Rob Ford! That’s who!

TORONTO - Mayor Rob Ford came out swinging at left-leaning councillors Tuesday.

“These people are all two steps left of Joe Stalin,” Ford told AM 640 host John Oakley in a radio interview.

Ford specifically referred to Councillors Adam Vaughan, Gord Perks, Janet Davis, Paula Fletcher and Josh Matlow when making the comment.

The good Mayor should research what Josef Stalin did during his reign and honestly assess whether these Councillors are comparable.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

… how childish and petty the “Mayor” of Toronto can be!

Mayor Ford has no obligation to speak to or be interviewed by the Star. That is entirely his choice. However, when it comes to public press releases and public notifications from his office as mayor of all the people, that is another matter. That directly affects our ability to cover city hall and serve our readers.

Indeed, the Ford freeze recently went a step further. The mayor’s staff was holding a briefing on arts funding and other members of the city hall press gallery were told about it privately. In this case, they were also specifically asked not to tell the Star about it. In other words, the mayor’s staff was trying to use other journalists to enforce its freeze. Thankfully, they did not go along.

What’s next? An attampted expropriation of the CBC HQ on Front Street?

Grow up, act like a Mayor of a major city and less like the petulant Mayor of some rural backwater!

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

... than to vote for three buffoons in a row.

They’ll be more sensible in the Fall….

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

So, Rob Ford is an example of a gene pool gone wrong terribly … right? We can agree on this, correct?

If you doubt that at all, then look no further than his Councillor brother… supposedly the smarter of the two. Dougie has decided to take on Margaret Atwood over comments she has made about the City considering the closure of some library branches.

If things were not bad enough for the mayor’s camp, his brother, Councillor Doug “The Smart One” Ford, poured oil on the book pile by declaring he would close at least one Etobicoke library in a “heartbeat.” Reminded that novelist Margaret Atwood had joined a save-the-libraries campaign, he declared that “she could walk by me, I wouldn’t have a clue who she is.” It did not help that he has the habit of dropping one of the R’s when he says “libraries,” pronouncing it “lie-berries.”

The next day, he tried to explain himself to Global News. “What I was saying is, everyone knows who Margaret Atwood is. But if she were to come up to 98 per cent of the people, they wouldn’t know who she was. But I think she’s a great writer and I look forward to her input.” Ms. Atwood must be grateful for the endorsement.

No, Dougie. You are wrong. Ninety-eight per cent of the people wouldn’t have a clue who you are outside your those on your own street!And they probably think you’re a jerk too!

And if you have ever picked up and read any of her works, I’ll buy myself a membership to the CPC!

Furthermore, he stated that Ms. Atwood has no right to criticise the closings because she wasn’t elected to Council.

“She’s not down here. She’s not dealing with the problem,” he went on to say. “Tell her to go run in the next election and get democratically elected.”

So Councillor, non-elected taxpaying citizens don’t have a right to stand up against policies that are not agreeable to them???

Whatta joke these guys are… do I hear the words – “one term Mayor”??

Rob and Doug - having a "moment"...

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Why doesn’t anyone think of the children of Toronto??? Some of them may miss Montessori today!

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

tue	wed	thu	fri	sat	sun	mon	tue	wed	thu
feb 01 Snw Shwrs 20° 16°	feb 02 Hvy Snw/Wind 20° 10°	feb 03 Flurries 23° 14°	feb 04 M Sunny 22° 18°	feb 05 P Cloudy 24° 19°	feb 06 Snw Shwrs 25° 23°	feb 07 Snw Shwrs 29° 23°	feb 08 Snw Shwrs 24° 14°	feb 09 P Cloudy 19° 10°	feb 10 Snw Shwrs 17° 13°

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

“I’m sure that damned socialist Lastman left it around here somewhere. Maybe Cherry knows.”

The Big Smoke and environs is due for another 20-30 cm of army-inducing snow tomorrow. Madness will ensue. Civic officials will publicly fret. Rob Ford will declare an emergency when his fave Timmie’s drive-through is blocked by a snowplow and he is unable to get his double-double and honey cruller.

Meanwhile in Ottawa, we might get an inch or two. But Parliament is back in session, so that makes up for it.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

Banner on TORONTONAMO site.

Interesting to listen to the battle for the minds of Canadians being waged by, in one corner, the Harperites, Queen’s Parks and the T.O. cops… and in the other corner, the activist groups, community groups and individual Canucks.

At issue – did the cops step over the line during the Gee-Score protests?

As with most of these issues, the truth likely lies somewhere in betwixt and between. While I am sure that, cops being cops, some did get too rough, covered their badges and name tags, and acted as agents provacateurs. No doubt. And there is video evidence of this.

