Fresh after announcing his intention to introduce recall legislation to give Torontonians the ability to take back their City Hall by taking back their vote if City politicians don’t meet expectations, mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi announced today that well-known political strategist Warren Kinsella has joined his team as Director of Strategic Communications. Kinsella is president of the Daisy Consulting Group and has served on many political campaigns. In 2003 and 2007, he was Chairman of the War Room in both of the successful Ontario Liberal Party election campaigns; and on the federal scene, he managed the Liberal Party of Canada’s War Rooms in 1993 and 2000.

Rossi is welcoming six new additions to the team:

Warren Kinsella:


J. Warren Kinsella is president of the Daisy Consulting Group. Previously, he was a partner at the law firm of McMillan Binch, in its Public Policy Group, and has also worked as a consultant, journalist and political Chief of Staff. Warren received a Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) from Carleton University and his law degree from the University of Calgary; he has also completed executive education courses at Harvard’s law school and its school of business.

From 1990 to 1993, Warren held the position of Special Assistant to the Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. In addition, from 1993 to 1996, Warren served as Chief of Staff in a number of federal ministries. In 2003 and 2007, he was Chairman of the War 
Room in both of the successful Ontario Liberal Party election campaigns; federally, he managed the Liberal Party of Canada’s War Rooms in 1993 and 2000.

He is an award-winning author and journalist and has assisted clients on a wide variety of communications, strategic and regulatory matters. His legal practice focuses on aboriginal and governmental affairs, and he is a member of the executive of the Ontario Bar Association, and sits on the communications committee of the Canadian Bar Association. Warren has been a 
columnist for various newspapers; he currently writes for the Hill Times, and recently published his sixth book, The War Room: Political Strategies for Business, NGOs, and Anyone Who Wants To Win.

Michael Feldman:

Michael Feldman has served his community and city as a Councillor for nearly two decades, first within the former City of North York and later as a representative for York Centre in the City of Toronto.

Michael served as Deputy Mayor for three years and is recognized as a fiscally-responsible consensus builder on City Council.

He sits on the board of the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts Advisory Committee, the Hummingbird Theatre, Toronto Parking Authority, Toronto Economic Development Corporation and the Toronto Film Board.

He has also been a strong advocate of social housing, not only as Chair of the Metro Housing Development Corporation but also as a director of the Provincial Social Housing Services Corporation and former director of the Ontario Housing Corporation.

Rob Sinclair:

A veteran of Toronto campaigns and an international political consultant, Rob Sinclair brings three decades of experience in municipal politics to the Campaign.

Rob specializes in strategic organization and has applied his skills in numerous political campaigns across all three levels of government, including Mayor David Miller’s victories in both 2003 and 2006. He also served as Director of Organization for the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.

Rob is also passionate about animal welfare and has served as Senior Campaign Consultant for the International Fund for Animal Welfare as well as Executive Director of WildAid Canada.

Derek Rowsell:

As a business lawyer and corporate executive with more than fifteen years of experience advising directors, officers and managers, Derek Rowsell brings a wealth of organizational expertise and business acumen to the campaign.

Derek has served as the Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Secretary and Director of Privacy for AOL Canada and held senior positions in some of Canada’s most prominent business law firms including McCarthy Tetrault and Fraser Milner Casgrain.

He holds an M.B.A from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto along with a J.D. from the University of Toronto Law School. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, and the Institute of Corporate Directors. He also serves numerous non-profit organizations including the Board of Directors of the Canadian Mental Health Association of Ontario.



Rob Trewartha:


Rob Trewartha has been part of the Daisy Consulting Group for three years and is a graduate of Queen¹s University with a Master’s degree in political science. His thesis focused on the use of television advertising within the context of Canadian election campaigns and more generally the relationship between political actors and the media. In 2006, Rob graduated from Kings University College at the University of Western Ontario with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. During his studies, he worked as a constituency assistant to an MPP and as a special assistant to a minister of the Ontario government. Rob is actively involved politically, having worked on a number of federal, provincial and municipal election campaigns and charitably, as the Communications Director of Hats On for Awareness, a mental health charity dedicated to eradicating the stigmas associated with mental illness and addiction.

