Ehealth did alot. They gave themselves great dinners. They even charged for the time they spent planning the dinners and the coffee and muffins they had while they planned those expensive banquets.
Then Smitherman layed off staff and closed health units. The consultants still are working.
Yes. Indeed, he made the point that after scamming millions they were put on the government payroll since then. Nice, now they can collect government pensions as well.
I think you all missed the point...I not a Smitherman fan and frankly I don't give damn if he is elected from a personal point of view...but heck I am beginning to think maybe a vote for Ford makes sense. Maybe the cabal of crazies down at city hall will get the message that thumbing your nose at the electorate is a dangerous game. That's what gave us Mike Harris and maybe now Ford.
Geez what am I thinking those loons won't get it..they never do.
That poll did say a lot of NDP voters are voting Ford. I guess that includes union members and people on this board. Hope you enjoy him!
False presumption is that most people reject Miller, and that there is some kind of backlash. As was pointed out before, three weeks ago, if the poll was held Miller would have won the election. The premise that there is some kind of backlash is entirely a media creation, one largely fronted by the Toronto Star that tried to promote Smitherman as the antidote to Miller. What they didn't forsee was Ford (a genuine right wing radical) riding on the storm in a tea pot that the Star and the Sun have largely created.
And presenting Smitherman as anything other than a soft-sell Harris Tory is also false, since, as we see a number of Harris era cabinet ministers are backing him, since he can "get the job done". Even Ontario Tories are afraid of Ford because he is no ones creature.
You, as a member of the electorate can choose to let the media set the agenda against your interests, or you can reclaim the agenda. It's up to you.
Sounds like Miller might be coming out for Pantalone.
They’re turning out to be Rob Ford lites,” he said.“Except for Joe Pantalone, all the candidates are talking about tearing down the city and they’re talking about accounting issues.”
He said the accusations of wasteful spending at city are unfounded.
“Ford, [George] Smitherman, [Rocco] Rossi — when they say these things are completely ill-informed.”
Miller said he couldn’t think of a single example of wasteful spending at city hall in the past seven years — not even the St. Clair Ave. streetcar upgrade, which went hundreds of millions over budget.
“Yes, it’s true that there were some delays because of coordination between Toronto Hydro, the [city] roads department and the TTC,” he said. “Fair enough to criticize that. But the project as a whole was incredibly good value.
“The end result is an excellent use of public money.”
http://www.openfile.ca/blog/topics/toronto-votes/2010/mayor-backs-beauli...
[quote=Cueball]
False presumption is that most people reject Miller, and that there is some kind of backlash. As was pointed out before, three weeks ago, if the poll was held Miller would have won the election. The premise that there is some kind of backlash is entirely a media creation, one largely fronted by the Toronto Star that tried to promote Smitherman as the antidote to Miller. What they didn't forsee was Ford (a genuine right wing radical) riding on the storm in a tea pot that the Star and the Sun have largely created.
Funny thing I didn't mention Miller at all. It is not one person or one thing. "Come on down baby", comments, ignoring the the voters in Etobicoke, Scarborough and North York, cost over runs, city hall that getting answers, pay legal bills agast legal advice, a garbage strike. All of that plus voters are mad at all politicans in Ottawa and Quuens Park but they are getting their first shot municipally. You know what they say about us on the left side of things. We don't have to worry about the right. We will do ourselves!!!
Miller actually did a lot for the voters of North York/Scarborough/Etobicoke. Apparently he's a lot more fathomable there than Smitherman.
And what the Smitherman campaign proves is that you are never going to be able to appease that faction, no matter how much right wing talk you use. There will always be people around who are stupid enough not to see that the reason they are stuck behind a streetcar is because the streetcar is stuck behind a car. All they see is the streetcar.
What the campaign has needed is a solid centerist to truly polarize the election, so that people have an option. The left lost Adam Giambrone early, and has had trouble putting a focussed campaign together. Now it has behind Pantalone, who really is no radical at all,
But Smitherman's dithering attempts to be a right wing moron are not going to wash with the right wing morons. And the left is not going to vote for a soft-sell Harrisite either. They would rather stay home. So he is done like dinner, and the only alternative is Pantalone.
A new site: http://www.torontocannotafford.com/
(Please note white, black and red graphic treatment!)
Toronto muncipal politics is so fascinating for those of us who live outside. It is pure entertainment. I know it is serious for those who live there, but a buffon like Smitherman or Ford would be left in the dust in most other places in Ontario.
ETA - I am not being a smart ass. I really find it fascinating. It is unlike anywhere else in Ontario for sure. Can't speak to other large cities like Vancouver. Montreal and so on.
Long thread, closing for length.
