The ward boundaries for the 2010 election. The Mayor and French school board trustees are elected across the city, councillors in their respective wards, and English public and Catholic trustees on a ward or dual-ward basis.
There were a number of open seats as two sitting councillors, Rob Ford and Joe Pantalone, ran for mayor, while incumbents Case Ootes, Kyle Rae, Adam Giambrone, Michael Walker, Mike Feldman, Brian Ashton, and Howard Moscoe did not seek re-election. This was the first election to take place in Toronto since the enactment of a new fund raising by-law whereby unions and corporations could not donate to candidates. The nomination period for the 2010 municipal election opened on Monday, January 4, 2010 and closed on Friday, September 10, 2010.
In the 2010 election, a record number of women was elected to council, with 15 female councillors comprising exactly one third of all council members.[1]
With this election, voting day moved to the fourth Monday of October from the second Monday of November which had been election day since 1978.
The mayor's seat was open for the first time since the 2003 Toronto election, due to the announcement by incumbent mayor David Miller that he would not seek a third term in office. At the end of the campaign there were three major candidates who were included by the media in public opinion polls and mayoral debates: winner Rob Ford, Joe Pantalone, and George Smitherman.[2][3] Four other candidates, Rocco Rossi, Sarah Thomson, Adam Giambrone and Giorgio Mammoliti, were considered major candidates when they launched their campaigns but later dropped out of the campaign.
Continuing a tradition established by City Idol in 2006, grassroots activist groups established a number of initiatives to encourage greater interest and participation in municipal politics.
One notable initiative in 2010 was Better Ballots, an advocacy group which sponsored a debate concerning municipal voting reform on June 1. Preparations for that debate included an online ballot to name two of the "minor" mayoral candidates to the debate panel, in addition to the six "major" ones. The winners of the online vote were Rocco Achampong and Keith Cole.[4] When Giorgio Mammoliti withdrew from the mayoral race on July 5, he singled out Achampong as a candidate who "needs to be heard", and asked the media to give Achampong his former space in the debates.[5]
Another initiative was So You Think You Can Council, an event hosted by comedian Maggie Cassella which featured Ward 27's council candidates answering questions about Toronto's municipal government in a game show format.[6]
The campaign was also noted for the creation of two mock campaigns which posted satirical comments on the election through social networking platforms. Murray4Mayor was spearheaded by National Post cartoonist Steve Murray,[7] while The Rebel Mayor, which was eventually revealed as the creation of journalist Shawn Micallef, was written in the persona of 19th century Toronto mayor William Lyon Mackenzie.[8]
Ward 9 York Centre and TDSB Ward 4 election irregularitiesedit
On March 29, 2011, a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice invalidated the election results for Ward 9 and TDSB Ward 4 because of "several “irregularities” in the voters list". The civil lawsuit was brought forward by Gus Cusimano. He lost by 89 votes and was the runner-up. There were missing signatures of electoral officers on 426 of 1,143 forms that allowed election-day changes to the voter list.[9][10]
Initially the city's legal staff said they would be appealing the decision but on May 13 it was announced that the city would not launch an appeal. City Clerk, Uli Watkiss said in a statement, "The decision to proceed with a by-election and resolve this matter as quickly as possible is in the best interest of the public, the individuals directly affected, and the workings of Council."[11] The mayor's office supported the decision. Rob Ford's press secretary Adrienne Batra said, "Obviously the mayor supported (Cusimano) during the general election and once the by-election gets under way he will be fully supporting him again."[12]
On May 16, Maria Augimeri announced that she would be appealing the decision herself. She said the by-election would cost $525,000.[nb 1] She said, "The clerk’s advice not to appeal does harm to taxpayers as well as to the integrity of our electoral system."[13] On August 4, the city reversed its decision and decided to join the appeal which will be held in September 2011.[14] On December 19, the court ruled in Augimeri's favour. A three judge panel ruled that although 300 ballots were unsigned by electoral officers the people voting were very likely eligible to vote and that this would have no effect on the election. In a related judgement, they also ruled that Cusimano incorrectly voted in the Ward 9 election because he lived in another riding. They decided that no further action was necessary.[15]
Suzan Hall (incumbent) (registered January 4) Hall was running for re-election and had been on city council since 2000. Prior to that she was a school trustee.[17]
The seat was open because incumbent Rob Ford ran for mayor.
