Several hundred people packed Runnymede United Church on November 8th to meet and question candidates for Council and the Mayoral hopefuls Miller, Pitfield and LeDrew.

The crowd and the discussion were lively! Questions came from the audience (asked in writing and in person), with questioners chosen by lottery.

The written questions that were not drawn were later submitted to the Ward 13 Council candidates, several of whom replied. Their replies on issues ranging from the Humber Odeon project, to bikes and Kyoto are below.

Remember to vote on November 13th!

1. Question from Mark:
“In light of city council’s approval of the condominium
building now planned for the site of the old Humber Odeon cinema, it strikes me that so long as a developer has, in Bill Saundercook’s words, “cooperative and continuous dialogue with residents,” the developer is guaranteed, in the end, to get what they want, or at least a fair portion of it. What would you do, if elected, to ensure that developers are never again able to circumvent the official plan, and to make them settle in such
cases with the simple answer ‘No’?”

Answer from Councillor Saundercook
“Mark ; I have explained that if you can predict a positive report from the City planner (Ed Murphy) as was the case here, you must work with all involved. The developer first requested 18 floors in an ugly box. I believe the community involvement was very meaningful. Unfortunately, I was unable to support the proposal as the community requested me to represent them. The community Council supported me and turned down the application, but the city Council overturned that decision based on arguements supporting the new City Official Plan.”

Greg Hamara response:
Along with Steve McNally, I have been very much involved with the question of how to deal with the Humber Odeon. The Bloor West Village community is getting a building almost nobody wanted on the site of the old Humber Odeon theatre. The lack of leadership on the current councillor’s part allowed this to happen. Through extensive community consultation, and following the official plan, we can hold developers to respect the community’s priorities and create development that everyone can be proud of.

Answer from Aleksander Oniszczak:
I would ensure that “NO” means “NO”. If the residents don’t approve, that is what matters. As councillor, I serve the constituents and don’t accept donations from corporate interests. Also, for those with interests in a topic but cannot attend a meeting, my cell phone number is posted quite publicly on my website and here: 416-831-6747. Call me and tell me what you think. My website will have updates on meetings at Oniszczak.com and you can post your ideas and views at vividpicture.com at any time of the day or night for all to see including myself your friends and neighbours. I have every intention of doing everything I can to get the community involved because we all live here together and I want to live in a great community where everyone has their say.

Reply from Frances Wdowczyk:
Mark; The official city plan needs to be promoted loud and clear to developers and residents alike and it needs to be enforced. This is true in the case of small individual homes and in large condo developments. The unique flavour of our neighbourhoods depend on growth that reflect the positive elements of the community and builds on it. We also need to have consequences for developers who do not follow the rules. This may be more an issue for smaller developments in our communities (single homes etc) but it is equally important to our neighbourhoods. If developers are not going to follow the rules of the plan or the rules of council then why should they be allowed to develop in the city?

Answer from Linda Coltman
Not having been at this meeting, I am unsure of whose plan you are speaking of, the City planner versus a local organization. But allow me to say that as Toronto grows, the greater the need of diversified housing and creative management of space should be taken into consideration by all parties.

2. Question from Christie:
“If elected, will you move a motion to rescind the Palais
Royale parking lot which is threatening to blight our precious greenspace on the Lakeshore?”

Answer from Councillor Saundercook:
“The Palais Royale has a contract with the City that requires they provide parking. The local Councillor Sylvia Watson has worked with city staff and proponents to find the best solution. I will work with the new Councillor elected in ward 14, if the Councillor is acting in a responsible way without negatively impacting my constituency.

Greg Hamara response:
Yes, and make sure that the Waterfront Usage Study is completed and followed.

Answer Aleksander Oniszczak:
“I certainly would! The last thing the Lakeshore needs is to have more of it paved over.”

Response from Frances Wdowczyk:
Hi Christie: I would work with the Councillor and Community in Ward 14 to be sure that the waterfront was protected. Our waterfront needs to be protected here on the west end of the city and it needs to start with this issue.

