Sarah Thomson’s slight discrepancy
First the Sun did it. Then the Post did it. And last weekend, the Star did it. Over the past month and a half, Toronto media have dutifully repeated the story that mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson, to quote her bio, “came within 200 votes of winning” a seat on Hamilton’s city council in 1997. The only problem? She didn’t. The numbers don’t add up.
A quick e-mail to the Hamilton city clerk’s office reveals the 1997 results for Ward 1:
Mary Kiss: 4,560
Marvin Caplan: 4,123
Cam Nolan: 3,848
Sarah Whatmough [Thomson’s maiden name]: 3,059
And the kicker? The two candidates with the most votes got elected, which places her 1,064 votes away from winning, not 200. She came fourth. Out of four. In a race where two people win.
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for Thomson told us that the candidate “obviously didn’t remember [the results] correctly” and thanked us for digging them up.
Thomson likes to portray herself as an outsider uncorrupted by the rot that’s set in at city hall. “I am not a politician,” her Web site proudly declares. Perhaps not, but to us, it sounds like she’s learning quickly.
• Sarah Thomson’s official bio
• Woman enters mayoral race [National Post]
• Sarah Thomson — fringe or force? [Toronto Sun]
• Lone woman runs in race for mayor’s chair [Toronto Star]
*UPDATE: The bio on Sarah Thomson’s Web site has been changed from claiming that she “came within 200 votes of winning” the Hamilton seat to “at the age of 28 she ran for city council in Hamilton had a great experience but lost.” Luckily, we have this original screen grab:
Who cares?
Seriously. Who cares about the past? Give the woman a break, 1997 was 13 years ago! That’s an issue with her team not doing their research if it’s that easy. I can barely remember what happened 4 years ago.
What’s good about Sarah Thomson and no one says anything about this is that the woman not only proposes changes but she makes an effort to provide solutions. If we continue to say, “no this will never happen” how will we progress?
Truth is, the way we’re doing things in City Hall just isn’t working. We can all agree on that. So if our options are a woman who has fought, scraped and negotiated her way into success multiple times over with little more than a vision.
Well that’s a HELL of a lot better of a verbally abusive politician has-been who handle’s money like water through a sieve and who clearly sees the Toronto Mayoral seat as an opportunity to further his scan scandalous political campaign. It’s obviously nothing to do with the people, the man snaps at everyone!
Then our other option? A former fundraising figure head? Who talks a lot and says nothing? No thank you. We need something daring and something concrete. The way I see it, we don’t have any other option then to explore Sarah Thomson as our potential mayor.
Love her or Hate her, this woman has got fight in her. So did I care she ran for politics in Hamilton when I read her bio? No. It’s not what she did. In 13 years this woman has done a lot more impressive things than forget how many votes she lost by.
give me a break.
Methinks Vivianne is from the Thomson campaign. I don’t think any serious voter would recommend that the press, the electorate and the candidate stop caring about the past.
A candidate’s record is key to the legitimacy of her campaign. And in this instance, it’s doing Sarah no favours. Will she just make up successes if she’s elected mayor, too?
Give me a f*cking break.
Vivianne, I suspect, isn’t as flippant with Adam Giambrone’s memory loss and regain. One could say these dispcrepancies of reality are not equal magnitude. In fact, they are both products of the same pandemic disease, zero integrity. Displaying extreme lack of connection to truth and speaking in these beginning young politicians speaks volumes of the legacy of both public and self respect they’ve inherited. Sad. Very sad.
I almost bought this garbage until I realized that you had her main rival on your last cover and she owns a magazine which could also be considered your competition. How pathetic is that? I have also seen sonme of those so called “unbiased journalists” (their words not mine) who write for this rag trash her elsewhere, because she is seen as industry competition. Do you people really have to sink that low? Do you have nothing else to right about? I guess this cry baby’s (the author of this tabloidesque gossip) career is going nowhere fast! No wonder this rag is almost out of business. I think The National Enquirer is hiring – good luck!
Me thinks Vivianne and Cry Baby are from the Thomson campaign! In fact, might just be the candidate herself, judging by the tone of the comments. And as far as her ‘magazine’ (if you can even call it that) being a rival to Toronto Life… ha! That is just too funny for words.
PS. Cry baby — you could use a lesson in spelling.. its “…write about” NOT “…right about”
Thomson is somehow being considered a decent mayoral candidate based on what? She has no experience and has never once made a deputation at city hall.
