July 26, 2011
So much for Monday's being the day that I write, eh? Anyways... I wanted to write about the latest stories involving Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and his brother, Councillor Doug Ford. I get the sense that Toronto is becoming rather polarized with Mayor Ford at the helm and his brother seemingly in the wings helping out with the agenda.
I'm going to try to strike a middle-of-the-road approach with this post. Yes, I'll be critical of the two, but I'll also give credit where it's due. It is my hope that the comment section of this blog doesn't turn into the comment section of the Toronto Sun...
First, let's start with Doug Ford and his comments regarding Toronto libraries. As the city looks to cut costs, one of the plethora of options is to privatize and/or shut down libraries across the city. When Canadian author Margaret Atwood took to her Twitter account to promote a campaign to save the libraries, so many people responded that the website linking to the petition crashed.
Doug Ford's response to all this? Well, to criticize Atwood and essentially telling her to seek a mandate before speaking out again. Ford also is on the record as saying there are more libraries in his ward than Tim Horton's, which was later shown not to be the case.
As I said in my last post, I have no problem with the privatization of certain things - as long as they are services that make sense to be privatized. Libraries certainly do not make sense. They belong in the hands of the public. They don't just serve as a place where books are "kept," they are centres for learning, they are meeting places and more. Privatization opens up yearly fees for borrowing books and for less options, in my opinion.
So, while I have no problem with the privatization of garbage collection, street cleaning and maintenance workers, vital public services - like libraries - must remain in the hands of the public.
In Mayor Rob Ford news, a rather bizarre story came out today where he is accused of giving a woman a "one-finger salute." While the story hasn't been proven, the mayor took to Twitter (seems to be a trend, lately) to call it a "misunderstanding." I'm not sure how it can be a misunderstanding - either he did it or he didn't, but I will not make judgement until the story comes out in its entirety.
The bigger issue in all of this is, as I mentioned earlier, the polarization of Toronto politics. While it seems to be a trend (a left-right divide in the federal parliament now as well), it's becoming pretty clear that, in Toronto, it isn't healthy.
Ford and the new administration have implemented policy I support. From a selfish perspective, I was able to register my car here after moving to the city, with the repeal of the $60 car tax. And I do support, discussed already, privatization of certain services that will have no impact on the current levels provided (or perhaps even improve upon them). But when there's talk of selling off and closing libraries, it's time to put a foot down.
I eagerly look forward to the responses from Ford Nation, telling me how wrong I am...
Showing posts with label Toronto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toronto. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Monday, 11 July 2011
Slash and Burn - Welcome to Toronto
July 11, 2011
It looks like Monday will be the day that I post. Unless something vitally important piques my interest (or if I have an opinion that's busting to come out), I'll use this day to share my thoughts. Once summer ends and we all get back to our regular lives, I'll post more frequently.
This week, I want to talk about the core service review that the city contracted out to KPMG. Some of the recommendations in the report are, in a word, ridiculous.
Some of my 'favourites' all surround environmental programs and include:
Are there good ideas in the report? Of course. There are two ideas that I think have some great merit and should be implemented:
I, for one, hope that many of these recommendations are not implemented for the sake of the city.
For a full copy of the KPMG report, you can visit here. Bullet points in italics are sourced directly from the Toronto Star.
It looks like Monday will be the day that I post. Unless something vitally important piques my interest (or if I have an opinion that's busting to come out), I'll use this day to share my thoughts. Once summer ends and we all get back to our regular lives, I'll post more frequently.
This week, I want to talk about the core service review that the city contracted out to KPMG. Some of the recommendations in the report are, in a word, ridiculous.
Some of my 'favourites' all surround environmental programs and include:
- Backing off Toronto’s “very aggressive” target of directing 70 per cent of household waste away from landfill through recycling; this is insane. As more and more people look for ways to "go green", why would we divert recycling programs? If anything, we should be doing more to encourage people to reduce their use, reuse what they can and recycle as many things as we can.
- Eliminate community “environment days” hosted by councillors in each of their wards; again, why? I'd rather pay more in taxes to have a greener planet and I think a lot of people would agree.
- End collection of toxic goods at environment days and cancel the “Toxic Taxi” that does household pickup for residents with large quantities of hazardous waste; as KPMG notes in the report, this is likely to lead to more toxic goods in landfills. Not good.