Answer from Linda Coltman:
As noted by our Federal government in during discussions of the Oak Ridge Morraine, parks, green spaces, natural environments etc. should be preserved but with the recognition that if no one ever gets to see them, investigate, document, photograph them etc. how do you know such are there? Our city has in place plans to eventually coordinate all lakefront areas into becoming one continuous green space/park like setting. How do you suggest best to see the wonders of this green space – while driving by from the Queensway or Lakeshore and do you believe rolling down the vehicle’s windows and smelling the fish while passing is enough?

3. Question from Stan:
“The riding of bicycles on sidewalks is a danger to pedestrians. They are a menace and could (do) cause injury (or theft of purses) from unsuspectingl walkers. Why not decal (paint) “no riding on sidewalks” signs at all intersections?”

Answer from Councillor Saundercook:
“Stan ; We spoke at your home and at the meeting wednesday and I agree completely that we have to first of all, make our bicycle lanes more functional. Then, we can post penalties for those who don’t seem to care about the safety of pedestrians. I would be happy, if re-elected, to bring this issue to the Pesdestrian Committee(of which I have been the only Council member) as well as the Cycling Committee to produce enforceable legislation to protect the public on their public space.”

Greg Hamara Response: I agree that riding bicycles on sidewalks is inappropriate and unsafe. Painting no-cycling signs on the sidewalk may be a solution, but I think better enforcement of traffic laws is also needed. The signage will only help in the enforcement, not the prevention. Prevention can be addressed in the form of education and advertising.

Answer from Aleksander Oniszczak:
“I agree that bicycles on sidewalks are a danger. I have a solution to the problem. It is a simple, but elegant modification to bicycle lanes to match the successful style of those found in Amsterdam (as seen on my website at Oniszczak.com) The idea is simple: instead of a bike lane being a painted line on a road, it is raised to the same level as the sidewalk – keeping bikes separated from motor vehicles. In my conversation with Mayor Miller, he indicated he liked the idea and that the plan sounded feasible with little to no cost as the lanes would be changed only as sidewalks and roadwork was replaced. These implementations would reduce road congestion, conflicts between cyclists and motor vehicles and increase pedestrian safety at little or no cost since cyclists would have no reason to ride on the pedestrian sidewalk anymore.”

Response from Frances Wdowczyk:
Stan; I agree that this is a big problem in the area. First off we need to follow through on the City Plan to create and support more bicycle lanes in the ward. This will address the root of the problem by giving the cyclists a dedicated lane to ride in. Council has been slow in following through on their promise for more bike lanes. The next step is enforcement of the traffic laws. While signs bring awareness to the issue we need to step up enforcement or the presence of enforcement. A return to Community Policing would support this level of enforcement and we need to look at other options. What about the parking enforcement officers supporting the enforcement of no bikes on sidewalks? I think it is an idea to look at and would look into it right away.

Answer from Linda Coltman:
The City of Toronto recognizes major intersections as a parade of vehicles in continuum under massive signage. Gridlock, by-laws and all manner of things are factored in by City planners. People posting signs on telephone poles etc. are now widely being considered a nuisance due to such factors and their postings are basically overlooked and/or disregarded. My thought is that rather than your group being disregarded too, perhaps this would be a good opportunity to join with other cycling organizations and community groups that are as responsible as you are to work together to fundraise and obtain creative endorsements from radio, TV, newspapers etc. to either create an advertising campaign against such behavior.

4. Question from Brenda:
“During the week, could High Park be opened up to allow
access from the Queensway to Bloor Street? With the paving of the Queensway taking so long, it often has not been possible to turn north on Ellis, Windermere and the South Kingsway.”

Answer from Councillor Saundercook:
“Brenda: I would discourage creating a short cut through High Park for many reasons. But the reason Queensway has seemed to take so long to reconstruct is because it was agreed upon to be done in stages. Because 50% of the roadway was out of commission for the project it was decided to do reconstruction of westbound only for 2005 then do eastbound for 2006 which is receiving its finishing touches. The controversial part of the project were the ramps at South Kingsway, which are being further studied and recommendations from staff will be brought to the community early in the new year. This project is expected to have a life expectancy of 50 years, so we want to plan for the future in a meaningful way. During the delay of the study, I convinced staff to include better solutions for traffic infiltration on north-south routes of Ellis Ave, Windemere Ave and South Kingsway.

