Calgary mayor offers Toronto candidates some advice

When it comes to left-wing, right-wing, vote-splitting jargon, Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi has some advice for Toronto’s mayoral candidates: “nobody cares.”

“Is removing the snow a right-wing or left-wing idea? Is fixing the potholes more New Democrat or Conservative?” Nenshi said during a downtown lunch for the Toronto Region Board of Trade. “It’s ridiculous.”

Despite earlier assurances in his speech that he wouldn’t, Nenshi weighed in everything from Mayor Rob Ford to condo construction (“who the heck is buying those?”) to the Scarborough subway.

“I, for the life of me, cannot understand the decision on the Scarborough subway,” Nenshi said. “I don’t understand why you’d not spend less to serve more people … clearly, I’m missing something. I’m not that bright.”

Toronto council voted in October for the subway, which could cost voters $1 billion over the next 30 years, but critics say it will increase debt and taxes while reducing transit in other areas.

While Nenshi shied away from reporters’ questions about Ford’s personal troubles and whether he should resign — even offering up slight praise, saying Ford was “helpful” during this week’s mayor meeting — he did have some frank advice for all candidates, two of whom — David Soknacki and John Tory — were in attendance.

“If you’re a politician and you’re trying to get out there … tell us why you love this city, tell us what drives you to be the mayor, tell us what makes you want to make this city even better and how you’re going to go about doing it,” said Nenshi, who easily won his own re-election last fall with 74 per cent of the vote.

“Figure out how to reach across the aisle and work together to make this amazing city even better,” Nenshi said. “That’ll change everything.”