In the lead up to the 2022 Toronto municipal election, CJRU is reaching out to all candidates for the downtown wards.

As a longtime resident of Ward 11 University-Rosedale, Adam Golding wants to bring a socialist voice to city hall this October.

Attributing to his own experiences, he said the need for checks and balances on police, finding ways to make the city more affordable and inclusive requires "councillors who can vote differently."

Golding is part of Toronto's Municipal Socialist Alliance, a group that's dedicated to changing several facets of Toronto politics. This includes advocating for several initiatives including direct democracy, public education and free transit, according to the group's website.

A central part of his platform is maintaining votes on the city's budget for funding the police. Golding's first step would be slashing the police budget by 50 per cent.

Golding, who was present during the tent encampment clearings at Lamport Stadium last summer, said "the police need to focus on violent crime, and sleeping parks is not a violent crime."

Along with Golding, the Municipal Socialist Alliance are planning to run a slate of candidates in several wards across Toronto.

Listen to Adam Golding's full interview: