These ward races have also caught our attention. We respectfully offer these endorsements for your consideration and encourage you to visit our www.insidetorontovotes.ca website for more information on candidates in all ward races.
WARD 7: Let's be clear: Not all that ails Ward 7 (York West) can be laid at the feet of incumbent Giorgio Mammoliti. That said, we reiterate our position from 2006 that it's time for a change and that Larry Perlman is once again our choice for councillor. We acknowledge Nick Di Nizio appears to have forged a strong connection with voters looking for that change and Christopher MacDonald has demonstrated an admirable fearlessness, but it is Perlman's platform that stands out for us. While we feel he needs to develop a thicker skin, Perlman has the tools to be a very effective councillor. We see great value and potential, for example, in his desire to promote and celebrate the uniqueness of the many communities making up the ward. WARD 8: The neverending battle of Ward 8 (York West) between Peter Li Preti and Anthony Perruzza is, frankly, getting tiresome. They've both had their shot at the council seat with varying degrees of success. Voters looking for real change would get it with community activist Antonius Jamal Clarke as a fresh face. Clarke's background in the community, including his founding of the Friends in Trouble (FIT) youth initiative, make him an attractive candidate - and not one who simply represents change for the sake of change. While he has a strong understanding of concerns the community has with regard to policing, we urge him to take the next step and build bridges between the community and law enforcement. WARD 10: The race to replace the retiring Michael Feldman in Ward 10 is one of the largest in the city, with 12 candidates on the ballot. Brian Shifman's extensive background in transportation concerns as well as his overall platform depth gets him the nod here. With traffic an ever-growing complaint city-wide, he will bring some welcome expertise to the table to represent both his ward and the city as it grapples with this challenge.WARD 12: Ward 12 has a number of intriguing candidates challenging long-time incumbent Frank Di Giorgio this time around. While Rick Gosling has an impressive resume when it comes to community service, we ultimately favour Steve Tasses given his leadership on local concerns in the York South-Weston community.We believe he'd be a strong voice for the west end area of Toronto that often has not been perceived in a positive fashion. We support his desire to make the ward more attractive to industry and retail, and at the same time improve a public perception of the area that may not always be the most positive currently.We're encouraged that Tasses, the founder of the Eglinton Hill Business Improvement Area (BIA), is keen to engage local youth. He played a key role in the partnership with the TAVIS (Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy) initiative in the Keele-Eglinton neighbourhood last year that saw officers assigned to the neighbourhood in an effort to reduce criminal activity and increase community involvement and better relations with police. WARD 15: With seven candidates to choose from, in Ward 15 (Eglinton-Lawrence), we endorse Josh Colle to fill the void left by the retiring Howard Moscoe.Colle, a former Catholic school board trustee, has a reasonable, realistic platform, particularly when it comes to the controversial Lawrence Heights redevelopment that was approved by Toronto council late last term. Colle's combination of business, political and community experience makes him an attractive candidate for City Hall. We also like his efforts to bring family-centred concerns to the forefront. WARD 25: In Ward 25 (Don Valley West), we don't believe Cliff Jenkins should be replaced, despite the noteworthy credentials of challenger Jaye Robinson, who narrowly lost to Jenkins in 2003. Jenkins is a solid community representative who demonstrated a strong sense of fiscal responsibility - one that a number of councillors would do well to emulate. His work on municipal election reforms is particularly noteworthy. WARD 26: In Ward 26 (Don Valley West), we endorse Mohamed Dhanani.Though this ward is currently held by incumbent John Parker, we feel Dhanani will be a much more effective councillor. Ward 26 is a study in diversity and income gaps, from the leafy and affluent streets of Leaside to the apartment towers of Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park, and it needs a councillor who can be seen as representing the entire ward - not just pockets of it.Dhanani's resume is impressive, including a Yale University masters in public health to serving as chair of the Toronto Central LHIN (Local Health Integration Network), but it is deeply anchored to the community he hopes to represent. He has kept his connection to his roots close, serving on the board of Flemingdon Park Food Bank.The need for community services in the ward is strong, especially in Thorncliffe and Flemingdon. It's an issue Dhanani has emphasized and one we believe he will be committed to delivering on.