New Toronto Councillor Jonathan Tsao appointed to Ward 33 amid controversy

Thestar.com
May 22, 2018
Jennifer Pagliaro

A 31-year-old son of Chinese immigrants has been appointed by council to represent Ward 33 (Don Valley East) for the rest of the year after a vacancy left by longtime councillor Shelley Carroll.

Jonathan Tsao, a local resident and former senior adviser to Scarborough Centre MPP Brad Duguid at Queen’s Park, was chosen by council, with Mayor John Tory’s support. He was one of 18 candidates vying to fill the job after Carroll earlier resigned her seat to run for the Liberals in the upcoming provincial election. Tsao won with 23 of 41 votes after three rounds of close run-off ballots.

Jonathan Tsao says he plans to return to his job at Children’s Mental Health Ontario after he is done filling the vacancy in Ward 33.

The vote came amid controversy as councillors accused Tory of staging a “coup” to consolidate power in the last months of the council term.

Tsao said he’s looking forward to ensuring Ward 33 residents continue to be well represented.

“This is a six-month position so I want to make sure that their voices are heard,” said Tsao, who added he comes without an agenda. “It’s an incredible honour to be the voice of my neighbours.”

Tsao said he plans to return to his job as the director of strategic relations and communications for Children’s Mental Health Ontario.

Carroll’s pick, Divya Nayak, was the runner-up, receiving 18 votes. Nayak came second to Carroll in the 2014 election and has worked closely with her office since then on local issues, according to a letter from Carroll to councillors endorsing her for the job.

The appointment process began Tuesday morning with the revelation that Tory’s office had been helping Tsao by providing private contact information for councillors in order to lobby them for the position.

Councillor David Shiner, one of Tory’s hand-picked committee chairs, rose in the council chamber to blast the mayor after he was contacted by Tsao on his cellphone.

“The individual told me that they had been given my personal number by the mayor’s office, which should not have been given out,” Shiner said. “They said that the mayor’s office had told them to call me.”
He called it “completely inappropriate” and demanded a response from the mayor.

Tsao, under questioning by councillors, said he was provided “some contact information” for councillors from the mayor’s office.

Tory told reporters over the lunch break that councillors should have consented to their numbers being given out and that he apologized to Shiner.

He did not address a specific question about whether his office was lobbying for Tsao and if it was condoned by him.

In the end, Shiner cast his third-round ballot for Tsao.

Those supporting Nayak were livid after the vote.

“I think John Tory staged a coup here and he overturned the person who was most capable, most engaged in the community and most similar to the outgoing sitting councillor who represented this community for 15 years,” said Councillor Janet Davis. She called that move “arrogant,” “disingenuous” and “desperate.”

Similar outrage occurred last year when council appointed Councillor Lucy Troisi to the seat of the late Pam McConnell. Troisi pledged support to Tory’s agenda of low taxes and building a Scarborough subway and was supported by many of his allies.

Davis accused Tory and those allies Tuesday of “consolidating their power” for the remaining council meetings.

By provincial rules, council can normally choose to appoint a candidate or hold a byelection. But the Municipal Elections Act dictates an appointment must be made if the vacancy occurs after March 31 in an election year.

Council is only allowed to leave the seat vacant if the vacancy happens within 90 days of the election, which is Oct. 22.