City
Morning Brew: Groundhog Day, Rob Ford's Poll, Giambrone Parties, Smitherman Attacks, College Strike Looms, Developing York University
Photo: "vertical horizontal" by jentse, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
It's Groundhog Day! Later today we'll find out how much winter we have left by monitoring whether or not Wiarton Willie sees his shadow. Nova Scotia's groundhog predictor Shubenacadie Sam caught a glimpse of his earlier today, thus calling for six more weeks of winter. But, so the legend goes, Wiarton Willie is a far more accurate prognosticator because he was born on exactly the 45th parallel, midway between the Equator and the North Pole. Update: Wille awoke to see his shadow, so that's six more weeks of winter for us, too.
Councillor Rob Ford has commissioned his own poll to decide whether or not he should enter the mayoral race. Although the details are suspiciously sketchy, he has himself in third position behind George Smitherman (46 per cent of the vote) and Adam Giambrone (17 per cent). Based on a sample of 500 people who voted in the last election, Ford claims the margin of error is plus or minus 4 points, 19 times out of 20 -- the key word being "claims."
Speaking of Smitherman and Giambrone, both were in the headlines yesterday. Giambrone (who it seems I can't stop picking on) had a small number of protesters from his Davenport ward greet his campaign launch party with repeated chants of "Adam Sucks!" Those inside were, of course, far more supportive.
Smitherman, however, did his best to spoil the party before it even started by calling for Giambrone to step down as Chair of the TTC. He also discussed how he would lead the city, including statements about road tolls, bike lanes on arterial roads, and how he would apply his "bulldog" toughness to the city's finances.
The potential that Ontario's college faculty will go on strike increased significantly yesterday when OPSEU issued college management a February 11 deadline to accept its proposal to send outstanding labour issues to binding arbitration. Students are already nervous at the prospect of a strike and anti-union sentiment is increasing, but the request for such arbitration may save the union from the perception that it's making outrageous demands.
Sticking with academic affairs, the city has revealed a new plan for the area surrounding York University that includes high density housing, office towers, and a research park. Key to the plan, of course, is the arrival of the Spadina subway line, which, when built, will warrant this type of intensive development around the campus. I wonder what type of guarantees, if any, developers will require of the subway's completetion date before breaking ground.
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Smitherman, Dalton McGuinty's former right-hand, should be written off for just that, being McGuinty's right hand. Add on eHealth and his countless other failures, and you've got a horrible disaster waiting to happen in Toronto.
Giambrone... One word for you (or acronym if you want to be technical), TTC. A Disgraced failure as a Leader who doesn't take responsibility for the shambles the TTC has become under his leadership.. In addition to that, lets not forget his track record of Corruption related to Threats and Intimidation to his fellow Councilmen. Corrupt and Useless...
Our future in Toronto is pretty much doomed... Though at this point, I still feel that anyone would be better than David Miller!
http://jackandcokewithalime.blogspot.com/
Unless someone of strength and courage takes the reigns, Toronto is bound to become a hollowed out shell like Detroit.
How disappointing.
Like a bulldog, he'll rip your wallet out of your pocket [the smell of money makes him delerious] - ie: tolls downtown? That's another tax!
Out of control bulldogs ought to be put down - due to their predisposition under cruel masters, rehabilitation is out of the question.
Just what this city needs to keep businesses locating to 416. Notice much how they're all moving to the 905? See any corelation to the taxes they have to pay? No? Didn't think so.
Let me remind you, two heads rolled following Smitherman's eHealth debactle. How <b>1 Billion</b> got spent of our taxes on your watch, George, [2003-2008] before you got hustled out the back door into another portfolio? Too little staff [30] and too many consultants without contracts [300].
A word to politicians solving all out Union woes by <a href="http://www.rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/gary-shaul/2009/10/e-health-scandal-contracting-out-failure";>contracting out is a failure</a>.
No doubt the same crew are contributing to Smitherman's Mayoralty race: Accenture, Courtyard Group [Dr. Penny Ballem [now city manager for Vancouver], Dr. Michael Guerriere, Dr. Dave Wattling]... hmmm? Betcha!
Nice of you to point the finger, washing your hands and being accountable, George.
Instead of cleaning the streets with your admirers during this summer's garbage strike - you could have lobbied your provincial government to force/legislate bag manufacturers to make their bags decompose Much faster [more starch]. We Do have the science, where is the will?
Thanks for lying at that time that you weren't considering running for Mayor. We could expect more lies then? More photo ops? Indeed.
See ya!
Take a seat!
