Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

[vonGarvin]

I can't be the only Torontonian who's postponing their own suicide so I can see how this race turns out.

:rofl:

 

[mariomike]

Meh, I am voting for Michael Tramov.

I was robo-polled tonight by Forum Research regarding Mayor Ford's job performance, and if I would be voting for him.

They also asked about several other ( potential ) candidates including Stintz, Chow, Soknacki and Tory.

I've always supported those who support safe staffing levels and decent pay for Toronto's Emergency Services.

Prior to 1998, the city ( which was the same size then as it is now ) had six elected mayors all serving concurrently. In addition, there was one non-elected "super-mayor" ( the Metro Chairman ).

He was the one who really ran City Hall.

Regarding labour relations, the city went 30 years without a strike. Then Mayor Lastman had the "jobs for life" strike in 2002, and Miller had the "sick bank" strike in 2009.

Mayor Ford avoided a strike, but he did not have to fight either of those battles with the union.

 

 

[a_majoor]

For a bit of fun, I'd suggest that anyone who is polled reply they are all for Mayor Ford, his program and will vote for him again, regardless of what your personal views are.

This will throw the various progressives into a panic as the polls come out, but also provide openingings for the various lower profile candidates as people start paying attention to the campaign and say "WTF?". Shaking up the political establishment in Toronto should not equate to coronating Olivia Chow.

 

[pbi]

The latest revelations about His Worship, while in the line of  possibly questionable "jailhouse confession", seem to conform to some elements of what was previously known. His Worship's sister was reported some time ago to have been involved with drugs, and IIRC was shot in the face by a dealer-I believe it was hte person now making these allegations.

I very, very much doubt that Chow will get elected (short, perhaps, of a mass mobilization by the Chinese community) but whoever ends up getting the mayoral chain of office, will (I hope) demonstrate more judgement in who they choose to associate with. His Worship seems to have absolutely no discretion whatsoever in that department.

He also might want to develop a better definition of "friends": I don't think a "friend" is somebody who videos you being a bizarre idiot and then either uploads it or sells it. He seems to have a lot of people like this around him during these various "private life" moments.

 

[mariomike]

Norm Gardner became a candidate for mayor today:
http://www.toronto.ca/toronto_history/councillors/1998-2000/gardner1.htm

 

[pbi]

It says he was in the Militia. What regiment was he?

I still think that Ford has an excellent chance of getting back in, assuming no more disasters, for the following reasons;

-municipal politics in Canada traditionally have low voter turnouts, which means that a candidate with a dedicated core of supporters who do actually vote has a good chance;

-Ford Nation folks seem to be capable of magical thinking, so they remain stalwart at about (IIRC) 40% of the electorate: easily enough to take a split field;

-there will almost certainly be several mayoral candidates, thereby guaranteeing a split vote as noted above;

-he is the Mayor, diminished or not. Incumbents typically have an advantage over outsiders;

-he is busily shaping conditions so that he appears as a victim: a helpless but true hearted defender of the Little Guy, shackled by the wicked money-wasters on Council. He would probably like people to forget that in Ontario a mayor is only one vote on Council and really needs councillors to cooperate with him to get things done. Watch for lots of talk about "coups" and "undemocratic actions" by Council. How a majority vote by elected officials is undemocratic escapes me; and

-he appeals to a large number of people who wish they could do all that cool stuff and keep their jobs too.

 

[mariomike]

It says he was in the Militia. What regiment was he?

Queen's Own Rifles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Queen's_Own_Rifles_of_Canada#Notable_members

 

[Remius]

-municipal politics in Canada traditionally have low voter turnouts, which means that a candidate with a dedicated core of supporters who do actually vote has a good chance;
-

I'm willing to bet the next Toronto election will likely have the highest turn out it has had in a long time...just a hunch.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I still think that Ford has an excellent chance of getting back in, assuming no more disasters ....

All I know about the guy is what I read, and the bit in yellow is still appears quite the gamble at this point 

 

[pbi]

I'm willing to bet the next Toronto election will likely have the highest turn out it has had in a long time...just a hunch.

On second thought, you could be right. In any case, it promises to be interesting.

All I know about the guy is what I read, and the bit in yellow is still appears quite the gamble at this point 

We'll see. Brother Doug seems to be trying valiantly and loyally to keep a grip on His Worship, but he keeps slipping out of his leash and peeing all over things.

 

[mariomike]

How a majority vote by elected officials is undemocratic escapes me;

Democratic or not, prior to Mayors Lastman, Miller and Ford, the leader and the most senior political figure was elected by the members of Council.

