Life on the margins

While better known mayoralty candidates David Miller, Jane Pitfield and Stephen LeDrew grab headlines, 33 other candidates are struggling to have their voices heard

By Chris Dart
(Originally published in the Toronto Observer, Fall 2006)

Torontonians could be forgiven for thinking there are only three candidates in the mayoral race.

Almost all of the coverage of the race has focused on three candidates: incumbent David Miller, former councillor Jane Pitfield, and former Liberal Party president Stephen LeDrew.
In reality, there are 38 candidates vying for the city’s highest office, each with their own reason for running. Fringe candidates are often passionate advocates for specific issues, using their candidacy to bring their issues into the debate. Others run to raise their profile for future campaigns. Some run just for the thrill of it. The cost to register as a candidate is $200.

For mayoral candidate Adam Sit, the municipal election allows him to be the voice of his generation. At 21 years old, the fourth-year Ryerson University student is barely old enough to vote in this election.

Sit says that while the mainstream candidates pay lip service to the concerns of young Torontonians, politicians are not really listening to them.

“Our opinions and voices aren’t paid attention to,” Sit said. “We are the future of Toronto and we have to show that we can make a contribution.””

Gun violence and transit

The issues that affect young Torontonians most, according to Sit, are gun violence and transit costs.

“When they raise the (TTC) fare, that can be really devastating, because that’s how most young people get to work and school,” he said. “If the fare goes up $10 a month, that’s a lot of money. If you’re a young person, particularly one from a lower-income family, that can be really hard.””

For mayoral candidate Monowar Hossain, the issues go much deeper. Hossain says the mainstream candidates are too concerned with the Gardiner Expressway and are overlooking the needs of people.

“David Miller and Jane Pitfield are the same,” Hossain said. “They care about infrastructure and superstructure more than they care about people.””

This election marks Hossain’s second bid for the mayor’s seat. In 2003, he netted 537 votes. Hossain says he is running on behalf of Toronto’s working poor who, he says, are being overlooked by Miller, Pitfield and LeDrew. More importantly, however, he’s running because he can.

“Man is a political animal,” Hossain said. “Without politics, man is just another animal.””

Hossain says the citizens give the city its personality. In order to make the city unique and appealing, the city’s appearance must reflect the personalities of its people.

Expense of campaigning

“Tourists don’t come to this city because it doesn’t look any different from Chicago or Los Angeles or any other big city,” Hossain said.

Both Hossain and Sit have been frustrated by the expense of campaigning. They have mostly financed their campaigns out of their own pocket, with small donations along the way.

“I know how politics is,” Sit said. “If I had $50,000, everyone would know I mean business. Because I don’t have that money, I can’t have that kind of profile. The people that listen to me are mostly students, so they can’t give me that much money. I know if someone gives me $25, that might be a lot of money for them.””

Hossain is even more blunt.

“Being mayor is very complicated,” he said. “It takes more than just having a lot of money like Mel Lastman.””

According to veteran Toronto Star city hall reporter Royson James, Sit, Hossain and their 33 fellow fringe dwellers would do well to run as local councillors and leave the mayoral race to the big guys. James says that relatively unknown candidates never do well in mayoral elections, but can occasionally come from behind in ward races.

“For the most part, fringe candidates are just that,” James said. “I can’t remember [a mayor] who just came from nowhere.”

Ward races, he says, are much more open, due in part to the lower cost of running a campaign. He points to Gay Cowbourne, councillor for Scarborough’s Ward 44, as someone who came from relative obscurity to win a seat in 2003.

James says there are a few key things a candidate needs to do in order to pull off a come from behind win.

“Start early, pay attention to ward issues. Help organize if there are people fighting certain by-laws,” James said. “The people who are involved are the people who are likely to vote. They’ll remember you as someone who was in the trenches with them.””

It seems unlikely that Sit will heed James’ advice any time soon. In fact, he admits that he is already thinking about running again in 2010.

“If I get 10,000 votes [in this election] from a high profile candidate, that’s 10,000 votes that they might need to win, so next time, they’ll know I mean business.””