Augimeri considering challenging Nunziata for council speaker position
York Centre Councillor Maria Augimeri is considering putting her name forward for Speaker of Council, and she said her challenge to Mayor John Tory’s pick for the job, Frances Nunziata, isn’t sitting well with the mayor’s office.
York Centre Councillor Maria Augimeri is considering putting her name forward for Speaker of Council, and she said her challenge to Mayor John Tory’s pick for the job, Frances Nunziata, isn’t sitting well with the mayor’s office.
"Well, they’re not thrilled to say the least," said Augimeri Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Augimeri said she floated the idea with councillors Monday evening, after Tory’s slate of recommended appointments was released and councillors on the left were dismayed to see few of their allies in positions of responsibility.
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Nunziata was speaker during the last term of council, and has been accused of showing bias to former Mayor Rob Ford’s position. Augimeri has served on Toronto Council since 1985 and chaired both the North York Community Council and the Toronto Transit Commission.
"Given that many of my colleagues saw a potential role for me as being the longest serving member of council and the longest serving chair of a community council," said Augimeri. "I could bring both sides together."
Augimeri claims that Tory’s office put pressure both on her and on councillors picked for the executive committee to simply support Nunziata.
She said that she was assured Nunziata would be sent for elocution lessons and also ordered to study the procedures and practises of speakers at the federal and provincial levels of government.
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Tory spokesperson Amanda Galbraith wasn’t able to respond to these allegations by deadline Tuesday. The matter will be coming before Toronto Council on Wednesday, Dec. 3, when council will vote on recommendations from the newly-struck striking committee on that and other appointments.
For her part, Nunziata told reporters at the inaugural meeting that she believed she’d done a good job as speaker.
"I believe that for the past four years I’ve kept council together moved the agenda forward, received a lot of positive comments from the public and did a good job," said Nunziata.
Nunziata added that she was looking to improve mutual respect at Toronto Council.
"There are a lot of things we all learned in the last four years so I think things are going to be a lot different in the next four years," said Nunziata.
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