2010 Municipal Election

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EDIT: This thread is now closed. Post-election discussion can be found here.

The October 25 2010 municipal election is less than a month away. Let's use this forum to discuss any issues, especially local ones, that might come up in the election.

With incumbent mayor David Miller stepping aside, the mayoral race should be interesting. Our current councillor, Adam Giambrone, is not running again. This leaves the local Ward 18 Davenport seat up for grabs.

The final list of candidates for Ward 18 (As of September 10 2010) consists of:

The official up-to-date list is maintained on the City's website:
http://app.toronto.ca/vote2010/findByName.do?lastName=all

If you know of any links to other candidates' websites, please post them here.

What are your thoughts?

Ward 18 Election Events, etc.:

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Post-election discussion

This thread is now closed. Post-election discussion can be found here.

My Ward 18 ranked ballot

The following is my "ranked ballot" for my vote for Ward 18 councillor. Of course, we don't have a ranked ballot in this election, so I will be voting with my number 1 choice.

  1. Kevin Beaulieu
    • I feel that Kevin Beaulieu is easily the best candidate running in Ward 18, and I will be voting for him. My reasons for this decision are: He has several years of experience at City Hall, and knows the political process extremely well; He knows Ward 18 extremely well too, living here, and working hard on many issues here; He's quick to answer questions; He's able to think quickly on his feet, and not just give standard "I will consult and get back to you on that" responses; his message and policies have been clear and consistent; he supports projects that are already funded and well underway (e.g. Toronto Bike Plan and Transit City) rather than tearing up ideas and starting over; he doesn't want to sell off Toronto's assets for short-term gain; and he's overall a very nice, friendly, and likeable person. He takes alot of criticism for being a Giambrone staffer, but this is actually where he gets much of his good experience and knowledge from. And I think that Kevin is smart and humble enough to learn from Giambrone's past mistakes (yes, he made some!) and will be a positive ongoing force in this ward. I've never voted for the NDP, nor any candidates associated with that party, but I feel very confident that Kevin will do a great job as our councillor, and will not simply "tow the party line". At least he has been up-front about all of his ideas and associations.
  2. Hema Vyas
    • Hema is my second choice. I think she could make a great councillor. Even with her lack of City Hall experience, she seems to have the drive, intuition, and honestly good intentions to make things work well. She would quickly learn on the job. She ran a positive, progressive campaign and worked very hard to talk with many people across the ward. I had the chance to sit down with her earlier in the campaign and talk about Ward 18 / Junction Triangle issues, and I got the impression that she has strong values that are close to my own. If she doesn't win, I hope she runs again and can gain a seat on City Council, perhaps working along site Kevin Beaulieu in a different ward. :)
  3. Frank de Jong
    • I highly doubt that Frank de Jong will win, and to be honest, I don't think he would necessarily make a good councillor. I would still consider voting for him though. Some of his ideas are a bit too radical for most people, and I think this would cause too much conflict in the ward if he went with them and didn't compromise on his own values. I totally agree with his transportation plans and policies, which treat Ward 18 as a "people place", and not a highway for cars. I do hope that someday we can work towards implementing some of Frank's ideas, especially his cycling and pedestrian plans, which go alot further than what's in store right now.
  4. Ana Bailao
    • Ana is smart, well-spoken, and a very hard worker. She's a tireless campaigner, and right from the beginning of the capaign she was out on the street canvassing. I have no doubt that she'd make a strong contribution to City Council, and will work very hard if she gets the job. Her past (and possibly present) connections to the development industry still leave me wondering if she will put the needs of developers ahead of the desires of the community. She also has close Liberal Party ties with our dead-wood MP Mario Silva and MPP Tony Ruprecht, and I worry that if we had a Liberal trifecta in this ward then we won't have someone local who can help fight issues such as the diesel train expansion. She also wants to rip up progressive projects such as the Dupont St. bike lanes, which have been in the Toronto Bike Plan for a good 10 years or so, and move towards a cycling and transporation plan that doesn't have any details yet. The current cycling network often gets criticized for not connecting enough pieces together, but Dupont St. is one of the most important connections in this area, as it links the Annette bike lanes via the rail underpass, Railpath, upcoming Lansdowne bikeway, and more. Dupont is also being revitalized right now, and turning it back into a highway for high-speed driving will be a step back in time.
  5. .... My ranked ballot ends here. I would not cast a vote for the following people.

  6. Joe MacDonald
    • I actually liked Joe MacDonald when he first joined the campaign and I heard him speak at the All Candidates meeting on Rankin Cres. He comes across as progressive, intelligent, and well-spoken. He has a some deep political experience at the provincial level, and experience working within the City Hall bureaucracy. All good points. But as his campaign went on, he spent most of his time criticizing other candidates, running a very negative campaign, and seriously came across as "an angry old man" (as a couple of people have said to me). He'd probably make a decent councillor, but I'm not sure I'd want someone who seems to be running just because of a giant chip on his shoulder. He also criticises Ana and Kevin for their political connections, and then flouts his own political connections in the next breath. Bizarre.
  7. Ken Wood
    • I've come to like Ken Wood a bit during this campaign. Ken's smart, follows issues in this ward pretty closely, and can be a serious pain in the ass to the people in his cross-hairs (I mean that in the best possible way, Ken!). He's honest, and tells it like he sees it. He's done a great job of keeping up with election coverage online, and keeping people informed of Ward 18 happenings on Twitter and his own website. And kudos to him for actually getting so deeply involved with the election, even on a shoestring budget. But past experiences with Ken would keep me from voting for him. He's well-known for getting into very public arguments online and in-person, shouting at people in meetings, and being quite disruptive. Perhaps he has good days and bad days, because lately he's been very calm and gentleman-like during his campaign, but I don't think he'd last four years on council without blowing up.
  8. Doug Carrol
    • Doug has brought a few interesting ideas to this election campaign, mainly about how City Hall works and how to get more engaged with citizens. He was also well-spoken at election events, and is on-side with some of my own bike-geek and computer-geek thoughts. But like Ken Wood, I have also seen Doug blow up at public meetings and be extremely cynical about the political process. Rather than being a positive political force who could move some of his ideas forward, I think he might get mired in negativity if things don't go his way.
  9. Kirk Russell
    • I'm not sure I have anything good to say about his campaign. His speeches at events always came across as if he's running for highschool student council, filled with cliches and goofy statements. He has also run one of the most negative campaigns, with frequent attacks on Ana Bailao and Kevin Beaulieu. It seems that someone from his campaign even vandalized Ana's and Kevin's signs this past weekend, by pasting some of their own attack ads onto them. The worst one was an attack video against Ana Bailao, that was bizarrely edited / cut together with a grinning Kirk Rusell looking like he just uncovered the world's biggest conspiracy. We don't need this kind of negativity around here.
  10. Nha Le
    • I give him credit for running every time, but he has almost no real ideas, cannot communicate the few ideas that he has (no website or other online presence?), and seems to think that more cars pourinig through our streets is a good thing.
  11. Abdirazak Elmi
    • Simply bizarre. I don't think he lives here, doesn't know much about the ward, is somewhat shy in person, and really didn't contribute much at all to any of the campaign meetings.
  12. Joanna Teliatnik
    • Another bizarre one. Never showed up to any events, no online presence, no campaigning. No idea if she exists, though apparently Ken Wood has met her.
  13. Mohammad Muhit
    • Absolutely no presence. A total mysetery.

Info

Thanks for your informative synopsis Vic. I didn't know some of the things you mentioned here, like Ana wanting to undo the bike lanes on Dupont. Very helpful research. I won't be voting for Ana now that I know that. Also, there were a couple guys campaigning this morning in front of Dundas West station for a Ward 14 candidate. Not only is it illegal but they were beligerant when I commented they weren't supposed to be campaigning today.

Both Hema and Ana were at Dufferin station this morning

Hey Vic, Your 2nd&3rd choice candidate for Ward18 were both at Dufferin station doing the samething the other two from ward14 were doing at Dundas West. Doing illegal things???

Campaigning laws

Note: Ana is my #4 choice, not #3. :)

It's definitely against the rules to campaign on TTC property. Were Hema and Ana actually campaigning in the station, or just in front of it? I'm no expert on the issue, but campaigning in front of a station seems pretty common and probably OK.

Twitter is abuzz right now with a photo of Ana campaigning at a polling station. Not sure how genuine this is, but that's also a big no-no....

Canvassing rules are posted on the City website here.

