Item - 2022.CC44.2

The Speaker asked the City Clerk to explain the process for this special meeting.

The City Clerk advised City Council as follows:

Members, City Council has adopted procedures for this meeting. These procedures were distributed with the agenda as part of my reports on the Ward 10 and Ward 13 vacancies.

City Council will now deal with the Ward 13 vacancy.

Each of the candidates that I deemed satisfactory who have completed a Consent of Nominee and an Acknowledgement of Qualification and provided personal identification that I also deem satisfactory, can address City Council for five minutes. Candidates may address City Council in person, or by video conference.

The speaking order will be determined by random draw. I will place the names of all candidates on equal size pieces of paper in a container and randomly draw the names. 

After each candidate has spoken, each Member of Council can ask the candidate one question. 

Members of Council can speak if they wish, once all candidates have spoken and all questions have been dealt with.

After Members of Council have spoken, Council will vote by ballot.  I will review the balloting process with you at the appropriate time.

Upon conclusion of the balloting, I will declare to be appointed the candidate receiving the votes of more than one-half of the number of the Members of Council present and voting, or the candidate selected by lot, in the event that two remaining candidates are tied.

At the end of today's special meeting, City Council will enact by-laws to confirm the appointments of the successful candidates to the office of Councillor Ward 13, Toronto Centre for the remainder of the term of the present Council.

Members, my second report, Item CC44.2, lists the persons who have submitted nominations for Councillor - Ward 13, Toronto Centre.

The following persons have subsequently withdrawn their names from consideration:

Alexander Gray

Hanna Ignacio

Persida Ivan

Racheal McQaig

Allan Solman

The City Clerk drew the names of each candidate to determine a speaking order.

The Speaker advised Council as follows:

Members, we will now proceed with the appointment for Councillor Ward 13, Toronto Centre.

The following candidates addressed City Council:

Matthew Stauffer

Timothy Hunting

Michael Sillers

Michael Jackson

Rhunah Soriano

Azim Lila

Aidan Lee-Dadswell

Robin Buxton Potts

Dean Maher

Maria Guardado

Miguel Avila

Andrea Kelly

To ensure that all candidates had the opportunity to address City Council, the City Clerk read out the name of the candidates who had not yet spoken, in the event that they may have arrived.

The following candidates were not present when called and did not address City Council:

Sarah Gardiner

Reynard Khan

The Speaker asked the City Clerk to instruct the Members on the balloting process.

The City Clerk advised Members of Council as follows:

We will now proceed to the balloting for appointment to the Office of Councillor for Ward 13, Toronto Centre.

Council will follow the same procedures for this appointment as were used for the Ward 10 appointment. It will require a majority of members present and voting to appoint a candidate.

Members should remain in the meeting until balloting is complete, and Members participating remotely should keep their video on at all times.

The City Clerk started the balloting process. At the conclusion of balloting, the City Clerk asked the Speaker to recess the meeting to permit the Clerk to tally the results.

When the meeting resumed, the City Clerk announced the results on the first ballot:

Number of ballots cast: 19

Number of votes required to appoint: 10

Number of spoiled ballots: 0

For Robin Buxton Potts: 18

For Azim Lila: 1 

All other candidates received zero votes.

The City Clerk read the ballots individually, a summary of which is presented as follows:

For Robin Buxton Potts:

Councillor Ana Bailão

Councillor Brad Bradford

Councillor Shelley Carroll

Councillor Mike Colle

Councillor Gary Crawford

Councillor John Filion

Councillor Paula Fletcher

Councillor Stephen Holyday

Councillor Mike Layton

Councillor Josh Matlow

Councillor Jennifer McKelvie

Councillor Frances Nunziata

Councillor James Pasternak

Councillor Gord Perks

Councillor Anthony Perruzza

Councillor Jaye Robinson

Councillor Michael Thompson

Mayor John Tory

For Azim Lila:

Councillor Mark Grimes

The City Clerk declared Robin Buxton Potts appointed to the Office of Councillor for Ward 13, Toronto Centre, for the remainder of this term of Council.

Speaker Nunziata congratulated Robin Buxton Potts on being appointed to the Office of Councillor for Ward 13, Toronto Centre and extended thanks to all the candidates who participated in the Ward 13 appointment process.

Speaker Nunziata also advised Council that in addition to committee and board appointments, Robin Buxton Potts will also assume various Ward 13 based appointments by virtue of office, such as Arena Boards, Business Improvement Areas and Community Centre Boards, as well as TO Live and Yonge Dundas Square.