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Sep

09

George of the GTA!

SmithermanToronto mayor David Miller is not doing well in the polls these days. Most blame his handling (or lack thereof) of the recent CUPE strike that left mountains of garbage piled up around the city, babies without daycare and other city services suspended while he seemingly naval-gazed.

Now, news media are reporting there is a possible contender for Toronto mayor in the next civic elections: MPP, Deputy Premier and all around gay man George Smitherman. Smitherman will most likely do much better with the polls than Miller.

George Smitherman was the first openly gay MPP to be elected in Ontario and the first openly gay cabinet minister.

Smitherman has a very impressive political history considering his relatively young age. He was Ontario’s longest-serving Minister of Health and he’s currently Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. In case you didn’t know, he was also the first openly gay MPP to be elected in Ontario and the first openly gay cabinet minister. Smitherman is a very community-oriented politician who also has a handle on the big picture and who knows the game.

Personally, I think Smitherman would make a great mayor – and not just because he is a gay man. Although I have to say that sweetens the pot for me, as he would be someone who understands the community, its issues and its challenges and actually could be a reliable and effective resource for making some positive changes. And I’d just love to see Toronto have its first openly gay mayor…and a married one, too!

Smitherman is expected to announce whether he will run for Mayor of Toronto in early 2010.

If you want to learn more about George Smitherman and send him an email of support, visit http://www.georgesmitherman.com/

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4 Comments For This Post

  1. Paul F Says:
    September 9th, 2009 at 1:04 pm

    George would make an amazing Mayor and we really do need a change.

  2. Dig Deeper Says:
    September 9th, 2009 at 7:35 pm

    I have a friend who worked in hospital administration and she says it was well-known that Smitherman ran the provincial health ministry with an iron fist, he had a reputation as an absolutely bully who had to get his own way come hell or high water. People who publicly disagreed with him lost their jobs. That has been documented.

  3. Chuck Says:
    September 10th, 2009 at 6:24 am

    Dig, I guess the problem with your comment is that it starts: “I have a friend … she says …”. This amounts to the sharing of gossip. Although I can imagine anyone running the health ministry of any major population would be seen as iron fisted and possibly not liked because of it. And for this he shouldn’t be Mayor? I vote GEORGE!

  4. Charles Says:
    September 28th, 2009 at 10:39 am

    George would make a horrible Mayor for Toronto! Just because he is gay does not make him progressive or OK. He is a dreadful politician and a self absorbed individual. I hope Toronto’s next mayor should comes from outside the current prospects. Perhaps you should be looking at better examples from the LGBT community to represent us like Rick Mercer or even former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray. This man is not what Toronto needs right now and nor does the LGBT community need him as a representative.

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