I was at Dufferin Station

I was at Dufferin Station this morning and Hema, Ana, and Kevin's teams were all out canvassing - and doing so on the sidewalk in front of the station - perfectly allowed and all were very good to stay within the rules set out.

As for Ana during the rest of the day... now that's a different story. A lot is going to come out tonight and in the next couple of days. Ridiculousness.

Who Cares ... ultimately the only thing that matters is..

Joe doesn't stand a chance in this election!!
If we were Toronto 1978 I would say by all means support this guy with your vote, but as it stands right now from every poll you look at the race is between "Ruin your Hometown Ford" or "Hold your nose in Hope Smitherman" Personally I will Vote for Hope, Smitherman is likely the best of a group that are still in this to win!
If Joe were to pull out of the race then Smitherman would win hands down, but with him insisting on taking 10-15% of the vote I think he could end up spoiling this city's last opportunity to make some correction without mass pain on the part of the disenfranchised.(read: poor)
I just read Ford has issue with the City of Toronto funding a Kids Helpline at a cost of less than $3,200.00 a year, clearly he doesn't get that kids get bullied for being different, there is currently a mass undertaking called "it gets better" to stop kids from killing themselves, I think Kids Helplines offer an outlet for kids who are considering ending their lives, I also think $3,200.00 a year is a small price to pay, but apparently Rob thinks otherwise.

Joe Pantalone is a great guy , and in my height range so I have a lot of respect for his past endeavours, however..smart people can make a big difference by voting to keep Ford at bay and off of Bay Street, City Hall & the Hallways of power!

Transit Density

I think Pantalone has failed to communicate. If by magic he got in he might not do too bad, but communications is a big part of the job so I just don't feel he's fully qualified. He started with the advantage that Transit City is a well designed pragmatic program.
On the other hand communication is all Ford has been doing, based on policy proposals that are clearly unworkable.
The density of the city has increased dramatically even just in the last decade. Along the Shepard line and Yonge north of the 401 there has been a massive building boom. Downtown has new office towers (KPMG, Telus, and while Corus is much shorter it has a massive footprint.) Many new towers have sprouted in the distillery district, the railway lands and even out by Humber bay. As a result, low density transportation is getting squeezed out. Commute times for many car driver will increase inevitably. Chewing on your steering wheel is one of the most unpleasant things humans subject themselves too. Partly because you have to pay so much attention. Ford is talking seriously about an issue that is strongly impacting many people. Unfortunately, we might as well elect Doug Henning in the hope that Yogic flying would solve our problems. Pantalone has not been convincing people that his most important policy position directly addresses one of the major factors in their life.

Joe Pantalone on Donor Disclosure

Wanted to share some tweets by Mayoralty candidate Joe Pantalone re. donor disclosure that are pertinent to the discussion we've been having on this forum. Good on Joe. He's got my vote!

Joe calls upon @g_smitherman to release his list now and not to hide behind a legal technicality. Be transparent to the voters. #voteTO ~CT
about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone

Joe thinks it is disturbing that @g_smitherman will not release his donor list, saying you must be transparent in a democracy. #voteTO ~CT
about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone

Joe's donors can be found on-line here:
http://www.xtra.ca/BinaryContent/pdf/Pantalone-Donor-List.pdf

And you can follow Joe on twitter at "@jpantalone"

Pantalone

I'm not too fond of any of the mayoral candidates, but Pantalone probably stinks the least. :) The biggest problem with Pantalone though is that he doesn't seem to get it that there's a huge contingent of people in this city who are pissed off with the current council. He comes across as someone with fingers in his ears shouting "la la la la la!". Much of the NDP faction is like this, unfortunately. I like where the City is now, and the course it's headed on, but people need to admit it when there's a problem. I'm glad he released his donor list, though it's bizarre that you can't find it anywhere on his website.

Smitherman just seems to be trying to coast through this election, banking on name recognition, Liberal party support, and the push for "anyone but Ford". I'm sure that MANY of the votes for Smitherman will be from people who don't actually like him, but would prefer him over Ford. I like him in the debates though....he's intelligent, quick-thinking, a good fighter and entertaining when he makes digs at the others. :) But I don't like where he wants to take this city.

Ford...well....heh. One-trick pony, who's doing amazingly well on this whole "gravy train" spiel. His numbers don't add up and I'm certain he wouldn't be able to accomplish his whole "I'll save money! I will increase service! I will cut taxes!" schtick. He fills a good role on council, sometimes, but he so far removed from being a credible mayor.

I agree Vic. I think both

I agree Vic. I think both Ford and Smitherman will try and privatize Toronto's public assets - like Hydro and the TTC. What I would like to know is how the candidates for council will vote on any initiative to privatize Toronto's public services. Will they be for or against. I have not heard this question put to them.

Privatization

This definitely came up at at least one debate. I'd have to check my notes, but I'm pretty sure most of the "major" candidates were against privatization. I can't find anything about that from a quick look at Hema's website, Ana's website, Joe's website, etc... but on Kevin's site he says: "As your City Councillor, I will keep City services public and make them affordable and accessible for everyone." Ken Wood also opposes privatization, "Protect Public Assets: No sell-off of city assets like Toronto Hydro, but also find a way to reclaim Schools that have been designated toi close (example: West Toronto). These lands and structures belong to the taxpayers - it doesn't matter if they are administered by school boards, the province or the city. They belong to the citizens. Find solutions, whether that be long term leases, rebranding as community centres/disaster relief centres/out of the cold/cooling centres."

I'd be interested in hearing about this from the other candidates who are reading/lurking here :)

-Vic

Yes absolutely. The only way

Yes absolutely. The only way to stop Ford/Smitherman from wrecking the city if council members stand up and oppose their sell-off/privatization plans.

Last Post

Sorry my post is kind of messed up :) I hope my comment about Joe MacDonald does not get lost.

Candidate Platforms - Likes and Dislikes

Anyone want to talk about the candidates' actual platforms? What do you like and dislike about each one?

I actually think we have a pretty good roster of people running here, though some may disagree. :) Many of them have brought up good points in their platforms and at meetings. Ideally, I'd like to pick and choose from all of them, but ultimately we only get to vote for one.

Ward 18 reflections

I think it is very important to vote. Only through very difficult struggle did we get a universal franchise and it is very important that people exercise it. The very act of voting sends a message that citizens are watching, engaged and will hold politicians accountable.
In ward 18 I thing the local candidates can make people feel good about the process. I think the leading candidates have spent a great deal of time knocking on doors and listening to the people in the community. I think Kevin and Ana have spent the most time knocking on doors and will lead the voting. I have also seem Hema many times walking door to door. Frank is also well known. Each of them are likely to get strong support and would be representatives we could feel good about.
There are some other ways candidates have contributed to the community. Doug has come forward with some very interesting ideas and really made the debate I attended a much richer experience than I expected.
I would also really like to thank Ken Wood for the contributions he has made to the discussion here in our community forum. In the Fuzzy Boundaries process we focused so carefully on having a fair process that we didn't do enough to encourage partisan, forceful advocacy for particular positions. We need both Ron McLeans and Don Cherryes to get a good discussion going. Ken has made an important contribution to a vibrant discussion.
Personally I favour Kevin. I think the mistakes he is likely to make would be honest ones and I think he will do the work to keep them to a minimum.
I do feel it is important for each person to vote. And I do think you can feel good about your choice.

Candidate Platforms - all seem pretty good

I think the problem is that all the platforms sound pretty good, but what is a candidate really going to do?

For example, is Ana Bailao really going to fight electrification when she is Liberal backed and has big red signs?

Both Tony Rupreht (Provincial Liberal) and Mario Silva (Federal Liberal) claim they are for electrification of the corridor, but ultimately have not been very helpful to the residents of Ward 18 on this issue. Tony sends me flyers on the environment, but doesn't come to clean train coalition meetings or rallies or anything else related to this issue. Mario Silva suggests meeting with other levels of government to deal with this issue (he did this at one of the DIGIN Meetings), but doesn't take the initiative to help organize these meetings with other levels of government. He also takes credit for things that he was not involved in such as the injunction on pile driving -- he just met with a couple of people in the neighborhood to listen to them. Blah, blah, blah.

To me the trains should be the #1 issue in the ward, since they will affect the health, economy, and status of the neighborhood.

I like Ken Wood. He says he would tie himself to the railroad tracks in protest, and I believe him. He has a proven track record of tying himself to things.

