Will John Tory’s ‘prudent’ leadership be tough enough to tackle Toronto’s big issues if he’s re-elected?
Toronto is more politically diverse than it’s ever been, and as it becomes a more economically diverse city, the city’s political system will have to become more effective. As John Tory has said in the past, “[t]he only way to get a good outcome in Toronto is to work for it.”
The challenge, then, is to get candidates across the city who are prepared to make the necessary compromises to meet the needs of each and every voter and district.
Mayor John Tory has taken a “prudent leadership,” says the former federal Liberal MP and current CEO of Ontario’s Electricity Distribution Board, Michael Buell.
When Premier Kathleen Wynne decided to run for her ninth term, she said she wants to see someone who has the “wisdom and prudence” to get the city through difficult times.
A Tory win is widely expected in a city that has been through many changes and faced many challenges over the past 20 years. Some say the “prudent” candidate in Tory’s position could have the strength to be a mayor who can address the future of the city.
The challenges are:
City hall hasn’t worked well for 20 years
The city is in a state of change
And there are so many priorities that no one person or party can do it all
Here’s a look at the challenges for the next mayor and what they mean for Toronto:
1. City hall hasn’t worked well for 20 years – The first challenge for city council is to address the lack of coherence and efficiency within the city’s core services.
One area where this is particularly acute is public services – many residents complain that when they call the municipal call centre, nobody ever answers. For example, a resident emailed Councillor Josh Matlow about the $2,000 fine for not paying his street tax. He said: “I called the call centre and spoke to the employee who said, ‘I’m sorry Mr. Jones, I’m not allowed to tell you who to pay your street tax to’.”
This is a systemic problem. There