http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/700915
David Miller said this morning that he will not seek re-election as Toronto's mayor next year.
Miller has been recently battered in the polls and in the media over his handling of this summer's 39-day civic strike.
I suppose he decided - not totally unreasonably - that he couldn't win next time around. Obviously this blows the mayoral race wide open and current councillors and others will be considering their options.
So who is going to be the left's candidate in the mayoral race. Will Giambrone go for it?
How about Adam Vaughn?
Meh. Personally, I haven't seen him do anything specific for any constituents here. Is there something I am missing? Can we expect anything of him? If so like what? What has he done for people in his ward?
Will Giambrone go for it?I hope not.
How about Adam Vaughn?I heard him on the radio basically rule himself out for 2010.
Well seriously, what has he done?
Oh, I don't know. I just thought he was lefty, and personality-wise he might be able to pull it off, that's all.
How about Paula Fletcher?
I think the only person from the left on council who could be a strong candidate would be Shelley Carroll. She's been budget chief for the past few years and she has been a close ally to Miller and to the NDP - but I think she may actually be a Liberal member. The fact that she's from North York and not from downtown is another plus.
Of course given that Smitherman was Barbara Hall's chief of staff and campaign manager - I'm not sure that on the policy front he would actually be any different from Miller. The main objection to him is that he's a hyper-partisan maniac.
the troll has been reported
How about your buddy Pam McConnell? She looks homeless enough to suit rabble readers' needs.
I would support Joe Mihevc in a heartbeat.
He would be a great candidate. Janet Davis should be considered as well.
Here is a preferential ballot of all the possible contenders. Currently John Tory is in the lead and Vaughan gets the most votes of any progressives.
I predict that the next mayor will be from the right. Someone that does not appear on the radar.
Here is a preferential ballot of all the possible contenders.I thought Mel Lastman would be on the list for sure after whetting his appetite stumping for Sue-Ann Levy in the St. Paul's by-election. I'll predict that one of his two sons takes a run - probably the lawyer kid.
I hope to hell it isn't Michael Thompson. That man is a complete ass.
Of course given that Smitherman was Barbara Hall's chief of staff and campaign manager - I'm not sure that on the policy front he would actually be any different from Miller. The main objection to him is that he's a hyper-partisan maniac.
One of David Miller's problems was that he was far too nice with the result that nothing ever went very fast at City Hall. Someone more pushy might be a good thing.
I was personally very happy with David Miller. I did a lot of research before I voted for him. I like him. I don't want anyone "pushy" because to me, that means someone more to the right and last thing Toronto needs is a right wing Mayor. I know that's not what you meant Doug but pushy politicians usually are Cons.
I would support Joe Mihevc in a heartbeat.
ETA: Maybe I should start a facebook group :-)
I always thought being mayor was a stepping stone in Miller's plans. I'm guessing there's a quid pro quo with the liberals: let Smitherman be mayor and get your choice of easy seats either provincially or federally. I'm guessing federally.
I think he'll be Prime Minister by 2020.
Globe & Mail and Macleans.ca both report Olivia Chow has not ruled out running for mayor.
www2.macleans.ca/2009/09/25/how-we-do-politics-now/
I think the only person from the left on council who could be a strong candidate would be Shelley Carroll. She's been budget chief for the past few years and she has been a close ally to Miller and to the NDP - but I think she may actually be a Liberal member. The fact that she's from North York and not from downtown is another plus.
Of course given that Smitherman was Barbara Hall's chief of staff and campaign manager - I'm not sure that on the policy front he would actually be any different from Miller. The main objection to him is that he's a hyper-partisan maniac.
You could do a lot worse than Shelley Caroll. She is indeed a Liberal though, and might have difficulty raising funds if Smitherman runs. Still another 14 months to go so who knows what candidates may yet emerge.
I was personally very happy with David Miller. I did a lot of research before I voted for him. I like him. I don't want anyone "pushy" because to me, that means someone more to the right and last thing Toronto needs is a right wing Mayor. I know that's not what you meant Doug but pushy politicians usually are Cons.
Didn't seem so bad to me, though I am not a fan. Thing about Mayors is that we are not expecting a lot of big "vision" types, but efficient bureaucrats who are capable of co-ordinating a consensus. He was certainly far better than the previous guy, Lastman, who was a clown. As for the strike, its really hard to come out of a strike looking good.
Interesting how Glen Murray's Facebook page is full of people urging him to run, as well as his response "Ok, time to rebuild the reform coalition in Toronto."
He has an intriguing collection of new Facebook Friends: everyone from Joe Pantalone and Frank DeJong to Scott Brison.
That's it in a nutshell Cue. Mayor Miller took a lot of heat when he didn't feem the strikers essential, and he took his time and let the sides battle it out. It is rally too bad, because he did a great job. Too bad the majority of people on his facebook were anti-union. He took a major bashing from them.
It would be rather amusing if Glen Murray ran - it would pit two gay Liberals against each other - though I suspect that a lot of New Democrats would back Murray over Smitherman simply because he is less personally abrasive. That being said, it seems pretty weird to have the former mayor of Winnipeg run to be mayor of Toronto - has anything like that ever happened before??
I think a more likely scenario might be that Smitherman resigns his seat to run for mayor and Glen Murray runs for the Liberals in the byelection that would ensue.
I had mixed feelings about David Miller, but he deserves better than this hatchet job.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/sueann_levy/2009/09/26/11128141-sun.html
Levy must be smarting from her loss in St. Paul's. Or she is just a nasty, spiteful, vindictive person. Even Royson James, a notorious Miller hater, took the high road and wrote some nice things about Miller's achievements in the Star.
Seriously, this is just despicable journalism, even by Toronto Sun standards.
It would be rather amusing if Glen Murray ran - it would pit two gay Liberals against each other - though I suspect that a lot of New Democrats would back Murray over Smitherman simply because he is less personally abrasive. That being said, it seems pretty weird to have the former mayor of Winnipeg run to be mayor of Toronto - has anything like that ever happened before??
I think a more likely scenario might be that Smitherman resigns his seat to run for mayor and Glen Murray runs for the Liberals in the byelection that would ensue.
And as far as Liberal types go, there's one name that might have been all over the place for mayoral potential a month ago, but certainly not now: Michael Bryant...
