Results of the 2003 Toronto municipal election

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[edit] Mayor

2003 Toronto municipal election, Mayor of Toronto
Candidate Total votes  % of total votes
David Miller 299,385 43.26
John Tory 263,189 38.03
Barbara Hall 63,751 9.21
John Nunziata 36,021 5.20
Tom Jakobek 5,277 0.76
Douglas Campbell 2,197 0.32
Ahmad Shehab 2,084 0.30
Jaime Castillo 1,616 0.23
Luis Silva 1,305 0.19
Don Andrews 1,220 0.18
Timothy McAuliffe 821 0.12
Kevin Mark Clarke 804 0.12
John Hartnett 803 0.12
Gary Benner 802 0.12
Albert Howell 717 0.10
John Jahshan 703 0.10
Michael Brausewetter 672 0.10
David Lichacz 659 0.10
Ram Narula 645 0.09
Elias Makhoul 644 0.09
Daniel Poremski 627 0.09
Ronald Graham 619 0.09
Fen Peters 598 0.09
Duri Naimji 569 0.08
Scott Yee 551 0.08
Monowar Hossain 537 0.08
Axcel Cocon 498 0.07
Ben Kerr 433 0.06
Aleksandar Glisic 420 0.06
Mitch L. Gold 412 0.06
Hashmat Safi 383 0.06
Simon Shaw 376 0.05
Patricia O'Beirne 358 0.05
Abel van Wyk 332 0.05
Benjamin Mbaegbu 288 0.04
Gerald Derome 278 0.04
Paul Lewin 271 0.04
Rabindra Prashad 271 0.04
Hardy Dhir 199 0.03
Kendal Csak 193 0.03
Mehmet Yagiz 193 0.03
Richard Weston 133 0.02
Ratan Wadhwa 121 0.02
Barry Pletch 110 0.02
Totals 692,085 100%
  • Luis A. Lopes Silva is a banker, and was 33 years old in 2003. He was elected to the Metro Toronto Separate School Board in 1994, winning in the old City of Toronto's fourth division. He lost his bid for re-election in 1997, and was again defeated in 2000. Silva later served on the Mayor's Task Force on Drugs, and described himself in campaign literature as "The man with the plan". He supported subway expansion, and argued that the federal government had no right to collect the Goods and Services Tax in Toronto. He called for the number of city councillors to be cut in half, and said that he would require candidates for public office to pass a test on the workings of municipal government.[1] He also supported the creation of an "Order of Toronto" to honour prominent citizens.[2] Less seriously, he called for the Toronto Maple Leafs to retire Frank Mahovlich's jersey. Silva acknowledged that he could not win, and aimed for a fifth-place finish. He received a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Western Ontario after the election, writing on the new City of Toronto Act passed by the provincial government of Dalton McGuinty.[3]
  • Timothy McAullife was a 28 year old freelance writer. He supported skateboarding at the Eaton Centre and wanted to eliminate Toronto Transit Commission transfers.[4]
  • John Hartnett was a twenty-eight year old student and bartender, and a third-generation Canadian. He said that he wanted to represent the "XYZ generation", and bring more young voters to the polls.[5]
  • Gary Benner was a 51 year old retired civil engineer.[6] He complained that rival candidate John Nunziata was in contravention of municipal campaign laws after he put advertisements in the Toronto subway system. Benner later accused all four major candidates of being in technical contravention of the elections laws, by virtue of having signs displayed in their campaign office windows.[7] He indicated that he would ban election signs if he became mayor.[8] He supported the construction of 60 kilometres of new subway lines over 20 years, and opposed expansion of the Toronto Island airport.[9]
  • John Jahshan is originally from Kitchener, and was 35 years old in 2003. He was general manager of the Sports Centre Cafe in the 1990s, and later operated the Bliss Niteclub & Lounge. He pledged support for after-school programs and inexpensive day-care,[10] and claimed the five major candidates were afraid to debate him. Twenty of his supporters picketed the first major-candidates' debate with signs depicting the frontrunners as chickens.[11] Jahshan went into hiding three days before the election, and was later arrested on charges of misappropriating funds intended for a wheelchair elevator at Driftwood Public School in the Jane and Finch area. Newspaper accounts do not indicate if the charges were brought to trial.[12]
  • Michael Brausewetter is a truck driver and former security guard, who once spent sixteen months in a coma after a car accident.[13] A former homeless person, he recommended turning Princess Margaret Hospital into a homeless shelter.[14] He also proposed moving the Toronto Island airport to the Leslie Street Spit.[15] He is running for a council seat in the 2006 municipal election.
  • David Lichacz has a degree from York University. He was 34 years old in 2003, and worked as a city greenskeeper. His campaign focused on public transit and accountability, and he indicated that he would cut the mayor's stipend if elected.[16] As of 2006, he is a supervisor at Dentonia.[17]
  • Ram Narula was a 67 year old retired teacher, who moved to Canada from India. He said could cure "arthritis, allergies, high blood pressure, stress, weight problems, prostrate (sic) and many others naturally", and would cause "perfect health" to radiate from city hall.[18] He also indicated that he would reduce tuition fees by 75%, and solve homelessness within three months.[19]
  • Elias Makhoul was born in southern Lebanon, and moved to Canada at age 21. He runs a falafel restaurant in downtown Toronto called "The Mystic Muffin", and was known for giving interviews about his candidacy while serving customers.[20] He argued that each of Toronto's subway stops should be turned into a cultural pavilion representing a different nation, to highlight the city's multicultural nature.[21] He was 37 years old in 2003.[22]
  • Daniel Poremski was a 19 year old psychology student at York University, and was the youngest candidate in the contest. He entered the mayoral race to find out more about municipal government. A newspaper quotes him as saying of his candidacy, "I want to learn more about the city and see what the people in Toronto ask of their politicians. It seemed like an interesting thing to do."[23] He wanted to introduce environmentally friendly garbage incineration.[24]
