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Morning Brew: Councillor eyes Expo 2025, Ford breaks election promise, a city hall play, waiting for the royals, wedding photos in Yonge-Dundas Square, and Jays lose

Posted by Chris Bateman / May 21, 2012

toronto streetcar interior sunshine dundasCasinos might be the hot topic at city hall but councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam wants to throw another ambitions project into the mix - hosting Expo 2025. The deadline for applications isn't until 2016 but Wong-Tam wants a feasibility report produced now. If she gets her way, the project could have a significant effect on Toronto's casino and waterfront revitalization projects.

In other casino/waterfront news, the National Post looks at several venues around the world that could provide inspiration for a Toronto gaming facility.

Rob Ford says he won't outsource garbage collection in the east end of the city until 2014 "when [he] gets re-elected," breaking one of his 2010 election promises. Speaking on his weekly radio show, Ford said he plans to campaign on privatized services east of Yonge during the next election, which he is apparently confident he will win. Ford managed to have collection west of Yonge privatized in 2011.

In other Ford news, the mayor urged police chief Bill Blair, under fire for the G20 policing debacle, to "hang in there."

You might think Toronto City Council meetings contain all the necessary theatrics, but Daniel Brooks' Necessary Angel Theatre Company would disagree. The group is writing a play based on city hall meetings and events. Writing for The Grid, Jonathan Goldsbie gives a sneak peak of the work in progress.

The use of cosmetic lawn chemicals has been banned for several years in Toronto and the province to protect Lake Ontario and other bodies of water from toxic runoff. While the ban prevents chemicals washing into our drains and source of tap water, the appearance of weeds on many city-owned lawns tends to make things look a little scruffy according to the Globe and Mail. When life hands you dandelions, make dandelion wine.

As we mentioned last week, Prince Charles and Camilla will be in Toronto today and tomorrow. The CBC has a handy map and itinerary if you plan to catch a glimpse of some elderly heirs this week.

Beating the crossing countdown at Yonge-Dundas Square is tough at the best of times, even with the diagonal, pedestrian scramble. Getting wedding pictures taken in the middle of the road without disrupting traffic? That's, well, a challenge. But these guys managed to pull it off this weekend.

IN OTHER NEWS:

FROM THE WEEKEND:

Photo: "Got Places to Go" by HilarioDCGIII in the BlogTO Flickr pool.

Discussion

11 Comments

Ryan / May 21, 2012 at 10:29 am
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I'm going to say something that will upset some of the older readers of this blog, but here goes. Why do we have the monarchy as part of our government?

There has to be a better reason than tradition. I can't think of a time in my lifetime (26 years) where the royal family has done anything constructive for Canada. Despite the fact that every law requires royal assent, that it just a rubber stamp. When's the last time that royal assent wasn't given?

That also brings into question why we need lieutenant governors. I can understand the need for the GG, but not the LG. In these times of fiscal responsibility, LGs seem to be an unnecessary expense.
50 lbs by June / May 21, 2012 at 10:34 am
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Ford breaks another promise? Please tell us what promises he has kept.
JOBS NOT TROGS replying to a comment from Ryan / May 21, 2012 at 12:09 pm
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How would you answer this question if you were any of the officials mentioned?
Ford / May 21, 2012 at 12:59 pm
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Those Trouble makers during the G20 should of been beaten harder, hang in there chief you are doing a excellent job!
Mark Dowling replying to a comment from Ryan / May 21, 2012 at 01:24 pm
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Given the rather dubious character who almost won Ireland's last presidential election, not to mention Israel's President Katsav being accused of sexual offences while in office in 2006, having an elected HoS is no panacea, merely an alternative. Royal visits and so on cost money, so do Presidential elections. I do think the LGs should be booted though - the GG can do provincial parliament openings and so on.
steve replying to a comment from Ryan / May 21, 2012 at 01:33 pm
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You can have a look at France. See what has happened since they did just that.
CanoeDave / May 21, 2012 at 03:18 pm
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The Star's suggestion that Ford is breaking an election promise is absurd as he has already delivered contracted out as much garbage collection possible under the current union agreement. Ford and Minon-Wong are suggesting prudent management but as always are attcked by the Star even when they are doing what the Star has suggested. Ford has stopped the gravy train of endless entitlement and inefficiency resulting from the years of pandering to the public servants under Miller but it will take years of competent and prudent management to realize the big fiscal rewards accountable government can provide.
Tommy replying to a comment from CanoeDave / May 21, 2012 at 04:09 pm
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Source? I think people are more upset at the fact that Ford has assumed that the public will automatically vote him in next time, and he is positioning the outsourcing as a made-up election issue. What's stopping someone ELSE from campaigning on outsourcing the rest of the garbage pickup? If the outsourcing turns out to make sense, continuing the job will be a no-brainer, and any credibility that Ford "got the job done" will mean nothing in an election if it's what voters expect every candidate to do.
steve replying to a comment from CanoeDave / May 21, 2012 at 05:47 pm
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What Gravy train? He broke a big promise of not cutting services. He has only done about 1/3 what he promised and feels that is good enough until the next election in 2.5 years.
In other words we are paying him 165k to campaign.
Paul "Barry" Karn / May 21, 2012 at 06:57 pm
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I was so loaded I had the runs in the swimming pool!
Sandy Tam / May 22, 2012 at 05:24 pm
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The pictures turned out great! http://sandytam.ca/blog/view/184 Thank you Yonge and Dundas!!!

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