Beth Corbett:

Beth Corbett is serving as one of the Youth Co-Chairs on Rocco Rossi’s campaign. 
In January 2010, after a hotly contested race, Beth was elected President of the Ontario PC Youth Association. She has fast-developed a reputation as one of the leading youth organizers in Ontario’s conservative movement. Originally from Kitchener, Beth has a wealth of grassroots campaign experience, having acted as Office Manager in Kitchener-Conestoga during the ‘07 provincial election and Candidate Aide in Kitchener-Centre during the ‘08 federal election. Beth also played an active role in the ‘09 PC leadership race, organizing youth across the province. In the summer of 2009, Beth interned in the office of a federal cabinet minister in Ottawa. Beth is currently studying Public Relations at Humber College and worked this summer at StrategyCorp Government Relations in downtown Toronto.

Scott N. Munnoch, M.V.O:

Scott Munnoch graduated from Queen’s University in 1982 and the University of Windsor in 1984. In addition to his academic achievements, Scott excelled in many extra-curricular activities including varsity football at both schools.

After gaining valuable experience in the public affairs sector, Mr. Munnoch embarked on a career which saw him work side-by-side with Canadian leaders, both provincially and federally in Ontario and Canada. Mr. Munnoch served as Executive Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tour Director for the Prime Minister of Canada and as a Senior Advisor to the Premier of Ontario. In addition, Mr. Munnoch has worked on numerous projects as a volunteer and advisor in both the private and public sectors.

Experience has led Mr. Munnoch to maximize his capabilities as an expert in event management and domestic and international tours, specializing in VIP coordination. He has played senior roles in the organization of international summits and tours, including the G-7 Summits, the Commonwealth Summits, Royal Tours and state visits. In 1997, Mr. Munnoch was named as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his work on the Royal Tours to Canada.

Mr. Munnoch’s expertise is in getting the job done under any circumstances. He has worked at home and around the world and understands and respects the important nuances of international protocol. He offers a detailed approach to logistical challenges and offers his expertise to see to the success of all projects. Above all, Mr. Munnoch is a team player with a proven track record.

By Sue-Ann Levy, torontosun.com

Perhaps it has escaped the attention of many of my media colleagues and the public but there are two Bald Guys in the mayoralty race.

One, the so-called frontrunner, has been busy walking across Eglinton and down Yonge St. searching for voters and trying to prove his Toronto does not end at Bloor St.

The Walker — George Smitherman — has also challenged the other perceived front-runner, Rob Ford, to a radio debate.

The Walker hasn’t said much of substance to date but I’m guessing he wants to show he’s far more adept at thinking on his feet.

The other Bald Guy — Rocco Rossi — has been talking up a storm, delivering his well-thought-out policy platforms and working night and day to get his name out.

But that seems to be lost on media more interested in snappy sound bites, digging up dirt on Ford and the latest gossip on whether John Tory will jump into the race.

Don’t get me wrong. I have lots of time for Tory, who generously canvassed for me when I ran for MPP last August. The dynamics of the race will indeed change should he decides to take the leap.

Still, to win the hearts and minds of voters, Tory will have to be a tougher version of the gentleman most Torontonians know him to be — a mayor who is prepared to take on the unions and the out-of-touch bureaucracy at City Hall.

Which brings me back to Rossi.

If I were The Talker, I’d be pretty frustrated by those who’ve written off his candidacy as a longshot because he’s never actually held political office.

Why not an outsider?

The problem with City Hall is there are far too many recycled, well past-their-due-date political hacks running the joint. A pair of fresh eyes from the outside may be just what taxpayers ordered.

Heck it worked for New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and for Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz, both of whom were not seasoned politicians when they ran for office.

His campaign co-chairman John Capobianco says Rossi has led the charge on policy issues — a point with which I agree.

Wrestling control of the city’s finances involves much more than eliminating plant waterers and cutting council expense accounts.

The Talker’s presented a viable plan to sell off Toronto Hydro, pay down the city’s debt and use the money for transit infrastructure. He’s told business leaders he would tackle the crippling impact of street construction and would commit to improving the delivery of city services by 10% each year. He’s promised to end spendthrift project management like the so incompetently handled Peter St. shelter project. He recently presented his version of a smart card that could be used not just for transit but to pay for a variety of city services.

“He’s got some amazing policies but they’re not being picked up,” says Capobianco.

“A lot of oxygen is being sucked away (at the moment) by Ford and Smitherman.”

