Mayoral candidates square off in debate focusing on issues related to Toronto’s Black community

Mayoral candidates square off in debate focusing on issues related to Toronto’s Black community

By Katherine Ward, Digital Video Journalist | Published by the Global News | Published on October 1, 2018 11:59 pm |  Last Updated on October 2, 2018 12:10 am

Matthew Cole isn’t old enough to vote, but he said he still wanted to be at Monday evening’s Toronto mayoral debate hosted by Operation Black Vote.

“I want to know what’s going on in my community and how this might affect me in the future and my family,” the 16-year-old told Global News.

The event was sold out as people packed in to hear from four candidates hoping to lead the city. One of the issues business leaders said they see the need for change is youth employment.

Read More in the Global News.

John Tory’s dedication to Black community issues questioned at mayoral debate

John Tory’s dedication to Black community issues questioned at mayoral debate

By SAMANTHA BEATTIE, Staff Reporter | Published in the Star | Published on Mon., Oct. 1, 2018

John Tory’s dedication to helping Toronto’s Black communities and ending racism came into question during Monday night’s mayoral debate.

An audience member said he “waffled” when the province announced cutting the size of council nearly in half, a move that has resulted in some female and visible minority candidates dropping out of ward races.

“I did everything a responsible person could do,” Tory told the crowd. From the audience, a man yelled, “hogwash.”

Held at Tropicana Community Services in Scarborough North, incumbent Tory and mayoral candidates Saron Gebresellassi, Knia Singh and Jennifer Keesmaat debated transit, affordable housing, safety and other topics focused on Black community issues.

Continue Reading in the Star

Candidates talk transit, policing in Black Community Mayoral Debate

Candidates talk transit, policing in Black Community Mayoral Debate

Posted by:  CBC News | Posted: Oct 01, 2018 9:37 PM ET | Last Updated: October 1

Event is one of several high-profile mayoral debates of the 2018 municipal election

Saron Gebresellassi, John Tory, Jennifer Keesmaat, and Knia Singh, left to right, faced off in Monday night’s Black Community Mayoral Debate in Scarborough. (Makda Ghebreslassie/CBC; Chris Young/Canadian Press; CBC; kniasingh.ca)

John Tory, Jennifer Keesmaat, Saron Gebresellassi and Knia Singh faced off in the Black Community Mayoral Debate in Scarborough Monday night tackling a number of issues, including policing and transit.

The event is one of several high-profile mayoral debates of the 2018 municipal election — a campaign that has already been rocked by the province’s sudden decision to slash the size of Toronto city council.

Read more on CBC News.

Jamaican Candidates Gear Up for Municipal Elections in Ontario

Jamaican Candidates Gear Up for Municipal Elections in Ontario

By Neil Armstrong | Published in Angles Covered | Published on September 22, 2018

With just over a month before municipal elections in Ontario several Jamaican candidates are campaigning to become the councillor, regional councillor or school board trustee of their cities.

Carleen Blissett is running to be councillor of Whitby’s East Ward 4, Jermaine Chambers for Brampton’s Wards 2 and 6, Allan Jones for regional councillor of Wards 2 and 6 in the Region of Peel, and Kathy McDonald, the incumbent Peel District School Board trustee for Wards 3 and 4 who wants to retain her position.

The Ontario municipal elections will be held on October 22.

Read More in  Angles Covered

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Too many racialized voices missing from political decision making

By Rosshane Vignarajah, Opinions by Moe Ladha, Velma Morgan, Jaskaran Singh Sandhu | Published by The Star | Published On Mon., May 7, 2018

Decisions are made by those who show up, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that barriers for showing up are removed.

We are a coalition of community animators who find ourselves asking the fundamental question all too often — why is civic engagement not accessible to everyone?

This week, we released a special video as part of a larger “Get Out The Full Vote” (GOTFV) campaign ahead of this year’s provincial and municipal elections in Ontario. Our campaign, called #WeVote, will complement the work members of our coalition have been engaged in already, such as The Canadian-Muslim Vote’s “2018 GOTV” campaign, Operation Black Vote Canada’s recent Black Community Provincial Leaders Debate, the World Sikh Organization’s advocacy training through the Sikh Youth Leadership Institute, and the Tamils in Public Service’s ongoing focus on advocating for women of colour in politics and government.

Read More in the Star.