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Yeah, when it comes to this case, "deputy mayor" doesn't necessarily equate w/"anointed heir apparent"--it's certainly not a situation like Chrystia relative to Justin.

In fact, even if he tilts left rather than right a la Tory, that mushy-middleness is *exactly* what could make Bradford ideal as a potential Tory successor--less contentious than, say, Josh Matlow...
 
I kinda hope someone decent runs against KWT after her putting out an op-ed in the Sun where she pedalled anti-vaxxer propaganda this week. I doubt it will happen though. I'd love to see more change on council in general, but that never seems to happen either.
 
TossYourJacket said:
I kinda hope someone decent runs against KWT after her putting out an op-ed in the Sun where she pedalled anti-vaxxer propaganda this week. I doubt it will happen though. I'd love to see more change on council in general, but that never seems to happen either.
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Yes, it was very disappointing to read that. I've generally been happy with her as my local councillor, but this made me feel open to considering other candidates -- should there be any -- next year.
 
I speculated in another thread that Michael Thompson might be eyeing the role of mayor. He's Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Economic Development Committee, meaning that he has a relatively high profile and is at a lot of ribbon cuttings and photo ops. He would be Toronto's first Black Mayor and first non-White mayor, which is pretty insane for a city whose motto is "Diversity our Strength."

Bradford is both too "urbane" for much of the city and also outside of the Toronto progressive-labour-activist circles, making it hard to build a strong electoral coalition. Same problem with Bailao. Both would likely have a leftish-NDP candidate nipping at their heels, sort of like Smitherman vs. Pantalone in 2010.

I suspect Tory would look to Michael Thompson, Jaye Robinson or Grimey as an heir before someone from the old city.
 
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ShonTron said:
Yes, it was very disappointing to read that. I've generally been happy with her as my local councillor, but this made me feel open to considering other candidates -- should there be any -- next year.
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Yes, she is my Councillor too and her Sun contribution was VERY stupid. Bad enough from an 'ordinary Councillor' but absolutely unacceptable from the vice-chair of the Board of Health. She should really resign or be removed from this Board but ....
 
DSC said:
Yes, she is my Councillor too and her Sun contribution was VERY stupid. Bad enough from an 'ordinary Councillor' but absolutely unacceptable from the vice-chair of the Board of Health. She should really resign or be removed from this Board but ....
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What did she say?
 
christiesplits said:
The only two on the list I can't see running are Adam Vaughan and Josh Matlow. Both are too independent, too prickly, and don't play well with others. These attributes are often advantageous when sitting as a councillor, but less so as a mayor (or an MP).
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I have it on fairly good authority from someone who would know that Matlow is waiting in the wings to get the Liberal nomination for federal MP in Toronto-St. Paul's when Carolyn Bennett retires, which she signals she intends to do before the next election (which is probably ~2 years away given the dynamic of the present minority parliament).

Toronto-St. Paul's is one of the safest Liberal ridings in the entire country. I do not like Matlow one bit, who I find to be a self-serving career politician in thrall to his ward's moneyed NIMBYs. Therefore, my hope against hope is that he does run for mayor. I do not think he would win, and this might damage his political stock sufficiently to neuter his plans of becoming an MP.

christiesplits said:
Yes, I can see Bradford or Bailao as potential Tory heirs. Both Brad or Ana could offer a "fresh" platform while still being unthreatening to the Bay Street-Board of Trade types. Both also have ties to Liberal Party machinery, which always helps.
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I quite like both Bradford and Bailao. They are both pragmatists, with good vision of where Toronto should be heading. I do not think Bradford has been around long enough to be ready for a mayoral bid, so am hopeful Bailao runs this year if Tory does not.
 
Malik already the heir apparent for Cressy's old seat is hardly a surprise. With all of progressive Toronto excited about her running, she's a shoo-in.

Amber Morley in Ward 3 is going to take another go at defeating Mark Grimes. That would be a bigger deal, as she came in a strong second place in 2018.
seanmarshall.ca

Mapping the council race in Ward 3 – Etobicoke-Lakeshore

Etobicoke-Lakeshore represents the southern third of Etobicoke, stretching from Dundas Street in the north to Lake Ontario in the south, encompassing the historic villages of Islington, Long Branch…
seanmarshall.ca seanmarshall.ca
 
Bayer said:
I remember what KWT once said in an interview for Toronto Life 10 years ago: "I’ve always said I’ll do two terms, tops,” says Wong-Tam. “Worrying about re-election, sticking around too long—that’s the downfall of the career politician.”

:rolleyes:
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She clearly has changed her mind but, in my opinion, she is a pretty good Councillor who is learning about the 'new' part of her huge Ward (what used to be Ward 28). Though I do not think people should have 'seats for life', there ARE advantages in having a Councillor with a good memory of and connections to his/her Ward. (Pam McConnell, formerly Ward 28, being a great example. Then of course, we have Minnan-Wong (first elected in North York in 1994) and Frances Nunziata, first elected in York in 1988.
 
DSC said:
She clearly has changed her mind but, in my opinion, she is a pretty good Councillor who is learning about the 'new' part of her huge Ward (what used to be Ward 28). Though I do not think people should have 'seats for life', there ARE advantages in having a Councillor with a good memory of and connections to his/her Ward. (Pam McConnell, formerly Ward 28, being a great example. Then of course, we have Minnan-Wong (first elected in North York in 1994) and Frances Nunziata, first elected in York in 1988.
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For me it's that she doesn't live the life she seems to want to protect as a councillor. Allegedly, she owns many condos and properties, is a very wealthy woman. There's something to be said for this kind of greed, always wanting more. For someone who seems to be fighting against the wealth inequalities in our city, it just doesn't come across well. "I want people to be able to afford to live in our city. Let me buy some more property so that others can't/Increase those prices even higher" Not that she can't do that, but for me, I want someone who wants to share the wealth, so to speak. Her vaccine position doesn't help, either.
 
ShonTron said:
Malik already the heir apparent for Cressy's old seat is hardly a surprise. With all of progressive Toronto excited about her running, she's a shoo-in.

Amber Morley in Ward 3 is going to take another go at defeating Mark Grimes. That would be a bigger deal, as she came in a strong second place in 2018.
seanmarshall.ca

Mapping the council race in Ward 3 – Etobicoke-Lakeshore

Etobicoke-Lakeshore represents the southern third of Etobicoke, stretching from Dundas Street in the north to Lake Ontario in the south, encompassing the historic villages of Islington, Long Branch…
seanmarshall.ca seanmarshall.ca
Click to expand...

Malik is definitely the favourite, but I wouldn't discount a possible challenger, especially for a high profile ward. In 2006 when Olivia Chow moved to Ottawa, the NDP picked their heir to Chow, Helen Kennedy, who finished second to a journalist-turned-political newbie by the name of Adam Vaughan.
 
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