“Toronto – Canada’s version of a Democrat run city”

The Toronto mayoral election on June 26 is raising important urban issues and its significance will ramify far beyond Toronto and will be noticed in the United States, many of whose cities are wracked by critical problems on a scale they have not seen since the Great Depression. A week does not go by when the normally informed person does not see another news story illustrating the dangers and inconveniences of drug abuse, deranged behavior in a crowded public setting, and inadequate or grievously mistaken police responses. Although there are over one hundred mayoral candidates, polls indicate that approximately 90 per cent of decided voters support the seven leading candidates. These are bracketed by Olivia Chow on the left and Anthony Furey on the right. Neither of these could reasonably be called an extremist and the other five principal candidates are somewhere between them in policy terms: former provincial education minister Mitzie Hunter, former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders, environmentalist city councillor Josh Matlow, former deputy mayor Ana Bailao, and councillor Brad Bradford.

“I am voting for Anthony Furey in the upcoming mayor’s race.

All of the people who are showing up in the polls and debates are people who were there for the past number of years as councillors, MPPs, MPs and police chiefs, so who got us into — or did not solve — the problems that are of concern to voters?”

Can anyone beat Olivia Chow in the race to become Toronto’s next mayor?

The polling seems to suggest no, but with a little over three weeks to go, anything could happen.

It is entirely possible that civic life in Toronto has deteriorated beyond hope of repair. 

Tory was a high hatted hypocrite whose legacy may be as toxic as his love life.

If Chow is elected everything will get worse.

Name any wasteful policy and it’s a lock to be enthusiastically embraced by city hall.

Olivia Chow, the former MP who polls say is on track to become Toronto’s next mayor, came under intense fire Wednesday over her refusal to say exactly how much she would raise property taxes next year.

Chow seemed unfazed as rivals accused her, during a debate hosted by the Toronto Star, Toronto Metropolitan University and the United Way of Greater Toronto, of trying to fool voters and risk worsening the city’s affordability crisis.

Early in this mayoral election campaign, I chatted with Anthony Furey, who had then just announced he was running for mayor. He blamed me for that.

He said that after reading a column I’d written about Mike Layton wrestling with whether they could balance being a good parent with being a good mayor, he’d spoken with his wife about whether you could be a “dad mayor” and she told him that he had to run.

God help us if Chairman Chow gets in.

At first glance, they look like neatly wrapped gifts or chocolates.

But there is nothing benign or celebratory about these packages. Paid for by Toronto taxpayers, the city provides water, sewage, garbage, roadways, crack pipes and special drug-taking starter kits?

The scenes out of Philadelphia are horrific: People sitting in a zombie state, laying on the sidewalk, others looking up with eyes glazed over. A video of Kensington Ave., long a spot for the drug addled down and out, has shown what it looks like when the powerful sedative tranq comes to town.

The scary part is, this will soon be the reality on the streets of Toronto, especially if Olivia Chow is elected mayor.

Today I exposed that shelters all across Toronto — including family shelters with kids in them — are being pushed by the City to provide taxpayer-funded crack pipes and meth kits and become unofficial injection sites.

As Mayor of Toronto, I will immediately end this program. pic.twitter.com/goVoK9Tny0

— Anthony Furey (@anthonyfurey) May 30, 2023

Get out while you can.

With less than a month until Toronto chooses a new mayor, and after several head-to-head candidate debates, former NDP MP Olivia Chow retains a sizable lead, according to a new Forum Research poll for the Toronto Star.

The survey of 1,007 Torontonians conducted Friday found Chow with the support of 34 per cent of decided and leaning voters, followed by former police chief Mark Saunders at 14 per cent and Coun. Josh Matlow at 12 per cent.

The frustration being felt by residents surrounding Allan Gardens is being felt by their city councillor even if ignored by city hall staff and many of the leading mayoral contenders. That frustration could soon see residents take some matters into their own hands.

In an update to residents issued last week, Councillor Chris Moise said the approach being taken by city staff isn’t working.

We’re in the heart of mayoral campaign debate season (I watched four in two days at the end of this week, and I’m moderating one next week). And we’re entering the beginning of lawn-signs and TV ads season.

Is anyone paying close attention yet?

People in my world of political junkies are, of course. But out there in the great wide city, I’m not as sure. I’m still getting questions about who’s running (a whole lotta people), or when election day is (it’s June 26), or whether John Tory is running again against Olivia Chow (well, see — no, he’s not).

I get the sense Toronto is sleep walking into Chow.

Instead of removing encampment, city has encouraged and helped people living in the park while ignoring local residents

On a sunny Saturday morning at Allan Gardens, there are a few dog owners in the off-leash area but little other activity from local residents. There are few people taking a stroll through the walkways, but no children playing in the grass, despite being surrounded by high density residential developments. Few people are wandering the park.

The transit route I take most often is the 505 streetcar – the “Dundas car.” Lately, riding it has become a bit of an adventure.

The 505 runs along Dundas Street, the historic thoroughfare that gives its name to Yonge-Dundas Square opposite the Eaton Centre mall. Along the way it passes safe-consumption sites for people who use drugs and shelters for people experiencing homelessness.