The Mayor Miller appreciation thread

[SimonP]

Brian Topp writing in the Globe has a good quick summary of what Miller tried to accomplish during his time in office:

Public transit needed to be planned and put on track. The city needed to grow upwards (into towers and other high density), not outwards (into ever-more-sprawling suburbs). The city's taxes needed to be rationalized and rebalanced. Its economic development strategy needed to be modernized. Broken neighbourhoods needed to be addressed, and the hopeless people living there given hope. The city needed to be, literally, cleaned up. The city's lobbyist/insider culture needed to be, figuratively and literally, cleaned up.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

I'm surprised so many people have been saying that Miller used the excuse of spending more time with his family, with the real reason being dwindling poll numbers. Miller was a brilliant campaigner and even Tory admitted that he is not the kind of guy to back down from a political fight. This was an issue of putting family first, and the images of his son choking back tears seem to affirm this.

if he would run next election, he would probably win. only smitherman would be a real contender.

 

[adma]

First, Miller has had the nerve to stand against the expansion of the Island airport. Some stupid mayor back in the 1930's forked over the land near Hanlans for that damned facility. Now, at its best it's a tacky convenience to those who want to leave this town but quick. At its worst it's a tremendous eyesore and a misuse of the lands -- a full-on Stanley Park-like use would be a better thing for all (with the residents kicked off). But the shortsighted among us have prevailed, and they settled for third prize in the Lotario of life - voila, there’s this tacky visage, for all to see. And we’re propping it up with taxpayer dollars.

Ah, "residents kicked off". Coupling anti-airport sentiment with anti-Wards sentiment. Not sure what kind of grand coalition you'll be able to assemble for that.

Besides, as much a barrier to "Stanley Park-like use" is the kind of 50s/60s park-planning sterility that replaced the residents everywhere but Wards/Algonquin--coupled with the difference btw/Toronto and Vancouver climate and vegetation, it makes for a pretty pallid Stanley Park proxy...

 

[urbanboom]

The question that makes me ponder the most about Miller's departure, is "who are people who leave comments at the toronto star going to blame now" Seriously, if there was snowstorm, it was acceptable to blame Miller for it. I guess there's always McGuinty, it's just not quite the same...

 

[adma]

They can always blame Miller. Just as so many Miller supporters have never stopped blaming Mike Harris...

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

Miller took too much advice from his idiotic Mayor's Office and Executive Committee rather than make decisions on his own. I think if he made more decisions on his own or consulted with the public more often, his 2 terms would have been much better.

 

[Seymour]

David Miller is the shining star for the City of Toronto. Though I understand why he is not running for a 3rd term, I am still sorry for it, and the loss the city will experience without his leadership.

Sadly, we will not fully see the results of his time in office until he is gone from it. I wish him the very best he is now the most desirable, employable person in this country.

It's always Miller Time!

 

[MetroMan]

The question that makes me ponder the most about Miller's departure, is "who are people who leave comments at the toronto star going to blame now" Seriously, if there was snowstorm, it was acceptable to blame Miller for it. I guess there's always McGuinty, it's just not quite the same...

Smitherman of course. It has already begun: http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/701453 ... and he's not even Mayor yet.

 

[urbanboom]

Smitherman of course. It has already begun: http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/701453 ... and he's not even Mayor yet.

HAHAHA! Wow. I really hope these people aren't a fair representation of Canada.

 

[DC83]

I'm going to say Transit City! I really hope this legacy continues on!

He's a good change from having a furniture salesman as a mayor.

Can I tell you how upsetting it is to have Mel Lastman at Tiger Cat Games!? Why is he here? Who cares if there's a Bad Boy in Burlington;
He's still the former Mayor of Toronto!

Who's Douchier than Mel Lastman?

Noooo... Well, I'm sure you can all figure out the answer.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

I don't mind at all when municipal politics are infused from time to time with healthy doses of comic relief, corruption, and blustery windbag personalities, and I even think municipal politics need a certain amount of all that. Now, Miller didn't do or say much of anything that was ridiculous and avoided most faux pas, and this helped to simultaneously show that he was a pretty sensible (except for transit issues), reliable, and serious mayor and highlight the buffoonery of the rest of council, of journalists, etc. If the next mayor isn't entertaining like Lastman or Ford, I hope his/her critics are!

 

[GraphicMatt]

The other thing I think Miller deserves some appreciation for is turfing Julian Fantino. The only negative to that move is we're still stuck with Fantino and his litany of corruption charges only now at the provincial level with the OPP, but at least the city now has a sensible, effective police chief.

 

[TonyV]

Besides, as much a barrier to "Stanley Park-like use" is the kind of 50s/60s park-planning sterility that replaced the residents everywhere but Wards/Algonquin--coupled with the difference btw/Toronto and Vancouver climate and vegetation, it makes for a pretty pallid Stanley Park proxy...

Why is it that here in Toronto, the word "park" is so often coupled with the world "sterile". Having just taken a walk through fantastic Central Park in Manhattan two weekends ago, I believe that is the urban park to lift, not Stanley. There are delights galore in Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum is part of it. (Oh, and adma, the veg there is so much like ours).

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

Miller was not Mayor (Nov 2003-Nov 2010) when Mike Harris and Ernie Eves were Premiers (Oct 1995-Oct 2003) so he had it much easier than Lastman. So to compare Mayor Miller and Mayor Lastman is unfair. I am sure if Miller was mayor while Harris and Eves were Premier, he would have experienced the same annoying problems and would not have been able to implement much

 

[GraphicMatt]

Miller was not Mayor (Nov 2003-Nov 2010) when Mike Harris and Ernie Eves were Premiers (Oct 1995-Oct 2003) so he had it much easier than Lastman. So to compare Mayor Miller and Mayor Lastman is unfair. I am sure if Miller was mayor while Harris and Eves were Premier, he would have experienced the same annoying problems and would not have been able to implement much

Ah, yes, Lastman's numerous progressive and urban-minded policies that were done in by those darn backwater right-wingers at Queen's Park.