Chow Wins

I guess the third time was the charm for Olivia Chow as she finally defeated Liberal Tony Ianno in yesterday’s federal election in Trinity-Spadina. My wife put it best when she declared she wasn’t voting NDP but, rather, she was voting for Olivia, who has been a tireless councillor in our riding. While the Liberals still have a stronghold on Toronto, maybe Chow’s win and that of fellow NDPer Peggy Nash in Parkdale-High Park is a sign people are tired of the Liberals all-talk-and-no-walk approach to Toronto. Say what you will about Stephen Harper not having a pro-urban agenda but it can’t be much worse than the Liberals who talked about waterfront renewal but did little, who talked about affordable housing but did little, who talked about infrastructure improvements but did little. The low point probably came when Paul Martin swung by the Jane & Finch area to announce his hand gun ban. Where were the Liberals last summer when the shooting spree was going on? Of course, it’s not just the Liberals who have screwed Toronto. The provincial government has to take its share of blame for the waterfront, housing, etc. while the municipal government still appears to badly run as Mayor David Miller spends more time orchestrating his re-election than taking bold initiativces to move the city forward.

So Does Toronto Go Red Again?

Within the next 12 hours, we should have a pretty good idea about Canada’s new PM. We’ll also know whether Toronto did what Toronto always does and votes Liberal, or whether the NDP makes some inroads as Torontonians penalize the Liberals just like the rest of the country. In my neck of the woods, the race between the NDP’s Olivia Chow and the Liberals’ Tony Ianno should be extremely close.

Will the Soccer Stadium Deal Live?

If the PCs somehow win a majority government next week, do you think they will continue to support the spending of $27-million on a soccer stadium in downtown Toronto? For a party that espouses efficient government and the role of the private sector, how can they possibly support $27-million on a stadium when there are so man other press infrastructre projects in Toronto - water, roads, public transit - that are in dire need of capital? Frankly, it would be a good deal if the stadium deal evaporates because it would mean Toronto would be off the hook in contributing $10-million. This commitment is just another example of how the city has its priorities totally wrong. In an ideal world, Toronto should be spending $10-million to build several community centres to provide young and old people with places to play, learn and entertain. I’m not suggesting well-financed community centres can solve the problems of Jane & Finch, for example, but the can play an important and constructive role in the lives of many people.

Why Toronto Votes Liberal

The National Post has an intriguing story today on why Toronto consistently votes Liberal even though the city usually gets the shaft when the Liberals are in power. Toronto is the economic engine of the country yet it gets treated like Orangeville - and that’s no insult to Orangeville. You look at the Liberals’ track record on the waterfront, the Toronto Port Authority, affordable-housing and infrastructure development - and its abysmal. Yet, year after year, Torontonians obediently vote Liberal, which gives the Liberals absolutely no incentive to change how they treat the city. It’s the classic case of battled wife syndrome because we keep coming back for more.

Will T.O. Take Step Back Under Harper?

If you read the Toronto Star, it’s hard not to get the impression that the city will suffer if the PCs win a majority government. Perhaps this is just fear-mongering given the Star’s political bent but it would be a shame for Canadian cities to take so many steps forward only to have to back down again. For urbanites, particularly those in Eastern Canada, Harper is an unknown quantity because he’s more of a tax cut kind, law and order politician than a visionary. If Harper wants to score points with Toronto, all he needs to do is kill the Toronto Port Authority and any chance the bridge to the Toronto Island Airport will ever be built. In two strokes, he has a chance to do more than the Liberals have even done for Toronto.