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:

• 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.

Another one of the most ridiculous ideas I saw in the report is to drastically increase the price of permits for events. This is perhaps the craziest idea I saw (ok, maybe not - but it's up there). Increasing the cost of permits for events is going to lead to two things: first, a drop in the number of events in the city; and because of that, second, a drop in the number of tourists and therefore revenue to events that remain.

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.

Before I moved to the city, I didn't have a problem with Rob Ford. By no means did I think he was perfect, but his message of fiscal restraint resonated with me, as I'm a fiscally conservative person in my outlook. But I'm not a slash-and-burn type; I don't like to see services reduced that lead to decline in the quality of life for a city and its residents. A lot of the recommendations contained in this report, I think, would reduce the quality of life for all Torontonians.

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.

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.

The Senate

June 21, 2011

Back to the political topics... The government tabled its legislation to reform the Senate today.

The bill sets out a one-time, nine-year term for all senators appointed after October 14, 2008 and lays out framework for voluntary provincial senatorial elections. While this sort of fulfills the Conservative plan for an elected senate, it may not go far enough for those who want an "E-E-E" upper chamber.

I once supported an elected senate. The more I think about it, though, the more I realize that I think the NDP has the best policy on the Senate: just get rid of it. The Senate has always been a proving ground for rewarding party loyalists, insiders and activists with a plum posting and a set-for-life salary.

Provincial legislatures have survived without an upper chamber; the Senate doesn't really provide the "sober second thought" that it is supposedly tasked with. Instead, it has become a rubber stamp for almost all government legislation (although it will be interesting to see how they handle this bill, if and when it reaches them).

Senatorial elections will not only be difficult to manage, but will (not might - will) create legislative gridlock. Imagine if, at the height of the sponsorship scandal, we somehow elected a Conservative Senate and had a Liberal government in the House of Commons. Surely, legislation would have been stalled and possibly defeated, solely for partisan purposes.

What's more, an elected Senate could become yet another platform for Québec separatists. Yes, I know the recent election results show that the separatist message is being rejected, but we don't know if that will be forever...

So, it's time to forget about reforming the Senate. Let's just get rid of it. I think it's the ultimate austerity measure...

A Tribute to Betty Fox

June 20, 2011

I know this isn't a political post, but I felt it necessary to share.

As you've likely already heard Betty Fox, Terry Fox's mother, passed away on Friday.

When I heard the news, I was heart-broken. That took me by surprise; while I participate in fundraising efforts for the Canadian Cancer Society, I've not participated in the Terry Fox Run since high school. I didn't know this woman and while I was certainly very much aware of what her son set out to do, and the work she did following his passing, I couldn't figure out what it was about hearing the news that put me in the mood it did.

It dawned on me today: Betty Fox is an average Canadian. Now, that doesn't make sense, does it?

Let me put it this way: almost every single Canadian has either faced cancer or had someone in their family face it. Betty Fox dealt with having a family member battle cancer and saw them lose that battle. To put it another way, Betty Fox personified every single Canadian and handled herself with a dignity and class that not many others can live up to.

It didn't hit me until after reflecting on it a bit, but Betty Fox is an inspiration to Canadians. Her dedication to her son, her family and to the fight against cancer is something that I have nothing but respect and admiration for. While I cannot put it as classy as many others have been, let me borrow the words of London-area MP Ed Holder, who in the House of Commons today said that for Betty, her Marathon of Hope is over. It is up to the rest of us to continue on with the fight.

May she rest in peace.

One Throne Speech, One Budget - and Two Strikes

June 14, 2011

Yes, it's been awhile since I've blogged. Things have been hectic!

Since I last blogged, the House of Commons has returned and the business of governing (and politicking) is in full swing. We had a Throne Speech, the March Budget redux (with the added removal of subsidies for political parties) and a vote to extend Canada's involvement in Libya.

If that isn't enough for you, Canada Post is on  psuedo-strike and Air Canada check-in agents walked out early this morning, too. With Air Canada, the government was quick to deliver an ultimatum; the company and the union now have 48 hours to reach a deal before the government will move to legislate them back to work.

Let me start with the budget: overall, not too shabby. But I have to agree with the opposition parties when it comes down to the nitty-gritty details about government cutbacks to services. We need to know where these cuts are coming from, how deep they will be and how fast they will come down.

I also have to agree that the cabinet is far too large; if you're preaching restraint, you don't go and appoint the largest cabinet in Canadian history.

A wait-and-see approach regarding budget cuts isn't good enough for me. The devil is in the details and, while I know the review is ongoing and Ministers are to report by December 31, I would hope that some kind of report comes down in regards to progress.

On the Canada Post/Air Canada front: I say we legislate them back to work ASAP. I support the right of unions to exist, but they need to realize the economic circumstances we find ourselves in don't particularly allow for huge raises and increases to benefits.

I find it particularly annoying that Canada Post employees are demanding more, when I'm sure that the volume of mail is dropping. With online banking, e-billing and other technological "wonders," I rarely get mail anymore, aside from flyers and annoying brochures from my MP to update them on the "work" they are doing in Ottawa and in the riding. I can do without both of those things.

Anyways, perhaps I'm just a curmudgeon but there is my latest post. Agree or disagree as you will, your comments are welcome.

*UPDATE - June 15*

It seems now that Canada Post has locked out all of its workers, and Minister Raitt is seriously considering legislating them back to work as well (as she should).

Eight Days Later, the Liberals Learn Nothing

May 10, 2011

As a political observer, one can't help but be transfixed by the most-recent implosion of the Liberal Party. I say most recent, because the Liberals seem to fall into disaster every time they have to find a new leader. Eight days removed from an electoral drubbing, the Liberals are at it again.

With the newly-elected NDP MPs coming under scrutiny, one would think the Liberals would be salivating at the chance to get these rookies in the House and watch them face off against the experienced Tory ministers in Question Period. All the Liberals would seemingly have to do against these rookie members of the Official Opposition is put together a sentence and they would look like a coherent, credible alternative.

Instead, the Liberals are happy to hash out their leadership battles for the Canadian public to see - again - and make it as bloody as possible. Keith Beardsley has put it best, in the National Post: constitution be damned, the Liberals need a quick-fix and ignoring the document on which the party is based is the best way to do it.

Instead of working to become a force in Canadian politics the Liberals are, once again, at each other's throats. Centrist alternative be damned, Liberals have to look out for number one first: themselves.

At the end of the day, this looks better and better for the Conservatives: an inexperienced NDP opposition and a weak Liberal Party that will only get weaker as it fights yet another civil war. I like our chances come 2015...

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.