MAYORAL ISSUES

[Marbur66]

Originally Posted by AndrewJM3D

Hudak, Hudack, Hudac, who cares, he'll never be premier.

It's not as far-fetched of a possibility as you'd like to think. Unfortunately...

[rbt]

Originally Posted by Marbur66

It's not as far-fetched of a possibility as you'd like to think. Unfortunately...

I will be surprised if any of NDP, Liberal, or Conservative have under 25% of the popular vote in the next election; and I think there is a good chance that all 3 will be over 30%.

If there is an Ontario election next spring/summer, it's going to be a really tight one.

[Taller, Better]

I overheard this conversation half a week ago. One man, obviously from somewhere in the vicinity of the GTA, "explaining" the mayoralty situation to two visitors from outside Canada.
"So, then the Judge kicked him out of office. Rob Ford SUED the Judge and won, and forced him to allow him to run in the election. Now, get this: "HE IS NOW FAVOURED TO WIN THE ELECTION"!!!

He was so tickled by his news that he then proceeded to repeat it all over.

Makes you wonder how much news manages to sift through thick layers of numbskull... but it does prove what I have always said, that
people hear and see exactly what they want to hear and see. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Nouvellecosse]

He sued the judge!

[LEAFS FANATIC]

Originally Posted by AndrewJM3D

FYI before Rob Ford Leftists were called Torontonians, it was Scarbirians, East Yorkians, some North Yorkers, and Etobokians that voted in this side show. Not Leftists, not Torontonians.

Erm, no.

I am a "Torontonian" and have never been a "leftist", nor will I ever be. There are many more like me. I live in the Liberty Village area of King Street West. Is that "Torontonian" enough for you?

You see, rather than dribble senseless and whiny unsubtantiated rants like you do, I see the bigger picture and recognize that Toronto (post-amalgamation) is a very unique city. It is the financial and economic center of Canada and one of North America's largest ones as well. What you fail to comprehend is the fact that Toronto's ecomonic might is sustained by the hundreds of thousands of the very suburbanites you hate so much. Without their daily toll and use of sub-standard public transit, not to mention their ridiculous hours upon hours stuck in traffic, the "core" of Toronto would be nothing. I recognize this fact and appreciate it while immature whiners like you continue to hate the hands of the very people that feed you.

Who do you think sticks around on weeknights after work and heads to the downtown pubs, restaurants, clubs, theatres, etc., thus supporting the downtown entertainment districts and businesses? Again, it is the very suburbanites you have so often branded as right-wing-Ford-supporting-hicks.

Who do you think enters the downtown core every weekend and helps create an atmosphere and nightlife culture that can very seldom be rivaled by other North American cities? Yup, the same right-wing-Ford-supporting-scum you hate so much.

So, for once, please try to grow up and recognize you cannot lump all Torontonians in one category. I am a Torontonian; not a Scarberian, East Yorkian, North Yorker, or Etobokian. I am a center-right individual and will never be a leftist no matter how good the candidate is because I will NEVER believe or support "tax and spend" philosophies or a "Daddy Government" interfering in every aspect of my life.

So, to all Scarberians, East Yorkians, North Yorkers, and Etobokians who have had the patience to stick around here, I say "Thank You" for helping to sustain one of North America's most amazing cities. We all don't hate you the way Andrew does nor do his rants represent the way we feel.

[vid]

Do you not see that the ineffective leadership of Rob Ford damages the reputation of the right? Honestly, if he is your only viable option, then you are not a majority and shouldn't be in the position of holding mayoralty.

If someone like Stephen Harper was mayor, then Toronto would be doing fine. But Rob Ford? He is less competent than George W. Bush. He is quite clearly in over his head and if Toronto's right is serious about its desire to retain executive power within the city government, they need to replace Ford for a more capable candidate. And that candidate isn't Doug, either!

[LEAFS FANATIC]

Originally Posted by vid

Do you not see that the ineffective leadership of Rob Ford damages the reputation of the right? Honestly, if he is your only viable option, then you are not a majority and shouldn't be in the position of holding mayoralty.

If someone like Stephen Harper was mayor, then Toronto would be doing fine. But Rob Ford? He is less competent than George W. Bush. He is quite clearly in over his head and if Toronto's right is serious about its desire to retain executive power within the city government, they need to replace Ford for a more capable candidate. And that candidate isn't Doug, either!

I am in total agreement. The Fords are dolts. Period.
Where I take exception is when large generalizations are made about anyone and everyone who happens to live outside the downtown core of Toronto. They simply aren't true.

[Epi]

Originally Posted by LEAFS FANATIC

I am in total agreement. The Fords are dolts. Period.
Where I take exception is when large generalizations are made about anyone and everyone who happens to live outside the downtown core of Toronto. They simply aren't true.

See the problem is that Rob Ford is not only right wing, he's actually anti inner city. There's nothing about being conservative that states that you have to be only for driving, no bike lanes, no transit, want mega malls and Ferris wheels, and so on. In fact I'm pretty sure if John Tory were our mayor he'd be for a lot of things that we like on this forum.

As an example, (ex-Republican) billionaire NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is for a lot of these things in his city even while being very pro business.

