Compiled by Jenifer Alvarez
With Rob Ford’s mayoral career in the hands of a three-member Divisional Court panel, speculation of who may run for the top job next is abuzz.
A decision will be made Friday morning in the appeal of a lower-court ruling that said Ford breached the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act in a February 2012 council meeting.
If the ruling is upheld, city council can decide to either hold an election to replace Ford, or fill his post temporarily. Under the second scenario, Ford himself could be nominated to fill in as replacement mayor, if council agress.
On Thursday speculation was growing about who might be wanting to throw their names in the hat.
Although Ford has said he would undoubtedly run in a by-election, there are other candidates to watch out for.
Here’s a list of possible contenders:
Doug Holyday
PHOTO COURTESY OF CASINO CONNECTION INTERNATIONAL VIA FLICKR Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday.
- Toronto City Councillor since Dec. 1, 2000: Ward 3 Etobicoke Centre
- Deputy Mayor since Dec. 1, 2010
- Mayor of Etobicoke from Dec. 1, 1994-Jan. 1, 1998
A longtime player in the municipal political scene, Holyday already has the power to act as mayor in the event the current mayor is given the boot. With over 30 years of experience in business management and a lengthy history of community involvement, Holyday brings experience to the mayoral race table if he decides to run.
Karen Stintz
PHOTO BY TTC VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
- Toronto City Councillor since Dec. 1, 2003: Ward 16 Eglinton-Lawrence
- Chair of the TTC since Dec. 1, 2010
Stintz made her political debut in 2003 and was one of the people who got the current mayor riled up with her light-rail transit alternative, according to TorontoLife.com. As a member of several city committees and agencies like the Conservative Responsible Government Group and the Employee Labour and Relations Committee, Stintz is an obvious candidate for the position despite not running for mayor in the 2010 election.
Adam Vaughn
PHOTO BY JOSHUA SHERURCIJ VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
- Toronto City Councillor since Dec. 1, 2006: Ward 20 Trinity-Spadina
- Chair of the Civic Appointments Committee from Dec. 1, 2008-Dec. 1, 2010
Now in his second term in Toronto City Council, Vaughn is a persistent advocate of affordable housing, supporting small businesses and the arts, and planning and revising projectas for his ward. Vaughn is also responsible for launching “an innovative interactive web-based data bank of land use patterns within his ward.” His parents had once spearheaded the fight against the Spadina Expressway and his father was a former Toronto journalist and city politician.
Olivia Chow
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONTREALAIS VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Olivia Chow NDP, MP Trinity-Spadina.
- Toronto City Councillor from 1991-2005
- Member of Parliament since 2006: Trinity-Spadina
The NDP’s transport critic and spokesperson for the Official Opposition on transport and infrastructure issues, Chow was re-elected for the third consecutive time in the 2011 federal election. Most popular for her active role in assessing the government’s activities in her ward, she is also well-known for shaping NDP policies and for taking part in various events in the city. Chow has 28 years of political experience as stated on her website www.oliviachow.ca. Her late husband was former NDP leader Jack Layton.
Shelley Carroll
PHOTO COURTESY OF CANADIAN FILM CENTRE VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Toronto Councillor Shelley Carroll for Ward 33 Don Valley West
- Toronto City Councillor since Dec. 1, 2003: Ward 33 Don Valley East
- Chair of the Budget Committee from Dec. 1, 2006-Dec. 1, 2010
- Toronto Public School Trustee from Dec. 1, 2000-Dec. 1, 2003
A councillor dedicated to building up an inclusive and equitable city that is sustainable and environmentally friendly, according to the toronto.ca website, Carroll began her career in politics in 2000 when she was elected as School Board Trustee. Carroll is most known for her role in fighting the policies of former Ontario premier Mike Harris.
John Tory
PHOTO COURTESY OF DENIS DREVER VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS John Tory, Newstalk1010 Live Drive With John Tory radio show host.
- Leader of the Ontario PC Party from Sept. 28, 2004-Mar. 20, 2009
- Leader of the Opposition in Ontario from Mar. 29, 2005-Oct. 10, 2007
- MPP for Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey area from Mar. 29, 2005-Oct. 10, 2007
A well-known businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, Tory is perhaps most recognizable as the voice many people hear when they tune into radio station Newstalk1010. Tory was the runner up in the 2003 municipal election, which David Miller won. Tory did not run in the 2010 election, but speculation is that may change this time around.
***All information from www.toronto.ca, www.torontolife.ca, and www.newstalk1010.com.