City of Toronto Election 2003 - MegacityElection.com

Toronto MegacityElection.com 2003

60% chose TTC as one of their top three priorities
35% social housing
29% waste disposal and recycling
25% public health
23% environmental programs

They are also continuing to campaigning for free TTC on days of smog alert.
http://www.humanizetoronto.org/smog.html
http://www.humanizetoronto.org/
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At The Star - July.2003
- Airport's opponents vow to oust supporters
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David Smaller in Ward 14 - July.2003
   I'm emailing to introduce myself. My name is David Smaller. I am offering a progressive, environmentally friendly alternative in Ward 14 - Parkdale-High Park.
   I invite you to check out my web site - www.davidsmaller.ca - to find out more about the exciting campaign already well under way.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
David Smaller
Candidate, Ward 14
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Miller Slams Deal with Port Authority
From the miller campaign
   June 12, 2003, Toronto, Ontario – Toronto Mayoralty Candidate David Miller today called on City Council to reject the Toronto Island airport expansion and vehicle bridge construction because the terms of the deal have radically changed.
   “City Council’s original approval of the airport expansion was explicitly tied to the condition that there be no public money put into the project,” said Miller, the only Toronto mayoralty candidate to oppose the airport expansion.
   Under the terms of the proposed settlement, Council will be voting to pay $48 million of taxpayers’ money to the Port Authority, an agency of the Federal Government, so that it can subsidize the airport expansion project, explained Miller, who voted against the proposal when it came to Council last November.
   “It was never a good deal for the City or for the revitalization of the waterfront and now it is simply wrong,” Miller said. “We are fighting SARS. We don’t have money to maintain our roads. We don’t have money to support our transit system, to create more affordable housing, to maintain our child care spaces or community services because of cuts made by the other two senior levels of government. But we have $48 million to shell out to the Port Authority of Toronto, an agency of the Federal Government.”
   Miller added that it’s ridiculous to be talking about any airport expansion when airlines around the globe are in economic collapse; Air Canada is operating under court protection; reduced air traffic is causing major financial woes for Pearson Airport; and the Federal Government has finally agreed to finance a rapid-transit link between downtown and Pearson.
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A MESSAGE FROM ROCCO ROSSI, Campaign Manager for John Tory for Mayor: June.15.2003
   John officially resigned his position as Chairman and CEO of Rogers Cable on May 30 and he is now on the campaign trail full time. His calendar is packed with events that reach every one of Toronto's 44 Wards and he's meeting with members of our many communities every day.
   This past week alone, John has joined members of the Portuguese community in the Portugal Week parade, spoken at the S'port for Kids Gala, marched with the Canadians Against Anti-Semitism and given St. Lawrence Market visitors a taste of Toronto Deserves Better Barbecue Sauce. He also met this week with residents of several Scarborough neighbourhoods to discuss issues facing their community.
   The week ahead includes a fundraiser with hundreds of women supporting JohnTory, a debate organized by Councillor Michael Walker, and the Toronto Argonauts Season Opener, which John has been encouraging people around the city to attend. More information on all these events can be found at www.johntory.ca/events.php
   On Wednesday, May 28, the lights went on at the John Tory Campaign Headquarters at 10 St. Clair Avenue West (at the North West Corner of Yonge & St. Clair). This mid-town, accessible location provides us with a great meeting place for our close to 1,000 volunteers who have already joined the John Tory campaign. It is also a terrific drop in spot where we are already welcoming people from all across Toronto who are asking for more information about John Tory for Mayor. Stay tuned for the official opening party.
JOHN TORY'S POLICY:
   John Tory is the candidate of substance. The news section of the website has details all of his views. Please visit www.johntory.ca/news.php.
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Eight Open Council Races Could Reshape City Hall – June.7.2003
   Incumbent councilors are very difficult to unseat, and if all the incumbents ran again this election would be a bore.
   In 2003 there are now eight wards to watch.
   Councillor Mario Silva of Ward 18 Davenport has announced he won’t be running again. He’s seeking the federal liberal nomination in that riding.
   Brad Duguid of Ward 38, Scarbourough Centre is getting out of municipal politics to run for MPP in that riding. He will run as a liberal.
   Betty Disero of Ward 17 is retiring from politics while Jack Layton has left in Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth.
   David Miller is running for mayor leaving an open race in Ward 13 Parkdale-High Park.
   In the last election there were three councilors that didn’t win by wide margins.