I posted a vid of a little lady blowing bubbles in the direction of the line of cops where one guy about 56 times bigger than her was being a real asshole and harrumphing that she would be charged with assault if one of the bubbles landed on the big guy. Then the vid cuts to the bubble blower being loaded into a van.  Yeah, I know the what-happened-in-between was edited out, but my point was that some members of the security forces were getting way overboard and letting their power go to their already inflated heads.

As for the demonstrators? For sure some of them went waaaaay over the line too. There is no excuse for vandalism and violence. As a pacifist, I believe that protests need not be violent and more sympathy can be garnered for the “cause” if one demonstrates civility. I personally despise those who destroy for whatever the cause may be.

But - and again, there is video evidence – the vast, VAST majority of the protesters were indeed civil. They didn’t throw things aside from epithets. They stayed within the rules. They acted civil. BUT, this god behaviour was not respected in several instances where the police broke up – often violently – groups that were clearly not doing anything wrong. They were exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly.

As The Clash said:

Know your rights
These are your rights
Wang
Know these rights
Number 3
You have the right to free
Speech as long as you’re not
Dumb enough to actually try it.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

And the sign said anybody caught trespassing would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and yelled at the house, Hey! what gives you the right
To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in
Signs – 5 Man Electrical Band

Almost complete are the conversions of two different Ontario communities into armed fortresses that would make even Kim Il Jong blush.

Huntsville and Toronto are very, very different types of communities – aside from the fact that many from the latter like to spend their summers in and around the former – the two are as different as night and day. Small town Ontario versus the Big Smoke. Urban versus rural. Natural environment versus built environment.

But over the next little while, these two communities have something very much in common. Something that up until recently, would have been unthinkable in the country.

They are full-fledged, razor wired, jack-booted police states.

I mean, what else can you call them?

Both are ringed with a 3 metre high fence that will be defended by fully armed and outfitted police officers recruited from the RCMP, OPP and the Metre Toronto boyz and girlz in blue. They have been specially trained in the use of anti-riot weapons like water cannons, sonic cannons, tasers, whips, batons, big guns, small guns, tear gas and effective noogy giving.

At first, the chattering was all about the threat of terrorism and hence the need for massive security.  Since terrorism is no longer a “threat”, we should not be too surprised that Day and the other Harperites are now characterizing all protesters as “anarchists and thugs”.  Thus the reason for this incredible and unprecedented armed presence on the streets of T.O. and in the bush around Huntsville. The ReformCons have to say something to warrant the ONE BEEL-LEE-ON dollars being spent on the establishment of the police state.

Sure, there will be some protesters in Toronto (there may be some in Huntsville too, but the main throng will be where they can garner the most media coverage) who are not there to exercise their democratic rights of free expression and assembly in a peaceful and meaningful way. There will be those who are there simply to cause trouble, mayhem and madness and to damage property.

But surely they can be identified fairly quickly and dealt with in an appropriate way? There are, like, thousands of cops and other security personnel, after all! They don’t do advance reconnaissance to identify individuals who may pose a threat? There isn’t a list somewhere?

I find that hard to believe.

Nope – the powers-that-be WANT disruption so they can point to it and say:

“We told you so! All of that money spent on fences, cops, cannons and razor wire was so WORTH it!”

The folks that I do feel sorry for are those in Huntsville and T.O. for whom this whole thing is a nightmare of epic proportions. I even feel sorry for the Bay Street lawyers!

Naw. That’s going too far.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the Torontoist - which is keeping a running tab on what the Gee-Score is ruining or making a mess of.

I’m sure everyone is thanking you, Stevo! From the tourism operators in Muskoka to the LCBO employees in downtown Toronto. Thanks a BILLION!

And all for a photo op…

Well, how is this for a photo op?

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario

The Toronto City council just released previously secret guidelines on canceling tickets.

Some of the exemptions are perfectly reasonable, taxis, nursing agencies, security companies, tour buses… all are permitted a bit more latitude than your average Joe.

But, the more religious among us are granted a kind of immunity not afforded to non-believers…

16.0 RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE GRACE PERIODS – REX

Parking consideration is given to religious groups by Toronto Police to afford members of congregations to attend worship. This consideration is granted for worship services only.

Exemptions are granted for parking in prohibited areas or at meters

1 – Park at expired meter

5 – Park signed highway during prohibited (times/days) (excluding rush hour)

6 – Park signed highway in excess of permitted time

The religious group must provide a letter from the Minister/Pastor/Holy Man or a copy of the bulletin.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario