Mayor John Tory's Toronto

[DSC]

City Council consideration on May 5, 2021

EX23.5

ACTION​

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Ward: All​

Reimbursement of Legal Expenses for a Former Member of Council​

As I suspected, the ex-Councillor getting some legal expenses refunded is our old friend, Justin di Dunpar! (Even so, he was not charged so it is not unreasonable he should get some $$ back as he was investigated for his actions as a Councillor).

From new Report: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-166607.pdf

"COMMENTS The former member requesting reimbursement is Justin Di Ciano. The request for reimbursement is described in the main report as "legal representation by Fenton, Smith Barristers in relation to a police investigation relating to the performance of their official duties. The police terminated their investigation without laying any charges." The investigation was conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police. The fees paid were for legal advice and representation plus reasonable disbursements. As stated in the main report, the City Solicitor has reviewed the invoices supplied by the requester and attests to the reasonableness of the fees charged."

 

[Northern Light]

It would appear, according to The Star article linked below; that Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong directly interfered with and scuttled negotiations to lease the Don Valley Inn as an emergency shelter during the pandemic.

As that site is scheduled for redevelopment in the next 2 years, this would have worked out well for both parties as the City would not have had to restore the building to hotel condition at the end of the term.

Toronto needed temporary shelters for the homeless during COVID-19. A North York hotel seemed ideal. Then the deal mysteriously fell apart

Failed deal leaves questions about involvement of a local councillor and staff concerns about unspecified pressures in the negotiating process.

www.thestar.com

For those needing a boost over the paywall:

Outline - Read & annotate without distractions

Outline is a free service for reading and annotating news articles. We remove the clutter so you can analyze and comment on the content.

outline.com

 

[DSC]

It would appear, according to The Star article linked below; that Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong directly interfered with and scuttled negotiations to lease the Don Valley Inn as an emergency shelter during the pandemic.

As that site is scheduled for redevelopment in the next 2 years, this would have worked out well for both parties as the City would not have had to restore the building to hotel condition at the end of the term.

Toronto needed temporary shelters for the homeless during COVID-19. A North York hotel seemed ideal. Then the deal mysteriously fell apart

Failed deal leaves questions about involvement of a local councillor and staff concerns about unspecified pressures in the negotiating process.

www.thestar.com

For those needing a boost over the paywall:

Outline - Read & annotate without distractions

Outline is a free service for reading and annotating news articles. We remove the clutter so you can analyze and comment on the content.

outline.com

Our old friend Denzil M-W - one of John Tory's worst decisions was making him Deputy mayor. What a pain!

 

[W. K. Lis]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1390372952286318593

Except pharmacies of course.

 

[SunriseChampion]

It would appear, according to The Star article linked below; that Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong directly interfered with and scuttled negotiations to lease the Don Valley Inn as an emergency shelter during the pandemic.

Good.

Warehousing people in bootleg buildings like this only perpetuates their downfall.

Get them proper housing. Legalise drugs. Treat mental health as a part of health. And don't go easy on people who refuse to help themselves.

 

[turini2]

For all of the complaints about Tory on the transit file (quite rightly imo, Smartrack has turned out to be a few additional GO stations... ), the announcements this week will mean that four major transit projects will be fully funded during his term of office...
Pretty impressive when you compare to predecessors, I wonder how he (and his re-election team) will try and spin this doing the next mayoral election...

I also wonder if the opening of the Eglinton Crosstown (hopefully) in 2022 will help Tory's election changes - or if it's late, if it will harm his reelection chances!

 

[Northern Light]

A report to the next Planning and Housing Committee recommends doing away w/Toronto's natural garden exemption process and permitting natural gardens by default.

It does propose to continue to have a height limit for turfgrass (ie. a lawn); but that simply wouldn't apply to other vegetation.

This is a very positive policy development for nature; and a better way to manage City resources.

Report here: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/ph/bgrd/backgroundfile-166705.pdf

Of note, there will still be regulations for health and safety; as follows:

The prohibited species list:

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Note of amusement...........if the City applied this by-law to its own parks, it would fine itself into oblivion.

There are hundreds of acres of garlic mustard and dog strangling vine in the City's natural areas........

 

[W. K. Lis]

A report to the next Planning and Housing Committee recommends doing away w/Toronto's natural garden exemption process and permitting natural gardens by default.

It does propose to continue to have a height limit for turfgrass (ie. a lawn); but that simply wouldn't apply to other vegetation.

This is a very positive policy development for nature; and a better way to manage City resources.

