John Tory found himself having to defend his choices for the Executive Committee and deputy mayors on his first day as mayor of Toronto.
At a press conference after meeting with Premier Kathleen Wynne, Tory was asked why there are no meaningful key positions for left-leaning councillors. He responded by saying that he has chosen Pam McConnell, a progressive downtown councillor, to be a regional deputy mayor.
“To appoint a veteran and somebody very committed to the best interests of the city as Coun. McConnell as deputy mayor is very significant in my eyes,” Tory said, adding that he has also asked McConnell to lead a poverty reduction strategy team.
He has already picked Don Valley East Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong to be his deputy mayor, and he is proposing that Toronto be represented by four different deputy mayors. If council approves, councillors Vincent Crisanti, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Pam McConnell and Minnan-Wong will each be deputy mayors for the west, east, south and north, respectively.
“I had choices to make… and I’ve made them,” Tory said.
Coun. Josh Colle is expected to be the new TTC chair. He was narrowly defeated by North York Coun. Maria Augimeri to replace former chair Karen Stintz in February.
Female councillors are once again expected to grace the seats of the powerful Executive Committee. Women had previously left the committee one by one amid severe tensions with embattled former mayor Rob Ford. The committee is now expected to be made up by councillors Jaye Robinson, Michelle Berardinetti, Ana Bailao, Mary-Margaret McMahon, James Pasternak, Michael Thompson, David Shiner, Paul Ainslie, Cesar Palacio, Gary Crawford and Frank Di Giorgio.
Tory began his first day on the job by meeting with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to discuss public transit and housing solutions.
Tory showed up for work at 6:30 a.m. He says he is looking to improve relations with the province - Wynne had previously refused to meet with Ford after he was stripped of his mayoral powers following an admission of smoking crack cocaine.
“[I’m] looking forward to getting to work and working with the council of colleagues to get results for people,” Tory said as he arrived at City Hall this morning. “I feel like I’ve been at the job for three or four weeks already but you know, I guess as each moment passes, I’ll be more aware that I actually have the job today.”
At a press conference after the premier and mayor met Monday morning, both of them told reporters that they are committed to working with each other and the federal government. Wynne said issues such as housing and transit are not unique to Toronto and that a national strategy is needed since all provinces are grappling with them.
“If the communication is better, I think there’s much more potential that more can get done,” she said. “You can boil that down to money, but I think it goes much beyond that. How do we coordinate efforts, how do we make sure that our priorities are aligned and that is what is critical at this juncture.”
Wynne also said that Tory’s Smart Track proposal, the backbone of his campaign platform that got him elected, is “very much a part of the discussion around regional express rail.” The mayor and premier could not offer details on how Smart Track and the provincial transit plan would mesh together, but said that meetings with concerned officials would be ongoing.
City council’s first post-election meeting will convene Tuesday at 2 p.m. It will take place over two days and is largely ceremonial in nature to make the results of the Oct. 27 election official. Councillors will make a declaration of office before taking their seats and Tory will be presented with the mayor’s chain of office.
Tory was officially sworn in as mayor Monday during a private meeting at city hall.
"Truly honoured to have taken the Oath of Office earlier this afternoon, becoming the 65th Mayor of Toronto," Tory said in a tweet Monday evening.
A Striking Committee will also be appointed tomorrow to review councillors’ preferences for various committee positions and to recommend appointments to council. A speaker and deputy speaker will be chosen on Wednesday with Tory’s consent.
Although Ford is undergoing chemotherapy for a rare and aggressive form of cancer, he will remain on council taking over from his brother to represent Ward 2 Etobicoke North.
The first council meeting is free and open to the public. However, seating in the Council Chamber will be reserved for people with a ticket so as not to exceed the room’s capacity permitted by fire regulations. Tickets are being distributed by council members to families, friends, senior city officials and the media.
Additional seating will be provided in the rotunda and the committee rooms where the meeting can be watched via a live broadcast.
Tickets are not needed for the Dec. 3 session.
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