We begin down our homestretch of city council challenger endorsements. The Essential Eight, we’ll call them. 
These are candidates who, if elected, would alter the dynamic of city council for the better regardless of the name of the next mayor of this city.
That’s not to diminish our previously endorsed set of challengers. Every one of them would make a positive contribution to the political life in this city. It’s just these 8 candidates represent an enticing combination of strong, issued-oriented platforms, electoral opportunity and a seeming sense (mostly subjective on my part) of seasoned readiness to tackle the job of being a city councillor right out of the starting gate.
Admittedly, as you will discover, there is a preponderance of white maleness to this list. Perhaps I didn’t dig deep enough, scour the candidates’ list thoroughly enough and just simply, I don’t know, acquiesced to my establishment bias. I’ll own that. So factor that into your consideration as you read on, if you do read on.
Etobicoke is in a state of electoral flux. Four-ish of the six wards are open (I don’t know what you’d call Ward 2). There are exciting, new voices making themselves heard during this campaign. (We’ve already endorsed some in Wards 1, 2 & 3). A good turnover here would mark a significant change in direction city-wide.
Ward 6 is one of the two with an incumbent seeking re-election. That incumbent is Mark Grimes. His ouster would represent a serious blow against the old guard at City Hall.
Russ Ford would be a huge step forward in terms of civic engagement and right-thinking rather than mob-mentality governance. We sat down and chatted with Ford in August. He was thoughtful, not given to either meaningless overstatement or other campaign platitudes. His concern for the ward wasn’t based on taxpayer respect but for finding a place at the table for everybody, whether they were residents concerned about development or residents worried about keeping an affordable roof over their heads.
We here at All Fired Up in the Big Smoke endorse Russ Ford for city councillor in Ward 6 Etobicoke-Lakeshore.
Forget the Fords for a second. One of the original small government, anti-tax cranks who invaded City Hall from the inner suburbs with amalgamation was David Shiner. Incredibly, he’s still around (long after Mel Lastman’s gone, long gone). Still around and looking for another kick at the can.
It just doesn’t have to be this way. Dan Fox, a quiet, fact-based versus ideology-based, candidate has been plugging away on the campaign trail since February. We talked to him back in May and our impression of him has not changed since. He knows his stuff. He’s willing to defend his ideas eagerly but reasonably. He’s free of the crust of disinterest that’s hardened around the incumbent he’s out to defeat.
We here at All Fired Up in the Big Smoke endorse Dan Fox for city councillor in Ward 24 Willowdale.
— hopefully helpfully submitted by Cityslikr