The Q&A: Nick Kouvalis is cashing in on his newfound cachet right, left and centre
A chat with the political strategist everyone wants in their corner
In a year, you’ve gone from mastermind of Rob Ford’s campaign to crusader for the firefighters’ union. Does that make you a hypocrite?
Firefighters are not gravy. It’s a huge mistake to cut them. It’s also silly to think I’ll never work for a company that has competing interests with a previous client.
During the campaign, how much thought did you give to the feasibility of what you were promising? Ford made it sound like it would be a walk in the park.
There was a clear path to fill the budget gap by selling a few assets and making a few cuts but not closing libraries and cutting firefighters and that kind of stuff.
But libraries, zoos, daycare—they’re all on the table now. The “no service cuts, guaranteed”—that’s a joke now, isn’t it?
I think what Rob was trying to say was, we’re not going to cut what’s important, and this process is showing what’s a need versus what’s a want.
So you didn’t tell Ford to guarantee it?
No, no, no, and I didn’t like the fact that he did, but it’s his campaign, right? Don’t get me wrong: I love these guys. They’re my friends. I had lunch with Doug today. We’re always challenging each other. That’s a good thing. It’s really bad when everyone around you is saying, “You’re right, boss, you’re right.”
A lot of people have the impression you ran a dirty campaign. What’s your reaction to that?
The fact of the matter is, all your downtown champagne-sipping socialists can’t understand how some kid from Windsor came in and kicked the shit out of them. It happened. They should get over it.
Is there anyone you wouldn’t work for?
I don’t think you’ll ever see me working for CUPE Local 416.
On principle, or because they wouldn’t have you?
On principle. What do you mean they wouldn’t have me? I’m pretty sure they would have me.
Did it surprise you that Ford pushed back so hard against some of these groups, particularly the police?
I think the budgetary pressure is significant, so they’ve got to look everywhere. One thing we realized when we got to city hall was that the bureaucrats—the city manager, the deputy manager, the 44 department heads—are working hard: 12, 15, 16 hours a day. Joe Pennachetti is working hard. So there’s not a lot of “gravy” at city hall, per se.
Do you think Ford had any effect on the provincial election?
It’s unfortunate that the Hudak team laid blame at the feet of the mayor. I mean, they didn’t pick up any seats in the 905, and they lost a lot of seats in other urban centres. How was that Rob’s fault?
Hudak certainly didn’t run a very conservative campaign. Was that a mistake?
I think it was a big mistake. Hudak’s team tried to talk about the doubling of the debt, but they didn’t talk about it enough. I don’t think people were interested in ankle bracelets and chain gangs. There has been a 50 per cent increase in the bureaucracy, and these guys have the top wages and benefits, and Dalton McGuinty squandered $1 billion on eHealth. These are the things that are crushing the economy. If we had talked about this more, we would have won the election.
You say “we.” Will you run for office?
No. I don’t think so.
Can you describe your politics? How conservative are you, and in what ways?
I’m not as conservative as some people would suggest, but probably more than the people of Toronto would like.
Chris Selley is a columnist for the National Post.
I’ve lived in Toronto all my life and I’ve never met ONE ‘downtown champagne-sipping socialist’, this man simply DOES NOT KNOW the character and culture of the City of Toronto, otherwise he would not make such inflammatory remarks.
@Chuck. What you say may very well be true. But you have no idea how the rest of the province regards the Toronto Attitude. It’s not pretty.
Who are these downtown, champagne-sipping socialists? I live downtown, and come from Windsor so I just think this guy sounds like a dick.
Arrogance is this man’s only qualification. Ford’s campaign was a thin gruel of slogans and half truths. He was electable only in the absence of a credible opponent. What an ego you have, Nick.
What an arrogant, self-righteous prick. Every sentence he speaks is just dripping with condescension and smugness. It’s fairly well known, by this point, that his campaign was not just dirty, but downright filthy. Playing by a different rule book, and winning, is nothing to brag about.
The people who live in North York are different from the people who live in downtown Toronto. (Same with Scarborough and Etobico.) These were the people who Rob Ford convinced.
They have driveways and front lawns. They drive their kids to school and … ok before i get caught up in a rant on how different people in the city are… the point is what Ford was telling them was appealing, and Kouvalis got Ford to say the right things to win their vote.
Get over it if you didn’t vote for Ford… the other candidates didn’t say the right things for the people who live in Suburban Toronto.
Kouvalis is motivated by the smell of M-O-N-E-Y. You pay, he’ll play.
