Rob Ford's Toronto

[Tulse]

This kind of left-right partisanship was largely absent, or at least informal, prior to Ford. Sure, civic politicians may have been known as being more conservative or progressive, but the idea of strict polarization is a very recent phenomenon, and I'd argue it's largely been imported by the current administration.

 

[Automation Gallery]

This kind of left-right partisanship was largely absent, or at least informal, prior to Ford.

Huh, where have you been hiding, you obviously havent been living in the city of Toronto

 

[Tulse]

No, I have been for nearly thirty years. Again, it's not that there weren't civic politicians with leanings one way or another, but that the overall political discourse wasn't polarized to this radical degree -- rather, city-running was seen primarily as a bureaucratic/technocratic endeavour.

In the past, it was not the case that every single issue was viewed through an ideological lens -- indeed, most of civic politics was relatively ideologically neutral (e.g., there were plenty of "conservative" mayors who passed tax increases). It is only recently, and primarily with this administration, that every item seems to be a test of some ideological purity.

 

[GraphicMatt]

For whatever reason, playing well with others wasn't considered an important quality during the 2010 municipal campaign. In reality, our system of local governance isn't set up to accommodate maverick lone-wolf politicians.

Hopefully the idea of consensus-building plays a stronger role in the 2014 campaign.

 

[Tulse]

Another factor at play here is that, prior to amalgamation, much of the higher-level municipal decision-making was done by another level of government, Metro, which was very much a bureaucratic creature largely insulated from the to-and-fro of partisan politics (at least, politics not practiced in back rooms). There was no way for populist sentiment to impact on Metro council, which was not directly elected.

It is only post-amalgamation that broader issues of city direction are in play in elections. Many of the hot-button issues in the current administration wouldn't have even been the responsibility of the mayor in the Metro era (e.g., TTC, police, libraries, social services, public housing...).

 

[sarnya]

I'm really getting irritated by all this increased talk of "left", "centrist" and "right" that divides City Hall, look how this has bitterly divided a nation south of the border. I will place an "X" on my ballot for the next Mayoral candidate who vows to support all Torontonians and includes in his or her campaign the willingness to bring Council together on "the issues" that the city needs to focus and work on to make this a better place to live. Why is cycling a "left wing" issue? Why is solid fiscal management a right wing issue? What is the war on the car? They are simply important issues that face all Torontonians.

Speaking of political rabble rousing, I see the king of all rabble rousing, Matthew McGuire of the 'Toronto Taxpayers Coalition' is up to his old tricks.

From CityTV:

Toronto’s five-cent plastic bag fee is “illegal,†a tax-advocacy group charged Sunday, and is taking its concerns to court.

The Toronto Taxpayers Coalition has filed a complaint with the federal competition bureau, arguing the fixed-price fee violates the Competition Act.

“The bags generally cost a nickel to purchase [and added up] we’ve found it costs taxpayers between $10 and $20 million,†president Matthew McGuire told CityNews.

The city estimates that retailers collect about $5.4 million from the fee every year, much less than McGuire suggested.

Earlier this month, Mayor Rob Ford’s executive committee voted to eliminate the plastic bag fee, which was introduced by former mayor David Miller in 2009.

Since the fee was implemented, plastic bag use has decreased by about 53 per cent as people switch to reusable bags.

The city claims that about 457 million plastic bags were used in 2008. Now, Toronto residents use about 215 million plastic bags annually.

City council will make the final decision on the bag bylaw in June.

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/cityn...c-bag-fee-illegal-toronto-taxpayers-coalition

He had some fun with numbers last year when he claimed the city would have to raise property taxes by 34% to make up for $700 million deficit. At the time it was a silly allegation and in hindsight, it's just plain ridiculous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnDbwfZiT_0

It's a shame that someone like that gets media attention to spread blatant lies for the soul purpose of riling people up.

 

[Urban Shocker]

For whatever reason, playing well with others wasn't considered an important quality during the 2010 municipal campaign. In reality, our system of local governance isn't set up to accommodate maverick lone-wolf politicians.

Thus ... SchadenFord.

 

[Paleo]

No, I have been for nearly thirty years. Again, it's not that there weren't civic politicians with leanings one way or another, but that the overall political discourse wasn't polarized to this radical degree -- rather, city-running was seen primarily as a bureaucratic/technocratic endeavour.

In the past, it was not the case that every single issue was viewed through an ideological lens -- indeed, most of civic politics was relatively ideologically neutral (e.g., there were plenty of "conservative" mayors who passed tax increases). It is only recently, and primarily with this administration, that every item seems to be a test of some ideological purity.

Do you think Lastman had people like Towhey and Kouvalis lurking in the back rooms?

 

[canmark]

Is he back on a diet again?

Toronto Star: Mayor Rob Ford now says he’s not quitting weight loss challenge

Mayor Rob Ford returned Monday to the radio station where he announced Sunday that he had quit his diet. His message to NewsTalk 1010 listeners this time: I haven’t quit my diet.

In the latest odd twist in his ever-more-tumultuous “Cut the Waist Challenge,†Ford said Monday he didn’t mean he was abandoning the challenge when he said Sunday that he had stopped dieting and doesn’t care about his scheduled weigh-ins.

No weigh-in was held Monday morning, Councillor Doug Ford told reporters he would now be weighing in by himself, and Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday pronounced the challenge a mistake.

But the mayor then took to the airwaves to say he would weigh in once more, at the end of the challenge on June 18, and had simply been frustrated on Sunday by Doug Ford’s jokes about him.

“He just kept buggin’ me and buggin’ me and buggin’ me,†he told John Tory.

“I know I can do it. It’s just mind over matter,†he said. “It’s just frustrating. Everyone just keeps harping and harping and harping. I said, ‘Enough’s enough.’ I said, ‘I haven’t quit one thing in my life, I’m not gonna quit.’ Obviously I have to ge down, and I will. Somehow, some way, I will figure this out.â€

 

[PinkLucy]

Flip flop.
Bowing to pressure ... first from his brother, then from the media/public.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Oh for **** sake, can someone please duct tape this fool of a mayor? He need a shrink more than a workout at this point. He got the money, go get himself a lipo, gastric, whatever. I am sick and tired of his excuses and all this "I am not a quitter" ***t. If you are going to meltdown, quit your position as the chief magistrate and then do so in a quiet corner, the city deserves better than a 2-bit clown who is too busy making himself the issue.

AoD

 

[howl]

I don't see what people are upset about. This is perfectly normal behaviour . . . for a thirteen year old.

 

[malvern2]

Meanwhile Toronto has posted a surplus in the 70-90million dollar range, haters can focus on his weight, voters will focus on his ability to finally get city finances back on track.

 

[TonyV]

Oh for **** sake, can someone please duct tape this fool of a mayor? He need a shrink more than a workout at this point. He got the money, go get himself a lipo, gastric, whatever. I am sick and tired of his excuses and all this "I am not a quitter" ***t. If you are going to meltdown, quit your position as the chief magistrate and then do so in a quiet corner, the city deserves better than a 2-bit clown who is too busy making himself the issue.

AoD

Yes he is a fool, and yes, duct tape would be a good thing, but there is another problem, a few thousand voters who bought into Ford's "medicine". I am still thinking "WTF".

 

[Paleo]

Meanwhile Toronto has posted a surplus in the 70-90million dollar range, haters can focus on his weight, voters will focus on his ability to finally get city finances back on track.

That's a good one. When were they off track, genius?