The Globe and Mail - Campaign Bubble

Campaign Bubble pops, stage gets set for 2010

mweisblott — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:59 EST

From this vantage point, the breakthrough in the 2006 municipal election involved the first signs of genuine civic engagement among those born after Toronto finished being ruled by the Orange Order -- that’d be 1972, give or take, when a retired William Dennison was replaced at the helm of New - Follow link to read full post

City Idol claims big victory amidst idle coverage

mweisblott — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 21:50 EST

The cast and crew of the City Idol competition watched the Toronto municipal election results come in at Paupers Pub in the Annex, even if the television coverage hardly had the suspense of a World Cup match. Citytv proclaimed David Miller’s re-election as soon as they signed on-air, and went to - Follow link to read full post

Voting day: Not quite 88 lines about 44 wards

mweisblott — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 08:59 EST

Prior to getting this freelance assignment from globeandmail.com -- the latest stop on a seven-year tour of duty through the catacombs of online journalism -- I’d been to exactly one City of Toronto mayoral debate, back in 1994. The event was held in a half-full OISE Auditorium on Bloor St. W. - Follow link to read full post

Some fresh smears right before the finish line

mweisblott — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 12:26 EST

Given how construction of the St. Clair Ave. W. dedicated streetcar right-of-way turned into a debate dominated by John Sewell’s braying against the re-election of Joe Mihevc, the third contender in that race has been forced to work a new angle. John Adams, a councilor through the 1990s looking - Follow link to read full post

The election as viewed by a Warholian warrior

mweisblott — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 08:59 EST

Himy Syed opened a campaign office in the storefront of the Metro Theatre (677 Bloor St. W.) because he figured it was the perfect place to advocate for the reunification of north and south Koreatown -- two sides of the street that fall into two different electoral wards. Syed has claimed residence in - Follow link to read full post

Jane Pitfield tries to win the bingo door prize

mweisblott — Thu, 9 Nov 2006 09:03 EST

"I am not running to help David Miller become a better mayor. I am running to replace him," Jane Pitfield reminds herself and everyone else at the Wednesday night showdown of main mayoral candidates -- the 10th and final such encounter covered in person for this here weblog. But much like The Political - Follow link to read full post

Second chance gets challenged by first impression

mweisblott — Wed, 8 Nov 2006 08:55 EST

Simon Wookey is running a campaign in Davenport that asks a question not being raised in any other downtown Toronto riding: Can city hall be successfully fought by throwing out the young guy with one term under his belt? Adam Giambrone must be the only incumbent in town taking his seat at an all-candidates - Follow link to read full post

Miller gets embraced at aging hipster softball game

mweisblott — Tue, 7 Nov 2006 12:34 EST

The Political Party was the name of the hybrid event, a fairly blantant effort to re-enact the success of Trampoline Hall vs. David Miller back in 2003, where an overflow crowd at the Gladstone Hotel basically anointed him the sort of mayor worthy of West Queen West. (See starry-eyed account of the event - Follow link to read full post

The following takes place between two midnights

mweisblott — Mon, 6 Nov 2006 12:33 EST

Garry Green kicked off 24 hours of consecutive campaigning late Friday night with a streak of conversations with drunken revelers, fatigued shift workers and York University bookworms -- with his fuel provided by the Tim Hortons at Jane and Finch. But, as the candidate nears the end of his marathon, - Follow link to read full post

A pair of platform heels, and warding off the tedium

mweisblott — Thu, 2 Nov 2006 11:59 EST

Mayor David Miller began November with a 6 p.m. platform release party for supporters at St. Lawrence Hall, which was preceded by an announcement on a different platform, on the second floor of the St. Lawrence Market a block away. Was it the Canadian launch of the Dr. Laura talking doll? Close enough - Follow link to read full post