Newsstand: February 9, 2010
Duly Quoted: Adam Giambrone
Bob Kinnear isn't Greg Kinnear
Newsstand: February 8, 2010
Scale Model City, Actual-Size Grime
Gord Perks, well known environmental columnist, activist and NDP candidate in Davenport during the last federal election, is running for city council in Ward 14 (Parkdale-High Park). Current councillor Sylvia Watson will be running in a September provincial by-election to try and fill the seat vacated by Gerard Kennedy.
Perks wasn't able to unseat Liberal Mario Silva in Davenport but Ward 14 is another matter. He'll undoubtedly get help from the NDP and MP Peggy Nash. With no incumbent running in the ward Perks' biggest challenge is arguably candidate Rowena Santos. She's been on the ground longer than Perks, has decent progressive and pro-environmental experience and should be able to pull the immigrant vote better than he could.
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No way! That's my riding (or at least, the one I'll be voting in that day).
I guess I better start reading his whole column now rather than skimming through it...
Hope he gives up his column when he runs this time...
Ugh. The last thing Council needs is another Miller yes man. As much as I respect Perks's environmental credentials, it will be a long time before I forgive him for making a deputation in support of the Mayor's plan to formally consolidate all of the power of Council into the hands of himself and his friends.
If I lived in that ward, I'd probably vote for Rowena Santos or David White – unaffiliated progressives who would not hesitate to be critical of the Mayor when he makes a stupid decision.
Perks should be running against Pantalone – not that he could win in that ward (or that he'd challenge a fellow NDPer) but just so that Pantalone would have to defend his record as Tree Advocate and Chair of the Roundable on the Environment.
I agree with Jonathan. I'm frustrated by the way that some councillors will decide issues based on their own political affilliations instead of on the issue itself.
Jkelly - exactly. It really annoyed me that eye didn't suspend his column.
Gord Perks is a nice guy, but he ran a very poor campaign agsinst Mario Silva in the last federal election, he seems to be a one-issue candidate, and he is godawful at addressing the concerns of immigrants or incorporating them into his campaigns, despite the fact that he ran in Davenport, which has the highest percentage of immigrants in Canada. That doesn't bode well for his candidacy in Parkdale/High Park, where the immigrant vote could make the difference.
As for David White, he is to John Sewell what Gord Perks will be to David Miller -- a willing puppet. Seweel is tyrying to form a little cabal of his own on council to challenge the Millerites and White, as a former councillor himself, is thought to stand a good chance. He is also a nice, mild-mannered guy, but he is surrounded by some highly questionable supporters who have been slandering Sylvia Watson right and left in a very dishonest manner. There are enough bad things to say about Watson without resorting to character assassination.
Rowena is very personable but also very wishy washy and has so far failed to impress. Look out for her in a few years when she has been around the block awhile. She could be a player.
Of course, the race changes dramatically if and when Sylvia Watson is defeated in the byelection to replace Gerard Kennedy later this month. She appears to be trailing badly against a popular United Church minister, and we are assuming she will try to reclaim her City Council seat after she loses provincially.
Should be fun to watch this unfold.
omg i'm like kinda acting as Gord Perks for this city council thing and were gonna go to city hall and vote and the best part is that we get to press Green and Red Buttons for Agreed or not agreed.