Toronto 2013 by-election

[King of Kensington]

Looks like it's headed that way.  The deposed Rob Ford wants it, the Left wants it, people like Karen Stintz want it...

My feeling is Olivia Chow will end up running and the left vote will coalesce behind her.  Polls show her beating Ford one on one and even with other progressive candidates running.

[DC Al Fine]

I'd vote Ford, but this is Chow's for the taking. Who would be the progressive candidate if Chow stays in parliament?

[King of Kensington]

Adam Vaughan or Shelley Carroll.

Adam Vaughan has more name recognition and polls higher.  He's certainly one of the strongest critics of Ford.  On the other hand, he could be more polarizing and seen as too "downtown."

Shelley Carroll is a card-carrying Liberal from Don Mills who basically votes like an NDPer.  However she seems to lack name recognition and polls poorly.

Another possibility - though less likely to run - is Joe Mihevc.  He is a highly respected across the spectrum and I think could have appeal in both the core and in the suburbs.

[Hatman 🍁]

Does Smitherman want to try again?

[Holmes]

Hopefully not.

[King of Kensington]

Does Smitherman want to try again?

Smitherman would be lucky to get 10% of the vote.  And this time he'd probably take more from the center-right of the spectrum.

[adma]

Come to think of it, don't discount a council (or non-council a la John Tory) centre-righter, either--maybe not Stintz, but someone capable of putting a foot in Ford's door when it comes to galvanizing a base that finds Chow et al too leftish...

[Hatman 🍁]

If Ford is as hated as our last crazy right wing mayor, don't discount a challenge from the right. Even more than one. In 2010, we had a couple of right wing challengers to Mayor O'Brien, and in the end the pragmatic centrist won.

[King of Kensington]

It's hard to see the right want to cede the field to Ford.  On the other hand, he won't be leaving the race.

My feeling is there is a 60% likelihood of Olivia Chow entering and a 15% likelihood for John Tory.

[Holmes]

Olivia Chow would be so awesome, but like I've said before, I'd miss the hell out of her in Parliament.

[Holmes]

Forum should be releasing a poll soon enough. I got a call last night. Voted for Chow in every matchup she was in (and they had a lot of matchups). Also relayed my deep dissatisfaction with the TTC.

[RodPresident]

If Chow wins mayoral job, would NDP nominate her stepson Michael Layton for Trinity-Spadina federal riding? He's city councillor for the ward.

[DL]

If Chow wins mayoral job, would NDP nominate her stepson Michael Layton for Trinity-Spadina federal riding? He's city councillor for the ward.

It is certainly possible, but I get the impression Layton Jr. wants to build a career in municipal politics and is only two years into his first term...there would be a gigantic list of big names who live in or near Trinity-Spadina who could be potential NDP candidates. Anyone from David Miller to Adam van Koeverden to Naomi Klein to Sarah Polley to Sarah Harmer to...well let's just say the mind boggles at the possibilities...

[adma]

Or, of course, Brian Topp, were he not committed to a Montreal seat first.

[Hatman 🍁]

If Chow wins mayoral job, would NDP nominate her stepson Michael Layton for Trinity-Spadina federal riding? He's city councillor for the ward.

It is certainly possible, but I get the impression Layton Jr. wants to build a career in municipal politics and is only two years into his first term...there would be a gigantic list of big names who live in or near Trinity-Spadina who could be potential NDP candidates. Anyone from David Miller to Adam van Koeverden to Naomi Klein to Sarah Polley to Sarah Harmer to...well let's just say the mind boggles at the possibilities...

Van Koeverden is an NDPer? Nice.

[MaxQue]

If Chow wins mayoral job, would NDP nominate her stepson Michael Layton for Trinity-Spadina federal riding? He's city councillor for the ward.

It is certainly possible, but I get the impression Layton Jr. wants to build a career in municipal politics and is only two years into his first term...there would be a gigantic list of big names who live in or near Trinity-Spadina who could be potential NDP candidates. Anyone from David Miller to Adam van Koeverden to Naomi Klein to Sarah Polley to Sarah Harmer to...well let's just say the mind boggles at the possibilities...

Van Koeverden is an NDPer? Nice.

Awful. NDP doesn't need bigots.

[DL]

If Chow wins mayoral job, would NDP nominate her stepson Michael Layton for Trinity-Spadina federal riding? He's city councillor for the ward.

