Morning Brew: February 28th, 2008

toronto newsPhoto: "more darkness than light" by blogTO Flickr pooler gardinergirl.

Your morning news roundup for Thursday February 28th, 2008:

Gas prices continue to have a mind of their own, and dropped a few cents overnight in Toronto. One expert predicts a drop to $0.95/L by summer even though we continue to see crude oil costs breaking records. Hummer owners (who have never taken their vehicles into combat duty, or even off of a city street) won't likely notice because they're too busy shining their rims and pulling the Smart cars out of their tire treads.

In the meantime, our federal government continues to display utter incompetence by fast-tracking a ludicrous plan to connect Peterborough to Toronto by rapid rail when the city's transit system is majorly screwed.

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In related news, the highly ambitious $6-billion Transit City LRT plan is moving forward even though there's been no commitment by the federal government to assist in fund it. How awesome would it be if we could insist that Harper commute by transit from north Mississauga to north Scarborough, and Jim Flaherty commute from Markham to South Etobicoke for a few weeks, just to test it out?

UofT's Robarts Library is planning for some major expansion and renovation. A new wing, and an outdoor amphitheatre-style seating area are amongst some of the proposed changes, and the province is going to give them cash to start the project.

Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman is talking big. Apparently he's prepared to wear an adult diaper and piss and shit himself to draw attention to the low standards of care in Ontario nursing homes. Reporters planning to cover this story are encouraged to carry a clothes-pin on them in case he actually follows through on this.

Reader Reviews and Comments

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I just don't get it, no matter how many different stories I read about the "NEW" Peterborough line.
What are the Feds thinking with, because it most certainly doesn't seem to be with their heads.
It just seems, at least to me, that they have absolutely no interest in playing with Ontario's big cities, and although I do understand the need to serve the smaller ones, screwing the Metropolitan sectors over is no help.
Frankly, I'm hoping that MetroLinx and GO do nothing to alter their current plans, and lets the Feds screw this one up.
Stay the line, guys and keep your vision in the fore.

Posted by: Christopher at February 28, 2008 10:27 AM

"...carry a clothes-pin on them in case he actually *follows through* on this."

Hope thats not an attempt at a joke ;-)

But to be honest it is a serious problem and at least someone is drawing attention to it. The old just get chucked aside once they have past the age of looking after the kids. What happened to the notion of 'Community' ??

Posted by: Ross A at February 28, 2008 10:55 AM

As I talked about somewhere else, transit was just as bad under Messrs. Chretien and Martin as it is Mr. Harper. Why? This city perpetually elects the same people over and over and over. No government, regardless of party, will ever help this city because it doesn't serve their political benefit.

Is it stupid? Yes. But such is life. Once this city gets its collective head out of its ass by perpetually voting Liberal, it may get some help.

Posted by: Trev at February 28, 2008 1:10 PM

I thought the clothes-pin joke was great...ha.

Posted by: Colin at February 28, 2008 1:32 PM

Peterborough voted for the Conservatives in the last election, while Toronto voted against them.

Does anyone honestly think it's a coincidence that Peterborough got billions to serve 900 commuters while Toronto got sneered at?

Posted by: Diane at February 29, 2008 9:44 AM

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