Anyone want to talk about the candidates' actual platforms? What do you like and dislike about each one?
I actually think we have a pretty good roster of people running here, though some may disagree. :) Many of them have brought up good points in their platforms and at meetings. Ideally, I'd like to pick and choose from all of them, but ultimately we only get to vote for one.
Hey Carlaa, 2012 will be there last school year at Kent. This year's grade 7 student will move on to grade 8 sept 2011 and June 2012 will be the last year for kent. Only the gr 8 students will at kent for the last year.
I am also surprised at the lack of JT parents in attendance at the community meetings when the discussion of closing Kent was taking place. I would have thought more parents in the area would have been concerned.
Im sorry, BUT soon as I heard the words "Toronto Star" and "endorsement" I could not help but reply. The Star should stick its ugly head out of politricks. Their endorsements are pathetic. They should be humilated for all the spinning they are doing. I wonder who is getting kick backs there.
Also, I do hope you are getting compensated well for all this blogging. I thought trolling was only popular on Sports blogs.
Go out and vote people, its the only way to get these trolls off of here.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel"
- Samuel Johnson
Judging by some of the comments in response to my postings regarding the FACTS about the financing of Ward 18 candidates in THIS election, I take it newcomers or dissent are not welcome to this forum. Its unfortunate because I think the debate is enourmously useful. I will address some of the questions asked of me (and ignore the silly derisive name calling.)
My name is Rob Morra and moved into Davenport (just outside of the JT) within the last year - close enough to enjoy the JT's unique social fabric and long enough to become concerned about its future.
I do not, nor have held a political party membership, although I did volunteer in the last presidential campaign for Barack Obama (nothing big, just knocking on some doors in Buffalo.) I am a son of a construction worker who was a member of Local 183 LIUNA (Labourers) and who is now retired. I always, always vote.
I have NOT donated to any Ward 18 candidate in this election although I plan on voting for Bailao locally and Pantalone for Mayor primarily because I see alot of myself in those candidates in terms of personal background but more importantly because I agree with MOST of their vision about where they want to take the city in the future. Incidentally, I voted for David Miller in 2006 and have been subsquently sorely disappointed (especially with the result of the municipal workers strike.)
To SteveD: I find it ironic that you're now personally attacking me considering I was drawn into this debate about election financing in part because of your research and call-in question during the Rogers Goldhawk debate (I first came across the issue on Ken Wood's blog which linked to this forum.)
I understand how you may feel frustrated that alot of the good work you've done has now been undermined by Beaulieu's refusal to disclose a complete list of his donors. That's a beef you have with him - not me. So please spare me, and the forum, the ad hominem attacks.
I would welcome the opportunity to comment on Beaulieu's possible ties to the development industry (or any other) but he hasn't fully disclosed the names of his donors to date for this election and of course, he didn't run in 2003 so there's no information to go on there. Having said that, I WILL NOT comment on those possible relationships. I will however cast judgement on his refusal to release a fullsome donor disclosure. Again, something committed to by ALL candidates on TV at your behest.
For those of you on twitter, my handle is "rbmorra" and yes, I have been tweeting consistently about the hypocrisy shown by Beaulieu re. his donor disclosure. Fair game I think considering one of his supporters (and donors) raised it in the first place.
On October 25th, regardless of who you support, or don't support, talk is cheap, make sure to get off your duffs and get out and VOTE!
I want to see everyone that legally is able to vote excercise that right, that way you can legitimitely complain about the issues that are so near and dear to your hearts.
I know from having run in an election, talk is very cheap, people at the door will tell you they are voting for you, but a slight change in the weather, an opportunity to hang out with friends or just plain complacency can easily take over and prevent you from getting out to vote.
Aside from selecting the local councillor we have a great School Board Trustee running, his name is John Costa, he is not aligned to any party, but he has some fresh ideas, I also think School Board Trustee positions should not be longterm positions, aged trustees end up being out of touch with what is happening at the school level (in regards to connecting with the students needs)so I think getting young blood into the mix keeps new ideas at the forefront.
And last but not least, it would seem we have 2 candidates for mayor that have any chance to win the top spot, I suggest a lot of analysis, seperate the wheat from the chaf, and make a decision that counts. we only get the 1 opportunity to try and keep this city running and there are some scary ways to waste a vote and let the wrong person get in.
