Congratulations are in order to everyone in our Caribbean community who were candidates or voted in last Monday’s municipal elections.

We are pleased to note that a growing number of Caribbean Canadians are running and ran for office – some as mayors, some as councillors and yet others as school board trustees.

Joining incumbent Michael Thompson are Amber Morley (Bahamian father), Chris Moise and Jamaal Myers. This is an impressive achievement and represents a high point in the progress of a vibrant community that has been taken for granted for too long.

Many candidates from our Caribbean Community, of course, were not successful this time but we hope that they would not be discouraged and would take another kick at the can in forthcoming elections, federal, provincial or municipal. Our voices, like those of others, must be lifted up in the highest councils of the land.

We are also pleased to note that the Caribbean contingent will have the company of Lily Cheng, Ausma Malik and Chilean-Canadian Alejandra Bravo in Council.

Of course, while one’s colour or ethnicity does not determine one’s political tendency, we are heartened that the mere presence of such a number of “non-traditional” faces on council will encourage a wider range of citizens to pay attention and get involved in governance.

The good news is that a scan of what was said in the lead up the elections, there is reason to believe that the new Toronto City government will receive a progressive boost with the advent of these new faces.

“I think having a wider lens on lived experience around the table at council is going to get us to better policy outcomes for people and hopefully better decision making as it relates to where we’re investing our valuable dollars and resources,” said Amber Morley on being elected.

Ausma Malik, who wears a hijab, stated that “When we bring our backgrounds, when we bring our experiences to the table, there’s a lot that we can do.”

Progress Toronto, an organisation that works with people, community, organizations, and movements to advance a broad progressive vision for Toronto, endorsed Bravo, Malik, Moise, Morley, and Myers as progressives worthy of support.

Of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so it’s up to City Council and in particular Mayor Tory to make these voices heard and make sure that their ideas are incorporated into his agenda. 

If Tory is serious about his many pronouncements on diversity, he can now use the “strong mayor” powers he was given by Premier Ford to ensure that his pre-election declarations is not just lip service when it comes to diversity in governance.

According to a description of what a strong mayor can do, he “will be able to unilaterally direct city staff to develop policy proposals for council to consider, draft and table their city’s annual budget, create or re-organize municipal departments and choose the chairs of all committees and boards — including police and health.”

Mayor Tory begins his third term in a few days. He knows the city in all its diverse manifestations. This time there should be no excuse for failing to bring those diverse voices into the heart of his administration.

We will be watching.