Between changing more diapers and falling deeper in love than I’d have thought possible, I’ve struggled to put in to words my thoughts on Toronto’s election since the ballots were counted. Sleep deprivation is likely an accomplice to my inability to write an adequate epilogue but hardly the ringleader. More
Continue readingTag: John Tory
BigCityLib Strikes Back: Our Long Municipal Nightmare Is Over
Of course one’s first response must be an overwhelming sense of relief. The Ford’s are gone from power in this town, even though Rob reclaimed his council seat out in Etobicoke. That’s a sideshow. Peak Ford has passed. Ford Nation is dead. Even though they turned out in full force
Continue readingEh Types: When Being Right Feels Wrong
In March of this year I had a job interview with a well known political consulting group. I must say despite not being hired I immensely enjoyed the interview. One of the questions I was asked, other than my response to a zombie apocalypse, was what I thought the main
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: John Tory, the leading Conservative Party candidate for Toronto…
John Tory, the leading Conservative Party candidate for Toronto mayor, has gotten endorsements from the Conservative Toronto Sun (after they previously promoted the Ford brothers), the Conservative Globe and Mail, Conservative Toronto city councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, a bunch of other lesser-known Conservative city councillors, federal Conservative Transport Minister Lisa Raitt,
Continue readingThe Ranting Canadian: Doug Ford should drop out of the Toronto mayoral race – he is…
Doug Ford should drop out of the Toronto mayoral race – he is splitting the anti-John Tory vote. John Tory should drop out of the mayoral race because he is splitting the anti-Doug Ford vote. They should both drop out because they are both splitting the pro-Chow vote. If that
Continue readingAutonomy For All: Ranked Balloting (Toronto) Primer: This Needs to Happen
In 2013, City Council voted 25-16 in favour of a motion that (among other things) asked the province to implement legislation authorizing ranked balloting (or “instant runoff voting” – IRV) for municipal elections in Toronto. Since then, the re-elected Liberals included a specific promise to implement such legislation for all
Continue readingAutonomy For All: Ranked Balloting (Toronto) Primer: This Needs to Happen
In 2013, City Council voted 25-16 in favour of a motion that (among other things) asked the province to implement legislation authorizing ranked balloting (or “instant runoff voting” – IRV) for municipal elections in Toronto. Since then, the re-e…
Continue readingAutonomy For All: Ranked Balloting (Toronto) Primer: This Needs to Happen
In 2013, City Council voted 25-16 in favour of a motion that (among other things) asked the province to implement legislation authorizing ranked balloting (or “instant runoff voting” – IRV) for municipal elections in Toronto. Since then, the re-elected Liberals included a specific promise to implement such legislation for all
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: John Tory’s Statement Withdrawing From Upcoming Debates
“With Doug Ford entering the race and less than six weeks to go until election day, we have entered a new phase of the campaign. John has extraordinary demands on his time and, unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate every event and request.” Team Tory elaborates further at the other
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Toronto Set To Elect Henry Blake
Amiable, sort of clueless. The kind of guy who wanders around saying “the world is a square, the world is a square” until someone tells him its a rhomboid, after which he goes around saying “the world is a rhomboid, the world is a rhomboid.” Hopefully somebody tells him the
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Olivia Chow loses when the race is about Rob Ford
On paper, the Toronto Mayoral race should be a cakewalk for the NDP’s Olivia Chow. Consider, it is down to two conservatives who will split votes on the right and a single progressive on the left, from a city who has previously had the political makeup to elect NDP candidates
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Olivia Chow loses when the race is about Rob Ford
On paper, the Toronto Mayoral race should be a cakewalk for the NDP’s Olivia Chow. Consider, it is down to two conservatives who will split votes on the right and a single progressive on the left, from a city who has previously had the political makeup to elect NDP candidates
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: Olivia Chow loses when the race is about Rob Ford
On paper, the Toronto Mayoral race should be a cakewalk for the NDP’s Olivia Chow. Consider, it is down to two conservatives who will split votes on the right and a single progressive on the left, from a city who has previously had the political makeup…
Continue readingAutonomy For All: The "SmartTrack" Political Context
SmartTrack: Politician designed transit works surprisingly well…for politicians To recap: John Tory has centred his Mayoral campaign on a promise to build a heavy surface rail (he calls “surface subway”) electrified line 53KM long that mostly uses 2 existing GO-Transit non-electrified lines and builds 12KM of new track along Eglinton
Continue readingAutonomy For All: The "SmartTrack" Political Context
SmartTrack: Politician designed transit works surprisingly well…for politicians To recap: John Tory has centred his Mayoral campaign on a promise to build a heavy surface rail (he calls “surface subway”) electrified line 53KM long that mostly uses 2 existing GO-Transit non-electrified lines and builds 12KM of new track along Eglinton
Continue readingAutonomy For All: The "SmartTrack" Political Context
SmartTrack: Politician designed transit works surprisingly well…for politicians To recap: John Tory has centred his Mayoral campaign on a promise to build a heavy surface rail (he calls “surface subway”) electrified line 53KM long that mostly uses 2 …
Continue readingOlivia Chow is the Best Choice for a Bike-Friendly Mayor of Toronto
On October 27th of this year, Toronto will have the opportunity to elect a new Mayor who will commit to improving transportation in our city. For those who want a bike-friendly mayor who understands the importance of all modes of transportation, Olivia Chow is the best choice.
Continue readingProgressive Proselytizing: John Tory’s empty "plan" for Toronto
Toronto mayoral candidate John Tory has penned an op-ed in the National Post claiming to explain what his plan is for Toronto. Usually politicians spend most of their campaigning time spewing platitudes that are cute, but offer little insight into what they actually plan to do. Usually, however, buried somewhere
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: TTC Chief Andy Byford On Scarborough LRT Vs. Subway
…or, at least, an LRT running underground: Andy Byford says that TTC is mindful of changing politics, is doing work on Scarb. transit that could apply to either subway or LRT— Ben Spurr (@BenSpurr) April 30, 2014 Byford: “What we’re trying to avoid is wasting money. Whether it were an
Continue readingThe Wandering Joe: The Man Who Said Too Little
Ok, I need to make a confession. There was once a time where I would say without too much reservation that, “I would be comfortable voting for John Tory as Mayor of Toronto.” I won’t specify how long ago that time was, but it was well before his campaign officially
Continue reading