2018 Provincial Election Transit Promises

[Hopkins123]

Should be remembered that John Tory was the Ontario Progressive Conservative leader. So both John Tory and Doug Ford should have common ground when they talk with each other at meetings.

We saw John Tory's transit priorities during and since the last election: GO RER, Eglinton West rapid transit expansion and the Scarborough Subway Extension

The only reason DRL even gets mentioned is as a caveat of YNSE.

Ergo, it's obvious where Tory and Doug Ford can find common ground moving forward. The only added benefit having Ford's PCs in the mix is now there's a province-level preference for grade separation in as many contexts as possible. This is the effective end of light rail transit on the surface for the foreseeable future, casting the Hamilton and Hurontario LRT lines in doubt (ION LRT Phase 2 is likely safe though). But for Toronto that means the Crosstown will be fully grade-separated from Pearson to UTSC.

 

[OneCity]

You're being too diplomatic and polite. They despise each other. As much as Tory is 'not my man' (and I'm not averse to conservatives) he's much more my man than The Ford will ever be.

Tory no longer has to fend off Ford as the only competition for Mayor and they were both supportive of each other prior to being competitors for Mayor. The level of "despise" in both camps will now change drastically. Tory really played into the "anybody but Ford crowd" to get some votes from the Left and Ford played the "worst Mayor ever" to break the support.

Tory can work with anyone and as long as Smarttrack is still alive in name he will be happy to let Ford take over the subways Tory purposely helped keep the SSE alive in the face of large poltical attack in hopes to upload. Surely Tory will optically support and vocally detail some difference between his council and Fords admin but these two are more aligned than some think

 

[Irishmonk]

Once Trump kills Nafta and imposes tariffs on Canadian made cars Ontario's economy will go in the tank--and Drug will be out on his ass in 4 years if not sooner.

 

[OneCity]

Once Trump kills Nafta and imposes tariffs on Canadian made cars Ontario's economy will go in the tank--and Drug will be out on his ass in 4 years if not sooner.

UT needs a poltical fantasy thread to get some thru 4-8 Ford years. It's already absolute capitulation when you are dreaming up Trump saving you from Ford

 

[crs1026]

Tory no longer has to fend off Ford as the only competition for Mayor and they were both supportive of each other prior to being competitors for Mayor. The level of "despise" in both camps will now change drastically. Tory really played into the "anybody but Ford crowd" to get some votes from the Left and Ford played the "worst Mayor ever" to break the support.

Tory can work with anyone and as long as Smarttrack is still alive in name he will be happy to let Ford take over the subways Tory purposely helped keep the SSE alive in the face of large poltical attack in hopes to upload. Surely Tory will optically support and vocally detail some difference between his council and Fords admin but these two are more aligned than some think

Neither can stay aligned to a position for more than a couple hours, and “Works well with others” has never been written on either’s report card. There is certainly good reason why it would be in their interests to do so, but I can’t see them or their teams making it work even if they want to.

There is also the question of who might challenge Tory next time round. Ford has a few disciples on Council who might have aspirations, and Ford may have owies already - or may have an interest in backing one of them in preference to either remaining neutral about the mayoralty or supporting Tory for another term. I suspect Ford would prefer to see a change and I also suspect Tory knows this. So I bet these two stay standoffish and wary of each other.

There is a certain logic to “better the devil that you know” - but politics
is not logical. Depending who throws their hat in the ring, all bets on a Tory-Ford truce are off IMHO.

- Paul

 

[Irishmonk]

UT needs a poltical fantasy thread to get some thru 4-8 Ford years. It's already absolute capitulation when you are dreaming up Trump saving you from Ford

You really think I'm looking forward to a a possible global recession and a certain local one? Gimmee a break. And please explain how Trump's isolationism and Drug's austerity policies are going to help out Ontario--and get lots and lots of shiny new subways to everyones front door. EDIT. And Drug's inevitable failings are going to be on Drug alone since he's the populist man-of the-people dishing out promises like 20 dollar bills, and not some bean counting technocrat.