If she was fibbing about an instance, a story, I could almost live with it. But when she’s outrightly lying about plain true facts that are easily verifiable — something the first commenter wants us to ignore — then this is something to be concerned with.
Kudos to looking this up. Too bad the papers didn’t do any research. Which is a sad commentary on our local media.
This is shocking news. As a faithful Women’s Post reader and Thomson supporter, I am troubled to hear this news.
Instead of sneaking around and updating her website, I hope Ms. Thomson does the right thing and apologize publicly for this very serious error in judgement.
Should this apology not be forthcoming, she will most assuredly lose my vote.
This is isn’t Sarah’s campaign—it’s run with an iron fist by her campaign manager, Wendy, who is ALWAYS beside Sarah to make sure she doesn’t screw up.
Rossi and Smitherman are NOT the other options. We have about 30 candidates now. It’s your choice!
http://www.facebook.com/MarkCidade
No wonder we Torontonians are becoming increasing cynical about our politicians. What with nonsense like this to contend with. And this woman is supposed to be an ambassador for the female gender in our mayoral race?
I sure hope her campaign is working through the night to put together an HONEST statement to explain their way out of this.
Vivian is right. She did more by the time she was 25 years old the most of you and most of the mayor candidates did in their lifes
There’s little doubt Thomson made a mistake on this issue, but let’s put things in perspective. Her slight error in judgment pales in comparison to that of Smitherman’s $1 billion mind-boggling mess at eHealth that we taxpayers got stuck with.
Last I heard Smitherman wasn’t apologizing about his “mistake”.
If she lied about this (and it’s pretty clear she did), why should anyone believe anything else in her “bio” or in fact anything she says? One more candidate lacking moral fibre and integrity. She should save the money and exit the contest now, so the public can concentrate on viable contenders
Sorry, I also should mention that her suggestion that there be tolls on the Gardiner and DVP to fund the TTC pretty much sealed her fate anyway, so this discussion seems pretty moot.
Hey guys, turns out Giambrone makes his own mistakes too;
http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/toronto/archive/2010/03/19/oh-adam-giambrone-taking-cabs-to-dates-and-ignoring-his-beloved-ttc-when-will-he-get-it-right.aspx
Darren no one disputes that Giambrone has made many mistakes. But this thread is about Sarah.
I am willing to wager that ‘Vivianne’ + ‘Darren’ are Sarah and her campaign manager. The comments are far too pro-Thomson to be taken seriously. Sad.
@905resident; I agree with you that her idea about tolls is off-the-wall (clearly shows she is out of her depth), but she’s certainly free to express her platform. That’s what this race is all about, so let’s not come down too hard on candidates for expressing ideas.
@K; You are correct in that “Vivianne”, “Darren” (and IMO, “crybaby”) are likely all Thomson trolls. I find it unfortunate that her campaign team is not able to understand that they are insulting our collective intelligence with these kinds of deceptive postings.
Just a son of Toronto speaking his mind…Considering the alternative options that are being proposed right now, I would elect Sarah. With George, i see billions disappearing, Rocco, selling off everything to his buddies..Both of these guys have Zero city hall experience as well..And the third candidate, Joe, well he has been in city hall 30yrs, but has not even made a recommendation worth listening to. Makes me wonder what he does with his time! And that is why i like Sarah, at least she put out a solution. And lets face it folks, im sick of out of Toronto workers taking advantage of Toronto, they should pay for the road that provides them with a salary. I pay a premium to live downtown in a shoebox forced to Take TTC cause im ticketed on the Danforth way too often.
IF you want to live in a fancy house outside of the city then do so, but beware that you are now going to have to pay to enter our beloved city…And if you want to say it in a green way, think of all the cars you will take off the road, and all the congestion you will save. No more DVP(Don Valley Parking Lot)…A lot of other cities are doing it…One last point, how are we going to pay for this expansion of a subway now when the Ontario Gov is even balking at helping out…remember the Federal and Provincial gov don’t pay for maintenance..WE DO
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ExWP? as a former employee are you saying that taxing people who live outside the city and come into the city on a daily basis is wrong in some way? especially considering they dont pay any taxes to the city of Toronto?..No the only thing sad hear is, U. Either make a valid point about a mayor issue or dont say anything at all, im sick of people focusing on such trite issues, that it takes away from the bigger pitcher..Focus on big issues. IE how are we going to make Toronto Better…And I can tell you that im not Sarah nor did I work for her in the past or present unlike someone else. Call me hypocritical. But wake up. Even if Sarah wins, or whoever there is only so much they can do well in office, and lets face it, I would rather create a toll system that helps transit, then A) sell of city assets that in the end cost citizens more money on a dialy basis, ie HWY 407 B) elect someone who cost Ontario billions then jumped ship only to have his “friend” get fired for the whole thing, while not excepting any responsibility at all him self. C) Joe Pantalone’s only saving grace is he has been in office 30yrs, unfortunately, why has he not come up with any ideas on how to make this city better…Im sick of Accountants running this city where the bottom end means more then Vision. Its time for some change, and, why not elect a women..