Report here: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/ph/bgrd/backgroundfile-166705.pdf

Of note, there will still be regulations for health and safety; as follows:

View attachment 319224

The prohibited species list:

View attachment 319225
View attachment 319226

****


Note of amusement...........if the City applied this by-law to its own parks, it would fine itself into oblivion.

There are hundreds of acres of garlic mustard and dog strangling vine in the City's natural areas........

What about...

Toxicodendron radicans, commonly known as eastern poison ivy or poison ivy?

 

[Northern Light]

What about...

Toxicodendron radicans, commonly known as eastern poison ivy or poison ivy?

What about it?

Is it on the list? Yes.

Is it common in natural areas......?

Yes, though nowhere near as much as the two I noted above.

Though its pretty hard to argue for managing that one in natural areas given that it is a native plant.

 

[DSC]

Though I am not really in favour of 'scrubbing history' by renaming buildings, streets or 'stuff" (better to explain than sanitise in my opinion!), I am very pleased that in 2013/2014 the City did not do as Denzil Minnan-Wong wanted and rename Union Station after Sir John A. MacDonald. We ended up with the "Plaza" being named after Canada's First PM and one of the proponents of the Indian Residential Schools. I have heard nothing about item #5 below - and just as well!

Yet another example of poor judgement on Councillor Minnan-Wong's part and again raises questions as to why John Tory appointed him and keeps him as Deputy mayor. Here is the Council motion.

1. City Council direct that Union Station not be re-named to Sir John A. Macdonald Station.

2. City Council authorize, upon completion of the Union Station revitalization, that the plaza that is being redeveloped in front of Union Station be formally named after Sir John A. Macdonald.

3. City Council authorize, upon addressing outstanding operational issues, the installation of a plaque on Union Station's parapet wall to commemorate the naming of the new Sir John A. Macdonald Plaza.

4. City Council direct that in accordance with the City's Honourific and Street Naming Policy, the purchase and installation of the Sir John A. Macdonald plaque be contingent upon securing the necessary funding from external parties.

5. City Council direct the City Manager to establish a Sir John A. MacDonald Working Group, composed of Councillors, staff, and local businesses to properly recognize the Sir John A. Macdonald Plaza.

 

[concrete_and_light]

Tory continuing to align himself with and keep Denzil Minnan-Wong as a deputy mayor is an absolute disgrace, and I'd love to see a journalist push him on this. And not let him do his endless run-on-sentence defence routine where he says a lot of words in defence of himself and how his positions are exactly right and reasonable and talks around the issue but never says anything of substance. Tory likes his image as Mr. Moderate Sensible Nice Guy, but he keeps the worst of Toronto's politicians around him and in positions of power. Same thing with Holyday. It's so demoralizing that he seems to completely get away with this without ever being challenged on it or have the public at large recognize how cynical it is.

Even putting aside political positions, these close allies (DMW and Holyday) that he puts in positions of significance and authority like Deputy Mayor are among the most overtly disrespectful and mean-spirited people on council who frequently pursue their political goals (which are themselves cruel and selfish) in overtly cruel and unkind ways. Why does Tory, who seems to value decorum so much, feel it is appropriate to reward these mean-spirited people with positions of such significance? It's wrong and it's disgusting and Tory should be ashamed.

Unfortunately I'm not sure he can feel that emotion. He's seemingly convinced himself he is always correct and his moderation is always perfectly calibrated. And if Tory doesn't see how they are routinely mean-spirited and cruel, what does that say about him? I just hope he retires (for a lot of reasons) or if he runs again that the city wakes up to the kind of leader he is and the harm through neglect and cowardice that he is doing to our city.

 

[afransen]

Maybe he is being clever and trying not to alienate the Ford Nation wedge of the electorate by co-opting the closest analogues on council, while in reality governing more with the centre/left consensus on council.

 

[concrete_and_light]

Maybe he is being clever and trying not to alienate the Ford Nation wedge of the electorate by co-opting the closest analogues on council, while in reality governing more with the centre/left consensus on council.

He probably thinks he is, yeah, but it's still wrong IMO, putting such awful people into roles of Deputy Mayor. And reflects a fundamentally defensive and capitulating orientation towards governance that we see the negative effects of in other areas as well.

 

[afransen]

Do DMW and Holyday actually achieve much? They seem to be perpetually in the minority in voting.

 

[DSC]

Maybe he is being clever and trying not to alienate the Ford Nation wedge of the electorate by co-opting the closest analogues on council, while in reality governing more with the centre/left consensus on council.

Keeping one's friends close but one's enemies closer! Maybe, but it really reflects poorly on his administration. A committee chair, maybe. Deputy Mayor, NO.