Toronto must grow as a community

Barbara Hall makes another bid for Mayor of Canada's most populated and diverse city

In this interview, Barbara Hall, one of the candidates to succeed Mel Lastman, presented the basis of her programme "to give a comprehensive vision" for the City of Toronto.
Hall insisted in particular, on the eve of John Nunziata's declaration to run for mayor, on her considerable experience.
The final tally will probably see four credible candidates running.

Do you think that this election, with four candidates instead of the customary two, will be different from usual?
"There has been a void in the last little while. There is a real desire for a full debate on where the city is going and what the issues are. I think this is good for the city. It is also because the campaign started much earlier then usual. When I think back I see that usually people where not announcing they where running until May or June. It's early. I was already invited to participate to a mayoralty debate at the end of January."
What have you got that other candidates lack?
"None of the other candidates has a city-wide profile. Running for mayor takes a big personal commitment, a lot of money and asking many people to help you."
How much does a campaign cost?
"I believe the maximum you can spend is $1.5 million and our goal is to raise the maximum."
Both you and Miller are considered left-of-centre candidates. What's the difference between you?
"Experience first and foremost: a record of achievement, as I was already mayor. In regards to issues, one such is the Island Airport. Beyond that, we have to wait what will come out during the campaign."
What about you and Lastman?
"There are so many differences... My first priority will be to get City Hall in order."
Can you give us more details?
"There is a sense of no one in charge, we see that with MFP decisions being made where they where not supposed to be made. To me, it is shocking and makes me angry that people are describing the city as corrupt. People were not describing the city that way when I was mayor."
And what do you think? Is Toronto really corrupt now?
"I have serious concerns. But we have to leave it for the judge to decide. I can say that there are serious concerns that when city does business, decisions are based not on prices or the product that is offered but rather on whom you know and how much you are prepared to spend influencing people. That's not how decisions should be done. We've also seen deterioration of basic services. The city is very dirty, for example. That's not a complex issue. It's a question of efficiency and we need to get those basic services functioning smoothly."
Do you mean to say that the money is available?
First of all to give other level of government confidence in the city so that they will be prepared to give the city some of the resources they need to address issues. There is no pressure on them to do that if the city is viewed as wasting money."
Do you think that a 44-member council will be difficult to handle?
"Clearly, it was bigger and more complex than Lastman expected and it has been overwhelming for him. So we had one group that was inside, the other outside. When I was elected mayor I inherited a very divisive council. The first day of council I lost a couple of key votes. However, within a few months, I had a very strong majority: no one was outside and no one was inside. One day a group was supporting me on an issue, the other day I had the support of another group. I worked with everybody. You have to work with everybody inside and outside the council. The city has a key role to play, so does the private sector, so the private citizens. One of my strengths is that I have a record of involving everybody. I've worked hard in many communities to have them to know me and me to know them. I know I can motivate people.
Returning to financial resources, do you intend to raise taxes and increase services or vice versa?
"When I was mayor of Toronto, I was able to govern without raising taxes but delivering good services."
That was before the downloading.
"That's why it is important to have the other levels of government on our side. The city cannot solve all the problems without the provincial and the federal government contributing in a major way. We cannot solve, for example, the transportation issues on the back of property tax payers.
People talk of new ways of funding. How would you change things?
"We need a combination of things."
Such as?
"For example, the gas tax can fund public transportation. We see tourism declining in Toronto at a time when we see it increasing in many other places. We have to increase the co-operation with all three levels of governments. They too, provincial and federal government, cannot afford to have problems in a city like Toronto.
Clear proposals are needed.
"During the course of the campaign I'll be quite specific on many issues. I do not think that this will be a campaign were motherhood statements will satisfy people. I think my vision, my experience, my passion for the city, and my enormous capacity for hard work will make the difference. When I was mayor I was used to spending a lot of time with the communities. I was working for eight hours and then I was with the communities. Being mayor of Toronto is not a job, it is a lifestyle."
What's the main problem for the development of this city?
"I don't think that the city has developed a common vision of itself yet, and I believe that's a priority: finding things that all the people in Toronto can come together for."
What do you mean?
"It is necessary to recognize that there are differences and find ways to allow those differences to be reflected in culture and services, rather than saying that everything has to be the same for anyone."
You severely criticized Lastman; is there anything you liked about him?
"He was able to get the federal and the provincial government to agree to be part of Toronto's revitalization effort for the waterfront; but now it has to be done."
Was your being a woman a political handicap?
"No, personally I think that it is a strength in politics. I think that for many it is not even an issue. For some it is an advantage, for others a disadvantage. Considering my previous experience as a mayor, I can say that gender is not a defining issue."
Do you believe that the Toronto police are racist?
"I believe that there are some police officers that profile visible minorities. I think the Police Service itself does not have policies that racially profile, and has taken many steps to make sure that doesn't happen. Racism exists in society and the police are an institution with some racists amongst them like any other institution."
More or less than other institutions?
"I have no way of knowing statistically, but I would say, probably proportionate to others. Sometimes I hear terrible stories about teachers who target children in a very negative way; however the big majority of teachers is caring. Police has a lot of power, they can take away your freedom. That's why we must be careful."

Publication Date: 2003-02-02
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=2294