IMO, the last 2 sentences in Andrew’s article are the most significant.
[url=http://www.thespec.com/news/elections/article/270749--bratina-defies-the-odds-in-a-bolt-from-the-blue-win]http://www.thespec.com/news/elections/a ... e-blue-win[/url]
there's no question to my mind that once Bratina threw his hat in the ring,
he stepped up his game around the council table.
He became more statesmanlike and reasonable, less emotional and discursive.
With luck, that will be the Mayor Bob who dons the chain of office.
I saw a Bob Bratina who was clearly frustrated with
the goings on around that circle of council members
at 3 recent committee-of-the-whole council meetings I attended.
During the campaign Bob told the public what was frustrating him.
He spoke of the you-scratch-my-back ward-oriented councillors
who were working together to protect their own ward interests
whether that was the best thing to do for City as a whole or not.
We have a strong core of veteran councillors in Lloyd Ferguson,
Tom Jackson, Terry Whitehead, Brad Clark, Bernie Morelli
and promising second term and rookie councillors,
who I believe will rally around Bob and help him
to push forward on worthy goals for the whole city.
A very urgent goal for the City is funding for the stadium.
If money is not forthcoming soon to buy the CP Rail land
Confederation Park, the non-brownfield
city owned land will soon be on the table.