Many Torontonians have either seen or heard about Adam Giambrone’s “I’m ready” YouTube video, strongly hinting that he will announce a mayoralty bid on Monday. It has received a lot of attention on radio stations, mostly making fun of how bad it is. Is he just funning us, or is he serious about running for Mayor? After all, Councillor Giambrone, who runs the Toronto Transit Commission, just finished apologizing to riders for poor customer service. Apparently there is a new focus now and things are going to get better. He is the Councillor who pushed the narrowing of Lansdowne Ave in the west end, something that still gets my hackles up. You may remember all the construction. Or perhaps you’ll remember the yellow signs up and down the street screaming “Giambrone don’t narrow Lansdowne”. Or maybe you’ll remember the residents fighting the City’s effort to cut down 30 year old trees to make room for newly designed trees. As the guy in charge of the TTC, Giambrone has to take responsibility for the problems around the TTC right-of-way construction along St. Clair, a project that divided the neighbourhoods then dragged on for years longer than planned.
If Giambrone runs, I wonder what he’s thinking? He’s known as a “left” or “NDP” candidate, and it is true that is a popular position in Toronto. Still, there is another candidate on the left, well-respected veteran Councillor Joe Pantalone, who will certainly gain some measure of support. Maybe Giambrone thinks support for George Smitherman is soft, or will be split with Rocco Rossi? Maybe he expects an endorsement from outgoing Mayor David Miller? Who knows.
Although I’m not a Giambrone supporter, I welcome his participation in the Mayoralty race and wish him luck. I think it’s healthy to have a good variety of candidates. Also, if a Councillor runs for Mayor, he or she can’t be running for Council at the same time, and we need some change at City Council. It’s very hard to unseat an incumbent in this City, so I like the idea of some empty seats out there to be contested. In fact I’d like to urge all the do-nothing Councillors out there to launch a Mayoralty bid. Make a video. Maybe I’ll even publish it here.
27th Street 
I’m not sure he is ready judging from that video. Thanks for sharing though. I’m always interested in what’s going on politically in Toronto.
I thought of you as I watched him run up the stairs Rocky style.
Muppie
We need Jello Biafra
or Kinky Friedman
I think Kinky ran for governor of Texas a while back. I don’t know what Mr. Biafra is up to these days, but he’s an interesting fellow.
I don’t know too much about Toronto politics anymore. At the federal level it seems to be a popular ploy to run for party leader for long enough to get a feel for who will win then withdraw and throw your full support behind the projected winner after of course negotiating a seat in the senate or a sweet job as ambassador to some warm country. Perhaps some of the folks who have thrown their hats into the ring are doing so for reasons other than a burning desire to show up at galas and parades as mayor. Surely the candidates must have a good feel for their chances of winning. There are always some candidates who dont have a snowball’s chance yet they keep plugging away and one has to wonder why.