Rob Ford's Toronto

[TOareaFan]

So, Mayor Miller liking soccer is equivalent to Mayor Miller being the coach of the Canadian Men's soccer team while the above was happening?

That is not even close to what I am saying....and I am not being critical of Mayor Miller at all.....just that Mayors are people too....they have areas of interest to them....Mr. Miller being an legit/avid/passionate soccer fan knew the CSA was looking for a new stadium....and he took this knowledge and assisted in making the partnership between MLSE/CSA/Toronto/Feds work.

Mr. Ford's interest being high school football...and that interest leading to him being at Bosco a lot and hearing/knowing that the Province is funding high school football fields he turns around and advocates on behalf of Bosco.

Neither are despicable acts....quite the contrary, they are acts of two guys in an office and keeping their eyes open for opportunities to assist constituents.....kinda the way I would want an elected official to act.

(none of my comments are reflective of any of the other Ford "stuff"....just that this one seems a real stretch)

 

[typezed]

The article states that five sports fields were given funds. They could be all high school fields, but it doesn't say that. It could mean that funds were given for the field at U of T, or at a large soccer complex that is used daily throughout the season. Or it could have been multicultural funding for cricket fields and that Indian Red Rover game, like the field in Brampton. Artificial turf for high school football probably isn't a high priority for many, unless like Rob Ford they dream of bringing small town Texas style high school football hoopla to Ontario. As scandals go, this isn't big news, sure he can ask for money for his pet projects. But maybe this and other recent stories are an indication that Mayor Ford isn't as pure towards the public purse as he postures. He's willing to stick his hand out for the things he cares about. The only difference between him and everyone else is that he only cares about two things: football and keeping the roads unimpeded for cars.

This arrangement seems dirtier to me than most of the recent revelations, Ford negotiating community funds be directed to his very narrow community obsession, but can't really complain now if council supported it*:

In 2010, when Ford was running for mayor, he negotiated a Section 37 agreement to approve a nearby Lowe’s development in exchange for a $75,000 company contribution to the change room improvements, which Jakovcic said cost $100,000 to $120,000. The arrangement was publicly disclosed and council as a whole voted in favour of it, three months into Ford’s campaign.

*Maybe because other councilors are similarly guilty of using development fees as slush funds to be directed towards their personal priorities, whether its women's shelters or giant flagpoles.

 

[Peepers]

This arrangement seems dirtier to me than most of the recent revelations, Ford negotiating community funds be directed to his very narrow community obsession, but can't really complain now if council supported it*:

In 2010, when Ford was running for mayor, he negotiated a Section 37 agreement to approve a nearby Lowe’s development in exchange for a $75,000 company contribution to the change room improvements, which Jakovcic said cost $100,000 to $120,000. The arrangement was publicly disclosed and council as a whole voted in favour of it, three months into Ford’s campaign.

*Maybe because other councilors are similarly guilty of using development fees as slush funds to be directed towards their personal priorities, whether its women's shelters or giant flagpoles.

I agree that this transaction was dirty (approving a development in exchange for getting funds for a pet project) but as you note this is something that every councilor does and one of the biggest offender in this area is Fords biggest opponent , Adam Vaughan. They need to change the rules so that none of the councilors can use section 37 funds to play god.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I didn't say that Miller did do something like that - that was a hypothetical, however as noted by TOareaFan above, Miller did in fact lobby other levels of government to fund a new home for soccer in Toronto and that Miller is a big fan of soccer. Don't recall any headlines in the Star expressing outrage over Miller's actions.

I don't think the improvements to football fields is an issue quite frankly as they benefit the community and city at large, however using any hypothetical against an allegation is what I think is unfair when comparing Miller to Ford. I'm not suggesting Miller was perfect, he certainly wasn't, but he should in no way be compared to that boob in office right now. No former Mayor should be compared to Ford, it's disrespectful!