My name is Scott Dobson and I have lived in Parkdale/JT almost my entire adult life my. My family are card carrying IBEW construction workers and one of my brothers is a mechanic. Who is RBMorra? An Ana Troll judging by your Twitter feed of anti Giambrone Miller and Bealieu posts.
7 years ago the issue was Ana's donors and the press and citizens talked about it. Today the issue is Ana's donors and the press and citizens are talking about it again. Our area is slated for a huge amount of undeveloped land so we have a right to question who a candidate will represent. Have you noticed no qualms at all about any of the other candidates in terms of donors and companies? Nope. There must be a reason why.
You have had your say, its time you got back to Twittering where at least there your intent is clear.
Rbmorra, it is amazing that you can accuse someone of glancing over a topic that you continually raise, why has Ana Bailao raised twice as money than she can legally spend? Instead you spend all your time here attacking voters rather than focusing on the candidates and important issues.
Read what I said again. Where did I ever say that I had a problem with developers donating money to a campaign? I'm sure just about every major candidate in Ward 18 and the mayoral race has some donations from people involved in the development/construction business. But it seems that others are at least a bit more spread out across who their supporters are, and include actual local people.
I don't think you're going to change my mind on this topic.
And while you're on the topic of openness: Who are you? Do you live in this neighbourhood or ward 18? Are you a campaigner for Ana Bailao? Are you a member of the Liberal Party? You come across as someone who has just appeared out of nowhere online for the sole purpose of campaigning for a couple of people, and against various others.
I'm Vic Gedris. I live in the Junction Triangle, Ward 18. I'm not campaigning for anybody and have never been a member or supporter of any political party.
vic: The following are your words (Posted October 20 with titled Of course it's not an island)
"After all this stuff came out about campaign contributions from developers outside the ward, I'm not sure I can trust that. She's an intelligent, hard-working, and well-spoken woman. I respect her for many things. But her connections worry me."
And now you're saying "Nobody ever said that it's a bad thing that anyone gets donations from the development industry."
Seriously vic, are you being completely fair here?
Ward 18 residents now have access to the full names of who has donated to Bailao and Pantalone in this CURRENT election and they have this info BEFORE election day.
Beaulieu has provided only the last names of his donors and NO first names. Just a first initial. Furthermore, he has attached NO dollar figures to his disclosure.
But regardless of this, you're going to hold up Bailao's donation list from SEVEN years ago as reason not to vote for her? Really? With respect, you're boarding on insulting the intelligence of those that are following this issue.
when I went to kent after leaving perth it was like a big new adventure, after years at perth it was not that we disliked perth at the end of grade 6, but it was just a whole new experience with new faces from a greater region to get to meet and make freinds with by going on to kent out side of our specific community...
So I am divided about putting 7&8 in perth, I think the kids need to get out and see more of the greater community and meet new faces from outside the confines of this area, as kids we looked forward to going to a whole new school for senior students, it was a kind of mile stone in our childhood and yes it kinda prepared us for the next transistion to a highschool..... just my opinion...
there are valid pros and cons from both sides on this matter, hope it works out in the end so that the kids are at least happy with the results.. :)
As for french emersion, I like the route some shools are taking in that they let the children and their parents pick a language class of their choosing, this being a multicultural city i hear a lot more of the many other languages spoken on a daily basis on our streets than i ever do french, but french does give a torontonian a better chance at a government job, so maybe thats a good reason to learn a language that is hardly ever spoken on the streets of toronto...... again this is something that all the parents in the community should be asked if it is what they want or not...I kinda like it cause I think the more languages one can learn the better off you are , but i keep thinking how little i hear french on the streets of toronto while hearing so many other cultures languages spoken, so i dont know its up to the parents i guess..?
BUT as the founder of the RA i have forever been trying to rally more of the local residents to come out to meetings and participate in neighborhood politics and planning events...
