Still angry along St.Clair

Group remains upset about right-of-way streetcar lanes, pledges to deliver thousands of votes to mayoral candidate Pitfield

The presentation of a photo exhibition at Tricolore Bar, on Corso Italia, displaying Krystyna Henke's pictures about the SOS- Save Our St. Clair committee became an occasion for issuing a battle cry against incumbent mayor David Miller and more. At the event, two elements appeared clear.
First, committee supporters that opposed the TTC Right-of-Way have chosen which candidate to support in the mayoral race. Among David Miller, Stephen LeDrew and Jane Pitfield, it is the last one who will get their votes; the committee hopes to bring her at least 10,000 votes, i.e. as many as the signatures collected under the petition against the ROW on St. Clair Avenue.
Second, the committee expressed its displeasure with the other challenger, Stephen LeDrew, because "he never did anything for the community and particularly for Italians, and he's always been very distant from our needs." In particular, they found his October 25 presentation at the Piccininni Centre quite unconvincing.
Among Jane Pitfield's staunchest supporters there are several women.
"We are deeply disappointed by men's management of City Hall. We are particularly disappointed by David Miller's attitude and policies," declared SOS officials Ida Vivacqua and Connie Lamanna.
Jane Pitfield convinces them as "she's a smart and courageous woman," said Vivacqua, "and she sees clearly what to do for Toronto's future and which are the real problems to address."
What is most convincing to them, though, is her past and present participation to the life of St. Clair Avenue. "She listens to us, her door is always open, unlike Miller, who shut us out and reneged his electoral promises." "She's got every quality of a good leader," added Vivacqua, "and we appreciate her vision for the development of Toronto: as a nice place to live, in harmony and respect."
Miller's attitude towards the Italian-Canadian community - with reference to the St. Clair ROW - still smarts. The mayor did not listen to the objections raised against the project, supporting instead the 'done deal', as city councillor and TTC chair Howard Moscoe once famously called the project.
"We invited him [Mayor Miller] to the candidate presentation at the Piccininni Centre," insisted Connie Lamanna, "but he declined. He snubbed us."
"Our battle isn't over yet," continued SOS spokesperson Margaret Smith. "The new City Council will have a new say on whether to continue with the works."
"We'll vote for Pitfield," declared Smith, "because she's promised that she will block the streetcar ROW."
"We Italians should go and vote against Miller and for Jane Pitfield," proclaimed Michele Di Sapia. "The Right-of-Way damages us. We Italians can determine the next mayor."
The battle against the ROW includes this photographic exhibition, which brought about allegations of antidemocratic manoeuvring.
The black and white photos by Henke, documenting various scenes from SOS's prolonged opposition, was not permitted to take place at the City-owned Piccininni Centre; at the last minute, it was also cancelled - after an initial approval - by the owner of Ellington's Music Café.
Jeff Gillan alleged pressures by 'someone' to hamper the exhibition. Some of the attendees exclaimed, "Where are we? Isn't this democratic Canada?"
Exhibition patrons at the Tricolore Bar spoke a lot about democracy and the apparent lack of it in Toronto. The owners of the bar decided to host the exhibition as a way to protest the alleged 'pressures'. "Let mayor Miller call us," declared Guido Tomei, one of the owners; "we know what to tell him!"
The opening of the exhibition attracted a crowd; Henke's works were presented by journalist Ann Medina. The exhibition will run until November 20.
Dutch-born Krystyne Henke expressed her surprise for the interest raised by her photos, and her satisfaction at finding some 'strong women' who fight for their vision of the neighbourhood.

Publication Date: 2006-11-12
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=6770