How Rob Ford could nail down his council allies: establish a party system

Rob Ford is finding it hard to drum up many allies on council these days, but former Stephen Harper speechwriter Michael Taube has an idea to help: go beyond running a slate of candidates and just establish political parties at the municipal level. In a column in the National Post today, Taube writes that a party system like ones used in Vancouver and Montreal would have put more pro–subway scheme councillors in city hall and ensured Ford’s beloved subway plans survived. And for those who believe Toronto’s system keeps partisan politics out of Toronto, Taube writes, “Nothing could be further from the truth,” since many councillors are already open supporters of major parties. Taube’s advice to Ford: put the question on the (ever-expanding) ballot in 2014. Read the entire story [National Post] »