I can appreciate your feelings on my posts about Ward One candidate Wasim Jarrah. You called them shameless and discrediting and said that I was doing so only to prop up another candidate.
I am sorry to say that you are wrong on all three accounts.
Election campaigns are long and arduous. During this time, candidates are weighed and measured against their platforms and qualifications. All except one candidate in each race will come up short.
Running in a election is not for the feint of heart.
I don't know how closely you follow Newmarket Town Hall but we have a Mayor and Council that like to keep secrets. (If you want an example of their secretiveness, read the www.shrinkslessorsquare.ca blog post from today).
This Mayor and Council will readily convene to a closed door meeting when things get too hot politically and prefer to decide contentious issues with back room deals. That's how we ended up with losing Glenway at the OMB, how the soccer loan got done, and a myriad of other bad deals (most of those, I suspect, we'll never know about but we're surely paying them with our tax dollars).
Months ago, when I first reported on Wasim Jarrah's ill-advised drive to the airport, he didn't address the issue saying, "Yes it was me" or "No it isn't". Instead, he went to Google and had my blog deleted. In time it was proven that everything I wrote about him was correct, as he admitted to the facts earlier this week on Toronto radio. (I'll never know what he said to Google to have my blog taken down but I have a hard time listening to him defend free speech after the censorship he imposed on my blog).
Because of this, voters can predict what Wasim Jarrah's behaviour will be if he's elected to represent Ward 1 and the next Soccer Club bail out lands on the table. Can you tell me honestly that he can be trusted to keep similarly shady deals in the public domain?
But I am a person who believes in second chances so I decided to test Wasim Jarrah again, this time with the controversial tweets he made about Iraq.
I noticed those tweets as soon as he made them and thought "Oh boy, he's in trouble", but nobody questioned him at that time.
So when the opportunity arose, I decided to challenge him on them.
You are right when you say that everyone has the right to an opinion and frankly I respect those willing to stand by their convictions even when the public sentiment goes against them, (which is why I respect the Ward 6 councillor so much).
Clearly Wasim Jarrah buckled under my challenge. He deleted his tweets within seconds of me raising them as an issue. He did not respond as to why he felt Stephen Harper was blood thirsty, or why John Baird is a vampire. He simply tried to make the problem go away by pretending these tweets never existed.
That's a big red flag for me. I've seen our Mayor and Council employ the same "disappearing act" with contentious issues. When faced with their own record, they did everything they could to clam up and hide.
You know what I am speaking of Karin, It doesn't go unnoticed that you very eloquently explained what was wrong with the US foreign policy within a the context of a 140 character tweet. Why couldn't Wasim Jarrah do the same? Why did he simply delete the tweets as opposed to explaining his point of view. And what can voters expect he'll do if elected to Council and he gets called upon to make a principled decision?
I never met the man but perhaps Wasim Jarrah is a very nice man. He is likely a very good volunteer and I am sure he loves his family and they love him too.
But is he any different from the today's crop of Gruesome-Twosome bloq councillors that we currently have "representing" us? No, because his actions over these past few months show us that he behaves in exactly the same manner as they do.
So you are entitled to believe that I am harsh, shameless and nasty. I prefer to think that by exposing his behaviour, I have given Newmarket Ward 1 voters a clear insight to the man who wants to represent them.
And the process of vetting candidates is exactly the reason why we have election campaigns.
Friday 26 September 2014
Saturday 13 September 2014
Newmarket Election Predictions Part 1
With the deadline to register for candidates now passed, I will begin reviewing various contests and will make predictions about their outcomes.
Like many residents, I am disappointed with the lack of choice in many of the Newmarket wards. In many cases, I will be advising voters to plug their noses and pick between Eeny, Meeny, Miney, and Moe.
Some races are easy to predict, even six weeks out. Today, we are going to make predictions on a number of "sure-thing" races.
For the Catholic School Board, Theresa McNicholl is acclaimed.
I also expect long term Town of Newmarket employee, Mubs Van Beek, to cruise to an easy victory as the Public School Trustee.
Regional Councillor - Hold for John Taylor
The only mystery in this race was whether Taylor would challenge Van Bynen (a decision I am sure he is regretting as Van Bynen appears remarkably weak at this point), or if Maddie Di Muccio would challenge Taylor. When these questions were decided, the race was over.
With a campaign that has run the gamut between sublime and ridiculous, challenger Darryl Wolk has made a stir with a number of fantastical claims, (including that he would be endorsed by MP Lois Brown), and promises, (such as bringing a balloon festival to Newmarket and annexing huge swaths of land from neighbouring municipalities). Wolk has not given voters any reason to trust him with their vote.
All in all, I expect Taylor to cruise to an easy victory.
INTERESTING TO WATCH (REGIONAL COUNCILLOR RACE): Wolk boils over on Social Media (particularly Twitter). There are a number of twitter users who have made a sport over baiting Wolk who spectacularly transforms from a mild mannered Bruce Banner type into "HULK WOLK" (and he shares all the subtlety of the green Marvel comics character). I will be interested to see if John Taylor will provoke him into a similar tirade at Regional Councillor debate.
