Council meets starting today. First, a special meeting to fill the vacancy in Ward 33 left by @shelleycarroll, who is running provincially. Because we are so close to a municipal election, this seat must be filled by appointment. List of candidates: 
This appointment is a bit tricky because councillors are usually looking to appoint a caretaker councillor - someone who won’t run for the seat with the appointed advantage. So far one candidate, Ken Lister, is also campaigning to represent the area in the upcoming election
City hall’s left-leaning councillors have been unhappy with the appointment of Tory’s pick Lucy Troisi to Pam McConnell’s old seat. There is a fear she’s planning to run despite her word at the time of appointment that she wouldn’t. Could make this appointment interesting
This really would be a caretaker position with only three council meetings left (including this week’s). Or it could be a great leg up in the middle of a campaign period. Deadline to sign up to run in the election is July 27.
Here is the livestream for the special council meeting:
Fletcher asks the city's clerk to explain the provincial law that mandates council make an appointment today. Usually council has a choice to appoint or hold a by-election, but the timing dictates appointment
Shiner says the mayor's office gave out his personal cell phone number to a candidate for appointment. Says Tory's office hasn't responded to his messages. Tory says he'll get back to him. Shiner is one of Tory's hand-picked committee chairs. That was tense.
Appointment process now underway. Each of 18 candidates get five minutes to speak. Then councillors can question them. Then they vote by ballot. Despite council's aversion to ranked ballots, this process is similar. Balloting continues until one candidate has at least 50% support
Local resident Alan Kasperski was first up to speak. Has signed a piece of paper promising not to run in the upcoming election. Brad Feraday is next. When asked by Perks, Feraday leaves open the possibility that he will run.
Kevin Clarke was not here to speak, so he is skipped. Ken Lister, TDSB trustee, says he has experience in local development applications and elected office. He is signed up to run in upcoming election
Doucette asks Lister how he will have time to represent his residents as a new councillor and run an election campaign. Lister says he can "serve Ward 33 effectively" while learning the job
Lister says he doesn't feel being the councillor gives him an advantage in an upcoming election because he already has an advantage as a school board trustee. Says media probably wouldn't quote him after today.
Mammoliti says Carroll, the elected councillor who resigned her seat, is supporting a female candidate on the list, and he won't support her because of that.
Letter from Carroll to councillors gives support to Divya Nayak. Nayak ran against her in 2014 and came in second. Carroll writes she has worked with her office on participatory budgeting, development applications. Has been given "assurances" she won't run in upcoming election
Mihevc is trying to have candidate Jonathan Tsao commit to not running in the upcoming election. Several councillors objecting. "These are just games, Madam Speaker," Di Ciano says. Mihevc notes incumbent advantage is a big thing. Wants an answer
Nunziata is trying to say that asking candidates to sign a pledge not to run is out of order. She asks the clerk to clarify. The clerk says such a pledge would not be binding, but she does not say it is out of order. Nunziata says the candidate answered the question (He didn't)
Pasternak asks the candidate if he is aware of whether the pressuring of candidates to sign a pledge is out of order. The candidate is not asked to answer that either.
Karygiannis asks Tsao if he is the one that called Shiner's cell phone at urging of mayor's office. He does not answer this directly.
Shiner asks Tsao if he spoke to the mayor's office and did he get advice from them. Also asks if he signed up to lobby councillors. Tsao says he reached out to mayor's office, clerk advised they did not need to register as lobbyists
Under questioning from Doucette, Tsao admits the mayor's office provided contact information for councillors not publicly available to lobby them for this position. Mayor moves to speak with three of his staff, including chief of staff Chris Eby, in the council chamber
Next up is Nayak, who is the candidate Carroll is supporting. Describes herself as an "active community builder" and proud Torontonian who calls Ward 33 home
Matlow asks Nayak what she thinks the top priorities for the ward are. Says ConsumersNext business park, development intensification challenges in that area
Mammoliti asks Nayak if Carroll expects her to be a placeholder for her if she wants to come back to run in the municipal election (if she loses provincially). Says she approached Carroll asking if there was an interim position she could fill as an engaged resident
De Baeremaeker asks Nayak if she supports the Scarborough subway. Nayak says Scarborough residents have been waiting a long time for new transit. "I see this as part of a larger network," she says
And we are now going on lunch break. Councillors get to speak and then vote after lunch. See you then.
