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link — Comments Off on Ford Nation, Assemble!
13
May 11

Ford Nation, Assemble!

Shortly after the city launched its new website dedicated to the comprehensive service review taking place this summer, Rob Ford put out the call to Ford Nation.

The Toronto Star’s Daniel Dale explains:

Mayor Rob Ford has asked campaign supporters to help him by attending the public consultation meetings the city is holding to learn which services residents believe should be preserved and which should be cut.

The message comes after the vast majority of people who attended consultation meetings on the 2011 budget were opposed to Ford’s plans.

The email sent to people who signed up for Ford’s campaign updates is titled “Mayor Ford needs your help!”

via Ford summons ‘nation’ to public meetings – thestar.com.

This feels like a divisive move, essentially pitting the ‘Ford Nation’ of voters against an other — call them downtown elites or lefty pinkos or whatever. One of the moves you’d expect a politician to make after winning such a heated election is to “reach across the aisle” and attempt to find common ground with opponents. Ford has made almost zero effort to do that.

I find it hard to condemn the message whole-heartedly, though, as it feels like this kind of thing happens a lot. Recall the recent attempt to pack council chambers with pro-housing types during the TCHC debate, for example. It led to jazz hands.

If you’re a regular reader of this site, I urge you to take a look at the Service Review website, and fill out the questionnaire. The questions are obviously geared toward facilitating service cuts, but it’s fairly even-handed overall. If you’re like me, you’ll find that there are very few city-delivered services that have the potential to be contracted out. My major criticisms: I’d like there to have been a distinction made between contracting out to a private, for-profit agency and contracting to a not-for-profit or other community agency, and also it would have been useful for there to be more questions about the role of other levels of government in providing city services.

link — Comments Off on Does anybody really believe in Ford’s transit plan?
13
May 11

Does anybody really believe in Ford’s transit plan?

Councillor John Parker, who serves as Deputy Speaker and is pretty firmly aligned with Ford and Council’s conservative wing, wrote a column this week for My Town Crier, appearing in the Leaside-Rosedale print edition, where he expressed some doubt about the mayor’s recently unveiled transit plan:

There will be at least one provincial election and possibly one municipal election before we can expect construction work to begin on the projects not already designed and approved.

My prediction: Finch West will soon get improved bus service. Eglinton will get its underground crosstown line to Brentcliffe. The TTC will eventually adopt the Presto fare system and the SRT will eventually be replaced by an LRT.

But stay tuned for further debate concerning plans for Sheppard and the form of LRT service on Eglinton east of Leaside.

via More twists and turns for Toronto’s new transit plan – TownNEWS – MyTownCrier.ca – the online home of Toronto’s Town Crier Group of Community Newspapers.

Beyond the Mayor, his brother, and a few of their closest allies, I’ve yet to hear anyone express the opinion that a privately-funded Sheppard subway line is possible or desirable.

Related: At Council next week, Janet Davis will attempt to ask a series of questions regarding the new transit plan and Toronto Transit Infrastructure Limited, the agency revived to work on securing private funding. Her questions, which could simply be referred and not answered, include everything from an inquiry about how much TTIL CEO Gordon Chong is getting paid to the million dollar query: will council ever get to vote on this damn thing?

link — Comments Off on Fiscally conservative, but not when it comes to the police
13
May 11

Fiscally conservative, but not when it comes to the police

I thought this article from the Star regarding the controversy over the police paid duty program was pretty fun. Written by Paul Moloney and Jennifer Yang, it starts like this:

Councillor Doug Ford usually jumps at the chance to save taxpayers money.

But disagreeing with most members of the city’s budget committee, the mayor’s brother defended spending $5.2 million to pay police officers to watch over city road and sewer repairs.

“I’m okay with that,” Ford said. “Is there room for efficiencies? Absolutely. But overall, $5.2 million for a billion dollars’ worth of work, I don’t think that’s too bad,” he said estimating the value of work done each year by the city to upgrade its roadway infrastructure.

via Penny-pinching Doug Ford defends $5.2 million police paid duty perk – thestar.com.

The whole “small budget items don’t matter” rationale is especially rich given that, next week, council will likely vote to shut down citizen committees made up of volunteers because they’re concerned that they take up too much staff time.

Moloney and Yang also point out that the $5.2 million the city spends “to pay police officers to watch over city road and sewer repairs” could have been used to a) retain service recently cut from TTC bus routes; or b) Provided free or reduced-cost access to recreational programs for low-income families, something that was recently capped through cuts to the city’s Welcome policy.

More generally, it also could have been used to reduce the city’s 2012 operating budget gap. A gap that these so-called fiscal conservatives running City Hall seem to be making bigger by the day.

link — Comments Off on Trash of the Titans
11
May 11

Trash of the Titans

Councillor Josh Matlow held a debate on the merits of garbage privatization last night, pitting Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong against economist Hugh MacKenzie. I liked both John Michael McGrath’s coverage at Toronto Life and Carly Conway’s piece praising moderator Steve Paikin above everything else at Torontoist.

