The No-Politics-Allowed Candidate Questionnaire: University-Rosedale
A handful of Toronto ridings are way too close to call. For those who can’t make up their minds on the basis of the issues, we present the ultimate tie-breaker: a questionnaire in which the front-runners answer questions on just about every topic other than politics—the theory being that if their policies haven’t won you over, perhaps their personalities will.
Chrystia Freeland
(Liberal, current vote projection*: 41.8 per cent)
Jennifer Hollett
(NDP, current vote projection*: 34.8 per cent)
What’s your most impressive trait?
Freeland: Determination.
Hollett: Diplomacy. Friends call me “the diplomat.”
Your worst?
Freeland: Tardiness.
Hollett: Perfectionism. (And I know the fact I even bring that up is annoying.)
How much do you usually tip?
Freeland: 20 per cent.
Hollett: I used to be a server. 20 per cent.
When was the last time you experienced joy?
Freeland: Listening to my rambunctious 6 year-old son, Ivan, practice the piano after his first lesson this fall, and sit still to play and tell me how much he likes it.
Hollett: The other night at Snakes and Lattes. A couple of big belly laughs playing board games with our team.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Freeland: Legal aid lawyer (the job my mother did).
Hollett: Journalist.
If you could live in any decade, which one and why?
Freeland: Now.
Hollett: A decade in the future, to see where we’re headed so I can report back.
What Friends character are you?
Freeland: I’ve never seen Friends—I was living in Kyiv and Moscow when it was on TV.
Hollett: Monica.
What’s your favourite vice?
Freeland: Red wine.
Hollett: Sugar. Big sweet tooth and a mouth full of fillings.
If you had to survive on one fast food item for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Freeland: Poutine.
Hollett: I’m getting by in this campaign thanks to burritos.
Who’s your role model?
Freeland: My late mother.
Hollett: Malala Yousafzai.
Name a word you’re not sure how to pronounce.
Freeland: Niche.
Hollett: Niche. I say neesh, but hear so many people committed to nitch.
What’s the last book you read?
Freeland: The Orenda, by Joseph Boyden.
Hollett: I’m reading The Entrepreneurial State, by Mariana Mazzucato.
What’s a slightly embarrassing fact about you no one knew until right now?
Freeland: That I really never have watched a single episode of Friends.
Hollett: I sometimes iron my shirt with my hair straightener.
What’s a bad day like for you?
Freeland: Late for everything—not even enough time to drink my essential morning coffee.
Hollett: Flat tire on my bike.
What smartphone app do you use the most?
Freeland: Twitter.
Hollett: Songza.
What’s your favourite curse word?
Freeland: Kholera, which means cholera in Ukrainian and is the all-purpose Ukrainian curse word.
Hollett: I hardly ever swear. So when I do, it packs a punch.
What’s your favourite possession?
Freeland: The red bike my father bought me for Christmas last year.
Hollett: My passport.
What do you want your tombstone to say?
Freeland: “If I can’t dance, I don’t want your revolution.” Emma Goldman. (This was one of my mother’s favourite quotes. Goldman spent some time living in our riding and died in Toronto.)
Hollett: Lived her beliefs.
Car, bike, or TTC?
Freeland: Bike.
Hollett: Bike.
Dog or cat?
Freeland: Horse.
Hollett: Cat.
White or whole wheat?
Freeland: Whole wheat.
Hollett: Whole wheat.
Ketchup or sriracha?
Freeland: Sriracha. (And I also love Caplansky’s mustard!)
Hollett: Ketchup.
Drake or Meek Mill?
Freeland: Drake, but mostly in honour of Norm Kelly!
Hollett: Drake and The 6 of course.
*(Vote projections from threehundredeight.com)
Jennifer Hollett
(NDP, current vote projection*: 34.8 per cent)
What's your most impressive trait?
Freeland: Determination.
Hollett: Diplomacy. Friends call me “the diplomat.”
Your worst?
Freeland: Tardiness.
Hollett: Perfectionism. (And I know the fact I even bring that up is annoying.)
How much do you usually tip?
Freeland: 20 per cent.
Hollett: I used to be a server. 20 per cent.
When was the last time you experienced joy?