One last thing, if We do create a Toll system and its just a matter of time before we do, I would certinly hope that we do not toll on the Weekends..anytime after 7pm on Friday the Toll system should be free…toll kicks in on monday at 5am…happy tolling
@Tim – This thread pertained to the integrity of Sarah as a person not a discussion of ‘major issues’ or as you so poignantly put it “the bigger pitcher” . She lied. She was caught. That is what this was about. And yes, actually, people DO care that she did, even if it was 13 years ago. And yes, people care if the other candidates lie too, so no need to post any more links here “Darren”.
Your defensive rant, and that of “Vivianne” and “Cry Baby”, are so obviously out of place here and clearly coming from her camp. Like Jeffrey said earlier, please don’t insult our collective intelligence.
That’s it from me. This is starting to border on the absurd.
Since im on this Tangent/rant, Toronto Life, Where is your vision, where do you see Toronto in 5 10 15 years. Why has there been no discussion on the Pan AM Games, who ever wins will be mayor when this event takes place? Where is the discussion on playgrounds and the closing of schools? Police officers patrolling our Schools and soon to be Subway system, Police officers now conducting classes in schools on the effects of bulling? is this what we really want? guns in our subway system, Police officers acting as Teachers and Security guards within our schools? On top of getting a 5 percent wage increase while crime is at a 30yr low and every other union/city hall job is firing people. Where is the discussion on having a multi year budget instead of year to year? As a Torontoian im appalled, not just at my spelling and grammar, but at the very lack of conversation on the matters that matter most to everyday individuals. Instead we print articles about mud slinging, and nothing gets done. If we want a better Toronto, then im sorry Toronto Life you really have to do a better job, or fire the person running this, no guts no glory…Lets face it Toronto is a tuff city and only the strong make it, lets hope that a magazine that had the balls to call itself Toronto Life has what it takes to help lead this city to where it belongs..World Class
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One last question…Are any of you people actually born in Toronto, or em i stuck dealing with more Garbage…?
ExWP? So you came on here to trash your ex boss instead of talking about the issue and you are calling her pathetic? Look in the mirror…… Anyway, this is all a bit trite. Did she say she won an election that she really lost? What did I miss? Did she say she lost an election that she lost?
Another ‘politician’ fudging the truth.
OMG liar! liar! Pants on fire. Maybe we can stone her to death now that we caught a non professional politician making a mistake. Better yet let’s cut her tongue out… do you think this is why so few new people enter the race to serve their community? She made a big mistake she lied and thousands of people lost their lives… oh no wait that was someone else….
All she did was make a mistake that hurt only herself.
BTW my references to violence are meant to be tongue in cheek. Please don’t report me…or call the thought police. When she gets more media training she will learn how to answer a question to which she is uncertain of the answer. Then you’ll get your bland boring 20 second sound bite full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
This is not written by Sarah Thomson or Sarah Palin.
I dont work for Sarah, never met her. I only know that this one lie is nothing compared to Smitherman’s…who is in the lead at the polls. Posting a link of another lieing politician was to those somehow holding her lie out to be unique.
Other then the potential Rob Ford, the right has no candidate for mayor. She has more business sense and background then all the candidates put together. And it takes guts for a right-winger to mention tolls. Its also extremly short sighted of people to assume that this plan is set in stone, as the obvious way to implement this is not via booths but via zones. London’s congestion charge would and should be introduced here in the core. It can be a simple revenue tool, with 2 rates; a high rate charged to non-residents and a discounted rate charged to residents. It will be a cost passed on to the end user.
The benefits of the subway plan are immense. A subway under Queen, the long expected DRL, will replace 3 streetcar routes (501/2, 503, and the 504) and will free up the core to those people who have to drive.
