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Update on John Tory: This weekend's internal poll was encouraging. I expect that we'll hear from him soon.
What will it take to convince people that Tory is out of politics? He lost a by-election 15 months ago and resigned as Lead of the Ontario PC Party. Do you think he wants to put in all that struggle again and after the campaign trail is half over? Do you think he said he wouldn't run on September 25 as a ploy? Do you think he said it again January 7 when he decided to lead the Toronto City Summit Alliance after David Pecaut died three weeks before? Do you think his son would have become Sarah Thomson's campaign manager if there was any chance his father might run and win?

If you are waiting for a Red Tory saviour, you might as well run yourself.
 
With all the Tory love in the media, it's easy to forget that if Tory's 2003 platform had been implemented it would have been disastrous for Toronto. He called for a resumption of Mel Lastman's tax freeze. The city is only now recovering from the fiscal mess caused by Lastman's tax freeze. Imagine where we would be with four more years of that.

This was combined with some very expensive spending plans, most notably his call for 400 new police officers. (He needed the new cops for his Arizona style plan of hunting down all the illegal immigrants in Toronto.)

There would have been no problem with a tax freeze if there was also a spending freeze. You seem to think that there is a difference between a 0% tax increase and a 3% increase in spending compared to a 3% tax increase and a 6% increase in spending.
 
What will it take to convince people that Tory is out of politics? He lost a by-election 15 months ago and resigned as Lead of the Ontario PC Party. Do you think he wants to put in all that struggle again and after the campaign trail is half over? Do you think he said he wouldn't run on September 25 as a ploy? Do you think he said it again January 7 when he decided to lead the Toronto City Summit Alliance after David Pecaut died three weeks before? Do you think his son would have become Sarah Thomson's campaign manager if there was any chance his father might run and win?

I heard him speak a week or so ago. He's leaving the door open, so based on his own words, I'm not convinced he's out.
 
Leaving the door open?

John Tory said:
I am announcing today that I will not be a candidate for the office of Mayor of Toronto in the 2010 municipal elections.

I am extremely gratified by the degree of support offered to me on the streets, in public opinion polls and in the committed support of a significant number of City Councillors, however I have decided that I will pursue a different course with my life and my career.

Just prior to the sad passing of David Pecaut, he wrote to me and urged me to seriously consider taking the helm of the Toronto City Summit Alliance, which he did so much to build into a huge force for city building. The Board of the TCSA has subsequently confirmed their desire to have me occupy this volunteer post and I intend to accept that appointment. It will give me a great opportunity not only to carry on the vital work of the TCSA and build on David Pecaut's considerable legacy, but also to remain a very active contributor to the city I love and call home.

I will also be continuing with other activities I am very much enjoying including the hosting of my daily talk show on Newstalk 1010, increased responsibilities with Rogers following the passing of my friend and mentor Ted Rogers, other corporate Boards and business assignments and a myriad of charitable responsibilities with organizations ranging from the United Way and St. Michael's Hospital to Unity for Autism and Easter Seals. This decision will also leave more time for family, including Barbara, our four children and two grandchildren.

I want to thank all of the people who encouraged me to contest the Mayoralty, especially those who helped me establish the foundation for a strong organization, and all of the citizens who communicated with me in person or otherwise to express their confidence in me.

I look forward to the opportunity to be a commentator and analyst in the campaign to come. That will be a new experience!

I also look forward to continuing to be an activist citizen and using my energy and experience to help build a better Toronto.
You don't talk about dead people if you want to 'leave the door open'.
 
When was that? ^^^
Like I said, I heard him on the radio a week or so ago saying that you never say never, and sometimes situations change. If he just said that today, then he's made a final decisioon for sure, but if he said that six weeks ago, it would seem he's rethinking.
 
MayorJoe.ca

John Laschinger is doing it again... After the "Great Hair" campaign, he's found a way to make Pantalone seem like the feel good mayor. Simply "Mayor Joe". www.MayorJoe.ca

Good job Laschinger. Now let's see Joe's policies diverge enough from Miller's to make him his own man, rather than a continuation of David Miller.

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When was that? ^^^
Like I said, I heard him on the radio a week or so ago saying that you never say never, and sometimes situations change. If he just said that today, then he's made a final decisioon for sure, but if he said that six weeks ago, it would seem he's rethinking.
No, that was just his second offical statement on January 7. Do you think that recent vagueness might relate to his having a radio show and wanting to have the highest ratings possible for the next four months? I drew his more recent statements that he won't be running unless the situation drastically changes, which would at the least include the withdrawl of Thomson. Of course, you never say never in politics, but you also never succeed by half measures.
 
In the radio clip I heard, they asked him specifically about running and his previous statements that he wouldn't. That's when he responded that you should never say never, or words to that effect, which leads me to think he's re-considering given recent polls and probable pressure to enter the race.
 
^ OK, fair enough. I'm assuming you are talking about the June 9 interview on 102.1 FM? If so, the full podcast is available. As he was there talking about not running for mayor and how much he talked about enjoying his show on 1010 AM, I didn't take the single open-ended question of basically "would you ever" to imply he was considering changing his mind. Did you hear the whole interview or only part?
 
I just heard part, and I think it was on CBC ... maybe about the 12th? So it could have been the June 9 interview, and they just picked it up. The lead-in was definitely about the possibility of running in Toronto. No commitment to run but not discounting the possibility of changing his mind -- a very political response actually :)
 
Update: The internal poll revealed a smaller than 10% points difference between Tory and Smitherman. It's not enough to convince him to run but he has an encouraging lead. My source says he's waiting for Ford to run out of gas (hahaha.. what an inadvertent pun!) and then will decide then. He has until September after all.

EDIT: Smitherman was ahead of Ford in this poll. Tory was in the lead.
 
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It wouldn't have fixed the problem. It would have made it worse, not just further entrenching the system but expanding it, which is probably one big reason everyone (including myself) thought he was nuts to propose it.

He basically condemned his own campaign in one go with such a foolish move.
I don't disagree. But at least starting dialogue on the problem is better than the NDP and Liberal parties who continue to this day to simply ignore the issue, and continue the discrimnation.
 

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