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Morning Brew: Rob Ford lets loose on sole-sourced TTC deal, Chow, Tory, and Stintz could win in 2014, Wynne seeks common ground, and Bathurst loses bagel staple

Posted by Chris Bateman / January 28, 2013

40 Comments

toronto frozen lakeRob Ford says the TTC's decision not to seek competitive bids to operate its newsstands, bakeries, lotto booths, and cafes, is "absolutely appalling" and an "embarrassment." The Commission voted against the advice of its staff and elected to deal only with Tobmar Investments International, the current tenants, who offered to pay higher rent and open new outlets.

Also in Ford, he might want six more years but the mayor could still be vulnerable in a two-way election, according to The Star. According to a poll, Ford would lose in a straight race with Olivia Chow, John Tory, and, surprisingly, Karen Stintz. Do you think Ford could become a two-term mayor?

Kathleen Wynne, Ontario's premier-designate, says she's ready to lead in a minority government after winning the Liberal leadership vote Saturday night. Wynne vowed to build bridges to with opposition parties but has already been the target of a PC attack ad that calls a "McGuinty Liberal Ontario can't afford." Are you pleased to see Wynne take the top job?

The Toronto Island airport wants its own armed police force to boost security, respond to alarm calls, and take part in special investigations, according to The Star. The unique group of officers would also allow the airport to become a staging area for US customs, something Porter Airlines has been pushing for for some time.

Bagel lovers are grieving after a fire destroyed Haymishe Bagel Shop Sunday morning. It appears the fire started in the basement of the North York staple and spread through the upper floors of the store near Bathurst and Lawrence, causing roughly $500,000 worth of damage. The fire was extinguished by 2 pm.

The weather this morning is pretty shabby. Freezing rain, snow, and showers have cancelled school busses in York, Peel, and Halton, and caused trouble on roads in the GTA. There have already been several accidents on major highways. Drive safely.

IN BRIEF:

Chris Bateman is a staff writer at blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.

Photo: "Frozen" by Acid_Punk/blogTO Flickr pool.

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iSkyscraper / January 28, 2013 at 09:12 am
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Why does Porter want preclearance so bad? I suppose getting access to Reagan and LGA is the fruit here, but it seems like one of the best things about the Island right now is that it does NOT have preclearance.
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Dan replying to a comment from iSkyscraper / January 28, 2013 at 09:53 am
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I'd rather deal with CBP at Pearson/Island rather than upon arrival.
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DL / January 28, 2013 at 09:57 am
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Those figures might all defeat Ford 1v1, but in an election that'll have at least 3 serious contenders, the only way I see him losing is if Tory runs, which I just can't see him doing. I don't think Chow leaves Parliament, either. She's too popular for the NDP to not have around for the next campaign.
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Notahipster replying to a comment from DL / January 28, 2013 at 10:07 am
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And the latest TTC scandal will sink stintz, but I feel this is just Star grasping at straws. They are still angry that ford won his appeal, must smear him some other way.
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FTLoss / January 28, 2013 at 10:10 am
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The new premier's first line of her victory speech:

"I’d like to acknowledge that we’re on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the New Credit."

I can't wait for the idle no more and Caledonia sequels...
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Dan replying to a comment from iSkyscraper / January 28, 2013 at 10:12 am
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Wouldn't you rather deal with it while you're waiting for your flight, rather than once you've landed and you just want to get to your hotel or whatever?
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Black Kettle / January 28, 2013 at 10:21 am
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The Mayor speaking of "absolutely appalling" and an "embarrassment"?
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Robert replying to a comment from Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 10:28 am
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Were was Rob Ford? He is the mayor should he not know what is going? Seems Fords supporters expect nothing less from David Miller even two plus years after he left office. Typical of his take on the job as the mayor, delegates everything, takes credit when things work out, then throws those he disagrees with onto he fire.
Why do you want a mayor a man that acts like that?
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Skye replying to a comment from Black Kettle / January 28, 2013 at 10:31 am
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It warrants the answer of "I know you are, but what am I?"
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Notahipster replying to a comment from Robert / January 28, 2013 at 10:56 am
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ummmmm miller also delegated everything as mel lastman did as well. Just ask carroll he delegated the budget to her. That is why the mayor appoints people to certain committees. To carry out his/her ideas, he doesn't actually do the work.
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Todd Toronto replying to a comment from Dan / January 28, 2013 at 11:06 am
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Pre-clearance is great if you're coming to the airport plenty early, but between the ferry and everything else (well, just the ferry), I feel more comfortable going through customs in the US when I fly Porter.
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the facts replying to a comment from Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 11:13 am
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you are mistaken my friend. this 'ttc scandal' is going to end up on ford. she has proof that she contacted ford multiple times and that he was in fact dodging her.
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Notahipster replying to a comment from the facts / January 28, 2013 at 11:17 am
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out here in burb stintz is highly disliked, so yeah I doubt it.
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vampchick21 replying to a comment from Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 11:27 am
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Bwahahahaha! So because some people living in the subburbs don't like Stinz, that alone is reason enough to dismiss any proof she might have on anything? So that's how you operate out there? *golfclap*
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Factcheck / January 28, 2013 at 11:34 am
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So Stintz tried to contact Ford a few times and since she didn't get an answer decided the only way forward was to sole source the contract? Yeah Stintz has demonstrated the ability to act on her own before: See the OneCity proposal.
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HerpDerp / January 28, 2013 at 11:37 am
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Yeah well Stintz is on the cover of my UWO alumni magazine this month and there are 478,000 UWO grads choking up the GTA so she's a LOCK
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Notahipster replying to a comment from vampchick21 / January 28, 2013 at 11:38 am
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oh don't be an angry down towner, we like ford and we think he is doing a great job and the next election will show that. If you people actually went west of the junction and walked into a tim horton's and ask people what they thought of ford you would get a lot of positive feed back. But hey you people leaving the down town core is like pulling teeth!

when it comes to stintz she is nothing but a back stabber and flip flopper.
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Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 11:39 am
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and the louder down town cries the more popular ford gets, have you people not learned from your past mistakes.
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Jacob replying to a comment from Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 11:46 am
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Ford hand-picked Stintz to carry out his agenda.

