Kathleen Wynne. The PCs ran Willowdale Councillor David Shiner as a star candidate, but Zimmer held on, beating Shiner by almost 6,000 votes.
“This year the Tories are anxious to try and get Willowdale,” Zimmer said.

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Sarah Thomson mum on provincial run

Former mayoral candidate could seek a nomination
May run for PC or Liberal party in 2011 Ont election
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Jan 25)

Sarah Thomson at the Town Crier offices last year. Town Crier file photo.

Less than six months after she bowed out of Toronto’s mayoral race, rumour has it Sarah Thomson will be taking yet another stab at politics.
There’s been speculation the Rosedale resident will run in a Toronto riding for the Oct. 6 provincial election.
One political insider told the Town Crier Thomson has been in discussions with both the Liberal and Progressive Conservative parties, but any firm decisions have yet to be made.
While Thomson has not ruled anything out, she is mum on a possible jump into provincial politics this election year.
And, in January, she firmly denied reports that she’ll be running for MPP in Parkdale-High Park.
“That was a candidate who had put that out as a rumour,” Thomson said Jan. 24.
“I haven’t talked to anyone about Parkdale-High Park.”

Toronto Centre byelection 2010

MPP George Smitherman vacates seat to run for TO mayor
Prov political parties line up candidates for by-election
By Kris Scheuer
(Click here for candidate profiles.)

A new face will grace Toronto Centre when voters choose a new MPP in Feb. 4 by-election now that current rep George Smitherman has resigned to run for mayor of the city.
The main political parties are quickly lining up candidates.
Myself and colleague Chris Reynolds are working on a stories for the Town Crier newspaper on candidates for the Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, NDP and Greens.
I will be speaking with the Liberal’s candidate former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray (nominated Jan.6) and I spoke to the PC’s candidate lawyer Pamela Taylor (she ran for them in 2007). My colleague Chris Spencer spoke to the NDP’s candidate poverty activist Cathy Crowe. The Green Party of Ontario nominated Stefan Premdas as their candidate on Jan. 10.
Who would you like to see elected here in the provincial by-election?