world19News #134 |
| email us to : - subscribe to our newsletter or to send us your |
world19News This e-mail is going to people on the mailing list for world19. If you don't want to receive further notices, please reply to this e-mail with "remove" in the subject. Let us know if you prefer to receive this in "plain text" format. Please forward this to anyone you think may be interested. This is our last newsletter before the election, and its focus is not surprisingly, last-minute election notes. (Before continuing, I should make mention that I am writing the notes as someone who supports, and who has been working on the campaigns of both David Miller and Stan Kumorek.) In this issue: From the non-Election world: 1. SEND-OFF / RALLY FOR DAVID MILLER Last summer, world19 made our first-ever political endorsement, supporting David Miller for Mayor. We hosted a garden party for him, and we continue to enthusiastically support his candidacy. We suspect that a very large number of our readers also support him, so we won't further editorialize. Today's NOW, eye, and Toronto Star have all come out with editorials supporting Miller -- as have columnists John Barber, Royson James, and John Sewell (and expect Don Wanagas in a day or 2). We have an opportunity to elect a mayor we can be excited about (in a positive sense!). This election just may be the triumph of intelligence, integrity, vision and character. That's impressive by itself. 2.MORE DIRTY TRICKS? Carol Jamieson has filed an official complaint with police, claiming Bill Saundercook's workers have been illegally tearing down her signs. Following that, Stan Kumorek's campaign issued a press release claiming Margo Duncan is using city-owned facilities (the 2nd floor of the Lambton House on old Dundas) as her campaign headquarters. 3. WHAT A TANGLED WEB… In the Nunziata case, York Regional Police concluded there was no breach of the law (legally speaking, a bribe can only be made to elected officials). However, the Toronto Star on Nov. 1st, carried a lengthy story that seemed to report most of the details of the incident. And yet again, the story smacks of back room dealings by some of Toronto’s big influence brokers. Paul Pellegrini, president of Sussex Strategy Group, one of the most powerful City Hall lobbying firms, apparently made the offer to the Nunziata campaign. In recent years, Sussex has represented 5 of the top 25 campaign contributors to the 2000 municipal election, according to information on the Sussex web site and the new ‘Vote Toronto’ site (www.votetoronto.ca). Sussex and Pellegrini have previously made their way onto our website, based on their active support for the fixed link and a busier Island Airport. This is not surprising, since the potential new airline (Regional Airline Holdings, AKA REGCO) is one of Sussex’s clients. Another client is Local 183 of the Universal Workers Union. This local represents a relatively new but strong force in local politics. (See John Barber's Oct. 30 column in the Globe & Mail: http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z56722576). They have been particularly active and vocal in promoting the fixed link to the Island Airport. According to the new ‘Vote Toronto’ web site the UWU was the 4th largest campaign donor in 2000. Locally, they supported both Chris Korwin-Kuczynski (Ward 14) and Bill Saundercook (Ward 13). Coincidentally or not, all 11 of the current councilors who received campaign donations from either Sussex or the UWU voted to build the fixed link. In the current election, they are one of the few unions to back John Tory. And guess what else? Sussex and Pellegrini have one prominent local connection: current Ward 13 candidate Bill Saundercook worked for Sussex after losing his Council seat in 2000. (He is not currently employed there). Isn’t life strange? 4. TANGLED WEB, PART IIl The group alleges politicians who are bankrolled by business at election time tend to vote in favour of business interests in office. To back up its claims, the group reproduced voting records on 10 "hot-button" issues, ranging from constructing a bridge to the island airport to installing speed bumps on residential streets.". Of course, the name Jeffrey Lyons shows up frequently among donors. His violations of election laws in 2000 were exposed by the MFP inquiry -- he funneled money through employees to skirt contribution limits. (A police investigation concluded they were only "technical" violations of the law). Vote Toronto was able to link all donations made directly or indirectly by the (former) king of lobbyists, and as a result he came out as the #2 overall campaign donor, with 70 separate donations, totaling $40,100. Again, both KK and Mr. Saundercook were beneficiaries. (The #1 donor was Greenwin Construction-related companies -- another Sussex client). Peruse the website -- make sure you visit the "Follow the Money" link. They also have a great deal of information about local politics, including their recommended candidates. (Note: information about campaign financing, and lobbyist activites came from both Vote Toronto -- and one of our subscribers who has been doing impressive research on this side of city politics). 5. CAMPAIGN HUMOUR a) KK's friends? b) Reading & Writing? Poplowski: "I don't really do that much reading, as far as books are concerned. I read a lot of magazines, like Education Canada, and school board stuff. Bracken-Roche: To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf.
And now, leaving (mostly) the election world: So, it's not surprising to read that two of the Wynn family residential properties are finalists in the "Golden Cockroach Award", organized by the Parkdale Tenants Association for the worst residential building in Parkdale. See www.goldencockroach.org for details. We don't know what the future holds for the former Humber Theatre property, which the community has lost to the whims of the Wynns (say it fast 10 times). It's certainly not likely we'll see a repeat of their Parkdale residential properties, but surely there must be some concern, based on their reputation. We also wonder about how the building has been used since
they purchased it. Soon after the sale, it became campaign HQ for the provincial Tory
candidate. It would be surprising if any provincial candidate could afford the rent of
such a prime property; we have to wonder if Mr. Snell was treated more kindly than some of
the Wynn’s other tenants. (And most recently, the entire front of the theatre has
been given over to one candidate’s election signs…) 7. BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR - Sat. Nov. 8 Morningside- High Park Presbyterian Church (Morningside & Kennedy) Sat. Nov. 8, 7:30 pm
|