#munipoil Matters - ISSUE 43 - Did John Tory get an actual challenger?
Welcome to another edition of #munipoli Matters, where we cover the often under-reported arena of municipal elections, local politics and the happenings in civic government.
Toronto Mayor John Tory is still on track to a third term, but he might have attracted an actual challenger of sorts. Besides that, the Mayor is about to lose a close ally from his inner circle.
Let’s get right to it.
An actual challenger for John Tory?
Renowned urbanist Gil Penalosa registered to run for mayor and launched his campaign on July 18.
Penalosa was born in Colombia where he previously served as parks commissioner in Bogota. He also founded the non-profit organization 8-80 Cities, which advocates for expanding public spaces for people of all age groups.
“Toronto has become less affordable, less equitable, less sustainable” under eight years of Tory,” Penalosa told in an interview to the Toronto Star. “I think the city is falling apart. I think we see symptoms every day.”
One illustration of the city falling in dire straits are the various pictures of Toronto public garbage bins overflowing to the brim with trash, or public washrooms being locked, which have circulated social media in recent weeks.
In 2018, Tory attracted a last minute challenge from former city planner Jennifer Keesmaat, but still won with a comfortable 63%. But if this garbage and washroom issue persists, it could prove to be an albatross around Tory’s neck in the way the garbage strike of 2009 influenced former mayor David Miller’s decision not to seek a third term.
With someone like Penalosa, Canada’s largest city could be treated to an actual dialog about what it means to be a city. But as Tory marches on to Term No. 3, he’s about to lose one of his closest political allies.
Toronto Deputy Mayor not running again
Ward 16 (Don Valley East) Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong announced he would not be running for reelection in the October municipal elections.
Minnan-Wong has been in municipal politics for 28 years. In 1994, he was appointed as a councillor after the previous incumbent died in North York council, and won his own term later that year.
He was re-elected in 1997 as part of the newly amalgamated City of Toronto and has been on Council since, representing Ward 34 which later became Ward 16. Tory appointed Minnan-Wong as one of his Deputy Mayors when Tory got the job in 2014.
Some of Minnan-Wong’s more memorable moments were during the mayoral reign of the late Rob Ford. As a member of the TTC Board, he voted to remove former General Manager Gary Webster on Ford’s instructions, only to be removed from the board himself due to a motion from then TTC Chair Karen Stintz.
Although he was part of the Ford executive committee, Minnan-Wong was one of the councillors instrumental in censuring Ford during the height of his crack scandal. He had a very poignant question on public record to Ford in 2013, asking if the former mayor purchased illegal drugs in the space of two years, to which Ford replied in the affirmative.
Despite the complicated relationship with the Fords, Minnan-Wong was a provincial PC candidate under Doug Ford in 2018, coming up short in unseating Liberal Michael Coteau in Don Valley East.
It isn’t surprising he ran as a Conservative; Minnan-Wong throughout his entire municipal tenure campaigned on ‘Keeping Taxes Down’. The last sentence in his resignation letter said “go easy on the bike lanes”, even though Minnan-Wong touts that he helped introduce the Bixi bike program in Toronto.
“We need to invest more in our roads. Our parks need more attention. Graffiti is out of hand. Rooming houses and transitional housing projects should not be allowed into residential neighbourhoods without proper, thorough and authentic consultation,” Minnan-Wong added in his statement.
If you can read between the lines as an advocate of affordable housing, or reforming zoning or densification, those are basically fighting words from someone perceived to have been a hindrance to the building of more homes.
Minnan-Wong’s pending departure means there are now at least six councillors that have either left Council already or are planning to leave: Kristyn-Wong Tam, Michael Ford, Ana Bailao, John Filion, Joe Cressy, and himself.
Councillors Mark Grimes, Paula Fletcher and Mike Layton have not yet confirmed their plans as of this writing.
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The shifting tides in Waterloo Region?
Even though we are deep in the lazy days of summer, the dearth of municipal candidates registered to run, as of this writing, is still quite surprising.
In Kitchener, there is no one officially running for mayor, not even incumbent Barry Vrbanovic. Over in Waterloo, where incumbent Dave Jarworsky isn’t running again, the only candidate so far is Shannon Weber, a business professor at Conestoga College.
But there is some non-mayoral movement in the cities and in the other Waterloo townships. Veteran Waterloo Regional Councillor Sean Strickland is leaving office after spending 25 years in politics.
Former North Dumfries mayor Rob Deutschmann is seeking a regional council seat from Kitchener, following the lead of former Cambridge mayor Doug Craig. Deutschmann is a lawyer who served as mayor from 2010 to 2014. Regional Councillor Elizabeth Clarke from Kitchener also said she will not be seeking reelection.
Deutschmann also hosts the ‘Old Grey Mayors’ podcast where he interviews former municipal staff or councillors and mayors, but he tends to avoid contentious matters. One time he had a former councillor who lost his reelection, but they didn’t discuss why. The former mayor would only say on air “we’re not going to get into that”.
In the other township races, Woolwich Mayor Sandy Shantz is being challenged by Councillor Pat Merlihan. In Wilmot, Councillor Jenn Pfenning is running for Mayor Les Armstrong’s job, along with Natasha Salonen. Armstrong has not confirmed whether he intends to stand for reelection.
Joe Nowak in Wellesley and North Dumfries’ Sue Foxton are so far running unopposed in their reelection for mayor.
In other news
Burns Lake, BC: Mayor Dolores Funk is not seeking reelection and Councillor Charlie Rensby said he would be running for the post.
Mattawa, ON: Mayor Dean Backer’s decision to end his 22 year run as mayor of this small town in the Ottawa valley has opened the door for veteran municipal professional Raymond Bélanger to run. Belanger has had three decades of experience working for the town.
He also served as a councillor from 1983 to 1985 and the CAO / treasurer from 2015 to 2020. Another candidate, Marie Johanne Goyette, is also running for Mattawa mayor.
Mission, BC: Mayor Paul Horn will be seeking a second term, after the former councillor and college instructor was elected to the post in a May 2021 by-election.
Muskoka Lakes, ON: Mayor Phil Harding will be running for reelection but he will be facing Councillor Peter Kelley in order to retain his job. Harding has been a District Councillor for Muskoka Lakes since 2010 and won the mayor’s seat in 2018 with 77% of the vote over then incumbent Donald Furniss.
Woodstock, ON: Current Mayor Trevor Birtch has yet to register for reelection, although he is dealing with legal issues at this time. However, Woodstock voters will have another choice with some experience on the ballot as current Councillor Jerry Acchione has put his hat in the ring.
Acchione, a 24 year veteran at Andersons GM and a former OPP staff sergeant, has been on Woodstock City Council for the past 8 years. He says the city has been experiencing a lack of leadership and he’s looking to change that.
"This city deserves better. I live and breathe this city and just love it. Being someone with the experiences I have, I think I can bring something good to the table and hopefully the people agree."
Other candidates for Woodstock mayor include David Hilderley and Anthony Scalisi.
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