Hayter, Others, to Run

Ron Hayter announced today that he will be seeking an eleventh term on city council. Most people should view this as good news. Hayter's difficult to pigeonhole: a fiscal hawk (vying with Karen Liebovici for second biggest such hawk after Mike Nickel), a proponent of rapid LRT extension, and experienced without being a spent force. Hayter claims on his website that the federal Liberals, Conservatives, and Canadian Alliance have all approached him to run as a candidate, which shows that he's not sitting in the pocket of a political party. The voters of ward 2 will almost certainly re-elect him, and that's likely a positive thing for the city - whatever quarrels you might have with him, and however little you might want to see a council composed of thirteen Ron Hayters, there's certainly room for one.

The Journal and the Sun are both reporting that Liebovici, Linda Sloan, Kim Krushell, Ed Gibbons, Jane Batty, and Dave Thiele are all also running for re-election. This strikes us as a little odd, since Krushell (to take one example) told us just last week that she'd be making her announcement in June or July. But absent any denial from any of these councillors, we'll be taking this at face value.

Update: Here is the text of Hayter's remarks.