Karen Stintz vs. Rob Ford II: The Reckoning. In theatres next week

Within the next couple of weeks, TTC chair Karen Stintz will help lead a revolt at city hall, joining with more than 30 of her council colleagues to force a reversal on a decision made by Mayor Rob Ford relating to the future of Toronto’s transportation system.

It’ll be the second time she’s done it. Call it an anticipated sequel to last year’s surprise box office smash. This is Stintz vs. Ford II: The Reckoning.

The first time, of course, the issue was subways-versus-LRTs — more or less. Back then, the mayor was stuck on this notion that Toronto could build a subway extension with private sector dollars. Experts said it couldn’t be done and that the TTC could serve far more riders for far less money with light rail transit. Stintz broke ranks with the mayor and went with the experts, winning a series of decisive council votes. Roll credits.

This new battle has to do with future transit expansion. The province is looking for $50 billion to expand transportation infrastructure across the GTA, necessary if we want to prevent commute times from rising from the current level of “this sucks” to new heights of “this really, really sucks.”

Ford, though, opted last week to use the powers of his executive committee to halt debate on the issue of new taxes for transit funding, effectively trying to bury the idea. Enter Stintz (again), who immediately indicated that city council would have the votes to overrule the mayor and force a debate.

And, oh yeah, the TTC chair also said that Ford has no vision for transit or the city.

Her comments immediately sparked breathless speculation about whether all this is a sign that Stintz is gearing up for a mayoral run in 2014. I don’t think that it is. That take on events strikes me as cynical, as if the only reason any politician would stand up to the mayor is because she wants his job.

No, if anything, Stintz’s decisions relating to her skirmishes with Ford have been characterized by a lack of political calculation. She’s taken big risks and alienated herself from various right-wing political forces who once supported her. If a better job title is all she’s after, I can think of safer strategies.

Instead, consider this: Maybe Stintz’s big moves are driven not by political ambition but by a need to do what she thinks is right, even if that means conflict or consequence. And maybe it’s that — and not some carefully cultivated strategy — that makes her appealing as a would-be mayoral candidate.

In other words, maybe it’s just that this city is looking for a leader who isn’t afraid of a fight.