By Hedy Korbee
It started as a routine day for Ward 36 councillor Gary Crawford.
He woke up Thursday morning, poured a coffee, started reading the newspaper and then realized that an important political decision he’d made two days earlier was still weighing heavily on his mind.
“A lot of times you make a decision, you feel comfortable, you move on. But this one was still there. Most of the time when I make a decision… I feel quite comfortable with it. This didn’t feel comfortable in this particular case. Even two days afterwards I felt uncomfortable with the decision I had made at Executive.
The decision Crawford made at the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee meeting was a vote to defer a staff report on new revenue tools to pay for transit expansion.
The vote was 6-4 and if Crawford had voted the other way, the motion to defer would have been defeated.
It meant that most of his colleagues on the full Toronto City Council would not get a timely opportunity to debate funding options to improve gridlock in the city.
“I didn’t think it was fair to defer an item of such importance with six votes on executive that didn’t allow Council to have that kind of discussion. In thinking about the decision afterwards, that was unfair,” said Crawford.
What happened next was anything but routine.
Crawford and his executive assistant Ray Chan prepared a statement and went public at 11:30 am to say that he had reconsidered his position.
Although Crawford is a relative newcomer to City Council, having been elected in 2010, he represented southwest Scarborough for ten years as a trustee on the Toronto District School Board and is no stranger to making decisions..
He admitted that backtracking so quickly after the vote was tough, noting that he ruled out just quietly signing a petition to help get the issue on the Council agenda.
“You have to realize that to come out publicly and state that I had reconsidered, that wasn’t an easy decision, because sometimes you need to live with your decisions. But this one I felt I need to try and correct it as best I can.”
Crawford’s reversal caused quite a stir in Toronto’s political circles and in the media.
You can read more about it here, here, here and here.
Why the reversal?
Crawford said he originally voted to defer the report because it didn’t make sense to participate in the process when the province has already made up its mind on the need for new revenue tools, including possible tax increases.
“One of the things that struck me with Kathleen Wynne is that she did make the comment that it didn’t matter what the municipalities did, I’m going to make the decision anyways. With those kinds of comments coming from the Premier, does it really matter what we’re doing because (she’s) going to implement it anyway.”
Crawford said he reversed his position after a number of other City Councillors, Josh Colle among them, came to him and said the issue deserved debate at full Council.
“The mayor made the comment that the process is “ass-backwards” and I respect that and I do feel that is the case. But I think that having the opportunity for Council and Council members to debate trumps that.”
Influenced by Scarborough residents
Crawford said his decision was also influenced by many phone calls and emails his office received from constituents.
“We received a number of emails and telephone calls from residents and a lot of them were seeking clarification in terms of why did you vote that way? There was confusion. When I really started to think about why, I realized it really didn’t make sense that my vote went that way and I felt that council needed to have that voice.”
Reaction to Crawford’s reversal created a buzz on Twitter, with comments both positive and negative.
Crawford rejected the notion that he is wishy-washy or flip-flopped on the issue.
“I reconsidered. You hope every decision you make is a good decision. But there are times you second guess it . And that is just part of life. I don’t think I’m any different than anyone who’s made decisions, whether big or small.”
Mayor Rob Ford, Councillor Gary Crawford and Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong
He also dismissed suggestions that he’s Mayor Rob Ford’s “new best friend”, stating that the mayor’s two visits to Birch Cliff in one week were “coincidental” and served the purpose of drawing attention to major construction on Kingston Road over the next 18 months.
That being said, Crawford added that he supports much of the mayor’s agenda and thinks at least part of the funding for transit should be reallocated from the current City budget.
“I think we do have to look at efficiencies within government to support transit funding but we also need to look at other revenue tools. What those are, that’s going to be part of the debate that’s coming to Council,” Crawford said.
Crawford said he did not speak personally to the mayor before making his announcement, but did inform his office.
When asked about Crawford’s change of heart, Mayor Ford simply said: “To each his own.”
