Canada Free Press -- ARCHIVES

Because without America, there is no free world.

Return to Canada Free Press

EDITORIAL

Jumping on the SARS bandwagon

April 28, 2003

Of the many elected politicians looking less than effective on the SARS issue, wannabe politician and mayoral candidate John Tory is dubiously distinguished as being in a class of his own. In his letter to a daily newspaper, Tory took advantage of the SARS situation and used it as a political platform, in a tasteless attempt to portray himself as a leader.

"The city government’s inability to address the economic impact of SARS illustrates why I am running for mayor of Toronto." Tory wrote in his self-serving letter. "The problem is not so much that bad decisions have been made, but that not enough decisions have been made in this and other areas."

The calendar proves that there was no outbreak of SARS when John Tory registered as a mayoral candidate.

"The discussions I’ve had with community and business leaders suggest there is a clear desire to act and work together. All we lack is the leadership and the collective will to make it happen," Tory added.

"That is why I offered an initial four-point plan to address the impact SARS is having on our entire community. The plan includes education that places the current risk in perspective, stimulating local economic activity now, asking all governments to provide businesses with short-term relief, and developing a longer-term marketing plan with Tourism Toronto and others to restore our economy, tourism, and reputation."

Nowhere in his letter does Tory identify himself as what he is. Not only is he the ‘establishment’ mayoral candidate with full backing from the powerbrokers who run the election campaigns of all Toronto mayoral candidates, John Tory played a key role in the election campaign, and is a close personal friend of current Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman.

If, as Tory claims, "not enough decisions have been made in this and other areas," he has been part of the problem and not the solution.

The economic impact SARS is making on our city is the preserve of elected politicians and not mayoral candidates.

Long before the outbreak of the deadly disease, Toronto politicians travelling abroad on Olympic games business registered shock and disappointment to discover that despite the millions spent on Tourism Toronto, the city was not even a blip on the radar as a travel destination.

As CEO of Rogers Cable, Tory should be worried about the economic impact of SARS as a businessman, not a mayoral candidate.

None of the other mayoral candidates registered for November’s civic elections presumed to take advantage of the SARS issue, and that is to their credit.

His jumping on the SARS bandwagon as a mayoral candidate shows voters that John Tory is not the right choice for Toronto mayor.