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26 Comments

news

Adam Giambrone Confirms He Won’t Be Seeking Reelection in Ward 18

By Hamutal Dotan

20100410giambrone.jpg
Adam Giambrone at his mayoral campaign launch earlier this year. Photo by David Topping/Torontoist.


Surprising almost no one, Adam Giambrone is going to be withdrawing from municipal politics, at least for the time being, and will not be seeking reelection in the Davenport ward he currently represents. Confirming the move via an interview in the Globe and Mail, Giambrone put an end to the speculation that has been swirling about his future ever since he entered, and then rapidly withdrew from, the mayoral race a couple of months ago. While Giambrone is not sure what he’ll be doing next, there are still close to eight months left in the current term, and he has no plans to leave his office before then.
There are currently five candidates registered to run in Ward 18 as possible successors to Giambrone, the most prominent of whom is Ana Bailão. Bailão first ran for Council in 2003 and was defeated by Giambrone 52%-40%; prior to that she served as an assistant to Mario Silva (who was councillor in Ward 18 before Giambrone). Kevin Beaulieu, Giambrone’s current executive assistant, is also widely rumoured to be considering a bid for the seat. [UPDATE, 11:37 p.m.: Kelly Grant at the Globe just tweeted that Kevin Beaulieu has confirmed he will be running in Ward 18.]

Comments

  • http://undefined Darren

    Good riddance!!

  • http://undefined Darren

    The thousands of dollars of our money that he spent on French lessons will serve him well if he ever (god forbid) he makes it to Queens Park or Ottawa

  • http://undefined Peter K

    This is a great day for Toronto taxpayers and TTC riders alike. Hope the door hits hard on the way out.

  • http://undefined mark.

    I’m sad to hear that Giambrone won’t be part of Toronto’s municipal politics. While he was chair of the TTC, we saw next-stop announcements put in on all buses, streetcars and subways. We also see new ‘arrival screens’ put in at track level and some streetcar hubs. We saw an increase in TTC service. And we will see more of this type of thing over the next few months. We were introduced to a plan for massive expansion of the TTC (Transit City). Of course, the St. Clair construction happened too, but I’m not sure that Giambrone is responsible for its delays – and neither was the fare increase.
    Most importantly, we’re going to lose a politician who actually had a vision for this city. Someone who believes there’s a value in public service. Sure, he sometimes dreamed too big and some things weren’t popular, but at least he had vision beyond trying to take over the position of ‘city manager.’ He’s young and energentic with a perspective that goes beyond this ‘sanctimonious ice-box’ of a city – he knows foreign languages and has traveled the world.
    Before you start making personal insults, I’d ask that you don’t – tone down the hateful rhetoric and try sticking to relevant facts.

  • http://undefined Peter K

    All we saw was a politician who had visions of his own aggrandizement.
    Much like Giambrone can’t be held fully responsible for the delays and cost overruns on St Clair, he didn’t have one iota of actual responsibility for any of the advancements in the TTC that you listed. Those initiatives were well underway before Giambone got is bumbling mitts on the system.
    Giambrone’s only lasting legacy at the TTC will be a terrible union contract that will cripple the system’s ability to pay for itself.
    Again, thank god this incompetent, arrogant buffoon is gone.

  • http://undefined mark.

    Ok, then – what was Giambrone responsible for (good or bad)? And if you’re arguing that he wasn’t responsible for the things I mentioned above, I’d need some references or convincing argument (not just your assertion).

  • http://undefined Darren

    He wasnt responsable for stop annoucements. He fought them and they were only installed after the TTC lost a legal battle with a visually impaired lawyer.
    While I see value in the stop announcements, and would go one step further and admit that I see the value in the new trains having them on electronic display (like they are on our surface fleet), I personally dont care for the screens on the platform. They were a silly attempt to get more advertising in the system. I can care less if a train is coming in 2 minutes of 4. All I need to know is that there are no major delays, and thats what the PA is for.
    I also believe, and many people share this view, that Transit City is not what we need in this city. More feeder lines placing more people on to our alreayd maxed subway lines will just increase the costs down the line for expansion of the Y&B interchange. The cost of the Y&B enhancement alone is too extreme and would be better spent on a long term plan like the DRL.
    He has a vision for this city based on his desire to be a politician. He doesn’t bring a wealth of information from the private sector. Actually he brings zero knowledge from the private sector as he never held a job outside of politics.
    He learnt one of those foreign languages on our dime to aspire for political office above the municipal level, seeing how no way no how is French a job related skill as councillor of Ward 18 or Chair of the TTC.
    And I have yet to mention his abuse of power and city resources in his self-admitted numerous affairs. Do I need to expand on those?