Are there good ideas in the report? Of course. There are two ideas that I think have some great merit and should be implemented:
- Scrap the four free tags each household gets per year for overflow garbage bags; By all means. This forces people to throw less away or pay the consequences. Money earned from those who do purchase these tags can - and should - be diverted back into waste reduction programs.
- Outsource facility security services and grass cutting; I have no problem with the privitization of certain things. Security and grass cutting are two things that I don't think many people would find a problem with contracting out - as long as it is cheaper than having the city do it.
I, for one, hope that many of these recommendations are not implemented for the sake of the city.
For a full copy of the KPMG report, you can visit here. Bullet points in italics are sourced directly from the Toronto Star.
Monday, 4 July 2011
Rob Ford and Pride
July 4, 2011
First - if there are any Americans out there, let me wish you a Happy Independence Day.
It was quite the weekend in Toronto - Canada Day and Pride all rolled in to one. Having never been to Pride, I checked it out with some friends and had a blast. But enough about my personal life, let's get straight to today's topic, Rob Ford and his refusal to attend the Pride parade.
From what I've read, every single Mayor of the City of Toronto has attended the event since it first started (if that fact is wrong, please correct me). Do I think Rob Ford's no-show is his way of saying he doesn't like or support LGBTQ rights? No.
I think his refusal to go to the parade is based on politics and politics alone. We know that the core Rob Ford voter is likely to be a social and fiscal conservative. What do social conservatives tend to have a big problem with? LGBTQ people. While I don't think Rob Ford would have upset his base to the point of losing them three years from now, I think he and his staff knew that his showing up would anger them. And to be frank, that's downright sad and pathetic.
While Ford and everyone else knows that his strength comes from the suburban wards, he had a duty to be at the parade. Whether he likes it or not, he is the Mayor of all Torontonians: gay, trans, straight or otherwise. He doesn't get to pick and choose who he represents. LGBTQ Torontonians pay taxes too, Mayor Ford. What happened to "Respect for Taxpayers"?
So, do I think Rob Ford had a malicious intent by not showing up? No. But was it sad? Very.
And that's the simplistic, Coles notes version of today's opinion.
First - if there are any Americans out there, let me wish you a Happy Independence Day.
It was quite the weekend in Toronto - Canada Day and Pride all rolled in to one. Having never been to Pride, I checked it out with some friends and had a blast. But enough about my personal life, let's get straight to today's topic, Rob Ford and his refusal to attend the Pride parade.
From what I've read, every single Mayor of the City of Toronto has attended the event since it first started (if that fact is wrong, please correct me). Do I think Rob Ford's no-show is his way of saying he doesn't like or support LGBTQ rights? No.
I think his refusal to go to the parade is based on politics and politics alone. We know that the core Rob Ford voter is likely to be a social and fiscal conservative. What do social conservatives tend to have a big problem with? LGBTQ people. While I don't think Rob Ford would have upset his base to the point of losing them three years from now, I think he and his staff knew that his showing up would anger them. And to be frank, that's downright sad and pathetic.
While Ford and everyone else knows that his strength comes from the suburban wards, he had a duty to be at the parade. Whether he likes it or not, he is the Mayor of all Torontonians: gay, trans, straight or otherwise. He doesn't get to pick and choose who he represents. LGBTQ Torontonians pay taxes too, Mayor Ford. What happened to "Respect for Taxpayers"?
So, do I think Rob Ford had a malicious intent by not showing up? No. But was it sad? Very.
And that's the simplistic, Coles notes version of today's opinion.
Thursday, 5 May 2011
So now what?
May 5, 2011
Here we are, three days after the election and many are talking about a "seismic shift" in Canadian politics. Depending on who you talk to, there was an "Orange Crush" or an "Orange Wave" that led the NDP to become Canada's new Official Opposition, decimated the Liberal Party of Canada and left Canadians with a Conservative majority government. On top of it all, the Bloc Québécois has been virtually wiped out, holding only four seats in the House of Commons; eight short of even being recognized as an official party in the House.
Now, I'm obviously thrilled with the results. I think a Conservative majority was what this country has needed for a long time. I'm excited about the next four years - low taxes, job creation and a reduction of the deficit. On top of it all, the Prime Minister has committed to Universal Health Care and I think we'll have a relatively moderate government.