I also like Joe MaDonald. He seems like a smart cookie -- he seems to really understand transportation issues, which would be valuable to our ward.

[Edited to remove redundant part]

Dialogue is Fantastic, I want to see action, so ...

On October 25th, regardless of who you support, or don't support, talk is cheap, make sure to get off your duffs and get out and VOTE!
I want to see everyone that legally is able to vote excercise that right, that way you can legitimitely complain about the issues that are so near and dear to your hearts.
I know from having run in an election, talk is very cheap, people at the door will tell you they are voting for you, but a slight change in the weather, an opportunity to hang out with friends or just plain complacency can easily take over and prevent you from getting out to vote.
Aside from selecting the local councillor we have a great School Board Trustee running, his name is John Costa, he is not aligned to any party, but he has some fresh ideas, I also think School Board Trustee positions should not be longterm positions, aged trustees end up being out of touch with what is happening at the school level (in regards to connecting with the students needs)so I think getting young blood into the mix keeps new ideas at the forefront.
And last but not least, it would seem we have 2 candidates for mayor that have any chance to win the top spot, I suggest a lot of analysis, seperate the wheat from the chaf, and make a decision that counts. we only get the 1 opportunity to try and keep this city running and there are some scary ways to waste a vote and let the wrong person get in.

Thanks,
Philip

The most bizarre double standard

vic: The following are your words (Posted October 20 with titled Of course it's not an island)

"After all this stuff came out about campaign contributions from developers outside the ward, I'm not sure I can trust that. She's an intelligent, hard-working, and well-spoken woman. I respect her for many things. But her connections worry me."

And now you're saying "Nobody ever said that it's a bad thing that anyone gets donations from the development industry."

Seriously vic, are you being completely fair here?

Ward 18 residents now have access to the full names of who has donated to Bailao and Pantalone in this CURRENT election and they have this info BEFORE election day.

Beaulieu has provided only the last names of his donors and NO first names. Just a first initial. Furthermore, he has attached NO dollar figures to his disclosure.

But regardless of this, you're going to hold up Bailao's donation list from SEVEN years ago as reason not to vote for her? Really? With respect, you're boarding on insulting the intelligence of those that are following this issue.

More Like Subterfuge

Rbmorra, it is amazing that you can accuse someone of glancing over a topic that you continually raise, why has Ana Bailao raised twice as money than she can legally spend? Instead you spend all your time here attacking voters rather than focusing on the candidates and important issues.

Ana Troll Strikes Again

My name is Scott Dobson and I have lived in Parkdale/JT almost my entire adult life my. My family are card carrying IBEW construction workers and one of my brothers is a mechanic. Who is RBMorra? An Ana Troll judging by your Twitter feed of anti Giambrone Miller and Bealieu posts.

7 years ago the issue was Ana's donors and the press and citizens talked about it. Today the issue is Ana's donors and the press and citizens are talking about it again. Our area is slated for a huge amount of undeveloped land so we have a right to question who a candidate will represent. Have you noticed no qualms at all about any of the other candidates in terms of donors and companies? Nope. There must be a reason why.

You have had your say, its time you got back to Twittering where at least there your intent is clear.

Halloween comes early to the JT - the witchunt is on

"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel"
- Samuel Johnson

Judging by some of the comments in response to my postings regarding the FACTS about the financing of Ward 18 candidates in THIS election, I take it newcomers or dissent are not welcome to this forum. Its unfortunate because I think the debate is enourmously useful. I will address some of the questions asked of me (and ignore the silly derisive name calling.)

My name is Rob Morra and moved into Davenport (just outside of the JT) within the last year - close enough to enjoy the JT's unique social fabric and long enough to become concerned about its future.

I do not, nor have held a political party membership, although I did volunteer in the last presidential campaign for Barack Obama (nothing big, just knocking on some doors in Buffalo.) I am a son of a construction worker who was a member of Local 183 LIUNA (Labourers) and who is now retired. I always, always vote.

I have NOT donated to any Ward 18 candidate in this election although I plan on voting for Bailao locally and Pantalone for Mayor primarily because I see alot of myself in those candidates in terms of personal background but more importantly because I agree with MOST of their vision about where they want to take the city in the future. Incidentally, I voted for David Miller in 2006 and have been subsquently sorely disappointed (especially with the result of the municipal workers strike.)

To SteveD: I find it ironic that you're now personally attacking me considering I was drawn into this debate about election financing in part because of your research and call-in question during the Rogers Goldhawk debate (I first came across the issue on Ken Wood's blog which linked to this forum.)

I understand how you may feel frustrated that alot of the good work you've done has now been undermined by Beaulieu's refusal to disclose a complete list of his donors. That's a beef you have with him - not me. So please spare me, and the forum, the ad hominem attacks.

I would welcome the opportunity to comment on Beaulieu's possible ties to the development industry (or any other) but he hasn't fully disclosed the names of his donors to date for this election and of course, he didn't run in 2003 so there's no information to go on there. Having said that, I WILL NOT comment on those possible relationships. I will however cast judgement on his refusal to release a fullsome donor disclosure. Again, something committed to by ALL candidates on TV at your behest.

For those of you on twitter, my handle is "rbmorra" and yes, I have been tweeting consistently about the hypocrisy shown by Beaulieu re. his donor disclosure. Fair game I think considering one of his supporters (and donors) raised it in the first place.

Ana Troll Strikes Again and Again

RbMorra

Now you are crossing a line by putting words in my mouth. I am not frustrated by anything related to Kevin.

Cheap stuff troll. As you can see nobody is buying. Goodbye.

You're glancing over the point again

Read what I said again. Where did I ever say that I had a problem with developers donating money to a campaign? I'm sure just about every major candidate in Ward 18 and the mayoral race has some donations from people involved in the development/construction business. But it seems that others are at least a bit more spread out across who their supporters are, and include actual local people.

I don't think you're going to change my mind on this topic.

And while you're on the topic of openness: Who are you? Do you live in this neighbourhood or ward 18? Are you a campaigner for Ana Bailao? Are you a member of the Liberal Party? You come across as someone who has just appeared out of nowhere online for the sole purpose of campaigning for a couple of people, and against various others.

I'm Vic Gedris. I live in the Junction Triangle, Ward 18. I'm not campaigning for anybody and have never been a member or supporter of any political party.

Say it ain't so Joe!!!

The Toronto Star's "The Goods" blog has posted an entry regarding mayoralty candidate Joe Pantalone donor disclosure. Found here:

http://thestar.blogs.com/thegoods/

There's some significant support here from the development industry. Should Ward 18 residents be worried?

Here are some of Pantalone's donors:

Stephen Diamond (lawyer and president of Diamondcorp, a real estate development and consulting business, picked by George Smitherman for John Sewell-headed panel on government reform)

Bronwyn Krog, developer and retail and planning consultant

Cynthia MacDougall, development lawyer

Alan Menkes, condominium developer

Brad Butt, president, Greater Toronto Apartment Association

Adam Brown, development lawyer

Frank Lewinberg, architect and former city planner

James Harbell, development lawyer

Sol Wassermuhl, architect

Alfredo Romano, principal, developers Castlepoint Group

Incidentally, kudos to Pantalone for releasing the FULL names of his donors. Perhaps Beaulieu should follow suit now considering he donated to Pantalone and Bailao has already released this information.

You still don't get it

Nobody ever said that it's a bad thing that anyone gets donations from the development industry. The names you chose from Pantalone's donor list are only a select few from the total list. Ten out of fifty-seven. This is unlike Ana Bailao's donor list from 2003 which was almost entirely made up of developers from outside the ward.

I recognize most of the names on Pantalone's list as being actual residents of Toronto.

Ana Bailao Scandals Hitting the Proverbial Fan

Have a look at the intensity of comments on Now Magazine's breaking the news about Senso scandal: http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=177246

Formal complaints being made from other sources too.

Given how close the vote is, will Ana squeak in under a cloud of suspicion that will exist for her term, or will we find out the true facts?

Return to Forum Topic

A reminder to please return to this forum's topic about the "2010 Municipal Election". Another reminder for readers to respect the web site's Code of Conduct.

Thank you.

Article on Bikes, Ward 18 and Conflict of Interest by Ana Bailao

This an article about the impact of Rob Ford on bicyclists, and a call to support our progressive councillors during the upcoming election:
http://railroadedbymetrolinx.blogspot.com/2010/10/one-toronto-now-electi...