So it is for these reasons that people are so anti-Ford. Unfortunately in the last election, because there was no other candidate on the 'right', all the right-wing types who were too lazy to actually learn about their candidates voted for Ford because the only thing they cared about was lower taxes and got us into this mess in the first place.

And actually the reason why those people probably didn't care about Ford's other follies is because Ford's oppositions to transit, bike lanes, etc etc were all things that made downtown worse to live in, but actually didn't effect the suburbs at all, and that is where the vast majority of his support was from. People vote for their interests, or lack there of unfortunately.

[Ashok]

^ Spot-on, spot-on! I am liking this anti-Ford thread!

[AndrewJM3D]

My company is posting these on our website for Christmas. We've created 4 now and will be changing them randomly as we move towards Christmas.

http://crushinc.ca/

[Diesel_Power]

I'm not a right wing voter, but if the right wingers in Toronto wanted to put the "Rob Ford era" behind them and save grace with the voters then they should encourage Denzil Minnan-wong to run for mayor.

I think he's the best chance the right has for winning an election in Toronto.

[Taller, Better]

Cut from the same cloth as Ford, I'm afraid. I wouldn't put that man in charge of sweeping floors at City Hall, personally.

[AndrewJM3D]

Stinz and Tory are the best bet for the right, and not a bad choice for the left either. At some point the right leaning media will need to decide when to jump ship and support a better person for the job.

[Diesel_Power]

Originally Posted by AndrewJM3D

Stinz and Tory are the best bet for the right, and not a bad choice for the left either. At some point the right leaning media will need to decide when to jump ship and support a better person for the job.

I've always view Stinz as more "centre" than "right". I mean, how could she be a right winger if "The Sunshine girl" hates her?

[CanadianDemon]

You guys should put me in Charge! I would do wonders for the City of Toronto.

Now to my serious question. If I got 1000 people to move to a city for a day and vote for me as mayor would it work? I don't think it'd be illegal. Immoral, unethical? Sure, but only for the better.

[rbt]

Originally Posted by CanadianDemon

Now to my serious question. If I got 1000 people to move to a city for a day and vote for me as mayor would it work?

Many small towns struggle to find a volunteer for the job as they often have minimal pay and a ton of headache.

Run for mayor in a small town and you're likely to win if you have some enthusiasm for the job. Local businessman who usually runs will gladly drop out if they think your qualified. They only did the job in the first place to ensure the safety of their business (small business fails when the water stops, roads aren't repaired, etc.)

[ACT7]

I'm in Edmonton right now, and Ford is once again a much bigger conversation piece than anyone should be...

Please, someone just fire a tranquilizer into this animal and set him free into the woods!

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/edito...eads-yet-again

Ford and cronyism

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s administration misleads yet again

Published on Monday December 10, 2012

Misleading the public isn’t the worst of it, although that’s bad enough. More offensive is the ruthless bullying perpetrated by Mayor Rob Ford’s administration in attempting to intimidate a government watchdog who dared reveal the truth.

The reek of that unprincipled effort has become impossible to ignore in the aftermath of emails, obtained by the Star, exposing the full depth of this administration’s hypocrisy.

It all goes back to Toronto ombudsman Fiona Crean’s September report on the rampant cronyism infecting city hall’s public appointments process. Ford’s backers on city council were especially galled by talk of an administration list of preferred appointees. Circulation of such a slate would constitute an unethical attempt to influence a supposedly open process.

Ever fair, Crean indicated in her Sept. 27 report that she couldn’t find proof that a list had been issued and therefore had made no determination on the matter. She was criticized for even mentioning a memo the administration assured the public didn’t exist. To the embarrassment of Ford officials, just days later, a copy of a 26-name list turned up in the city manager’s office.

In an attempt at damage control, Ford’s backers on the civic appointments committee insisted they had no knowledge of that and accused Crean of conducting a politically motivated “witch hunt.” The mayor himself said the notion that his office had rigged the process by circulating a list was “an outright lie.”

Now, it turns out that assistants to councillors Giorgio Mammoliti, Michael Thompson and Jaye Robinson were all sent “the mayor’s choices for short-listing” by a Ford staffer. Emails, obtained through the freedom-of-information process, show the supposedly non-existent list had 30 names. All three councillors receiving the missive were on the mayor’s hand-picked executive committee and the civic appointments committee. As reported by the Star’s David Rider, all claim their assistants never showed them the list. And their assistants have somehow lost all memory of having received such an email from the mayor’s office.

It’s not the pathetic denials that shock in this case. Politicians, as a group, have a reputation for playing fast and loose with the facts. What rankles is that — even though a list had obviously been issued — certain members of the Ford administration set out to smear Crean’s reputation as an unbiased upholder of public integrity.

That’s unconscionable. These people have no shame.

[AndrewJM3D]

I hope he's on vacation right now in the Bermuda Triangle. I should have pointed out Ford was seen at Pearson this morning leaving for vacation. Doug said he deserved it and the city can finish the budget meeting without him. I agree with half of that statement.

[AndrewJM3D]

Episode two of my company's Christmas card.

[AndrewJM3D]

Episode 3