  • Ronald Graham was listed as an Elvis impersonator and interior designer. He pledged to clean up garbage and pollution in the Beaches area of Toronto, and institute a zero-tolerance policy on racism and anti-Semitism.[25]
  • Fen Peters was born in Trinidad. He was a 58 year old communications publicist with Bell Canada, and favoured the creation of local community councils.[26]
  • Aleksandar Glisic was born and raised in Yugoslavia, where he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree. He came to Canada in 1967, worked ten years for Ontario Hydro as a mechanical engineer, and spent another decade as a taxi driver. In 1982, he became the first resident of Ontario to sue for wrongful dismissal under the Discriminatory Business Practices Act, arguing that he was dismissed from Ontario Hydro without due cause.[27] He supported Barbara Hall in mayoral elections before 2003, and says that he chose to run for office after being told that he could not work on her campaign. A colourful figure, he described himself as "Aleksandar the Great", "a sexy 66-year-old teenager" and "an Iceberg Man with a full-blooded loving heart for all people in Mega T.O., especially for the underdogs". His slogans included "Vote Aleksandar the Ex-Terminator for Mayor" and "sex shall save Serbia".[28]
  • Hashmat Safi was a 29 year old medical doctor, originally from Afghanistan. He sought improve public transit and government accessibility.[29] Late in the campaign, he announced that he would support Barbara Hall.[30]
  • Simon Shaw was a 31 year old computer hardware specialist, with a degree in Computer Science from the University of Western Ontario.[31] His primary issue was targeting child sexual predators, and advocating life sentences for people who commit crimes against women and children.[32] He also promoted a subway stop and casino on Toronto Centre Island, and championed campaign finance reform.[33] He applied for an appointment to Toronto City Council's 30th ward in 2003, following the election of Olivia Chow to the Canadian House of Commons. The position was filled by a vote of other councillors. Shaw did not receive any votes.[34]
  • Patricia O'Beirne was the candidate of the Communist League. She supported a thirty-hour work week, the withdrawal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan, and an end of the deportation of immigrants and refugees.[35] A member of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees in Toronto, she was formerly a member of Lodge 205 of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union at Domtar in Montreal. She has written for The Militant, the Communist League's newspaper.[36]
  • Abel van Wyk was born in The Netherlands, moved to Canada in 1957, and was an employee of Metro Works for 24 years. He is a frequent candidate for public office, having campaigned for Mayor of Scarborough in 1985, 1988, 1991 and 1994, and for Mayor of Toronto in 2000 and 2003. He supported an Ellesmere Road extension during the mid-1980s.[37] His primary campaign issue in every election he has contested has been his plan for a waterfront causeway, a highway across Lake Ontario linking Highway 427 in Etobicoke to Highway 401 in Scarborough. Van Wyk argues that this link will save the city money and reduce pollution by 50%.[38] He also called for a ban on donations to municipal candidates and a reduction in the work week during the 1988 campaign. In 1991, he said that affordable housing should be constructed through the private sector.[39] He was 80 years old in 2003. He considered running for mayor in 2006, but ultimately declined.[40]
  • Benjamin Mbaegbu was a 35 year old paralegal and former correctional officer. He previously ran for Toronto's 31st council seat in a 2001 by-election. In early 2003, he unsuccessfully sought one million dollars in compensation from the Solicitor General of Canada concerning the termination of his employment at Kingston Penitentiary in 1998.[41] During the campaign, he said that he could bring a major sporting event to the city in four years.[42]
  • Rabindra Prashad is an artist, chef, and community organizer. He was born in Guyana, and moved to Toronto from Quebec at age 24. He addressed the crowd in French at one all-candidates meeting, saying that his years in Quebec had shown him the value of that province to the country.[43] He also called for an east-west thoroughfare for bikes on Queen Street.[44] He was 35 years old during the election.[45]
  • Hardial (Hardy) Dhir was a 65 year old architect with a degree from the University of Toronto. He is the founder of the Bloor/Indian Grove Ratepayers and Tenants Association, and builds temples and synagogues in his private life. He previously ran for Mayor of Toronto in 1978, and for North York City Council in 1985 (appearing on the ballot as "Harry Dhir" on the latter occasion). In 2003, he called for property taxes to halved by forcing the provincial government to pay education taxes, and supported the introduction of Neighbourhood Watch "street captains" to prevent crime.[46]
  • Kendal Csak was a thirty year old motivational speaker, and the owner of CG Consulting. He supported a minimal wage increase and energy conservation in the business sector.[47]
  • Richard Weston favoured mandatory composting, improved recycling programs, and alternative energy sources such as windmills. He also called for webcams in the mayor's office and mandatory blackouts on the last Wednesday of each month.[48]
  • Last-place candidate Barry Pletch was a 33 year old operations manager, and the arts editor for the Etobicoke Guardian. He sought a clean-up campaign for Toronto's streets.[49] His campaign slogan was "Better Ethics and Economic Responsibility", shortened to BEER.[50]

