Update: Councillor Anthony Perruzza is a former EA, but he did not replace his old boss. Thanks to Kim Wright of Sussex Strategies for the clarification. Her encyclopedic knowledge of City Hall is freakish -- in a good way.
Michael Walker, the councillor for Ward 22 St. Paul's, just announced he's retiring after 28 years on council. Then he announced his putative replacement: Chris Sellors, his executive assistant. There's a long tradition of EAs at city hall trying -- and often succeeding -- to replace their old bosses. (See also: Ainslie, Paul; Thompson, Michael; Palacio, Cesar; Perruzza, Anthony, and others I can't recall off the top of my head.) Still, even with the help of former PM John Turner, Mr. Sellors will face a bruising two-way race against Josh Matlow, the local school board trustee who's been campaigning for months.
Meanwhile, John Tory Jr. has joined Sarah Thomson's campaign. The son of the former Ontario PC leader turned radio host is one of five people advising the Women's Post publisher's outsider bid for mayor. When the rumour that a John Tory was working for Ms. Thomson began to circulate last week, I e-mailed the elder Mr. Tory and got this response: "I am not going to be anyone' s campaign director! I am, both as radio host and as city summit chair, staying out of the mayoralty." He didn't volunteer his son's involvement. Funny that. Also on the Thomson advisory panel are Sam Goldstein, a lawyer and former candidate, Robert Perry, also in politics, Garfield Mitchel, a Toronto Businessman, and campaign manager Wendy Stewart.
Finally, Rob Ford is throwing a party. Why, you ask? To celebrate surviving 10 years at city hall, he told the John Oakley show on AM 640 this morning. He's promised to pay for the March 26 event at the Toronto Congress Centre out of his own pocket. While it's true that Mr. Ford throws a good bash -- his annual backyard BBQ is legendary -- it's hard to believe there isn't something juicier afoot here. The Etobicoke councillor has been hinting he'll join the mayor's race for weeks. Now the smart money is on him launching his campaign at the party.
Kelly Grant