politicians-from-toronto

"I felt I could do more on the outside, which I continued to do working for long-term care and integrated services for children."

"A passionate and determined advocate for social justice, Zanana Akande made history in Canada as the first Black woman to serve as a cabinet minister."

"As an educator and community-builder in Toronto, she has dedicated her career to the well-being of others, particularly those in marginalized communities."

"It becomes more possible to elect another Black person, so that it seems not that exceptional."

"I supported their platform because I thought it spoke to the issues that were most unfair and needed to be addressed."

"Both of my parents were interested in politics, but it was really my father who encouraged us from a very young age to watch the news and consider why certain decisions were being made."

"Change is not always welcomed. The default position for many of the people in government is white male."

"Today, for her tireless leadership in public service and her fearless advocacy for equity and diversity, Akande will receive a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Toronto."

"It’d be important to be able to communicate with part of our country that speaks French — I love Quebec, I love Quebecers."

"We will never stop issuing MZOs for the people of Ontario, the people that need housing. There are 40,000 people moving in the GTA, the fastest-growing region in North America. If it was up to the NDP they’d be living in mud huts right now."

"If I ever get to the provincial level of politics, municipal affairs is the first thing I would want to change. I think mayors across the province deserve stronger powers. One person in charge, with veto power, similar to the strong mayoral systems in New York and Chicago and L.A."

"Nothing is more important than getting these vaccines. If I was in his [Justin Trudeau's] shoes … I’d be up that [Pfizer] guy’s ying yang so far with a firecracker he wouldn’t know what hit him. I would be outside that guy’s house every time he moved."

"What boggles my mind: we’re pouring, pouring money into autism, and focused on it, listening to the experts, not the bunch of politicians, but listening to the experts. We’re helping them and they’re protesting? I don’t know. I question that."

"They do not get to just walk away from this. We will demand answers about where the money went. A lot of the Liberals got rich, really really rich, under Kathleen Wynne and off the backs of the taxpayers of Ontario."

"God bless the president Donald Trump and don’t get me wrong. Full disclosure: I’m a big Republican, I’m a supporter, conservative-minded and Jason’s probably more conservative than I am. But, you know, this protectionism, it’s just not going to work."

"Am I frustrated? Yeah I am frustrated but I have confidence in the team. I will be like an 800-pound gorilla on their backs every single day if I have to until I see these numbers go up."

"Sex ed curriculum should be about facts, not teaching Liberal ideology."

"I can’t stand that little bitch."

"All I heard everywhere I went was buck-a-beer, buck-a-beer, buck-a-beer. So sometimes the media, ourselves even, we live in a bubble and you don’t realize some of the kitchen table issues people want to get done."

"Hey Michael, it’s Doug Ford calling. Thanks so much for the message my friend. Uh, you know something? I love those polls. They make me laugh. But Michael, you got to be very, very careful when you tell someone that they’re corrupt. Very, very, very careful. OK, my friend? I’ll talk to you later."

"People shouldn't be sharing anything. I don't care if it's those doobies, joints, whatever you want to call them, or drinks, or anything; just don't share 'em, simple. And wear a face covering."

"We have a premier in this province who's told us many times now that our existing hospitals have no capacity to deal with the wait-lists"

"I can't think of a more life-changing procedure for a young woman than an abortion... I don't know too many parents that would approve any of their kids going on a field trip without their knowledge. I don't see anyone ever approving an operation on their children when they're 12- and 13-years-old without approval."

"I brought my kids down there and I wouldn’t bring my kids back when there’s buck-naked men running down the street."

"Sorry I was late this morning, I had to take two showers to wipe the tire marks off my back. In saying that, I’d be more than happy to be thrown underneath the bus for my brother any day, by the way."

"My friends, a new day has dawned on Ontario! A day of opportunity, a day of prosperity and a day of growth. We’re going to turn this province around, so our children and their children will always be proud to call Ontario home. We will make sure Ontario is the greatest place on Earth to live, to do business and to raise a family. And we will make Ontario once again the engine of Canada."

