It was good for a bit of a belly laugh the other day watching the television news. It was about one of the upcoming provincial by-elections in Toronto. Lo and behold but there was former Toronto Councillor Adam Giambrone rising Lazarus-like from the political graveyard. He took the New Democrat nomination in Scarborough-Guildwood. While few might be impressed with him as a provincial candidate, you do have to admit, he, at least, knows how to lose.
While people who know the electoral district well think of the area as being a bit sexually repressed, it does not mean that the voters will hold his past against him. Frankly, most will not care. They are not going to vote NDP anyway.
Giambrone comes to Scarborough-Guildwood far behind his two main opponents for the Conservatives and the Liberals. The demographics of this part of Toronto are quite different from his old municipal ward in the Davenport area in the west end of Toronto. His Italian name will be of little help in the community. And his views on the transportation needs of that corner of the city will win him few converts.
His Conservative opponent, Ken Kirupa came to Canada from Sri Lanka and knows the area well as a real estate sales agent. Kirupa’s only major problem is Conservative Leader Tiny Tim Hudak. If Hudak stays away from the electoral district and out of the news for the next four weeks, Kirupa could make a good showing. He is not going to win.
It is the Liberal choice, Mitzie Hunter who has a clear edge at this time. Having canvassed in that area for various political candidates over the years, it can be reported that the voters are friendly, warm-hearted and communicative with Liberal canvassers. Jamaica-born Mitzie knows Scarborough and is well educated. She knows the people.
Mitzie has a further advantage in this by-election that she can draw on all of Scarborough area for Liberal workers and that has always been a very strong and well organized area for the Liberal Party. How Premier Kathleen Wynne goes over with the voters in Scarborough-Guildwood would probably not be a factor. In the same way, the gas power-plant cancellations in Mississauga and Oakville are neither understood nor of interest. Life will go on in this corner of our world.
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Copyright 2013 © Peter Lowry
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