Right Of Center Councilors Tried But Failed...

Rightward tilt in mayoral race?

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February 08, 2010

With one month down and almost nine to go until election day, Toronto's already crowded mayoral race has yet to attract a high-profile, right-of-centre candidate. It may not need one.
A packed field on the left side of the political spectrum appears to be pushing some identified Liberal candidates to make some small-c conservative promises in hopes of broadening their appeal. Not all these promises are wise. And that means voters, in trying to decide what's best for their city, need to pay close attention not just to the candidates' previous political stripe but also to what they are saying.
The most recent entry into the mayoral fray is Councillor Adam Giambrone, controversial chair of the Toronto Transit Commission. As former president of the national New Democratic Party, he's firmly on the left in this race along with his fellow councillor, Joe Pantalone. Both have been key supporters of Mayor David Miller and are potential heirs to his legacy. The main difference between them is generational: Pantalone was first elected to municipal office in 1980, when Giambrone was 3 years old.
Two other major candidates in the mayoral race hail from Liberal ranks. Until recently, Rocco Rossi was national director of the party's federal wing, while front-runner George Smitherman was deputy premier in Ontario's Liberal government. These two appear to be tracking rightward.
Rossi, in particular, is espousing policies crafted to appeal to the right side of the municipal political spectrum. His promises include: privatizing municipal assets such as Toronto Hydro; contracting out some of the work now done by city employees; eliminating bike lanes from major routes; and putting the brakes on the TTC's ambitious Transit City light rail expansion. Smitherman, in turn, has assumed the role of tax fighter in promising to reduce or eliminate the city's unpopular $60 motor vehicle registration fee.
These promises may play well with segments of the electorate, especially outside the old city of Toronto. But candidates must be realistic in offering solutions to complex problems. For example, getting a good price for Toronto Hydro is far more difficult than it might seem due to provincial rules that discourage private sector buyers. And cutting taxes seems ill-advised when Toronto already faces a chronic annual shortfall in excess of $400 million.
Bottom line: the two Liberal candidates for mayor ought not to allow themselves to be further sucked into the vacuum on their right.