torontobyelection

Guests: The Toronto Star All-Star Opinionator Panel, featuring columnists Emma Teitel, Shawn Micallef, Matt Elliott and guest host Edward Keenan

With less than two weeks to go before the election, candidates are making their closing pitches to voters and in this campaign, a surprising number of those involve claims to be the only candidate to beat Olivia Chow. Our Toronto Star All-Star Opinionator Panel talks about some of claims and assesses their credibility, including a comical trip into Mark Saunders’ website FAQ. The panel also discusses the potential for surprises, which losing candidate might still come out ahead in the long run and a range of other ballot-box issues.

This episode was produced by Ed Keenan and Sean Pattendon.

Guests: Jennifer Keesmaat, former Chief Planner of Toronto, 2018 candidate for mayor and partner with Markee Developments speaks with guest host Edward Keenan

We all know that fundraising is a key part of running a mayoral campaign, and that the rich and well connected have a leg up. But how? Former candidate and former top city planner Jennifer Keesmaat talks about her first-hand experience of trying to fund a campaign for mayor of Toronto and how she thinks grassroots candidates should try to overcome those challenges. She also dishes about her first-hand experience with the current crop of candidates, her assessment of the race so far and why she thinks it may be turning into a wire-to-wire walk to the finish line for one candidate.

Guests: The Toronto Star All-Star Opinionator Panel, featuring columnists Emma Teitel, Shawn Micallef, Matt Elliott and guest host Edward Keenan

Our political panel talks about the election race as Toronto enters the feverish debate season, and asks what to make of the polls, how a big lead can disappear, whether voters want hope or anger and which candidates are bringing real talk on taxes.

This episode was produced by Ed Keenan and Paulo Marques.

Guest: David Miller, former mayor of Toronto and managing director of the C40 Centre for City Climate Policy and Economy

While other issues have grabbed more headlines, Toronto faces no more fundamental challenges over the next few years than its billion-dollar budget gap and a provincial premier eager to force his will on the city. David Miller draws on his experience as Toronto mayor (and on lessons learned in the schoolyard for how to confront bullies) to offer his perspective on the way ahead, the power of a mayoral mandate and where to find a sense of optimism for the city.

This episode was produced by Ed Keenan and Paulo Marques.

Guests: The Toronto Star All-Star Opinionator Panel, featuring columnists Emma Teitel, Shawn Micallef, Matt Elliott and host Edward Keenan

After a snooze of an election in October, Toronto thought it was in for four more years of John Tory’s bland inevitability. One career-ending political scandal later, the city has been thrust back into a wide-open campaign for the top job at city hall, one that’s drawn more than 50 contenders with no clear front-runner. With a handful of names that jump to the top of the list and a few key issues that appear likely to dominate people’s attention, it is conceivable that the weakest election mandate in Toronto history could give us the most powerful mayor we’ve ever had.

This episode was produced by Edward Keenan, Crawford Blair and JP Fozo.

Guest: David Rider, City Hall bureau chief

Ontario Place is becoming an election issue in the Toronto mayoral byelection. It is early days, but the province’s controversial plans to redevelop the waterfront site is something candidates are already using to stake out their ideological turf while also signalling how they plan to deal with the Ontario government and Premier Doug Ford.

This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar.

Audio sources: CityNews

Brian interviews Gil Penalosa. Gil is the founder and chair of 8 80 Cities, a Canadian nonprofit with a mission to improve sustainable mobility, parks, and public spaces to transform urban areas into cities that are great for both 8-year-olds and 80-year olds. Gil Penalosa ran for Mayor of Toronto a few months ago came second and received 100,000 votes. This interview was recorded last week before Mayor Tory’s resignation and shows Gil’s passion for the City and urban renewal. Given an upcoming by-election, it’s fascinating to hear what Gil has to say about tearing down the Gardiner, our housing crisis, the green belt and other city issues.