Greg Hamara response: No.

Answer from Aleksander Oniszczak:
I believe this is a perfectly reasonable solution. Although I would not support a permanent path through the park, it is quite reasonable to do so in this situation. This is a perfect example of great solutions to problems coming from the community. I would encourage other ideas such as this to be posted at vividpicture.com for myself and all those concerned to read and comment upon. This will make issues known to others in the community and ensure that the councillor does not ignore them.

Response from Frances Wdowczyk:
Brenda; I agree the work on the Queensway is taking a long time. Unfortunately opening access to the park is not the solution.The park was a gift to the city from John G. Howard and in terms the city agreed to leave the grounds and estate (Colborne Lodge) in as natural a state as possible. The addition of traffic through the park would negatively impact the delicate balance of nature found in the Park.

Answer from Linda Coltman:
Dear Brenda – I am glad to see that you are paying attention to the reconstruction of the roads in your area, our hard Municipal dollars at work. In this day and age when every minute is precious because we overtax ourselves with multiple influences, I still like the idea of the llamas, deer, senior citizens and disabled people being safe from traffic in our local parks and would ask you to please be patient.

5. Question from David:
“As of November 6, 2006, 328 mayors in the United States have
accepted Seattle Mayor Nickels’ challenge to join Seattle in taking local action to reduce global warming pollution. The challenge is to meet or exceed the Kyoto Protocol targets, and to urge higher levels of government to enact policies or programs to meet or exceed the Kyoto Protocol. Would
candidates for mayor be willing to initiate and endorse a comparable Canadian initiative? What specific actions would be taken to realize the Kyoto Protocol targets within the City of Toronto and to encourage the federal and provincial governments — and other municipalities — to take
concerted action on climate change? Would Ward 13 council candidates support the mayor in such initiatives, and what specific actions would they encourage for Ward 13?”

Answer from Councillor Saundercook:
“David ; I believe that all my political career has supported a progressive environmental platform, from bringing the first Blue Box to Toronto, the first down-spout disconnection program, water efficiency and conservation program to being the Works Chair when we introduced the toughest sewer-use bylaw in North America. I challenge any existing Councillor to a better record on the environment. We as a city must continue to replace the trees in a progressive manner in order to stay ahead of the disappearance of the ailing and aged stock. The private tree bylaw was a progressive step to add to the protection of our city canopy and all efforts obviously add to the quality of our air. I will continue to be the conscience of the environmment as long as I am on City Council.”

Greg Hamara response:
This is a complex question, due to the fact that it involves jurisdictions that include all three levels of government. Unlike American cities, Toronto does not fully control its destiny. With the new Toronto Act, the city will have more powers, but even so, it still isn’t at the same level of money and power that the Americans enjoy. However, Toronto can implement plans to make Apartment and Condo buildings recycle more. Specifically, Greg FULLY SUPPORTS A RAPID IMPLEMENTATION OF the CITY’s Environmental Plan: Clean, Green and Healthy, a Plan for an Environmentally Sustainable Toronto.

Answer from Aleksander Oniszcak:
“Yes, I would take local action to reduce global warming and support the Mayor in such initiatives. More importantly, I know a bold agenda is required for actual progress to be made. If one aims high, greater achievements will be made than by those who aim low – even if all the goals are not reached. Nothing is more important than the environment, and by extension, our health. It affects us all. Therefore every decision needs to have its environmental impact assessed, and if it is not a positive one, it needs to be rethought. For example buying water in bottles rather than drinking from taps and water fountains seems harmless, but these bottles need to be manufactured – which, of course, increases the particulate matter in our atmosphere. These bottles need to be trucked to their destinations. And when empty, these bottles need to be trucked for disposal or recycling. This all leads to waste and pollution. A rethinking of our water processing techniques together with education can make a difference. And this is just one issue. There are many more that I take equally seriously. I support the Kyoto Protocol targets and offer real examples of what I would do. See Oniszczak.com for more. I do not see the other candidates offering any specific ideas other than simply claiming to support it. Why trust a politician that writes “waste not want not” on a disposable sign? Why trust any politician that claims to want to help the environment while blanketing the area with lawn signs that have to be disposed of. Vote for REAL change on Novermber 13. Vote for Aleksander Oniszczak.”

