Former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders is working on a marketing campaign that focusses squarely on public security. And why not? He’s, in spite of everything, the one candidate who ran the Toronto Police Service.
Saunders retired in 2020, took his first stab at politics working for the Progressive Conservatives within the 2022 provincial election. He misplaced the Don Valley West driving to Liberal MPP Stephanie Bowman.
Born in 1962 in England to Jamaican mother and father, Saunders and his household settled within the GTA when he was a baby, and ultimately he graduated from the College of Guelph-Humber and commenced work within the Toronto Police Service.
Here’s what Saunders has to say
What was your first job?
Farm hand – hardest job i’ve had.
What’s the worst piece of profession recommendation you’ve ever obtained?
I all the time believed I may obtain my targets – no matter what the peanut gallery stated.
What do you’re keen on most about Toronto?
Variety of our individuals.
What do you most dislike?
Proper now, that we’re normalizing issues like homelessness, habit and crime on the TTC
The place is the primary place you ship guests?
Raptors sport if the schedule permits.
The place is one of the best view within the metropolis?
Coming again to the town from the Island by boat within the early night
What’s your favorite big day restaurant?
Queen’s Pasta Cafe.
What’s the final present you noticed in Toronto?
(No reply.)
When is the final time you took public transit in Toronto?
At this time.
Have you ever ever commuted by bicycle within the metropolis?
Not lately.
The place is your favorite place to get away from all of it?
Strolling my canine within the Scarborough Bluffs.
Gardiner Expressway — proceed with hybrid possibility, sure or no?
We’ve to maneuver ahead with the plan in place. Sufficient speaking about it.
Do you help the Ontario Place Thermé Spa mission?
Sure.
What’s Mark Saunders’ definition of reasonably priced housing?
Housing means various things to completely different individuals. There’s a component for housing homeless individuals, there’s reasonably priced housing for low earnings, There’s housing for households who’re struggling to pay hire, there’s housing for individuals trying to purchase into the market, there’s multi-generational housing. All of those matter.
What extra can the town do to assist these experiencing homeless in Toronto?
Everybody has the fitting to reside in dignity in secure and safe housing. I’ll aggressively pursue alternatives to broaden the TCHC mannequin the place metropolis land is offered to builders in return for together with rent-geared-to-income, deeply reasonably priced and reasonably priced housing of their market tasks, and the place the Metropolis will get a share of the earnings from apartment gross sales. I’ll have extra to say within the coming weeks.
Does the town have a public security drawback?
In that case, what’s your answer? Each individual in Toronto has the basic proper to be secure. I dont’ suppose doing issues like decriminalizing medicine, like each different candidate desires to do will add to our metropolis’s security. I additionally suppose that the tradition of security on the TTC wants to enhance. I’ll enhance the variety of Particular Constables to at the least 200 and have them seen within the system, and stop loitering and different disturbances by imposing present by-laws. I’ll introduce new ‘help buttons’ on subways, buses and streetcars to establish rising incidents, and make streetcar and bus stops safer by making a minimal lighting commonplace. Over the long term, I’ll set up extra reside high-quality, digicam feeds on subways and at each bus and streetcar cease.
Are Toronto residents going to should pay extra in taxes to enhance high quality of life within the metropolis? If not, what’s the reply?
Toronto can not tax its approach out of monetary pressures or depend on different orders of presidency to fill all of the gaps. As police chief, I managed billion greenback budgets for 5 years – together with two with zero will increase. As Mayor I’ll assessment each line of the Metropolis’s price range and ask laborious inquiries to see the place we are able to higher align companies, discover any efficiencies, and make changes the place required. I can even make sure the price range course of is 100% clear and all voices are listened to, not simply the loudest voices. Earlier than we anticipate the province or federal authorities to bail us out, we have to do the laborious work of understanding the place and the way our cash is definitely being spent.
Is Doug Ford’s interference within the metropolis inflicting an issue, sure or no?
Simply as I did as Chief of Police of Canada’s largest municipal police service, as Toronto’s mayor I’ll proceed to forge and keep sturdy and mutually respectful relationships with the federal and provincial governments, providing partnerships and revolutionary options that meet all of our targets. There may be all the time room for negotiation however no place for indignant confrontation – this helps nobody and accomplishes nothing.
What would you say is Toronto’s most iconic meals?
Perhaps not iconic, however I’m a fan of Ackee Saltfish with Fried Dumplings
If you happen to have been to help a car-free zone within the metropolis the place would it not be?
You possibly can’t reply that in isolation of contemplating a full image, factoring in motion of individuals, first responders and different security elements.
Is the town doing sufficient to battle the local weather disaster? If not, what would you do otherwise?
I believe the town is doing loads already and we are able to proceed discovering a stability between local weather initiatives and different priorities at Metropolis Corridor.
What ought to be finished concerning public transit, the cuts and the low ridership?
Restore public security on the TTC. Individuals are afraid proper now.
What’s your very best quality?
My capacity to pay attention.