Raising the flag: Pride’s & mayoral

Only likely candidate missing from event was Chow

The huge gathering in the burning hot sun on the roof of City Hall Monday — to raise the rainbow flag to kick off Pride Week in Toronto — served, at the same time, to gather together key folks who say they might run for mayor. Mayor Rob Ford, of course, attended, along with councillors Karen Stintz and denzil MinnanWong, and John Tory, the radio host on NewsTalk 1010 and former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.

One local dignitary toying with a mayoral run was notable in her absence: Olivia Chow, MP for TrinitySpadina and former city councillor.

“I don’t know why she wasn’t there,” says John Laschinger, campaign manager for david Miller in his successful 2003 mayoral bid. “She certainly has cared about that community for a lot longer than Rob Ford.”

Speaking by telephone from his Toronto office, Mr. Laschinger refused to say whether he is working on a Chow-for-mayor bid; the summer barbecue season brings with it a healthy helping of gossip about who will run for mayor next year, and a source at one such event said Mr. Laschinger has been making phone calls around town to test the waters for a Chow campaign.

Mr. Laschinger has won or lost 46 campaigns in his colourful career, backing everyone from Mike Harris to ernie eves to John Crosbie to John Tory to Bernard Lord, as well as candidates as far away as Kyrgyzstan. He likes Olivia Chow for mayor.

“I think she is the only candidate that has support in the ‘ burbs and in downtown,” says Mr. Laschinger.

Hmm. He may be selling Mr. Tory a bit short there

Hmm. He may be selling Mr. Tory a bit short there. Mr. Tory, beaming and comfortable at the flag-raising, is a regular at the Pride parade; I would guess that, particularly with his radio show, he has built a considerable name recognition and support in the suburbs, too. After the dignitaries had hoisted the flag and it snapped merrily in the lunchtime breeze, I asked Mr. Tory whether he is running for mayor.

“No,” he said. “But I am certainly thinking about it. A lot of people are asking me, and I am certainly considering it.”

Mr. Ford, meanwhile, did the right thing by attending the flag-raising, though he stayed in the background for much of the ceremony and looked like a man who wishes he were anywhere else.

Ms. Stintz, meanwhile, resplendent in pink, smiled broadly and seemed much in her element. Later, as she emerged from a TTC meeting, I asked her whether she is running for mayor. The TTC chair flashed a 500-watt smile.

“There’s an election coming up and people are talking to me about their views of the city, and I am participating in those discussions.”

When I later ask denzil MinnanWong about a potential mayoral bid, he says, “I haven’t ruled it out.”

Which leaves us plenty to chew on over the summer.