A 905 resident really has no opinion on this matter. We live and vote in thic city, and we have to expand our subway system by raising the neeeded capital one way or another.
Ex-Women’s Post 2
There are a lot of accusations in your comment, but no detail to back up your claim of ever knowing the woman. You should post some more detail and prove your claims
The first thing everyone has to understand is that we have an election and there will be a winner and no candidate is without warts. I tend to discredit ex employees with grudges simply there are alot of crappy employees who leave or get fired in organizations where they simply do not cut the mustard. There has been quite a bit of positive press suppoting Thompson’s raising of the toll issue as a necessary part of the election discussion though most likely not a winner for her at least it puts it on the table for debate. Plus I think Transit City LRT lines are a third class solution and priority needs to be subways. Alot of people in Toronto would be willing to pay for things as long as we don’t have fiscally irresponsible like the Miller gang throwing money into a pit. For generations Quebec has done the exact same thing as Thompson suggests where a new highwy is built and paid off by tolls until the project is paid for then the toll is removed. She doesn’t have a chance but she’s obviously intelligence and talented. Someone has to win this thing so I will favour Rossi and for those commentators who don’t agree with selling of anything, think again, because it was one of the key proposals of Miller’s Blue Ribbon Panel and the necessary thing for all Government is to rid itself of long term employee legacy costs and stick exclusively to employment in core services only.
Here is great commentary from a professor who agrees with her. He then goes on to say that the newer stations in the TTC are poorly designed and it desribes the extension into Vaughan as being; “The $2.6 billion being spent on extending the Spadina subway line could be almost as wasteful, chiefly because there is no plan for high-density redevelopment at its stations to provide ridership sufficient to justify the extension.”
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/781418–reassess-transit-city-it-has-too-many-flaws
Here is her official response;
http://www.sarahthomson.ca/blog/lesson-learned-lapse-memory
@This just in; Thanks for posting the apology.
Thomson deserves some credit for handling this issue quickly. She may lose a little credibility with some over this debacle, but let’s face it, her transgression is not on the scale as Giambrone’s lies and manipulations a short while ago (and which continue to this day).
And for what it’s worth, I still think Smitherman’s slippery baggage with eHealth is far more concerning an issue to the electorate than the baggage being carried around by the other mayoral candidates.
I read her apology. She said she forgot. Why does everyone
jump to the conclusion it’s something more? I mean really? It’s not as if
she said she won! I can’t remeber where I put my wallet mist of the time. How can she be expected to remeber how many votes she LOST by ten and more tears ago!?
It only matters because she’s throwing it around as some kind of accomplishment – as though her close call in the Hamilton race makes her more of a success than she is. It’s part of the way she’s selling herself. She didn’t forget her wallet – to use “What’s the Biggy’s” context, she suggested that because her wallet was in the hall, we should be happy. But her wallet was actually under the couch.
She’s running for mayor, she’s putting herself out there, she’s indicated that she’s up for public scrutiny. She should pay attention to the details because we’d expect our mayor to pay attention to the details.
the pro-thomson commenters on here are remarkably unified and on-message. why, it’s almost like they know one another! what a strange coincidence!
Mastercraft, a unified voice is a sign of a common ground and logic, and nothing more. You’re reading into the conspiracy theory too much
$100,000,000 dollars found, 1,500 votes lost… Details, details… these politicians obviously have crazy memories… cut them some slack!! What’s the big deal?
I doubt Sarah has ever taken the TTC! She has a nanny, an SUV, an island….
Sarah who?
…not to mention a rich husband with a trust fund and a maid and a silver spoon. This is just a diversion so she doesn’t have to spend any time with her children. So messy….
I was the one who found her blog and made her answer to why she was being such an opportinist and a phony siding up with Smitherman that criminal.
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/sueann_levy/2010/10/04/15579976.html
Remember me Sarah just give up already your going no where.
Thx for that Joseph!! Couldn’t agree more.
Formerly Sarah Whatmough. Now there’s a forgettable name!
“ten or more tears ago” … a Freudian slip? (boo hoo) But you blew your own credibility trying to get empathy for Sarah, saying that YOU don’t keep track of your wallet either. We want someone who treats our tax money with respect, so how could she possibly do that if she doesn’t even respect her own, or know where her wallet is at all times??
Sarah Whatmuff – I’d sure like to find out the answer to that question!!