Toronto is the midst of another campaign race for mayor of the city. When reading up on who the candidates are this time around I was saddened to learn that Ben Kerr had died last year. Ben was as much an icon of Toronto as the CN Tower. Every day, rain or shine, you could be sure to find him at the corner of Yonge and Bloor in his dirty old "Ben Kerr for Mayor sweatshirt" singing songs into a tiny old karaoke machine. In every mayoral election since 1985, he would use money he collected on the street to pay the $100 fee (now $200) to get on the ballot for mayor of Toronto. When it came time for the always entertaining all candidates debate, in lieu of a speech Ben would get out a guitar and sing a cute song about fringe candidates.

While I've never bothered to vote in a municipal election, he certainly would have had my vote if I did. I'm not sure what his policies would have been like if he had somehow won, but legend has it that one time Ben ran all the way from Toronto to Los Angeles in an effort to promote his non-smoking beliefs. When Belinda Stronach ran for the Conservative leadership, he wrote for her a song titled "She Is Better Than Viagara". I'm not sure if that means he endorses conservative policies or not. He also apparently wrote songs for Neil Young before Young was famous. Anyway, I'm less motivated than ever to vote in his year's municipal election, but if I do I'll be sure to write Ben Kerr's name on the ballot.