NEWS

Jenkins’ former rival throws hat back in ring

[attach]1740[/attach]Seven years after she lost to Cliff Jenkins by only 80 votes Jaye Robinson is back again to challenge the Ward 25 incumbent for his seat on council.

Robinson, a former senior manager in the city’s economic development department, said Toronto is in decline and needs fresh blood and new ideas to set it on the right course.

“There’s a lack of vision and long-term thinking,” she said. “When you see what’s happening in other cities compared to Toronto, it feels like they are moving forward and we are going backward.”

To get the city back on what she sees as the right track, Robinson says you don’t have to look any further than the city’s purse.

“It’s all rooted in your financial situation,” she said. “We need to get (city finances) back on track so the city can be livable.”

Robinson helped head up a city department that focused on the economy, tourism and culture and partnered with many private corporations and government divisions on events such as Nuit Blanche.

She is a big fan of private-public partnerships where a corporation will help sponsor a city event. This makes running events more affordable for the city, she said.

Robinson also wants to see councillors working together more.

“That is what I can bring to the table,” she said. “I have 20 years of municipal experience. I know how to navigate the complexities of the city. I’ve worked with all city departments as a director.”

And she stresses the need to involve residents in the planning, decision and execution of city decisions.

“Residents are very disillusioned,” said Robinson, vice president of the Lawrence Park Ratepayers’ Association. “They are disconnected and disenchanted.”

She said one way to bring residents back into the fold is to improve customer service.

As chair of the social justice committee at her church, she organized the My Life, My City speakers series that focused on topics of crime, making neighbourhoods work and being good corporate citizens. Speakers included John Tory and Police Chief Bill Blair.

“It was a very inspiring project,” she said. “It played a role in encouraging me to run (for councillor).”

The mother of three said she thought seriously about running in 2006 but opted not to as she was working on city initiatives.

While it may have been almost seven years since she last ran for office, Robinson says that residents of Ward 25 have welcomed her candidacy with open arms.

“People are hungry for change. That’s what I’ll deliver.”

Race for Ward 25 picks up speed

Jaye Robinson is set for a rematch with Cliff Jenkins, whom she almost beat in the 2003 race for council.

On election night, Robinson was declared the winner by 30 votes but was then told by officials that 10 percent of the ballots hadn’t been tallied. Apparently the announcement was hasty, because when total numbers rolled in the result was a 80-vote loss to Jenkins, then a first-time candidate himself.

A recount was ordered, and results confirmed.

Jenkins, who won again in 2006, is seeking re-election in the fall.

When contacted by the Town Crier, Jenkins didn’t have much to say about his former rival’s decision to run again in his ward.

“It’s her democratic right,” he said. “I really don’t have any other comment other than that.”

Jenkins said his campaign strategy won’t change according to his challengers.

As of press time, Jenkins, Robinson and Tasha Batt are the only three registered candidates vying for Ward 25.

7 thoughts on “Jenkins’ former rival throws hat back in ring

  • I have read the comments and welcome the opportunity to clarify a couple of points. I live in Ward 25. It is my neighbourhood and my community. I invite you to visit my website at http://www.jayerobinson.ca for a full outline of my community work over the years, that has ranged from school fundraising, to Out of the Cold volunteer, to soccer coach to VP and Director of the local Ratepayers’ association. Also while I do know how to get things done at City Hall, I left the City two years ago. Unlike current Councillors no one is paying me a salary as I campaign for public office. The support for my campaign for City Councillor does not come from City Hall but rather from a broad base of grass roots support in the community looking for change.

    I hope that citizens will become engaged in this election to talk about the very critical issues facing Toronto today, such as the need to get our fiscal house in order, develop comprehensive traffic solutions, overhaul the planning process to be more responsive to residents’ concerns, and so much more. These are all issues that the current council have failed to adequately address over the last 7 years. I’d like to have the opportunity to serve our neighbourhood and our city and I hope you will consider me for the job. Most importantly, get out and vote October 25! Please feel free to get in touch with me at 416-487-JAYE or info@jayerobinson.ca or visit my website at http://www.jayerobinson.ca for more details about my campaign. – Jaye Robinson

  • Jaye Robinson has only gained a stronger community presence since she last ran for councillor, having taken an active role in many community events. I attended her My Life, My City series and I was very impressed by the speakers she brought in. She clearly knows how to pull people together, a skill badly needed at city council. I know many people that are happy she is running.

  • These negative comments all seem very strange to me.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m use to seeing negative comment posted to online stories (I’m sure I’ve even posted a few). But generally negative posts are about issues, not personal comments (or if they are, they’re removed by the moderator…IE: the poor Toronto Star and CBC moderators). These comments seem to be very personal though, particularly given that many people aren’t that interested in this election yet.

    Either way, I find the whole, you can have energy and experience arguement odd and a bit offensive. For example, I wouldn’t say that I am “older”, but I absolutely have plenty of experience…and my mother still has plenty of energy. So it feels like if there is any agism, it is coming from the Pamela, not this story.

    On a separate note, go Uruguay!

  • prgoodman

    Well, well, Jaye back to her city hall tactics again.

    I don’t know where to start.

    First I’d like to point out the obvious ploys she appears to be using in these comments. I’m a mother of 2 boys and they have a sense of style and subtlety that is seriously lacking in Jaye’s attempt to control the ward.

    How much assistance is Jaye receiving from those in the backrooms at city hall? She’s worked there for years she knows them all. She is city hall centric but tries to make out that she wants to work in our community. Jaye is not a ward 25 “community leader”. In fact she gets paid by the tax payer to be employed by the city. She’s attempting to gain the status of “community leader” de facto and not through earning the title.

    Is there a nuance of ageism when she says that she has “energy”? This is contradicted when she says she has “experience”. I contend that experience comes from the passage of time and the natural trials that one faces.

    I urge anyone reading this comment to not get taken in by the quick talking and slogan toting.

    Anyone as desperate as Jaye to become councillor simply cannot be good in the long run.

    I have more to say but I’ll leave it there for now.

    Pamela

  • i cannot tell you how happy my husband and i are that jaye is finally running again. she is an incredibly dynamic person who will finally work to get things done in ward 25…. mr. jenkins has been all but absent throughout his term…..check out his voting reports…..he’s not often there to vote at all!! jaye has the energy and ideas to make things finally happen for our ward…you go jaye!!!! best regards, perri

  • TorontoIsHome

    I could not be happier that Jaye is running again. It is a real shame that we’ve had to live through 7 years of a councillor that doesn’t represent the residents. Kathleen Wynne has regularly had to step up and deal with municipal issues for us. Maybe if Jaye had been in the chair we would have seen better results. She seems to have gotten better results as a community leader than our current councillor has gotten as an elected offical.

    You had my vote 7 years ago Jaye and you’ll have it again this time!

    Thanks,

    James

  • RoseSmith

    My goodness, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this story.

    I met Jaye Robinson during the previous time she ran in Ward 25 and her attitude towards us living in the ward was less than hospitable. For example I asked her where in the ward she lived and she told me that she did not live in the ward. I asked her what kind of work she did for the community and all the references she gave were in downtown Toronto. She was not happy that I was asking questions and quickly changed the subject.

    I did not vote for Ms. Robinson before and I will not again. Ms. Robinson seemed more like a used car sales person than an individual interested in the issues for us living in the area.

    Ms. Robinson ran in this ward when our previous councillor left and to me that is more like sneaky than honest.

    Thank you

    Rose

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