My Windsor Electoral Choices

It's that time when Windsorites have to make their big decision. The question, not for whom to vote, but should they bother to go out to vote or not? Will we get even close to 40% voter turnout this time around?

There is little point trying to predict who will win since the decision will be made by so few of our residents. In the end, the winner of each race will be the one who can get his/her supporters out.

Watch out also for party politics. Big support by the Liberals, NDP and Conservatives who are all backing candidates this time around.

If I were a voter in each Ward, for whom would I vote:

Ward 1 is my Ward

Drew Dilkens is my choice. I just like his style even though I may argue with him on some of his positions. He is bright, articulate and works hard. His background and his world-leading Segway campaign tells me that he will help Windsor move forward

Although I expect he will be re-elected, you know that I would never vote for Councillor Budget. I did not vote for him last time either even though we worked together on STOPDRTP. As far as I am concerned, he abandoned his Community over the border. Part of the in camera secrecy crew, he has been virtually invisible on the issue except for the odd remark in Gord Henderson's column and his ridiculous threat of a lawsuit. And he still yells Schwartz, Schwartz, Schwartz as the border solution long after Sam has left town.

Second choice....hmmmm that's a tough one and I probably will make up my mind at the last minute!

Greg (Mr. I support DRTP) Baggio probably has ruined all the good work he did campaigning with his pro-DRTP stance. Did he forget he is running in Ward 1? That little green sticker at the bottom of his signs supporting DRTP is certainly rubbing it into Brister's face!

I disagree with Al Teshuba totally on tunnelling and he is spending too much time on it. While I know how passionate he is about it, and he spent money on that tunnel conference, I don't want another one issue candidate like last time. There is no doubt that Al will not be pushed around by Administration or the Mayor unlike some of the incumbents but will they work with him?

As for the others, they have no chance. Perhaps I just won't vote for a second candidate. That's an option too. Effectively, I have given Drew 2 votes that way.

It should be interesting to see the smear-mongerers come out full force this week too in the Ward just like last time. You can guess very well who the target will be too and how their message will be delivered. Disgusting!

UPDATE: Even Councillor STOPDRTP has jumped on the tunnelling bandwagon as his new brochure shows. It's a change from what his website shows now. I wonder if he is that unsure of his vote this time around. That should give Al Teshuba some hope after the raucous Roseland meeting and further hurt Greg Baggio's chances!

Ward 2

Probably the only real shoo-in is Councillor Ron Jones although in the last few days I have heard that he is having some problems too. It's a moody electorate out there this time. Lots of unhappines with this City but not knowing where to turn. With our differences on certain issues however, I'd have a tough time voting for him. Others won't have that problem

As for the #2 spot, clearly it has to be Chris Schnurr. From what I have seen, he has worked hard and his BLOGS are thoughtful. He was the best by far of all of the participants on the CKLW election show. He is prepared to make tough choices and is NOT afraid to take positions that can get him criticized if he believes it to be in the best interest of the Ward and the City. He also seems to be a media favourite which will not hurt his chances and there is a "buzz" out there about him.

What happened to the Diva this year? She seems to have disappeared. The big knock: she does not answer phone calls as well as she did in the past from constituents. Her "Read my lips: No arena taxes" on the front page of the Star will cost her a lot. Moreover, there is an undercurrent of resentment in the rest of the Ward about the overwhelming amount of emphasis that she and Ron spent on Sandwich. Whether true or not, that is how non-Sandwich residents feel and how they will vote.

The only question and only hope for Councillor Postma: will the combination of Gail Growe and Dan Petoran split the vote enough so that Chris Schnurr will not get enough votes so she can be returned.

Ward 3

I'd vote for Tony Blak. I spent 3 hours over a coffee with him one day recently and at the end, I told him that I was sorry that I had not known him better before. He would be a serious voice on Council for fiscal responsibility, not a pretender.

For the choice betwen Fulvio and Alan, that would be a tough one. I like Fulvio a lot not just because he knows everything about Council business but because people respect him. No one is a bigger pain in the butt on Council than Alan. He will remain the trouble-maker on Council asking the tough questions, no matter what. I probably would toss a coin at the ballot box but ultimately, I think I would vote for Alan to keep the Mayor and Council honest!

Ward 4

This is the toughest Ward to call but the easiest about the person not to vote for....No to Ken Lewenza Jr. Enough said about him.

I think that Bill Marra will get in. I did not think so initially but Lewenza's silly actions show a man who is too desperate to be re-elected. The arena fiasco will help Marra, as will his name recognition, since there will be a need for someone who will publicly stand up to the Mayor, something no Councillor was willing to do to the City's detriment. Marra will be viewed whether he likes the title or not as the Leader of the Opposition and he better live up to it if he wants a future in politics.

