How to Pick a City Councillor in 15 Minutes to Avoid a Gun Ban

TheGunBlog.ca — Residents of Ontario, home to more than one-fourth of Canada’s registered gun owners, vote Oct. 22 for their mayors, municipal councillors and school-board trustees. Here’s a quick and dirty guide to avoid electing a gun grabber if you have to make a quick decision and have zero clue about the candidates.

This is a terrible way to pick good candidates for strong democracy. But for many voters, it’s 15 minutes better than entering the ballot box cold.

This how-to isn’t for you if you already know who you are voting for.

Tactical Guide

This is a tactical guide focused on gun rights. Other criteria might matter more.
The goal is to eliminate wackos and threats to gun ownership and democracy, and ideally to find a supportive candidate who has a chance of winning.
We aren’t telling anyone who to vote for. See About page for disclosures.

Toronto Mayor

Faith Goldy, a PAL holder, said she stands with gun owners.
John Tory is leading the campaign to eliminate gun owners from Toronto and in some cases throughout Canada. Polls suggest he will win overwhelmingly.
Jennifer Keesmaat wants to get rid of people who own handguns, ammunition and certain rifles.
Other candidates are too small to notice.

1. Find Candidates in Your Ward

Google: municipal election in [Your Municipality]
For Toronto’s 100,000 PAL holders (out of roughly 1 million voters in 2014): MyVote.Toronto.ca

https://twitter.com/TheGunBlog/status/1053642509262430209

2. Scan Websites to Create Your Shortlist

For mayor, vote for someone you’ve heard of, or ask a gunnie you trust.
Focus on councillors first, then school boards.
Click on the names and go to their website. No website means ignore.

Look for Key Words and Clues

Search for keywords on the website: Windows: Control-F, Mac: Command-F.
Look for keywords: ban, gun, handgun, safety, crime.
Look for photos or endorsements by top gun grabbers: Justin Trudeau, Jagmeet Singh, John Tory, Toronto Star.
Look for gun-grabber party colours: red (Liberal Party), orange (New Democratic Party). Purple is often anti-gun, but not always. Blue can be anti-gun.
Gun rights don’t always align by party or preference. Some conservatives want gun bans. Many socialists and communists don’t. Marxists support gun rights for the proletarian revolution.
Watch for exceptions, surprises, and traps. Dark blue anti-gunners, red gunnies, stealth supporters: e.g. councillors who are backed by gun grabbers but oppose bans and avoid the issue on their website.
For clarity, contact the candidates.

Toronto Councillors

Kristyn Wong-Tam wants to ban many guns from PAL holders across Canada. (See links at bottom.) The head of the Coalition for Gun Control supports her.
Joe Cressy wants to ban handguns from PAL holders in Toronto.
The Toronto Star published its favourite candidates, whom gunnies should avoid. The paper is campaigning to eliminate ownership of handguns and many rifles throughout Canada.

https://twitter.com/TheGunBlog/status/1054462108170104833

3. Check Past Results to Eliminate the Fringe

Google: 2014 election results in [Your Municipality]
For Toronto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_municipal_election,_2014
Don’t waste your ballot on someone who got 3 votes last time.
You might have a strong new candidate with no past results.

4. Record Your Picks

Write the names of your candidates on your phone or on paper to remember.

5. Vote Smart!

Go as early as you can to the polling station to vote. Bring ID.
You don’t want a surprise at the end of the day to stop you. (Flat tire, sick child, delay at work …)

https://twitter.com/TheGunBlog/status/1054368102123794432

Bonus If You Want to Help the Election

Contact your favourite candidate and volunteer.
During the day: Drive people who can’t walk to the polls, supervise the polling station, make phone calls …
At night: Supervise the vote count to prevent shenanigans. It’s easy and important. No experience needed.

Related Information