Closing the Election Campaign

My Campaign Literature From the Election Campaign

Someone suggested I should have posted my campaign literature on the blog, as a kind of record of why I was running and what ideas/issues I had hoped to have an impact on.  Here they are:

My First Attempts, using the "Tree Guy" photo one of the newspapers published when I chained myself to a tree to save it from clear cutting during the Lansdowne narrowing fiasco in 2007 (you could say I fought city hall and - surprisingly - won!):

The business card I took to using.... >

Using the 'new me' photo, after a $67 hairtcut, hair colouring and shave... I agonized over this decision to 'look normal' like other candidates, when why I was running was to represent the marginalized poor.

Text of  the very first Pamphlet I Had Sent Out:   CONTENT !

I am running as a candidate for Toronto City Councillor for our ward because I believe we need someone who not only listens to our residents but also informs them of city actions that concern them and  consults  before  actions that affect us are taken.   Please support me.

THE ISSUES:

* RESPECT FOR RESIDENTS: We need to consult more with people before actions are taken

* TAXES and BUDGETS: We need to become better, smarter and more open at planning as a city

* DEMOCRACY: We need more fairness in how we elect those who represent us. More choice. Term limits.

* BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE: We need to make our city more pleasant to live in. Better parks like Dufferin Grove that allow community involvement. More accessible, low cost and reliable public transit. Bike lanes that share the road intelligently with cars. Respect for pedestrians. Cleaner air, electric not diesel trains. Protect housing for families and tenants. Build safer, more secure communities. Better animal control and pet bylaws.

* POVERTY, HUNGER, HOMELESSNESS: We need to take more steps to reduce poverty, hunger and homelessness in our city. Too many of our neighbours are suffering. Many are working, but still poor. Food banks are being overwhelmed and are just a bandaid solution. There are still too many without a home.
 
ELECTION and WARD INFORMATION:

VOTING day is Monday, October 25, 2010. In the last election (2006), only 35% of eligible voters actually cast a ballot while city-wide turnout was only 39%. Please VOTE ! Election signs are not permitted until October 4

Did You Know?

- One-third of the households in our ward have an income under $30,000.

- There are over 180 languages spoken in Toronto. In our ward, less than 40% of the people said English was their mother tongue. 25% of the ward speaks Portugese. Other languages include Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, French, Punjabi. We are, like the whole city, very diverse and come from different cultures
 
I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT: Donations may be sent to: Ken Wood,  3-355 Lansdowne Avenue, Toronto Ontario M6H 3Y2.  Maximum donation allowable is $750, but any amount is welcome. Receipts will be given and rebates up to 75% on donations over $25 will be refunded by the city within a year.  You may also contribute goods and services.   I also welcome volunteers to help with the campaign.  Thank you for your attention.  - KEN WOOD

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It would actually be a good idea, it occurs to me, to have ALL candidates who are elected required by law to post their election campaign materials, complete with promises, so we can all hold the winners accountable !
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As I posted in this blog just prior to voting day:

KEN WOOD - I'll leave it to others to describe or remember me in this election.


All I know is that when I first registered to run 20 minutes before we knew if Giambrone would run in the ward or for mayor, what I wanted was:

1. To See Adam Giambrone out of office (Thanks, Adam)

2. To have an impact on the issues and nature of the debate in the ward

3. To offer a real choice to voters of someone truly independent

4. To contribute to increasing voter response and turnout

5. To test myself to see if I could be more than what I was
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On the Junction Triangle website , I was happy to get this praise:

"Most Surprising Platform:  Hands down this belongs to Ken Wood. His platform was the most detailed on municipal issues that relate to the average citizen. When Ken calms down and stops chaining himself to things he has some good ideas. I found that I agreed with almost all of his ideas to some extent and I encourage people to look again. If he stays focused on ideas then he has something to contribute via his blog. Special kudos for being basically the only candidate to state clearly that poverty is an issue and that not all ward residents have the relative luxury that I have. As well if we had a Hunter S. Thompson look a like award he would get it."  By Scott D.

Sour Grapes by Ex-Councillors

If They Quit Early, Why Should They Be Paid ?

http://tinyurl.com/26s6pzw

Both Adam Giambrone's constituency office at 1232 College Street and his City Hall office are empty and nobody's there. I guess Adam must be busy spending the last of his office budget on French lessons and whatever else so he can ding the taxpayers for all he can get.

Update: Nov 8 Adam's seldom used constituency office is now a discount store

No wonder associating himself with Kevin Beaulieu cost Kevin the election. Giambrone shows his continuing lack of integrity and shafts his constituents yet again! http://www.adamgiambrone.ca/

The newly elected councillors do not take office until December 1st. Yet so many of those not re-elected are bailing out early and leaving their wards essentially unrepresented. Wouldn't it be nice if someone started a class action suit against them for not showing up for work?

sigh.... yet another reason why taxpayers voted in Rob Ford.

