Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:57 AM
Party off Kelly Grant
George Smitherman rarely misses an opportunity to tell you when he first joined a political party.
"I’ve been a Liberal since I was 15," he repeats in interviews and speeches, including an address to a friendly crowd at Bistro 990 last night.
But his life-long party affiliation – and his reputation for fierce, gleeful partisanship at Queen’s Park – doesn't mean he supports installing political parties at city hall.
"Part and parcel of the excitement for me in moving from the British Parliamentary system in a legislature to the opportunity for municipal politics is actually to work well beyond those lines of political parties," he said.
"So although I know there are some who believe there should be political parties active at city hall in a formal sense and you should run under those labels, I actually think that the test of leadership for the mayor is to build on a case-by-case basis the votes that are necessary to advance an agenda."
It would be interesting to watch Mr. Smitherman herd council’s cats if he becomes mayor. The case for political parties at city hall has always been rooted in the wild, unwieldy nature of the place. Toronto’s 44 councillors can do and vote as they please, forcing the mayor to painstakingly assemble support if he or she doesn’t enjoy a comfortable majority on council.
Having governed with a majority for two terms at Queen’s Park, Mr. Smitherman is used to having a (party) whip at his disposal. Can he succeed without the cat o’ nine tails? At least he’s going in with his eyes open.
Mr. Smitherman also used last night’s speech to extend an invitation to big labour. While Rocco Rossi has treated unions like a soccer ball, kicking them around for sport since the campaign began, Mr. Smitherman is actively courting organized labour.
He's already scored the carpenters’ union’s endorsement – the only formal labour endorsement so far – and he must be eyeing Toronto’s powerful public sector unions. They’re without an obvious candidate after the implosion of Adam Giambrone’s campaign.
"So there is no misunderstanding," Mr. Smitherman told the Bistro audience, "I see no contradiction between productivity and a pro-union posture. I have no quarrel with organized labour that seeks to work in partnership toward a more productive outcome. In fact, they will me to be a fast friend."
"I’ve been a Liberal since I was 15," he repeats in interviews and speeches, including an address to a friendly crowd at Bistro 990 last night.
But his life-long party affiliation – and his reputation for fierce, gleeful partisanship at Queen’s Park – doesn't mean he supports installing political parties at city hall.
"Part and parcel of the excitement for me in moving from the British Parliamentary system in a legislature to the opportunity for municipal politics is actually to work well beyond those lines of political parties," he said.
"So although I know there are some who believe there should be political parties active at city hall in a formal sense and you should run under those labels, I actually think that the test of leadership for the mayor is to build on a case-by-case basis the votes that are necessary to advance an agenda."
It would be interesting to watch Mr. Smitherman herd council’s cats if he becomes mayor. The case for political parties at city hall has always been rooted in the wild, unwieldy nature of the place. Toronto’s 44 councillors can do and vote as they please, forcing the mayor to painstakingly assemble support if he or she doesn’t enjoy a comfortable majority on council.
Having governed with a majority for two terms at Queen’s Park, Mr. Smitherman is used to having a (party) whip at his disposal. Can he succeed without the cat o’ nine tails? At least he’s going in with his eyes open.
Mr. Smitherman also used last night’s speech to extend an invitation to big labour. While Rocco Rossi has treated unions like a soccer ball, kicking them around for sport since the campaign began, Mr. Smitherman is actively courting organized labour.
He's already scored the carpenters’ union’s endorsement – the only formal labour endorsement so far – and he must be eyeing Toronto’s powerful public sector unions. They’re without an obvious candidate after the implosion of Adam Giambrone’s campaign.
"So there is no misunderstanding," Mr. Smitherman told the Bistro audience, "I see no contradiction between productivity and a pro-union posture. I have no quarrel with organized labour that seeks to work in partnership toward a more productive outcome. In fact, they will me to be a fast friend."
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