Toronto residents, council candidates and politicians are celebrating a judge’s ruling that the province’s attempt to slash the number of councillors in the middle of an election is unconstitutional.Ausma Malik, registered to run in the new downtown Ward 20 (Trinity-Spadina), said she’s excited that the 47-ward election will go ahead and hopefully change the makeup of council to include more visible minorities, women, young people and the LGBTQ community. “It is so exciting to be able to move forward with those efforts and have equal representation,” she said. Malik has continued to campaign for Ward 20 in the last month, speaking to residents whose passion for local democracy was a common conversation starter on door steps.“In our downtown communities, there’s a commitment to democracy,” she said. “People want to see a change in council and it has affirmed people care. The ruling today is a victory for Toronto and everyone who moved to take action, speak out, sign a petition or show up at a rally, the people who fought (the 25 wards), the city and school board, those are powerful demonstration of what’s possible and why local representation matters.” Dyanoosh Youssefi, one of the Bill 5 challengers and a ward candidate, and said she was “thrilled to have been one of the people who stood up and fought for democracy.”On her way to the synagogue to mark the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, Youssefi told the Star the judge’s decision was “great news to get at the beginning of the Jewish New Year.” But she also knows Premier Doug Ford could appeal the decision.“It’s not finished but more than anything, it tells us we need to perhaps revisit the standing of municipalities in Canada,” she said. “We need to be sure cities can govern their own democratic processes and elections.”She’s one of dozens of candidates who put in time and money to run ...
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