Ford For Toronto A Broken City, A New Mayor, Crazy Antics

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Amy Casipullai

Occupation: Senior Policy & Communication Coordinator at the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

Political History: Her occupation is political-ish, I suppose, though it’s worth noting that OCASI does not receive money under Toronto’s Community Partnership & Investment Program

Scheduled Speaker No.: 152; Actual Speaker No.: 114

Note: I love the way Amy ends with “I don’t think we can let you do that.” Nicely delivered.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Miroslav Wagner

Occupation: Unspecified; Has Potential in Professional Parable-Writing.

Political History: Former member of the Toronto Public Spaces Committee, if that counts.

Scheduled Speaker No.: 89; Actual Speaker No.: 76

Note: The full text of Miroslav’s story is available as part of Torontoist’s as-it-happens recap of the meeting.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Sean Meagher (website, twitter)

Occupation: President of Public Interest Strategy & Communications

Political History: Worked as Councillor Pam McConnell’s EA about a decade ago.

Scheduled Speaker No.: 317; Actual Speaker No.: 166

Note: Keep watching to the end, as Meagher displays a very strong grasp on the city’s budget in an exchange with Councillor Gord Perks. Had Council planned for this year’s shortfall in last year’s budget, he says, “we’d have the least challenging deficit we’ve seen in almost a decade.” So there’s that.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: HiMY SYeD (website, twitter)

Occupation: Independent Photojournalist; Giant Outstallation Artist; “Torontopreneur”; etc.

Political History: Ran for mayor last year.

Scheduled Speaker No.: 298; Actual Speaker No.: 160

Note: SYeD’s litany of councillor-specific recommendations has a nice bang-bang-bang rhythm to it that I really enjoy. Some might found his suggestion for Councillor Palacio a bit rude — it was the councillor’s birthday — but, really, I think SYeD was just trying to be helpful.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Jason Adam Robins (twitter)

Occupation: He’s Manager of Operations for a catering company, as per his quick interview with Dave Meslin.

Political History: None noted.

Scheduled Speaker No.: 114; Actual Speaker No.: 91

Note: Jason is wearing a suit, which I think means he’s not a communist. I suppose he could be in disguise.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Gilary Massa Machado (twitter)

Occupation: I can find reference to her being Equity & Campaigns Organizer for the the Ryerson University Student Union and a theatre usher.

Political History: Got some flack in her role as a VP for the York University Federation of Students when she opposed an on-campus debate on abortion in 2008.

Scheduled Speaker No.: 103; Actual Speaker No.: 83

Note: Gilary makes a reference to the mayor not being in attendance for her deputation — he had stepped out, and would remain absent for about an hour — which leads to a pretty funny point-of-order from Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti toward the end of the video.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Alison Gorbould (twitter)

Occupation: Unspecified, though she assures the committee she is not a union member

Political History: Former member of the Toronto Public Space Committee

Scheduled Speaker No.: 219; Actual Speaker No.: 134

Note: Alison’s response to Matlow, where she asks “May I respond as if you asked me a question?”, is incredibly witty, especially given that it was like 5 a.m. when she spoke.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Jennifer Arango (twitter)

Occupation: Administrative Coordinator at the Toronto Women’s City Alliance; Freelance Translator & Interpreter (Spanish)

Political History: The Toronto Women’s City Alliance thing; also has received a lot of press regarding this deputation

Scheduled Speaker No.: 52; Actual Speaker No.: 51

Note: Jennifer’s deputation is posted today by request. It is unknown why her factual observation that, despite a strong contingent of women on Toronto City Council, only two sit on the Executive Committee was received so negatively by Councillors Holyday, Minnan-Wong and Mammoliti.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Miroslav Glavić (twitter)

Occupation: Scarborough Resident; unspecified day job

Political History: Active in Social Media circles discussing Council issues, avid City Hall watcher

Scheduled Speaker No.: 258; Actual Speaker No.: 148

Note: Councillor Paul Ainslie’s question at the end of this video would seem to verge on insensitive, but maybe he was making a rhetorical point about the importance of libraries in his ward.

Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and extending through to the next morning, the City of Toronto’s Executive Committee — led by Mayor Rob Ford — heard more than one hundred and fifty deputations from a diverse group of citizens. In a sincere bid to ensure that the passion, insight and creativity displayed over the course of that epic meeting is not forgotten, Ford For Toronto will be posting a deputation video every weekday for the month of August.

Deputant: Susan Wesson

Occupation: Itinerant Music Instructor for the Toronto District School Board

Political History: None noted.

Scheduled Speaker No.: 230; Actual Speaker No.: ? (The City Clerk’s website is down as I post this; will update once the information becomes available.)