The appeal of John Tory, Toronto Mayor
Torontonians could relate to Tory, the way they related to Mel Lastman. Mel was much more conservative, but underlying his goofiness he meant well. Tory means well, and is a lot smarter and more sophisticated than Mel could ever hope to be. It’s just possible he could articulate the wisdom of fiscal responsibility in a way Mayor David Miller can’t.
Miller is all utopian ambition -- “Let’s have a world in which there are no cars, and everyone rides their bike to work. In winter. In Toronto...†-- and no common sense. Tory might be able to convince the city’s Woodstock generation he is all for sensible traffic control, without having to plant trees on Jarvis Street to prove it. Maybe he could even champion some transit projects that move people in and out of downtown, where the jobs are, instead of ferrying them east and west across the top of the city, from one mall to another.
Tory is a Toronto kind of guy. A Toronto kind of Conservative. He really deserves to be elected to something. Toronto voters should consider it just another good deed.
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...nd-the-appeal-of-john-tory-toronto-mayor.aspx
Only John Tory could topple Mayor Miller
Toronto's incumbent two-term mayor, David Miller, is beatable, many observers conclude, and rightly so. But there is a huge gulp between thinking it now and doing it in November 2010.
"Miller is a very tough opponent," said one political operative who will be backing a centre-right candidate against Miller. "Anybody who thinks differently is smoking something. But his (polling) numbers are lower than (populist ex-mayor Mel) Lastman. And his coalition is narrower."
The consensus is that the kind of candidate who could beat Miller must be moderate and centre-right, possess a public profile and a record of support for city-building initiatives, have business acumen and be able to attract the broad support necessary to raise about $1.5 million to finance the campaign. And, after all that, deliver the goods by standing toe to toe with a slick debater like Miller.
http://www.thestar.com/gta/columnist/article/650330