Therefore with no disrespect to donna's ability as moderator i would have greatly much preferred an actual local resident of either south perth or sterling to have been the moderator. Having a local resident who is well known to the other residents is a good way of showing them that they too can participate and get involved in community issues/politics/etc. and that you dont have to be special, or a celebrity, or connected, or wealthy, etc, etc, to be involved and politically active in your community....I even would have liked Philip and myself to have taken a back seat to let others in the neighborhood be front and center, too often its just the bretts, philips, Kevins, Donnas,Chris,Vic's, Jacks, etc who are being seen, it would be nice if others who represent and are also known in the neighborhood are put up front to inspire the rest of the neighbors.
we have a great bunch of people in our community like Rajit and Anna from perth, or rob, Karen, and Lisa from sterling all of whom have lived in the community for some time and are well known and liked (very well respected in fact) members of our community...having the rest of the community see them at the podium directing the political candidates in debate would have been in my opinion inspirational or maybe even motivating to the other residents in showing them all that yes you too can get involved and take part in what happens in your neighborhood, city, province , nation ... we all live in this country and enjoy its democracy so we ALL have EQUAL right to get involved and participate,,,,, and i really would love to see more people come out and not be afraid to speak , talk , or even shout at their local politicians if they feel they need to do that to express their frustration with them, or even to simply just come out and listen in the back row if that makes them feel more comfortable,,, but the thing is to get the people out so that the politicians see that people are truly concerned is the main thing,,and having talked to so many people in the community over the years i do know they are very concerned about many of the local issues ,,,,
so yeah nothing wrong with the job Donna did , she did a fine job as usual , but as i told philip i would have much rather preferred an actual local south perth/ sterling resident to be up front to represent our neighborhood and inspire the rest of the neighbors by seeing a familiar face playing a prominent role in a regional politcal debate....and yes of course i do understand philips reasoning for asking donna, thats why in the end i regrettably left it at that with philips choice,,,,though i did try to annoy him to no end on that issue...(darn its so hard to find a reliable piano moving company these days phil...lol )
I too would like to thank all the candidates for coming out we appreciate your involvement and we tried our hardest to provide you all with a fair unbiased venue , be it in seating and in debate, though i myself perfer a shall we say lively debate, donna and phil in fact tried their best to keep it as civil as can be with out it getting to boring or predictable.
Jack emailed me and told me that he thought our debate came off looking good, I think the whole "debate" forum has been a learning experience for all the RA's in the region. We are all learning from each others debate what works, what doesnt, always trying new things ,,,if our debate came off looking good its thanks to Jacks, and donnas and all the other previous debates held in the region by the various other groups, as all the RA's many of them being fairly new continue to have such events we will all find /learn what formats work best for our particular neighborhoods and keep fine tuning those formats as years go by...we are all learning here and sharing ideas, materials , and manpower,,,,and Big thanks jack for giving/sharing with us some of the material that we used that night, it was very helpful, and thanks again Donna you did a great job....
oh almost forgot you did a great job too phil,,,so now can i have that iritating little beeping time clock so i can finally take a hammer to it...lol.
Max, is there an email or a number I can reach you at as I'm interested in knowing what steps you took to achieve this.
I can be contacted as well at perthschoolcouncil@gmail.com
NOTE: MARIA RODRIGUES has stated that she will support us in the pursuit of obtaining the FI, 7-8. JOHN COSTA - has stated that he will also support us if voted trustee.
Hi Carla,
Yes, if elected I would support expanding grade 7/8 and F.I. at Perth. There is a clear community desire to have these programs at Perth (i.e., I haven't heard anything against the idea). As trustee I feel my role is to represent the hopes and aspirations of the community, and this clearly fits within that role. I will definately continue your fight for F.I. and expansion to grade 7/8 at Perth, if I'm elected. This will include bringing a proposal to the Board and working with other trustees to secure the support needed to bring these programs to the school.
John Costa
Nobody ever said that it's a bad thing that anyone gets donations from the development industry. The names you chose from Pantalone's donor list are only a select few from the total list. Ten out of fifty-seven. This is unlike Ana Bailao's donor list from 2003 which was almost entirely made up of developers from outside the ward.
I recognize most of the names on Pantalone's list as being actual residents of Toronto.
There's some significant support here from the development industry. Should Ward 18 residents be worried?
Here are some of Pantalone's donors:
Stephen Diamond (lawyer and president of Diamondcorp, a real estate development and consulting business, picked by George Smitherman for John Sewell-headed panel on government reform)
Bronwyn Krog, developer and retail and planning consultant
Cynthia MacDougall, development lawyer
Alan Menkes, condominium developer
Brad Butt, president, Greater Toronto Apartment Association
Adam Brown, development lawyer
Frank Lewinberg, architect and former city planner
James Harbell, development lawyer
Sol Wassermuhl, architect
Alfredo Romano, principal, developers Castlepoint Group
Incidentally, kudos to Pantalone for releasing the FULL names of his donors. Perhaps Beaulieu should follow suit now considering he donated to Pantalone and Bailao has already released this information.
