Morgan defends voting record as he launches bid to be London’s next mayor
London’s current deputy mayor and Ward 7 councillor is throwing his hat into the ring to become the next mayor.
On Thursday, the 44-year-old father of four officially registered as a candidate.
“This council has a great track record,” Morgan told the media after filing his paperwork with the clerk’s office. “Not only have we [made] historic investments in housing, not only have we committed to a roadmap to 3,000 more affordable [housing] units, we passed the Climate Emergency Action Plan, and we have taken significant steps to address anti-racism and equity.”
After seven years on council, CTV News asked Morgan if he’s running on a ‘more of the same’ platform.
He responded, “I think you have to look beyond one term of council. When you look at the things we’ve started, [they] absolutely, positively must be completed.”
Morgan hints that his platform will also focus on housing affordability, downtown revitalization and strengthening the voice of Londoners in local decision making.
“You will see new initiatives, that I am not going to reveal today, centred around how people can contribute to shaping and improving the neighbourhoods around the city,” he said.
Asked directly about some of his voting history that drew criticism from council colleagues or the public, Morgan suggested it’s to be expected serving two terms as a city councillor.
“I’ve certainly built bridges with individuals who have said to me ‘I didn’t like your vote on this’— but they’re happy with some of the other things we’re doing. Londoners don’t always agree, and one of the great things about politics is we have debate and dialogue,” Morgan said.
Specifically, he recently backed a land deal aimed at relieving overcrowding at Sir Arthur Currie Public School in his ward.
Critics argued the deal sidestepped policies in The London Plan intended to ensure orderly development near the city’s periphery and curb sprawl.
“You can support an official plan and also have amendments to it,” Morgan responded. “The context in the City of London is very different from when we first passed the official plan. Not only are we the fastest growing economy and fastest growing city in Ontario, we’ve gone through a pandemic.”
In 2019 he voted against the west route of the bus rapid transit system, and as an administrative employee of Western University, declared a conflict of interest regarding the north route.
Morgan wouldn’t say if northwest London now requires rapid transit routes, instead pointing to upcoming work to develop city hall’s Mobility Master Plan.
“There are changes that need to be made, and I am not going to jump ahead and suggest that I know what those [changes] are when we’ve started a comprehensive process to determine that,” he said.
Morgan was joined at his news conference by former city manager Martin Hayward.
“He’s very much a consensus builder, a team leader,” praised Hayward who retired after a 35-year career with city hall.
It’s the first time Hayward has voiced support for a candidate.
“He [Morgan] does his homework. I can’t tell you how many times when I was [city] treasurer he came in to question me about complex issues just to have an understanding so he could make an informed decision at council.”
Morgan was hand-picked by Mayor Ed Holder to be his deputy mayor for the second half of this council term.
On Tuesday, Holder announced he was retiring from politics this fall.
Morgan is the second candidate to register for the mayoral race.
Sean O’Connell filed on May 2.
Londoners go to the polls on October 24.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING Appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.