[edit] Council

[edit] Ward Eight

2003 Toronto municipal election, Councillor, Ward Eightedit
Candidate Total votes  % of total votes
(x)Peter Li Preti 4,670 52.53
Anthony Perruzza 4,220 47.47
Total valid votes 8,890 100.00

[edit] Ward Fifteen

2003 Toronto municipal election, Councillor, Ward Fifteenedit
Candidate Total votes  % of total votes
(x)Howard Moscoe 7,612 52.60
Luigi Rizzo (politician) 3,414 23.59
Rocco Piccininno 1,411 9.75
Ron Singer 1,196 8.26
Howard Mandel 536 3.70
Jhadira Ramos 302 2.09
Total valid votes 14,471 100.00
  • Luigi Rizzo was a first-time candidate. His father, Tony Rizzo, was a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) from 1990 to 1995.[51]
  • Rocco Piccininno was a first-time candidate. As of 2006, he works with the firm Sutton Group-Tower Realty Inc., Brokerage.[52] A football player of the same name played for St. Michael's College in Toronto during the early 1990s, but it is not clear if this is the same person.[53]
  • Howard Mandel was a first-time candidate. A newspaper column from the campaign observed that his name "sounds suspiciously like the incumbent's and appears ahead of him on the ballot".[54]
  • Jhadira Ramos was a first-time candidate. Ramos campaigned on a "Multicultural Candidate List", which was headed by mayoral candidate Jamie Castillo.[55]