- Gloria Luby in Ward 4 Etobicoke Centre
- Peter Mlczyn in Ward 5 Etobicoke-Lakeshore
- Peter Lipreti in Ward 8 York West
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David Miller challenges City to show leadership on Toronto Pride From the David Miller Campaign

    May 29, 2003, Toronto, Ontario – Today, Toronto mayoral candidate David Miller challenged the City of Toronto to show its support for Pride Toronto, a highly-profitable annual festival organized by Toronto’s gay community. Miller’s call-to-action follows the Pride Committee’s announcement yesterday stating Pride Week might not happen because of “the lack of concrete support from any level of government.”
   Pride Toronto’s said yesterday that it requires only $650,000 to operate the annual festival that last year generated more than $76 million in tourism.
   “Toronto has one of the largest and best-loved gay pride festivals in the world, and our business and tourism communities cannot afford to lose this leadership position,” said Miller. “I challenge the city of Toronto, as well as the other levels of government and the business community to respond to Pride Toronto’s modest request so that we can rebuild a healthy local economy together.”
www.millerformayor.ca
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Community Air in their Hair– May.24.2003
Photos of today’s demonstration
- Banner
- Marchers
- Print of proposed bridge to the Island

The local citizens in the Community AIR protest group want to help deliver on Toronto's promise of a clean, green waterfront. They held a rally to STOP ISLAND AIRPORT EXPANSION today at Little Norway Park at the Island Airport entrance. A fixed link bridge is scheduled for construction and a key protest issue is the environmental assessment. The Federal Toronto Port Authority hired the same company that is building the bridge to do the environmental assessment on it.
Community Air people marched from the park to the nearby community center and confronted the corporate reps as they held an information meeting on the fixed link bridge.

     Numerous arguments against the airport expansion are listed in the Community Air flyer.
-         Every few minutes 78 planes will land and take off, adding to smog and noise in the city.
-         The bridge opens the way for conversion of the island to parking lots.
-         The airport is next to a bird sanctuary and migratory bird paths. To keep the birds away cannon shot noises will go off continually.
-         Mature trees and dune eco systems are being bulldozed by the Port Authority.
-         Polluted wastewater from plane deicing and runway cleans goes straight into the water near the water filtration plant and swimming areas.
-         Taxpayer subsidies run the Federal Port Authority and the airport expansion will be another loser. Every passenger flying out of Island Airport is subsidized 50 dollars per ticket.
-         The Portlands redevelopment site will be under the main flight plan.
-         The expansion of Pearson Airport and the rail link to it from Union Station will make the Island Airport redundant.
To help oppose the island airport expansion
Contact info@communityair.org
http://www.communityair.org
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At the Star - May.25.2003
- Mayoral race turns nasty: An audience of young people booed mayoral candidate Tom Jakobek yesterday
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Mayoral Discussion Outlines Smart Growth – May.7.2003

Tonight Innis College and instructor David Lewis Stein held a discussion with Toronto’s mayoral candidates on the issue of smart growth.

The place was packed even though the issue has little sex appeal, and Stein was sitting in front of me with a notebook, camera and tape recorder, capturing the action or lack of it.

Barbara Hall opened and she noted that all of the mayoral candidates are in about the same ballpark on smart growth.

Tom Jakobek followed her at the podium. He did some nail biting over the city’s debt, then defined smart growth as the promotion of mixed development and the preservation of public space.

David Miller said the definition of smart growth is growth that is not dumb. He tied growth to transit and said his transit action plan would provide lower cost day passes for workers and students.