The truth of the matter — and this is the reason I think the event was only lightly attended — is that council will essentially be considering two items related to garbage privatization next week: outcome and process. The question of outcome is boring. I suspect most councillors believe that their constituents favour the outsourcing of trash collection. That’ll be enough to push them toward supporting the idea.

The process, on the other hand, is the far more interesting — and complicated — question. Councillors need to really dig deep and consider whether city council should authorize staff to approve the winning bid without oversight. Should Toronto really award a very very rich private sector contract with no input from elected officials?

It seems, at least, that even privatization-booster Minnan-Wong isn’t so sure the staff-recommended process is a good one. From the Toronto Star’s David Rider:

Minnan-Wong (Ward 34, Don Valley East) also revealed that he’s “struggling” with a staff recommendation that council approve the bidding process but then let a staff committee award the final contract potentially worth $150 million.

He voted, along with three other public works members, in favour of that recommendation plus others put forward in a privatization report by senior works staff.

But asked about the clause, amid news that the manager who authored the report is moving to a private-sector firm expected to bid on the contract, Minnan-Wong voiced reservations.

Staff said the delay caused by taking the recommended bid to council will cost the city millions in possible savings, he noted, adding: “I’m struggling with this.”

The issue will be hashed out on the floor of council, he said.

via Gender rights a new wrinkle in trash debate – thestar.com.

It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out during the council meeting next week.

link — Comments Off on Carroll for Toronto
11
May 11

Carroll for Toronto

At Spacing, Jonathan Goldsbie has a hell of an interview with Councillor Shelley Carroll. It’s the kind of extended, in-depth interview I wish we’d see more often from local politicians. Really really good stuff, explaining why she didn’t end up in last year’s mayoral race:

“In hindsight, its easier to say why the hell didnt you run, you see how easy it would have been.  But when the decision was made, it was a much more crowded field.  When I was making the decision, Adam was in with the prominent Bay Street–organizer supporters.  Joe was gonna have the support of the NDP.  And George was going to have the Liberals.  By the time I announced I wasnt gonna run, Rob was gonna have his big party.  Its easy in hindsight, Look what a bad campaign George ran.  But in January, he had so many prominent resources that no one suspected he would run a campaign that was so weak.  That early on, he had so many people signed on to work for him that were known to run good campaigns and that we were about to see a brilliant campaign…

via Why Shelley Carroll Didn’t Run for Mayor « Spacing Toronto.

There are so many “what ifs” surrounding the 2010 mayoral race. What if the garbage strike hadn’t happened? What if Adam Giambrone had just been honest about his love life? What if Darcy Allan Sheppard hadn’t been hit by a car? What if John Tory hadn’t discovered a love for A.M. radio?

It’s fun to think about — and a campaign that pitted, say, David Miller versus George Smitherman, or Shelley Carroll versus John Tory, would have made for far better debates than what we did get — but I think I’m coming around to seeing the result of the 2010 as potentially a long-term positive thing for the City of Toronto. I’m not as optimistic as Dave Meslin, but I’m hopeful that Rob Ford’s still-seems-inevitable flameout will galvanize the voters of the city, underscoring the importance of a committed, progressive leader with a measured, long-term civic vision.

Come 2014, Shelley Carroll could be that leader.

link — Comments Off on Private sector waterfront development is short-sighted, says private sector
09
May 11

Private sector waterfront development is short-sighted, says private sector

This weekend saw architect Jack Diamond take to the Globe & Mail to absolutely tear into recent comments made by Doug and Rob Ford, wherein they referred to Waterfront Toronto as a boondoggle:

To call such wise public-sector investment a boondoggle is, at best, to exhibit a profound lack of understanding of the role that government should play. At worst, it is a result of the myopia caused by an ideological disease. It demonstrates a total lack of appreciation of the different roles that should be performed by government and the private sector. That the two can operate to mutual advantage is the ethos of Canada at its best. To act contrary to that precept is to diminish our political patrimony. To complete an often incompletely quoted aphorism – history repeats itself if we don’t learn from it.

via Ford’s short-sighted vision of Toronto’s waterfront – The Globe and Mail.

Damn. Remember, too, that Diamond works primarily with private sector developers. He very much is the private sector.

Still, though, I’m sure there’s someone out there in the private sector — someone who probably doesn’t use as many big, complicated words — who shares the dream of turning a heritage generating station into a football stadium.

link — Comments Off on The Mayor might be too busy to march in the Pride parade
09
May 11

The Mayor might be too busy to march in the Pride parade

The Toronto Sun’s Don Peat asks Rob Ford if he’ll be marching in the Pride parade this year, and the Mayor responds with a hearty….

“I have no idea what events I’ll be in and what events I’m not going to be in,” Ford said. “I can comment when we are closer to that date…I can’t commit to it now, I don’t know what my schedule is like.”

via Ford won’t commit to marching in Pride parade | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun.

That’s weird, because the version of the Mayor’s schedule released last week revealed that he had a ton of free time.

Related: Since 2006, the Mayor of Toronto has officially proclaimed every May 17 as “Day Against Homophobia in Toronto.” Last year, it became “Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in Toronto.”