Update: Nov 9 - And here's another reason (Developers love Ford?)

Still up on Queen West at Triller... think he'll get fined?

How to Fix An Election

How To Fix Our Elections

TEN IDEAS for next time we try the democratic thing, so that the choice of the majority actually gets elected and we have a level field for all:

1. Ban newspapers from deciding on who they call the front-runners: require that they report on all the candidates at the start of the campaign when registrations close. Short profiles.
2. Use a Ranked Ballot system where voters prioritize who they'd like to see elected... 1,2,3, etc. This might avoid 20% deciding who gets elected - the way it is now.
3. Ban public polling being released from January 1 to Election Day: candidates may have their own polls, but would be severely financially penalized if they released information.
4. Make voting day a statuatory holiday, but make voting mandatory with financial penalties, only exceptions require valid medical waivers. Advance polls would still be available. Would require a 'None of the Above' option for voters to express dissatisfaction.
5. Ban political parties from endorsing candidates and close the loophole whereby paid party staffers can work on campaigns as 'free volunteers' and inflate election war chests.
6. City should erect 'Election Kiosks' at intersections and in public spaces like parks, libraries and community centres. Require candidates to post 8x10 sign outlining their platform, same size for all. No more waste production than necessary.
7. Ban anyone from doing outside work (erecting signs, dispensing litereature, etc.) unless they are over 18 years of age. No more oops! mistakes about flouting election laws.
8. City of Toronto Election Website should devote a web page to each of the candidates to upload their platforms and information. Allow 311 or a voicemail service to connect callers to 60 second audio pitch of candidates running in their wards.
9. Limit mayoral debates to one a week in each of the city's 44 wards.
10. Prohibit a sitting Mayor from publicly endorsing any candidates.

Yes, I know there are a lot of reasons to say no to these ideas, but I ask how well served we have been with the way things go now? Who really sets the stage for an election? Sound-byte scandal mongering media or the candidates and voters? Which do you prefer?

*Update: More voices being heard in the major disappointment the media has been in this election: http://oct25.ca/mediamessup

Election Signs Confusing?

ELECTION SIGNS - ANOTHER VIEWPOINT

Maybe because I, like most Torontonians, have suddenly seen so many big, small, coloured, creative and bland election signs of late - I've been thinking a lot about them.

In the Ward 19 debate I attended a while ago, one resident was really angry that Mike Layton (son of Jack in Ottawa) had on a corner of his sign: Re-Elect Chris Bolton School Trustee. His point was that people saying okay for a Layton sign were not asked about incumbent Chris Bolton (who was in some trouble of his own, having used school children to send campaign literature home).

The more I though about this the angrier I became. I think its because it is clearly underhanded and does not respect the right of voters to choose. Or - perhaps it is the sense of entitlement Mr Layton exercises even though he is not yet elected. Or both.

I also think of the little CBC Toronto news snippet done a week or so ago in which they talk about the sudden proliferation of signs, using ward 18 as an example. They spoke with Hema Vyas (who has a link on her website that seems dead now * ) who appeared proud of the fact her signs were out there, as well as Frank de Jong, who commented as a seasoned politician that in the home stretch it is an important sign to voters that a candidate has widespread support.

* Here is a better link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eE8cU0UnFI

The telling downside of this was that the CBC news reporter interviewed a woman who had a sign on her lawn and asked "Will you be voting for that person?" Her reply was, "I will vote, for sure not for him!" (no mention or view of which him it was.)
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Previous posts have dealt with whether election signs really work http://davenportdemocracy.blogspot.com/2010/10/election-signs.html ...
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But today I am wondering if they are sensible. Certainly there is the environmental arguments to consider... This Star story talks about an eco-conscious ward 16 Beaches candidate, Sheila Cary-Meagher, who goes to creative lengths to try to make e-signs useful after e-day: http://www.thestar.com/news/elections/article/874190--election-ephemera-candidate-attacks-himself

I've seen comments on a lot of sites where people suggest outright banning of election signs.

What are we saying as candidates to voters when we just put BIG NAMES on their lawn with nothing else, except perhaps a colour choice (Liberal RED, NDP Orange, Green - Green, Conservative - BLUE - except for some strange reason, NDPers Layton and Beaulieu?). Are we just thinking voters can be programmed if we just pound our names into their heads over and over and over and... you get the picture. Where is the respect for voters?

