Posts Tagged ‘ streetcars ’

Ford gets away with it. Again. And again. And again.

Posted on June 20th, 2013 – Comments Off on Ford gets away with it. Again. And again. And again.

So now that Ford has survived the final appeal in his conflict of interest case (the Supreme Court didn’t even bother to give any reason), I think it’s worthwhile to count how many times he’s been let off the hook for flagrantly breaking both rules and laws (neither of which, of course, apply to Rob Ford or family):

There was that campaign finance audit, which, just like the conflict of interest case discovered that, yes indeed, Ford had broken the law many times over. But in the end, that was simply dismissed by an “expert committee” (a little cheating is okay). Thus Robbie first learned that the law is for other people.

Then there was the time Ford was caught in the act, reading while driving, and excused by the chief of police as a minor trifling offense (this at the same time as a distracted driving blitz was raking in cash).

You may also recall the time he rudely whisked past open streetcar doors, outright endangering people. That time the TTC refused to follow up, as did the cops.

Prior to that, Ford walked out of a domestic assault charge when it was decided that his wife just couldn’t be trusted to tell the truth.

That last one is quite ironic, considering how openly and loudly lied to the whole city about his DUI/drug charges in Florida.

Of course, there is that drunken rage incident at the Air Canada Centre, over which I don’t think charges were ever laid (Rob was just ejected).

There are lots of things Rob Ford does that, though technically illegal, would be more than sufficient grounds to get you fired from any private organization or business. Name your fault: incompetence, open deceit, criminality, etc. All of these are not only easily proven but, in some cases, actually admitted to by the fat man himself.

But why should any of that matter?

Filed under: B Sides, Patrick Bay

The Fords and the womens

Posted on May 1st, 2013 – Comments Off on The Fords and the womens

Doug Ford didn’t like that TTC Chair Karen Stintz had some things to say about streetcars while visiting Cincinnati:

“She’s making it sound like everyone in Toronto loves streetcars. That’s how she’s making it sound, that everyone is Gung ho and it is the total opposite. The mayor won with a clear mandate from the people of Toronto to build subways and she’s gone, in my opinion, and sold a bill of goods that is inaccurate in my opinion.”

Of course, Dougie is fully entitled to his opinion, but based on the abject failures that comprise his own brother’s travels  (still waiting on all those Chicago jobs!), you’d think he might temper his criticism a bit.

But then again, these are the Fords we’re talking about and they aren’t really about “subways, subways, subways!”, or “casino, casino, casino!”, they’re about getting and retaining flunkies who will toe their line on any old issue they pull out of their ass. And, being the Fords, the naturally believe that women make the most natural and passive of subservient flunkies.

That’s not just the vitriol they hurl at Karen Stintz that tells me that; Lauren Strapagiel of Canada.com recently took up Robbie’s offer to teach her (and all women), about politics, as did Lisa Kirbie who not only received a response, but was kind enough to record it for posterity.

The über-brief, late-evening, and mostly one-sided conversation comprised of Ford advising Kirbie to get her name on the ballot, and at that time he’d give her more advice. In other words, make sure you’re running against Ford — become his opponent — and he will advise you on how best to defeat him.

Maybe I’m reading a bit between the lines here, but I’m getting the nagging feeling that the Ford brothers think that we’re all complete idiots (and extra on you ladies!)

Filed under: B Sides, Patrick Bay

Peter Milczyn blames Council for streetcar funds, should blame Ford

Posted on April 28th, 2012 – Comments Off on Peter Milczyn blames Council for streetcar funds, should blame Ford

The Star is reporting today that a newly found budget surplus, nearly double previous estimates, will be used to pay for streetcars purchased by Miller’s administration. While the surplus is bigger than expected (even though pretty much everyone but the Ford administration knew it), it’s worthwhile to note how the Fordites are continuing their divisive propaganda by trying to suggest the decisions behind the budget are Council’s fault:

“Council directed that the surplus be directed to capital purchases and specifically the new TTC streetcar order,” Milczyn said.

Except, guess what?

FORD WANTS TO USE SURPLUS TO PAY FOR STREETCARS…while some councillors are suggesting the surplus cash be used to stop other budget cuts, Ford echoed Budget Chief Mike Del Grande’s stance that the surplus should be put into the city’s cash-strapped capital budget…Mark Towhey, Ford’s director of policy, stressed Thursday that the city has to put a portion of the 2011 budget surplus towards the capital budget, particularly the TTC’s fleet of new streetcars.

So Fordo and his cadre get the surplus wrong, and then they go and point fingers at Council when in reality they themselves directly spearheaded the push for spending the money this way. At this rate, they’ll probably be blaming the insistence on subways on Miller too (because they were Ford’s priorities since day one, of course).

Filed under: Patrick Bay, Why I'm Right

Streetcars: Never! Maybe! Definitely!

Posted on January 6th, 2012 – Comments Off on Streetcars: Never! Maybe! Definitely!

September 2010: Rob Ford vows to get rid of Toronto’s streetcars in favour of more cars on the road.
October 2010: Rob Ford says maybe he won’t get rid of the streetcars after all.
January 2012: Rob Ford wants to use budget surplus to buy new streetcars.

It’s interesting to point out that Ford’s contention was never the cost of streetcars, which would’ve been the one good reason for him to flip-flop like this (“we can do it now that we’ve magically found more money in the budget!”). Instead, it was an ideological stand against public transit and bicycles in favour of cars.

I’m glad that the mayor is reneging — this city needs way more reliable (and affordable!) transit, not cars on the road; more wheels on the pavement doesn’t solve Toronto’s gridlock, after all. But I can’t help but wonder how his supporters must be feeling watching him slowly chip away at pretty much every pledge and campaign promise he made. I wouldn’t be too pleased about it if I’d voted for him, that’s for sure.

Filed under: Dispatches, Patrick Bay