John Nunziata said smart growth is looking into the future, insuring that we will all have a high quality of life in the future. To gain that he feels we need a new deal from the province and the federal government.

It’s a regional thing for John Tory. He says we have to plan together and work together or we all fall apart.

Some of the evils smart growth tries to avoid are gridlock, urban sprawl and the paving over of agricultural lands. But judging by the questions from the audience that followed, the four horsemen of Toronto’s apocalypse are litter, garbage, graffiti and dirty public washrooms. The mayoral candidates worked like a team on this one, coming up with various ways to deal with these problems. And I can’t say that this forum convinced me to vote for any candidate in particular. Maybe we should vote for them all and as a team they’ll get smart.

By Gary Morton
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Councillor Aims for Queen’s Park – May.2.2003
   Brad Duguid, councillor for Ward 38, Scarbourough Centre is getting out of municipal politics to run for MPP in that riding. He will run against Tory Marilin Mushinki.
   Currently Michael Binetti is the only registered candidate in that ward.
   Duguid’s controversial handling of the city’s garbage woes seems to place him more in the Tory camp. Though he sees himself as a liberal.
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MNSJ is starting to organize for the municipal elections which are coming our way this Fall. We will be discussing outreach, mobilisation, working across organisations and identifying key issues to focus on. We will develop a work plan for the publication of the *Badger* - our community newspaper that focuses on municipal issues. So if you have an interest in municipal issues, publishing, writing, or rabble-rousing, please come and join us.

Tuesday, April 1 @ 7pm
Community Social Planning Council
#2 Carleton - Ste. 1001.
To contact us: mnsj@mnsj.org, or 416-706-3796.
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At the Star - Mar.18.2003
- Slugfests brewing in some wards
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From Mayoral Candidate to the Homeless Streets – Mar.14.2003

    Where do failed mayoral candidates go? Off to corporate rewards or cushy jobs in the private sector?
   Perhaps that is the case for some, but for Tooker Gomberg it appears to be to the streets with the homeless. Next Monday the Sheriff will be coming by to evict him.
    Bankrupted by a failed attempt to run an Internet TV station, Tooker can’t pay his rent. Which means a party Sunday March 16^th and the gutter on Monday. The party takes place at 1 Havelock St. #2 on the corner of College (west of Dovercourt, east of Dufferin) Call Tooker 416-532-3939
    Perhaps the interesting thing here is that with an election on this year, all of the mayoral candidates are promising to help the homeless. On Saturday at noon there will be a peace march that ends at the armory to call for a 200 bed shelter. For most people help for the homeless means shelters. They give you the hotline number, and I also have it on my web site. 416 392-3777
    But there are some problems with that sort of help … and that’s that no one wants it. Last time a homeless woman stayed here it was because she wouldn’t go into a shelter. She was beaten unmercifully there. And like others she talked of the good old days when she had an apartment and her beloved pets.
     Then of course there are the people that email the news site because they don’t want shelters in their neighbourhood, and the politicians that don’t want shelters either.
   Shelters are costly and the third biggest item on the city budget … and no one really wants them. So my message to all the shelter supporters is … Stop pushing shelters! They aren’t a solution!
   Lobby for a rent supplement program to keep people in their apartments and off the streets.
   There’ll never be enough lice and scabies and tuberculosis spreading shelters. With the new bylaw they’ll be spread across the city. By 2025 we’ll all be living in them. So I’m not protesting for them any more.
    If you want to help people like Tooker, then give them a place to stay and forget about recommending shelters.

Gary Morton
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Barbara Hall Launches Upbeat Mayoral Campaign – Mar.13.2003

Barbara Hall launched her campaign for mayor and an appealing new website today. The event took place at the Paramount.

Her speech plus photos and a video of the launch are online at the updated www.barbarahall.com

She promises to create tough ethical standards for City Hall. In the law and order area she will shut down clubs where gunplay happens. Waste and inefficiency including the budget for the mayor’s office will be cut. Programs will be created to divert trash from landfill. A hotel tax will be part of a plan to boost the city’s tourism profile and there will be a spring cultural festival.

