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. 

Advertisement

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.”

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.

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.