Cadigia Ali (registered June 4) Ali was the runner-up in this ward in the last election. She is a health professional (Rexdale Community Health Centre) and activist (Etobicoke Conflict Mediation Team).[18]
Doug Fordelected[16](registered August 9) Doug Ford, 45, is Rob Ford's brother and campaign manager. He is president of Deco Labels, a family owned business founded by his father.[19]
Rajinder Lall (registered July 27); Etobicoke real estate broker
Jason Pedlar (registered June 18); mediator with the Financial Services Commission of Ontario
Luciano Rizzuti (registered September 10)
Andrew Saikaley (registered April 13); transportation consultant
Roger Deschenes (registered April 26) Roger Deschenes, a candidate for Ward 3 in the 2010 Toronto elections, has lived his entire life in the city of Toronto. Deschenes was raised in downtown Toronto and has lived in Ward 3 for the past 22 years. Previously self-employed in the food industry, Deschenes also has years of experience in construction.
Doug Holydayelected[16] (incumbent) (registered June 30) Holyday has been councillor since 1998. He was Etobicoke City Councillor (1986–1994) and mayor (1994–1997), and Metro Toronto councillor (1994–1997).
Gloria Lindsay Lubyelected[16] (incumbent) (registered March 8) Luby was a school trustee before being elected to Etobicoke city council. She was elected to Toronto City Council in 1997 when the Etobicoke was amalgamated into the new city of Toronto.
Morley Kells (registered September 8) Kells was an Etobicoke councillor and Controller in the 1970s and then served as Progressive Conservative MPP from 1981 to 1985 and again from 1995 to 2003. He was Minister of the Environment in Frank Miller's short-lived government.
Peter Milczynelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 14) First elected in 1994 to Etobicoke City Council. Defeated in 1997 in the first post-amalgamation election. Elected to Toronto City Council in 2000.
Wendell Brereton (registered August 4) A pastor who describes himself as a fundamentalist Christian, Brereton was a candidate for mayor but withdrew in July to endorse Rob Ford. Brereton, a former officer with the Ontario Provincial Police, is a social conservative who opposes same-sex marriage. He supports government stimulus spending to combat the recession.[20]
Jem Cain (registered January 4) Cain was also a candidate in the 2006 municipal election.
Mark Grimeselected[16] (incumbent) (registered August 11) A former trader on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Grimes was first elected to Toronto City Council in 2003.
Michael Laxer (registered July 2) Laxer is a local used book store owner and community activist and a former candidate for the New Democratic Party at both the federal and provincial level.
David Searle (registered August 31) Searle, who describes himself as a Red Tory, and also ran for council in the 2003 municipal election and opposes the entwining of church and state. He is a supporter of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party and is a moderate on social issues.
Giorgio Mammolitielected[16] (incumbent) (registered July 9) Mammoliti is a former MPP and has represented York West on city council for 15 years. He was a candidate for mayor of Toronto this year but withdrew and sought re-election as a councillor. Formerly an NDPer, he is now considered to be right of centre.[21]
Naseeb Husain (registered March 26) Naseeb Husain a resident of ward 8 since 1989 became a candidate due to the lack of active local engagement with the city to better his neighborhood.
Peter Li Preti (registered May 3) Li Preti was the city councillor for this ward for 21 years until his defeat in the last election by Perruzza, whom he sought to unseat.[18] He has a doctorate in clinical psychology.[22]
Gerardo Miniguano (registered February 4)
Anthony Perruzzaelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 14) Peruzza was a North York city councillor in the 1980s and an NDP MPP in the 1990s. Elected to Toronto City Council in 2006 defeating incumbent Peter Li Preti by 579 votes,[18] he serves on the Toronto Transit Commission and Toronto Community Housing board.[23]
Arthur Smitherman (registered September 2) Arthur Smitherman, 54, is a truck driver and the estranged elder brother of mayoral candidate George Smitherman and supported Rob Ford's candidacy for mayor.[24]
Maria Augimerielected[16] (incumbent) (registered March 11) First elected to North York City Council in 1985 and then to the new Toronto City Council in 1997. A social anthropologist by training.
Incumbent Mike Feldman did not run for re-election.
Drago Banovic (registered September 9)
Joseph Cohen (registered August 23)
Robert Freedland (registered September 9)
Jarred Friedman (registered July 29)
Magda Gondor Berkovits (registered January 4) Gondor Berkovits managed the constituency office of a federal Member of Parliament before becoming a businessperson. A former president of the Ontario Women's Liberal Commission, she was a candidate for Ward Ten in the 2006 election.[25][26]
Nancy Oomen (registered August 4) Oomen was retiring councillor Michael Feldman's executive assistant[18] and is an advocate of ward beautification projects.[27]
James Pasternakelected[16] (registered January 15) Pasternak was the school trustee for the ward prior to this election.[18]
Frances Nunziataelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 7) Nunziata, the last mayor of the old, pre-amalgamation City of York, has been a member of Toronto city council since 1997.