Hall attacks the idea of lofty mega projects and has a vision of Toronto streets filled with culture and music.

Promoting herself as a candidate with solid experience in the mayor’s chair, Hall comes across as a person that is enthusiastic and upbeat. The Star has portrayed her as a front runner with nowhere to go but down in the polls. A view that now appears incorrect. She has opened leading the other candidates in nearly every area.

Her launch has moved the tone of the election away from the Toronto bashing of corporate saviour John Tory. Meaning mayoral candidates will now have to look sharp and positive about this city. Otherwise they’ll get left in the past with the sour face of Mel Lastman.

* This report by Gary Morton at http://megacityelection.com
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At The Star - Mar.7.2003
- Housing issue unites mayoral rivals
   All five agree more money for affordable units needed But racial profiling by police splits the consensus
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City Hall on a Wild Goose Chase – Mar.5.2003
From Shadow the Black Cat
   The latest Toronto budget reveals some interesting stuff. First is the incredible amount policing costs. Cop costs dwarf all other expenditures. They want more and more money to swallow … and they want to fly around in helicopters like those pigs on the wing.
   Another huge and growing expense is homeless shelters. A quick look at that budget item tells us that a rent supplement program to keep people and their pets in their apartments or homes would be vastly cheaper than the current system of putting us all on the streets … working for minimum wages yet never having enough to rent again. In this case the city is subsidizing employers that don’t want to pay a living wage. A check on subsidy programs in other places shows that subsidies pay about 75 percent of the rent … which would be about right with the minimum wage here.
   The dollars for stray cat pickup got cut. Which is a good thing as stray pickup in Toronto is nasty neighbours calling Toronto Animal Services on owned cats, hoping they’ll be picked up and killed in the TAS gulag archipelago, where you can’t find where your pet went … a prison system that reveals no kill stats or any stats on what happens to animals that go in … and one that will grow larger with the new super shelter opening on the exhibition grounds. Thank Councillor Joe Mihevc, another NDP animal rights failure (up there with seal-skin sucker Jack Layton), for dumping the humane society, constructing this new shelter and championing the rights of nasty pet-hating neighbours.
   email councillor_mihevc@city.toronto.on.ca .
    And keep in mind that every major deal and development the current Toronto City Council has touched has been riddled with corruption. Can it be expected that the new exhibition grounds shelter will be any different? Sure the Humane Society will get to run a second chance program there. But with no stats on the animals, then what happens to them? Gone off to experimentation? Dumped as road kill in the meatier versions of pet food? Who knows and who is willing to investigate?
   So why isn’t the public’s version of animal services (TAS), accountable to the public on what goes on? Maybe it isn’t accountable because the people we have on City Council don't care?
And finally … The Wild Goose Chase:
    The city and council and the big papers never cease in their talk of a great green waterfront. We’ll all live happy ever after on the waterfront wonderland. Except like most suburban city boys and gals the good folk at city hall don’t want birds and animals down there dirtying up the green golf course grass. And with that in mind they’ve voted to spend 130,000 dollars on a goose control program. Yes, that’s right … the goose police, with their goose chasing dogs will be down there on the waterfront. They’re gonna chase those evil Canada Geese right back to Hamilton … cause we all know that city folk here in the big smoke ain’t building a waterfront habitat for geese and other dirty birds to fly about in.
   Guess it’s a good thing they haven’t found out about all the stray cats living down there … cause if they did they’d join with the rats and come up with a special program to keep cats buried under the green, green city grass.
    And speaking of grass ... geese are there because they eat grass. Let's hope City Council doesn't find that out and pave the whole thing over.
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At The Sun - Mar.4..2003
- Disero retiring from politics
   Ward 17 councillor leaving
- Miller calls for debates
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Disneyland or the Promised Land – Feb.26.2003
- Spoof on John Nunziata and Disneyland By Shadow
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Upcoming Event
Please join Barbara Hall and friends at the Official Launch of her 2003 Campaign for the Toronto Mayoralty!
Wednesday, March 12, 2003, 11:15 AM to 12:45 PM, THE PARAMOUNT, 259 Richmond Street West, S/W corner of Richmond and John, ADMISSION IS FREE!
Please RSVP by any of the following:
e-mail: launch@barbarahall.com
telephone: 416-BARBARA (416-227-2272)
mail: 890 Yonge Street, Suite 501, Toronto, ON M4W 3P4
website: online form.
www.barbarahall.com
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Humanize Toronto Real Budget Survey - Feb.2003
Results for the question, "What are your top three priorities in the upcoming city budget."
TTC - 60%
Social Housing - 35%
Waste Disposal and Recycling - 29%
Public Health - 25%
Environmental Programs - 23%
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Activist Candidate Runs in Layton’s Toronto-Danforth Turf – Feb.2003

