Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie welcomed Carolyn Parrish as Mississauga’s next mayor after the polls closed Tuesday evening, calling her a “formidable” choice who will be “a very strong voice” for the province’s third most populous city.
Parrish, a former councillor, won by a wide margin, despite late data that indicated a narrowing race. She defeated a roster of 19 other candidates, including three local councillors: Alvin Tedjo, a former Liberal leadership candidate; Dipika Damerla, a previous Liberal cabinet minister; and Stephen Dasko, former PC MPP Frank Klees’ chief.
As the new mayor concluded a media avail following her win, Parrish’s campaign manager, Kim Carson, whispered in her ear: “Bonnie’s going to come in.” Indeed, the former mayor made a surprise cameo. “Congratulations,” Crombie greeted as she walked in, sharing a hug with the new mayor.
Though chummy on camera, the duo’s relationship has been sour, dating back to a heated local council race. Crombie, seen as an ally to legendary former mayor “Hurricane” Hazel McCallion, bested Parrish, a McCallion nemisis, in a contest to replace former councillor Eve Adams in 2011. The new mayor later called her adversary, Crombie, via social media, “her blondness,” a failed federal parliamentarian and a “woman under orders” of McCallion.
Despite it all, Crombie said she’s “ecstatic.”
“I’m very proud that you’ve won — and we will work together to ensure that cities have a new deal and are properly funded,” she told Parrish, saying she was convinced that she would emerge victorious and predicting that her “shrewd” style would help her build a “strong coalition of councillors.”
“I know you will be a very strong voice and very strong leader for Mississauga, carrying on the tradition from Hazel, and I hope, a little bit of myself.”
The race was set in motion following Crombie’s resignation to become provincial Liberal leader earlier this year. She opted not to endorse any candidate.
“Far be it for me from the perch of Queen's Park to come down and tell the people of Mississauga who to support for mayor,” Crombie said. “I know all the councillors — but I knew all along that Carolyn would be victorious tonight and I’m very pleased for her.”
Speaking on background, several insiders said a complicated dynamic was at play. Two of Crombie’s top allies led two of Parrish’s rival campaigns: Tom Allison, Crombie’s incoming provincial campaign director, on Damerla’s team; and Darryn McArthur, her de facto chief, on Tedjo’s team.
“It would be embarrassing for Darryn if she endorsed Dipika and embarrassing for Tom if she endorsed Alvin,” one source said.
“What we need is for everyone to come together,” Crombie said of that dynamic. “It’s unfortunate that everyone was split — but everyone will come together when it's time to fight the provincial race.”
Damerla placing a distant third, despite placing a close second in most polls, prompted questions about Allison’s role on the central provincial campaign. “Our team is evolving and there will be some announcements about the team going forward,” she said when asked about his future.
Meanwhile, in Ward 5, the ward Crombie and Parrish both once represented, the Liberal leader’s endorsement of party stalwart Natalie Hart — who sought the provincial party’s presidency over a year ago — helped put Hart ahead of Parrish’s former executive assistant Danny Singh.
A poll conducted by Mainstreet Research indicated a “two-horse race.” It was, indeed, a slim win: Hart was elected by 714 votes.
Hart said she was grateful for Crombie's support and it made an impact. “I also believe that the team that I had that made it possible to get that out to no less than 8,000 doors is a part of why we’re here today.”
Not all were happy with Crombie’s decision to record a robocall for Hart. “Big mess,” wrote one strategist on X. “What’s next? Doug Ford and the prime minister doing robocalls for municipal byelections? [The Ontario Liberal Party] has its own issues to focus on.”
“Natalie Hart almost won the party’s presidency. I don’t get it. The whole party is supportive of her,” an insider responded. “It was truly a no-risk move for Bonnie.
Singh, meanwhile, accused Crombie of “endorsing a Liberal candidate so she can control council from Queen’s Park.”
But Hart doesn’t see it that way. “Frankly, I think that she’s a woman that wants to see women succeed in politics — and that’s OK,” she said.
“I don’t think it’s about a party.”
Mississauga’s relationship with Premier Doug Ford’s government fractured during Crombie's leadership. She led a skirmish over reversed legislation to force municipalities to waive development charges, which prompted an irate Ford to tell her to “stop whining” and “get on board.” Following her leadership win, the Tories backtracked on plans for the region’s divorce, which would have established Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon as stand-alone municipalities.
For Parrish, Queen’s Park — and the city’s relationship with it — will be top of mind.
In her victory speech, which she delivered unscripted after tossing away her prepared remarks, had one message: “The region is going to be stronger now because you’re going to have three mayors that actually get along,” she said.
“We will be formidable when we go to Queen's Park or to Ottawa to tell them we need our fair share of funding here.”
Negotiating a new deal, similar to the one announced by the Ford government for Toronto and Ottawa, is on the table, she told reporters.
“I’ve learned a lot from Olivia [Chow] watching her work with Ford. I think she’s doing a really good job,” Parrish said, adding she's friends with the mayors of Brampton and Caledon. "If we all work together, we can get more for our people.”
That will include more cash for social services, which Parrish said will be her early request of Ford. A recent report by the Metamorphosis Network found that the region received an estimated $578 less in provincial support per capita than other cities, urging the provincial government “to take immediate action.”
“We’ve slipped behind rather, quite a bit. We’re getting about sixty per cent of what our population deserves,” she explained.
Once the election was called, the premier was quick to congratulate the new mayor. “I’m looking forward to working with you as we build a stronger Mississauga and a stronger Ontario,” he wrote.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown also congratulated Parrish, saying he was “encouraged [by] the way her campaign has spoken about public safety, infrastructure investments, housing and working collaboratively.”
Though Ford and his machine, like Crombie, stayed out of the race, Parrish was backed by at least one PC MPP: Associate Mental Health and Addictions Minister Michael Tibollo. “For all the years that you've done this, you’ve put your name forward, you stood for public service, you’ve done a damn good job,” he said at her campaign launch.
A pair of local PC MPPs — Sheref Sabawy and Rudy Cuzzetto — huddled with Parrish’s supporters, as well. In an interview, Cuzzetto said he’s expecting that they would all get along — and much would be changed in the rapport with city hall.
“I think we can work very closely with her as a mayor, and she has a lot of views of what we want for Mississauga and the province, together,” he explained. “There’s a lot of opportunities that were missed when the previous mayor was here. Mississauga’s population had declined. We know that we have to build homes. If you don’t want the homes up north, they have to come down here. We have to build.”
For Parrish too, it’s homes, homes, homes at the top of the list.
Parrish committed to using the province’s “strong mayor” powers only where they are allowed, on “building more rental units, more housing units.” “I’ll use it there if I have to,” she said.
And asked what her primary order of business would be, she didn’t mince words: “To get the best developers and builders that we've got in our city, and bring them in to be my advisers.”
How she’s planning to do it all?
With “charm” and “force.”