I'm also thrilled with the Conservative breakthrough in Toronto. Seats like Eglinton-Lawrence, Don Valley West and even (this one shocked me) Willowdale are now held by Conservative MP's. I know these aren't all the Tory seats in the city, but it's the first few that come to mind. This is a good breakthrough and a testament to the work the Tories have done since 2004 to steadily increase their vote count and finally win some seats.
I do want to take a minute to address those that think Monday's results mean the end of the Liberal Party. It doesn't. When we look at the NDP opposition, it's a bit of a gongshow. I don't doubt the dedication of these new Parliamentarians, but their experience is a little, shall we say, lacking. Even veteran Parliamentarians like Tom Mulcair are already having faux-pas moments where they are having to correct the record. Liberals merely need to seize on this inexperience, time after time, to show that they do have the bench strength to at least form the Official Opposition come 2015.
I also found it fascinating that Jack Layton believes this to be a momentous victory. No question that his achievement is historic and should be applauded as a success for his party, but while he is now the Leader of the Opposition, he has actually lost clout in Parliament. In the previous minority governments, Jack could pry concessions from the government if he wanted to (and if the government would concede to him, in order to avoid defeat). Now, he's the Leader of the Opposition in a majority Parliament. Sorry to break it to you, Jack, but you're likely to accomplish nothing. Maybe Ruth-Ellen Brosseau will take you to Vegas when Parliament breaks for one of its holidays.
Here we are, three days after the election and many are talking about a "seismic shift" in Canadian politics. Depending on who you talk to, there was an "Orange Crush" or an "Orange Wave" that led the NDP to become Canada's new Official Opposition, decimated the Liberal Party of Canada and left Canadians with a Conservative majority government. On top of it all, the Bloc Québécois has been virtually wiped out, holding only four seats in the House of Commons; eight short of even being recognized as an official party in the House.
Now, I'm obviously thrilled with the results. I think a Conservative majority was what this country has needed for a long time. I'm excited about the next four years - low taxes, job creation and a reduction of the deficit. On top of it all, the Prime Minister has committed to Universal Health Care and I think we'll have a relatively moderate government.
I'm also thrilled with the Conservative breakthrough in Toronto. Seats like Eglinton-Lawrence, Don Valley West and even (this one shocked me) Willowdale are now held by Conservative MP's. I know these aren't all the Tory seats in the city, but it's the first few that come to mind. This is a good breakthrough and a testament to the work the Tories have done since 2004 to steadily increase their vote count and finally win some seats.
I do want to take a minute to address those that think Monday's results mean the end of the Liberal Party. It doesn't. When we look at the NDP opposition, it's a bit of a gongshow. I don't doubt the dedication of these new Parliamentarians, but their experience is a little, shall we say, lacking. Even veteran Parliamentarians like Tom Mulcair are already having faux-pas moments where they are having to correct the record. Liberals merely need to seize on this inexperience, time after time, to show that they do have the bench strength to at least form the Official Opposition come 2015.
I also found it fascinating that Jack Layton believes this to be a momentous victory. No question that his achievement is historic and should be applauded as a success for his party, but while he is now the Leader of the Opposition, he has actually lost clout in Parliament. In the previous minority governments, Jack could pry concessions from the government if he wanted to (and if the government would concede to him, in order to avoid defeat). Now, he's the Leader of the Opposition in a majority Parliament. Sorry to break it to you, Jack, but you're likely to accomplish nothing. Maybe Ruth-Ellen Brosseau will take you to Vegas when Parliament breaks for one of its holidays.
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
On the Lighter Side: A Word Cloud!
A word cloud of the most commonly used words thus far. Interesting that "Liberals" seems to be the biggest!
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Ground Report
April 3, 2011
This afternoon, I attended the office opening for St. Paul's Conservative candidate Maureen Harquail. It was my first time networking and talking with fellow Conservatives in the riding, since moving here in December.
I was struck, immediately, by the crowd. It was huge! The reports of Toronto being a Liberal bastion may soon be coming to an end; the number of people at the event was impressive, as was the fact that it represented a diverse cross-section of the population of the riding and the city as a whole. Old and young, new Canadians and those who have been here for generations, men and women and more. Talk, not just in the room (where the crowd is biased), but on the street is that Carolyn Bennett, the longtime incumbent Liberal MP, is grating on the nerves of constituents. There is also quite a bit of grumbling that, "coincidentally" the day of the confidence vote, the riding was blanketed by a Carolyn Bennett householder featuring her "accomplishments" over the past weeks and months, as well as a number of photos (which were hard to see and horrendously stretched - desktop publishing is not a strength of Bennett's office, apparently).