Source: http://www.toronto.ca/vote2003/results/officialdeclaration.pdf

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Joe Fiorito, "This mayoral longshot finds a grateful audience", Toronto Star, 3 November 2003, B3.
  2. ^ James Cowan, "Mayoraltymarathon metaphor", National Post, 15 March 2003, TO3.
  3. ^ Luis Silva, "The province giveth, the province taketh away", Toronto Star, 28 December 2005, A17.
  4. ^ Bryan Borzykowski and James Cowan, "The Class of 44", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO1; Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan. "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  5. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11; "Who's got what it takes", Toronto Star, 6 November 2003, G3.
  6. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  7. ^ "No-hopers' niche", Toronto Star, 11 August 2003, E2.
  8. ^ James Cowan, "Nunziata at sea in debates", National Post, 16 August 2003, TO4.
  9. ^ James Cowan, "Hall gets bad review at film fest: Latecomer takes over box", National Post, 13 September 2003, TO4. Benner criticized David Miller for describing himself as the only candidate who opposed the expansion, writing "I will presume that you were unaware of my position on the Island Airport issue when you created your radio ads." Cowan agreed that this was a safe assumption, given Benner's profile in the contest.
  10. ^ "Who's got what it takes", Toronto Star, 6 November 2003, G3.
  11. ^ "Wednesday's Canada News Briefs", Associated Press, 17 June 1998; "Fair or fowl?", Toronto Star, 13 October 2003, B2; Vanessa Lu, "Verbal jabs in first TV debate", 20 October 2003, A1.
  12. ^ Jeff Gray, "Mayoral candidate faces charges of fraud", Toronto Star, 21 November 2003, A9; Bill Dunphy, "Mayoral candidate flees with cash for handicapped", Hamilton Spectator, 22 November 2003, A10; Bill Dunphy, "Tying up a few loose ends on the news front", Hamilton Spectator, 3 December 2003, A14.
  13. ^ Bryan Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  14. ^ "Who's got what it takes?", Toronto Star, 6 November 2003, G3.
  15. ^ Bryan Borzykowski and James Cowan, "The Class of 44", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO1.
  16. ^ Bryan Borzykowski and James Cowan, "Class of 44", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO01; Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11; "Who's got what it takes?", Toronto Star, 6 November 2003, G03.
  17. ^ Jack Lakey, "Park's fountain has lost its flow", Toronto Star, 6 July 2006, R01.
  18. ^ Joe Fiorito, "Crouch or lie prostrate for straps", Toronto Star, 4 November 2003, B4.
  19. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  20. ^ Joe Fiorito, "Running for mayor, one pita at a time", Toronto Star, 21 March 2003, B2.
  21. ^ Joe Fiorito, "A tuna pita to go, with extra ideas", Toronto Star, 17 September 2003, B2.
  22. ^ Katherine Harding, "In front, on fringe, 45 vying to become mayor", Globe and Mail, 27 September 2003, A20.
  23. ^ Bryan Borzykowski and James Cowan, "The class of 44", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO1.
  24. ^ Bryan Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  25. ^ "Who's got what it takes?", Toronto Star, 6 November 2003, G3.
  26. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  27. ^ Thomas Claridge, "Judge clears way for employees suit against Hydro", Globe and Mail, 7 December 1982, P5.
  28. ^ Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, "The mayoral candidate without a phone", Globe and Mail, 25 October 2003, M4; Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11; sexy alexy, Official Campaign Website, accessed 20 November 2006.
