Tag Archives: #TOPoli

Dai Williams: Women Win Toronto

Dai Williams is the Interim Co-chair and Communications Lead for Women Win Toronto. Women Win Toronto is a Toronto-based organization dedicated to train and prepare women from diverse backgrounds (including trans and gender non-conforming individuals) to run winning campaigns for the 2018 Toronto municipal election. Visit them at http://womenwinto.ca/

This is episode #142  of the Welcome! podcast.

Here are some of the things we discussed with Dai Williams:

  • What Women Win Toronto is
  • What Dai Williams does with Women Win Toronto
  • How Dai became involved in local politics and why she’s passionate about her work with Women Win Toronto and other initiatives
  • Women In Toronto Politics
  • Social Media Lead for #SnapTheBudget
  • Social Media Lead for Ontario Thrive
  • Why Faith Goldy wouldn’t meet the criteria for getting accepted into Women Win Toronto

Listen below:

Girth Radio
MixCloud 
Apple Podcasts
Google Play Music
Stitcher 
TuneIn
Pocket Casts
You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you so desire.

Closing music by Afraaz Mulji.

This episode was taped at Girth Radio studios inside the Pacific Junction Hotel bar in Toronto.

If you liked this episode you will also like these:

John Sewell: Former Toronto Mayor

John Sewell is Toronto’s 58th Mayor. Sewell was first elected to Toronto’s city council in 1969 and served as the city’s Mayor from 1978 until 1980.

John Sewell was raised in the Beaches area of Toronto and earned his Law Degree from the University of Toronto. Sewell has always fought for the under represented and the underdog in Toronto.

Co-host Gregg Tilston joined me in studio for this conversation with Toronto’s first rebel mayor.

This is episode #137  of the Welcome! podcast.

Here are some of the things we talked about:

  • Why John Sewell wore jeans and a leather jacket when he was first elected to city council
  • Working with the community to help develop the St. Lawrence neighbourhood.
  • Why John Sewell thinks that the revitalized Regent Park didn’t go far enough in regards to affordable housing and integration.
  • The history behind the 401 Richmond heritage building and why it’s important to have smart property tax assessments instead of a one size fits all solution.
  • We discussed the challenges that cities all over the world seem to have regarding accessing funds for municipal programming and services.
  • A long and lively discussion around affordable housing.
  • Why John Sewell fought against the “megacity” proposal that created the city of Toronto as we now know it today.
  • Why Sewell thinks we should have smaller councils (in terms of councilors) while also having more local representation (more councils).
  • Sewell was a big fan of the Metropolitan Toronto system prior to “megacity”.
  • John Sewell’s candid thoughts on Richard Peddie, Desmond Cole, David Miller, John Tory, Jennifer Keesmat.
  • His favourite thing about Toronto.

Listen below:

Girth Radio
MixCloud 
Apple Podcasts
Google Play Music
Stitcher 
TuneIn
Pocket Casts
You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you’re so inclined.

Music by Afraaz Mulji.

If you liked this episode you will also like the following conversations with other former podcast alumni:

Going back to the library

We finally went back to the library this weekend. It’s been a while to be honest. We used to go a lot when Kahzmir was much younger and when I still used to watch movies on my DVD player.

Toronto Public Library

I used to spend lots of time at the library. In middle school I would go early to JB Tyrell and hang in the library. In high school I used to go to Fairview Public Library on the weekends. Yes, it was a place to do my homework. But it was also a place to socialize with my friends. In university I would travel over an hour to go to York University on the weekend. Yes, to do homework. Which I could have done at home. But also to hang with my friends.

Libraries are more than just a place that collects books. It’s a community hub.

The timing was right to get back to visiting our local library. We’re reading less. Yet, we know how important reading is. Both as entertainment and for learning. And Toronto’s libraries offer some really cool programming for kids and adults.

This weekend we visited Cedarbrae Library in Scarborough. Every weekend we’re going to try and visit a different library in Toronto.

Cedarbrae Library
Source: Toronto Public Library

Here are the books I took out:

The Marriot Cell

Let The Games Begin

If you have a book you’d like to recommend to me, please let me know in the comments section.

Today is a brand new day

I thought I’d never see the day that I would be so excited to see December 2 2014. You see, I’m not a huge fan of winter. I love the summer and the warmth of the sun on my face. Snow, cold and short days are not my cup of tea.

But today is not a great day because of of winter. It’s great because today is Day 1 of a new Toronto. John Tory is now officially the Mayor of the city of Toronto.

And that’s a good thing. No. That’s a great thing. His predecessor was nothing short of a huge disappointment. He may have had good intentions. He may have been a great councillor and returned everyone’s calls. But Rob Ford is not mayor material. He is not a leader. Nor a builder. And not someone who cared about creating a city that everyone could be proud to live in. He was, in my opinion, divisive and interested in cutting everything from the budget to public services that we all rely on.

Toronto Mayor John Tory speaking with Karim Kanji at 2014 Taste of Lawrence
Toronto Mayor John Tory speaking with Karim Kanji at 2014 Taste of Lawrence

John Tory has an opportunity to not just reverse the mess that Ford left Toronto in but he also has this opportunity to help build a great city. A city whose transportation system is once again the envy of the world. A city with a waterfront that we can all be proud of. A city we can not be ashamed of. A city that the late night comedians once again ignore.

Today is a brand new day. #fingercrossed

We met @JohnToryTO…

So this happened yesterday (sort of):

@JohnToryTO
@JohnToryTO

“What happened?” you might be asking. Well, that’s my family in the cover image of the Twitter page of Toronto’s future mayor, John Tory. From left to right is my nephew Omar, niece Iman, Kahzmir (DS8) and my beautiful wife Minaz. Oh yeah, and beside her is Tory. 🙂

It’s kinda funny that they are on Tory’s page. Not that we don’t like him. He’s probably the most likeable guy running to be our mayor this October. He’s also smart, a dedicated public servant, and been successful in almost everything he has done in business.

Why is it funny? We probably would not have even thought of voting for Tory if he was running for the PC Party of Ontario. But as a mayoral candidate for the city of Toronto? Sure, why not?

The photo above and the one’s below were taken at the Taste of Lawrence Festival a few weeks ago in Scarborough.

@JohnToryTO with @karimkanji
@JohnToryTO with @karimkanji

And here’s the obligatory selfie….

@karimkanji and @JohnToryTO
@karimkanji and @JohnToryTO