Frank Di Giorgioelected[16] (incumbent) (registered March 22) Di Giorgio was a North York city councillor from 1985 to 1997 when he was elected to Toronto city council in the first post-amalgamation election.
Nick Dominelli (registered March 2)
Vilma Filici (registered June 11) Filici was president of the Canadian Hispanic Congress for seven years.[28]
Nick Pavlov (registered September 9) A local real estate agent.
Bill Saundercook (incumbent) (registered January 4) A former City of York alderman, and deputy mayor of York, Saundercook was an unsuccessful candidate for the provincial Liberal nomination in 1996. In 1997, he was elected to Toronto city council but was defeated in 2000 by future mayor David Miller who he had to run against due to redistricting. He returned to city council in 2003 after Miller vacated the seat to run for mayor. He was defeated by Sarah Doucette in 2010.
Jackelyn Van Altenberg (registered March 30)
Redmond Weissenberger (registered April 16) Director at Ludwig von Mises Institute of Canada, a libertarian think tank.
Michael Erickson (registered July 2) Erickson is a high school teacher and Parkdale resident who campaigned on a platform of supporting children and youth, strengthening public transit and support for the arts, increasing transparency and accountability at City Hall, and stimulating small and home business. He was Co-chair of the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line from 2006 to 2010, and was a committee member of the Metro Network for Social Justice.
Ryan Hobson (registered May 19) A single father who campaigned on better Transit for Torontonians, empowering tenants, and affordable housing. He made the eradication of bed bugs a key aspect of his platform. Hobson's commitment to the arts received the highest mark from ArtsVote Toronto of all the challenging candidates. Hobson was involved in federal politics and advocated for greater collaboration among all levels of government.
Barry Hubick (registered August 25) Operates a www cafe on Queen St. W.
Jules-José Kerlinger (registered February 22) First time candidate, ran in a model parliament for youth.
Gus Koutoumanos (registered August 30) An owner of Shox The Local Option on Dundas St. W. Was opposed to the longtime temperance movement that kept The Junction dry until the late 1990s.
Gord Perkselected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 4) Perks was first elected in 2006. Prior to his election he was a senior campaigner with the Toronto Environmental Alliance, Greenpeace Canada and the Better Transportation Coalition.
Cullen Simpson (registered August 18) Also from Parkdale, nearby Mimico is also fed up with the increasing gun violence faced by the community.
Jimmy Talpa (registered February 11) Longtime Parkdale labour activist.
István Tar (registered March 26) Hungarian born Poet Dissident.
Bill Vrebosch (registered January 21) Bill Vrebosch is part of a political family, the son of long-serving Northern Ontario mayor Bill Vrebosch. He promises to better "represent the people to city hall rather than representing city hall to the people".
Josh Colleelected[16] (registered June 15) Colle is the son of provincial cabinet minister Michael Colle and has been endorsed by Howard Moscoe, the ward's retiring councillor,[29] and by former mayor Mel Lastman.[30] Colle is a former Catholic School Board trustee and is an executive at an energy and infrastructure firm. He is involved with the Five Points Community Action committee.[22]
Rob Davis (registered January 4) Rob Davis is a Separate School Board trustee and was a member of the City of York city council from 1991 to 1997 and Toronto city council from 1997 to 2000 when he was defeated by Joe Mihevc. He was a Progressive Conservative candidate in the 1995 provincial election and attempted to return to city council in 2003 but was defeated in Ward 33 by Shelley Carroll, He ran in this election on a law and order platform.[23]
Tony Evangelista (registered September 3)
Giuseppe Pede (registered August 20)
William Reitsma (registered July 21)
Ron Singer (registered February 11) Singer is opposed to the proposed Lawrence Heights redevelopment plan[31] Mayoral candidate Rob Ford endorsed Singer.[30] This was Singer's third attempt to win the seat, in 2006 he won 25% of the vote, placing second to Howard Moscoe.
Michael Coll (registered July 2) Coll is an executive board member for Durham Region Labour Council. In 2007 he ran from Sudbury to Toronto in an event called mikesrunforsickkids.com to raise money for the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. He was endorsed by the 189,000 members of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council.