I know another thing. I’ve been very impressed with The Talker’s dedication, his common touch and his responsiveness. Unlike The Walker — who seems to think he’s far more important than he is — The Talker always returns his phone calls promptly and directly.

“Rocco works harder than his volunteers and never complains about it,” says Capobianco.

He’s always so darn chipper, as well.

Even last week when the media were talking Tory, Rossi said he’d had an “excellent day” and has every intention of being on the ballot on Oct. 25.

When I suggested he should feel discouraged that his ideas haven’t gained traction, he said he always knew from the get-go that he’d be up against a system that favours incumbents.

“I’ve been able to build an excellent team and a platform of ideas to move Toronto forward,” he said. “My campaign is perfectly positioned for the Labour Day to October sprint.”

So what do you say folks?

I think we should give the Other Bald Guy a chance.

From what I can see, he might even walk the talk.

Read the original article here.

This guest post was contributed by James Morton, a Toronto lawyer and adjunct law professor at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University. He is past president of the Ontario Bar Association. The views expressed are solely his own.

The mayoral campaign is heating up.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve been approached by people from both Smitherman’s and Ford’s respective teams to “cross over”. I respect that — indeed I am flattered.

And I respect both teams and candidates. Both have a wealth of experience and both genuinely want the best for Toronto.

But I am sticking with Rocco and here’s why.

Rocco realises that Mayor is a position with less power and more moral suasion than anything else. The Mayor cannot “order” anyone to do anything. And so a Mayor must lead with ideas and by example. A Mayor cannot alienate Council because once Council and the Mayor are at loggerheads nothing will get done.

Rocco also realises that there is much to do but little money to do it. Real decisions have to be made by the Mayor and Council — symbols are not enough. Spending has to be refocused. Taxes cannot be cut but similarly they cannot be increased.

And I like Rocco’s ideas. Getting services to troubled neighbourhoods, building better transit, etc etc. Government is not the problem — bad governance is.

This post also appears on James Mortons’ personal blog. Follow him on Twitter at @mortonsmusings.

Yesterday the Toronto Star obtained a letter from the Toronto Board of Trade “strongly urging the TTC to fully embrace the Presto smart card and quit looking at another electronic fare system to modernize the antiquated tokens-and-transfers setup.”

The letter was in direct response to the TTC and Councillor Adam Giambrone’s decision to choose an open fare system that is not only more expensive than Presto — but will leave us stuck with tickets, tokens, and collectors for another century.

It makes no sense that the TTC has decided to look for an alternative to Presto when the rest of the province has embraced it and the provincial government is offering the city a $140 million incentive to implement Presto.

Thats $140 million Toronto can’t afford to lose.

What makes the decision even worse is that Presto is actually a better solution for Toronto than the open fare system Mr. Giambrone announced the TTC would pursue.

In their letter, the Toronto Board of Trade argues that Presto will create a seamless regional transit system for riders, save on the costs of exploring other technology, and would increase ridership through a better customer experience in ways an open fare system would not.

The TTC’s decision is one with dire implications for Toronto’s transit future.

We’ll end up paying more money for an open fare system and the TTC is already paying a “consultant” $1.3M just to come up with a business case for it.

It will affect our relationship with the province and neighbouring cities. How can we ever expect to play ball with Queen’s Park and the rest of the GTA when we turn down their investment and threaten the future of a regional transit system that could actually work?

We are throwing away an opportunity for a regional solution that would let Torontonians travel from Oakville to Oshawa on one card. We are saying no to bringing GTA transit into the 21st Century, and we’re missing the potential for expanding Presto into a system that can make the lives of Torontonians easier.

This decision shows the irresponsibility of city council running show at the TTC. It is a decision routed in ideology and not in common sense. It is the strongest indicator that we need to separate political pettiness and transit in order to get results and get moving.

With hundreds of millions of dollars and our city’s future at stake — now is not the time for lame duck politicians to make decisions that will hurt and not help Torontonians.

Click below to read more on my Transit City Plus and Presto Plus plans to get Toronto moving:

• Transit City Plus
• Presto Plus

From the outset of our campaign, we wanted to put the focus back on Torontonians and how we can improve our city. We know that you’re fed up; fed up with high taxes, lack of reliable transit service, and a lack of accountability at City Hall. We also know that each of you have an important stake in this election, and that your voice must be heard.

