[MetroMan]

I have a question. In a weak-mayoral system, with a left-leaning council, why do I care if Rob Ford becomes mayor? The worst thing that will happen will be some embarrassing gaffes and 4 years of inaction, no?

The Mayor still sets the direction of policy, and has control over who chairs committees. While Ford may not be able to do all the damage he's suggesting, the city would still be mostly stalled for 4 years.

 

[GraphicMatt]

I have a question. In a weak-mayoral system, with a left-leaning council, why do I care if Rob Ford becomes mayor? The worst thing that will happen will be some embarrassing gaffes and 4 years of inaction, no?

The mayor doesn't have a ton of power, but the position does bring with it some significant clout. Is it really worth the risk?

I mean, let's not go crazy and say it's a doomsay scenario. A part of me would even kind of enjoy a Ford win because I feel like the right-wing is overly enchanted with their 'screw government!' ideology and a dose of reality (Taxes still go up; mistakes still happen; money is still wasted; etc.) would ultimately be a good thing in the long, long-term. Maybe we could actually have an election about vision.

 

[GenerationW]

I have a question. In a weak-mayoral system, with a left-leaning council, why do I care if Rob Ford becomes mayor? The worst thing that will happen will be some embarrassing gaffes and 4 years of inaction, no?

The new council might not be as left-leaning, and members of the so-called mushy middle can be won over by the mayor with committee appointments.

 

[Peepers]

When i read the Star article, I noticed it said they were "provincial Liberal staffers". That didn't sound like prov gov employees to me - it sounded like political staffers - surely political staffers are not paid for by taxpayers? Presumably these are the same people who will be "mobilized" by McGuinty to help him win another term next year.

I can't imagine that the Liberal Party of Ontario would be paying the salaries of 500 staffers at Queens Park. If this is the case then they can do what they like - in fact why not give them time off from now until next Tuesday to "get out the vote" I suspect that these are government paid employees and if so this is just blatant political corruption.

 

[MetroMan]

This still has not been published by any media outlet. Why? The inconsistency with 3 other recent polls and the fact that nobody is publishing this poll makes me think there's something fishy about it. Ekos is a respected research company so I will give the poll the benefit of the doubt, but something is off...

EDIT: Not even the Toronto Sun has said anything about this poll. What's going on?

 

[Peepers]

This still has not been published by any media outlet. Why? The inconsistency with 3 other recent polls and the fact that nobody is publishing this poll makes me think there's something fishy about it. Ekos is a respected research company so I will give the poll the benefit of the doubt, but something is off...

EDIT: Not even the Toronto Sun has said anything about this poll. What's going on?

I am sure it will come out in good time. As you noted ekos is a respected polling company.

Interesting to note about this poll is that it was not confined to land-lines only, they called cell phones also so it is probably much more representative of the mood of the electorate.

 

[Fac1]

This still has not been published by any media outlet. Why? The inconsistency with 3 other recent polls and the fact that nobody is publishing this poll makes me think there's something fishy about it. Ekos is a respected research company so I will give the poll the benefit of the doubt, but something is off...

EDIT: Not even the Toronto Sun has said anything about this poll. What's going on?

Maybe give it a couple hours before it's reported?

Are you going to be at that election party, btw?

 

[Peepers]

The biggest issue I have with the Ekos poll is that it doesn't say who commissioned it. But Smitherman being down a few points going into election day is probably the best place for him to be.

Maybe it wasn't commissioned by any news organization which would make it even more believable because it doesn't reflect the bias of a Toronto Star or Globe & Mail.

 

[MetroMan]

Fac1, I'm thinking of gong to Cadillac Lounge, yes.

 

[Fac1]

Maybe it wasn't commissioned by any news organization which would make it even more believable because it doesn't reflect the bias of a Toronto Star or Globe & Mail.

Or the Toronto Sun, right? I'm sure you just forgot to mention that one, so I did for you.

 

[Glen]

The Mayor still sets the direction of policy, and has control over who chairs committees. While Ford may not be able to do all the damage he's suggesting, the city would still be mostly stalled for 4 years.

The city has been stalled for over a decade. Take off your blinders. The city has had either negative or less than average economic growth. Poverty and income disparity has increased.
Released today...

http://www.td.com/economics/special/sg1010_toronto.pdf

The last two bullets reference the particular struggles of
the City of Toronto (the 416 area) relative to the suburban
905 area code warrants some further attention. Notably, the
plentiful supply of economic data encompassing the broader
Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) conceals the
widening disparity between the City and its neighbouring
suburbs. In fact, in the early part of the decade, the City was
only one of two major Canadian municipalities (the other
being Windsor) to suffer a decline in median income.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...sion-over-not-in-toronto-area/article1768116/

The unemployment rate for the city of Toronto itself is now 10.3 per cent, compared to the national average of 8 per cent.

Or the CFIB ranking of Toronto as 93rd out of 100 in their City Entrepreneurial List. While the GTA, excluding Toronto is ranked 20th.

 

[Peepers]

Or the Toronto Sun, right? I'm sure you just forgot to mention that one, so I did for you.

Agreed the Sun is biased also. No argument from me on that one. Thats why we have to read every source of news before forming our own opinion. No one source can be relied upon.

 

[GenerationW]

Or the Toronto Sun, right? I'm sure you just forgot to mention that one, so I did for you.

Hammer & Sickle Tribune?
Ernst Zundel's Week in Review?
9-11 Was An Inside Job Telegraph?

They're probably all in on it!

 

[MetroMan]

I'm talking to somebody who's been dealing with pollsters for one of the campaigns. He says that Ekos probably did this poll on their own because they weren't hired throughout the election for one. They need to stay relevant by publishing at least one poll during a major election like this one.

That doesn't discount the validity of the poll but the fact that it was done through such a long period with a small sample does. It also doesn't appear to have targeted demographic groups so some of them may be over reprsented and others under. He said he would rely more on the 3 latest polls that show Ford and Smitherman tied.

A new series of polls should be released through the weekend that will give us a last snapshot of the trends leading to election day.

 

[Fac1]

Out in Communist Riverdale doing some sign spotting today, on Broadview between Queen and Mortimer.

Results: 9 Pantalone, 7 Smitherman, 1 (defaced) Ford