It is certainly possible, but I get the impression Layton Jr. wants to build a career in municipal politics and is only two years into his first term...there would be a gigantic list of big names who live in or near Trinity-Spadina who could be potential NDP candidates. Anyone from David Miller to Adam van Koeverden to Naomi Klein to Sarah Polley to Sarah Harmer to...well let's just say the mind boggles at the possibilities...

Van Koeverden is an NDPer? Nice.

I don't know for sure if he's NDP, but his picture is on the cover of the calendar Olivia Chow mailed to all constituents and he seems to be friendly with Mike Layton.

[Hatman 🍁]

If Chow wins mayoral job, would NDP nominate her stepson Michael Layton for Trinity-Spadina federal riding? He's city councillor for the ward.

It is certainly possible, but I get the impression Layton Jr. wants to build a career in municipal politics and is only two years into his first term...there would be a gigantic list of big names who live in or near Trinity-Spadina who could be potential NDP candidates. Anyone from David Miller to Adam van Koeverden to Naomi Klein to Sarah Polley to Sarah Harmer to...well let's just say the mind boggles at the possibilities...

Van Koeverden is an NDPer? Nice.

Awful. NDP doesn't need bigots.

What did he say?

[MaxQue]

If Chow wins mayoral job, would NDP nominate her stepson Michael Layton for Trinity-Spadina federal riding? He's city councillor for the ward.

It is certainly possible, but I get the impression Layton Jr. wants to build a career in municipal politics and is only two years into his first term...there would be a gigantic list of big names who live in or near Trinity-Spadina who could be potential NDP candidates. Anyone from David Miller to Adam van Koeverden to Naomi Klein to Sarah Polley to Sarah Harmer to...well let's just say the mind boggles at the possibilities...

Van Koeverden is an NDPer? Nice.

Awful. NDP doesn't need bigots.

What did he say?

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/adam-van-koeverden-formally-apologize-tweeting-f-bomb-160753864.html

[Hatman 🍁]

If Chow wins mayoral job, would NDP nominate her stepson Michael Layton for Trinity-Spadina federal riding? He's city councillor for the ward.

It is certainly possible, but I get the impression Layton Jr. wants to build a career in municipal politics and is only two years into his first term...there would be a gigantic list of big names who live in or near Trinity-Spadina who could be potential NDP candidates. Anyone from David Miller to Adam van Koeverden to Naomi Klein to Sarah Polley to Sarah Harmer to...well let's just say the mind boggles at the possibilities...

Van Koeverden is an NDPer? Nice.

Awful. NDP doesn't need bigots.

What did he say?

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/adam-van-koeverden-formally-apologize-tweeting-f-bomb-160753864.html

I had no idea how sectarian university football was. I actually usually cheer for Laval, myself, since my alma matter doesn't have a team at the moment.

Pretty disgusting; I for one am really happy to see how football has become really popular in Quebec. Go Als!

[Linus Van Pelt]

Wait, what? Vulgarly insulting an opposing football team makes one a bigot?

[MaxQue]

Wait, what? Vulgarly insulting an opposing football team makes one a bigot?

Oh, please, we know than the real problem at Laval is than they are speaking French, not English.

[Linus Van Pelt]

Wait, what? Vulgarly insulting an opposing football team makes one a bigot?

Oh, please, we know than the real problem at Laval is than they are speaking French, not English.

Here is the offending tweet:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Look, these comments are obviously kind of stupid and I have no particular interest in defending this guy. I certainly don't think he should be the NDP candidate for Trinity-Spadina. But if you don't think that every word here would have been easily directed at an Anglophone opponent, you're unfamiliar with the idiotic loutish culture of many football fans. Stuff like this gets shouted about the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Camp Randall all the time.

(obviously not ** in the original)

[DL]

Wait, what? Vulgarly insulting an opposing football team makes one a bigot?

Oh, please, we know than the real problem at Laval is than they are speaking French, not English.

I think the problem with Laval was that they were playing against his favourite team.

[Hatman 🍁]

Wait, what? Vulgarly insulting an opposing football team makes one a bigot?

Oh, please, we know than the real problem at Laval is than they are speaking French, not English.

I think the problem with Laval was that they were playing against his favourite team.

Yeah; the tweets don't seem to be anti-French at all.

Anyways, the NDP rarely nominates "famous" people, and I can't think of them ever running a (famous) athlete of any kind. The hockey players, football players and curlers of the country run for other parties. Even Ross Rebagliatti was supposed to run for the Liberals. Hell, even the Greens have Larocque.