Ward 19 campaign dispatch #1: the race is officially on

Help us grow our grassroots campaign here in Beaches-East York.

It felt good to pass the federal baton to my friend Tanveer on August 31. He’s going to be a great Liberal MP for our federal team.

Now, we’re building a strong municipal campaign here in Beaches-East York.

I’m aiming to write a weekly dispatch from the campaign trail. It’ll include updates, commentary, and answers to your questions.

How to get involved

As this is dispatch #1, let’s start with a rundown of how to get involved, including our office opening info, how to volunteer, and how to donate.

a) Office opening

Our official campaign office (1188 Woodbine) opening will take place on September 19 at 12 pm.

b) Volunteering & community outreach

Sign up here to volunteer.

We’ve started to knock on doors, and there are lots of other ways to help, too.

We’re also looking for more permanent team members. Reach out by email at contact@votenate.ca, text me at 416 884 4453, or add your name online here.

c) Raising funds

We’re raising funds for the campaign office, signs, literature, and more.

You can donate here or via e-transfer to contact@votenate.ca to avoid processing fees.

Only Ontario residents can donate, the maximum donation is $1,200 for a council candidate ($5,000 max across candidates), and there are generous rebates.

d) Ideas

We’re campaigning to win an election, but also for feedback and ideas.

From speed bumps, to 54 Division, to faster streetcars, to Beaches Lacrosse, to the Stan Wadlow Clubhouse, to greener homes, to ending homelessness, we’re compiling a to-do list to hit the ground running with as we knock on doors.

Add your own ideas here, and you’ll see a rundown of ideas in our next dispatch.

On the campaign trail in our community

Shana Tova to Jewish communities celebrating Rosh Hashanah across our community and city.

As there’s always a lot going on in campaigns and across our community, here are some highlights from the last week:

• Marched in the Labour Day Parade, caught up with my friends at Millwrights Local 2309, and thankful for the endorsements from CUPE Local 79 and the Labour Council.

• Met with leadership at the Toronto Police Association earlier this week to talk about public safety. We discussed safety on the TTC, action to address auto theft, Project Resolute to address antisemitic violence and threats, and Mayor Chow’s multi-year hiring strategy.

• Joined Mayor Chow for her campaign launch at the Danforth Music Hall, with a big crowd and wide range of guests, including Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy. As I’ve said in interviews, I support Chow’s re-election because she gets things done. And if she stays positive and communicates both what she’s accomplished and how she’ll build on that progress, it’s going to be a hard team to beat.

Putting politics aside to get things done

I’ll add a few more words here, because some have asked what a Liberal might be doing on Chow’s team (and no, I’m not the only one). The thing is, I think most people want us to put politics aside to get things done. It’s how I approached Ottawa, and it’s what I’ll bring to City Hall.

As I explained when I put my municipal papers in, I worked with Mayor Chow in my short but productive time as the Housing Minister. We got a lot done together.

Beyond affordable housing, Chow has also capped TTC fares, improved public safety (911 wait times down 89%), expanded access to libraries and school food, and more.

In our east end, Chow’s team helped bring back Taste of the Danforth, got lights for opening day at Topham Park, hit a slum landlord with significant fines, and more.

Some point to tax increases (after initial increases to put budgets back on track, she’s promised to tie tax increases to inflation). Others point to public safety (crime is down, 911 times are way better, and the police support her multi-year hiring plan).

Politics is about choices, of course, not perfection. And that choice is clear to me.

Role as your councillor

Of course, I will work constructively with all colleagues elected across the city if it means delivering results.

Knocking doors the other day, I was asked for an example of what it means to work across party lines. I pointed to the way we worked at the industry committee to hold grocery CEOs accountable and criminalize wage fixing. But I could have pointed to shared work on bereavement benefits, protecting kids online, disability supports, and more.

We can get a lot done when we remember that we agree on more than we disagree.

It’s early days yet, but this campaign has already been an interesting experience in bringing people together across party lines at the local level. And we’re going to keep building a strong local team with that approach in mind.

The goal is to be hyper-responsive and effective in solving your local issues, and to work together to deliver a city we can all afford, ensure the public services we rely on every day are excellent, and build our city for the future.

I hope you’ll join us.