Rob Ford's Toronto

[pattycakes]

UTS is A LOT harder to get into than UCC - you just don't show up there with a cheque in hand - you have to be smart too. This is probably what Dofus meant by JT being an elite - he has an IQ over 75 (though I would suspect you probably need to be over 130 to be able to pass the UTS entry exams).

FIFY

Ari's latest interview with LeDrew:
http://www.cp24.com/video?clipId=463984

 

[tiffer24]

Doug will definitely need another attention-seeking diversion today if he doesn't attend tonight's debate. Will it be:

a) the ever reliable bomb threat
b) a rabid anti-Semitic letter addressed to his wife
c) Rob's health takes a turn for the worse
d) all of the above

 

[TonyV]

Let's hope that OC or JT hit DoFo with that tonight (assuming he shows up). So far that hasn't happened and they're both letting Ari do the heavy lifting. That's what I'm really ticked about, no one but Ari is calling BS on the Ford's bag of lies.

Ford has left some serious rope lying around and he's ripe for a big comeuppance just about now, or at least very soon. It won't take much effort for the other two leading candidates to trip him up. I expect at least JT to turn up the volume as election day approaches. As for OC, well, I just don't know.

Toward the last 1.5 weeks, look for a lot of volume. That's when the voters are paying the most attention.

I regret how negative an exercise this has become, all because of the Fords.

 

[sno man]

I think Doug would be quite happy to avoid a debate on priority neighbourhoods. The Fordian track record on community programs, anti-gang programs, child care, and all other supports is abysmal.

I think you are right, I might be giving them too much credit here, but I wonder if the whole thing was an effort to derail the debate to the point that it didn't happen at all.
Now, if Doug were a man of his word, he'd be out and stay out, which he should do because he has no plan for priority neighbourhoods other than to keep them that way, but that's not Doug's way. Look for Doug to show up, VERY last minute, to try and derail it again, and either get in and turn into a gong show, or not get in and have a coincident presser in the parking lot where he will talk of the subway he's going to build right by the venue without disruption or cost.

 

[PinkLucy]

I think Doug would be quite happy to avoid a debate on priority neighbourhoods. The Fordian track record on community programs, anti-gang programs, child care, and all other supports is abysmal.

It's ok. He said he would be touring the area today, talking to the people instead of debating. Probably handing out $20 bills.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I think it is because the Ford base is pretty much locked in. If the last several years haven't convinced these people to not vote for the Fords, then nothing will change that. Especially nothing coming from Chow's mouth. Her only hope is to claw votes away from Tory.

Yah I don't believe this for one second. Ford supports besides Ford Nation are disgruntled probably politically disenfranchised groups in the suburbs. Many of them recent immigrants.

Chow is the person who should be able to connect most with this group if she got her message across. But she won't and will continue to go after Tory stupidly. Her campaign really reeks of Barbara Hall.

 

[Yaitsme]

I think you are right, I might be giving them too much credit here, but I wonder if the whole thing was an effort to derail the debate to the point that it didn't happen at all.
Now, if Doug were a man of his word, he'd be out and stay out, which he should do because he has no plan for priority neighbourhoods other than to keep them that way, but that's not Doug's way. Look for Doug to show up, VERY last minute, to try and derail it again, and either get in and turn into a gong show, or not get in and have a coincident presser in the parking lot where he will talk of the subway he's going to build right by the venue without disruption or cost.

And $20 bills being dropped from the ceiling and shooting out the back of his new RV

 

[nohostages]

Look for Doug to show up, VERY last minute, to try and derail it again, and either get in and turn into a gong show, or not get in and have a coincident presser in the parking lot.

Now were seeing the pattern. Lets not forget that right after the switcheroo that it was unclear who if anyone would be showing up for these preplanned debates. Doug took a week and a half before he graced any of the debates with his presence, Tory was spotty and dropped out of a TRANSIT debate four hours before it commenced. At one point Olivia Chow did a debate solo. Ari started getting invites and he started getting press because of it. Both Tory and Ford gave him the platform by being disrespectful of the whole process. Now Ford finds him a formidable foe so he's taking his ball and going home? Pouty bully bullshit.
Ari deserves a place at the debates. I did not like Ari blaming Chow for not boycotting Fridays priority neighborhood debate. Its not her balliwick (sp?) If Dofo skips it he will have shown in glaring relief what importance he attaches to these neighborhoods. NIL.

And the effing press falling all over themselves to cover Dofo in a parking lot is making me retch. He got more face time at a leafs game than his opponents at a debate. FFS. When this is over I'm tossing my tv.

 

[PinkLucy]

I did not like Ari blaming Chow for not boycotting Fridays priority neighborhood debate. Its not her balliwick (sp?) If Dofo skips it he will have shown in glaring relief what importance he attaches to these neighborhoods. NIL.

Again, the point isn't the topic of the debate. The point is that Ford was bullying the organizers, so yes, Chow should have taken a stand against that. As someone pointed out last night, if Ford had pulled out of a Board of Trade debate, would Chow have been saying the same things?

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

She was on life-support before, but now I think we can officially stick a fork in her. What a stupid waste, and what an incredibly stupidly run campaign.

What pains me is that her running prevented any other left-leaning candidate to run.

We could've had someone like Adam Vaughan running, or some other reputable left-leaning candidate. Instead they all stood aside because Chow "had this in the bag". But now, not only has the left lost Trinity-Spadina federally, Chow is also doing her best to help Thug Ford win. Mind-blowing.

 

[GavinTheAlmighty]

I really want to vote for Chow, and not let her campaign foibles get in the way, but it's so hard!

Meh. This is all just noise as far as I'm concerned. It doesn't affect her platform, which is more appealing to me than either Ford or Tory at this point. It would be nice if she'd made a stand against the debate organizer, but whatever. We need to remember that the overwhelming majority of the voting public doesn't follow #TOpoli or Urban Toronto.

"We're not interested in playing these games."

that's Amin Massoudi on CP24 now. What an ass. I think it''s the first time I've actually heard him talk, the coms director for the fricking mayor of Toronto.
His spin is that we're close to election day and it should only be the major candidates at this point. He's just got a big ol soft spot for democracy, Amin does. He only wants to debate "leading candidates."

Amin Massoudi has been a piece of shit for ages.

 

[tiffer24]

When do you get involved, Ms. Chow?

ddale8 9:37am via Twitter for iPhone
Chow on debate attendance: "I didn't get involved, I didn't put ultimatums." People want to hear about issues.

 

[FraudNation]

...

Amin Massoudi has been a piece of shit for ages.

Too far man. He has cancer, and there for has been absolved of all previous and future assholery.

 

[tiffer24]

ddale8 10:01am via Twitter for iPhone
Rob Ford opponent Andray Domise calls Doug Ford "nakedly sociopathic" and an "irredeemably bad human being": https://t.co/Gg4MNSW4kP

 

[NoCleverName]

(though I would suspect you probably need to be over 130 to be able to pass the UTS entry exams).

UTS isn't that hard, they no longer use their own exams. It's just the SSAT. A smart kid with good work ethic and test prep makes it. Though having a solid psycho educational assessment and a good questionnaire help.