The South Bayview Bulldog

Six people, one male and five females, were confirmed dead in the collapse of a building in downtown Philadelphia, Mayor Michael Nutter reported Wednesday night at a press conference. Video footage taken at the scene Wednesday night showed authorities removing two body bags and loading them into ambulances. Fire officials say 13 people were injured in the accident. The four-story building collapsed Wednesday morning. Witnesses said they had been casting a wary eye on the demolition site and questioned how the workers were tackling the job. They say they heard a loud rumbling sound immediately before the collapse. The building once housed a first-floor sandwich shop and apartments above. Its collapse sent debris onto a Salvation Army corner thrift store next door. The two properties are adjacent to an adult bookstore and theater that had been taken down earlier. The accident happened at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at 22nd and Market streets, the western edge of downtown, between the city’s business district and the main train station at 30th and Market. ABC13 Phildelphia

If ever Toronto city councillors agree to downsize their numbers to 22 (rather than the present 44) it may well be seen as a miracle equalling the loaves and the fishes. But Mayor Ford is still working at his 2010 election promise to reduce the size of council by conforming Toronto wards to the same boundaries as provincial and federal constituencies. At present each federal riding (like Don Valley West) contains two city wards (26 and 27). Devilish commentators have taken relish in noting that if it were one big ward, John Parker would have to run against Jaye Robinson. In Wards 21 and 22 (St. Paul’s) Joe Mihavc would slug it out with Josh Matlow. In Wards 15 and 16 (Eglinton-Lawrence) Josh Colle would face Karen Stintz. (Josh might be out of work unless Her Ladyship from Lawrence Park runs for mayor). It’s all too delicious. But let’s not get excited. Executive Committee has pushed the question onto City Council’s agenda for June. Nionetheless it is hard to imagine councillors voting to implement it, or risking a referendum. After all, if there were only 22 councillors and 18 went to the Federation of Mayors and Municipalities meeting as they did last week, there would be no one to answer the phone. Ford and his allies in this noble effort have anticipated the first line of defense against a downsize. “I don’t want to hear the argument that we work harder than MPs. I have no problem with increasing our salaries in line with an MP or an MPP. You might have to sit on two committees instead of one. But this is what people want. They don’t want more politicians in the city. They want less.” Members of executive  voted for the recommendation, but some worried. “You can make hay in some parts of Toronto by running down the idea of having a good number of members of council,” said Parkdale-High Park Councillor Gord Perks. “The actual evidence is that if you jump on that bandwagon you’re going to wind up wasting money. We should do this right, be thoughtful about it, and have a traceable public participation program that ensures the people who are actually in charge have a strong, clear voice.”  Did you follow that? The matter will go to the June meeting of  Toronto Council. Quotations given to Inside.Toronto.com