City Council — October 2013

Ward 3 appointee council meeting. Talk of "equal size pieces of paper." And now the clerk is drawing names from some kid of bucket!

This is impressively old-school. I thought maybe @TorontoCouncil would use Excel's randomize function, but they're just drawing from a bin.

Please provide details on the name-drawing container, @TorontoCouncil. Any consideration of using an actual hat? (Cowboy, preferably.)

Today's meeting is the closest we're likely to get to public deputations at city council meetings — something Ford promised to implement.

Frontrunner appointee Chris Stockwell is making his pitch to council now. Mammoliti asks him to expand on his views on public transportation

Stockwell on transportation: "I follow it, but I don't read the reports." He'll fit in pretty well.

Potential nominee Aziza Mohammed has made the best pitch so far. Really impressive.

Moeser asks Stockwell whether he'd support cancelling the LRT along Finch and Sheppard. Stockwell says he can't say.

"Frankly, I'm not big on cancelling much," says Stockwell. Points to him for that.

Stockwell does not seem particularly excited about serving as Ward 3 Councillor. His answers are a bit muted.

Peter Leon making his pitch to council now. He's Doug Holyday's preferred replacement, but Community Council didn't pick him.

Peter Leon is impressing. Sincere, willing to learn and focused on local issues. Council could do a lot worse than going with Holyday's rec.

Now here's John Nunziata. Picking him would result in an immediate 100% increase to council's Nunziata supply. Can't argue with results.

"Decorum is extremely important in this chamber," notes Councillor James Pasternak, to scattered laughter.

Nunziata notes that we can't just eliminate the land transfer tax without looking at how to make up for lost revenues. Hey, good point.

Parker takes a VOICE VOTE to extend the meeting to allow council to finish questioning Nunziata. Oh no, our accountability!

Toronto *deserves* a marching band.

It looks as if Peter Leon might just win this appointment to the Ward 3 seat. So much for the "council will appoint a socialist!" boogeyman.

Mayor gets up to talk about how this is an "unfair process." Recounts how he tried to make a byelection happen.

Ford encourages all would-be appointees to stay involved in politics, encourages them to run. He's sincere and it's admirable.

Ford says he's going to do what community council decided and vote for Chris Stockwell. Think he might lose.

"Remember that you're the customer," Ford explains. Then he explains the rules of selling. He's a regular Alec Baldwin.

In many ways, the Fords are the Baldwins of Etobicoke.

@GraphicMatt No, I'm pretty sure he's more Stephen Baldwin.

Here we go. Votes are in for the first round. Peter Leon: 14 votes, Chris Stockwell: 14 votes, Agnes Potts: 7, John Nunziata: 3.

Aziza Mohammed, Vince Conforzi and William Star all got 1 vote each.

It looks like Peter Leon will win on the second ballot, as I expect most of the Agnes Potts votes will go to him.

(Maybe not on the second ballot, but eventually!)

Potts votes: Layton, Robinson, McConnell, Milczyn, Doucette, Perks & Davis. Nunziata: Colle, De Giorgio, Augimeri (?!).

Aziza Mohammed actually got 2 votes, correcting myself: from @kristynwongtam and @cllrainslie.

Second ballot results are in. Need 22 votes to win. Leon: 21, Stockwell: 17, Potts: 3, Mohammed: 2.

Potts votes: Milczyn, Perks, Layton. Aziza Mohammed: Wong-Tam and Ainslie.

Leon will win on the next ballot unless some councillors really want to drag this out.

Here we go. Round 3 results. 22 votes needed to appoint. Leon: 26, Stockwell: 16, Potts: 1. So Peter Leon is the new councillor in Ward 3.

Peter Leon is now responsible for the well-being of Little Ginny. Treat her well.

Mayor makes a point of order to congratulate Peter Leon. Mayor is hoping Leon can be sworn in within the next 30 minutes and start working.