    Greg Bonser has been arrested and pepper sprayed in protests over smog, nuclear power and other issues. He has more courage than most of us do, but does he have the guts to walk into City Hall and face the corruption that rules that venue?
   As the first candidate to launch a campaign for City Council in Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth Greg may get that chance. It will depend on whether the showcase green and local community campaign described by supporter Dan King becomes a hit with voters.
   In a city stinking with a garbage crisis, smog, gridlock and a political mess of corruption and inquiries, dealing honestly with the issues may be a new idea. Perhaps the problems of this city have become a spiritual crisis rooted in an establishment motivated purely by greed and lip service to grand ideas about waterfronts, expressways and airports … problems fueled by Big Media with a corporate agenda and desire to chew up anyone that could make a difference.
   The mayoral, media and NDP machines may chew Bonser up in Toronto-Danforth … and then maybe they won’t. It’s really up to you in the end because you’re the voter.

Article by gary@freeuoft.org
Contact gregbonser@sympatico.ca
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Five Wards to Watch in Megacity Election 2003
* Add ward 17 as a sixth now tha Betty Disero is leaving.
Based on my stats of the last election most councillors are unbeatable. Three councillors had slim victories.
- Gloria Luby in Ward 4 Etobicoke Centre
- Peter Mlczyn in Ward 5 Etobicoke-Lakeshore
- Peter Lipreti in Ward 8 York West
- Jack Layton is gone in Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth. Greg Bonser is currently the only registered candidate there. His campaign is already underway as a community and showcase green campaign
- David Miller is gone Ward 13 Parkdale-High Park as he is running for mayor. A progressive candidate is needed there to keep Bill Saundercook from winning.
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At the Star - Feb.15.2003
- John Nunziata Promises Disneyland Toronto
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Federal Budget 2003 on Housing and homelessness - Feb.22.2003
   $64 million in new affordable housing spending will generate no more than 2,400 new units for the entire country. Twice as many people use the Toronto Shelter system. As the vacancy rates for apartments rise in TO, rent subsidies to prevent eviction are the only way to keep people off the streets. Subsidies are much cheaper than the expensive shelter system. People don’t want to stay in shelters. They lose their dignity, health, belongings, pets and it’s harder to get back to work. Yet the three levels of government pay only lip service to the idea of rent subsidies.
Budget details
- $64 million for new affordable housing
- $128 million for the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP)
- $135 million for the Supporting Community Partnerships Initiative (SCPI).
The Budget Plan 2003 - three major housing and homelessness commitments:
- $320 million over the next five years to enhance existing affordable housing agreements, binging total federal investment to $1 billion by the end of 2008
- $256 million over three years to extend housing renovation programs
- $270 million over three years to fight homelessness
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Comedy at this site - Feb.2003
NO Debate in Mayoral Beauty Contest
- full story from Shadow
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At NowToronto - Feb.13.2003
- ERR APPARENT Former Rogers CEO John Tory enters the mayor's race
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The Front St. Vote - Feb.2003
   The final vote on the Front Street Extension was 36 for, 6 against, 3 absent. Green Activists were most disappointed with Councillors Pantalone, Miller, Mihevc and Silva. Activists see the extension as a waste of $245 million on a new, downtown highway right next to the GO line.
David Miller, a mayoral candidate, had told activists he would vote no, but in the end he voted yes.
The NO Votes:
Balkisoon, Chow, KK, McConnell, Rae, Walker
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At The Sun - Feb.11.2003
- Fen Peters wants Mel's job
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At the Globe - Feb.7.2003
