Sean's Blogs

Contracting out

Following the election of a new guard at city hall, I couldn’t resist doing a story on the intentions of Rob Ford and his crew when it comes to the concept of outsourcing. After all, Ford’s Etobicoke privatized its garbage collection back in 1995. The garbage strike of 2009 also lent support to Ford’s schemes to outsource other services such as the cleaning of city offices and policed stations.

 Adrienne Bata, Ford’s press secretary was quite adamant that change was in the air when the current municipal contract comes up at the end of next year. She even implied some contracts might be opened prior to then.

 Mark Ferguson, the president of the Toronto Civic Employees’ Union suggested the city wouldn’t think of opening any contacts prior to the end of their term. He went as far to say that the union wouldn’t tolerate the loss of any of his members’ jobs when the contract comes up.

 All this should make for an interesting year ahead as the new government locks horns with the steadfast union.

Amalgamation

 

Working on the amalgamation story proved somewhat trying. It was rather difficult finding people willing to speak openly about the whole process.

Given the change occurred 12 year ago, many people have become resolved to the fact that it’s a done deal and not really worth looking back on.

Then again, I did manage to find some sources that won’t let it go; nor should they if the past 12 years is any indication.

For example, Barbara Hall, Toronto’s mayor at the time of amalgamation, remains steadfast in her criticism of the change. She believes the process lacked any true foresight and resulted in a fractured municipal structure leaving many neighbourhoods behind. Hall steadfastly believed communities would suffer under the auspices of a large, unwieldy government.

Shiela Cary Meagher, the Ward 16 Toronto School board trustee, still has anti-amalgamation posters in her possession and remains a staunch opponent of the scheme. She believes it only served to further the inequities of the city’s school system.

Former Metro senior solicitor Jack Horsley views the whole exercise as a means to reduce administrative costs at the expense of large metropolises like Toronto.

Generally though, all agree it’s a done deal which, at this point is not likely to be reversed or modified in the near future.

Toronto Ice Fees

Many parents in the GTA wonder why it’s so expensive for their kids to play hockey these days.  After all, with the cost of registration, equipment, and travel, why do parents also have to pay a $6 dollar fee to enter the arena to see their kids play?

This is just one of the questions currently being asked by parents and coaches alike of the Greater Toronto Hockey League, which currently runs minor hockey in the GTA.

The leagues president, John Gardner, bemoans the cost of ice time in Toronto; while others believe the league should open up their books to show just where all the money goes.

Mark Lawson, manger of Toronto’s customer services for the department of parks and forestry registration, believes the current rinks inside the city meet demand and are properly maintained.

How this schism between the city, the league and the parents is resolved remains to be seen.

 

Party Politics

 

The notion of party politics at Toronto’s municipal level has been around in the background for some time.

Advocates of the plan claim individual councilors would be held accountable during and following campaigns as they’d be held to their party’s platform.

Those who oppose the plan believe coucillors would loose access to their constituent’s individual needs while they’re bound to the party line.

This presents the dichotomy between open, individual councilors and being held to a party whip system where councilors would have little, if any, autonomy.

As outgoing Ward 36 coucillor Brian Ashton remarked ironically, under party politics, the only way an individual could gain access to city hall is by joining a party.

Toronto's Cycling Strategy

The cycling story brought to a head two communities with divergent views. On the one hand there are the drivers, many of whom believe the city’s roads should be kept clear of impediments such as bike lanes and cyclists themselves.

Cycling advocates promote the inclusion of bike lanes and trails across the city to promote a clean and healthy means of transportation.

While stuck in the middle is the city, which tries to accommodate both parties while making as little political hay as possible.

The city is also stuck with the increasing problem of bicycle theft.

The story unfortunately saw little coming together of the two sides as both stuck to their guns; determined the city will eventually come around.

Unfortunately, the city’s cyclists remain stuck in the middle as the two and four wheeled warriors continue their feud.