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The only wards where somebody other than Penalosa was 2nd were Scarborough-Agincourt and Scarborough North, where the Chinese populace propelled Tony Luk into that position instead. (Chloe came closest to 2nd in Etobicoke North, by 40 votes.)
 
Campaigning to the core, a sure fire way to lose an election for the 3rd time in a row.
Gil couldn't even win core ridings.
 
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I know Davenport has become somewhat of lefty stronghold in Toronto, but I wonder if Penalosa's Hispanic heritage helped him there, too.
 
Just a post-Mayoral contest thought; I don't know that he would accept it; but I think if Tory had his wits about him, he'd hire Gil Penalosa to oversee the Parks Department.

Its his actual field of expertise, in which he is widely acknowledged to be highly competent; he's a go-getter, but very much a pragmatist who can stretch a buck. I see a win-win proposition in this idea. But can't say that either of the parties here would agree.
 
Just a post-Mayoral contest thought; I don't know that he would accept it; but I think if Tory had his wits about him, he'd hire Gil Penalosa to oversee the Parks Department.

Its his actual field of expertise, in which he is widely acknowledged to be highly competent; he's a go-getter, but very much a pragmatist who can stretch a buck. I see a win-win proposition in this idea. But can't say that either of the parties here would agree.
I was actually thinking the same thing but in John Tory's status quo/austerity world, Gil would be so handcuffed and limited there would be hardly any benefit being gained from any ideas he would bring forward.

This is the same mayor who took staff and resources from the former DRL line to divert it to his deluded Smarttrack fantasy (both of which never would've come to fruition had it still been under city oversight).
 
Not Toronto, but Toronto related: Glen Murray is back in Winnipeg after his modestly successful foray into Ontario politics, and he is running for mayor of the City again. The election is tonight.


EDIT: looks like he's in a close second place

1666837291844.png


UPDATE: it's official... he lost.
 
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No wonder people downtown feel like there's no point voting. Not justifying the low turnout, but like, you see that map and you get why people just gave up and stayed home. Amalgamation killed the hopes of getting anyone left-of-centre elected, with the rare exception of David Miller.
 
No wonder people downtown feel like there's no point voting. Not justifying the low turnout, but like, you see that map and you get why people just gave up and stayed home. Amalgamation killed the hopes of getting anyone left-of-centre elected, with the rare exception of David Miller.
I love how that graphic is rigged to make it look like no one downtown supported Tory. But when you look at the numbers, even in Davenport Pensola only got to 38%. He won nothing downtown.

The warning to the progressives is that they've even lost downtown residents en masse now.
 
No wonder people downtown feel like there's no point voting. Not justifying the low turnout, but like, you see that map and you get why people just gave up and stayed home. Amalgamation killed the hopes of getting anyone left-of-centre elected, with the rare exception of David Miller.
Actually, the lowest turnout tends to be in underclass suburban wards rather than downtown.
 
No wonder people downtown feel like there's no point voting. Not justifying the low turnout, but like, you see that map and you get why people just gave up and stayed home. Amalgamation killed the hopes of getting anyone left-of-centre elected, with the rare exception of David Miller.
The "people of downtown" voted for Tory, as did the rest of the city. Not sure why they'd feel disenfranchised when their candidate won?
 
No wonder people downtown feel like there's no point voting. Not justifying the low turnout, but like, you see that map and you get why people just gave up and stayed home. Amalgamation killed the hopes of getting anyone left-of-centre elected, with the rare exception of David Miller.

I don't think that's a fair read.

Council, by my count has shifted to the left, with the combined NDP left and left-centre Liberals now a majority (barely) on Council.

This has happened because Etobicoke-Lakeshore went left, Scarborough-North went left and other inner suburban areas and North York Centre stayed centre-left.

The coalition space is there.

I think Gil was a good candidate, though he tends to be soft spoken and not good at sound bites that draw media attention. He was late out of the gate on his campaign, so far as I'm concerned and didn't put forth sufficient effort to gain visibility.

That's disappointing, but not a matter of where the inner-burbs are politically or the possibility of electing a centre-left mayor.

If anything.....make note of Chloe Brown, who ran to the left of Gil and attracted 6% of the vote while spending next to no money.

This suggests that there is a receptive audience to be had for a well-run campaign, by the (right) left candidate.
 
I love how that graphic is rigged to make it look like no one downtown supported Tory. But when you look at the numbers, even in Davenport Pensola only got to 38%. He won nothing downtown.

The warning to the progressives is that they've even lost downtown residents en masse now.

This is as problematic a read to me as the post I critiqued above.

The centre-left now has a majority on Council, with net pick up of 2 seats.

Both of those pick-ups were in the inner burbs, in Scarborough and Etobicoke.

I think the issue of Gil's campaign not gaining traction is one of money, media savvy and campaign time, all of which Gil came up a bit short on. Unfortunate, because I think he was a very good, moderate, but progressive candidate.

But you don't dislodge an inoffensive (to many) incumbent on the strength of a lackluster campaign.
 
I love how that graphic is rigged to make it look like no one downtown supported Tory. But when you look at the numbers, even in Davenport Pensola only got to 38%. He won nothing downtown.

The warning to the progressives is that they've even lost downtown residents en masse now.
Nothing happened "en masse" in this election considering the minuscule turnout. I voted for Penalosa, but I don't think reelecting Tory is a disaster. He is relatively competent; there was no reason to rush to the polls to dislodge him, unlike his late predecessor.
 

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