Olivia Chow emerged as the newly elected Mayor of Toronto in the recent byelection held on June 26. With 269,372 votes (37.16 percent), she secured a victory over her closest rival, former city councillor Ana Bailão, who garnered 235,175 votes (32.46 percent). The other two conservative candidates, former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders and former Toronto Sun columnist Anthony Furey, finished third and fourth respectively.
This outcome raises an interesting question: why is it so challenging for conservatives to win the mayoral election in Canada?
Toronto has long been known as a liberal and progressive city, making it easier for candidates running on a center to center-left platform to gain electoral success. This trend has been particularly evident since Toronto became a federated municipality in 1953. Most of its mayors, including Allan Lamport, Philip Givens, John Sewell, Art Eggleton, June Rowlands, Barbara Hall, David Miller, and Olivia Chow, have gravitated towards this ideological mindset.
However, it is worth noting that there have been conservative mayors in Toronto throughout this period. Leslie Howard Saunders, Nathan Phillips, Donald Dean Summerville, William Dennison, David Crombie, Fred Beavis (interim), Mel Lastman, Rob Ford, and John Tory have all held the position of mayor at various times.
One key factor in this equation is that Toronto has primarily elected a certain type of conservative mayor. Most of the mayors listed above can be categorized as Red Tories or left-leaning Conservatives. Their moderate fiscal conservatism combined with social centrism/liberalism has garnered support from not only Toronto’s Conservatives but also Liberals, New Democrats, and others.
The one exception to this trend was Rob Ford. He ran on a platform that embraced conservative-leaning principles such as fiscal prudence and lower taxes, but also incorporated centrist and populist philosophies like fighting for the average citizen and ending wasteful spending. His guiding philosophy, known as “Ford Nation,” had a Conservative hue but aimed to attract supporters of various political affiliations.
This explains why current Toronto Mayor John Tory endorsed Ana Bailão during the recent byelection instead of Mark Saunders or Anthony Furey. Tory saw Bailão as a pragmatic centrist, reflecting his own leadership approach. On the other hand, Ontario Premier Doug Ford endorsed Saunders, who previously ran as an Ontario Progressive Conservative candidate, while conservative candidate Rob Davis endorsed Furey. These endorsements highlight the distinct ideological differences within the conservative camp.
Therefore, claims that Olivia Chow’s election marked an end to 13 years of strict conservative rule in Toronto are incorrect. It is important to recognize that conservatives can differ significantly from each other, and generalizations can be misleading.
This pattern of left-leaning mayors winning elections is not unique to Toronto. Many cities in Canada, such as Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Halifax, have also witnessed a similar historical trend of predominantly electing mayors from center to center-left parties. There are exceptions to this rule, like Patrick Brown in Brampton, Joe Preston in St. Thomas, and Alex Nuttall in Barrie, who are moderate conservatives or have tailored their conservative positions to appeal to a wider voter base.
When it comes to municipal issues like infrastructure, public services, taxes, and affordable housing, there is a greater focus on pragmatism and delivering results rather than ideological rigidity. Progressives and centrist conservatives who prioritize these issues tend to have more success in Canadian mayoral elections.
In conclusion, conservatives in Canada often find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to mayoral elections. However, this is not an insurmountable challenge, as moderate conservative candidates who can appeal to a broader voting base have achieved certain degrees of success. Ultimately, the success of any candidate, whether conservative or progressive, lies in their ability to address the specific needs and concerns of their constituents.
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