Is Toronto Ready for a New Mayor?
When I first arrived in Toronto, I didn’t actually believe that someone like Rob Ford could be possible. I lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia previously, and although Nova Scotia had a fair share of corrupt politicians, no one touched Mayor Ford. He reminded me of Mayor Quimby from The Simpsons, a cartoon character who remarkably remains in office despite countless sex scandals, gang ties, and an improper use of tax payer money. Now that I’ve laid it all out like that, I realize that they are essentially the same person, only one is (unfortunately) real.
Seeing is believing. The antics of our class-clown Mayor have reached far and wide, making international headlines on a daily basis. He was even invited to Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show for one reason alone; so that the world could witness the circus themselves. It was entertainment at its finest. The ratings for Mayor Ford’s appearance were through the roof.
As the sideshow attraction that is Rob Ford’s office draws to a close, Toronto is offered the promise of a new mayor. Despite Ford’s bids for re-election, several, far more desirable candidates have stepped up to the plate, including the late Jack Layton’s wife, Olivia Chow. Chow is already a favourite to take the crown with her experience, her desire to build a stronger community, and her obvious devotion to family (her late husband included). It seems as though all signs point to her being a shoe-in, but one big question remains; are we all ready for it?
Think about it. The one thing the world loves more than anything is to be entertained, and Rob Ford gave us entertainment in spades. I’m sure that I wasn’t the only one clambering towards the headlines each day to see what new, outrageous thing he had to say. Though the attention was widely considered to be negative, entertainment still dictates that any publicity can be spun into good publicity. We’ve got billions of eyes staring at us, Toronto. What are we going to show them so that they’ll keep watching?
Then we have to ask how his replacement will fare, should the Universe conspire to smile upon our city. Remember when Obama was voted in after George W? The United States were all a-sparkle with the prospect of having a new and better leader at the helm, chasing freedom and idealism with a heart of gold. Everyone forgot about the extensive debt that the States had wracked up during the eight years of Bush’s reign, so when the clean-up became too much to handle, the country blamed their shiny new leader. After the colossal mess that Ford has made Toronto, will a new leader really be up to the challenge of cleaning it up? Even Olivia Chow might be in over her head with this one.
I have to be honest, I don’t know the answers to these questions. Politics is a tricky game and it needs to be played with the greatest of care. I can’t tell the future of our political players, and I really wish that I could. All I can do is speculate as to what the rest of the city is feeling; right now, any change is a good change. After what’s felt like centuries of “The Greatest Show on Earth”, it’s time for Rob Ford to step out of the ring, close up the circus, and allow for a new act to take up in our town. I think we deserve it, Toronto. Even if it’s still a mess once he’s gone, the clean-up will be well worth it.
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