After 12 years in office, Toronto City Councilor Mike Leighton said he will not seek re-election, becoming the latest in a string of long-serving incumbent councilors to say they will not seek re-election, opening the door to a much different political landscape after municipal elections in October elections.
In an interview with Global News, the Rosedale University adviser confirmed his decision to step down after his term ends this fall. The decision, he said, was made with both family interests in mind and future aspirations regarding climate change initiatives.
“I think I need to put my energy into something that will change the climate, as well as spend more time with my kids,” Leighton said.
“There is life after politics, it’s not me stepping back, it’s just redirecting my energy into another role.”
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Leighton said it was difficult to make a decision after building so many relationships while at City Hall. “But I can be proud of what I’ve helped achieve here,” he said, pointing to advances in Toronto’s Indigenous affairs, providing buildings for community organizations and helping establish the city’s climate action plan.
Leighton said he doesn’t have a job lined up yet, but wants to continue focusing on climate change initiatives after he leaves politics.
“The resources that we have in the city are limited because of the authority that we have as a city and the power that we don’t have to implement some of that change,” he said.
Leighton believes there are also limitations to how climate-related issues are presented to government, and believes his experience in government can help with some solutions.
Leighton also acknowledges that the job of a city councilor has changed a lot since the Ford government reduced the size of Toronto City Council in 2018. “There aren’t enough hours in the day to do what we need to do,” he said. While this meant less time to engage with his community, it also meant more time away from his two daughters.
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Although he will gain more time at home, he said he does not rule out a possible return to politics at some point.
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“They’re only young once, eventually they won’t (have) a father around. Maybe this is the time where we can prioritize and see what role can come next,” he said.
Layton, the son of the late NDP leader and former Toronto city councilor Jack Layton, was one of the leading progressive voices on Toronto City Council. Although he was able to find common ground with Mayor John Tory, the two often clashed over differing opinions on the direction of the city.
Layton said he’s confident like-minded residents will remind their leaders how important it is to make progress on key issues and challenges. As for a champion taking over in his former riding, he said it was still too early to say, but he was open to campaigning on their behalf.
Read more: Toronto City Councilor Ana Bailao will not seek re-election after 12 years in office
In addition to Leighton, councilors Anna Bailao, Denzil Minan-Wong and John Fillion also announced they would not seek re-election. Former councilors Christine Wong-Tam and Michael Ford have already stepped down after successfully making the jump to provincial politics. Former City Councilor Joe Cressy resigned earlier this year after heading the city’s Board of Health for most of the pandemic.
Although every election brings the potential for new faces, municipal politicians get a huge boost in their re-election efforts over newcomers from name recognition alone. Council downsizing in 2018 not only antagonized many incumbents, but also hindered the efforts of several newcomers.
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With seven open races, the upcoming municipal elections on October 24 have the potential to be much more interesting than previous years.
Read more: John Tory registers to run for 3rd term as Toronto mayor in October election
“It’s pretty hard to beat an incumbent city councillor,” said Ipsos poll researcher and political observer Darrell Bricker. “They are so connected to the community; they are there at community events all the time.
Replacing the seven incumbent councilors with new blood has the potential to create more excitement in the fall election, Bricker said, especially if higher-profile candidates are drawn into the race.
“The higher the quality of the candidates, the more difficult the choices Torontonians will have to make, the better city council we’ll have,” Bricker said.
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