 

[canmark]

Sorry Doug Ford, but New York City has stolen your giant ferris wheel idea: World’s Biggest Ferris Wheel to Anchor Staten Island Complex

The world’s largest Ferris wheel will be part of an almost $500 million development on Staten Island that will also feature an outlet mall and hotel next to an existing minor-league baseball stadium, New York City officials said.

The tentatively named New York Wheel will be a short walk from the Staten Island Ferry, the city’s third-most-popular tourist attraction, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said today. It will stand 625 feet (190 meters) high, exceeding by 84 feet the Singapore Flyer and by 75 feet a planned wheel in Las Vegas.

“No question: The wheel and the outlet shopping center will put Staten Island right in the center of travel plans for millions of visitors to our city,” Bloomberg said at a news conference on the island. “Both will bring new life and economic opportunity to the borough.”
* * *
BFC Partners, a Brooklyn-based developer, will construct Harbor Commons, a 350,000-square-foot retail complex featuring 100 designer outlets and restaurants and a 200-room, 120,000- square-foot hotel south of the ballpark, where an affiliate of the New York Yankees plays.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Hmm, do we even have anything here in TO that comes close to attracting 4.5 million visitors a year.

Officials expect a peak of 30,000 riders per day and about 4.5 million visitors per year. Rides in the 36 capsules, each able to carry as many as 40 passengers with a maximum capacity of 1,440 people per ride, will last about 38 minutes

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

Hmm, do we even have anything here in TO that comes close to attracting 4.5 million visitors a year.

Officials expect a peak of 30,000 riders per day and about 4.5 million visitors per year. Rides in the 36 capsules, each able to carry as many as 40 passengers with a maximum capacity of 1,440 people per ride, will last about 38 minutes

http://www.londoneye.com/AboutUs/InterestingFacts/Default.aspx

Ridership of 3.5mn at London eye. 3.2mn at Statue of Liberty. 2mn at CN tower. The NY wheel figure is coming out of the same thin air as the Toronto casino figures. Total BS, IMHO.

 

[Mongo]

Toronto councillors almost come to blows

Toronto councillors Giorgio Mammoliti and Gord Perks came close to physically confronting each other in a heated argument over the integrity of the city ombudsman.

The incident was sparked by Mammoliti's comments Wednesday concerning a report issued by Ombudsman Fiona Crean that found Mayor Rob Ford's office exerted undue influence on the process of appointing people to the city's boards and commissions.

Mammoliti, an ally of the mayor, rose in council and questioned the impartiality of the ombudsman, calling her report politically driven.

When the speaker demanded an apology from Mammoliti, he refused and left the floor. Mammoliti later went to the back of the council chambers to speak to reporters when he was confronted by Perks.

"Shame on you. Get out of this chamber," said Perks, who stood just centimetres away from Mammoliti while pointing aggressively at the councillor.

"You're a bully, you're trying to destroy the public service in this city. Get out of here. You said you were leaving the chamber. Leave the chamber," said Perks, as Mammoliti repeatedly said "Don't touch me."

"I will defend myself if you keep touching me. Don't touch me," said Mammoliti.

"I'm not touching you Giorgio. Leave the chamber," said Perks.

Crean will take questions from council on her report Thursday morning.

Anyone up for some nineteenth-century fisticuffs?

 

[ShonTron]

The Globe and Mail strongly hints that the "unnamed councillor" was none other than Mammo Thumbs.

And Thumbs goes off the deep end at council, prompting this strange confrontation between Gord Perks and Mammo.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/cit...cil-mammoliti-and-perks-almost-get-in-a-fight

 

[Peepers]

And Thumbs goes off the deep end at council, prompting this strange confrontation between Gord Perks and Mammo.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/cit...cil-mammoliti-and-perks-almost-get-in-a-fight

Did you watch the video?

If anyone went off the deep end it was Perks. He made a complete ass of himself running after Mammo and getting in his face. Mammo displayed a great deal of restraint by not using physical force to fend off Gord Perks (which he would be entitled to do).