Hey Jack. You keep saying your not going to come on this site anymore and you keep coming back. Flip flop, flip flop. I guess we can't trust anything you say.
Jack tends to paint a rather hysterical picture of Toronto that is not is tune with how I see the world. With Adam and Miller gone I wonder what he will do with all his free time? : ) I did not agree with everything that Miller did but at least he was at work every day as opposed to Lastman who was a mayor in name only (and contributed to todays problems by delaying them years into the future for short term political gain such as the water pipe replacement program).Toronto has the lowest taxes in the GTA and one of the lowest debt loads for any modern western city. Right now there is a large chorus of Tea Party types thinking they are hard done by even though the evidence proves they are wrong.
I travel for a living and Toronto is not a great city like Chicago (who pump a lot of money into culture) but it is a decent city that works most of the time and compared to other cities like New York manages to deliver services at a pretty good price. There is more than enough evidence that selling off public assets and services to the lowest bidder creates a decline in the quality of life in a city that is very hard to reverse. The evidence is that when you cut services and go that route that it is the people on the lowest rung that suffer the most. Why do people not see this? It's explained in a famous book called "What's Wrong With Kansas" where basically decent folk turn on their neighbours and become selfish and self destructive to their own historical common good.Why ? Because they become consumed with "culture wars" and in our case one could argue that Ford has created "gravy train wars" to distract people from taking a more substantive look at the issues.
That would explain why when crime is down Ford wants to hire more cops which makes no sense fiscally at all unless you are consumed by the mirage of a room full of wasted money (2 billion) that nobody has ever found until now.Is there wasted money? Yes, but not in the way Ford thinks. His "gravy train" is really a code for not cutting waste but cutting government and services directly just like his dad did as part of the Mike Harris government. I don't mind if people vote for Ford at all, he never accomplished much in council so far, but I would like to to know what they are voting for.
Make no mistake about it, Ford is a Mike Harris agenda. If like that vote for it. You probably wont like what the city becomes and by then it will be too late.
rbmorra's comment about ward 18 not being an island brings to mind Edmund Burke's 1774 Speech to the Electors of Bristol. A relevant excerpt:
Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests; which interests each must maintain, as an agent and advocate, against other agents and advocates; but parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local prejudices, ought to guide, but the general good, resulting from the general reason of the whole. You choose a member indeed; but when you have chosen him, he is not member of Bristol, but he is a member of parliament. If the local constituent should have an interest, or should form an hasty opinion, evidently opposite to the real good of the rest of the community, the member for that place ought to be as far, as any other, from any endeavour to give it effect. I beg pardon for saying so much on this subject. I have been unwillingly drawn into it; but I shall ever use a respectful frankness of communication with you.
Please note my message should not be construed as an endorsement of Ana Bailao. It is more a general comment on how local councillors should go about making decisions that affect the city as a whole.
Yes, of course Ward 18 is not an island. But let's continue to use the development example:
Development has been one of the key issues in Ward 18 recent elections, especially in hot areas like the Junction Triangle, Queen West, etc. Doesn't it seem suspicious when a candidate's campaign is almost entirely financed by people from outside the ward who are involved in the development industry? It certainly does to me.
I would be equally distressed if any other candidate's entire campaign was financed by any other specific lobbying sector, especially from outside the area.
Yes, a councillor has to work with other councillors, the mayor, and others from outside our ward, but the primary purpose of a councillor is to represent us. Even Ana Bailao said this at the first debate, "Your voice will be my voice at City Hall", and similar things at other times. "A voice for our community at City hall – not City Hall’s voice in our community", as stated on her website. After all this stuff came out about campaign contributions from developers outside the ward, I'm not sure I can trust that.
She's an intelligent, hard-working, and well-spoken woman. I respect her for many things. But her connections worry me. I also disagree with parts of her platform, but that's another topic...