Response from Frances Wdowczyk:
David; I have publicly pledged TO green and will support the implementation of the cities environmental plan. I will also support the mayor in the creation of any initiatives that meet or exceed the Kyoto Protocol. If elected, the specific actions that I will encourage ward 13 to participate in include; increase recycling and composting in apartment buildings, increase public transit and access to public transit and support sustainable communities that allow and encourage people to walk or ride bikes to their local shops. I will encourage the city of Toronto as a corporation, to take the lead on reducing packaging by only purchasing products from companies who use minimal packaging, therefore leading by example.

Answer from Linda Coltman:
I am strongly in favor of following in the footsteps of what the Kyoto Accord has stood for from its infancy. It has been a long and slow road to educate the public en masse without instilling panic that we are in desperate need of resolving issues that create the pollutants that will eventually devastate our environment. As different stages have been implemented by the City, they continue to become more demanding upon themselves to create better and more effective ways of dealing with pollutants. I would strongly agree with any actions that a Mayor should take in the healing of Mother Earth. As an individual I do my part and make sure that my friends and associates recognize that we each have a part to play. As a first step I would make it my business to make sure every street, avenue, crescent, parkway etc. was tree lined. Many of the trees along established roadways are dead and/or dying with precarious dead branches hanging from them which would need perhaps an arborist’s hand. I might even go as far as suggesting that where many of our phone/power/cable wires are now underground that street lamp and other street posts actually have plantings of vines growing up them both eradicating nuisance signage and still allowing City employees to access said poles when the need arises through their truck/vehicular basket lift systems. These efforts would help our ward “breathe” better.

6. Question from Peter:
“What do you consider to be the two top priority problems
facing the Swansea community (Keele – Humber River – Gardiner – Bloor) which require immediate action to resolve, and what are your solutions to these problems?”

Answer from Councillor Saundercook:
“Peter ; I consider the congestion of condos and vehicular traffic the two top problems for lower Swansea. The abandonment of the Georgian Development plan to bring commercial (ie grocery) to Southport Plaza led me to sucessfully oppose their recent Committee of Adjustment plan. Hopefully, the developer knows we mean business and he will pursue the lead of A&P grocery, who I contacted shortly after our September meeting. I have also pursued a Pharmacy, LCBO and Postal outlet on behalf of the community. Secondly, the gridlock is only going to get worse. As a TTC commissioner, I have advanced the study of extending the dedicated track of the Queensway streetcar, beyond St. Joe’s Hospital into the Rail lands, over to the CNE and connect to Union Station in a quick and efficient trip.”

Hamara Response:
Community Services, or more accurately the lack of them, caused by the development south of Windermere has put an extreme stress on services for recreation and education. As well, public transit needs to be improved, especially the north/south transit to the subway lines.

Answer from Aleksander Oniszczak:
Crime and Property taxes.
Crime: People want to feel safe. People want police there when they need them. The way to attain this is to make their jobs easier by making the neighbourhood safer to begin with. What does this mean? It means keeping areas well lit at night. It means equalizing the disparity between the haves and have-nots. It means using studies that have been published on the root causes of crime rather than providing knee-jerk reactions that only make the situation worse. If larger numbers of police with more powerful weapons, gated communities and the death penalty were as effective as intuitively one would think, then the US would be safest country in the world. Let’s look at the facts and get results. I was personally robbed and assaulted recently and let me tell you I want to do something about it. This is not the city it once was. Let’s get it back on track.