Roy MacDonald (registered April 22)
Terry Mills (registered March 11) Mills is an urban planner and the past-president of the Confederation of Resident & Ratepayer Associations and is active with the Federation of North Toronto Residents' Associations. He was endorsed by Councillor Michael Walker.
Karen Stintzelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 14) Stintz was first elected to city council in 2003 when she unseated Anne Johnston. A Progressive Conservative, she has been an opponent of Mayor Miller and is a leader of the right-leaning Responsible Government Group on council.
Cesar Palacioelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 4) Palacio has been a city councillor since 2003.
Kar Rasaiah (registered September 9)
Jonah Schein (registered July 23) Schein is a longtime community worker in Davenport, working at the Stop Community Food Centre at 1881 Davenport. Schein founded the Civic Engagement Program there, and ran the widely lauded "Do the Math" campaign to raise social assistance rates in Ontario. Shein was endorsed by city councillors Shelley Carroll, Gord Perks and Adam Vaughan,[32]Alejandra Bravo, who came within 300 votes of unseating Palacio in 2006,[32] and environmentalist Wayne Roberts.[32] He was subsequently elected as Davenport's new provincial MPP in the 2011 provincial election.
Ben Stirpe (registered September 10) Stirpe is a University of Toronto alumnus who studied Political Science and History. While at UofT, he was a member of the debating team, and was a Vice President in Student Government, where among other accomplishments, he successfully lobbied the TTC to lower student fares. Stirpe hasworked for a City of Toronto agency and was employed for over 10 years at a downtown hospital where he experienced union negotiations, realized efficiencies, and won numerous customer service awards. Stirpe endorsed Rob Ford for Mayor. www.voteBenSTIRPEward17.ca
Incumbent Adam Giambrone dropped out of the mayor's race on February 10 and subsequently announced he would not run for re-election in Ward 18.[33]
Ana Bailãoelected[16] (registered January 27) Bailão was the runner-up to Giambrone in the 2003 election and was executive assistant to former councillor Mario Silva. She became president of the Working Women Community Centre in 2007.[22]
Kevin Beaulieu (registered April 28) Beaulieu is a longtime Ward 18 resident, community activist and former executive assistant to councillor and TTC chair Adam Giambrone. Beaulieu was the only candidate for council to have been endorsed by Mayor David Miller. Beaulieu received wide-ranging endorsements, from residents groups, student leaders, city councillors and incumbent school trustee Maria Rodriguez. Following the election he went on to work as executive assistant to councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, before becoming executive director of Toronto's Pride Week in 2011.[34]
Sean McCormick (registered May 6) McCormick hosts Sportsnet Connected on Rogers Sportsnet and campaigned against waste at city hall.[18] He was endorsed by John Tory, Case Ootes (Councillor Ward 29), Mike Feldman (Councillor Ward 10), Paul Christie (former TTC Commissioner, Toronto District School Board Supervisor) and Fred Dominelli (Councillor Ward 17).[36] He has been quoted as saying "Smarter spending of Torontonians tax dollars needs to be the number one priority for the next city council. A better Toronto starts with a better return for the tax payer."
Karlene Nation (registered September 10) Nation is a reporter with CTV News and ran as a "right of centre" candidate.[37]
Adam Vaughanelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 25) Vaughan was a political journalist for 20 years for CBC and then Citytv before being elected to city council in 2006. A member of council's progressive wing, he sits on Planning and Growth Management Committee, Affordable Housing Action Committee, The Toronto Arts Council, The Police Services Board and other committees and is also the Vice Chair of The Toronto and East York Community Council. He is the son of the late Colin Vaughan, former Citytv reporter, architect, Toronto City and Metro Councillor.
Joe Mihevcelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 4) Mihevc has sat on Toronto city council since the 1997 amalgamation election and had previously sat on the old city of York's council. An NDPer, he is vice-chair of the Toronto Transit Commission.
John Filionelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 6) Filion was chair of the North York Board of Education from 1987 to 1990 when he was elected to North York city council. He joined Toronto city council in 1997 as a result of amalgamation. He is chair of the city's Board of Health.
David Shinerelected[16] (incumbent) (registered September 7) He was first elected to North York city council in 1991 and has served on Toronto council since 1997. He was a close ally of former mayor Mel Lastman and served as the city's budget chief until Lastman left office in 2003. Son of the late Esther Shiner, former North York alderman, member of the North York Board of Control.
Cliff Jenkins (incumbent) (registered February 1) The former president of the York Mills Ratepayers Association had been on city council since 2003 and is a member of the conservative Responsible Government Group.
