Miller Unveils Platform Amidst Criticism From Pitfield
Posted November 2, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
And now you have to wonder if even the candidates feel any urgency.
Consider the fact that the incumbent only unveiled all of his major promises on Wednesday, and there are less than two weeks to go before you mark your “X”.
David Miller vows to continue the work he started four years ago, pledging to build more affordable housing, support the arts and give voting rights to all permanent residents of the city, regardless of whether they’ve managed to get their Canadian citizenship.
And he plans to concentrate on the waterfront, green spaces and public transit, speeding up bus service to make it as efficient as the subway.
“You build a great city neighbourhood by neighbourhood,” Miller avers. “You build a great city by building great public spaces. You build a city by building public transit. And you build a city by ensuring that our city is properly funded from Ottawa and Queen’s Park. That’s how you build Toronto. And I’m very proud of my platform because my platform, in particular, focuses on those who need the most.”
For challenger Jane Pitfield, it was more of the same – something she insists the city just can’t afford. She complains her opponent has had three years to achieve his vision and wonders why he didn’t do more.
Pitfield has previously pledged she’ll build two kilometres of subway line every year for 25 years, a move Miller contends is simply too expensive.
She also plans to put 250 more officers on the streets. How will she pay for that?
“I’ll ask the police themselves to manage their budget better,” she answers. “They’ve got a lot of overtime, and eventually we could look at having other people supervising road construction.”
And even though time is running out, we have yet to hear the specifics of what last minute opponent Stephen LeDrew is hoping to accomplish if you vote him into office.
He plans to release his entire platform soon, even though the deadline is near. He claims he still has a lot of time.
How is all this playing with voters? The results are mixed.
“I like Mayor Miller because I think he’s a good guy, which I think is actually important,” explains Holly Rasky. “I like Jane Pitfield as well because I think she’s more conservative on fiscal things, and I haven’t really decided yet.”
Like those in the running, she’ll have to make up her mind before mid-November.
To review what each candidate stands for, check out their websites:
