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 Globe & Mail Campaign Bubble

 National Post item

 The Invisible Election
 		The Campaign Office: 679 Bloor W, KoreaTown / 416.655.2641
ward19BecauseOnNovember13YouCanElectHiMYSYeD.TYO.ca

. . . Tuesday November 14, 2006 . . .

THANK YOU . . . . You came out in the thousands as you voted yesterday in Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina, and hundreds of you came out and voted for me. . . . :-) . . . . .you all voted because you care about your communities, your neighbourhoods, your children and your grandchildren. Congratulations to Nick Boragina, George Sawision, and Deputy Mayor and City Councillor for Ward 19 Joe Pantalone.


HïMY SYeD, 36, Born in Wimbledon, UK, raised in downtown Toronto
has lived in a dozen cities & calls Trinity-Spadina home.

He evangelizes that the 'City-State has been replaced by the Neighbourhood-Civilization.'

It was this vision of Toronto's neighbourhoods that propelled HïMY to the City Idol Semi-Finals.

HïMY's single bold vision, his BHAG, his Big Hairy Audacious Goal . . .


" To Reduce the Number of Premature Deaths in Toronto to Zero. "

Be it from gun violence, smog-induced respiratory failure, unsafe bike routes, pedestrian-nasty drivers, malnutrition in children, and elder abuse, taken cumulatively, premature deaths in Toronto reach into the thousands. We can do better. We must do better.
November 13 is time to turn around Toronto. After 26 years, it's time to turn around Trinity-Spadina.

Giant Outstallation Artist ¤ Neighbourhood, Global, Anti-War, Civil Rights, Activist ¤ Author ¤ Interest-Free Banker ¤ Photoblogger.

In a word, ward 19 Candidate for City Council, HïMY SYeD, is a ' Torontopreneur '

Because trees and green roofs are not enough, your Toronto needs a ' Culture of Sustainability '

Because Amalgamation + The New City of Toronto Act = Frustration and Disconnection, your Toronto needs a ' Culture of Civic Engagement '

Because Toronto lives hand-to-mouth from federal and provincial funding agencies, City Hall needs to embrace the ' Toronto Dollar '

Because on November 13, you can help ' Toronto Fall in Love with Itself ' all over again.
Because ' You vote for me, I work for you ' ~ HïMY SYeD! ~
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { t i m i n g } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { v i s i o n } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { m a s s i v e } . . . { i m m e d i a t e } . . . { a c t i o n } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { f o r t . y o r k } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { l i b e r t y . v i l l a g e } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { k o r e a . t o w n } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { l i t t l e . i t a l y } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { t r i n i t y . b e l l w o o d s } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { d u p o n t } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { n i a g a r a } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { b e a c o n s f i e l d . v i l l a g e } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { w e s t . q u e e n . w e s t } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { m i r v i s h . v i l l a g e } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { g a r r i s o n . c r e e k } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { c h r i s t i e . p i t s } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { a l e x a n d r a . p a r k } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { p a l m e r s t o n } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { k i n g . w e s t . v i l l a g e } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { d o v e r c o u r t } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { t h e . e x h i b i t i o n } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { p o r t u g a l . v i l l a g e } . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { b i c k f o r d . p a r k } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { b e c a u s e . . . o n . . . n o v e m b e r . . . 1 3 . . . y o u . . . c a n . . . e l e c t . . . H i M Y . S Y e D } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { d e p u t y . m a y o r } : :. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { w a r d . 1 9 } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : { t o r o n t o } : : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .



'A Culture of Sustainability - because trees and green roofs are not enough . . .

Please read two of my earlier articles here and here.

Sustainability is a concept that is changing the way Toronto looks at itself.

Because it is a lens in which today's actions are viewed in terms of their impact on your future.

It is central to everything we do in Toronto as we discover more and more about how we are living in this world with climate change, the build up of toxins, our use of resources.

