George Smitherman has lost another vote to front-runner Rob Ford - and this time, it's his big brother's vote. Arthur Smitherman, 54, registered last week to run against incumbent Anthony Perruzza in Ward 8 York West. The rookie candidate spoke to The Globe's Kelly Grant about why he's backing Mr. Ford over his younger brother.
Why did you decide to support Rob Ford for mayor?
It's actually quite simple. Rob has come to the table with the two most important things which a politician should have and that is the will to work on fiscal responsibility and in a broader sense to work on good ethics. I think a lot of the career politicians just aren't getting that.
Do you count your brother as one of those career politicians who doesn't get it?
I'm precluded from getting into any ad hominem arguments. I have to say no comment on that. [I don't]want to paint him with a broad stroke and put him in the same category as left-thinking [politicians.]I'm sure the public can do that themselves. They don't need any help from me.
Has your brother or somebody who works for him asked you to say, 'no comment?'
I don't think my family is relevant in this to be quite honest with you. I think the voting public is more interested in the social truths as opposed to the differences in political and economic philosophy between two brothers.
So does that mean your brother has or has not asked you not to comment?
I'm going to give you the answer to that as an unequivocal no. My brother has not asked me not to run. There are other forces at play here which aren't anybody's business. (Smitherman spokeswoman Erika Mozes says the candidate has not had contact with his brother in 20 years. "They are estranged. No one on the campaign has had contact with him either.")
When was the last time you spoke with your brother?
We exchanged e-mails at Christmas and he was extremely occupied. We didn't have the resources to get together at the time.
The two of you aren't close. Is there any particular reason why not?
Well, George is a lot younger than I am, I'm 54. (George is 46.) You know, I've been a workaholic all my life. Even as a child at 14 I had jobs like crazy. I had the newspaper routes, I cut lawns, I worked for my Dad. You lose touch with friends. It's really the same dynamic. There's nothing more to it than that. How many people do you associate with now that you did 10 years ago? Times change and so do people.
But friends are not the same thing as brothers.
Well it is in my experience.
You mentioned being a workaholic. What do you do for a living now?
I drive trucks.
Long haul?
No, I'm a local aggregate hauler. I just work within a 100-kilometre radius of the city.
What do you hope to be able to do for Ward 8 if you're elected?
Well, I intend to be the type of councillor that goes on the street helping people resolve their conflicts. I want to try and get them the resources they need. I'd look after their needs, wants and concerns. I think I can be very helpful to the rest of the councillors and the mayor and the city in a more macrocosmic perspective.
Do you live in the ward?
I lived in the ward the last four years and I just recently moved out. I'm going to be buying again as soon as the economic conditions are a little more favourable. I'm living just outside the ward right now.
So why did you choose Ward 8 York West?
It's really quite simple, actually. Two of the major portions of the demographics - one-third being single-parent families and the other being York University students - in my opinion are not getting the resources they are entitled to and deserve.
What in your background makes you the right person for the job?
Well I do have formal training and formal education, but in all honesty I think it's my personality attributes. I'm very conscientious. I have a high sense of justice. My education in most respects has just allowed me to articulate my personality ... I've always been an avid reader. I do a lot of reading.
Who are your favourite authors?
Well, I don't want to disclose that actually because, in fact, it's given Warren Buffett a competitive advantage and I like to have a competitive advantage too. Most recently I've been [reading]a lot of studies on negotiation, studies on conflict, studies on analysis. I'm doing a lot of reading on sociology and psychology. Since 2006 I've read more than 20 books on the those topics.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length
Kelly Grant