It has been confirmed that MPP Mitzie Hunter is getting ready to officially enter the race for the Toronto mayoralty. In a constantly growing field of candidates, Mitzie is going all in. She will enter the official list late as she has to resign as member of the provincial parliament for Scarborough-Guildwood first.
The good news for Mitzie is that the conservative organizations in Toronto have failed to contain the right wing. They were hoping to be able to focus on one particular candidate on the right. That hope is past, judging by the field of right-wing candidates that have already announced.
There is likely to be over two dozen candidates on the June 26 ballot. It is described by some of the experienced election pundits as a free-for-all. Someone can win with just 25 per cent of the vote. And if less than 50 per cent of Toronto voters go to the polls on June 26, that makes this a crap shoot.
With Mitzie in the race, Queen’s Park’s loss can be Toronto’s gain. She has a BA from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management. She has a solid background in Toronto’s needs from serving as head of CIVIC Action and as administrative head of Toronto Community Housing.
There is no doubt that Mitzie can address the current issues facing Toronto and she can make a major impact on Toronto’s future. It is also to Toronto’s advantage to have someone who knows the language and buttons to press at Queen’s Park to correct some of the imbalance in funding for the city. She can also count on a good reception with the current government in Ottawa for some of Toronto’s special needs.
I believe Mitzie has a good grasp of the importance of Toronto to the rest of the province and to Canada. The city has always been absorbing more that its mathematical share of the newcomers to Canada, and it has used their skills and industry well.
Mitzie will be sure to win if progressives from across Toronto get behind her. Don’t wait for her to call you. As soon as her Mitzie Hunter campaign headquarters are announced, call and get out there in your ward to help her.
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Copyright 2023 © Peter Lowry
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