Except for the launch party...it was open then....
When I worked in retail and a coworker got caught stealing nobody then turned around and claimed all the employees at the store were a bunch of crooks. Nor were management held responsible because they 'should have known better'. Because <b>none of that would be productive</b>.
Take a look at Paul Martin. He was more of a vocal opponent of Jean Chretien than the opposition, but when it came to election time, he was held accountable for Jean Chretien's actions. Hell, the Conservatives are still often being held accountable for Mulrooney's actions despite the fact that Mulrooney's PCs are not even the same as Harper's Conservatives.
If one person's integrity is based off of the actions of those that person has worked with (or hell, in some cases even met briefly), then it shouldn't be surprising that there is 'no one of integrity' running for mayor. I'm sure every single one of you knows or has worked with someone who was dishonest or crooked.
Perhaps we should redefine what integrity is when it comes to politicians?
Everyone complained about the "subway to nowhere". The promise of a subway to nowhere is that the "nowhere" will (hopefully) become "somewhere". It takes time, though, but decades later we'll be thankful for it.
As long as unreasonable ranters like "jack..." poison public discourse in this way unchecked, only equally unreasonable candidates will be willing to stand for office.
But in terms of Giambrone, he is the Chair of the TTC and therefore has a direct link to the TTC and it's actions.
Anyway, I guess it also depends on the issues that are at hand.
If the issue was theft by a single employee in a retail store, it wouldn't make sense to blame Management (unless they do nothing about it once they find out).
But in a similar case, if the employees were ALL stealing, and Management said nothing (and turned a blind eye), then who do you blame? Especially when there's a continuous drop in Revenue, somebody has to answer to the shareholders or owners..
If the sales people were constantly rude to the customers, or talking on the phone instead of assisting customers (I'm trying to equate this example to the TTC staff sleeping on the job), or taking breaks in the middle of dealing with a customer (TTC drivers who go and use the bank in the middle of a route), and again Management turns a blind eye, then who's to blame?
If the retail outlet has a budget of $100k to expand the store, and after spending $1 Million, it says it's still not finished, and will need an additional $5 Million to complete it, then who do you blame?
And in a store like this where there are sooooooo many issues coming up constantly, and the Customers & the Shareholders/Owners are looking for answers, if you can't look to the Leader of the Company for Responsibility, then what's the point of even having a Leader?
Though Managers are suppose to be able to Manage their own teams, there is still always a top-level Manager of the Managers. If Management is screwing up, then its the Leader of the Org's responsibility to ensure that that's rectified and addressed.. Is it not?
Giambrone had a responsibility to the voters/taxpayers of this City to ensure that the TTC was Responsible, Efficient and Succesful. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that he has FAILED in that respect (and in effect truly has no control whatsoever over the organization).
I will accept though that he's not the only one to blame for the shambles the TTC is in currently.. He is -no doubt- the #1 person I would blame, but, Bob Kinear and others like him have all mutually contributed to the it's utter failure.
http://jackandcokewithalime.blogspot.com/
PS: And SCREW SMITHERMAN as well!!! :)
It's funny how when a person points out a Political Leader's Failures and Corruption, it's called "poison[ing] public discourse"...
True words of the brainwashed..
I, unlike you, have my eyes and ears open, and don't just follow these leaders blindly, like cattle follow their shepherd.. (Yes, I am referring to you as brainwashed cattle.)
You my friend, truly represent the problem in today's society. You are the reason that every level of Government in this Country is useless and corrupt.
People like you have allowed this to happen..
Stop looking for reasons to pardon these Leaders for their Failures..
Passive Canadians who fear saying anything that is not inline with their Political Leaders... Sounds like Communism to me..
Wake up! Mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
http://jackandcokewithalime.blogspot.com/
As you indicated in your reply to Ryan L., all of these candidates have much to answer for on their own records. Nothing in my comment recommends "looking for reasons to pardon" anyone. I'm only suggesting that people debate as though they are adults. If you want accountability, a good way to start might to be calling attention to those records in a way that does less to discredit your own perspective. Otherwise, the noise of your half-crazed red-baiting just obscures whatever signal lies beneath.
My point, again, is this: if we want women and men of integrity in politics, we would do well to make politics an environment in which such people are not merely sent out to die like lambs to the slaughter (Baaaaaaaa!).
Also, watch your metaphors. Cattle don't follow shepherds. The clue's in the name.... shepherd. You know... sheep-herd.
And let's not forget who Giambrone reports to and who appointed him: Mayor Miller. And where is Mayor Miller these days? certainly not talking about the TTC. He can go to Copenhagen and take all the credit for the city's environmental record, but he's ducking any responsibility for the state of our transit.