Since January, social media has been an integral tool in our mandate to listen to, and engage the thousands of voices calling for real change. Our overwhelming success in this department has been recently covered in the media, and we’re constantly looking for new ways to engage Torontonians and discuss the issues that matter most to them.

It is with great pleasure we announce the launch of Rocco Live; a new, real-time broadcast show where Rocco discusses hot campaign topics and takes your questions directly via email, Facebook, and Twitter.

Our first episode is taking place on Wednesday July 21st 2010 at 6:30pm and we’ll be discussing transportation. We’ll be talking about bike lanes, bus passes, and how we can work together to get Toronto moving again.

Tuning in is easy! Rocco Live can be viewed on our website at http://roccorossi.com/live (Note: The Adobe Flash player is required to watch Rocco Live, and can be downloaded free from the Adobe website).

If you have a question for Rocco, we’d love to have your input! While we can’t guarantee we’ll get to every question, we’ll do our very best to answer as many questions as possible. Here’s how you can submit your question:

• Send us your questions ahead of time by email to live@roccorossi.com
• Tweet your questions to @roccothevoteTO during the show, or
• Post on Rocco’s Facebook page during the show

We’re very excited to launch this new format, and as we move forward, we’ll be reaching out to the Toronto community to recruit moderators for future sessions. Stay tuned to our website as well as the campaign Twitter account and our Facebook fan page for more details.

Until then, we look forward to seeing you this Wednesday evening at 6:30pm for an evening of discussion and dialogue!

Here in Toronto we still use tokens, tickets and paper transfers. We have to line up at a ticket booth to pay the fare to a ticket collector.

Other municipalities around Toronto are working together to launch a common transit smart card, called the Presto card. This card will make using public transportation across the region simple and convenient as all it takes it the tap of a card at a card reader. The City of Toronto has dragged its feet on adopting this. The TTC and City Hall put customer service below other priorities.

My family heritage is Italian. In Italian, the word “presto” means “soon”. I want to let Torontonians know that real change is coming soon. If elected, in just three short months, Toronto will get customer service and new thinking for their transit system.

I commit to adopt the regional Presto card system. I will fast track the Presto card for the TTC as part of my commitment to make customer service a top priority at city hall.

A smart card will save the TTC money. It will allow flexibility in offering innovative fare structures. It ends the need to pay for unused time on a monthly metropass. That’s money in a transit user’s pocket.

But as mayor, I would go further than the presto card. I will commit to a Presto Plus card for Toronto.

Some things that can be paid for through the Presto Plus card would be:

• Green P parking
• paying small City fines
• libraries
• public swimming pools
• purchasing City licenses
• major City-owned attractions like the Toronto Zoo

These concessions will be easily accessible on TTC and city property.

Presto Plus is one example of my commitment to the future of this City.

Today I began my countdown to congestion on Jarvis Street. It’s a major arterial road used by 28,000 cars a day. Tomorrow, City Hall will be bulldozing over public sentiment and beginning the installation of bike lanes on this arterial road. I hear all the time that people don’t want this.

When these bike lanes are painted in by City Hall the lives of many people will be worse not better. They’ll spend more time commuting and less time with their families or at their jobs. They’ll sit in stalled traffic. It’s sheer madness. A city government should make things better for its residents, not worse.

One street east from here there is a bike lane on Sherbourne. It takes cyclists to the same place as this street but more safely. I believe bike lanes should be on safer parallel secondary roads not major arterials. I believe in bike lanes in the city. I was the first mayoral candidate to commit to completing a connected bike lane network.

Tomorrow, the city will start painting white lines on Jarvis for bike lanes.  Well, I am drawing a line in the sand. When I am elected mayor I will paint over these lines and I will get Torontonians moving again.

Read my full speech here.

(The following was read out during deputations at today’s TTC Commission Meeting at City Hall):

TO: Toronto Transit Commission, Councillor Adam Giambrone, TTC Chair, Councillor Joe Mihevc, Vice Chair, Councillor Maria Augimeri, Councillor Sandra Bussin, Councillor Suzan Hall, Councillor Peter Milczyn, Councillor Ron Moeser, Councillor Anthony Perruzza, and Councillor Bill Saundercook

On Monday night I attended a community meeting with the residents of the Donlands and Greenwood communities and representatives of the Toronto Transit Commission. The meeting was, after the eight years of planning that went into the TTC Second Exit Project, a last-minute consultation on the location of a second exit for the Donlands subway station.

