Newsstand: February 9, 2010
Duly Quoted: Adam Giambrone
Bob Kinnear isn't Greg Kinnear
Newsstand: February 8, 2010
Scale Model City, Actual-Size Grime
Miller smiles at his family at his press conference today. Photo by David Topping/Torontoist.
It was, and it wasn't, a surprise.
David Miller announced this morning that he will not be seeking a third term in office.
"While it's been a difficult decision I feel secure in my priorities, proud of my record, and confident in my vision for the city I love," said Miller, before explaining that he felt that all of his major policy goals had been successfully implemented or were well on the way there, and that running for a third term would therefore be more about him than his issues.
Citing a desire to be more available for his children and engaged with his family, and with his voice breaking at times, Miller went on to reaffirm his commitment to the values which have shaped his time in office—transit expansion, environmental initiatives, and crime reduction foremost among them.
The mayor has been much beleaguered the past few months: an unpopular city workers' strike this summer, increasingly aggressive attacks from right-wing opponents, and a recently released poll showing a significant drop in his approval ratings have combined to make what was once predicted to be an easy reelection bid seem increasingly challenging.
It is far too soon to assess the mayor's tenure and summarize his legacy: he instituted major shifts in Toronto's political discourse the effects and longevity of which are not yet clear. What is certain is that a great many of the things that we now talk about as commonplace—renewing the suburbs, densification, a multi-modal approach to transportation, trash diversion, environmentally geared infrastructure redevelopment—were the merest blips on our collective horizon when he first came to office. Miller deserves a tremendous amount of credit for installing these progressive issues into the heart of our civic discourse and at the forefront of our consciousness, and if those issues lose their spot at the centre of our attention it will be to our great detriment.
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I think a "thank God" is in order here.
Meh, I like him. What he's done all these years is worth whatever happened with the strike.
Good riddance!
Nah nah naaaah nah.
Nah nah naaaah nah.
Heeey heeey heeey.
Good byyyyyyyyyee.
This is too bad. I came back to Toronto in 2002, after being abroad for 7.5 years in Berlin and San Diego, and all I can say is that this city has changed enormously for the better under David Miller. It no longer has the New York-wanna-be feel that it had under Lastman (my perception from afar, and also when I lived here in the early 90s). Miller has also overseen many environmental initiatives (green roofs, green bins, Transit City, Tower Renewal, deep water cooling, and yes bike lanes) and cultural initiatives (Nuit Blanche, Luminato) that truly make Toronto world-class. Not sure to what extent he's actually responsible for all of this but he's a decent and genuine guy, not a poser, and I for one will miss him.
I would've voted for him. He was the best mayor Toronto has had since... well... since I knew what a mayor was.
This is a truly sad day for Toronto.
I'd have voted for him, if I were a citizen
Bring in the monkeys and let them fling poo at a map of Toronto and they will do a better job than this a**.
He gives left-wing politicians a bad name.
Mayor Miller was the first politician who I've ever thought to be an honest person who actually spent all his time trying to do his best for his city. On every other level of politics, I feel like leaders are playing a game, trying to do whatever is necessary to get elected.
I'm hoping in the next year, Mayor Miller uses his time wisely. Without the need to justify his every move in order to get re-elected, he can spend his time following through on many of his ideas. It's his Chretien moment.
well said.
I can't begin to describe how happy I am to see this mamby-pamby socialist leave office. The guy has been a disaster since day one. I for one am looking forward to grinding the left wing to dust in the next election.
Thank you.
David Miller has been the best Mayor for Toronto since David Crombie.
Thank God this Idiot is gone.
Never mind the strike, Miller and his band of campaign socialists have bankrupted this once great city. When Miller took office in 2003, we had a balanced budget and 1.2 billion dollars in the bank. Now we have annual shortfalls of 500 million and 0 in the bank. All spent on God knows what. He has increased the budget from 6.6 billion to 8.7 billion in 6 years. That's absolute incompetence on his part.
The man should do us all a favour and leave now rather than 14 months from now.