Tuesday September 28, 2010 4:20 p.m.
CRUCIAL BLOG Entry # 73
The Toronto Mayoral Race & Election October 25, 2010
Toronto, be afraid. Be VERY afraid!
Canada's sixth largest government is heading down a slippery slope as the October 25th, 2010 municipal election grows ever so close.
With less than four weeks remaining before voting, the Front-Runner in this election is ROB FORD; a jovial, over-weight "every-man" who inherited a multi-million dollar labeling business founded by his late father. He prides himself on not spending any of his $50 000 plus council approved office budget and is an admitted City Hall outsider more prone to working against the grain, ruffling more than a few feathers, and seems to suffer from incurable foot-in-mouth disease which has not been seen around these parts since Mel Lastman ruled the Toronto roost back in the 90's. Throw in a domestic assault charge, a Driving Under the Influence & Drug possession charge and a propensity for irritating others and here you have a picture of the man that could become Toronto's next Mayor.
How could this guy be in the lead at this point of the Mayoral race with less than four weeks remaining before we cast our votes? It seems that the collective reason for this is that most Torontonians are frustrated with the massive amounts of waste coming out of City Hall and that this election has not provided any other suitable candidates that rise above the rest and the one thing that Rob Ford is not is wasteful. Smart is yet to be determined.
The other front-runners of George Smitherman, Rocco Rossi & Joe Pantalone make ME want to vote for Rob Ford, which I think is the problem here in the first place.
George Smitherman is an admitted former addict of "party drugs", a former Minister of Health in the Provincial Government who was in charge when it was discovered that E-Health had wasted and squandered MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of taxpayer dollars when they were attempting to make Ontario residents health records digital and computerized. That financial fiasco should eliminate him automatically.
Rocco Rossi seems to have the smarts and ability to do the job, but seems to lack the necessary charisma to get votes or inspire the people.
Joe Pantalone is current Toronto Mayor David Miller's Deputy Mayor which for most voter's will eliminate him from consideration.
Sarah Thomson would get so mad and angry looking at or talking about Rob Ford that one could see smoke coming out of her ears. She turned me off instantly and as of today has ended her pursuit of the Mayor's job and thrown in her towel and thrown her "support" behind George Smitherman.
This would have been John Tory's election to win, but since he did not want to play the dirty game of politics anymore, Toronto faces the reality of having a sub-standard leader over the next several years.
Is it not possible to simply hire a "Mayoral Head-Hunter" and find THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB?? Maybe, it is time to rethink the whole voting system for such CRUCIAL MATTERS? If politics is treated like a game of self-preservation, saying whatever needed to get into office, then doing EVERYTHING against your promises and betraying those who voted for you (see DALTON MCGUINTY), let's find the best person and not leave it to chance, especially when usually less than 60% of eligible voter's show-up---it is a flawed system and one that DOES NOT WORK. PERIOD.
Any fool can get elected, sometimes even twice as George W Bush did, but when it comes to my city, my people and my future, I think that we all deserve more.
Keep It Crucial and be sure to make your Vote Count and your voice heard.
Paul Benoit
Director
CRUCIAL MATTERS