  29. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  30. ^ "Barbara Hall receives ethnic endorsement", Barbara Hall campaign site, accessed 21 November 2003.
  31. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They will be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  32. ^ Katherine Harding, "In front, on fringe, 45 vying to become mayor", Globe and Mail, 27 September 2003, A20; Catherine Porter, "It's more fun on the fringe, candidates prove", Toronto Star, 23 October 2003, B3.
  33. ^ James Cowan, "Would-be mayors rock the vote", National Post, 7 April 2003, AL2; James Cowan, "Mayoralty candidates sign off", National Post, 9 August 2003, TO3; Garnet Fraser, "A bid for mayor", Toronto Star, 4 November 2003, C4.
  34. ^ Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Council of the City of Toronto, 26 March 2003, accessed 22 November 2003.
  35. ^ "Who's got what it takes?", Toronto Star, G3.
  36. ^ Patricia O'Beirne, "Machinists at Fleet end long strike in Ontario", The Militant, 30 June 2003, accessed 23 November 2006; Patricia O'Beirne, "Students in Canada Set a Day of Protest", The Militant, 12 February 1996, accessed 23 November 2006.
  37. ^ Gay Abbate, "Residents fear road scheme could destroy neighborhood", Globe and Mail, 27 December 1984, M3; Gay Abbate, "3 Scarborough mayoral challengers say they are second", Globe and Mail, 6 November 1985, A15.
  38. ^ Damien Cox, "'Inventor' running for mayor", Toronto Star, 19 May 1987, E3; Alan Ferguson, "Maverick chases causeway dream", Toronto Star, 10 November 1994, SD6; Darren Yourk, "What $100 gets you these days", National Post, 4 November 2000, E4; Kevin McGran, "Gridlock: If there's a will, there's a way", Toronto Star, 6 September 2003, H1.
  39. ^ Stan Josey, "Freeze development in Rouge, Scarborough candidate says", Toronto Star, 20 October 1988, A7; Pat Brennan, "Home builders poll candidates on development", Toronto Star, 9 November 1991, E1.
  40. ^ Stephen Wickens, "Come back, Enza, all is forgiven", Globe and Mail, 19 August 2006, M3.
  41. ^ 166-2-31161 (2003 PSSRB 9) B. Mbaegbu v. Treasury Board (Solicitor General Canada – Correctional Service), Public Service Labour Relations Board, accessed 25 November 2003.
  42. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  43. ^ Catherine Porter, "It's more fun on the fringe, candidates prove", Toronto Star, 23 October 2003, B3.
  44. ^ "Who's got what it takes?", Toronto Star, 6 November 2003, G3.
  45. ^ Bryan Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  46. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11; Catherine Porter, "It's more fun on the fringe, candidates prove", Toronto Star, 23 October 2003, B3.
  47. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", National Post, 4 October 2003, TO11.
  48. ^ "Who's got what it takes?", Toronto Star, 6 November 2003, G3.
  49. ^ Brian Borzykowski and James Cowan, "They would be king", 4 October 2003, TO11.
  50. ^ [Aparita Bhandari], ["Wooing votes on the Web"], Toronto Star, 3 November 2003, D3.
  51. ^ Bruce DeMara, "Election primer: Wards and issues", Toronto Star, 8 November 2003, B1.
  52. ^ Rocco Piccininno: Sutton Group-Tower Realty Inc., Brokerage, accessed 28 September 2006.
  53. ^ David Grossman, "Central Tech, Richview advance to Metro Bowl", Toronto Star, 22 November 1991, C4.
  54. ^ Bruce DeMara, "Election primer", Toronto Star. See also "Is Ward 24's Shiner courting career change?", Toronto Star, 29 September 2003, B3.
  55. ^ Multicultural web site: 2003 Toronto election, web cache accessed 20 October 2006.