Because trees, green roofs, solar panels, wind turbines alone are not enough, it is absolutely essential that in Toronto, we begin to act sustainably. A Culture of Sustainability is absolutely necessary.

When asked what unites the Amalgamated City of Toronto, we find people really care about the city in a way that makes them want to leave it to their children and grandchildren in at least as good a way in which they find it, if not better.

Sustainability is more than just what the City Hall is in direct control of.

Sustainability affects every aspect of life in Toronto, from the economy, the environment, social issues like culture, education, housing.

Consequently we gotta reach out to all the institutions and organizations in this city and beyond, ensure we're on the same page on what a Culture of Sustainability can deliver, and that we work together for a true sustainable future for all Torontonians.

A Culture of Sustainability is very much like building a movement where more and more organizations take this sustainability agenda on as their own.

Perhaps we can't see the big picture of the future of Toronto clearly, maybe we don't understand every aspect of our city.

Yet each one of us can find that piece of the jigsaw puzzle that we know best, that we're most interested in, add sustainability to it, make it better, then slowly the pieces come together.

One day, without realizing it, each of us will look back and realize the part we played in making Toronto a city built upon A Culture of Sustainability.

SaTuRN District in Ward 19 -- The Sustainable architectural Technology, urban Research Neighbourhood.

  • Instead of the Front Street Expressway/Front street Extension through wards 19 and 14, we can place the SaTuRN District here

  • You take the model of the MaRS discovery District, combine it with approach of a Heritage Designation like the one currently in progress in Old Cabbagetown and create something new

  • Like an arts district or restaurant row, the SaTuRN district would be a silicon valley of sustainability, with the best companies, ideas, and imagination, filled with people who walk the walk when it comes to conservation and balance

  • You can start with the 'Front Street Greenway' instead of an expressway

  • Bring back ' Tree Bees ' into our elementary schools. In pre-amalgamation Toronto, public schools would have Tree Bees, just like spelling bees. Each public school had a three student team and they would go head to head with teams from other public schools identifying photos of Toronto's trees projected up on a big screen. Every year, we had the tri-city Tree Bee finals, and for those of you who remember these, it certainly is something missing from our schools today. Your children deserve to learn about trees this way. It one example of instilling a Culture of Sustainability into Toronto next generation. :-)

    Your Toronto needs a Culture of Civic Engagement

    ' Because public consultation needs to be more than City Hall listening to what it wants to hear '


  • Rotate the usual end-of-the-month 3 day sitting of full city council from Toronto City Hall to the North York, Etobicoke, and Scarborough Civic Centres.

  • we have city councilors from Scarborough voting on issues in Etobicoke who never venture out there, this will help broaden the understanding of full city council beyond their own wards

  • City Council used to sit in the evenings from 6:30 – 9:30 pm, allowing citizens to attend council meetings without missing a workday or a school day,

  • Creation of TPAC – Toronto Public Affairs Channel, Like CBC for the Feds or TVO for the Province, TPAC would broadcast every meeting and event across the city, making it available via broadcast and webcast making it easier to understand and access City Hall

  • Creation of a Ward Council – You vote for me and you will have not one, but SEVEN co-councillors representing your Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina.

    Co-Councillors -- Ward 19 with over 50,000 people in it and growing, is too big for any one local city councilor to answer to and be effective in. Too many people are being unheard and not represented

  • You will see in the first few weeks of 2007, a city idol like process to determine a co-councillor for each neighbourhood in Ward 19 – Christie Pits, Fort York, Little Portugal, Liberty Village, Little Italy, Bickford Park, Trinity-Bellwoods Park, West Queen West, KoreaTown, Mirvish Village and Garrison Creek. Each co-councillor will get a stipend for their part-time job from the office budget which all city councilors are free to invest in any way they deem fit to best serve their constituents. This is how you will see this part of your municipal tax dollars being re-invested in your neighbourhoods – by paying for co-councillors who indeed can answer and be responsive to 3,000- 5,000 people in their part of Ward 19

  • Each High School Student Council in Ward 19 will be asked to elect one extra member for their student government. This elected student will sit on the Ward 19 Council and speak for issues affecting youth and students.