Property Taxes:
Lawn signs, billboards, flyers – have you noticed that my opponents are spending a lot of money on their campaigns? Do you think they will stop spending a lot of money if they get elected? I believe fiscal responsibility is not just a phrase to drop in interviews. Intelligent and resourceful solutions are needed to get full value for our tax dollars. I don’t just say it, I do it. Did I spend thousands of dollars on a flashy website? No, not at all, I created it myself. A can-do attitude can take you far. Of course, the flip side of the coin has Toronto paying a disproportionate amount of money in taxes compared to the services it receives. The Province, the Federal government and most importantly, the people of Canada need to have this made clear to them. It simply will not change until we have their support. Toronto is the economic engine of Canada and when that engine needs an oil change, it is not the time to be shopping for a new stereo. That engine is going to seize up and Canada will find itself pulling to the side of the road. We need a campaign to educate people on the value of maintaining the engine. That would be money well spent.

Response from Frances Wdowczyk:
Peter; I feel that the two top priorities are #1 traffic- too many cars and driving too fast. We need to work with Police to make our community safer in the area of traffic. We need to return to Community Policing. More Police on the streets working WITH neighbours to change the behaviour around speed and distracted driving will make a big difference. I have a history of working as a partner with Police Services across the country. I will bring this experience to the table when working with our Police to reduce traffic and slow cars down.
#2 We need to hold the line on taxes in our community. The City of Toronto has been granted new powers, with some of those powers in the area of implementing new taxes. I believe that we need to find new and innovative ways to do business in the city without increasing our taxes.

Answer from Linda Coltman:
One of the many factors for this area is that the number of individual dwellings outnumbers the potential revenue created by the blending of residential with commercial productivity. If your chosen venue is to be a more residential community, it is up to you to embrace your neighbours and create an identity which would reflect a more stable economically developed area. In this I mean that I believe the area as indicated needs to redevelop itself to have a “new” identity which doesn’t have to necessarily be commercial or residential but rather identified by the members of the community residing within such as to a community based direction/approach of what the common desire is and what needs to be done and what is wanted so that such can be aggressively/progressively pursued.

7. Question from Anonymous:
How are you going to ensure that you are representing us?

Greg Hamara response:
With hard-work, with a knowledgeable and responsive staff, accessibility, and being a team-player, As well, I plan to use various means to keep the community informed of local issues and events, not just once or twice a year.

Answer from Aleksander Oniszczak:
“Many of you have great ideas that are never heard. As we all know, life gets busier all the time and, as much as one would like to, it is unrealistic to expect everyone to attend neighbourhood meetings or even visit the councillor’s office to voice complaints and opinions on a regular basis. Of course, these things are encouraged as I am a people person and love discussing issues, but there needs to be more access and interaction. There needs to be a forum where not only is there an opportunity to voice your opinions to the councillor, but to also share the ideas with your neighbours too. I propose to augment (not replace) the current process by putting the technology in place to allow communication with one’s friends and neighbours and city officials in a publicly accessible medium. Great ideas can come of collaboration. This is not an empty promise. While the others were out posing for photos with and debating what colour their lawn signs will be, I built a system for the Ward to use right now! Go to VividPicture.com and contribute your ideas! Post, comment, vote – it’s all there for us to use. It also forces the councillor to act on issues as it will shame him if the issues are left unsolved for all to see. What have the other candidates offered but empty promises.”

Response from Frances Wdowczyk:
The best way to represent you is to hear you and take that voice forward to city hall. This will be done through community consultation. I am committed to hearing you (surveys, door to door, town hall meetings or telephone conversations) prior to any major decisions being made. My job (if elected) is to seek your input and feedback, not wait for you to find me.

Answer from Linda Coltman:
I think the first way to best represent constituents is for them to come out of the closet and be named. We have far too many Mr. and Mrs. Anonymous that live in this ward as it is. We are in the age of the highest technological achievement to date making common use of e-mail, faxes, the internet etc., etc. and best of all the common Canadian invention of the telephone. Too, in this age we still have available to us paper and pens, pencils and charcoal and as last resorts constituents can walk into my constituency office at any time. I am open to invitations to meetings and would hope that if there’s an issue of individual or community concern and/or interest that someone would come forward letting me know what the issue is and where within the “anonymous” part of the ward they reside etc.