  • http://undefined Peter K

    Read a post moron. As stated most of those things were well underway before he took on the role as Chair. The TTC stop announcements only happened because the court forced them to be implemented and Giambrone his buddies in the union refused to do it manually. As for Transit City, he can take responsibility for that since it’s an ill-though out plan an 8-year old could’ve come up with.
    He also expanded bus services beyond what he knew his budget could sustain. He did that to stroke his own ego and boost his profile for a failed Mayoralty run.
    I see you didn’t disagree that Giambrone has saddled the TTC with labour costs it can’t afford.
    That wannabe Tiger Woods has caused havoc at the TTC and I’m just glad he won’t be around to do it to other municipal services.
    Excuse me now while I dance a merry jig on Adam Giamboner’s political grave.

  • http://undefined Darren

    Oh, and he personally was involved in the Feb 2008 expansion of around the clock surface routes which was directly blamed for the increase in operational losses that year. We dont need empty buses running at 2am in S’ough

  • http://undefined torontothegreat

    “Read a post moron.”
    Calling David Topping. Or is that one of those double standards that only applies to me?

  • http://undefined Peter K

    I apologize for that, but seriously, if he read the post he would’ve had his answer.

  • http://undefined torontothegreat

    it wasn’t a stab at you ;) Just the moderator of the site who has glaring double standards for “certain” users.

  • http://undefined Darren

    “Excuse me now while I dance a merry jig on Adam Giamboner’s political grave.”
    hahahahahahaha

  • http://undefined Darren

    Well you did have a pretty crappy track record at one point

  • http://undefined Peter K

    Lol, I was trying to be restrained too. I don’t think I could even repeat what I was tempted to call him while in mixed company. :)

  • http://undefined mark.

    I suppose I was naive to think that you could provide a convincing argument or provide some references. And even more naive to think you could refrain from personal insults. I asked, specifically, to provide something beyond your own personal assertions and you called me a ‘moron.’ And you can call me anything you want; it just reveals you for the fool you are.

  • http://undefined Peter K

    I’ve got another name to call you: sycophant.

  • http://undefined Peter K

    At least my assertions are correct.
    Again, you don’t refute that The Boy Blunder’s placed the TTC in an economic quagmire just to further his own political ambitions. It’s one of the most transparent displays of blind ambition that this city has seen in my life time.

  • http://undefined torontothegreat

    Hey you two aren’t much better ;) Anyways, when cited the T&C, I’m assuming they apply to everyone? But I’ve got the green light from D. Topping to call ANYONE a loser as often as I want now, cause it doesn’t violate the T&C :)
    I’m going to assume that moron is okay now too! :)

  • http://www.torontoist.com David Topping

    I really can’t wait for Torontoist’s new commenting system.

  • http://undefined Darren

    What about “loser-moron”?
    Would combining the two make it any worse?

  • http://undefined Darren

    Its not just you. I noticed a trend where the Left will gang up on anyone who doesnt fall in line and do the daily Miller salute

  • http://undefined ldg

    How about neither, Darren.

  • http://undefined torontothegreat

    Exactly. In fact this particular group of “lefties” seem to be pretty FAR right in terms of censorship, falling into line with the status quo and elitism. Sort of like China, where you have people who claim to be “lefties” but they act like right wing lunatics. I think a site name change should be in order, cause this kind of behaviour doesn’t represent the type of diversity of this city.
    Maybe Toronto-sort-of-ish.com?

  • http://bit.ly/jgk9h7 dandmb50

    One major thing Adam G. is responsible for is not doing what his constituents wanted in Ward 18 by allowing the narrowing of lanes and he just went ahead without any regard for their wishes. I always thought it was the whole idea of your local representative to ahh represent you. I remember one who did that in the Eglinton/Yonge area and she pushed for a high-rise building and was elected for almost 20 years but after she approved that project was kicked out the next election. I could go on and on but let’s not let any other transit system anywhere hire him to run their local system.
    Daniel … Toronto
    http://bit.ly/jgk9h7

  • http://undefined torontothegreat

    Outside of creating a 100% walled garden a la Tribe Magazine? Good luck with that!