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ANALYSIS

The new members of the Toronto Transit Commission were sworn in Tuesday, following a bruising season of political wrangling that has one of Mayor Rob Ford’s staunchest allies promoting a retreat and regroup strategy.

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The Mayor’s supporters talked about an agenda “deflated,” a “muddled” message and a “minority government,” while one Ford loyalist cast some blame on the Mayor’s brother and close advisers for a transit strategy that went off the rails.

Meanwhile opponents crowed about the power they had wrested from the Mayor.

[np-related]

“I think we all just need to take a breath, to be honest,” said Councillor Karen Stintz, after she and six colleagues took a declaration of office for the TTC. “Transit impacts everybody, so everyone has strong opinions on the matter, but the reality is we’re having healthy debates in our city about how to invest $8.4-billion in transit. The Mayor was elected on a strong mandate for fiscal responsibility and I think this council is solidly behind that mandate. We deal with issues on an issue by issue basis and we build consensus where we can.”