The language used in these proclamations is essentially the same every year, with a little bit added about the year’s theme. This sentence appeared in every proclamation from 2006 to 2010:

Toronto has taken a leadership role in the fight for the elimination of all forms of discrimination and is committed to equal treatment of all people and their right to live in conditions of dignity, respect and peace.

This year, it appears again, but slightly modified:

Toronto is an active participant in the fight for the elimination of all forms of discrimination and is committed to equal treatment of all people and their right to live in conditions of dignity, respect and peace.

From a ‘leadership role’ to an ‘active participant.’ Weird, right?

P.S. Don’t read too much into this. I have no idea who writes these proclamations. They could come from outside agencies — perhaps, in this case, Foundation Émergence — and I doubt anyone at City Hall gives them a lot of thought. I just thought it interesting that someone, at some point, decided to alter the text this year.

link — Comments Off on Will anyone care about Ford’s campaign financing problems?
09
May 11

Will anyone care about Ford’s campaign financing problems?

I have to give kudos to the people who have been digging into the irregularities found in Rob Ford’s reported campaign expenses. John Lorinc at the Globe & Mail has been lighting it up with well-researched articles that ask tough questions. And Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler and Max Reed have produced a remarkably comprehensive and well-written complaint, which has now been submitted to the city’s Compliance Audit Committee. It should get results.

Still, though, I’m not sure any of this will amount to much in the long-term. These allegations, if proven, will probably result in a fine. And that’s good — and fair — but I doubt a monetary penalty levied against the mayor is going to arouse much attention from the general public. I also doubt anyone could argue that Ford’s conduct with regard to campaign financing dramatically altered the outcome of the election.

The underlying theme to these stories seems to go something like this: Rob Ford is reckless. He has no time for technicalities or process. He tosses aside the rules in favour of going with his gut. He acts first and thinks later.

But none of that is surprising. We already know all these things about Rob Ford. Hell, for some of his supporters, these are the reasons they like him so much.

link — Comments Off on What has Waterfront Toronto done for us anyway?
06
May 11

What has Waterfront Toronto done for us anyway?

Last week, John Lorinc interviewed David Crombie about Toronto’s Waterfront, in the wake of all the stupid debate we’ve heard over the last month.. Here’s what the former mayor had to say:

When I hear people say they’re impatient about development on the waterfront, I don’t want to be unkind, but they are people who don’t go there. If you start at Mimico Creek and go straight across to Victoria Park and the Bluffers, the change is enormous. No, I’m not impatient with it. I’m impatient with those whose impatience is going to rush us to judgment.

It’s going now. Does it need to be done better? Anything can be done better. But, boy, this is a ship that is going. Want to improve it? Do that. But don’t blow it up.

via Crombie still sees magic in Toronto’s waterfront – The Globe and Mail.

But blowing it up might solve our short-term budget problems!

To add to that, a poster on the Urban Toronto forums (EnviroTO) put together a quick list of all the projects recently completed or currently under development projects undertaken by Waterfront Toronto:

Completed
– Flood prevention landform that allows development on most of the land to occur is complete.
– Sewer system through West Don Lands complete.
– HtO Park complete.
– Port Union Waterfront Park complete.
– Marilyn Bell Park and Western Beaches Watercourse complete.
– Mimico Waterfront Park Phase I complete.
– Sherbourne Common south complete.
– Waterfront Edge at Harbourfront complete.
– Three wave decks complete.
– Sugar Beach complete.
– Corus Quay complete.
– Cherry Beach renovation complete.

Under Development
– Union Station second platform project under construction.
– George Brown college under construction.
– Canada Square under construction.
– Bayside Development contract signed.
– Parkside Development contract signed.
– Queens Quay LRT and street makeover EA complete.
– Cherry LRT EA complete.
– West Don Lands neighbourhood study and EA complete.
– River City Development contract signed.
– Pan Am Games development in advanced planning.
– Don River Park under construction.
– Underpass Park design complete.
– Keating Channel precinct plan complete.
– Mouth of Don design competition and EA complete.
– Lake Ontario Park master plan complete.

via Waterfront: East Bayfront – Sherbourne Common & Sugar Beach | UrbanToronto.ca.

All this and Doug Ford still calls it “the biggest boondoggle the feds, the province and the city has ever done.” Go figure.

link — Comments Off on Stintz versus Stintz, on Presto
06
May 11

Stintz versus Stintz, on Presto

Councillor Karen Stintz, August 2010:

The Province would like to implement a smart-card system across the GTA and currently the TTC is the greatest roadblock. While the TTC should be working closely with the Province to embrace the smart-card, it works against the Provincial initiative by promoting open-payment.

via Open Payment System || Karen Stintz.

TTC chair Karen Stintz, April 2011:

The Presto fare system could vanish from the Toronto Transit Commission unless the cost gets down well below $200 million, TTC chair Karen Stintz said Thursday.

“The cost to the TTC cannot be $200 million, period,” Stintz said.

“Because we don’t have it and it’s not on the table,” she said.

via Presto pass could vanish | Toronto & GTA | News | Toronto Sun.

What a difference nine months makes. Adam Giambrone, on this item, we give you permission to feel smug.

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