Some do have slogans, but pretty meaningless ones when you think of it:

Committed to Our Community (you'd better be if you want my vote)
Change for the Better (Rob Davis in Moscoe's old ward - prove it I say)
Works With Us, Works For Us (Isn't that a given for the job?)
and even my own, which is at least a hope: Davenport Deserves Better

There is not a lot of pertinent information given out on e-signs.
Maybe they should be banned - or at least better controlled.

We should also remember that with the city campaign contributions rebate program, 3 out of 4 signs you see for any candidate are likely paid for by taxpayers. Is it right that citizens should pay for candidates to get name recognition? Often a local candidate is just building recognition for another office at more senior levels. Or to get more business connections.

Thinking about it all confuses me. Are we confusingvoters too?

*Update: Here's a wonderful YouTube video that shows some greart post-election uses for all those election signs: http://tinyurl.com/2besre9 (My personal favourite is the frisbee)

Election SIgn Pollution Hits Ward 18

OVERDONE ? IS THERE NOT A BETTER WAY ?

http://spacingtoronto.ca/2010/10/09/election-public-space-invaders/

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/869978--campaign-signs-invade-toronto

Various signs spotted today around Bloor and Lansdowne and area....

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And meanwhile, another kind of sign: Neglect at Councillor Adam Giambrone's usually vacant constituency office:

Appropriate, since he neglected large parts of Ward 18. P.S> His campaign issue when he first ran was.... removing graffitti from the ward....

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And.... another kind of sign... CHANGE in Housing on my street

:

ELECTION SIGNS - Worth it or Not ?

TRUE OR FALSE DO THEY REALLY WORK ?


(Not election signs, but infamously ignored)

(Not an election sign either, but it was ignored again!)
.... Then again, maybe the above really are UN-election signs ?
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This is the first sign any candidate who registers at city hall sees, almost as fast as the neutral elections people type it in and often before they ever consent to making their info/emails public.... So after former City Councillor Howard Moscoe and his wife gloria pocket the loot from the army of candidates.... City Hall changes the law which now says no election signs except for campaign offices until 12:01am Monday Octover 4, 2010. Anyone wishing to put up signs in public places must pay the city a little front money: $250 - which will be used to fine candidates who put signs in illegal places - or too early.

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Some Election Rules: Election signs shall not be illuminated or Attached to Trees.

Election signs are not permitted anywhere on public property other than on...lots of refer subsection this and that ... a whole bunch of picky rules that require tape measures to figure out... signs no larger than (1.2 square meters/12.92 square feet)... must have consent of owner or occupant... No signs within 15 meters of intersection...Take them down in time after election or you get fined. (Thursday Oct 28)

"For candidates, signs should come from engaging the public, getting their support for the candidates platform to improve the city, then the sign goes up indicating a solid voter".... NOT TRUE

...I have been witness to numerous election campaigns where the sign-planter talks to the voter in the language they know they do not speak, using gestures and saying words like 'MUST DO' 'CITY' 'GOVERNMENT' .. and so on, until frustration or confusion kicks in, the sign is planted and that's that. Who knows if the property owner will even vote.

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Most signs have a very simple format:

Elect some guy/gal cause I saw his/her name somewhere.....


Let's go get a beer ....

Standard Colour Choices:

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  MR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY - TAX MAN (Drive a Rob FORD Lately?)


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  LIBERAL RED , HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS WHO KNOW HOW TO SPEND TOO


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  PROGRESSIVE - Leaning Left- Maybe Falling out of the Boat- NDP


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  ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY GROUP OF 'ECO-NUTS' = THE GREEN PARTY

From Calgary, one woman says: "I think the signs are important because I think for the people who aren't as informed it's what they will remember." Another woman: "If a candidate puts effort into their sign they will put effort into everything else." http://tinyurl.com/24reerp

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http://tinyurl.com/25e8mdh York University Schulich School Of Business professor of marketing Alan Middleton says: "...elections signs do work... As people walk through a neighbourhood or drive through it, they see a lot of signs for that person. It begins to suggest 'oh, they're more popular than I thought so maybe I should take them seriously"

Melanie Dempsey, associate professor of marketing at Ryerson says signs can sway voters undecided... the size may indicate this is a person of quality.

