Publicly, councillors within mayor Rob Ford’s voting bloc say they are unshaken by a massive poll that shows plummeting support for the mayor and his agenda.
But privately, a number of right-leaning and centrist councillors say they will not be voting for many of the proposed service cuts — such as daycares, libraries, zoos, farms and arts funding — telling the mayor: I can’t politically afford it.
“People don’t feel good about how things have been happening and they’re taking a look at those numbers,” said one.
Others dismissed the Forum Research poll’s credibility because it was paid for by CUPE Local 79.
“I’m getting (automated) robocalls in my ward, someone phoning up and saying: ‘Do you know Doug Holyday wants to close libraries?’ Push one to reach his office, and they get right through,” said deputy mayor Holyday. “I think the unions are targeting library card holders to do this and I think the poll is more of that.”
Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff said that, regardless of who writes the cheque, the methodology is the same. On Tuesday, Forum randomly called 12,848 Toronto residents using an automated push-button response phoning system.
Respondents were asked:
1. “How has your opinion of Mayor Ford changed since the election?” Improved: 17%; Hasn’t changed: 29%; Grown worse: 54%.
2. “If an election was held tomorrow, would you vote for Rob Ford for mayor?” Yes: 27%; No: 60%; Don’t know: 13%.
3. “How much do you agree that your councillor should vote in the interests of protecting city services in your community, even if it conflicts with the wishes of Mayor Ford?” Overall agree: 77% (59% say they “strongly agree;” 18% say they “agree”). (Overall disagree: 14% (“strongly disagree, 5%; disagree 9%). Don’t know: 9%.
4. “Who did you vote for in the last election?” Ford 46% (the election results were 47%); Smitherman 34% (the election results were 36%); Pantalone 14% (the election results were 12%).
All polls are imperfect because no question is perfect, said Nelson Wiseman, a University of Toronto politics professor, but the closeness of the Forum respondents’ answers to the actual election results shows they’re “right on the money,” Wiseman said.
“If I were a councillor I’d pay attention.”
Origin
Source: Toronto Star
But privately, a number of right-leaning and centrist councillors say they will not be voting for many of the proposed service cuts — such as daycares, libraries, zoos, farms and arts funding — telling the mayor: I can’t politically afford it.
“People don’t feel good about how things have been happening and they’re taking a look at those numbers,” said one.
Others dismissed the Forum Research poll’s credibility because it was paid for by CUPE Local 79.
“I’m getting (automated) robocalls in my ward, someone phoning up and saying: ‘Do you know Doug Holyday wants to close libraries?’ Push one to reach his office, and they get right through,” said deputy mayor Holyday. “I think the unions are targeting library card holders to do this and I think the poll is more of that.”
Forum Research president Lorne Bozinoff said that, regardless of who writes the cheque, the methodology is the same. On Tuesday, Forum randomly called 12,848 Toronto residents using an automated push-button response phoning system.
Respondents were asked:
1. “How has your opinion of Mayor Ford changed since the election?” Improved: 17%; Hasn’t changed: 29%; Grown worse: 54%.
2. “If an election was held tomorrow, would you vote for Rob Ford for mayor?” Yes: 27%; No: 60%; Don’t know: 13%.
3. “How much do you agree that your councillor should vote in the interests of protecting city services in your community, even if it conflicts with the wishes of Mayor Ford?” Overall agree: 77% (59% say they “strongly agree;” 18% say they “agree”). (Overall disagree: 14% (“strongly disagree, 5%; disagree 9%). Don’t know: 9%.
4. “Who did you vote for in the last election?” Ford 46% (the election results were 47%); Smitherman 34% (the election results were 36%); Pantalone 14% (the election results were 12%).
All polls are imperfect because no question is perfect, said Nelson Wiseman, a University of Toronto politics professor, but the closeness of the Forum respondents’ answers to the actual election results shows they’re “right on the money,” Wiseman said.
“If I were a councillor I’d pay attention.”
Origin
Source: Toronto Star
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