Week II of the Crisis at Toronto City Hall

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Amid universal belief among addiction authorities that Mayor Ford is in deep denial about his condition, the mayor continues to appear at City Hall and Saturday night he attended a Ukrainian event at which the prime minister was also  present. There were no untoward incidents. Ford-watchers will have noticed a renewed care he (or someone) is taking with his dress. The picture at the right shows the mayor six days ago (top) with his tie askew and shirt undone. Below is the mayor yesterday, looking neater and necessarily more in charge of himself. Whether he is in the hands of a dresser, we cannot say but it is a relief to see him looking like he is fit to appear in public. Hints from Mr. Ford’s brother, Doug, that the mayor might take time for some type of treatment remain just hints. The mayor is now said to have a driver. We can only hope that the man is also something of a chaperone when it comes to the mayor’s drinking. That may be asking a lot.  

Cyclist falls under police car on College Street

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A man riding a bicycle is has been seriously injured when the vehicle’s wheels became stuck in streetcar tracks on College Street near Shaw Street early Saturday.  It caused him to fall under a moving police cruiser.  According to police, the victim was conscious and breathing when taken to hospital. In June of 2012 a man died when he fell to the pavement after his bicycle became stuck in streetcar tracks on Wychwood Ave. Previous post

Could Tories vote NDP to beat Liberal Freeland?

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Thomas Mulcair was putting a brave face on things this week as he suggested that the NDP candidate Linda McQuaig can defeat Liberal Christia Freeland in the Toronto-Centre byelection. Some pundits are abuzz with the NDP leader’s mental gymnastics. He has implied that Justin Trudeau is a shallow opportunist (our words). The saucy question for New Democrats to ponder is whether Toronto Centre Conservatives would consider voting for the NDP in this byelection in order to poke a hole in Mr. Trudeau’s boat. In recent years, the Conservatives have run behind the Liberals and under Stephen Harper haven’t paid much attention to the riding. In fairness, Bob Rae and before him Bill Graham, once established, were unbeatable. You have to go back to the 1980s, when the riding had more Conservative voters in it at the north end, to find the Tories winning. In 1988, David MacDonald won a slim victory over Graham who was still a newcomer. The enormously popular David Crombie doubled the vote in an easy win against Graham in 1984. Crombie also won in a slim victory over Liberal Ann Cools in 1980. Neither the CCF nor NDP have ever won this riding in any of its forms. These days, with Toronto-Centre slated to disappear in favor of University-Rosedale, there isn’t much of an effort being made by the Tories.  Geoff Pollock is no doubt an estimable man but his nomination came embarrassingly late in the run-up to the byelection. He has a team making calls but they seem to be falling two calls to one behind the Freeland door-knockers. And what kind of chance does McQuaig have anyway? In 2008, the NDP ran third behind the Liberals and Conservatives. In 2011, they came second. The popular vote was: Rae 41.01%, Susan Wallace (NDP) 30.21% and Kevin Moore (Conservative) 22.64%. This time around everything is unknown except the desire of the NDP to break through in this area, the visceral dislike of Justin Trudeau by the Tories and the urgent need for the Liberals to hang on. It should be fun. Voting day is Monday November 25.   Pictures top to bottom: Chrystia Freeland and Justin Trudeau, Linda McQuaig and Thomas Mulcair, Geoff Pollock and family. 

Lamb Hall full for Fabulous Christmas Fair

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Inset Lorna Krawchuk 

The St. Cuthberts Anglican Church Fabulous Christmas Fair on Saturday was a busy and profitable affair both for the church and shoppers. At noon, an hour after opening, all of the many little rooms in Lamb Hall were filled with to a friendly closeness. More than 200 fair-goers had waited outside at 11 a.m. There was fun in the air and an excellent sandwich lunch to be had as well. The “cafeteria” was zoned off in the church’s little theatre room and business was brisk enough to push some diners to take tables up on the stage. It gave them a nice view of the other side of the room where people were busy signing in for the auction. Inset, church stalwart Lorna Krawchuk and her friends in the women’s auxiliary organize and run this fair as well as the other many activities at St. Cuthberts. Lorna was saying how pleased she and the auxiliary are to have representatives from the 69th Toronto Scout Group helping out this year. All those healthy young men can lift and lug stuff. The 69th is a venerable organization which was created at St. Cuthberts in 1923. 

