Why is Mitch Gold getting involved with Local Politics? (Policy and Program)

Notes to my friends and associates:

I have been avoiding this thought for quite some time now, but after watching the way this municipal election is shaping up, and as well, the state of our local economy, and the complete BS (boring statistics) that pervades the political scene, I am being challenged by some close friends to walk my talk and run for Mayor.

I find this difficult because the Mayors role is really insignificant in the larger scheme of things - and it takes a lot of meaningless work to get there as well. This race is not about intelligence, or knowledge or wisdom or anything what one might describe as being important, but rather a modern popularity contest run in a quasi political framework.

Even the winner does not win. He/she cannot do anything important. The Mayor is only one person of 40 plus people that represent the local interests - and who are these people that the Mayor will be working with? Are these people not voted in by the same dysfunctional non -democratic process?

So this is the milieu that people would have the Peacemaker enter. I do not know if I have the patience to suffer fools gladly.

But I will say that I can. That will be my political lie. I will talk to the media as respectfully as I can - given they have contributed to the lack of democratic process and continue to do so on a daily basis.

Perhaps this is not a wise policy to proceed with. My advisors will shape some of my language so I will speak gently with the enemy in order that they perceive the rational aspects of what I will bring forward.

My main intention will be to bring forth ideas that we have been talking about for the past number of years - ever since I ran for Trustee for the School Board. These ideas have to do with education, how we think, how we make decisions, how we need to become more sustainable as a community. This will be the platform of Mitch Gold. It is called Jump Time.

Come with me into Jump Time and lets look at the processes by which we change ourselves. As we change ourselves, by paying attention to how we spend our money, we will find a huge change in our local economy.

I propose that Toronto develop its own currency. This process will enable us to negotiate better with the other levels of government.

I propose that we challenge the Provincial and Federal governments to come together and bring to Toronto the Social programs that Toronto needs according to its unique social make-up - not based on a cookie cutter philosophy that forces the economic engine of the country to utilize resources on the same formula that supports other regions of the country. Not to be elitist but to be practical.

We need a bureaucracy that is responsive to the peoples needs. What this means is we need to educate our bureaucrats. How do we do this? By implementing a more inclusive Vendor Purchasing Code at all levels of government.

This is not rocket science. Canada leads the way in this field at the largest levels on the planet - through the good offices of the United Nations Global Compact and one of Canada's leading corporations - the Hudson's Bay Company.

This is the theme for my campaign - corporate social responsibility operating at the level of the Mayors office of the economic engine of Canada.

It sounds good -even if the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) controls the lands of Toronto. We can change this too, but it will be harder work. It will take people to understand the problem that the OMB presents to the growth of Toronto and how ineffectual the City Government is in dealing with the power of the Ontario Municipal Board

In the upcoming provincial election, please ask your candidate about this and ask them what they plan to do about the OMB regarding Toronto development.. If you can get your question heard, it will be interesting to hear the candidates discuss this. I will listen closely.

In short, remember - you only have one vote for Mayor - and likely it is not an important vote. But if you are tired of having people on the street begging from you, and if you are tired of being besieged by emotional pleas for your hard earned money from the thousands of social organizations that have been downsized and cutback - throw your vote in my direction, and if called by the people, I will represent you as no other candidate will, or is capable.

I am a spiritual warrior. I carry medicine of wise people from around the world.

If Toronto wants to have a world class presence - vote for Mitch Gold - Peacemaker.