Ward 2 - Hold for Dave Kerwin
I believe that the majority of residents in Ward 2 feel it is time for Kerwin to go away. With one of the worst attendance records on Council, and a voting record that mirrors Van Bynen's on every major issue, there are few reasons to trust Kerwin with your vote.
Unfortunately, it is a numbers game. With so many challengers to split the vote, Kerwin will squeak through to another term.
INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 2 RACE): Ward 2 has five senior homes. When Van Bynen won the Mayoralty against Diane Springstein by a razor thin margin, there was a persistent rumour that Van Bynen's campaign used proxy votes from the residents of the seniors homes in great numbers to eke out a win. I personally don't like the practice of allowing proxy votes but they are legal. If the race gets close, will a challenger exploit this opportunity of having senior homes residents sign over their vote via proxy?
Ward 4 - Hold for Tom Hempen
If you were to ask me in January which incumbent Council member was most vulnerable to being defeated this year, I would have said Hempen. After all, Hempen doesn't live in Ward 4. He misses meetings and rarely attends community events. He hardly ever speaks at council and the only legislative achievement you can point to is the special tax levy he pushed for while nobody was looking (the Maple Leafs had a play off game against Boston that night when Hempen tabled his motion).
For some reason, only Ray Luff stepped forward to challenge Hempen. I like Ray personally. He is a good, honest, salt of the earth type of man. But he just doesn't have the chops to defeat Hempen. To beat Hempen, you need a candidate willing to fight.
INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 4 RACE)): Residents of Ward 4 will recall the dirty tactics Hempen used against the late Larry Blight to unseat him in 2010. Hempen is extremely vulnerable to attack ads (because he lives out of the ward in one of Newmarket's largest luxury homes, because of his voting record, his absenteeism, and his lack of community spirit regarding events). It would be out of character for Ray Luff but I think his only chance to defeat Hempen would be to campaign like Hempen did in 2010.
Ward 6 - Hold for Maddie Di Muccio
Earlier this year, people (including her detractors) were speculating, would she be the next MPP, the next Mayor, or the next Regional Councillor? In the end she decided to return to Ward 6 and I believe that she will hold this seat for how ever many terms she wants.
Talking to friends and neighbours, people appreciate that Maddie has kept Council honest this term. Even people who are supporters of Van Bynen recognize that Maddie has stood up for taxpayers very effectively and she can boast an impeccable voting and attendance record. Maddie's election materials highlights an impressive string of accomplishments that few can deny that she deserves to return.
Running against Maddie is realtor, and Ward 5 resident, Ian Johnston who is advocating for more social housing in Ward 6 and higher taxes. Neighbours tell me that they find him abrasive and his platform has not captured the public interest.
Also running is Kelly Broome-Plumley who is appears to be well funded but clearly her campaign lacks any substance and can't be considered a real threat. If I don't have much to say the Broome-Plumley campaign it is only because she herself doesn't have anything to say about it either. I can not point to a single municipal issue that Broome-Plumley either supports or opposes.
INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 6): Broome-Plumley has close ties to Aurora and has the backing of Aurora insiders Steve Hinder and Tim Jones. In 2010, Hinder and Jones backed Brian Johns's campaign who was equally well funded but finished in third place. I have no idea why Aurora bigwigs are so interested in this ward (and Ward 7 it seems) but many residents see this as a red flag.
Other Mentions - Ward 5
24-hours ago, I was set to call this for Joe Sponga. But with the last minute entries of John Heckbert and Ann Martin, I have decided to take a wait and see on this Ward.
Sponga does not deserve to be re-elected. The businesses on Main St. have found him very useful because he does what they tell him to do. Every where else in the ward, residents have very little use for him.
With his work on promoting Davis Drive, Heckbert has accomplished more in a few weeks than Sponga has in three terms on council. I don't know anything about Heckbert's platform or if he has the funding and campaign skills to mount a serious challenge.
Ann Martin has run against Sponga before. She has ties to Main St too. She ran a solid campaign but came up just short in 2010.
I am still heavily leaning towards a Sponga hold but I am keeping an open mind to see if either of these challengers gets their campaign rolling along.
Like many residents, I am disappointed with the lack of choice in many of the Newmarket wards. In many cases, I will be advising voters to plug their noses and pick between Eeny, Meeny, Miney, and Moe.
Some races are easy to predict, even six weeks out. Today, we are going to make predictions on a number of "sure-thing" races.
For the Catholic School Board, Theresa McNicholl is acclaimed.
I also expect long term Town of Newmarket employee, Mubs Van Beek, to cruise to an easy victory as the Public School Trustee.
Regional Councillor - Hold for John Taylor
The only mystery in this race was whether Taylor would challenge Van Bynen (a decision I am sure he is regretting as Van Bynen appears remarkably weak at this point), or if Maddie Di Muccio would challenge Taylor. When these questions were decided, the race was over.
