November 24, 2003
There was no doubt that even as stalwart New Democratic (NDP) Councillor Olivia Chow was being endorsed by the Toronto Star for Ward 20 Trinity-Spadina in recent civic elections, she had no intention of sticking around.
Chow is going to run in the federal election, on a timetable as early as this spring. Moreover, if she wins a federal seat, voters are "going to be stuck with a pricey by-election".
Chow’s intentions for the federal election are not the mere meanderings of a political pundit, but the very words of the Toronto Star--which incredibly endorsed her for municipal election anyway.
The selfishness of career politicians such as Chow is awesome. Knowing she’ll only be in office as a municipal councillor for a matter of months, she expects the taxpayer to finance her jump up by keeping her in pocket as she makes her next political move.
Under the circumstance, Chow should have declined the municipal race.
The councillor should have had the decency to include her intentions for the federal election on her municipal election brochures. At least that way, the public would have had some warning of the "pricey by-election" around the corner.
The Star should have found the courage to skip Chow’s "grudging" editorial page endorsement this time around.
It sometimes seems that the days when politicians and crusading newspapers had a healthy respect for the public purse are disappearing.
The more we allow politicians to get away with financing career moves from the public purse, the more other politicians will come along to follow suit.
Newspapers that endorse candidates they know have no intention of staying the course do John Q. Public a great disservice.
While Chow is the worse example of candidates endorsed by daily newspapers, there is also Coun. Maria Augimeri who was handily returned to city council in Ward 9 York Centre.
"A very tepid endorsement goes to Maria Augimeri, a long-time councillor who warrants support only because her rivals are so weak," said the Star in its endorsement, "She has done little at city council, standing out mainly for her hypocrisy in fighting housing for homeless youth, despite her New Democratic Party roots."
Guess Augimeri’s NDP roots are more important to the Star than the little she does at city council.
Like most council incumbents, Augimeri had no trouble holding onto her seat on election night. Not much wonder when the country’s largest circulation publication dismissed as weak rivals., Anna Oppedisano, Richard Baldacchino, Annmarie Robb and Domenic D’Abruzzo.
They say you can’t fight city hall and win. With daily newspapers in on the act, it’s become etched on stone.