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I keep hearing that Karen Stintz wants to run... but the last time a blonde, professional North Toronto woman ran she lost horrifically.

I would not be surprised if its a four-way race like 2003. Miller will run against a left-of-centre candidate who gathers the votes from disenchanted Millerites (like what Miller did to Hall in 03), some professional well-financed right-of-centre candidate from the Godfrey gang will put up a big fight (like Tory), and then some far-right kook like Minnan Wong or Holiday will have a go (like wacko-Jakobek). In the end it will be a narrow win for the stronger candidate on either side of the spectrum.
 
junctionist said:
It's also rare to hear of a Conservative who's really knowledgeable and passionate about urban living and promoting it. For many it their attitude seems to be "most people drive, so investment in public transit is just a frill, therefore while we think it's a good idea, it's just not justifiable given the tight budget and preference".
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Probably not as rare as you think. I am a Conservative who's really knowledgeable and passionate about urban living and promoting it. There are likely several others who have also posted in this thread who would classify themselves as the same.

My views are pro transit, pro intensification, pro city living, pro diversity, anti suburb. Yet at the same time, my views are also down with unions, down with free loaders, down with the bloated and abused social housing and welfare systems, down with over taxation, and down with wasteful government spending. If a candidate came to the table with that platform, who here would vote for them?

I voted for Jane Pitfield last time around. Despite being a right wing candidate, it was she and not Miller who supported 1 or 2 km of subway construction each year.
 
Vision! What we need now is a mayor with some vision, who grasps that Toronto is just a case study in unrealized potential. Please, let's elect someone who will unleash the power of our people and our city.
 
I'm very surprised nobody's mentioned Michael Thompson. He's being mentioned and encouraged on the city council floor and his name is being thrown around by influential people.

Not only do I think he will run, I think he can be a formidable opponent to Miller and pull it off for a win.
 
Thompson seems very Lastman-esque, shoots from the mouth, such as suggesting Toronto Police should have the right to approach random Black youth at anytime, not to mention his push for a youth curfew. Wow, he has the 18-24 vote locked.

I just can't see him as a formidable candidate, and his second term has been fairly unremarkable.


As far as Paul Bedford, as a planner he would be an UT members' dream, but I don't think he'll play well with Rexdale or Newtonbrooke residents. His dowtown, yuppy credentials are a liability just as they are for Adam Vaughan's potential ambitions.
 
I would like to see Miller for a third term. Everytime I have met him or heard him speak, he comes across as a logical and passionate Torontonian who cares about the progression of our city.

Adam Giambrone, from what I have read is an arrogant knob, and Adam Vaughan, as smart as he is, seems like the kind of guy looking to get a rep. He should have stayed in the journalism business.

What would be really great is a strong mayor system in Toronto. Most major cities (London, Chicago) in the world have strong mayor systems, and things happen. We are still stuck inbetween a weak mayor and strong mayor system - the 'stronger' mayor system.
 
I would prefer the next Mayor to be a federal politician. I really, really, dislike council. There is a bit of civic pride in me that says they can't be all bad, and some of them try hard, but every time I see more of City Council I just loose more faith in the City. Every time one side manages to out-stupid the other, the opposition pulls out the atomic bomb of stupid. If any city councilor becomes mayor, we will be in for another 4 years of the same idiot council.

How about Gerrard Kennedy? In Toronto politics, a Liberal passes for Conservative (Rob Ford excluded, and even then he is more just fat headed than conservative) nowadays, and I don't think he really has any future in the Liberal Party. I was sort of intrigued by Bob Rae, but that would be a big step down for him. Barring those two, I would have to go for Smitherman.
 
I voted for her too. A novelty candidate with limited appeal to the general voter constituency; but if she/he or anyone like him/her was voted in and open to good counsel from across the spectrum, we could potentially have a more than decent mayor.

After all, Schwarzeneger and Reagan were novelty candidates in the beginning and one can make a case they had/are having reasonably productive terms.:eek:
 
Mustapha said:
I voted for her too. A novelty candidate with limited appeal to the general voter constituency; but if she/he or anyone like him/her was voted in and open to good counsel from across the spectrum, we could potentially have a more than decent mayor.

After all, Schwarzeneger and Reagan were novelty candidates in the beginning and one can make a case they had/are having reasonably productive terms.:eek:
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Or Jessie Ventura! And speaking of Minnesota, there's a never-ending recount to see if a comedian gets to go to the senate. Franken should have just moved to Chicago and bought a seat from the Gov there.
 
Whoaccio said:
How about Gerrard Kennedy? In Toronto politics, a Liberal passes for Conservative (Rob Ford excluded, and even then he is more just fat headed than conservative) nowadays, and I don't think he really has any future in the Liberal Party. I was sort of intrigued by Bob Rae, but that would be a big step down for him. Barring those two, I would have to go for Smitherman.
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Interesting, I was thinking Kennedy as well. I really don't think he's all that excited about the prospect of being an opposition MP or even a junior-level cabinet minister (there are only so many senior cabinet positions to go around, especially from the Toronto area where Rae, Findlay, Bennett, Dryden and McCallum are shoe-ins). He has experience on a local level as head of the food bank, knows the province and now has some experience working with the feds.

DEFINITELY not Smitherman, and people accuse Miller of being too partisan! All the staffers at Queens Park and even grassroots Libs claim Smitherman is an arrogant bully whose more interested in hogging ribbon cutting ceremonies than playing ball with others.
 
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MegaMax said:
Or Jessie Ventura! And speaking of Minnesota, there's a never-ending recount to see if a comedian gets to go to the senate. Franken should have just moved to Chicago and bought a seat from the Gov there.
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Ventura... there you go! I had forgotten him. Hasn't the Philippines a long history of electing TV stars to public office too?
 
Mustapha said:
Ventura... there you go! I had forgotten him. Hasn't the Philippines a long history of electing TV stars to public office too?
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Yep, as soon the Filipinos discovered that they could oust US-backed dictators, they went to work electing US-backed showbiz personalities, which they would then recall from office with pitchforks (or the army) when the inevitable misdeeds and mass corruption came to light.

As for Toronto: Gerard Kennedy, Bob Rae, George Smitherman -- hell, even Michael Thompson -- are all individuals worthy of discussion (even though I would prefer Miller). But Pinball Clemons?!!?! Why would Toronto go to such extremes to destroy our credibility? Why not just elect a bucket of urine as mayor, and have Paul Godfrey scoop out a thimbleful each day to sprinkle on us and tell us it is raining?
 
voxpopulicosmicum said:
But Pinball Clemons?!!?! Why would Toronto go to such extremes to destroy our credibility? Why not just elect a bucket of urine as mayor, and have Paul Godfrey scoop out a thimbleful each day to sprinkle on us and tell us it is raining?
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Clemons is very likeable and does a lot of good work around here, but not mayor. Was Royson James not trying to pitch him as well as the ideal man to run, an Obama? LOL
 
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