Young Vaughan candidates plan to wage modern campaign

Vaughan Citizen
February 6, 2014
By Adam Martin-Robbins

Name recognition is key to helping candidates win municipal elections, experts will tell you.

That could bode well for first-time candidate Daniel DeVito, who shares a name with a famous American actor.

“I’m sure it can’t hurt,” the 28-year-old Kleinburg resident said. “Danny DeVito for mayor. I’m sure that will ring in people’s ears. All the better if it does.”

Mr. DeVito is the first mayoral candidate to step forward for the 2014 municipal election.

“Running for a position such as mayor is more of a calling than anything,” he said. “For me, it’s about giving back to my community and, at the mayoral level, being able to oversee that and have all of the resources available to reach out to my community whether it’s at the established level or at the level where it’s more youth-based, which, for me, would be one of my primary focuses.”

Currently working as an IT consultant, Mr. DeVito holds a political science degree from York University and worked on Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua’s 2010 municipal election campaign.

A key part of his campaign, and mandate if elected, will be trying to engage the city’s young people.

“(Vaughan is) a shiny beacon, I think, for other cities in the GTA to hold themselves to,” he said. “At the same time, I believe we can’t lose focus on the youth, who are, basically, the future of this city. And, for me, that will be a group that I focus on as well. … I feel (it) is a demographic that generally tends to be left by the wayside. And, for me, that would be something I would severely enjoy making a difference and making an impact on.”

To that end, Mr. DeVito plans to make social media — Twitter, Facebook and “possibly” Instagram — the “backbone” of his campaign.

“I believe, from my experience, that my generation and the generation after believes that they don’t have a voice of reason in this city. That they’re overshadowed by a bureaucracy,” he said. “Venues like social media, I think, are a valuable tool in circumventing that perspective that the younger generations in this city have. Even if it means they’re aware of what’s happening, and should they choose to cast a vote, I would say that in and of itself is a victory.”

Although Mr. Bevilacqua has not officially declared his intention to run, he’s widely expected to seek re-election.

He won a landslide victory in 2010, grabbing more than 64 per cent of the vote.

Mr. DeVito recognizes that beating Mr. Bevilacqua would be tough, especially for an inexperienced candidate.

“I think it’s more so about getting my name out there,” he said. “I believe if I win the election, I would possibly be Vaughan’s youngest mayor.”

Mr. DeVito isn’t the only candidate in his 20s vying for a seat on council.

Daniel Salvatore, 25, is taking another shot at representing Ward 2 (Woodbridge West), the post currently held by longtime councillor Tony Carella.

Mr. Salvatore, who recently wrapped up a stint as constituency assistant to Vaughan Conservative MP Julian Fantino, finished third in the 2010 election behind Mr. Carella and Nick Pinto, president of the West Woodbridge Homeowners Association.

“In the last three years, I’ve been at Mr. Fantino’s office working on the front lines — working with residents, helping businesses, helping organizations —it re-affirms this is something I’m good at,” said Mr. Salvatore, who holds a degree in political studies from Queen’s University and now works at DreamWorld Event Planning Inc.

Mr. Salvatore said there is a host of issues — citywide and in Woodbridge West — that need addressing.

“Right now, it’s about balancing between what’s going on at the city level and, in many respects, more importantly what is, or what is not, being done at the Ward 2 local level,” he said. “We need to build a hospital. We need to take care of traffic congestion, the Hwy. 427 extension and expanding Major Mackenzie Drive, and we need to focus on the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.”

One of the issues Mr. Salvatore intends to campaign on is the creation of a business improvement area in the historic core, along Woodbridge Avenue. Mr. Salvatore is also a proponent of creating a regional firefighting force, which he says will save taxpayer dollars.