If you’ve been following the upcoming Toronto elections, you’ve probably heard a lot about the people running for mayor. Whether you’ve been supporting one side for years or are totally confused about where you stand, it’s undeniably important to get to know the candidates before you step up to the polling station.
HerCampus is a politically independent magazine: in no way is this feature reflective of the author or the publication and what they personally believe. This article series only serves to showcase some of the University of Toronto alumni that have gone on into politics. Isn’t it cool that many of the candidates running for mayor went to our school back in the day?
John Tory is the former leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative party and a former Member of Provincial Parliament (M.P.P.) [1]. Tory’s background is in law: he graduated from UofT’s Trinity College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and went on to do a Bachelor of Law at Osgoode Hall of York University. Following a successful law and business career (working as President and CEO of Rogers, no less) [2], he currently stands as the leading candidate for Toronto’s next mayor.
Interestingly enough, Tory has extensive history with the University of Toronto. Not only did he complete his undergraduate at UofT, but he also attended the University of Toronto Schools (UTS), a private secondary school linked with the university. (You can actually check out UTS on Bloor Street between Huron and Spadina, just west of campus.) UofT runs in the Tory family: his father and grandfather also attended UTS [4].
Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of information out there about Tory’s life at UofT, but you can follow his campaign to see if he’s really the one to vote for in the upcoming election. Here’s a list of some of the things he supports:
· Immediate construction of a subway extension to the Scarborough RT.
· Toronto as a “music city”: the institution of a Music Office to create a direct line between the government and the music community.
· Low property taxes and a more efficient method of officiating small businesses.
(If you want a fantastic summary of lead candidates and what they stand for, check out pollenize.org/toronto.) [5]
Tory isn’t the only mayoral candidate who has a past at the University of Toronto. Stay tuned for more information about some of his competitors, and what their connections are to the university. And before you decide who to vote for, do your research – that way you’ll be sure you’re making the right choice.
Election day is on October 27, 2014.
Content Sources
1. “John Tory.” MyAlumni University of Toronto. August 1, 2010. Accessed October 4, 2014.
2. Munroe, Susan. “John Tory.” About News. January 1, 2014. Accessed October 4, 2014.
3. Bateman, Chris. “5 Things You Didn’t Know about John Tory.” BlogTO, July 21, 2014.
4. “John Tory – Toronto 2014.” Pollenize. January 1, 2014. Accessed October 4, 2014. http://pollenize.org/toronto/john-tory.
Image Sources
http://storage.torontosun.com/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-image…
http://wpmedia.news.nationalpost.com/2014/03/john-tory-1.jpg?w=620
http://declerqmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/DSC_9152.jpg
http://i.cbc.ca/1.2579587.1395283900!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/…