The top five political miscalculations of 2007

A look back at the year that was, through the lens of failure:

1Faith-based schoolsUnder John Tory’s leadership, the whole city was flirting with the notion of voting Conservative. Then Tory dropped this clunker on his way out of the starting gate, tripped over it and never got back on his feet.

2David Miller’s failed tax voteBeing mayor of Toronto is really easy: all you need to get anything accomplished is 23 votes. Provided, of course, that you or a member of your staff can count that high.

3Phantom budget cutsThe Sheppard subway will be closed—not. Community centres will be closed—not. Libraries will be closed—not. Decisions have consequences—not.

4The Mark Warner affairIt wasn’t an active year for federal politics in the city, but Stephen Harper did manage to kill the Toronto Centre candidacy of the one man who could have made him palatable to Toronto. Who’s left? News anchor–cum–blowhard Peter Kent, who, of course, will be running outside city limits.

5Blame the mediaNDP leader Howard Hampton, desperate to change the subject from faith-based schooling, blamed the media. This bet is notable because it nearly covered the spread: the ploy got attention, but alas, no votes.

See you in 2008!

Note to readers: this blog will be dormant until the new year. My initiation to the blogosphere has been positively nutty, complete with my own Facebook fan group. It went fallow within a few weeks of its launch, which was both a shame and a blessing. Its founders meant well (howdy Matt, Amy and Alex!), but I don’t think I or any other regular reader could have stomached a continued flood of the gang’s self-referential in-jokes (howdy also to Caninestein, the talking dog).

Happy New Year’s all!