Close call for Parker in Ward 26
[attach]2710[/attach]West was a close one, but in the end incumbent councillor John Parker was able to hold onto his seat over other frontrunners Jon Burnside and Mohamed Dhanani.
First elected to the ward in 2006, Councillor Parker will serve his second municipal term representing the constituents of Don Valley West, one of the city’s most diverse wards both socially and economically.
Finishing with 31 percent of the vote (6,203 votes) Parker led the pack, but never with a comfortable lead. Burnside and Dhanani earned 29.18 percent (5,788) and 28.37 (5,627) respectively.
“We knew it every step along the way it was looking close,” Parker said. “The numbers as they were being reported in confirmed that it was close. It was just a nervous experience waiting for the final result.”
Parker says he’s pleased with the end result.
“Most of all, I’m gratified that I increased my strength in all parts of the ward,” he said at his Laird Drive campaign party.
[attach]2713[/attach]In 2006 Parker eked out a victory over Dhanani by 214 votes in the Ward 26 seat vacated by Jane Pitfield when she decided to run for mayor. That race also produced the city’s highest voter turnout at 52 percent, the only ward to have more than half of its registered voters taking part. Based on that result, and Dhanani’s backing from local federal and provincial Liberal representatives, this race was expected to be neck and neck.
Mohamed Dhanani was widely thought to have had the best chance to knock off an incumbent in this election but instead finished third. A former employee of George Smitherman, Dhanani is well-known in the community. While speaking with media at his campaign party held at the Thorncliffe banquet hall, his dismay at the final tally was evident.
“Clearly I’m disappointed,” Dhanani said. “We were working towards a different outcome and a loss is always tough.”
[attach]2714[/attach]Burnside, a former police officer and community activist, surprised many people with his strong showing but was not surprised himself.
“Am I surprised that I got more votes than Mohamed Dhanani? Not at all,” Burnside said.
A Rob Ford mayoral win proved to be a win for Parker as well. Prior to the election, Parker openly announced his support for Ford although initially he was in support of another campaign.
“I should not go any further before remembering to congratulate my friend and colleague, Mayor Rob Ford,” Parker said to his crowd of supporters. “I think everybody in this room knows that he was not my first choice. Rocco Rossi was my first choice and proudly so but we all know the story how that unfolded and I was proud to support Rob when Rocco stepped aside.”
Mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi dropped out of the race mere weeks before the election.
In an interview with the Town Crier a day after the election, Pedro Valadao, member of the Leaside Business Park Association, weighed in on Parker’s victory.
“From what I know about Mr. Parker and what he does with the Leaside Park Business Association he’s very committed and very much for the community,” said Valadao, who’s worked in the Leaside area for over 28 years.
Representing Leaside, Bennington Heights, Moore Park, Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park, Ward 26 was home to 60, 585 people and consisted of 23, 390 households in 2006. The ward is 11 square kilometres in size.