Mammolitti was right for refusing to apologize to Crean who is obviously politically motivated and is using her $193,000 a year position to try and stab in the back an elected official.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

How is it "obviously politically motivated" when her report doesn't even mention names? And what does the amount she was paid have *anything* to do with the validity of the influence issue at hand, other than the weak attempt to insert the not-so-subtle notion that she is, in your opinion, an overpaid, privileged bureaucrat? Besides, you can't stab someone in the back if it wasn't facing you to start off with. Take the analogy however you want to.

AoD

 

[ShonTron]

How is it "obviously politically motivated" when her report doesn't even mention names? And what does the amount she was paid have *anything* to do with the validity of the influence issue at hand, other than the weak attempt to insert the not-so-subtle notion that she is, in your opinion, an overpaid, privileged bureaucrat? Besides, you can't stab someone in the back if it wasn't facing you to start off with. Take the analogy however you want to.

AoD

I seem to recall some right-wing nut from Mississauga singing Fiona Crean's praises for helping some poor landowner fight city hall at Ford's own inauguration.

Mammo was about to be kicked out of the council chamber by a real politically motivated lefty, Frances Nunziata, for refusing to apologize for comments he made about the Ombudsman that questioned her integrity. This is what I meant by him going off the deep end. Are you for real when you say that Mammo could have slugged Perks for that? Perks was an ass, sure, but he didn't lay a hand on him.

Perks was Perks. I'm not a fan of him much either, but he's right. Mammo and his ilk are forcing out decent city staffers through intimidation and constructive dismissal for not playing by the Ford playbook.

 

[dbailey62]

I seem to recall some right-wing nut from Mississauga singing Fiona Crean's praises for helping some poor landowner fight city hall at Ford's own inauguration.

Mammo was about to be kicked out of the council chamber by a real politically motivated lefty, Frances Nunziata, for refusing to apologize for comments he made about the Ombudsman that questioned her integrity. This is what I meant by him going off the deep end. Are you for real when you say that Mammo could have slugged Perks for that? Perks was an ass, sure, but he didn't lay a hand on him.

Perks was Perks. I'm not a fan of him much either, but he's right. Mammo and his ilk are forcing out decent city staffers through intimidation and constructive dismissal for not playing by the Ford playbook.

Perks shouldn't have done what he did but as you say, he was right. I for one am shocked and impressed that Nunziatta would do what she did.

Just as in any legislative chamber at any level, their are protocols regarding correct behaviour. You simply cannot do what Mamms did. For him to storm out of the chamber rather than apologize just illustrates what kind of a spoiled, petulent, little child he can be.

 

[canmark]

Plastic bag ban upheld.

In another blow to Mayor Rob Ford, city council has voted not to reconsider its June decision to ban plastic bags as of Jan. 1.

Ford had urged the public to lobby their councillors to keep the bags. But Councillor David Shiner, the architect of the ban, said he only received eight calls.

The council decision in June to ban the bags could only be re-opened if two thirds of council agreed. The vote was 27-18, short of the two thirds threshold.

* * *

Shiner, whose surprise motion in June to ban the bags passed 24-20, said public opinion is on his side.

“It’s not the public that’s outraged,†he told reporters. “The mayor said call your councillor. I had eight phone calls. I have 65,000 people in my ward. People understand that it’s the right thing to do.

Shiner said he will push for public consultations at the public works committee on what type of ban should be imposed.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Plastic bag ban upheld.

“Torontonians rely on them for household pet and organic waste, 85 per cent of the bags are re-used, very few go to landfill and the balance are recycled in the blue box system into useful products.”

So if they are re-used for household pet and organic waste then don't they end up in a landfill?

Sorry but I'm just glad Ford lost this one, I'm bitter after yesterday's Jarvis bike lane defeat (sorry, that's childish, I know) plus everything plastic is bad for the environment. Now it's up to Council to dream up a green alternative to plastic bags. I'd like to see the Province or the Feds ban plastic bottles and all that plastic wrap on practically everything we buy. Glass bottles worked just fine, the product tastes better and can be recycled.