So there's that.
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vampchick21 replying to a comment from Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 11:46 am
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WTF? I'm not angry, I just think you are a bit of an idiot. There's a difference.
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Notahipster replying to a comment from vampchick21 / January 28, 2013 at 11:53 am
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and I think you are a stuck up snob from down town makes us even.
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Alex / January 28, 2013 at 11:54 am
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Why do they just ignore staff? That makes no sense. I understand sole-sourcing if the bid is high enough that they don't think they could get another bid low enough to offset the cost of the proposal process, but when staff recommends to go for bids then obviously they should have done it. It just seems like such a dumb thing to do I don't understand why they would have done it, especially since the political fallout is obviously going to be huge.
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Kelly / January 28, 2013 at 11:56 am
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Ford is getting the lefties off the teets of the tax payer. #1 in my book, he has my support!
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Sunny replying to a comment from Dan / January 28, 2013 at 12:02 pm
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Preclearance at Person can actually get pretty annoying when you need to make a connection. After you landed, you have to exit security for Canadian departures, go through customs, then enter security for U.S. departures. All of the above in the time you're supposed to have a layover, assuming your initial wasn't delayed in the first place.
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CanoeDave / January 28, 2013 at 12:08 pm
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Stintz said that the Mayor's office was fully informed of the TTC contract and there was no problem. Ford again shows off his worst instincts and trashes someone because of his own spit and failure to inform himself of the issues. Simple question of credibility, who do you believe is competent. Stintz and Byford win hands don't.
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W. K. Lis / January 28, 2013 at 12:38 pm
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Stintz did inform Ford of the TTC deals, but unless one agrees whit whatever Rob wants, it wouldn't be answered.
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Picard102 / January 28, 2013 at 01:20 pm
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The only reason to be happy about Wynne is if you're preoccupied with her sexual orientation, or if you're the NDP or PC's.
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Dan replying to a comment from Todd Toronto / January 28, 2013 at 03:28 pm
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Well, the tunnel should fix that :)
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Dan replying to a comment from Sunny / January 28, 2013 at 03:29 pm
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I try to never ever ever connect, so I suppose I never thought of it that way. But I could see that being quite annoying.
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vampchick21 replying to a comment from Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 03:45 pm
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Well aren't you a doll? For the record I think you're an idiot based on what you post here, not based on where you live dumbass. As for me, well, if you want to buy into the "elitist downtowner" BS that Ford & Co are using to divide the city, have at it. That way they can continue to count on your vote because you don't actually pay any real attention to anything.
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Robert replying to a comment from Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 03:46 pm
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Too funny, you use the word snob, while your the one displaying the snobbish behaviour.
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vampchick21 / January 28, 2013 at 05:22 pm
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Truth is I voted for Ford, I feel better I got that off my chest.
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NotaHipster replying to a comment from Robert / January 28, 2013 at 05:45 pm
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No, your a snob, Robert. You all are.
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vampchick21 / January 28, 2013 at 06:33 pm
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Truth be told, I am a snob too.
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NotaHipster / January 28, 2013 at 07:38 pm
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You know, I've been thinking about what I've been posting here today and I want to apologize. The only reason I've been acting like a jackass is because I have some sand in my vagina. It's so itchy and it makes me irritable. My apologies.
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curioussoft / January 28, 2013 at 08:12 pm
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Notahipster:

I doubt most people realize this, but you comment on just about everything blogto posts. Heck, search 'Notahipster' in the search bar above and you'll see you have ten full PAGES (!!!) of negative comments, across every topic imaginable. So it's obvious you only exist to troll.

Disregarding such a sad focus in life, I have to ask: where you find the time to send all this hate mail? Or do you have the kind of job that allows you to post all day, everyday at will? Is it the kind of job that makes you feel helpless at the end of the day, or compelled to compensate online, anonymously? I hope not.

Really, I guess I just want to know who hurt you, Notahipster? More importantly, how can I give you a big hug? Because I'm great at giving hugs and would be happy to give you the best you've ever had, if only will help you feel better and/or to play nicer.

What do you say...? :)
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FordsAnus replying to a comment from Notahipster / January 28, 2013 at 09:49 pm
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So basically you're proving your ignorance here and admitting you're just a dumbass.

You say you still support Rob Ford and think he's doing a great job, while ignoring the part about Stintz saying she tried to get in contact with the Mayor, and his office did know about this.

Are you still going to think he's doing a great job when it's proven that he ignored the very thing he's currently pissed off about?

So you're saying it's perfectly fine to go on rampage about something that you wilfully ignored when it was brought to your attention? Yep, a typical Ford supporter.
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vampchick21 / January 28, 2013 at 10:30 pm
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i am such a big Rob Ford supporter, i even carry a picture of him and his brother doug in purse. Even named my cat after Rob.
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vampchick21 replying to a comment from vampchick21 / January 29, 2013 at 11:36 am
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Fuck off notahipster, stop using my username here to post your stupid shit.
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Mike / January 29, 2013 at 05:00 pm
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I actually think Notahipster is from DOWNTOWN, not the suburbs...and the reason he's so mad is he can't cut it here and hates everything and anyone as a result.

Maybe try Etobicoke? You know, work your way up to living in a real city.

Baby steps, Notahipster, baby steps...
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