The New (Ford) Adminstration Announced!

It's Gonna be All Right, alright... no lefties welcome

* Mayor:  Rob Ford
Deputy Mayor:  Doug Holyday (Etobicoke Centre - ward 3)
Budget Chief: Mike Del Grande (Scarborough-Agincourt - ward 39)
TTC Chair? Karen Stintz? (to be formally elected by those on the TTC committee) (ward 16 Eglinton)
Government Management: Paul Ainslie (Scarborough East - ward 43)
Economic Development: Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre - ward 37)
Planning and Growth: Peter Milcyzn (Etobicoke-Lakeshore, ward 5)
Public Works and Infrastructure: Denzil Minnan-Wong (Don Valley East - ward 34)
Parks and Environment: Norm Kelly (Scarborough-Agincxourt - ward 40)
Community Development and Recreation: Giorgio Mammoliti (York West - ward 7)
Licencing and Standards: Cesar Palacio (ward 17 Davenport north)

* Speaker: Frances Nunziata (York South-Weston - ward 11)

... Full Globe and Mail story here: Lefties Locked Out of Ford Administration
Also more comment and speculation here in The Star: Ford Team Taking Shape at City Hall

It is abundantly clear that this signals two major things:

1. No Lefties welcome (even though roughly 1./3 of councillors can be so described)
2. It IS a case of the downtrodden-ignored SUBURBIA versus the lefty-elite DOWNTOWNERS

It will be interesting to watch which way the "mushy middle" 1/3 of council, including our own ward 18 Ana Bailao, fall.

The other 1/3 of council is solidly of the Ford-rightist persuasion.

It is also an interesting tidbit that developer-friendly Ana Bailao is aligning herself with a key ally in Michael Thompson, who will chair the powerful Economic Development committee.  ... hmmmm... Good or bad for ward 18?

David Miller's 2006-2010 Executive Committee included 12 people, all lefties.

.... NOW tell me there "is not party politics at City Hall"...

Whether the Millerite-lefties get exiled to the boonies on votes like Rob Ford suffered for a decade or not will all be up to.... Liberals, like Ana.  Will they sellout to the Fordite-rightists or truly be neutral or iundependent.

Only time will tell.

I really, really hope - Davenport Got Better...

PS: There is a new look website for any political geeks wanting to follow City Hall shenanigans:
 Toronto City Council and Committees

PPS: Royson James points out in his Star article that "Theoretically, city council can reject the mayor's slate of appointments, but that is not anticipated. City Councillors submit a wish list of positions they want. Those who get their wish are asked to support the slate, and they almoist awlays do."