Tory speaking to reporters now. Starts by noting ongoing efforts related to helping victims of the Yonge van attack
Tory’s key items at regular council meeting will be Eglinton East LRT and a senior’s strategy update. Tory’s executive recommended moving Eglinton East forward despite lack of funding or timetable (which won’t be available until 2019). My earlier story: thestar.com/news/gta/2018/…
Tory won’t say who he’s supporting to fill the Ward 33 vacancy. Vote will be after lunch. Says he’s apologized to Shiner for his number being given out without his permission. Won’t weigh in on whether it’s appropriate for his staff to be helping candidate lobby for position
Tory says he doesn’t support appointed councillors running in the election because it does give them an advantage. Provincial rules should be reviewed, he says
Council back. Cressy won't speak to who he'll be supporting. Says he doesn't want to see another appointment. Mihevc says council should be supporting the person who the elected councillor says would be best - in this case Carroll's pick of Nayak
Mammoliti stands to say he'll be voting for the exact opposite reasons - won't be supporting Nayak because Carroll backs her. "I'm not a fortune teller..."
Mammoliti is again insinuating Carroll wants Nayak to be appointed so she can more easily return to her old seat if she loses provincially
Kelly says he'll be supporting Nayak, noting her knowledge of the issues in the ward. Davis also supporting Nayak. Looking strong for her so far.
Thompson, another executive member, says he's backing Nayak. Thompson is longtime seatmates with Carroll, thinks a lot of her. Says he's seen Nayak at community events and praises her presentation in council chamber
It's time to vote. Once again, council members will fill out a ballot with a single choice. If someone gets more than 50%, then it's done and that person wins. If not, there is a second ballot without the candidates who got the least/no votes
It's worth saying again that councillors don't get elected this way. This council voted down ranked ballots, which are similar but allow multiple choices, after earlier approving them. Some councillors were elected with as little as 17% of the vote in 2014
Ballots are in. Nayak had 18 votes and Tsao had 13. They have to vote again because 21 votes are required at minimum to win. Tory voted for Tsao, as did several executive members
For Nayak on the Round 1 ballot: Fletcher, Colle, Filion, Fragedakis, Doucette, Perks, Matlow, Shan, Davis, Mihevc, Cressy, Ainslie, Perruzza, Wong-Tam, Layton, Kelly, Thompson, Augimeri
For Tsao on the Round 1 ballot: Holland, Grimes, Di Ciano, Troisi, Robinson, Tory, Mammoliti, De Baeremaeker, Holyday, Di Giorgio, Hart, Bailao, Nunziata
Most Tory allies backed Tsao. Executive members Ainslie and Thompson picked Nayak. Executive members Burnside, Palacio, Pasterak and Crawford went with Lister, as did Campbell, Ford and Karygiannis.
So nine votes in the balance now on this Round 2 ballot: Carmichael Greb, Palacio, Burnside, Pasternak, Crawford, Campbell, Ford, Karygiannis, Mary-Margaret McMahon
On the Round 2 ballot, Tsao moves just ahead with 19 votes. Nayak still at 18. Lister gets 4. They will go to a Round 3 with a run-off between Tsao and Nayak.
On Round 2 ballot, those supporting Tsao: Holyday, De Baeremaeker, Campbell, Mammoliti, Tory, Nunziata, Hart, McMahon, Di Giorgio, Bailao, Grimes, Di Ciano, Troisi, Crawford, Robinson, Carmichael Greb, Pasternak, Burnside, Holland
Those supporting Nayak on the Round 2 ballot: Ainslie, Layton, Wong-Tam, Perruzza, Thompson, Augimeri, Kelly, Perks, Doucette, Shan, Davis, Matlow, Cressy, Mihevc, Filion, Fragedakis, Colle, Fletcher.
For Lister: Ford, Kelly, Shiner, Palacio (who must now pick Tsao or Nayak)
For Lister: Ford, Kelly, Shiner, Palacio (who must now pick Tsao or Nayak)
Tsao is appointed to the Ward 33 seat for the remainder of the term with 23 votes on the third ballot. Nayak gets 18.
Those who supported Nayak livid after the vote. Davis tells me it was a "coup" by Tory and his office to consolidate allies for the last meetings of the term instead of choosing the candidate who would best reflect the values of residents who elected Carroll and continue her work
Correcting earlier tweet that said Tory picked Troisi in a previous appointment. He supported Creek while his allies voted for Troisi, who won while backing Tory’s agenda
