It's 4:45am.
I just finished doing my nails and eating a pack of maynards, my stomach will hate me for it later.
I figure if I can't fix the big problems I see, I might as well fix myself up a bit.
The big problems are vast and run deep, but the one that has me up tonight is Toronto's election of Rob Ford as Mayor.
It's been an ugly 10 months leading up to the Toronto Mayoral race, and I'm not sure I wish I stayed so engaged.
The disenchantment for our political process has been brewing in me for sometime now, but I think tonight was the breaking point. In a race that so ruthlessly pitted left against right and right against left, dividing the centre unlike ever before, I really began to question, what's the point of all this?
I fell in love with politics because I was enthralled by the adrenaline rush, the vigour one gets when someone accomplishes something odds be damned. And while the polls and even Ford himself declared he'd triumph, see here. All it takes is a quick search on twitter to catch a glimpse of the straight up ass whooping he's been taking from average Torontonians, check it here.
The journey is so much more than the destination can ever be as they say. And no more is this true than in politics.
Ford successfully triumphed by staying on point, being strategic, never deviating from the absolutely diabolical pummelling of how broken Toronto is under the direction of left-leaning Mayor David Miller.
In doing so, he planted a seed early and fast. And like kids that attend pre-school, voters ate it up. Unsurprisingly, they needed a reason to be angry and Ford served it up to them on a silver plater, dangling a gravy train for the eager and salivating.
This dandy PR gambit coupled with no real stealth alternative, and Ford's win is not that bewildering. It's still despicable, for a wonderfully diverse city as Toronto to be led by such ignorant buffoonery, but it's not surprising.
The progressives of Toronto should've seen this coming. They can hate polls all they want, but if this victory is any indication, sometimes polls are hauntingly spot on. What's done in the face of them is what will bring respite, welcoming a new way of a politicking.
I'm disheartened by what may happen in Council Chambers, behind closed doors. But, where I better hope to channel my energy is in causes outside the political landscape that helps make my beloved, adopted city rise to a standard it is so worthy of...
1. Ranked Ballot Initiative of Toronto - Dave Meslin (@meslin) is a bon vivant to watch on the civic engagement front, I expect big things from him virtually and hopefully in real-life too.
2. Toronto Youth Food Policy Council - I recently became a council member for this glorious organization. Food has always been a huge part of my life, it's one of my life goals to ensure that remains true for my future generations.
3. Equal Voice Speaks Out - I gotta say, I love this organization. Not because I need a woman to speak on my behalf necessarily, but it sure would be nice to see the House of Commons, Question Period specifically, be elevated to a level more representative of the civility of our society.
4. Staying connected: I know I've promised this before and failed, but I promise to be better at updating this space. For more regular, micro updates, please get connected with me on twitter @DLamsar.
That's it for now folks, posse out.
d.
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