As a resident of Ward 18, I am very distressed that Ana Bailao has been allowed to publish this article and distribute DVDs just before the election. It is not a secret that the Liberal Party supports heavy real estate development, and that Ana has a potential conflict of interest between construction firms, developers and the best interests of a priority Ward, which is struggling with a massive diesel rail expansion by Metrolinx, and the closing of Ward 18 schools. This conflict of interest is a significant and legitimate problem.

Bailao should be forced to step down from the race.

As a citizen who has been very engaged in trying to protect the health and welfare of this Ward, and its parks and schools, I believe this must be investigated legally.

Donor Disclosure for Trustee Election

I think the idea of sharing financial information is a great one, and thanks scottd for putting this idea out there. In the interest of openess in the trustee election too, and since I like this idea a lot, I've shared similar information if any one is interested: http://costafortrustee.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/contributions/

John

Thank you

Thank you for the disclosure, John. I have heard a couple of people mention that you have some compelling ideas. So you are making an impact. I would encourage you in the future to consider raising a little money to do some promotion. Nobody wants the campaign to be all about money. But I think it might be good if a few more people knew you were running so they had something to think about.

Donation Disclosures: Bailao V Beaulieu - Part 2

JFK once said ...

"The men [women too!] who yield power make an indispensible contribution to the nation's greatness, but those who question power make a contribution just as indispensible, especially when that questioning is disinterested, for they determine whether we use power or power uses us."

Steve, I compliment you on your tenacity in bringing to the forefront the issue of election financing in Ward 18 which has resulted in the disclosures (varied as they are) from the candidates on the ballot Oct. 25th. Bravo.

However, I must chide you for refusing to give credit where credit is due and for refusing to apply the high standard of scrutiny (well deserved as it is) to all candidates and in particular Kevin Beaulieu - a candidate who quite possibly will be Ward 18's next councillor.

Ironically, in light of Beaulieu's donor disclosure the average person may question your motives for bringing up this issue in the first place. Beaulieu's donors include a "S Dobson". Would this be you? If so, are we to assume you are seeking preferred treatment for the industry you work in (film) should Beaulieu be elected? Seems ridiculous doesn't it. If you did donate you'd probably end up with no more than a thank you note from Beaulieu and perhaps a cup of coffee next time you saw him. Period.

If you are a supporter of Beaulieu's, then say so. Be as transparent as you expect the candidates to be. If you didn't donate to Beaulieu's campaign than just give credit to Bailao for addressing your concerns. Period. it encourages the other candidates to do the same.

For those that complain about the caliber of our candidates for public office (or elected officials), perhaps we should remind ourselves that if they were treated more fairly they would be more inclinded to respond inkind.

Ana Has Nobody To Blame But Herself

If you would take the time to read all of the threads about Ana's donations then you would be better informed about the issue and my thoughts on it. For example you would then know that I originally got the info years ago to look up Giambrone, not Bailao! If you read more you would note that I have also criticized Ken Wood and Joe McDonald for other issues.

If you had more details you would know that I donated to Kevin's campaign late in the campaign after meeting and talking with most of the candidates and after I had first raised the issue. I asked the candidates to declare their donors after I had made my donation knowing that it would show up if Kevin decided to show them. I am not really interested in your internet age gotcha journalism, it doesnt hold a candle to the research that I have done, the facts that I uncovered, the hours that I have put in, and the remedy for my concerns that we are experimenting with. You obviously wish to think of me as some kind of cartoon character with simplistic motives and emotions; too bad you don't know me as most in JT would say that I serve only one agenda, for one candidate, and that candidate is me and my family. Anybody who actually knows me will talk about the many loud arguments I have had with Adam and Kevin over issues such as 351 Wallace. I chose to support Kevin as I think he is the best of the pack, but not perfect in every way. I am also a supporter of the AGO, the Redwood Shelter, the Fringe Festival, Tarragon Theatre, Factory Theatre as well, just so you know what kind of mysterious operative you are dealing with.

Ana's record in terms of donations and her links to a single industry, and her refusal to come clean about it, speaks for itself, it was created by her own actions and she has to wear it and defend it. It was she and her campaign that created the Senso controversy not me. If Ana has anybody to blame it is herself. You should turn your critical gaze in that direction.

I work in the film and TV business and I donated 200.00 dollars and asked for that to be KNOWN before the election. But I did not then go out and make DVD's pretending to be about the community with a feature doc about how great Kevin is and hand deliver thousands of them to residents that share my ethnic background and then say that is not a campaign donation. Did I? I think you are smart enough to know the difference. You are more than welcome to comment or chide me but if you want to join the big leagues you need to come to the JT table with something bigger than my legal 200.00 bucks. Cheers.

Donation Disclosures: Bailao V Beaulieu - Part 3

"Reason over passion." - Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Scott: I mean no personal critique of you other than that on the issue at hand, that is, I seek only to test the veracity of your reasons for being critical of Bailao on the issue of transparency and subsequent support of Beaulieu. Nothing more. Nothing less. I sense you may be offended by my postings. I apologize if I come off otherwise.

Having said that, as an admitted Beaulieu supporter, I am interested to know what you think of his donor disclosure which you yourself prompted (kudos again.)

When you compare it to what Bailao posted on her website (links provided below) one has to come to the conclusion Beaulieu comes up short. The darkened out columns where dollar amounts should be and the missing first names in my opinion does not inspire confidence that full transparency is a priority for Beaulieu.

http://kevinbeaulieu.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/DonorDisclosure1.jpg

http://www.anabailao.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97&...

Maybe Ward 18 is Starting a Trend

Well I cant complain too much as there never was any ground rules about what we expected people to post. I think most of the candidates could have posted more info up. I don't think that putting amount's was ever discussed so I am pleased that some did. As per Kevin I do think it is a bit hard to find on his website. Overall I am really happy and hope that Ward 18 is leading the path to greater transparency. In this day and age there is no reason why people cannot post donor information a week before for public review.

I was somewhat riled by the impression that you were equating me donating 200.00 with the seriousness of the issues concerning Bailao, which I am not the only person to have raised. There has been a growing US styled meme that if somebody supports a candidate or a party then they cannot be trusted to still be moral and ethical when it comes to others who support something else. This is a dangerous and sad trend that is starting to pollute the political landscape here (re: Ford supporters online comments about conspiracies). That is what I felt you were saying but I accept your contention that it was not what you were doing.

I was surprised by how many people on Kevin's donor list I knew, even people that I had no idea followed politics. I can tell that almost all are lower end donors like me and I can see by Bailao's list that once again it is filled with people donating the maximum and this time again she will dwarf the fund raising efforts of all the other candidates. There are earlier posts in this thread about it.

Success and Hard Work Should be Celebrated

Scottd writes: "I was surprised by how many people on Kevin's donor list I knew, even people that I had no idea followed politics. I can tell that almost all are lower end donors like me and I can see by Bailao's list that once again it is filled with people donating the maximum and this time again she will dwarf the fund raising efforts of all the other candidates."

Are you saying that successful (financially or otherwise) people should be considered NOT fit for public office? Or that receiving support from other successful people is a weakness for a candidate? If so, I cannot disagree more. We should be thankful that we have successful candidates willing to stand for office and bring their experience to public service. I will be the first to admit that BOTH Beaulieu and Bailao are great success stories and should be held up as an example of the Canadian dream.

The Toronto Star's endorsement of Bailao makes a point of highlighting this climb:

Ward 18 Davenport: This open council seat, previously held by TTC Chair Adam Giambrone, is being hotly contested. Giambrone’s assistant, Kevin Beaulieu, seems capable. But we like Ana Bailao. She’s a Portuguese immigrant who cleaned offices before becoming a bank vice-president. Like Beaulieu, Bailao also spent part of her career behind-the-scenes at city hall; unlike him, she would mean a significant change from the status quo.
Source: http://www.thestar.com/news/elections/article/876714--star-election-choi...

I think Abraham Lincoln put it best:

"That some should be rich [finacially or otherwise], shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built."

Toronto Star?? what a joke!

Im sorry, BUT soon as I heard the words "Toronto Star" and "endorsement" I could not help but reply. The Star should stick its ugly head out of politricks. Their endorsements are pathetic. They should be humilated for all the spinning they are doing. I wonder who is getting kick backs there.

Also, I do hope you are getting compensated well for all this blogging. I thought trolling was only popular on Sports blogs.

Go out and vote people, its the only way to get these trolls off of here.

Ranjit, the price of

Ranjit,

the price of admission to be a troll? Zero. Get out and vote folks next Monday.

At the end it's the People who votes and not the Star

Rbmorra, Many of us have known Ana for few years. I remember 7 yrs ago people then said they don't trust Ana and some still 7 yrs later some feel the same way. People feel she has not been strait and up front about things. Back in March, April I spoke to Ana about a few things. About which groups and people she needs to watch out for (back stabers) and other stuff at Virginia's place. Personally I can't speak for others, but my vote is leading towards Kirk. He might be the less experience in politics, but at least he is not influenced by an outside source, yes he's green, but will learn on the job like others have done before him. I think Ana got to deep with the liberal party and Kevin has been very influenced by Adam and the gang, as much as he has been trying protray and disassociate himself from Adam and been a different idividual then Adam, he is to far brain washed. So for this reason Kirk will make a good councillor. He is smart and caring and liked by many. At first I wasn't sure but at the end, he won my vote. JF

Avoiding the Money Issue

Success is to be celebrated rbmorrra. I wonder what you would say if doctors boasted about how much money they receive from pharmaceutical companies or realtors who openly take money from home inspectors? City Councillors have a huge impact on the livelihoods of construction companies and development firms. Taking the majority of your money from one industry, especially for a Councillor, does not consitutute success, but only raises suspicions. Those doubts, starting with what is all the money for, are issues you are avoiding?

The Construction Industry

Kevin P writes: City Councillors have a huge impact on the livelihoods of construction companies and development firms. Taking the majority of your money from one industry, especially for a Councillor, does not consitutute success, but only raises suspicions.

It interesting how you view the construction/developme industry. I disagree and I will disclose I am a son of a construction worker. One that came to Canada from Italy with a grade 5 education and managed, on one income, to put two kids through university and pay off mortgage and is now comfortabley retired. Words cannot describe how proud I am of being his son.

The housing industry is one of the key markers of economic well being. It provides jobs for tradespeople and a sense of achievement for home owners. Moreover, the spin of economy from housing industry further provides opportunity for people (landscaping, furniture and appliance sales, decorating and design etc.)

Locally thousands of Ward 18 residents, yes thousands, earn a living from the contruction industry and its spin off sectors. This is a good thing. Development or re-development, done right and with consultation of the local community is a good thing.

Most importantly, we need to have political representation that can enter into a dialogue with that industry to secure a place for the local communities needs. During a harsh economic period, that need is even moreso.

What's All the Money For?

You've gone on at great lengths rbmorra about the rules, but fail to offer any credible explanation about why Ana needs so much money? Did Ana fail to understand the limits when she raised twice as much money than she can legally spend?

What's Beaulieu hiding?

I've been attempting to get an explanation from the Beaulieu campaign as to why they haven't released the individual dollar amounts they've raised, the grand total money raised or why they won't release the full names of the donors (all requirements of election financing law.)

Has anyone else been successful in uncovering this information?

For your reference, Beaulieu's disclosure can be found here:

http://kevinbeaulieu.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/DonorDisclosure1.jpg

What's Bailao hiding?

Yes, those are requirements of election financing law, but nobody is required to post this stuff publicly until well after the election. Kudos to those who posted some of the info already...

But the dollar amounts aren't the interesting part to me. It's where the donations are coming from. What really struck me about the Scott's original post about this subject, which got the whole ball rolling about posting campaign contributions, is that Ana Bailao's donations in the 2003 campaign came almost entirely from OUTSIDE of Ward 18 and outside of Toronto. Only 7 of the 108 listed contributors were in Ward 18. All perfectly legal, but it made me wonder who is supporting that campaign.

I'm sure that most people running in Ward 18 will have donors from outside the ward, and I even recognize some of the names on those lists, but it's the disparity of resident vs. non-resident support that can be shocking. Especially when so much money comes from a particular industry that is in the process of re-shaping our neighbourhoods.

Unions and corporations are no longer allowed to contribute to political campaigns, but it still bothers me that it still happens so much......indirectly.

Ward 18 is not an island

vic writes: I'm sure that most people running in Ward 18 will have donors from outside the ward, and I even recognize some of the names on those lists, but it's the disparity of resident vs. non-resident support that can be shocking.

Vic, I have to respectively disagree with you with the amount of weight you place on the resident vs. non-resident. It should be considered however it should'nt be the be all and end all.

The solutions to the problems facing Ward 18 (unemployment, unreliable transit, crime, redevelopment, crumbling infrastructure) cannot be achieved without reaching across ward boundaries to people across the city and in fact the Greater Toronto Region.

I feel what we should be considering (in part) when voting on the 25th is who is best prepared to work with new Mayor and Council, other levels of governments and neighbouring municipalites to the benefit of the entire city and by extension Ward 18. No person is an island and neither is Ward 18.

What would Edmund Burke say about electoral islands?

rbmorra's comment about ward 18 not being an island brings to mind Edmund Burke's 1774 Speech to the Electors of Bristol. A relevant excerpt:

Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests; which interests each must maintain, as an agent and advocate, against other agents and advocates; but parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices, ought to guide, but the general good, resulting from the general reason of the whole. You choose a member indeed; but when you have chosen him, he is not member of Bristol, but he is a member of parliament. If the local constituent should have an interest, or should form an hasty opinion, evidently opposite to the real good of the rest of the community, the member for that place ought to be as far, as any other, from any endeavour to give it effect. I beg pardon for saying so much on this subject. I have been unwillingly drawn into it; but I shall ever use a respectful frankness of communication with you.

Please note my message should not be construed as an endorsement of Ana Bailao. It is more a general comment on how local councillors should go about making decisions that affect the city as a whole.

Of course it's not an island

Yes, of course Ward 18 is not an island. But let's continue to use the development example:

Development has been one of the key issues in Ward 18 recent elections, especially in hot areas like the Junction Triangle, Queen West, etc. Doesn't it seem suspicious when a candidate's campaign is almost entirely financed by people from outside the ward who are involved in the development industry? It certainly does to me.

I would be equally distressed if any other candidate's entire campaign was financed by any other specific lobbying sector, especially from outside the area.

Yes, a councillor has to work with other councillors, the mayor, and others from outside our ward, but the primary purpose of a councillor is to represent us. Even Ana Bailao said this at the first debate, "Your voice will be my voice at City Hall", and similar things at other times. "A voice for our community at City hall – not City Hall’s voice in our community", as stated on her website. After all this stuff came out about campaign contributions from developers outside the ward, I'm not sure I can trust that.

She's an intelligent, hard-working, and well-spoken woman. I respect her for many things. But her connections worry me. I also disagree with parts of her platform, but that's another topic...

Puzzling Political Behavior

Scott you have done a great thing in bringing forth information about candidate expenses and fundraising. While rbmorra (above) attacks your motives, I think it is interesting that this Ana shill offers no explanation about what a candidate is doing raising twice the legal spending limit? What's all that money for?

Fundraising "Above the Limit" Explained

Kevin P asks: "I think it is interesting that this Ana shill offers no explanation about what a candidate is doing raising twice the legal spending limit? What's all that money for?"

I cannot speak to how Bailao is or will be spending her campaign funds. What I can do is attempt to explain (again) how some candidates raise more than the campaign spending limit by using Councillor Giambrone's 2006 disclosure found on-line at: http://app.toronto.ca/EFD/efdFormSearchResult.do

Click on the "2" in the second column to view his financial statement (he has filed two statements but the the second is dated more recently.)

It reads:

BOX B : SUMMARY OF CAMPAIGN INCOME AND EXPENSES
1. My Spending Limit was: $22,497.90
2. Surplus (or Deficit) from Previous Election: $4,878.21
3. Total Contributions Received: $38,105.00
( see Schedule 1 )
4. My Total Campaign Expenses that were
Subject to the Spending Limit were: $20,861.85
5. My Total Campaign Expenses that were
not Subject to the Spending Limit were: $21,557.56
6. Total of All Campaign Expenses: $42,419.41
( line 4 + line 5 )
7. Election Campaign Surplus/Deficit from
Current Election: $563.80
8. Portion of Campaign Surplus Returned to
Candidate or his or her Spouse: $0.00
TOTAL $563.80

From this info you will learn:

a) Giambrone raised $15 607.10 ABOVE the spending limit set for the campaign (allowed under rules.)
b) LINE 5 clearly shows Giambrone incurred campaign expenses that are not subject to the limit (again allowed under rules.)