 

[W. K. Lis]

The transit projects would be "make work" projects. Better learn the trades if you need a job in the transit projects in the coming years.

 

[OneCity]

You really think I'm looking forward to a a possible global recession and a certain local 9one? Gimmee a break. And please explain how Trump's isolationism and Drug's austerity policies are going to help out Ontario--and get lots and lots of shiny new subways to everyones front door. EDIT. And Drug's inevitable failings are going to be on Drug alone since he's the populist man-of the-people dishing out promises like 20 dollar bills, and not some bean counting technocrat.

This is really off topic but I'll keep that in mind. Ive been waiting for the predictions of the world ending and the greatest recession since Trump took office. Surely there will be one another year or decade I guess. Always is.

Anyhow not sure you can debate or have a reasonable discussion with someone calling the Doug "Drug" and making up their own hopefully fantasy predictions somehow he won't be Premier for 4 years. Good luck with that.

 

[Irishmonk]

Yeah, you're going to get lots of reasonable discussions when you automatically label the opposing opinion a "fantasy". And Drug Fraud was in fact a drug dealer--so, I think the moniker actually applies. Anyway, enjoy you BFF's honeymoon as much as you can cuz it's going to be a short one.

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

I hope that PC party members hold Premier Ford accountable and call him out when he needs to be called out.

 

[steveintoronto]

UT needs a poltical fantasy thread to get some thru 4-8 Ford years. It's already absolute capitulation when you are dreaming up Trump saving you from Ford

lol...come the Trumpture, Doug and Andrea will be working together in the soup kitchens, Andrea barking out snivel, and Ford dutifully enforcing the missives.

Crackers with your soup anyone? The people will have crackers, and no-one will get laid out...

 

[kEiThZ]

There is a certain logic to “better the devil that you know” - but politics
is not logical. Depending who throws their hat in the ring, all bets on a Tory-Ford truce are off IMHO.

There's more to the conservatives than just Ford. John Tory is someone they can work with. And on the topic at hand. They share a lot of common ideas on transit. Does the rest of his party really want to risk a left leaning mayor in Toronto? Always a risk of the vote gets split. Anything could happen. But I have a feeling, they'll find an uneasy peace.

Hopefully, they can work well enough together to at least deliver some signature transit achievements. I hope it's not Harris 2.0 where absolutely nothing gets built.

 

[timio]

I hope that PC party members hold Premier Ford accountable and call him out when he needs to be called out.

That is my hope as well. There are actually some reasonable conservative MPs that have a chance at cabinet. Let's hope they temper the more ludicrous proposals that were floated during the campaign into something a bit more reasonable.

 

[TransitBart]

I hope it's not Harris 2.0 where absolutely nothing gets built.

My perception is that most people think not enough was getting done. Was he elected to do more or to continue the Liberal record of studying, dragging out and pushing into the future, ie appears like nothing to most people.

I suspect people want action. And that inaction will quickly translate into poor public approval. The question is, what action?

 

[Rainforest]

We saw John Tory's transit priorities during and since the last election: GO RER, Eglinton West rapid transit expansion and the Scarborough Subway Extension

The only reason DRL even gets mentioned is as a caveat of YNSE.

Ergo, it's obvious where Tory and Doug Ford can find common ground moving forward. The only added benefit having Ford's PCs in the mix is now there's a province-level preference for grade separation in as many contexts as possible. This is the effective end of light rail transit on the surface for the foreseeable future, casting the Hamilton and Hurontario LRT lines in doubt (ION LRT Phase 2 is likely safe though). But for Toronto that means the Crosstown will be fully grade-separated from Pearson to UTSC.

I think Tory and Ford are mostly compatible on the transit matters, any differences negotiable.

The risk here is that they pick a fight over something unrelated to transit, and then it affects everything including transit. Let's hope that doesn't happen.