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"Experience tells us that there's no corelation between how many signs are up and how many votes you're going to get. I think that a sign on the lawn does not even necessarilymean that the occupoant of that home or residence is even going to support that candidate" Myer Siemiatycki, Ryerson University, an expert on municipal politics told CBC News at 6 TV report (aired Monday, Oct 4 http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Local_News/Toronto/ID=1607221196)

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* Update: It seems Ana Bailao is shown to be the only one flouting election laws and pushing the envelope. Many people on Twitter snapped photos of her team erecting signs as early as Sunday evening. Link to story below: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Local_News/Toronto/ID=1607221196

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Some complaints too of people being awoken at 2am by hammers and drills putting up the really big signs (Rossi). Best tweet: "If the number of signs up indiciate who will be elected, ReMax will be our next Mayor"

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Toronto Star article on campaign signs: http://www.thestar.com/news/article/869978--campaign-signs-invade-toronto "A recent poll showed 25 per cent of Torontonians are not following the election"... "At 12.01 am Monday the race for campaign space began, By the time you read this, the city's streetcorners, sidewalks and shop windows will likely be plastered in these annoying but necessary eyesores."

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* Update: Toronto Sun reports in first 24 hours the city received 67 complaints for a variety of reasons. So far no fines have been levied. http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/10/05/15594846.html

*Update: Here's another news story on the E-SIGN BLIGHT http://spacingtoronto.ca/2010/10/09/election-public-space-invaders/-

Learning a Lesson

Attacks and Counter-Attacks

There is an interesting back and forth commentary going on that is something every candidate and voter should pay attention to in ward 18. It involves showing raw and unedited just how what kind of person a candidate is and what it's like to run as a candidate for political office.

That person in this case is me.

The location of this commentary is at two sites in particular:

• Spacing Toronto : http://spacingtoronto.ca/2010/09/14/tuesdays-headlines-166/#comment-483716
• Junction Triangle : http://www.junctiontriangle.ca/node/441?page=1#comment-1931

What it shows is how a voter and a candidate interact when there is such fundamental difference in political views. It shows how running for political office means candidates not only put out for all to see their views, ideas and concerns - but also their flaws, weaknesses and strengths. It shows how this world of online anonymity can mean anyone can take pot shots at people without fearing consequences. It shows how real, gut-level reactions can get you in trouble or 'score you points'.

The lesson I learned - and probably will keep learning - is that I can no longer respond like a 'normal person'., at least while running for political office or holding it. I cannot look at what I say as affecting only me and the person I say it to. I cannot assume what occurs will only have consequences to that limited transaction, but may affect many others. I must channel my response in a fashion that neither ignores the situation before me, nor inflames it with unintended consequences. This is a lesson, incidentally, that I see even politicians with many years' experience still struggling with. All you have to do is watch any city council session!

Another lesson: Just by running as an idependent does not give you any 'get out of jail free' card. Just because you don't belong to a label of NDP, Liberal, Conservative, Green or whatever... this doesn't mean you have don't some base set of ideologies and a clear set of beliefs and values. The positives of independents is that they are not overtly beholden to any organization that could demand they put the needs of the label before the needs of the voters. Independents don't have to rise and vote yes or no as a 'Miller-left' group or 'Ford-Minnan-Wong' group at council.

Yet, independents - just as much as party-labelled councillors, must still be a voice for ALL the constituents. Whoever is elected must represent EVERYONE, whether they voted for them or not.

ELECTION LAWS - What Candidates Can and Cannot Do

Election Signs - always contentious in every election I have ever seen. Some try to post where they are not allowed (public property, on trees, etc), some try to post too early (July 27 okay for campaign office, Oct 4 for elsewhere). Some wards and elections have seen signs vandalized or stolen. Some believe the number of signs erected equals support for that candidate (even when many will erect a sign because they are being polite, still aren't sure if they will vote - or even if they WILL vote). On election day, many try to sneak them as close or onto election polling stations as they can. Name recognition and colour code recognition counts.

They are costly. First candidates have to pay the city a $250 deposit (where fine money will come from first, kind of like the now illegal landlord's 'damage deposit'). Then you have the cost of getting them done....

* Side story here: The moment I registered, I was flooded with emails from Councillor Howard Moscoe or his wife? Gloria to buy signs from them. I'm pretty sure this happened even when only the city had my private information. Aside from obvious conflict of interest and questions about privacy of data I give the city, I was suprised to be so inundated. For lowest price weatherboard signs at a minimum 500 quantity order = $2.08 for 2 colour, $3.03 each for 3 colour. Hmmmm.... around a $1,500 commitment including taxes and stuff...No wonder some candidates choose only 2 colour, like Kevin Beaulieu's BLUE/WHITE combination (? Hey. I thought ORANGE was for NDP? Then again, maybe jumping on a conservative Ford-like colour is good strategy).

I've already seen people on twitter complaining about election signs. Guess it will continue until everyone knows and abides by the rules.

FYI If you have a complaint about election signs, you can register it with the city by calling 311 or by emailing them at: 311@toronto.ca They need complainant's name and contact, candidate sign name, location, details, etc or they will ignore complaints.