The election financing rules are still the same today with the respect to the expenditure of funds. What has changed is the rules re. how you collect funds (e.g. no coporate/union donations.) So with respect to Bailao, she is playing by the rules and is allowed to raise funds beyond the limit to cover expenses not directly related to her campaign. Only difference this time is that if she ends up with a surplus it will go to the city coffers instead of being held over to the next election as it was above for Giambrone under the old rules. Bailao will have to disclose ALL expenses by the end of the calendar year after all campaign activities conclude.

I hope this helps.

Down to the Wire

Last night I attended an event with Mayoral candidate George Smitherman, I was an undecided voter up until about 2 weeks ago, and have now decided that we cannot sit back and watch candidates like Ford take this city down a very oppressive path.
I think that Toronto is a Great City, I have travelled all over the world and we do have a first rate city, but I believe that Rob Ford is the last candidate we should be supporting as mayor.
We have our issues in our neighbourhood, but I believe they will only get worse if we have a mayor hellbent on the kind of cuts that Ford talks about.
We may not like the fact that there is a Toronto Land Transfer tax, but it has not impacted home sales in the GTA, we are an engine that people are driven to, over 80,000 people a year move to the GTA, if you figure half of them make Toronto their home, and half of those need new housing.. the revenue from the LTT that Toronto keeps helps to pay for programs and added assistance from the city for those new to Toronto.
Rob Ford can go ahead and cancel the LTT, it will still take a very long time to get through council, and oh yeah, there is a cancellation penalty somewhere in the region of $12-36 Million dollars that will have to be paid for by the current residents from ???
I believe that people who want to live in Toronto budget for the costs, (and get a rebate for properties under $400K)
I personally asked Rob Ford if he was aware of the fee on cancelling the Toronto LTT - he didn't understand the question, then advised he didn't read the contract that the city entered into for LTT collection as he voted against it!!
I don't know about you, but I want a mayor that reads what they are voting on, so for that reason I am putting my vote behind George Smitherman, (I like Joe, but with 12% of the vote, I have to vote strategically) I am suggesting that if you are undecided, or if you were planning on supporting Joe Pantalone, that please do the smarter thing and place the X on Smitherman's name on Oct 25th.

"Oh no- the sky is falling"Chicken Little

Down to the wire, If the sky did not fall with Mayor Miller and the gang, I don't think it will with Rob been Mayor. I think he is the only real choice right now. After 7 years of Adam Giambrone and your boy David Miller, the mayor who happened to find 2 hundred million dollars in the bottom of his desk drawer one day, having this big press conference letting everyone know.. Years of the left agenda, big unions, strike after strike. Oh yah, Leaving ttc patrons stranded all over the City one night after the ttc decided to strike because the money they were receiving was not enough, so the ttc decided hey, lets leave thousands of people stranded after midnight like women and youths they can take the cab home or walk from scarbough to dundas west. Don't forget their was over 30.000 complaints against the ttc. There is so much more to list. So having Rob is not as bad as you think???

Hey Jack. You keep saying

Hey Jack. You keep saying your not going to come on this site anymore and you keep coming back. Flip flop, flip flop. I guess we can't trust anything you say.

Oh no - the sky is falling: part two

This video has gone viral: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOi2wIUCTnA
It says a lot about Mr. Ford as a person, never-mind the politician.

Moreover, Ford is NOT one of the good 'ol boys from the 'hood you drink a beer with. Ford comes from a life of privilege and stands to inherit a very successful family business, for which he still works for while he was a City Councilor. This is why he didn't spend a dime of his office budget. The majority of city councilors HAVE to spend their office budgets because working for the city IS their full time job and not something they dabble in and then brag how superior they are to others due to that fact.

When daddy's money is spent, it's easy to say how fiscally responsible one can be in the face of other people's reality.

How can a person like this be able to understand the plight of the poor in our city through his planned slash and burn policies, which will affect the most vulnerable amongst us?

Who do you think suffered during these strikes

Come on "Another John or Jane" Who do you think suffered during the last 7 years with strikes and stuff, no city run daycares, social assistant, dental. librarys, parks full of garbage and seniors taking their garbage all over the city on shopping carts to find a place to dump it. Slash and burn is the only way. Make TTC an essential service, to have a private company to take our garbage away, like etobicoke. The fun days all over. If Ford doesn't get in, then I hope Smitherman will follow suite with some of Fords planes.

The video that you attached about ford acting out was out of order, I agree and I bet he does to, but nothing stands worse in people's minds then knowing that a politician used city hall, a Public Office for a motel. That is shameful and desrespectful. Adam made big money he could of went to a motel to bring his partners.

Big spending is what the last government was about. I have attached the councillors spending, look at each one and tell me who spent the most and on you will that it's Adam Giambrone. Airmiles adam was a big spender, taxi's specially. Read on sister. http://www.robford.ca/councilexpenses.asp

Fava goes after Giambrone -- again

Why can't a political conversation ever happen without you, Jack Fava, NOT bring up Giambrone. It's a tired record. Every mayor in term does NOT have a run without some sort of crisis. BUT overall, I don't buy that Miller's terms in office created huge suffering for the masses.

IF Ford is elected, no the city may not burn down over night, but there will be a slow burn for many city run social programs that one day after four years, the residents of Toronto will wake up and find out that there more people sleeping on the streets, more division for the have's and have nots.

Understand, Ford is the Mike Harris Agenda

Jack tends to paint a rather hysterical picture of Toronto that is not is tune with how I see the world. With Adam and Miller gone I wonder what he will do with all his free time? : ) I did not agree with everything that Miller did but at least he was at work every day as opposed to Lastman who was a mayor in name only (and contributed to todays problems by delaying them years into the future for short term political gain such as the water pipe replacement program).Toronto has the lowest taxes in the GTA and one of the lowest debt loads for any modern western city. Right now there is a large chorus of Tea Party types thinking they are hard done by even though the evidence proves they are wrong.

I travel for a living and Toronto is not a great city like Chicago (who pump a lot of money into culture) but it is a decent city that works most of the time and compared to other cities like New York manages to deliver services at a pretty good price. There is more than enough evidence that selling off public assets and services to the lowest bidder creates a decline in the quality of life in a city that is very hard to reverse. The evidence is that when you cut services and go that route that it is the people on the lowest rung that suffer the most. Why do people not see this? It's explained in a famous book called "What's Wrong With Kansas" where basically decent folk turn on their neighbours and become selfish and self destructive to their own historical common good.Why ? Because they become consumed with "culture wars" and in our case one could argue that Ford has created "gravy train wars" to distract people from taking a more substantive look at the issues.

That would explain why when crime is down Ford wants to hire more cops which makes no sense fiscally at all unless you are consumed by the mirage of a room full of wasted money (2 billion) that nobody has ever found until now.Is there wasted money? Yes, but not in the way Ford thinks. His "gravy train" is really a code for not cutting waste but cutting government and services directly just like his dad did as part of the Mike Harris government. I don't mind if people vote for Ford at all, he never accomplished much in council so far, but I would like to to know what they are voting for.

Make no mistake about it, Ford is a Mike Harris agenda. If like that vote for it. You probably wont like what the city becomes and by then it will be too late.

Double-Standard

Is this the same Jack Fava who recently wanted to start a pre-school breakfast program funded exclusively on government money?

Sorry, your info is wrong

Is this CBC reporter, Kevin Putnam. Sorry, good try any way, all our money came from private donors. You are wrong

Mystery Program

In the interest of information sharing Jack/CP24, private donors gave money to a program for children that never started?

WHO FUNDS WHO IN WARD 18: DONOR LISTS PROMISED

I sent an email to all 12 City Councillor candidates in Ward 18 reminding them of their Sept 29 on air Rogers TV debate to release their donor lists one week prior the election.

Well - you can see the results at:
http://davenportdemocracy.blogspot.com/2010/10/who-funds-who-in-ward-18....

Bailo donors list confuses

Ana says that she will fix the city budget but she has raised twice the money she is allowed to spend. That makes no sense. Any surplus will go into the city election rebate fund which means half of her donors money is going somewhere else that donors probably thought. Are they unaware of the spending limits? Never mind that there are the same issues as before plus donors connected to Senso magazine controversy as written about in Now. Bailao's details of her donors leave me scratching my head. Anybody have any idea what is up with the Bailao campaign? With calls last Week to the election office her filing will certainly be one of the most watched in years.