Jon Burnside (registered January 22) Burnside is a former police officer, involved with house league hockey in the ward and is the ex-husband of comedian Carla Collins. He was endorsed by former Ontario PC leader, John Tory.[18]
Mohamed Dhanani (registered February 26) Dhanani was the runner-up in the 2006 election.[41]
Nawab Salim Khan (registered July 29)
Shaukat Malik (registered June 14)
Yunus Pandor (registered July 12)
John Parkerelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 4) Parker was the area's Progressive Conservative MPP at Queen's Park from 1995 to 1999. He was first elected to Toronto city council in 2006 with approximately 20% of the vote.
Veteran councillor Kyle Rae, who held a seat on council since 1991, announced that he would not be running for re-election.[42]
Enza Anderson (registered January 20) Anderson, a well-known local transgender personality, was a candidate for Mayor of Toronto in the 2000 election, and a candidate for Ward 27 councillor in the 2003 election finishing second to Rae.[43]
Ben Bergen (registered September 10) Bergen is completing a degree in political science and economics at the University of Toronto. His platform included proposals for a congestion tax to fund transit expansion and bike paths to reduce pollution and traffic.[44] Bergen also supported building more public spaces in Ward 27, such as a summertime boardwalk on Church Street.[44]
Joel Dick (registered February 3) Dick is a lawyer and community activist. He was a candidate for Ward 14 (Toronto Centre) Toronto District School Board Trustee in the 2006 election and is active with the New Democratic Party. He is endorsed by federal NDP candidate for Toronto Centre Susan Wallace, former provincial NDP candidate for Toronto Centre Helen Breslauer, CUPE 4400 and the Central Ontario Building Trades union.
Susan Gapka (registered January 21) Gapka serves on the executive of the Ontario New Democratic Party as an LGBT representative and is a local Trans advocate and past candidate for council.[47]
Matthew Over (registered September 9)
Jonas Jemstone (registered September 9)
Robert Meynell (registered April 6) Meynell is the author of Canadian Idealism and the Philosophy of Freedom. McGill-Queen's University Press, 2011. He is a government relations associate at March of Dimes Canada and a lecturer in politics at Trent University and a successful real estate investor. He was endorsed by Hal Jackman, Ila Bossons, Norman Atkins and Michael Chong. He campaigned on fiscal accountability, improving and expanding the TTC, and protecting parks.
Kristyn Wong-Tamelected[16] (registered March 1) Wong-Tam is a real estate agent and community activist[49] who was also the registered owner of the website of the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid.[50] Wong-Tam has received the endorsement of the powerful Toronto and York Labour Council which includes CUPE[51] She was supported by neighbouring councillor Adam Vaughan, former NDP candidate Cathy Crowe and Michele Landsberg.[23] She was an advisor to Mayor David Miller on economic development.[22]
Simon Wookey (registered January 11) Wookey was a candidate for Ward 18 councillor in the 2006 election and is a Liberal Party campaigner[52] who was endorsed by former provincial treasurer Greg Sorbara.[23]
Howard Bortenstein (registered January 20) Borenstein is a management consultant and former banker and was the runner-up in 2006.
Eric Brazau (registered February 16)
Dennis Hollingsworth (registered September 1)
Pam McConnellelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 7) A teacher by profession, McConnell was a school trustee for fourteen years, the last two as school board chair, before being elected to city council for the first time in 1994. She is currently vice-chair of the Toronto Police Services Board and served as chair from 2004 to 2005.
