Oops!

The biggest news in Toronto this morning was this story in the Star, which claimed that the McGuinty Liberals were wooing former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray to be a candidate in a Toronto riding. Turns out they may have spoiled the delicate negotiations.

By 10 am this morning, Murray put the kibosh on the idea with an unequivocal no-thank-you. Maybe he was never interested to begin with, although—if the Star is to be believed—Murray apparently had meetings in the works with numerous senior Liberals, including one for this Sunday.

Whatever the case, New Democrats, including Mayor David Miller, must be thanking their lucky stars. Though Miller is currently the national champion of a New Deal for Canadian cities, it’s a title he inherited from Murray, who, as Mayor of Winnipeg (and the country’s first openly gay mayor), coined the term and put the issue on the political map. He’d have made a formidable Municipal Affairs Minister and a heavyweight political foil for Miller, who is very busy these days playing hardball with Queen’s Park (see today’s other big news), and always seems to have the Liberals’ number.

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