Day Nine of the Crisis at Toronto City Hall

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Friday is Day Nine of the Crisis at Toronto City Hall. It came with promises that the mayor might decide on his own to at least take time off from the job. This may not satisfy many who say their confidence has been destroyed by Mr. Ford’s vulgar and alarming behaviour. But it could give this troubled man some help.
  • The word came first from Doug Ford, the brother. He was silent Thursday. That was entirely out of character. Friday he spoke quietly and stunned reporters by saying he had asked his brother to get help.
  • The mayor himself said little except that he wanted some time from the media to do some things. Today he left City Hall at noon saying he had family business to perform. His manner was less agitated than in previous days but he was still easily irritated with reporters.
  • TTC Chair Karen Stintz (Ward 16) and mayoralty candidate spoke on CP24 with cool disdain of the mayor. He had betrayed the City and repeatedly made statements which were later revealed as lies, she said. As to Remembrance Day ceremonies, Ms Stintz said that it may be uncomfortable for councillors and others for Mr, Ford to be present at the ceremony but he is the mayor and “if he thinks he can legitimately add to the ceremony” he should be there.
  • NewsTalk1010 issues a statement that all parties have agreed that the mayor’s Sunday talk show should come to an end. Last Sunday was it. We think corporate headquarters is getting antsy.
  • Around suppertime, the mayor returned to his office, taking everyone by surprise. He appeared to be tidying up work even though he had said when he left earlier he would be gone for the day.
  • Finally, an interview with one of the mayor’s strange acquaintances has yielded a story that the so-called crack video first unearthed by Gawker magazine in the Spring was on the shopping list of the “mafia”.  He told the CBC that as the broker of this video he heard from a lot of people. He said a “suitcase” full of money was offered by “organized crime figures” in “fancy” cars who scared him so much he was concerned for his safety. “There were phone calls coming in from people claiming to be ex-military, claiming to be a police officer, saying, ‘Look, if you guys don’t pass the video or find the video, we’ll arrest you guys or we’ll have you guys executed or some crazy stuff like that.’ Just wonderful.

Cops still hunting flag-kicking Sunnybrook jogger

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Toronto police haven’t forgotten the person who kicked down our flag and gave the finger to those who objected last Remembrance Day. Cops are appealing to anyone who knows this man to come forward or call Crime Stoppers anonymously. It was a jogger who kicked down Canadian flags placed in the ground during a ceremony last year in Sunnybrook Park. The suspect is described as white, 5’9 to 5’11, 170 to 180 pounds and bald. Police are still looking to identify the suspect, and the public’s help would be greatly appreciated. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-5300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.

Three teens nabbed in five violent bank robberies

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Toronto Police have arrested three 17-year-olds  for a series of bank robberies this summer in which the bandits “stormed the bank, ordered customers to the ground and took physical control of some of the victims” .Between Saturday, June 1, 2013 and Monday, July 8, 2013 the five “take-over” bank robberies terrified customers and staff. The robberies were in Mississauga and Scarborough. It appears that the police were able to break the case because of a tip from the underworld. The Canadian Bankers Association announced a $50,000 reward for information into these investigations. Because of their age, the names of the three cannot be published.The robberies occurred during busy periods and became increasingly violent as tellers were pushed, put in choke holds and head locks and pistol whipped. Police say information from the public helped the holdup squad further the investigation, leading to the arrests of the three teens.  

Maybe Bell Media wants mayor to quit too

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Bell Media’s recently acquired NewsTalk 1010 says that Mayor Ford will no longer have his own program on the station. The station’s site says the mayor and station management “have mutually determined to conclude broadcasts of The City, ending with last week’s show.” It goes on to say that the mayor and his brother, Doug Ford (ward 2) remain welcome at any time as guests on NewsTalk 1010. Nonetheless, the public relations implications for a firm like Bell, cannot be underestimated. The huge multi-business empire has many interests both national and international. And sadly, the mayor’s conduct has made him nearly toxic in some quarters.