"REESTAY A LA MYZA"

"I don’t get. I just don’t get it. If we weren’t so backlogged on MRIs, I’d send you to the MRI to get your brain scanned because I just don’t think there is anything in there."

"We have a bunch of yahoos out in the front of Queen’s Park sitting there protesting that the place isn’t open, as they are breaking the law. And putting everyone in jeopardy, putting themselves in jeopardy, putting workers in jeopardy and god forbid one of them ends up in the hospital down the street."

"I think we all know what kind of crazy Marxist nonsense student unions get up to. So, we fixed that. Student union fees are now opt-in."

"He can go to hell, I don’t even care. This is not normal in democracy. It is a full out jihad against us right now."

"You've ruined the community. You can't destroy a community like this. People have worked 30 years for their home. My heart goes out to kids with autism. But no one told me they'd be leaving the house. If it comes down to it, I'll buy the house myself and resell it."

"I’m in favour of getting rid of all taxes, as much as we can."

"Absolutely I smoked pot in high school. I don’t like drugs. I don’t even take Aspirin. I don’t drink. I haven’t drank since I’ve been 18 years old... I despise drugs and I’ve done everything I can to stop drugs in my community."

"You can be racist against people who have a drinking problem. You can be racist against people that eat little red apples."

"The criminal code is not an effective instrument an administrative system that is flexible and efficient The blunt instrument of imprisoning someone, putting them through a rigorous criminal trial, is probably not the right answer for enforcing rules against hate speech online in every instance."

"You are born with two things: existence and opportunity, and these are the raw materials out of which you can make a successful life."

"It is easy to prime the pump and have the words gush forth in a torrent of pious phrases but the proof of what we really want – regardless of what we say we want – is evident in the way we live."

"“I waited 18 years for her,” says Rounthwaite. “Basically, from the time I met Kath in 1973, I was just waiting — through her marriage, through my (own) relationship (with a woman) — I just waited all those years.”"

"They had beautiful kids, and affluence but the sexual energy had become muted, and Kathleen knew ‘there had been a wild woman in me that hadn't been around for a while,’"

"It was during a “group therapy” organized by Wynne that she realized she had “feelings” for a woman in the group who had a crush on her. It was during a weekend getaway with her best friend Jane Rounthwaite to examine a cottage the family wanted to purchase that Wynne began a homosexual affair, breaking her marriage vow to Phil .. After the weekend at the cottage, Rounthwaite moved in with Wynne, while her husband moved down to the basement. To the adults this “made sense,” the author writes, but to the three little children “whose lives were being turned inside out, it didn’t.”"

"If you don’t vote, then somebody who looks like me is going to vote, some senior person, older than me, some white person."

"Mayor Ford is a lot of fun to ridicule, but my guess is, not a lot of fun to eulogize. And that's where this thing is headed."

"Rob Ford doesn't acknowledge it, but democracy involves a lot more than just elections. Democracy requires a reasonable respect for the position held and the powers that it entails. It requires those in public positions to engage in intelligent debate about the best actions that should be taken. It requires a respect for law and law's servants. It requires civility towards others and respect for other law makers.""

"This folks, reminds me of when Saddam attacked Kuwait and President Bush said ‘I warn you, I warn you, I warn you, do not.’ Well folks, if you think American-style politics is nasty, you guys have just attacked Kuwait.”"

"Yes I have smoked crack cocaine. But, no, do I? Am I an addict? No. Have I tried it? Um, probably in one of my drunken stupors, probably approximately about a year ago.""

"This is nothing but a coup d’etat. It’s a dictatorship motion. They are telling everybody in the last election their vote doesn’t count.""

"What I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you're going to get bitten... Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes. My heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day."

"It's no secret, okay. The cyclists are a pain in the ass to the motorists."

"I can’t support bike lanes. How many people are riding outside today? We don’t live in Florida. We don’t have 12 months of the year to ride on their [sic] bikes. And what I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you're going to get bitten. And every year we have dozens of people that get hit by cars, or trucks. Well no wonder! Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes. My heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day."