Voters welcome ‘real’ debate
Mississauga’s mayoral race gets a dose of healthy rivalry not seen for decades
There was a rare political event in Mississauga Thursday night: a meaningful mayoral debate.
“We have a real, real competitive debate this time in our city,” moderator Avi Rakhra told the crowd.
Nine candidates, including political veterans Bonnie Crombie and Steve Mahoney, answered questions as a hallmark of the democratic process largely absent in Mississauga mayoral elections for decades unfolded at a crowded Living Arts Centre.
From 1997 to 2010, Mayor Hazel McCallion, who has been mayor since 1978, turned the city’s mayoral race into a rather comical affair. She won landslides with 94, 92, 92, 91and 76 per cent of the vote respectively, while relatively unknown challengers divided up what little was left. But along the way there was little in the way of real debate.
On Thursday, however, the candidates offered a variety of views on topics mostly focused on social justice, the theme of the debate. Mahoney and Crombie distinguished themselves from the seven fringe candidates when answering the first question: whether candidates should accept donations from corporations, including developers. They were the only two who said they do take money from developers. “Yes, I will because I believe we need smart development in our city,” Crombie said. And Mahoney pointed out that $400,000 is needed to run a serious mayoral campaign. “This is an issue where Mrs. Crombie and I finally do agree,” he said. Meanwhile, local comedian Kevin Jackal Johnston echoed the other candidates, who are running on shoestring budgets compared to the two front-runners: “I’m not going to accept payola in any way.” Crombie and Mahoney are former Mississauga MPs. Mahoney used to be a city councillor as well as a MPP. Crombie is currently a city councillor. They’re both career Liberals. Their respective — and sizeable — campaign machines send out emails daily, updating their platforms, providing dates for upcoming events and highlighting press releases that mostly knock each other. But this election, residents are actually keeping track of the promise. Asked about her transit priorities, Crombie said, “All-day two-way electrified GO.” And she added, “I support the LRT along Hurontario.” She said she would also commission studies for possible east-west light rail transit on Dundas St. and Derry Rd. The lack of transit is a huge issue in the booming city of 750,000.
Mahoney, referring to the Hurontario LRT planned to run along the city’s spine, noted: “There won’t be anyone on that system until 2022.”
He talked about quickly opening up express lanes for vehicles along eastwest corridors to ease congestion.
But he made it clear that the current $1.6-billion LRT plan ready for provincial funding needs a full commitment from city hall. “I don’t want to create the type of political gridlock we’ve seen in the city of Toronto.”
One of these two front-runners is likely to walk into the mayor’s office after the Oct. 27 election.
They are currently neck and neck in the polls. Forum Research had Mahoney at 27 per cent and Crombie at 26 per cent last month.
On Oct. 7, the two will face off in a televised debate