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Continuing the trend of unsuccessful provincial politicians moving to the municipal sphere, Green Party deputy leader Dianne Saxe is running for councillor in University-Rosedale.

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Along with nine others, including a candidate who by all rights should have been an NDP MPP for Spadina-Fort York, a candidate that was appointed in another ward (the proxy Liberal) and now Saxe.
 
Ann Rohmer submitted her papers before the 2 p.m. deadline on Friday to join the councillor race in Ward 11 (University-Rosedale).
There's a name I haven't heard in a long time. I wonder why she decided to run for council now?
 
Is she still selling windows?
I believe I saw that commercial on TV about two weeks ago.
Here's a whole story about her that I wasn't aware of about her career and how she quit her TV job twice, and came back within months both times:

 
Neethan Shan is running for school trustee in our ward. A legit perennial candidate!
 
I like Neethan but he is right up there with John Turmel.
Except that unlike Turmel or the recently-demised Chai Kalevar, he has a history of performing viably rather than "fringily"--and that includes the recent provincial election in Scarborough Centre...
 
I'm holding onto my prediction that no incumbent will lose their seat in October. However, one race that could be interesting is Scarborough Southwest.

Budget Chief Gary Crawford is the incumbent, and all indications point to him being endorsed by Tory. He is running against former Liberal MPP Lorenzo Berardinetti, the wife of former councillor Michelle Holland, who lost to Crawford in 2018 when the two Scarborough Southwest wards merged.

Candidate Parthi Kandavel is the local TDSB trustee, which is often a springboard for higher office. Like Berardinetti, he has ties to the Liberals.

On the left, Kevin Rupasinghee appears to be running a strong campaign. He is an engineer and cycling advocate who is running on a platform of safer streets and better transit.
 
I'm holding onto my prediction that no incumbent will lose their seat in October. However, one race that could be interesting is Scarborough Southwest.

Budget Chief Gary Crawford is the incumbent, and all indications point to him being endorsed by Tory. He is running against former long-time Liberal MPP Lorenzo Berardinetti. the wife of former councillor Michelle Holland, who lost to Crawford in 2018 when the two Scarborough Southwest wards merged.

Candidate Parthi Kandavel is the local TDSB trustee, which is often a springboard for higher office. Like Berardinetti, he has ties to the Liberals.

On the left, Kevin Rupasinghee appears to be running a strong campaign. He is an engineer and cycling advocate who is running of a platform of safer streets and better transit.

I am from Scarborough Southwest and I can see Gary winning although Lorenzo MIGHT make it interesting.

Gary is well liked and active within the community. When we had that massive snowstorm last year he took a hands-on approach to snow clearing within the ward and many people are very appreciative. The dedication to Ward 20 is well known and residents actually like him.

Lorenzo is a remnant of when the riding was dominated by Europeans. It used to be when he was an MPP and Councilor that the riding had many Italians and other related ethnicities which has long since changed. Now there are far less Europeans and more White, Asian and Desi residents. I think this may be one of the reasons why he lost (Kathleen Wynne not withstanding).

Michelle was the same way, she was going off the Berardinetti name and it did nothing to help her. Oddly enough, I think her and Lorenzo got divorced when she was on council. They used to do communal pictures when she was a councilor and he was an MPP but that stopped while she was in office.

Years ago I worked with Parthi alongside the NDP. I like him, he is a great guy and I consider him a friend.

As for Kevin Rupasinghee he is too "Beaches-East York" for the ward. Cycling is not a thing in the ward to the point where there was a public outcry the moment bike lanes went up on Birchmount (they were promptly removed). He may be relatable to the demographic but I know from experience that the ethnic vote does not always pan out.

I have lived in the ward since 1993 and I can honestly see Gary winning again.
 

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