I had wanted David Cassivi back in too. Until he flipflopped and voted for the East End arena. I lost a lot of respect for him I am afraid to say. I always thought he made good sense. He helped himself with his passionate speech on the arena, being the only one on Council with the guts to oppose the steamrolling E-Machine. It looks like he caved in. Lewenza's electoral collapse would have helped him as voters would have given him more of their votes since he is the incumbent but now.....where will the votes go?

And for Ed Sleiman? But for the Cassivi's former position on the arena, he would have won a seat. I thought he would not make it. Now after Cassivi's change, he just may sneak up the middle based on his strong performance last time around. I thought that all of the money he spent on signs and billboards may not be enough. It may help him now as voters will look to place their second vote somewhere.

And yes, John Middleton is running too but I still have no idea what he stands for. In the end, it is a 3-person race and any of the three candidates could win.

My second choice after Bill...another toss of the coin at the ballot box between Cassivi and Sleiman!

Ward 5

I don't like Councillor Gignac but I would probably vote for her. She has the brains and the potential. If only she would stop thinking of herself as a School Trustee and start acting like a Councillor. Perhaps in her second term she will starrt demonstrating that she has a political philosophy that is understandable. Rumour has it that she may run federally as well or, if she stays around, for Mayor after Eddie goes.

I would have thought that starpower should guarantee Mr. Hatfield a seat BUT his margin of victory will be lowered by his wife's 145% School Board salary increase. I noticed as well that his website is still "coming soon." Not a good sign for someone that is expected to take action on behalf of citizens. And Steve Farrell, he may pick up votes after the great publicity he got with his arena petition

The Mayor

Duh....do you think I would ever vote for Eddie Francis for anything again, including voting for him a year from now if he runs for the Tories in the Provincial election in my riding!

I have to vote for David Wonham to show my protest even though it is clear that Francis will win. If many others do as well, then at least it will bring Eddie down to size and give some guts to the Councillors who are elected that they must take over the running of the City for the next 4 years. Council did that during Hurst's last term and we had a great year with a solid Council majority on every key issue!

We don't know much about David since he decided to run so late, meaning the money boys and girls were not going to finance someone they thought would lose. They did not want their names to appear down the road on the E-machine hit list. Windsor's really a small town that way when even the powerful Construction Association is afraid to do anything after the arena fiasco.

Obviously I have spoken with him and like his honesty. I do know that he has held a senior position in a hospital so he is no slouch and knows how to run meetings with a group of people in an organization. We might even have an effective City Council if he were in charge. http://www.windsorcitycouncil.com/ for his Bio.

He handled himself well at the press conference when he handed in his nomination papers. I expect that this may have scared Eddie. Too bad that no one has been able yet to hear Dr. Dave against Eddie in a debate since the E-machine's strategy this time around must be to keep Eddie hidden. They are following the DRTP approach: let his billboards do the talking. [I told you that Eddie learned well from Mike!] Quite a contrast from Eddie's "Listening [to the electorate]Tour" last time around. This time it is the "Ignore the electorate Tour" since Eddie cannot defend his record of non-accomplishment. As an example, Dr. Dave was the one who picked apart the arena offering and he was right about it as can be seen by the changes to the project.

Wonham's biggest advantage: experience and maturity. He is not a petulant child who has to get his own way or he picks up his ball and goes home. Being a responsible Leader in the Community means not acting to put your City at risk from the real decision-makers but working with them, persuading them of your case; something that an experienced lawyer knows and a young lawyer should understand.

Wonham is smart enough to know that he is not smart enough to know everything. Sure he knows the issues and can offer up solutions for some of them. But he seems to have this novel idea on the border, as an example, that one ought to talk to the proponents rather than ignore them and that one ought to work WITH the Senior Levels rather than snub them.

I am sure that he does not know how to create more jobs here but there are some very smart business people in town who do. David would not spend three time-wasting years setting up a Development Commission that still does not have a CEO but does have a window-dressing Board and Chair. No, he would go out and get these business people together to find a solution for our economic ills. For him, no "empty words and broken promises."

You know what, if Dr. Dave does lose, then I have an idea for him. Stick around. Build up your name and reputation locally. There may well be a by-election in a year if I am right about Eddie and the Conservatives. Become the Leader of the Opposition if we have another love-in at Council. Be there for the media to interview. Speak your mind. Let people know what is good and what is bad in this City.

We need an alternative voice to the cheerleaders who see little wrong, ever. Become it!

That should scare the E-machine. And I know 2 people who will thank you, a lot!