This interview is incredible. First, that a guy from Windsor would accuse Toronto of being full of socialists. Secondly, that’d he attack the whole city like that – That’s the city your guy is the mayor of! When you tried to help the provincial Tories, YOU got your ass kicked. Time for a little humility.
@ Drew – I agree that most of the support for Ford came from suburban Toronto, but I take umbrage with your generalizing that all suburban Torontonians voted for him. I live in Etobicoke, and yes, I confess that I have a lawn and a driveway (but we ride the TTC and didn’t drive our kids to school), but I also love Toronto “proper”, and felt that Ford would do nothing but damage. I did my best to convince others to not vote for Ford. There are four adult voters in my household, and not one of us voted for him. I know that other “suburban” members of my family did not vote for him.
This country needs to be brought together. When you make generalizing statements, you are contributing to the same divisive behaviour that SOME in the rest of Ontario, and the rest of Canada, engage in when they sit in judgement of Torontonians.
As far as Nick Kouvalis is concerned, I think his referring to downtown Torontonians as “champagne-sipping socialists” is calculated to further alienate the citizens of this city. We need to stop taking him seriously and show him for what he is – a cheap huckster.
He may not like Toronto, but he certainly is pleased with himself. A fine jockey for the race to the bottom.
What an egomaniac. He knows nothing about Toronto and should hang his head in shame that he steam rolled that disaster of a mayor into office.
Such irony for a Windsor native, Windsor being a very pro-union & blue collar type of town historically, to call Torontonians socialists who drink….champagne? If a socialist were to have a drink of choice, it definitely would not be champagne. Quite the opposite actually. But that’s just cliched conservative speak at this point… left leaning voters are all just pinkos, commies, socialists, tree huggers or whatever our derogatory, wildly inaccurate word of the days is, right?
And for the record, Ford rode the last wave of anti-government populism to victory. That wave flamed out a couple months after everyone realized the mistake they made, here in Toronto, and throughout the continent as a whole (loss of confidence in the Republicans, uprising of the NDP nationally) before Hudak could ride it to victory as well. Good thing too. Ontario wised up just in time and did some actualy background and fact checking, unfortunately Toronto did not do the same when they voted in Ford. Kouvalis’ plan for Ford’s campaign was basically keep it as vague as possible, and stick to a couple catchphrases. Yes, it worked, but it doesn’t exactly make him a political genius in my mind. If North America hadn’t been going through a ridiculous, ultra conservative trend at the time, and had the field of candidates for mayor been even slightly better, it would have been a different story. Nick Kouvalis/Rob Ford: average ideas (at best), great timing.
I am seeing a lot of comments here from people who have not, actually, gotten over the fact that Ford kicked their butts at election time. So that’s humorous.
The thing is, we’re long past the election now. And Ford can’t keep himself from stepping in dog crap. Any triumphalism from the Ford camp is badly misplaced – he can’t get anything in his agenda implemented. Being mayor isn’t about winning an election, it’s about getting stuff done, and Ford isn’t getting anything done at all. If they keep pointing back to the election and pumping their fists, it’s not going to get done.
Everyone here, not just the media/politicos/intelligentsia, needs to move on.
@Craig:
1) It’s odd that getting less than 50% of the vote seems to count as butt-kicking.
2) It’s also odd that you think losing an election doesn’t seem to entitle you to criticse the winner’s policies.
Tory Playbook Quiz
Question #109: A reporter asks you about your alleged dirty campaign tactics. Do you:
a)Deliver an ad hominem attack on the people you suppose are making said allegations.
b)Play the populist victim card.
c)Back up your fortitude with a profanity.
d)Troll the readership with all of the above.
The fact is…this was his job and he played his cards right. I don’t know the guy, but so what if he oozes of confidence. If i could have him on my corner to win an election, I would. He did a pretty good job. Instead of being so defensive, look at the realities of what he had to say. Sometimes the truth hurts.
Truth of the matter is that Torontonians were not happy with Miller Time and that had to go. We didn’t want in his place another one of his buddies.
The only thing I would correct is the “champagne sipping…” part and replace it with RED WINE…What’s the difference?! My neighbours can’t even deny that one!
Get over it :S
I met him and I like him, very capable and focused.
Cosmo Mannella
Is this satire?
What a freaking d-bag.
Get the f*** off your “pedestal” Nick, damn buffoon just like Ford.
What an A$$hole this kouvalis is.
A$$hole?
This guy is one of the few that sees things the way they really are, and can exact influence to bend them the way he wants.
I’d like to see him get a shot at public office.
There is a lot of truth in this statement – “He was electable only in the absence of a credible opponent.”
Smitherman would have been a disaster as well. Perhaps not as much as Ford’s present situation, but, still a disaster.