As well as gadfly's "It is a sad indictment on the state this city is in when no one of integrity or consequence wants to run for Mayor! "
And "Am still waiting for someone to throw their hat into the Mayoral race that I would even remotely consider voting for. " by Walter
Nothing was directed at the specific issue of Giambrone and the TTC, but was meant to address the generalizing that was going on with the candidates as a whole.
When anyone discusses the current slab (and I use that term politely) of mayoral candidates, I can't help but yawn (cringe?).
All we Canadians and Torontonians do is try to discuss these cases "like Adults", but what has that done for us?? Nothing.
The Country and the City just keep getting worse and worse, and all we do is sit around and talk about how bad it is, while trying not to offend anyone.
I can't let that go on any longer. (Though I am just one person)
I saw our population re-elect McGuinty after everything he did to us.. And I honestly have to say that it left me scarred. I no longer depend on Canadians to remember what's happened to them, to remember how they've been screwed. It's just not enough.
I have to be active about it. I have to do something to make them remember! Something that will stick in their heads come election time! Get them talking about it. Get them upset. Get them debating and making it personal. That's how I'll get them to remember.
If it takes me calling people names to get the point across, then so be it. Canadians are so use to being passive (with the "oh well, what can you do..." attitude), that it takes an outrageous statement to get their attention..
Hopefully that's what I've done here..
"My point, again, is this: if we want women and men of integrity in politics, we would do well to make politics an environment in which such people are not merely sent out to die like lambs to the slaughter (Baaaaaaaa!)."
I'm sorry, but I can't agree with that statement. If we're not on the cases of our Politicians, ready to "slaughter" them anytime they make a mistake, then they will walk all over us.. And as you can see, this is evident today.
People need to know that their feelings of betrayal that they have inside, is actually being felt by others as well. People need to know that they can be openly angry when Politicians screw up constantly.
http://jackandcokewithalime.blogspot.com/
PS: As for your comment about Shepherds and Sheep, as much as I want to say it's all the same thing, I'll give you that one. Touche. Cattle just sounds better to me.. More offensive, for some reason... (I don't know.. Maybe I'm wrong.)
Smitherman = eHealth. His oversight. His Responsibility. His Cowardice running away from it and allowing others to fall on their swords for him.
He's a disgrace, and I didn't even go into him because I thought that was obvious..
I guess only obvious to some...
I can't believe you're defending Mini-McGuinty!! Every single promise that McGuinty has broken, has come through Smitherman. He and McGuinty are exactly the same (except for the sexual preference).
Anyway, I guess you're one of the BRAINWASHED SHEEP that re-elected him.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
http://jackandcokewithalime.blogspot.com/
~"Interpretation: The TTC is...a <b>city board</b> of the City of Toronto in accordance with section 394 of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 11, Sched. A., as amended"
~"3.17 No person shall operate any camera, video recording device, movie camera or any similar device for <b>commercial</b> purposes upon the transit system without authorization."
~"3.19 No person shall:
(a) place his or her foot or feet on a vehicle seat or lay thereon any object or substance that may soil it." LOL - just seeing if you're still paying attention ;)
Yes, Adam Giambrone (and the rest of City Council) are 110% responsible for the TTC today.
"Every single promise that McGuinty has broken, has come through Smitherman. "
Such as? And can you show us that 'everything going through Smitherman' is more than just an assumption on your part?
Again, I stress that just because someone is associated with something you consider bad doesn't mean they are also bad by proxy. You do understand how many people sit between McGuinty/Smitherman and the people responsible for the overspending, don't you?
I hope you also understand the kind of micromanaging you seem to demand is pretty much impossible. There are over <b>100,000</b> public service employees in Ontario. No minister will ever have the resources or time to investigate every single aspect of every single department under them. And, frankly, if they did, it would be irresponsible as it takes them away from their actual jobs. It's a simple hierarchy. Take the military for example. A General would be responsible for the Colonels below them who in turn would be responsible for the Captains below them who in turn would be responsible for the Sergeants below them who would be responsible for the Privates below them (That is really simplifying things because you know there would be more levels of command than that).
If a private screws up it is in no way the responsibility of the general at the top. Same thing goes in business.
Only in politics is the general responsible in the eyes of the public for not only privates several levels below them, but also the privates several levels below other generals they work alongside.
You won't get any candidates of consequence in this city because the Lefties hijack the debate. But who, exactly, do they think is going to pay for all these schemes?