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Morning Brew: Adam Giambrone uses taxis, will suspended TTC driver be fired for drinking and driving?, Corey Haim funeral, Harper on pot legalization
How often does How often does TTC Chair Adam Giambrone use taxis for work purposes? Fairly often, it would seem. Or is this making a mountain out of a mole hill? The Toronto Sun has done a dissection of his expenses, and found that in 2009 he billed for more than $3000 for transportation (which includes taxis, TTC Metropasses and weekly passes, and tokens). Doing some quick math (something the Sun could have done but didn't): of the $3000, the taxi portion is an estimated $2344. Assuming an average cab fare of $15, this puts his annual taxi use at a approximately 156 trips or 3 per week. This is hardly something to be concerned with, isn't it? Talk about trying to make something out of nothing! I arrived at a high estimate of $2344 using the info provided: $3000 (total) - $200 (two monthly passes) - $256 (tokens) - $0 ("several" weekly TTC passes) = $2344.
In real TTC news, the commission is expected to deliver a decision today; one that the public is watching and waiting for with anticipation. Will the bus driver who was pulled over and had her license suspended for drinking and driving be fired or not? Take our poll below (sorry, no actual money wagers allowed).
Over a dozen reporters and fanatics (including one who drove 800kms from Philadelphia, and some arriving as early as 6 a.m.) showed up to report on and "pay their respects" to Corey Haim at his funeral, despite advanced, highly publicized requests for privacy.
Prime Minister Harper conducted his first YouTube interview, in response to a series of video questions posed by the nation (also via YouTube). When asked about pot legalization (the most asked question in the survey, skip to 35:40 mark), he responded: "When people buy from the drug trade, they're not buying from their neighbour. They are buying from international cartels that are involved in unimaginable violence and intimidation and social disaster and catastrophe all across the world." Umm, hello? If pot were legalized, we would be buying from our neighbour, and not supporting international cartels.
And despite wearing a life jacket, a man in Newmarket died due to drowning when he went over a dam in his canoe and got caught up in turbulent water.
Photo: untitled by Sal.R, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
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We're not right now, unless you're also buying hard drugs. With weed, you're maybe supporting a local gang or the Hells Angels at worst, and even that's a bit of a stretch. No "international cartels" are going to bother smuggling weed into this country when people can and do grow it in their basements.
Disappointing to see Harper spouting ridiculous American-style propaganda that puts pot in the same category as heroin and coke.
I'm with you on the taxi story. No love for Giambrone here (I am not an ex-lover), but it sounds like the cost of doing business. Also, weren't his office expenses about $10K under the limit? Sounds like he's able to keep his wallet in his pants.
It would be quite natural to have to use taxis for such unforseen and emergency situations.
Also, remember that he is on many committees and has a full day. Commuting between such events by public transit could be unrealistic.
My condolences go out to the man whose canoe capsized's family and friends.
"...is this making a mountain out of a mole hill?"
"This is hardly something to be concerned with, isn't it? Talk about trying to make something out of nothing!"
Harpers a tool and his logic defies all logic. OF COURSE if pot were legalized it would take a HUGE chunk of the drug trade away from criminals. I'd rather buy weed from my neighbour than <em>who knows where</em>. Better yet, I'd rather buy it at a café a la Amsterdamn or Vancouver.
On one hand, I agree, if she needs help, she should receive it. On the other hand, there's lots of other people who would love to have the opportunity at a decent paying job who don't have substance abuse problems... so they should get a chance to get hired instead.
Looks like I'm a fence sitter on this subject.
Are you people nuts?!
This is a clear and cut case.
Look at your own profession and ask yourself how long you would be employed if you showed up to work drunk. Not long.
Now take into account that this person was ALSO responsible for driving a multi-tonne vehicle around the city, loaded with passengers as part of her job.
This person, whatever personal problems she may have aside, broke THE LAW, and endangered HUNDREDS, if not THOUSANDS of people in the process. No 'ifs', 'ands', or 'yeah buts' about it. This person is lucky not to be in jail, let alone possibly lose her job.
This is exactly what has gotten the TTC to its current state. People making excuses for others that plain and simply deserve to lose their jobs. And the apathy from the Toronto public has only allowed them to get more and more brash about it. It is time to make the union and its employees answerable to the same laws and standards as the rest of us, after all, they are PUBLIC employees. They work for us, not the other way around.
Rock solid logic Bob!
Step one: The employee will claim she has a problem. Step Two: You actually can't discriminate against someone who has an addiction. She'll be offered in patient treatment (or whatever is covered under her benefit plan). And following that, she'll be allowed back to work.
Trust me ladies and gents...I deal with this stuff for a living. And that's EXACTLY what will happen.
But it won't be...she'll get her job back.
As for the TTC driver she should be fired and she should be charged with drinking and driving. If she has a drinking problem deal with it like the everyone else. IF the union wants to help her send her to get help. Everyone else in the city that gets busted drinking and driving gets no sympathy from the cops or anyone else why should she be any different. I would almost say that she should be made an example of because she put so many people in jeopardy in the bus and on the street.
What concerns me the most is that it is nearly impossible for someone to get medicinal marijuana for their illness, when the side effects of the medication they take are WAY MORE severe than smoking weed. Hmm...
You're hyperbole is funny though. Totally bullshit, but funny none-the-less.
Other then that, there's a lucky few who have solid links to ship it from out west.
Marijuana = less crime, more money
Well then why, Prime Minister Harper, does Canada allow the sale of Coca-Cola? (www.killercoke.org)
You'd think Giamboner would be happy to get a taxpayer-funded ride to and from work everyday and would suck it up and say "hey I'll pay this $8 cab fare". But no, he needs his snout in the trough yet again.
Good riddance to an incompetent Councillor!
Dude's got meetings. It's faster to take a cab than drive and look for parking.
Whoever wrote this article needs to stfu and grab a clue.
Dumbass gotcha articles like this that are completely baseless make my fu*king blood boil.