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| Will Stintz and Colle face off in Eglinton-Lawrence? |
If ever Toronto city councillors agree to downsize their numbers to 22 (rather than the present 44) it may well be seen as a miracle equalling the loaves and the fishes. But Mayor Ford is still working at his 2010 election promise to reduce the size of council by conforming Toronto wards to the same boundaries as provincial and federal constituencies. At present each federal riding (like Don Valley West) contains two city wards (26 and 27). Devilish commentators have taken relish in noting that if it were one big ward, John Parker would have to run against Jaye Robinson. In Wards 21 and 22 (St. Paul’s) Joe Mihavc would slug it out with Josh Matlow. In Wards 15 and 16 (Eglinton-Lawrence) Josh Colle would face Karen Stintz. (Josh might be out of work unless Her Ladyship from Lawrence Park runs for mayor). It’s all too delicious. But let’s not get excited. Executive Committee has pushed the question onto City Council’s agenda for June. Nionetheless it is hard to imagine councillors voting to implement it, or risking a referendum. After all, if there were only 22 councillors and 18 went to the Federation of Mayors and Municipalities meeting as they did last week, there would be no one to answer the phone. Ford and his allies in this noble effort have anticipated the first line of defense against a downsize. “I don’t want to hear the argument that we work harder than MPs. I have no problem with increasing our salaries in line with an MP or an MPP. You might have to sit on two committees instead of one. But this is what people want. They don’t want more politicians in the city. They want less.” Members of executive voted for the recommendation, but some worried. “You can make hay in some parts of Toronto by running down the idea of having a good number of members of council,” said Parkdale-High Park Councillor Gord Perks. “The actual evidence is that if you jump on that bandwagon you’re going to wind up wasting money. We should do this right, be thoughtful about it, and have a traceable public participation program that ensures the people who are actually in charge have a strong, clear voice.” Did you follow that? The matter will go to the June meeting of Toronto Council. Quotations given to Inside.Toronto.com