( The geographic boundary remains the same 240 square miles it has been for the last 60 years. )

 

[dapaterson]

And in the "What has been imagined cannot be unimagined" department, there are rumours that the Toronto Star is chasing down a Rob Ford sex tape.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Rob Ford has likely improved the revenue of the TS and they will feel the pinch when he is gone. Funny the left always preaches compassion for addicts, yet given the opportunity they pulled out the knives instead.

 

[jpjohnsn]

Funny the left always preaches compassion for addicts, yet given the opportunity they pulled out the knives instead.

How about not talking about "the left" as if it is all one thing.  Painting up your straw men with a single broad brush is never helpful to any discussion. 

Even as a  fiscally conservative, I wouldn't care if he had figured out how to run the city at no cost to the taxpayer, fiscal responsibility is only one part of what I look for in a civic leader.    Not being the punch-line in American, late-night, talk show monologues being fairly high up there. 

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Well my grandfather help start the CCF and my dad was an MLA for the NDP, is that enough straw for you? I grew up in very left of centre household and have since wandered the political spectrum. As for the left there is a significant base which can be collectively refereed to as the "left" (just as there is a "right")  It encompasses everything up to but not including "Blue Liberals"

 

[jpjohnsn]

Well my grandfather help start the CCF and my dad was an MLA for the NDP, is that enough straw for you? I grew up in very left of centre household and have since wandered the political spectrum.  As for the left there is a significant base which can be collectively refereed to as the "left" (just as there is a "right")  It encompasses everything up to but not including "Blue Liberals"

What your father and grandfather did does not make you an authority on "the left" and more than Ron Reagan Jr is any kind of authority on "the right" because of his dad so we can set that aside for the moment.

And by cherry-picking your data set and excluding the "Blue Liberals", you have proven my point. 

When you said "the left always preaches compassion for addicts", you are engaging in a hasty generalization which is a fallacy.  Some on the left do, absolutely.  Some on the right do too.  And some on the left and right really don't.   

 

[Remius]

What your father and grandfather did does not make you an authority on "the left" and more than Ron Reagan Jr is any kind of authority on "the right" because of his dad so we can set that aside for the moment.

And by cherry-picking your data set and excluding the "Blue Liberals", you have proven my point. 

When you said "the left always preaches compassion for addicts", you are engaging in a hasty generalization which is a fallacy.  Some on the left do, absolutely.  Some on the right do too.  And some on the left and right really don't. 

What difference does it make.  I got what he meant even if it was a generalisation. 

 

[Nemo888]

One of those former mayors had a wife who was a kleptomaniac. It took a lot of work to keep that out of the papers. He was the one who never tipped in restaurants.

Ford was such a mess and so terrible at corruption he was like a whiff of honesty despite himself. Ford was such a train wreck I miss him already.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

What your father and grandfather did does not make you an authority on "the left" and more than Ron Reagan Jr is any kind of authority on "the right" because of his dad so we can set that aside for the moment.

And by cherry-picking your data set and excluding the "Blue Liberals", you have proven my point. 

When you said "the left always preaches compassion for addicts", you are engaging in a hasty generalization which is a fallacy.  Some on the left do, absolutely.  Some on the right do too.  And some on the left and right really don't. 

My point is I grew up surrounded by the left and if you think there is not a "cultural group" that can be identified as such then you are allowing your own opinions blind you. As for the "Blue Liberals " for lack of a better term, they don't self-identify with the left or the right, creating a 3rd group. Then of course there was the Rhino party who just laughed at everyone.

 

[pbi]

Rob Ford has likely improved the revenue of the TS and they will feel the pinch when he is gone. Funny the left always preaches compassion for addicts, yet given the opportunity they pulled out the knives instead.

As far as I'm concerned, his addictions are the least of it. (Sir John A was a notorious boozer).

For me, since the day I became aware of him, it has been an issue of character. Apparently he is a 19-year old in a man's body, and consistently demonstrates that same level of judgement.  His endless antics and huge range of bad behaviours would have gotten a lesser city employee sacked ages ago.  His shallow masquerade as an "average guy" is rubbish.

We deserve better in our leaders, but apparently we have no idea how to get it.  Replacing Ford with some spineless left-wing twit isn't the answer either (although most of the councillors running against Ford are not left wing at all: if I'm not mistaken, some were originally his allies)

I will say though, that I truly do admire Brother Doug's steadfast bulldog loyalty to this train wreck of a sibling. Misplaced, but honourable.