Jane Pitfield (registered January 6) Pitfield is a former city councillor for Ward 26 (Don Valley West) and ran for mayor in 2006 as a right of centre candidate, losing to David Miller. She is associated with the provincial Progressive Conservatives and was endorsed by retiring city councillor Case Ootes.[23]
Paula Fletcherelected[16] (incumbent) - former leader of the Manitoba Communist Party; won election to third term;[54] chair of Parks and Environment Committee (2006-2010), piloting the city's climate change strategy[55]
Andrew James (registered February 23)
Angie Tingas (registered August 13)
Luciano Rizzuti (registered September 10)
Mihaly Varga (registered August 19)
Liz West (registered August 17) West was entertainment specialist on Citytv's CityNews at 6 until December 2008 when City's new owners eliminated the station's entertainment department and laid West and other staff off. She has worked as a freelance broadcaster since then for CP24, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and CosmopolitanTV.[56]
Bruce Baker (registered January 4) Baker is a former Toronto Transit Commission bus driver who campaigned on the issue of the city's decision to award a 20-year contract to Tuggs Incorporated to run the Beaches' Boardwalk Pub.[22]
Martin Gladstone (registered August 12) Gladstone, a lawyer, is best known for having unsuccessfully campaigned to have the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid banned from Toronto's Gay Pride Parade.[57] He is also campaigning against the Tuggs contract.[58] Gladstone dropped out of the race and threw his support behind fellow candidate Mary-Margaret McMahon[59]
Mary-Margaret McMahonelected[16] (registered May 13) McMahon received former Ontario PC Party Leader John Tory's endorsement on Saturday, October 16.[59]
Kieron Pope (registered May 12)
Neil Sinclair (registered August 30)Retired lawyer and businessman who also dropped out of the race and threw his support behind Mary-Margaret McMahon
Shelley Carrollelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 12) Carroll was first elected to city council in 2003 and serves as the city's budget chief.
Denzil Minnan-Wongelected[16] (incumbent) (registered March 19) Minnan-Wong was first elected to North York city council in 1994 and joined Toronto city council in 1997. He is a conservative and a member of the Responsible Government Group on council.
Michelle Berardinettielected[16] (registered January 18) Beradinetti, a political consultant,[23] narrowly lost the 2006 election to Heaps and subsequently sued him for defamation. She is married to Liberal MPP Lorenzo Berardinetti.[60]
Jay Burnett (registered January 18)
Victoria Doyle (registered August 5)
Ed Green (registered February 5)
Adrian Heaps (incumbent) (registered January 4) Heaps was first elected in 2006 after defeating Michelle Berardinetti by 89 votes. He is considered to be a member of council's progressive wing.[61] He is son of former NDP candidate Leo Heaps and grandson of CCF founding member and labour leader Abraham Albert Heaps
Michael Thompsonelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 20) Thompson was first elected to council in 2003 and is considered to be a conservative "law and order" politician.
Glenn De Baeremaekerelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 4) An environmentalist and cycling enthusiast, De Baeremaeker rose to prominence for his work with the Save the Rouge group fighting to keep the Rouge Valley area of Scarborough free from development. He was first elected to city council in 2003.
Michael Del Grandeelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 4) First elected in 2003, Del Grande is a founding member of Scarborough Needs Accountable Politicians (SNAP), and has been a member of the Scarborough Homeowners Alliance for Fair Taxes since this group's inception
Norm Kellyelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 4) Kelly first served on Scarborough Borough Council from 1974 until 1980 when he was elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal MP but was defeated in 1984 and again in 1988. He subsequently returned to municipal politics and was elected to Metro Council for Scarborough in 1994 and Toronto City Council in 1997.
Raymond Choelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 14) Cho, 74, is a social worker by training and was first elected to Scarborough City Council in 1991 and has served on Toronto City Council since 1997. He has been active in both the New Democratic Party and the Liberal Party.
Paul Ainslieelected[16] (incumbent) (registered January 4) Ainslie has been a city councillor since 2003 and was previously executive assistant to David Soknacki.
Samuel Getachew (registered February 18) Getachew is a community builder and activist. He has worked on many campaigns including the then Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign in Ohio and Pennsylvania. His writings have appeared in the Toronto Sun, Tzta, Sway magazine, Metro Daily and the Ottawa Citizen among others.
John Laforet (registered January 15) Laforet lives in Ward 43 and has been a local community activist for years on issues ranging from historical preservation to opposition to Toronto Hydro's offshore wind proposal. He is the President of Wind Concerns Ontario.
Benjamin Mbaegbu (registered April 8) Mbaegbu ran for Mayor of Toronto in 2003, garnering 288 votes. In 2001 he sought election in Ward 31's by-election.
Bhaskar Sharma (registered July 21) Sharma has a background in media and has been the publisher of a well-circulated paper for the last twenty-five years.
Diana Hall (registered January 4) Hall was the runner-up in the 2006 election losing to Ron Moeser by 61 votes.
Mohammed Mirza (registered September 8)
Ron Moeserelected[16] (incumbent) (registered February 2) Moeser was first elected to Scarborough city council in 1988 and then Toronto city council in 1997. He was defeated in 2003 by Gay Cowbourne but returned to office in 2006 when Cowbourne retired, defeating Diana Hall by 61 votes.
^The cost of the ward 9 by-election is estimated at $175,000. The court decision also affected a school trustee election and that election would cost $350,000 since it spans two wards.
