The last bearded Prime Minister resigned in 1896

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We’ve been wondering lately if Thomas Mulcair knows that the last Canadian Prime Minister to wear a full beard was Mackenzie Bowell who left the office in 1896. Every single first minister since then has been pretty much clean shaven. Robert Borden (1916) and Louis St-Laurent (1957) has mustaches. Academically speaking, the thinkers are split on whether the full beard makes a guy more trustworthy or sort of sneaky looking.  Of course, Mr. Mulcair’s beard may have nothing to do with whether he becomes Prime Minister. There has never been an NDP true north PM bearded or otherwise.   

No decency, no shame, no sense of reality

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Who will deliver us from this strange, limited and vulgar man? Only Rob Ford, it now seems, could hope to persuade the  men and women of Toronto city council to forgive him by announcing on international television that “I really F-upped.” His shocking and yet for him, commonplace admission, that he has purchased illegal drugs while in office just makes the point that Mr. Ford can’t grasp the enormity of his offenses. His accumulated behaviour has long since passed critical mass. Mr Ford has detonated his office. There is no apology or recounting of regret that can restore things or permit him to go on.  The mayor’s refrain that he doesn’t know what else he say is to groan for. He has no decency no shame and no grasp of reality. 

“Booze, drugs and suspected escorts at City Hall”

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Early this evening  Mayor Ford left his office at City Hall and issued a repeated warning to reporters. “Be careful what you write,” he said. In the face of questioning, the answer was the same. “Be careful what you write.” Earlier, CP24 said, the mayor’s brother, Doug Ford, had said the same and added “You will be sued.” Now read the Toronto’s Sun’s account of the mayor’s associations and what the Sun makes of them. Michele Mandel, Toronto Sun

Mayor stonewalls council on rehab requests

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Mayor Ford has stonewalled members of City Council this morning as they attempt to make him understand that his behaviour has been unacceptable and that “apologies” are not sufficient. In reply to his supporter, George Mammoliti, the mayor said that he was guilty of “utter stupidity” and would not agree that his decision to smoke crack cocaine was caused by stress. Councillor Shiner asked if the mayor had admitted all of his mistakes. Mayor Ford said he didn’t know. “I don’t know what’s out there.” In response to the question, “Will you get help?” The reply was “I am not an addict. Why are you asking me if I need help? 

Will Mayor Ford make bobble heads of council?

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Fresh off his Robbie Bobbie cash-and-carry love affair with supporters Tuesday, Mayor Rob Ford will face a City Council motion Wednesday morning demanding he apologize to citizens. It also tells him to step aside and get help for his substance abuse. More than that, if the mayor doesn’t agree, Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34) says he will move another motion asking the Ontario Government to remove Mr. Ford from office. That would be quite a tall order and Mr. Ford knows it.  The bobble head follies went on in a variety of forms at City Hall Tuesday. The Globe and Mail videos at the top tell the improbable tale. Don’t miss the Ford Nation lady wanting to know what happened to the “promise” that she could buy more than one.  Maybe she was hoping to make a killing with multiple $1000 robbie listings on e-Bay. But back to council. Last week there was a head count of the 44 members of council (Mr. Ford makes 45). It showed at least 30 members want the mayor to resign or take a leave of absence. For some it was the second video of the mayor in which he bravely describes how he will kill one or more unnamed people. That was the video that moved John Filion (Ward 23) to draft his motion calling on council to suspend many of the mayor’s powers. That motion has yet to come to council.  During this strange day, Mr. Ford allowed to reporters that things were “just going great.” It is an expression of confidence that many will find simply absurd. It should be a lively day. 

Jim Flaherty predicts end of deficit by 2015

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Finance Minister Flaherty

Jim Flaherty was joking about spending. He said that his staff had recently bought him a big old-fashioned looking rubber stamp which simply says “No”. Call him a cold-hearted capitalist or the saviour of a prosperous and independent Canada — the man does not like debt. “Everybody wants something,” he said a little sadly. “Sooner or later you have to have the courage to say no.” It is the process of hanging onto money that has permitted Canada to turn itself into a fiscally strong example to the world. In the 1990s, Flaherty said, Canadians ponied up 30 cents of every $1 in taxes to pay down the interest on the debt. Now that interest is down to 11 cents out of every dollar. In that respect, Canada is the envy of the western world. Flaherty said today that if everything goes according to plan, the country will have a $3.7-billion surplus in time for the next national election in 2015. And that would pave the way for tax breaks. Making good on earlier pledges to chalk up a surplus, Mr. Flaherty used his economic and fiscal update in Edmonton to issue the most optimistic forecast. Selling off government assets, reigning in department spending and growing tax revenues will all combine to put Ottawa back in the black, finance department figures reveal.  Global News

Holly Berry this Saturday at Rosedale United

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A profusion of Holly Berry signs across South Bayview heralds the Rosedale United Church annual fair this Saturday, November 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fair-goers will  find Christmas Shopping and more. There will be baked goodies, jewellery, and lots of handcrafted items from “unique vendors”. The fair features a Fran’s Deli.  Proceeds from past fairs have gone to support the work of  local and international outreach. The chairs of the Holly Berry Fair in 2013 are Caroline and Bob Duncanson. churchoffice@rosedaleunited.org Rosedale United is at 159 Roxborough Drive at Glen Road.