The hate people in public life get should not be confused with legitimate criticism of their policies and record. The hate, on the other hand, is why I fear the good people we desperately need in politics will be turned off. Opinion by shawnmicallef
There are indeed challengers to Tory that are
A bit of alchemy is needed to capture the public’s imagination, vaulting a candidate from underdog to contender, and it usually takes a long time. Before he was elected mayor in 2014, Tory was a high-profile figure in Toronto and Ontario politics for decades, losing multiple elections at provincial and municipal levels. He also hosted a drive time AM talk radio program that cemented him in the public’s mind.
Nearly every one told me not to do it. Ultimately, I declined the offer. Besides the fact that I’d probably be a terrible mayor, here are some reasons why I said no, reasons that might help explain why so few people get involved in politics today. Related to that is it would utterly upend my life, personal and professional. I have some good freelance gigs but, ultimately, I’m precariously employed and I’d have to quit all my jobs to run, without any guarantee they’d start back up again if I didn’t win. The personal risk was incredible. Unlike the mayor, I am not from generational wealth to coast on.