Slowly but surely, Conservative candidates with strong credentials like Maureen Harquail, are making a dent in the Liberal's last big bastion of support: downtown Toronto. I'm happy to be a part of it and am looking forward to having her represent me in Ottawa after May 2.
This afternoon, I attended the office opening for St. Paul's Conservative candidate Maureen Harquail. It was my first time networking and talking with fellow Conservatives in the riding, since moving here in December.
I was struck, immediately, by the crowd. It was huge! The reports of Toronto being a Liberal bastion may soon be coming to an end; the number of people at the event was impressive, as was the fact that it represented a diverse cross-section of the population of the riding and the city as a whole. Old and young, new Canadians and those who have been here for generations, men and women and more. Talk, not just in the room (where the crowd is biased), but on the street is that Carolyn Bennett, the longtime incumbent Liberal MP, is grating on the nerves of constituents. There is also quite a bit of grumbling that, "coincidentally" the day of the confidence vote, the riding was blanketed by a Carolyn Bennett householder featuring her "accomplishments" over the past weeks and months, as well as a number of photos (which were hard to see and horrendously stretched - desktop publishing is not a strength of Bennett's office, apparently).
Slowly but surely, Conservative candidates with strong credentials like Maureen Harquail, are making a dent in the Liberal's last big bastion of support: downtown Toronto. I'm happy to be a part of it and am looking forward to having her represent me in Ottawa after May 2.
Friday, 25 March 2011
Away we go!
March 25, 2011
I thought today would be a fitting day to kick-off my first attempt at political blogging, since the government fell earlier this afternoon and the 41st General Election campaign is set to begin.
In case you cannot tell by the (obliquely obvious) title of the blog, I am a supporter of the Conservative Party of Canada and a resident of the City of Toronto in the riding of St. Paul's. Over the course of the campaign, I'll talk about local issues in the city, as well as explore the national issues and campaign news. I won't pretend to be an expert and I'll try to keep it amusing. If you're looking for balanced coverage, go elsewhere - this is unabashed conservatism here.
As for my own personal views on the issues, I'm fiscally conservative and socially moderate. I guess you could call me a Red Tory - except when it comes to issues surrounding law and order; when we're talking crime, I'm unabashedly right-wing.
I will commit, however, to maintaining a level of respectful debate. I have a number of Liberal (and liberal) friends who I have great respect for. Indeed, in the recent municipal campaign in my old hometown, I worked with Liberal supporters. I respect their values and passion, but I don't agree with them when it comes to federal and provincial politics.
Full disclosure leads me to tell you that I am also a former Conservative staffer, working in a constituency office in my old hometown for a Conservative MP and cabinet minister. I'll be spending some time assisting with her re-election efforts as well.
As we kick off this campaign, I hope you'll enjoy the posts and participate in the discussion. I look forward to it!
I thought today would be a fitting day to kick-off my first attempt at political blogging, since the government fell earlier this afternoon and the 41st General Election campaign is set to begin.
In case you cannot tell by the (obliquely obvious) title of the blog, I am a supporter of the Conservative Party of Canada and a resident of the City of Toronto in the riding of St. Paul's. Over the course of the campaign, I'll talk about local issues in the city, as well as explore the national issues and campaign news. I won't pretend to be an expert and I'll try to keep it amusing. If you're looking for balanced coverage, go elsewhere - this is unabashed conservatism here.
As for my own personal views on the issues, I'm fiscally conservative and socially moderate. I guess you could call me a Red Tory - except when it comes to issues surrounding law and order; when we're talking crime, I'm unabashedly right-wing.
I will commit, however, to maintaining a level of respectful debate. I have a number of Liberal (and liberal) friends who I have great respect for. Indeed, in the recent municipal campaign in my old hometown, I worked with Liberal supporters. I respect their values and passion, but I don't agree with them when it comes to federal and provincial politics.
Full disclosure leads me to tell you that I am also a former Conservative staffer, working in a constituency office in my old hometown for a Conservative MP and cabinet minister. I'll be spending some time assisting with her re-election efforts as well.
As we kick off this campaign, I hope you'll enjoy the posts and participate in the discussion. I look forward to it!
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