Just when you thought it was safe for godless heathens to run city hall mayor wannabes challenge status quo.
‘City Hall has left God’ declares one of Toronto’s mayoral candidates reports the Toronto Star but never fear – once Rossi can figure out which god left – he’ll fix that too if elected.
Four of Toronto’s mayoral candidates have vowed to give faith-based groups a bigger role in city affairs, with Rocco Rossi proclaiming: “God hasn’t left city hall — city hall has left God.”
At a Monday morning debate hosted by the Toronto Area Interfaith Council, Rossi, George Smitherman, Joe Pantalone and Rob Ford all said city hall should be more open to advice from, and partnerships with, religion-based groups.Smitherman said as mayor he would bring together the faith groups, arrive at common goals for social justice and social development, and have them work with the city to help the homeless, the addicted and others on society’s fringe.Toronto should be a city sophisticated enough to acknowledge religious and cultural events as important in the broader community, “where we don’t have to call a Christmas tree a holiday tree,” he said. He would make Councillor Joe Mihevc, currently city hall’s unofficial link with the interfaith council, an official liasion.
Rossi noted he was confirmed a Roman Catholic, went to an evangelical Christian Sunday school, has studied with a rabbi and spent a year in a Zen monastery in southern California. “This is a pillar of service and outreach that needs to be celebrated,” he said of faith groups, adding that, as mayor, he would be their liaison.
Although, if your ‘god’ rides a bike; I suggest you are SOL – if Rossi is elected.
Just was every modern city needs….. what answer does religion have for homelessness or drug addiction?
@stageleft Actually, I don’t have anything against religious organizations running homeless shelters, drug treatment centres, drop-ins, after school programs, community programs, or even offering non-profit housing programs and think its a fine idea for those organizations to run these type of outreach programs I just don’t want is a mayor/city hall is pandering to any one religious group and their pet projects. I think most of us who live here would be very happy if city hall stuck to things like regular garbage pick-up and fixing the streets. Did I mention the horrendous condition the bike lanes are in? Half the time I feel like Evil Knievel riding my over the Grand Canyon when I am on my bike.