Nobody’ cares about his new ‘strong mayor’ powers, John Tory tells his critics

Thestar.com
Dec. 15, 2022

An exasperated Mayor John Tory is dismissing concerns over his extraordinary new powers as mere “political theatre” of no interest to regular Torontonians.

“I think that, in the time of multiple crises, those who repeatedly choose political theatre will be very harshly dealt with by elections going forward,” Tory said of vocal critics of his new-found ability to overpower the majority will of city council.

People he encounters at events across the city don’t seem to care about the bill, recently passed by Premier Doug Ford’s government at Tory’s request, that lets him pass certain bylaws with the support of eight of 25 city councillors, he said.

“You know who talks to me about Bill 39? Nobody! They talk to me about housing, they talk to me about community safety -- nobody talks about (strong mayor powers). Nobody!” Tory told reporters Wednesday.

He has said he will use that power only to push housing and transit initiatives, and only after getting input from city staff and trying to forge a council consensus. He has cited opposition to increased housing density, including from some suburban councillors who normally support him, as the reason he privately asked Ford for the minority-power rule before the Oct. 24 civic election.

Later Wednesday, some Torontonians took to social media to say that they do in fact care that the mayor is getting minority-rule powers which, political experts have told the Star, don’t seem to exist in any other major legislative body in the democratic world.

Luke McPherson, a Toronto teacher, told the Star he objects to the fact that the provincial law ties Tory’s new powers to still-undefined “provincial priorities.”

“The idea that our city priorities would be aligned with provincial goals without proper representation of Torontonians is really concerning,” he said. “Increased housing density is a noble goal in my mind, but what comes next …?”

“I think anyone in a democratic position that would support these new powers is unworthy of them.”

Tory’s comments came before the start of city council’s December meeting where councillors enacted sweeping housing reforms, including legalizing rooming houses citywide, without Tory having to resort to his powerful new weapon.

His council colleagues, a majority of whom are on record opposing the change that will significantly reduce their powers, later turned their attention to Bill 39.

Tory sat silently as they peppered city clerk John Elvidge and city solicitor Wendy Walberg with questions about the propriety of the new powers and how they will work.

Both officials declined to answer some questions, saying the Ontario government has not yet released regulations that will spell out exactly how the powers can be used, including what constitutes a “provincial priority.”

Walberg did confirm that the mayor’s ability to pass bylaws with minority support “is not something we’ve seen” anywhere else, and that Tory will have to give council notice in writing before trying to wield that power.

“The mayor’s role as head of city council has expanded considerably,” Walberg said, adding that, if litigation ever arose between Toronto’s mayor and city councillors she, as legal adviser to council, would be in “a conflict situation.”

“I’m going to suggest we should cross that bridge if we come to it,” she told council, which will resume debate on Bill 39 on Thursday.

More than 6,000 Torontonians opposing the new powers signed petitions that were tabled by councillors at their November meeting. Bill 39 also came under fire from all five living former Toronto mayors, who call it an undemocratic power grab “alarming in the extreme.”

The Ford government has strengthened Tory’s powers twice. The first bill in September granted the mayor a veto over council decisions, the power to appoint some senior civil servants and greater control over city budgeting.

The measures are in line with “strong mayor” powers enjoyed by many U.S. cities including Chicago, but with the unusual tie to provincial priorities.

In November, Ford announced that the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa will also be able to pass bylaws with just over one-third council support.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has said he doesn’t need the new powers and won’t use them.