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rfmcdonaldTomsz Bugajski's blogTO interview with my new municipal councilperson, Ana Bailao, is interesting in the context of my neighbourhood's contested politics.
Nothing very surprising; the interview doesn't go very deep. There's anger, though, in the comments.
Bailão was born in Portugal but grew up as a teen in Ward 18. She attended West Toronto Collegiate and then the University of Toronto to study sociology and European studies.
Between 1998 and 2003 she worked for Toronto city councillor Mario Silva, also of Portuguese background and now a federal MP for the riding of Davenport, giving her valuable experience with City Hall. Bailão ran for City Council for the first time in 2003 against Giambrone but lost by more than 10 per cent.
Despite the efforts during the campaign of local documentary filmmaker Scott Dobson to highlight Bailão's reliance on developers for campaign contributions, a strong desire for change helped her take the Ward 18 seat from Giambrone's former executive assistant. Soon after being elected, Bailão reversed Giambrone's hated parking ban along much of Dundas Street.
Nothing very surprising; the interview doesn't go very deep. There's anger, though, in the comments.
