For those of you keeping track of the Toronto Star‘s efforts to talk Olivia Chow into running for mayor of Toronto, there’s big news: Ms. Chow now says she is “considering” it.
Alert the Heralds!
Olivia Chow ‘considering’ running for mayor of Toronto
Chow was on Stroumboulopoulos’ show to promote “Jack,” the CBC movie about her late husband that airs this Sunday. She appeared alongside Sook-Yin Lee, who plays her in the film, before the conversation turned to current politics.
“Jack wanted to be mayor, maybe I want to be a mayor too but maybe not. Perhaps I won’t be able to do it,” Chow said.
Stroumboulopoulos followed up, asking: “But you’re open to it?”
“I am considering it,” Chow said to applause.
Until now, Ms. Chow, an NDP Member of Parliament and widow of NDP leader Jack Layton, had only hinted that she might be persuaded she might challenge Rob Ford, who the Star really really really doesn’t like. Last June she offered a flat “no” when asked if she would run, but by September, “begged by Torontonians to run” according to the Star, she allowed “we’ll see what happens down the road — We do need better leadership at city hall.”
In November she seemed to have moved some way down the road already: “I love this city, this is where I grew up and I’ve been hearing from more and more people about asking me to run,” Chow told him. “I’m listening to them. . . My job is to make sure we have a vibrant, sustainable city where no one is left behind.”
And now, be still my heart, she’s telling George Stroumboulopoulos she’s “considering” it. Woo-hoo!
They’re excited at the Star, where every Olivia sighting is big news. Imagine, Justin Trudeau as prime minister (oops not yet — we meant Liberal leader), Kathleen Wynne as premier and Olivia Chow as mayor of Toronto.
Does it get better? They’ve already got little umbrellas in their drinks at 1 Yonge.
National Post