The residents of the Donlands are frustrated and their frustration is being ignored. One month ago they were finally informed of the Commission’s plan. At that time, they pointed out that the location of the second exit would significantly impact sight lines, mature trees, traffic flow, safety and real estate value.

The Commission’s response? A proposal to move the building ten meters to the West, solving none of these problems. The residents have proposed alternative solutions, but the Commission is simply not listening.

This is not a question of whether or not Donlands station needs a second exit; everyone sees the merit of an emergency exit. This is a question of respect for citizens. The Commission took action without listening to the people most affected most by their decisions. Residents and neighbourhoods need to be consulted from the beginning and in this case the Donlands community was not.

The Commission showed that it can find solutions when prompted by residents in its new proposal for Greenwood station. I urge the Commission to retain and build on that goodwill by avoiding hasty action with regard to the Donlands station. Surely after eight years there is time and opportunity to arrive at a better solution than the one before the Commission today.

A vote for moving this proposal forward will be a vote against the residents of the Donlands community. A vote for moving this proposal forward will be a vote for a culture of intransigence that has ruled for too long.

A vote against this proposal, on the other hand, will be one for real change. It would be proof that the City and the Commission can admit that a mistake was made and that they are capable of listening to the residents of Toronto. I urge the Commission to stand alongside this community and vote to postpone a decision until the residents’ concerns are properly considered and addressed.

Sincerely,

Rocco Rossi
Candidate for Mayor of Toronto

Early in this campaign, I made an argument for monetizing, or selling, Toronto Hydro to pay for our priorities as a city.

I didn’t do so because I thought it would win me the election. Not because it’s popular. And not because Toronto Hydro is a bad asset.

I said it because it’s honest. It represents the type of tough decision that our city politicians need to make to build the future we know we can have.

A future with real subway construction so we get cars off our streets. A future where the city stands on its own two feet, instead of begging at the provincial trough. A future that we build together.

In recent weeks and months, the debate on Toronto Hydro has started to change. This past weekend in the Toronto Sun, Sue-Ann Levy called selling Toronto Hydro “imperative” and today, in the Toronto Star, Brian Kelcey said taking Hydro monetization off the table was “shortsighted”.

My competitors will continue to try to scare the voters on this issue. They’re not being honest. They’re not being honest when they say hydro rates will increase – those are set by the province. They’re not being honest about losing control of our environmental destiny – the city still controls that. They’re not being honest about the types of tough decisions we need to make together.

Instead, as some politicians do, Mr. Smitherman, Mr. Ford and Mr. Pantalone are making promises they can’t keep, and promises they can’t pay for. That’s not leadership.

We have a chance to choose our city’s future — to make a priority for the things that matter.

The fact is right now Toronto can’t afford to pay it’s debt and pay for priority projects like subway expansion.

Does it make sense to you that we own Toronto Hydro and make $21 million a year while spending $400 million a year on financing our debt?

Live from Hot Shot Festival at Harbourfront

About Creative City

Today, as part of my Canada Day Mayorathon, I stopped at the Harbourfront to announce my Creative City plan. Under the plan, I vowed to dramatically increase investment in, and influence of, the arts in Toronto.



Toronto currently invests $18 per capita in the arts, that’s significantly less than Montreal ($33 per capita) and Vancouver ($25 per capita).

Creative City would immediately increase per capita funding of the arts to $25. About two-thirds of the estimated $17.5 million cost will come from billboard tax revenues. The remainder will come from savings and efficiencies in the City’s operating budget.

Creative City will also increase the influence of the Arts within City Hall with the appointment of an Arts and Culture Commissioner. This official would develop a new generation of the city’s Culture Plan with new targets and new investments with the goal achieving funding parity with our major North American competitors in the arts by the end of my first term.



From the need for new mid-sized theatre houses to the lack of arts programs in our community theatres to our desire to corner more film production and turn Toronto into Hollywood North, we face an arts deficit on several levels. With my Creative City plan as our cultural blueprint, Toronto will reach its full potential as a major North American centre of arts and culture.

More Information

To find out more, read my statement.