Jane Pitfield, a former city councillor who gave up her spot on Toronto council in a failed attempt to unseat Mayor David Miller, says she wants to return to politics.
The former Don Valley West councillor told ctvtoronto.ca that she will file her nomination papers Wednesday afternoon. She will register her candidacy in Toronto-Danforth, the ward currently occupied by Case Ootes.
Ootes, who was first elected to sit on East York council in 1988 and then to represent the Toronto-Danforth ward after amalgamation, announced he would be retiring from politics at the end of his term.
He told a Toronto media outlet that he wants to spend more time travelling with his wife but will stay involved in politics by acting as a consultant on other political campaigns.
Pitfield said in a telephone interview that Ootes was one of her closest friends on council and that she's sad to see him go. She also said the councillor knew she was interested in returning to politics and that's why he called her Tuesday night to inform her of his decision.
"I was very surprised by Case's announcement," she said.
In the last four years, she has had a chance to volunteer on a lot of projects but has always kept a close eye on Toronto's political affairs.
Though her old rival Miller is now stepping down from politics, Pitfield said she no longer wants to run for mayor.
"At this point some very good candidates have come forward," she said. "I want a position on council where I can feel that I have a chance to influence change and the decision making."
Pitfield said she has roots in the Toronto-Danforth ward. When she was elected to council after amalgamation, her ward's boundaries included a swath of East York. The boundaries were later changed to become what they are today.
She said she's not returning to Don Valley West because she's "accomplished a lot there and I've turned the ward over and have been replaced."
She's ready for a new challenge now, she said.
Pitfield, who is regarded as a moderate conservative in politics, may certainly have a real challenge getting elected in Ward 29, a constituency that has shifted over the years to favour left-leaning candidates.
Even Ootes nearly lost his grip on his seat in the 2006 election, in one of the closest races on record. He beat Diane Alexopoulos by just 20 votes.
But Pitfield said she may be a conservative when it comes to the city's fiscal issues but she has always taken an active role in tackling the city's social issues such as homelessness.
"I've had a good break and looking in from the outside has helped me become very objective," she said. "I don't represent a party. I represent the people of Toronto."
