SWITCHING GEARS
City candidates turn their attention to a 25-seat race,
soon as possible. He faces no incumbent.
Coun. Mary Fragedakis said she will run in the new Ward 14 against Paula Fletcher, a fellow New Democrat, council ally and friend.
“I’m running in the area where I live — Toronto-Danforth,” Fragedakis said.
“We’ve gone through a lot in the last eight years, but we’ve really gone through a lot together in the past while,” Fragedakis said. “Nobody thought we’d go from grieving on the Danforth to the chaos that Doug Ford has plunged us into.”
Not all councillors were upset about the Court of Appeal’s stay. Coun. John Campbell has been running his campaign for re-election under the assumption there would be a 25-ward election.
“The province made it abundantly clear, by hook or by crook, it was going to be 25 wards, and we just press on,” Campbell said.
He isn’t yet registered to run in Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre against Coun. Stephen Holyday, but he said he will be the first in line when registration reopens.
Coun. Jim Karygiannis was overjoyed that the 25-ward model has prevailed.
He faces council veteran Norm Kelly for Ward 22 Scarborough-Agincourt.
“Let’s go for it. I’m delighted, I’m ecstatic, let’s have an election,” said Karygiannis, who as a federal MP represented the same voters he will now be courting.
“I believe that it will be equitable and good for my residents.”
Councillors not seeking reelection include:
Janet Davis, Sarah Doucette, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Justin Di Ciano, Mary-Margaret McMahon, David Shiner and Josh Colle, and appointed councillors Jim Hart, Migan Megardichian and Jonathan Tsao.