NEWS

Burnside knocks off Parker in Don Valley West

The third time turned out not to be a charm for two-term incumbent councillor John Parker. Jon Burnside, who narrowly lost to him in 2010, turned the tables on Monday night, besting him 9,415–6,167 to become the new city councillor in Ward 26 Don Valley West.

Burnside, a police officer-turned-businessman, grabbed 42.7 percent of the vote. Parker had 27.9 percent.

“I’m not going to talk about the past,” he told the Town Crier outside the Leaside Pub on Laird Drive. “I’m just going to talk about the future, and it means I’m going to be very engaged with the community.

“That’s not just Leaside. There are four distinct areas.”

Former Parker executive assistant Ishrath Velshi got 3,055 to claim third place, with 13.8 percent. First-time candidate David Sparrow, who is president of the Canadian actors’ union Toronto chapter, finished a relatively distant fourth, with 1,786 votes. Wasim Vania had 1,033 and Dimitre Popov got 578.

The campaign saw some tough sledding for Parker, where the deck sometimes seemed stacked against him.

AFTER THE VOTE: Outgoing councillor John Parker was matter-of-fact about defeat.
AFTER THE VOTE: Outgoing councillor John Parker was matter-of-fact about defeat.

Challengers scrambled to cash in on what they perceived as local dislike of the cerebral councillor, who is a lawyer and whose political legacy includes serving as a Progressive Conservative MPP in the old York East riding.

In some public debates the moderator appeared quick to cut his mic, while granting leniency to other candidates. A drive through Leaside neighbourhoods in the days leading up to the election left the impression he was badly out-signed by Burnside and Sparrow. But he maintained that “nine times out of 10” the signs on the lawns did not reflect the resident’s support.

“It’s pretty clear that there were two products on offer in this election and the voters, quite decisively, chose the other product,” Parker said from his campaign’s party at the All Canadian Self-Storage on Laird Drive.

Burnside, a surprise second-place finisher in 2010 who was considered the frontrunner this time after mounting a vigorous campaign based on a local voice at City Hall, said he was humbled by the process.

“There were a few tears in my eyes,” he said of his initial response. “It’s an emotional time.

“It’s humbling when so many people put their faith in you. I know it’s city council, but when I think about it, I couldn’t do it alone.”

Velshi said in a phone call from her campaign office on William Morgan Drive that she wishes Burnside well. Calling Don Valley West a ward that has “very different needs” because of its diversity, she said Burnside “has four years to understand the ward, so I hope that he’s able to meet those needs.”

— With files from Brian Baker