Who is building the city and who are we building it for?
Heading into the municipal election this fall, a new group, , plans to both ask those questions and advocate for the type of change that could shake up the status quo at city hall.
The new non-profit, launching this week, is the brainchild of political organizer Michal Hay, 34, who as national campaign director recently led Jagmeet Singh to a first-ballot win in the federal NDP leadership race.
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The new political organization, Hay told the Star, plans to both influence decision-making at city hall through organized community activism and also advocate for progressive candidates to win seats in the upcoming election.
鈥淭oronto鈥檚 an amazing city that I love, and I know many people love and want to live in. And it鈥檚 a city that鈥檚 definitely growing and has increasing wealth, but at the same time it鈥檚 not a city that鈥檚 working for everybody,鈥 Hay said. 鈥淚 believe, and the people who are coming together around this all believe, that it doesn鈥檛 have to be this way and much of it actually comes down to choices that are being made at city hall.鈥
The advisory board, comprised of about 30 people, behind the organization has a majority of women, youth and people of colour, comprised of both researchers and campaigners who come from across the city and with a range of experiences. Hay said that diversity is important to reflect the city when council itself does not.
The board includes names like the Broadbent Institute鈥檚 Alejandra Bravo, the 海角社区官网Youth Cabinet鈥檚 Edna Ali, as well as the CEE Centre for Young Black Professionals鈥 Kofi Hope.
Returning to 海角社区官网after seeing Singh through his transition in Ottawa was important to Hay. She has been a campaigner for the 海角社区官网Environmental Alliance and for almost two terms was the executive assistant to Councillor Mike Layton (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina), son of former NDP leader Jack Layton. She was also the field director for Olivia Chow鈥檚 unsuccessful 2014 mayoral campaign. In those roles, she has had a hand in advocating for the Transit City light-rail plan largely scrapped under former mayor Rob Ford, sought supervised injection services that have recently opened across the city, pushed for more shelter space downtown and fought against a casino opening in Toronto.
Layton called Hay a 鈥渢ask master鈥 who is first and foremost a very principled person. At city hall, she is known for her strengths in grassroots campaigning and a meticulous attention to detail and data.
Board member Hope said part of the reason he wanted to get involved was the 鈥渋ntegrity and vision that Michal has as a leader.鈥
鈥淟ike so many people in this city, there鈥檚 a real hunger to get a new generation of leaders into city council and influencing our politics and to increase the diversity and the reputation and the voice,鈥 Hope said.
Hay said she believes councillors, regardless of where they are on the political spectrum, can be moved on issues if they hear loudly from their residents. Adding progressive voices to city hall, including those more representative of the city, will allow them to directly influence decisions, she said.
While the search for a big-name challenger to Mayor John Tory continues, there could be more than 10 open seats in the Oct. 22 election 鈥 meaning there is no incumbent councillor running 鈥 with changes to ward boundaries and current 海角社区官网councillors vacating their seats.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 see there being much of a fight at the mayoral level, the way it鈥檚 looking right now, so the 47 wards are going to be really, really critical to get more progressive votes being passed,鈥 former Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment boss Richard Peddie told the Star. Now a member of the Progress 海角社区官网board, Peddie confirms he will not run against Tory after spending several months considering it.
Dr. Amina Jabbar, a resident in geriatrics and member of the advisory board, said she鈥檚 seen the city over the past two decades shift in ways that concern her.
鈥淲hen we have cities with disparities, they鈥檙e unsafe and they鈥檙e unhealthy,鈥 she said, adding that鈥檚 not the city she wants to raise her newborn son in. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 great about the municipal election coming around the corner is that it gives us an opportunity to start talking about who鈥檚 in power and what is the vision that they have for the city.鈥
The timing for launching the new organization is key, but there is an opportunity to keep pushing beyond 2018, said community organizer Dusha Sritharan, also a member of the board.
鈥淥ne of my worries is we often work in silos in the community,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think a lot of the people who are coming on board are seeing the potential for long-term change in this.鈥
The group plans to officially launch with a party on April 5, followed by a broad consultation in person and online on the kind of future city residents imagine.
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