With a campaign that has run the gamut between sublime and ridiculous, challenger Darryl Wolk has made a stir with a number of fantastical claims, (including that he would be endorsed by MP Lois Brown), and promises, (such as bringing a balloon festival to Newmarket and annexing huge swaths of land from neighbouring municipalities). Wolk has not given voters any reason to trust him with their vote.
All in all, I expect Taylor to cruise to an easy victory.
INTERESTING TO WATCH (REGIONAL COUNCILLOR RACE): Wolk boils over on Social Media (particularly Twitter). There are a number of twitter users who have made a sport over baiting Wolk who spectacularly transforms from a mild mannered Bruce Banner type into "HULK WOLK" (and he shares all the subtlety of the green Marvel comics character). I will be interested to see if John Taylor will provoke him into a similar tirade at Regional Councillor debate.
Ward 2 - Hold for Dave Kerwin
I believe that the majority of residents in Ward 2 feel it is time for Kerwin to go away. With one of the worst attendance records on Council, and a voting record that mirrors Van Bynen's on every major issue, there are few reasons to trust Kerwin with your vote.
Unfortunately, it is a numbers game. With so many challengers to split the vote, Kerwin will squeak through to another term.
INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 2 RACE): Ward 2 has five senior homes. When Van Bynen won the Mayoralty against Diane Springstein by a razor thin margin, there was a persistent rumour that Van Bynen's campaign used proxy votes from the residents of the seniors homes in great numbers to eke out a win. I personally don't like the practice of allowing proxy votes but they are legal. If the race gets close, will a challenger exploit this opportunity of having senior homes residents sign over their vote via proxy?
Ward 4 - Hold for Tom Hempen
If you were to ask me in January which incumbent Council member was most vulnerable to being defeated this year, I would have said Hempen. After all, Hempen doesn't live in Ward 4. He misses meetings and rarely attends community events. He hardly ever speaks at council and the only legislative achievement you can point to is the special tax levy he pushed for while nobody was looking (the Maple Leafs had a play off game against Boston that night when Hempen tabled his motion).
For some reason, only Ray Luff stepped forward to challenge Hempen. I like Ray personally. He is a good, honest, salt of the earth type of man. But he just doesn't have the chops to defeat Hempen. To beat Hempen, you need a candidate willing to fight.
INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 4 RACE)): Residents of Ward 4 will recall the dirty tactics Hempen used against the late Larry Blight to unseat him in 2010. Hempen is extremely vulnerable to attack ads (because he lives out of the ward in one of Newmarket's largest luxury homes, because of his voting record, his absenteeism, and his lack of community spirit regarding events). It would be out of character for Ray Luff but I think his only chance to defeat Hempen would be to campaign like Hempen did in 2010.
Ward 6 - Hold for Maddie Di Muccio
Earlier this year, people (including her detractors) were speculating, would she be the next MPP, the next Mayor, or the next Regional Councillor? In the end she decided to return to Ward 6 and I believe that she will hold this seat for how ever many terms she wants.
Talking to friends and neighbours, people appreciate that Maddie has kept Council honest this term. Even people who are supporters of Van Bynen recognize that Maddie has stood up for taxpayers very effectively and she can boast an impeccable voting and attendance record. Maddie's election materials highlights an impressive string of accomplishments that few can deny that she deserves to return.
Running against Maddie is realtor, and Ward 5 resident, Ian Johnston who is advocating for more social housing in Ward 6 and higher taxes. Neighbours tell me that they find him abrasive and his platform has not captured the public interest.
Also running is Kelly Broome-Plumley who is appears to be well funded but clearly her campaign lacks any substance and can't be considered a real threat. If I don't have much to say the Broome-Plumley campaign it is only because she herself doesn't have anything to say about it either. I can not point to a single municipal issue that Broome-Plumley either supports or opposes.
INTERESTING TO WATCH (WARD 6): Broome-Plumley has close ties to Aurora and has the backing of Aurora insiders Steve Hinder and Tim Jones. In 2010, Hinder and Jones backed Brian Johns's campaign who was equally well funded but finished in third place. I have no idea why Aurora bigwigs are so interested in this ward (and Ward 7 it seems) but many residents see this as a red flag.
Other Mentions - Ward 5
24-hours ago, I was set to call this for Joe Sponga. But with the last minute entries of John Heckbert and Ann Martin, I have decided to take a wait and see on this Ward.
Sponga does not deserve to be re-elected. The businesses on Main St. have found him very useful because he does what they tell him to do. Every where else in the ward, residents have very little use for him.
With his work on promoting Davis Drive, Heckbert has accomplished more in a few weeks than Sponga has in three terms on council. I don't know anything about Heckbert's platform or if he has the funding and campaign skills to mount a serious challenge.
Ann Martin has run against Sponga before. She has ties to Main St too. She ran a solid campaign but came up just short in 2010.
I am still heavily leaning towards a Sponga hold but I am keeping an open mind to see if either of these challengers gets their campaign rolling along.
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