- Tory enters Toronto mayor race
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At The Star - Feb.3-7.2003
- Tory vows to get city 'on track' as mayor
- Tory to announce candidacy today
   Article lists some of Tory's backers
- The $6 million mayor's race
- Jakobek: Arrogant bully or 'sensitive' guy?
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At the Globe - Feb.1.2003
- Candidates hitting campaign trail early
   Toronto's mayoral race could turn out to be the most competitive in years
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At The Sun - Jan.30.2003
- Ex-MP kicks off bid for T.O. top job
- From Rat Packer to pack leader? by Sue-Ann Levy
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At Pulse24.com - Jan.23.2003
- Born to Run: John Nunziata runs for mayor.
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At NowToronto - Jan.23.2003
- Life After Layton
   NDP BID SPARKS BEHIND-THE-SCENES WAR FOR COUNCILLOR'S SEAT BY DON WANAGAS
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At The Star - Jan.20.2003
   Mayoral Candidate David Miller writes on his vision for Toronto.
- Why it's Miller time in TO by David Miller
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At The Sun - Jan.20.2003
   Drag Queen Enza Anderson is back in this election. This time he/she looks like a can of chunky soup wearing a black dress, hose and glasses.
- Walk on mild side for Enza by Sarah Green
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Toronto Star Leading in the Race for City Hall - Jan.16.2003
   The Toronto Star is taking the 2003 city election seriously with a full web site up in January. The site is complete with an issues survey and an online poll on Who Should be Mayor?
   Initially the poll shows the race as one between Hall and Miller, at least among Star readers. Here at megacityelection.com our poll shows The Star well out front in the race for mayor. The key issues being whether the TorStar building should be replaced by condos and a new expressway ... and whether a news corporation can be elected as mayor.
Star Election Site
Star Online Poll
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Mel Sings Swan Song - Jan.15.2003
   Mel Lastman has announced that he won't be running for mayor again. No matter how people feel, he is now part of history ... in the books with hell, the angels and those boiling pots in Africa.
Story Links
- NowToronto: He was always there for me (Don Wanagas)
- Star: The Time to go was long Ago (Jim Coyle)
- Lastman signals end to an era
- Choice quotes from Melvin Douglas Lastman
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Corporate Media to Push John Tory for Mayor - Jan.2003
   Some powerful candidates are already running in the race for Mayor. Councillor David Miller, Barbara Hall and former City Budget Chief Tom Jakobek have filed.
   Maverick John Nunziata, Rogers CEO John Tory and Deputy Mayor Case Ootes are also expected to run.
   Rumours are out that the Toronto Star and other corporate media will get behind John Tory. Some of the same folks that back Mel Lastman are expected to run Tory for mayor.
   If so other candidates will have to beat Tory well before the finish line as in a close race the media will be able to blitz him into power in the last days of the campaign.
   The Tory rumour was somewhat confirmed in a recent talk I had with a Toronto Star politics reporter. He denied the Star was pushing Tory, then said John doesn’t even want to run, but many others are asking him to do it. Tom Jakobek’s candidacy was sneered at with the reporter saying Tom is just looking for a payoff in the form of a soft job, and then he’ll drop out of the race.
   So it seems the Star already has its people presenting certain myths. One being that Tory is like a white knight, too good to run for mayor … yet being begged by others to do the job. While those in opposition to the wishes of the media establishment like Jakobek, are said to have shady motives in running for mayor.
   No one knows for sure what the final candidate list will look like, but it does seem like things could get dirty in this 2003 mayoral race.

G. Morton
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At NowToronto - Jan.2003
- AND THEY'RE OFF
David Miller Snubs BARB Hall And Makes Run For Mayor
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