Our local democracy has become dysfunctional. The evidence is voter turnout (under 40%), a City Council that does not reflect the diversity of Toronto, erosion of social programs and a weakening of infrastructure with no cure in sight. Toronto needs new leaders with energy, hope and imagination. We're recruiting one hundred candidates for City Idol. We're looking for people who are passionate about Toronto and about the issues. People with ideas about important issues such as pollution, poverty, racism, infrastructure, taxes, political engagement, public spaces, social inclusion, sustainable transportation, waste management, energy and the political system itself. Everything is on the table. We'll put our candidates in front of a large live audience and instead of singing songs, we'll ask them to make short speeches, participate in debates, improvise press conferences, answer audience questions and react to emergency situations. They'll tell the audience what they love about Toronto and also what's wrong with Toronto. They'll tell us what the strengths of a City Councillor should be. And they'll try and convince the audience that they are the candidate with those strengths. The audience gets to vote for their favorite candidates. The prize? A real election campaign. We'll help the winners run for City Council. City Idol is a volunteer-run non-profit adventure. It's an experiment that evolves each day. We hope you like it! |
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City Idol is a project of Who Runs This Town?