Giles Gherson dishes on Toronto's New Deal

Also: The real reason Shamji backed Bonnie, Massoudi down but not out, PCs hunt for Kitchener candidate, senior staff shakeup drags on, affordable housing bill hits the Clerk's table

ABOVE THE FOLD

Ahead of his “fireside chat” with the Premier, ex-Deputy Minister, now-head of the Toronto Region Board of Trade GILES GHERSON lays out his wildest civic fantasies for a cash-strapped city — but first: the inside story on why ADIL SHAMJI backed out of the Liberal leadership race, and the PCs are having trouble landing a candidate in Kitchener.

GONE GRIT — Shamji is throwing in the towel and throwing his support behind Liberal leadership heavyweight BONNIE CROMBIE.

More juicy tidbits from Global News: “The deal, sources said, was brokered over a series of dinners between the two candidates, with the final negotiations taking place in late September. In return for Shamji’s support, Crombie’s campaign will adopt his healthcare and education policy planks allowing the two to campaign together.”

The problem for Shamji, according to one source close to the rookie MPP: “He does not have the name recognition and senior support team like the other candidates. Adil’s been in poli…