  • Seniors and other under-represented neighbours in Ward 19 need to be voice of this new Ward Council

  • I need your help, we need to make this an effective results-oriented and responsive Ward Council. We shouldn't have meetings simply to have meetings

    City Hall should embrace the Toronto Dollar


    Click here to visit the Toronto Dollar website

  • Because Toronto lives hand to mouth from Federal and Provincial and other funding agencies, City Hall should embrace the Toronto Dollar.

  • Municipal Property taxes are not simply the Achilles Heal in the Money picture at City Hall, it is the 8,000 pound elephant in the room that wasn't discussed at all through this entire election

  • Both the Former Mayor Lastman and the current Incumber Mayor endorse the community currency known as the Toronto Dollar. Let's take it to the next logical evolutionary step and have City Hall Adopt and accept the Toronto Dollar for payment of all municipal property taxes, hydro, water, metropasses and all city services

  • Roll the Toronto Dollar out across all the BIA – Business Improvement Associations across Toronto, and this will improve small business and big business with revenue, the city gets more jobs, and City Hall more taxes from the multiplier effect

  • In cities like Hong Kong, the Government doesn't print the currency, individual banks do, they have different colours and designs and are all accepted and are interchangeable. Toronto could benefit as good if not better by determining our own fiscal destiny before others choose it for us.

    Help Toronto Fall in Love with Itself, All over again !

    Toronto's Second Poet Laureate, Pier Giorgio Di Cicco, waxes eloquent that

    ' Toronto is a City that has yet to fall in love with itself. '

    He's right. Since Amalgamation, Toronto is still struggling to find its way, to become a city filled with little everyday events and happenings that bring happiness and joy to all of us

  • How about a second Multi-Zone Nuit-Rouge in the Mid-March held in the downtown core, following the recent success of Toronto's first take on Paris' Nuit-Blanche.

  • Because arts and artists call all of the megacity home, how about a single-zone Nuit Scarborough, Nuit Etobicoke, and Nuit North York through the summer !

  • I paint, build and maintain Walking Labyrinths all over the city, Toronto can become a City of Labyrinths with one within walking distance of everyone living in Toronto. Like the Moose, but permanent. People the world over would visit Toronto to come and experience these dozens and dozens of Labyrinths

  • The T.O. Trail -- Trails off the beaten path marked by inukshuk-like markers you can call 'T.O.Shuks'. A great way to re-discover your city on foot, a fun way to fall in love with the city we never knew

  • 'T.O.Tems' – Giant Totems created by neighbourhood groups sharing the history and stories of many of Toronto's neighbourhoods and people

  • Being an artist, I recognize and experience the difficulty for emerging and unknown artists in navigating the tributaries of funding, gallery showing and finding live/work studio space. You deserve an 'Arts Champion' on council, and the all of us who live in the City is poorer for not having one, I want to be that champion pulling for every struggling artist in the City. And Yes, 'Arts' is distinct from 'Culture' and if you've been feeling that pain when articulating this position, I understand what you mean and you have my ear as your councillor for Ward 19.

    The incumbent councillor has been there for 26 years, vote for him if you want the past.

    You vote for me, you will reward Ward 19 with a breath of fresh air, ideas, energy and imagination from now until November 2010, the time of the Toronto's next municipal election.

    The choice is yours Ward 19.


    Still undecided? Call me on my cell : 416.655.2641 anytime.


    ' Because You Vote for me Today, I work for You Everyday . '

    HiMY SYeD, Your Councillor for Your Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina. :-)

    		•



    An Email I received on Friday....

