Councilors and Candidates:
 

    TORONTO, Sept. 25  - At a media briefing today at City Hall, Novina Wong, City Clerk, outlined some of the important changes voters will see on Monday, November 13 as Toronto electors head to voting places.   "Prior to the City's amalgamation, electors who owned property in more than one of the former municipalities could vote in each of those municipalities," explained the City Clerk. "Now electors may only vote once in the City - what we're calling 'one city, one vote.'"

    As a result of provincial legislation that saw the number of City Councillors reduced from 57 to 44, Toronto electors will elect just one councillor for each of the City's new 44 wards and one mayor, rather than two councillors and one mayor as was the case in 1997.

    "We are asking eligible voters to check if their names are on the voters' list by calling the elections call centre at 338-1111 or viewing the list here at City Hall, at any of the City's five civic centres or at the Urban Affairs Library, Toronto Reference Library and North York Central Library," said the City Clerk of the voters' list that was released September 1. "While we have worked extremely hard to ensure an up-to-date and accurate voters' list, you can appreciate this is a momentous task given that people are always moving in and out of the City or from one ward to another ward."

    The Ontario Property Assessment Corporation supplies the City with its list. There are some 1.7 million eligible voters in the City of Toronto this year.

    A new system of voting was also outlined today where electors are being asked to bring identification with them when they go to vote to help ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

    Electors will receive a "Vote-At-Card" explaining when and where they can vote. A tabloid is also being distributed to all Toronto households. The tabloid contains a wide range of information, including the dates and locations of continuous and advance voting places, a map of the City's new 44 wards and how to mark the ballot. And for the first time, vote tabulators will be used across the entire City to count ballots, ensuring timely and accurate election results. The continuous voting will be conducted using touch screenvoting units.

    Continuous voting starts October 23, running weekdays until November 3 at the City's five civic centres, as well as City Hall. Continuous voting will also be held on Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, November 5. Advanced
Voting will be held November 4 and 8 at one location in each of the 44 wards.

    "This year, I am proud to say, the City is also reaching out to the homeless community, encouraging them to get involved and vote," said the City Clerk. "Nineteen homeless shelters and drop-in centres will be designated voting places on November 13."

   The city will distribute campaign information in 110 sites where homeless people are given shelter or services, and set up polling stations for the homeless in 19 locations. The polling stations will be staffed by people who usually work with the homeless.
   The city will allow people to use a drop-in centre as their home address.

   There are 1,750 voting places for this year's municipal election. Voting places open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Nominations for candidates close on October 13.

   For further information: Media Contact: John Hollins, Director of  Election Services, (416) 395-1307 or (416) 392-8019; Brad Ross, City of  Toronto Media Relations, (416) 392-8937 or (416) 919-6503 (cell); Web site:  http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/vote2000
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Megacity Election - News on Humanist Social Justice Candidates - Oct.15.2000
From Joanna Zuk
   I'd like to add that there IS a social justice candidate in ward 14: Jorge van Schouwen.
Here is a list of candidates all running under the "Humanize Toronto" banner with a platform focused on human rights, the environment and real democracy:
ward 14 - Jorge van Schouwen
ward 18 - Janice Cudlip
ward 19 - Philip Vettese
ward 20 - Roberto Verdecchia
ward 29 - Nick Radia
ward 30 - Joseph Norte
ward 37 - Colleen Mills

Check out their info at www.web.net/hto, or call Roberto at 416-535-2094.
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Pro Tenant Candidate Runs in Ward 10 - York Centre - - Sept.4.2000 - Tenant activists from the Greater Toronto Tenants Association were present at today's Labour Day Parade. They say they have come up with a pro tenant candidate to oppose Mike Feldman in Ward 10. Daniel Radin is the man to vote for here. The GTTA has been organizing tenants across the city and Paul York says he will likely get another black eye from rival tenant organizations that think he is on their turf. On that score he says he doesn't care as these tenants aren't organized and somebody has to do the job.
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Activist Council the Issue
   Ward 28 candidate Wendy Forrest is working to make an activist council the issue in the upcoming election. During the last term most councilors bit their nails and did little as Mike Harris stomped on Toronto like a mean Godzilla.
   Wendy is promising to create a community action centre, oppose privatization, user fees and target policing. She wants the city to defy Harris' Safe Streets act, which has led to harassment of the poor and to mobilize to fight the province's cuts to city services.
   In her view an activist council would also fight for public housing, an end to homelessness and it would fight for decent working conditions and wages.
    Next Meeting - Wendy Forest Saturday August 12th, 3.30 pm at 240 Wellesley St. East, sub basement. Phone 836 5186
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Ward 15 - Tory to Battle the Moscoe-vite in Eglinton-Lawrence - June 29,2000
   An energetic Joe Clark Tory, Jason Daniel Baker, is running for council in ward 15. Jason intends to challenge the lack of fiscal restraint shown by Howard Moscoe and council.
   On key transit issues he wants to eliminate age bias and have the TTC extend the student fare rate to university and college students or else introduce a flat rate for all passengers.
   Jason also feels that many Torontonians live in poverty while their elected representatives enjoy ridiculously lavish privileges. He wants to end those privileges.
   Baker dislikes people who want to secede from the province, and he favours bringing in a party system, that would force big spending NDPers to identify themselves. Problem here is that a party system at the municipal level seems like a step toward a province of Toronto.
*  A tip I have for him on a Moscoe weak spot is Wheel Trans. Disabled people have not just been cut off. Those on it find that the taxi service the city hires for many rides simply fails to show up. To my knowledge council is doing nothing about that
Email: Jason Daniel Baker <mavericjdb@yahoo.com>
Web site: http://www.angelfire.com/pq/jdbward15
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Gail Nyberg runs for council in Broadview Greenwood - Apr.15.00 - Toronto school board chairman Gail Nyberg will go against Deputy Mayor Case Ootes in Ward 29 -- the northern part of Broadview Greenwood.
   Nyberg said she would support a small tax increase if it's necessary to provide services required by her constituents. Mayor Lastman is supporting Ootes.
   Nyberg is more to the centre of the political spectrum, but she is weak and will quickly support cuts if the money is not there. And it won't be there at City Hall in 2001. As head of the TDSB Nyberg was forced to implement many of the Harris cuts to education.
   Ootes is a rightwing extremist, who deserves to be thrown out of office. In the first Megacity election Sandra Bussin got a council seat in the east by running a hard campaign that began 6 months in advance. Nyberg is likely using the same strategy as entrenched councilors like Ootes are nearly impossible to knock off.
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