Re: Bailo donors list confuses

ScottD is obviously unaware that candidates are allowed by campaign financing law to raise money beyond the campaign spending limit and moreover to claim expenses for activities not directly related to the campaign period (cost of fundraisers, thank you parties et. al.)

It's a diservice to the exchange of ideas when critics of any candidate are willing to make accousations without consulting the rules regarding the standard they are supposedly professing to uphold.

Re. the disclosures, it is interesting to note that of all the candidates that have disclosed their donations, Bailao is the only candidate to disclose the full name of all her donors and the dollar amount donated by each. She has even disclosed contributions under $100 which election laws do not require one to do.

It gives me pause to think that if the other candidates are not willing to do this now re. their own money matters (before election day no less), what will those candidates do once elected to office re. city budget matters and our tax dollars?

Thats a lot of Parties In these Tight Times

I have my facts straight gentlemen. You are allowed money for an audit and for the expenses listed such as thank you parties. Ana must be planning on a bunch of thank you parties al la Kyle Rae with all that extra fundraising. That's a lot of money in these tight times, probably the cash strapped City could use it.

As I said before there are still issues relating to other campaign expenses and links to donors and I am pretty sure there will be complaints to the election office.Can you say Senso?

It is indeed a small victory that at MY request candidates have felt the public pressure to start showing their donors BEFORE the election date. It's not perfect this year, and none are bound to do so by law, but I would like to think that maybe there is a change coming in how this will be done in the future and I respectfully remind you of where this issue came from in the first place; Bailao's previous public fillings in 2003. I hope that Ward 18 is setting the wheels in motion for better transparency in the future and next campaign I agree we should codify what we want in terms of details; does anybody know of any other wards or candidates that are doing the same ?

RBMorro: The City policy is

RBMorro: The City policy is that only donors over $100 need to be disclosed. People who gave less than that had no expectation that their names would be made public and, consequently, did not consent for their personal information to be released.

Also, expenses outside the limit are far more strictly controlled than they were in the past. Ana complains alot about how things have been over the last seven years. Yes things have changed: strict campaign contributions and financial financial controls make it harder to buy victory.

She will have a lot of difficulty spending twice the limit.

Derek

Donation Disclosures: Bailao V Beaulieu

Derek: I agree with you that the election financing reforms have improved the situation and levelled the playing field. And I don't doubt Bailao has issue with city hall's actions over the past 7 years however I don't recall her being critical about the new election financing regime. In fact, by her disclosure she has gone above what is required by the new law.

The point has to be raised that Beaulieu's disclosure has not met the basic standard of transparency. He has not released the full names of his donors nor the amounts they donated which is information that will become public after the election anyway. Moreover, the fact that his disclosure is buried deep within his website begs another question - if you want to publicly disclose something why make it hard for people to find?

4 Broken Promises in Ward18 already

Having sent emails to all candidates, and having checked all their ebsites (those thathave them), I sadly find the following 4 candidates have already broken the promise to reveal their donor lists:

Doug Carroll, Frank de Jong, Abdirazak Elmi and Joe MacDonald.

Note that the promise was made to release donors, not dollars, so kudos to those few that did give full disclousre.

See the results here: http://davenportdemocracy.blogspot.com/ and judge for yourselves.

Remember to vote October 25, Monday. Thanks

Comments Unpublished

A comment was unpublished because it was unintentionally factually inaccurate and could open up the issue of libel for our humble community web site.

Thank you.

thanks

for posting info about the debate. glad to here that john costa was there as well!

Last Night's Moderator

Oops forgot to say a Big Thank you to Donna Cowan who acted as the Moderator for the event at the South Perth and Sterling Road Residents Association. also Thanks again to Pastor Miller and Son for their assistance in pulling off this event, we are very lucky to have this venue in our own backyard!

Also a couple of other items to note:

Don't forget the Community Walk with the students from York University that plan to present the Charrette, we're scheduled to meet November 3rd at 10 am at Sterling and Dundas .

York U's event at The Church of the First Born (Community Charrette) is Scheduled for November 18th at 5:30 (I stated 7pm in error last night) Posters will be posted for this soon.

See you there.

Cheers,
Philip

seeing one of your own getting involved..

Donna did a fine job,,,,

BUT as the founder of the RA i have forever been trying to rally more of the local residents to come out to meetings and participate in neighborhood politics and planning events...

Therefore with no disrespect to donna's ability as moderator i would have greatly much preferred an actual local resident of either south perth or sterling to have been the moderator. Having a local resident who is well known to the other residents is a good way of showing them that they too can participate and get involved in community issues/politics/etc. and that you dont have to be special, or a celebrity, or connected, or wealthy, etc, etc, to be involved and politically active in your community....I even would have liked Philip and myself to have taken a back seat to let others in the neighborhood be front and center, too often its just the bretts, philips, Kevins, Donnas,Chris,Vic's, Jacks, etc who are being seen, it would be nice if others who represent and are also known in the neighborhood are put up front to inspire the rest of the neighbors.

we have a great bunch of people in our community like Rajit and Anna from perth, or rob, Karen, and Lisa from sterling all of whom have lived in the community for some time and are well known and liked (very well respected in fact) members of our community...having the rest of the community see them at the podium directing the political candidates in debate would have been in my opinion inspirational or maybe even motivating to the other residents in showing them all that yes you too can get involved and take part in what happens in your neighborhood, city, province , nation ... we all live in this country and enjoy its democracy so we ALL have EQUAL right to get involved and participate,,,,, and i really would love to see more people come out and not be afraid to speak , talk , or even shout at their local politicians if they feel they need to do that to express their frustration with them, or even to simply just come out and listen in the back row if that makes them feel more comfortable,,, but the thing is to get the people out so that the politicians see that people are truly concerned is the main thing,,and having talked to so many people in the community over the years i do know they are very concerned about many of the local issues ,,,,

so yeah nothing wrong with the job Donna did , she did a fine job as usual , but as i told philip i would have much rather preferred an actual local south perth/ sterling resident to be up front to represent our neighborhood and inspire the rest of the neighbors by seeing a familiar face playing a prominent role in a regional politcal debate....and yes of course i do understand philips reasoning for asking donna, thats why in the end i regrettably left it at that with philips choice,,,,though i did try to annoy him to no end on that issue...(darn its so hard to find a reliable piano moving company these days phil...lol )

I too would like to thank all the candidates for coming out we appreciate your involvement and we tried our hardest to provide you all with a fair unbiased venue , be it in seating and in debate, though i myself perfer a shall we say lively debate, donna and phil in fact tried their best to keep it as civil as can be with out it getting to boring or predictable.

Jack emailed me and told me that he thought our debate came off looking good, I think the whole "debate" forum has been a learning experience for all the RA's in the region. We are all learning from each others debate what works, what doesnt, always trying new things ,,,if our debate came off looking good its thanks to Jacks, and donnas and all the other previous debates held in the region by the various other groups, as all the RA's many of them being fairly new continue to have such events we will all find /learn what formats work best for our particular neighborhoods and keep fine tuning those formats as years go by...we are all learning here and sharing ideas, materials , and manpower,,,,and Big thanks jack for giving/sharing with us some of the material that we used that night, it was very helpful, and thanks again Donna you did a great job....

oh almost forgot you did a great job too phil,,,so now can i have that iritating little beeping time clock so i can finally take a hammer to it...lol.

Take care all :)
Brett..

Donna Cowan is a great choice

Donna Cowan is a great choice for moderator as she knows the issues that directly effect people in our area.

Last Night Packed South Perth and Sterling Road Residents Debate

Withouth pointing to specific councillors responses, the following questions were posed to each of the candidates, (they were sent these questions in advance and should have been able to have done their homework, some did and it was clear some did not)
There were ideas submitted from investigating ways to get provincial assistance in getting fines collected from jurisdictions outside of Toronto & Ontario, what punitive measures can be implemented or should we just forget about collecting these funds as this represents such a small hit against the overall City of Toronto Annual Budget. There was also a suggestion on getting collection agencies hired to go after these debts. (which is already the practice)

On the question of how to keep families in the city , there was no clear winning comment, though with a bit of planning foresight the city could adopt changes to allow for 6 storey wood construction residential developments, they work in other cities it should allow for families to afford to stay in the city and still provide density changes to neighbourhoods without putting in huge towers.

On the question of how to deal with issues that do not have majority resident approval, the majority were of the opinion that they would want to make sure they had majority consensus, however there was some dissent that offerred sometimes a councillor just has to take a stand in what he believes is right, ( the example was green initiatives, often rejected by the majority now almost wholly embraced) .