    Dear Mr. Syed,

    You sound like a very interesting candidate with lots of green and
    creative energy. But why do I know nothing about you? Can you get on
    CityTV to discuss your issues? I checked out your website but found it
    impossible to understand it and it is hard to read (your web address is
    unruly and hard to use, as well -- why not just use
    ward19(@)himysyed.com?), but I do want to know more. Your site says
    you'll have your platform on there today, so I will look back later on,
    but do hope it's clearer and easier to find some information on you.

    Thanks,
    ~C.D....

    And here is my reply...

    On 10-Nov-06, at 12:43 PM, HiMY SYeD wrote:

    Thank you for your email Ms D.,

    I am inbetween events at the moment and am just scanning my inbox at a
    terminal, gimme til this afternoon and you will get a personal email
    from me answering your questions, as well as background as to why you
    see the campaign website the way it is.

    To hold you over the lunch hour, please have peek into the globe and
    mail's campaign bubble, they have been spending the past two weeks
    with me and this is what they wrote:

    " The election as viewed by a Warholian warrior " by Marc Weisblott

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/campaignbubble

    To my understanding, CITYTV has no interest in giving me any coverage.
    On Monday they broadcast a piece which strongly confirmed this gut
    feeling of mine. If you have any media connections, certainly you have
    my ear.

    On Tuesday I organized an event for city wide candidates to get
    exactly the media coverage they deserve, they are all sincere
    non-fringe electable candidates...

    http://www.TheInvisibleElection.TYO.ca

    Because other than CFRB, no broadcast media covered it, you can see
    videos here:

    http://www.youtube.com/group/theinvisibleelection

    You've emailed me as I am moving ahead these last few hours, doing the
    best I can, here are some more links to help you make an informed
    initial decision whether you want me on your city council:

    http://www.spacing.ca/votes/index.php?s=himy

    http://spacing.ca/wire/index.php?s=himy

    I maintain a well viewed photoblog http://www.Photopia.TYO.ca

    It's usually number 19 or 20 on vxfy ( http://photos.vfxy.com/viewblog.php?ID=218 )

    The photographs there may tell you something about what catches my
    eye, on social justice and other issues.

    stay tuned Ms D.

    Keep Smilin'

    ~ HiMY! ~

    ...Ms. D then sent me the following email...

    Thank you very much for your response. I'm in complete agreement of all
    the things that are driving your campaign. You have my vote, and I've
    e-mailed friends about you so they can make an informed choice on
    Monday. Best of luck!

    So that's it, I am taking a break along with my volunteers right now, we're having pizza, we are plowing through in dropping a final piece of literature to every door, every household, every address in Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina.

    There are flyers in a box at the front of my campaign office in KoreaTown, 679 Bloor W, please help yourself to them.

    If you need more campaign flyers, please call me on my cell anytime, no matter how early nor how late, you will get them asap. We are short about 5 or 7 people to act as election day polling station scrutineers on Monday morning at the remaining polling booths we haven't got covered, please call me at 416.655.2641 asap if you can spare 3 hours MOnday, Election Day morning from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    Wanna Help Bigtime?!

    If you can help out with dropping the final campaign flyers on Sunday, November 12, anytime during the morning and afternoon, please call me to get flyers and your map and your streets assignment to drop the flyers to. You don't hafta talk to anyone, just drop the flyers into mailboxes.

    Call me for the details for Monday Night's Victory Party!
    Tonight, Monday November 13, we'll be celebrating the night's results at Pauper's Pub on Bloor just steps east of Bathurst, show up anytime after 8 p.m. and watch the results on two giant screens with all the City Idol, Who Runs This Town, Candidates, Volunteers and Fellow voters, see ya there !


    Thank you City Idol, Thank you Mez, Karen, Amir, Melissa, Omar, George, Matt, Michael J, Adam, Des, CHris, Rod Muir, Glen Murray, Marc W, DML, Sid and everyone of you who helped this entire past year, and Thank you to all the people who intend to vote for me on Monday, and to David who said he already voted for me in the advance polls, wicked phat cool !

    I am grateful to all.

    Keep Smilin'

    ~ HiMY SYeD / Ward 19 ~