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Toronto Needs An Honest Mayor With Resolve

By Rupert Johnson

The Toronto election is seven months away and once again we have already been bombarded with the customary litany of squalid personal allegations and character assassinations.

The wild frenzy associated with the mayoral race is not unprecedented, but this time it may very well be the most exciting, crucial, and unpredictable one. There are already 37 declared candidates vying for the top job at City Hall, but only 5 should be taken seriously, namely: Rob Ford, the colourful incumbent, John Tory, Olivia Chow, Karen Stintz, and David Soknacki.

From now until October 27 we will be inundated with platitudes and hollow slogans such as: “Toronto tomorrow: It’s our time;” “Ford more race;” “We need to have a city that’s livable, affordable and functional;” “It’s time for a new mayor. It’s time to build a better city together.”

All the candidates will eventually scream, and shout at each other and make wild, unrealistic promises, but voters should be aware of the fact that while this verbal onslaught reaches climatic levels, Toronto’s entire infrastructure continues to crumble underneath their feet.

While the political battle over the extension of subways versus the building of light rail transit rages on, none of the mayoral candidates seems to be very concerned about the vulnerability of the aging water main network and sewer system across the city.

Every year the property damage that has resulted from the fracturing of these water main structures is catastrophic, and the financial cost is phenomenal. These politicians should get their priorities right. For example, the immediate replacement of dilapidated water mains should be more imperative than the replacement of the Gardiner Expressway.

We need a mayor with a great deal of credibility who has the ability to work with all three levels to finance this massive infrastructure project. It should be understood that a very modern sewer and water main systems are vital to Toronto’s economic survival and public health initiative. There is nothing worse than a sewer backup and a broken water main.

What Toronto needs at this time is not a double-talking traditional politician, but a steady leader with proven managerial skills who is best able to prioritize projects, and use the public purse prudently. In other words, Torontonians need an honest leader who is able and determined to make deep cuts to the burgeoning bureaucracy at City Hall. This leader should have the resolve to put an end to wasteful on frivolous projects such as the replacement of office equipment. This leader should also have the courage to limit expense accounts, and peg taxes and salary increases to the annual rate of inflation.

Torontonians are sick and tired of the perpetual shenanigans at City Hall. It is time to cleanse the Augean stables. Of course this will be a Herculean task for any presumably honest and reputable mayor. Or will Torontonians have to settle for the “best” of the undesirable bunch?

Rupert Johnson can be reached at: r.b.johnson@sympatico.ca.

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