'Mushy Middle' Incumbent Candidates

Many of the Scarborough incumbents, including Brian Ashton, Bas Balkissoon and Raymond Cho are good on most local issues but all over the map otherwise. Ashton is the big disappointment here. He could be a leader on the progressive side of Council but appeared to sulk his way through the last term and, like most of his other mushy Scarborough partners, he just did not seem to grasp the disaster to be caused by the Island Airport expansion.

These incumbents need to get out of their parochial ruts and to develop a broader view of the city and its needs. With the end of the heavy-handed Lastman regime, those who are re-elected have no excuse not to perform much better in the new Council.

Howard Moscoe (Ward 15, Eglinton-Lawrence)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $83,565)
Percentage donations from individuals: 13%
Percentage donations from businesses: 87%

Howard Moscoe would have been endorsed but for his vote to support the expansion of the Island Airport, which was a shocker. Moscoe switched his position to obtain a deal with Bombardier, the manufacturer of aircraft to be used at the expanded airport, in exchange for Bombardier dropping their opposition to a development in Moscoe’s ward adjacent to their plant. This highly questionable political trade-off has led to Moscoe's inclusion in the 'Mushy Middle' list. Another factor that calls Moscoe's integrity into question is the number of his campaign contributors dependent on city licensing, which Moscoe helps to administer at City Hall as a member of the licensing sub-committee.

John Filion (Ward 23, Willowdale)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $58,592)
Percentage donations from individuals: 50%
Percentage donations from businesses: 50%

John Filion has a spotty attendance record, skipping key votes on TTC funding, the MFP settlement, police spending, the Island Airport, homelessness, and privatization of garbage services. When he was in attendance, Filion usually voted for community-based interests. He has a good reputation for taking care of the needs of his constituents.

Raymond Cho (Ward 42, Scarborough-Rouge River)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $57,479)
Percentage donations from individuals: 75%
Percentage donations from businesses: 25%

Raymond Cho voted for backroom interests on the Union Station, Island Airport and police salary disclosure issues but was generally on the progressive side of social issues. Cho is one of a regrettably large number of Scarborough councillors who tend to be more focused on their wards than on citywide issues.

Brian Ashton (Ward 36, Scarborough Southwest)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $33,601)
Percentage donations from individuals: 15%
Percentage donations from businesses: 85%

Brian Ashton, another Scarborough member of the Mushy Middle could be a real leader on Council, but instead has been an unpredictable maverick, managing vote against the community's interests on votes on the pesticide ban, Island Airport, Front Street extension and police salary scrutiny issues.

Maria Augimeri (Ward 9, York Centre)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $79,282)
Percentage donations from individuals: 35%
Percentage donations from businesses: 65%

Maria Augimeri’s progressive credentials are fading away the longer she is on Council. Along with Howard Moscoe, she has become a flack for Bombardier, Regional Airlines holdings and the CAW in pushing for a mini-Pearson Airport on Toronto’s waterfront.

Suzan Hall (Ward 1, Etobicoke North)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $17,214)
Percentage donations from individuals: 84%
Percentage donations from businesses: 16%

Suzan Hall is what her voting record suggests, a 'net zero'. She appears over her head on city-wide planning issues but is able to make rational votes in the community development area.

Bas Balkissoon (Ward 41, Scarborough-Rouge River)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $34,740)
Percentage donations from individuals: 30%
Percentage donations from businesses: 70%

Bas Balkissoon scores a failing grade, being opposed to increased TTC funding, improving childcare subsidies, while being in favour of widening the DVP and Island Airport expansion.

Sherene Shaw (Ward 39, Scarborough-Agincourt)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $35,198)
Percentage donations from individuals: 5%
Percentage donations from businesses: 95%

Sherene Shaw is a 'bump on the log' councillor who contributes very little to shaping the political agenda... she’s present, making the odd good vote on social service issues but not much more.

Frank Di Giorgio (Ward 12, York South-Weston)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $24,994)
Percentage donations from individuals: 28%
Percentage donations from businesses: 72%

Frank Di Giorgio voting record is as all over the map as his convoluted speaking style. His voting record shows that he consistently voted in support of motorways and against public transit in council - he wanted to widen the DVP, build the Front Street extension and opposed extra TTC funding. Not surprisingly, he also favoured an expanded Island airport to pollute the waterfront.

Ron Moeser (Ward 44, Scarborough East)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $41,113)
Percentage donations from individuals: 12%
Percentage donations from businesses: 88%

Like Di Giorgio, Moeser favoured widening the DVP and building the Front Street extension to flood more cars into the downtown core. He supported expansion of the Island Airport but missed the key vote on the issue. His voting record also indicates that he has one of the worst attendance rate on key votes in the entire council. He is being challenged by a VoteToronto Endorsed candidate, Gay Cowburne.

Partially Redeemed Candidates

Jane Pitfield (Ward 26, Don Valley West)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $31,625)
Percentage donations from individuals: 33%
Percentage donations from businesses: 67%

Jane Pitfield’s pride at being a fiscal conservative has led her to vote against improved childcare subsidies and to support privatization of city services. She is solid on green issues, however, including the ban on pesticides, stopping the widening of the DVP and opposing Island Airport expansion.

Gerry Altobello (Ward 35, Scarborough Southwest)

2000 Election Campaign Donors: (total donations $23,775)
Percentage donations from individuals: 15%
Percentage donations from businesses: 85%

Yet another Scarborough politician who is mushy on citywide issues to the detriment of proper TTC funding, the Union Station deal and the MFP enquiry. As the council term progressed, however, Altobello began to take tougher stands, including his opposition to Island Airport expansion.