Freeland: Listening to my rambunctious 6 year-old son, Ivan, practice the piano after his first lesson this fall, and sit still to play and tell me how much he likes it.
Hollett: The other night at Snakes and Lattes. A couple of big belly laughs playing board games with our team.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
Freeland: Legal aid lawyer (the job my mother did).
Hollett: Journalist.
If you could live in any decade, which one and why?
Freeland: Now.
Hollett: A decade in the future, to see where we’re headed so I can report back.
What Friends character are you?
Freeland: I’ve never seen Friends—I was living in Kyiv and Moscow when it was on TV.
Hollett: Monica.
What's your favourite vice?
Freeland: Red wine.
Hollett: Sugar. Big sweet tooth and a mouth full of fillings.
If you had to survive on one fast food item for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Freeland: Poutine.
Hollett: I’m getting by in this campaign thanks to burritos.
Who's your role model?
Freeland: My late mother.
Hollett: Malala Yousafzai.
Name a word you’re not sure how to pronounce.
Freeland: Niche.
Hollett: Niche. I say neesh, but hear so many people committed to nitch.
What's the last book you read?
Freeland: The Orenda, by Joseph Boyden.
Hollett: I'm reading The Entrepreneurial State, by Mariana Mazzucato.
What's a slightly embarrassing fact about you no one knew until right now?
Freeland: That I really never have watched a single episode of Friends.
Hollett: I sometimes iron my shirt with my hair straightener.
What’s a bad day like for you?
Freeland: Late for everything—not even enough time to drink my essential morning coffee.
Hollett: Flat tire on my bike.
What smartphone app do you use the most?
Freeland: Twitter.
Hollett: Songza.
What's your favourite curse word?
Freeland: Kholera, which means cholera in Ukrainian and is the all-purpose Ukrainian curse word.
Hollett: I hardly ever swear. So when I do, it packs a punch.
What's your favourite possession?
Freeland: The red bike my father bought me for Christmas last year.
Hollett: My passport.
What do you want your tombstone to say?
Freeland: “If I can’t dance, I don’t want your revolution.” Emma Goldman. (This was one of my mother’s favourite quotes. Goldman spent some time living in our riding and died in Toronto.)
Hollett: Lived her beliefs.
Car, bike, or TTC?
Freeland: Bike.
Hollett: Bike.
Dog or cat?
Freeland: Horse.
Hollett: Cat.
White or whole wheat?
Freeland: Whole wheat.
Hollett: Whole wheat.
Ketchup or sriracha?
Freeland: Sriracha. (And I also love Caplansky's mustard!)
Hollett: Ketchup.
Drake or Meek Mill?
Freeland: Drake, but mostly in honour of Norm Kelly!
Hollett: Drake and The 6 of course.
*(Vote projections from threehundredeight.com)){kind=link}
Eggshell vs. Mother of Pearl
Wondering why you’ve used an outdated and anomalous poll. From what I’ve seen, Jennifer Hollett is ahead in most polls, including the most recent one in the Post. She is leaps ahead of her opponent in terms of her politics and her personality!
Way to upvote yourself, anonanon
Not really thinking this one is a close riding anymore. The NDP are quickly losing support across the nation and especially in the downtown core. It seems like a case of Orange Crash now. Freeland was also the more qualified candidate, and is likely to have a more important role in a new government. I can’t see Hollett playing a major role in Mulcair’s cabinet – but I guess he won’t even have a cabinet now.
Thanks! It felt good.
We’ve updated this post to clarify that the figures we cite up top are not individual poll results, but rather vote projections from ThreeHundredEight.com, a website that weights and averages national polls to produce its numbers. These numbers may or may not be indicative of actual levels of support for each candidate. We’re providing them for reference only.
Of course Chrystia Freeland Will win the election in her riding. The NDP is loosing support day by day. And she would be a great cabinet member.
Toronto Life – wake up, Jenn Hollett is wayyyyyyy ahead in the polls.
You got your Sprite I got my Orange Crush.
That’s a pretty skewed reference and unfair to either candidate. You do realize that it might just motivate the NDPers in the riding to come out, vote and topple Freeland? Good going TL.
Lived her beliefs. -what beliefs? Being a VJ?