All candidates agreed on pressuring for Electrification of the rail line at the outset.

All Candidates claimed to have not received any financial support from the strip clubs. some of the candidates want them out of the neighbourhood altogether, which is a tougher battle as they were here long before most of the residents, but beautification and residential intensification may be a quicker way to get them to leave.

Heated words were exchanged between 2x over the course of the debate and were directed at 2 candidates.

The room was full with standing room only.

1 Bright spot was a School Board trustee actually showed up!! John Costa, a fresh approach and energetic personality that certainly, just by virtue of attending has garnered my vote.

These were the questions that were given ahead of the meeting.

I am sure that there is someone in attendance that took copius notes and will hopefully post them to this site.

Check out torontoist. and Globe and mail political blogs for better details on events from last night.

1. As of June 2010 there was an estimated $219 million in unpaid fines, what steps would you undertake with the new City of Toronto Act to implement measures to collect on these outstanding fines.

2. Our area is experiencing a rebirth of young families wanting to raise their children within a dynamic, urban environment where one can enjoy walking, cycling and taking public transit to local schools, parks and restaurants. However, most new housing developments, being built close to the downtown core, have traditionally been condos or town-homes that are NOT targeted to growing families. Moreover, many of our local schools are being considered for closure.

Not everyone wants to raise their families in the outer suburbs. If YOU are elected city councilor to our vibrant Ward, how would YOU encourage and promote city policies to keep families within the city proper?

3. Question: You are the now the councilor of ward18 and have been on the job for the past 6 mths.
How would you deal with residents (assuming they are in the majority) who may not agree on the direction you are going & won’t support what you have done or plan to do.

4. The present terms of reference for the $4 million electrification study assume that over 300 diesel trains daily will run through our west-end neighbourhoods until 2020, affecting the health of over 300,000 people. To our dismay, this expensive study is not including the cost of electrification at the outset. I would like to know the position of each candidate about this massive diesel rail corridor, and what they will do to protect Ward 18 from the Liberal provincial governments plan to use diesel, rather than electric, trains for both the Air Rail Link and Georgetown corridor expansion, when we know as a fact Tier 4 'clean diesel' does not exist.

5. Have you received campaign funding or support from the strip clubs on Bloor – Club Paradise, and The House of Lancaster?”

Report on Last Debate

My notes and a link on that last debate:
http://davenportdemocracy.blogspot.com/2010/10/last-ward18-debate-and-an...

Toronto Observer did a rather short and biased (IMHO) story:
http://www.torontoobserver.ca/2010/10/15/residents-demand-greater-attent...

Why is it that media always leave out facts and cherry-pick one aspect?
Is it poor journalism or stingy editors or biased media?

Thanks Philip

Thanks for the update Philip! Who ended up being debate moderator for the evening?

South Perth/Sterling Ward Councillors Debate

I wasn't able to make it to the debate and I'm sure a few other residents were unable to attend also. How was the evening? Could someone post a quick recap of the yesterday's evening's debate for us?

Much appreciated!

Now Magazine Story About Ana Bailao

Now Magazine has just published a really interesting story about candidate Ana Bailao http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=177246 Not sure how a candidate can have so much support from outside the ward from a single industry and claim to be a voice for our community?

No Rules About Outside Support

It is legal for candidates to get support from anywhere, as long as they do not get direct financial support from unions or corporations, and do not exceed maximumn campaign expense limits ($28,747.30 in ward18).

It is legal for someone to run for ward18 city council even if they do not live in Toronto, let alone the ward.

That said, there is a difference between legal and ethical - or at least perceptual - that I am sure most voters will want to consider when backing or voting for a candidate.

When anyone makes as a main slogan of their campaign "Committed to the Community" they open the doors to being questioned as to just whose community they are talking about. Residents in ward 18 or big developers from outside the ward?

There is more comments on this on my website.

Election Office Recieves Calla about Bailao

As long as it is reported it is legal; remember these are not third party people, these are people who have previously donated to Ana and are doing work for her now---connected. What would the cost be for delivering thousands of magazines ?

I am hearing that 2, possibly 3 other campaigns have contacted the Elections Office about this story today.

All Ana has to do is report donations and she is in the clear (although once again the construction industry issue pops up) Donations and reporting are challenged after the election with a compliance audit.

Personally I believe that all fundraising should be done by a week before the election and the donors posted so people can see BEFORE they vote. At the recent Rogers Ward 18 debate all the candidates present said they would do this this year so it will be interesting to see if any of them live up to that very public promise.

Bailao: Questionable Donations Again

There is also the issue of whether this favourable delivery of magazines by a company connected to Bailao is a contravention of election law----ie should it be be counted as a donation (and then be legal). You cant have a friend go and print up a series of friendly brochures, posters, or magazines and deliver them without it being declared part of your campaign funding.

This looks like an attempt to make up for lost donations to the construction and development business by using Senso as a front. In the Now story you will see that most of the names pop up in Ana's previous donation list from when she last ran (posted in this thread). Its hard not to think that Seno is acting as a branch of the Bailao campaign and if so, that's illegal.

Elections Toronto should investigate.

It's interesting to read the

It's interesting to read the comments on that article. There are what I would guess are campaign operatives trying desperately to pretend that nothing untoward happened, or that NOW is in the wrong for reporting it, or - bizarrely - trying to smear Beaulieu. It looks like a voter suppression tactic to me... try to convince voters that "they're all equally bad" so that only your committed followers come out to vote.

I'm sure it will be an interesting debate tonight. Wish I could be there.

Should Candidates Live In The Ward They Represent?

A national Post article that points out that fully one-third in the 35 incumbent councillors running do NOT live in the wards they represent.

For that matter, I wonder how many know that rules do not require council candidates to live in Toronto, let alone in their wards.

Curious, I looked up the addresses of the twelve ward 18 candidates.

The half that do NOT live in the ward are: Doug Carroll, Abdirazak Elmi, Nha Le, Kirk Russell, Joanna Teliatnik and Hema Vyas.

(all addresses in publicly available registration papers at city hall are posted on my weblog www.ward18.ca )

My own view is that if someone lives reasonably close by and/or is heavily engaged in the day to day of community life, it should not count against them.

But should there be limits? I'm thinking that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that speaks abouit mobility rights is the basis that allows this.

But still.... we could have a city councillor who live in Barrie under current rules....

Thoughts?

I dont think it is a factor

I dont think it is a factor if the person lives near the ward but I was surprised by how far away some of the candidates lived.

I think that they should be

I think that they should be in the ward enough to understand the day-to-day goings on in the area. How else are they going to be able to represent the needs of the community?

Introduction

Hi.

My name is John Costa and I'm a candidate for trustee for TDSB Ward 9 (Davenport, City Wards 17 and 18). I invite you to visit my website at http://costafortrustee.wordpress.com, where I've outlined my platform and my positions on a number of issues.

If you have any questions, please contact me at costa4trustee@yahoo.ca.

Thanks.
John

Met Joanna Teliatnik Today

Joanna Teliatnik one of the 12 choices for ward 18 city councillor was in my neck of the ward (Lansdowne/College) today and we had a nice chat over coffee. I can see there are some things we disagree with but much more that we can agree on.

You can see a little more information about her and a photo plus email/website link here:
http://davenportdemocracy.blogspot.com/2010/09/campaigning-moves-to-high...

I believe inclusivemness so you can see links and brief information on all 12 choices there too.

Where is Mohammed Muhit

Mohammed Muhit is the only other candidate I have not met. His email is muhit69@yahoo.ca but I can't find any other information. Anyone know?

Ah Democarcy ...

"Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least."
- Robert Byrne-

The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.
- Winston Churchill-

;-)

Waxing Philosophical about Democracy

“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.” Thomas Jefferson

“People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote - a very different thing.”

Comments Unpublished

While open debates are wonderful, let us keep candidates family and children away from the discussion. Let's keep to the issues please.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Attack Politics

Automated phone calls certainly do nothing positive in this household. But this one may not be intended to. Attack ads are not designed to get people to vote FOR the candidate posting them. They are designed to lower voter turnout for the opponent. The net result is generally lower voter turnout.
However, we need to consider the message we send simply by voting. When you vote, you are saying at the very least you are paying attention. If you do NOT vote, you send the message that a politician could get away with lying cheating and stealing because citizens will not hold them accountable.
It is very important to overcome your disgust with vermin politicians and register a vote for someone.