Kevin P writes: City Councillors have a huge impact on the livelihoods of construction companies and development firms. Taking the majority of your money from one industry, especially for a Councillor, does not consitutute success, but only raises suspicions.
It interesting how you view the construction/developme industry. I disagree and I will disclose I am a son of a construction worker. One that came to Canada from Italy with a grade 5 education and managed, on one income, to put two kids through university and pay off mortgage and is now comfortabley retired. Words cannot describe how proud I am of being his son.
The housing industry is one of the key markers of economic well being. It provides jobs for tradespeople and a sense of achievement for home owners. Moreover, the spin of economy from housing industry further provides opportunity for people (landscaping, furniture and appliance sales, decorating and design etc.)
Locally thousands of Ward 18 residents, yes thousands, earn a living from the contruction industry and its spin off sectors. This is a good thing. Development or re-development, done right and with consultation of the local community is a good thing.
Most importantly, we need to have political representation that can enter into a dialogue with that industry to secure a place for the local communities needs. During a harsh economic period, that need is even moreso.
A reminder to please return to this forum's topic about the "2010 Municipal Election". Another reminder for readers to respect the web site's Code of Conduct.
Anyone want to talk about the candidates' actual platforms? What do you like and dislike about each one?
I actually think we have a pretty good roster of people running here, though some may disagree. :) Many of them have brought up good points in their platforms and at meetings. Ideally, I'd like to pick and choose from all of them, but ultimately we only get to vote for one.
Hey Carlaa, 2012 will be there last school year at Kent. This year's grade 7 student will move on to grade 8 sept 2011 and June 2012 will be the last year for kent. Only the gr 8 students will at kent for the last year.
Ranjit,
the price of admission to be a troll? Zero. Get out and vote folks next Monday.
RbMorra
Now you are crossing a line by putting words in my mouth. I am not frustrated by anything related to Kevin.
Cheap stuff troll. As you can see nobody is buying. Goodbye.
I am also surprised at the lack of JT parents in attendance at the community meetings when the discussion of closing Kent was taking place. I would have thought more parents in the area would have been concerned.
Im sorry, BUT soon as I heard the words "Toronto Star" and "endorsement" I could not help but reply. The Star should stick its ugly head out of politricks. Their endorsements are pathetic. They should be humilated for all the spinning they are doing. I wonder who is getting kick backs there.
Also, I do hope you are getting compensated well for all this blogging. I thought trolling was only popular on Sports blogs.
Go out and vote people, its the only way to get these trolls off of here.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel"
- Samuel Johnson
Judging by some of the comments in response to my postings regarding the FACTS about the financing of Ward 18 candidates in THIS election, I take it newcomers or dissent are not welcome to this forum. Its unfortunate because I think the debate is enourmously useful. I will address some of the questions asked of me (and ignore the silly derisive name calling.)
My name is Rob Morra and moved into Davenport (just outside of the JT) within the last year - close enough to enjoy the JT's unique social fabric and long enough to become concerned about its future.
I do not, nor have held a political party membership, although I did volunteer in the last presidential campaign for Barack Obama (nothing big, just knocking on some doors in Buffalo.) I am a son of a construction worker who was a member of Local 183 LIUNA (Labourers) and who is now retired. I always, always vote.
I have NOT donated to any Ward 18 candidate in this election although I plan on voting for Bailao locally and Pantalone for Mayor primarily because I see alot of myself in those candidates in terms of personal background but more importantly because I agree with MOST of their vision about where they want to take the city in the future. Incidentally, I voted for David Miller in 2006 and have been subsquently sorely disappointed (especially with the result of the municipal workers strike.)
To SteveD: I find it ironic that you're now personally attacking me considering I was drawn into this debate about election financing in part because of your research and call-in question during the Rogers Goldhawk debate (I first came across the issue on Ken Wood's blog which linked to this forum.)
I understand how you may feel frustrated that alot of the good work you've done has now been undermined by Beaulieu's refusal to disclose a complete list of his donors. That's a beef you have with him - not me. So please spare me, and the forum, the ad hominem attacks.
I would welcome the opportunity to comment on Beaulieu's possible ties to the development industry (or any other) but he hasn't fully disclosed the names of his donors to date for this election and of course, he didn't run in 2003 so there's no information to go on there. Having said that, I WILL NOT comment on those possible relationships. I will however cast judgement on his refusal to release a fullsome donor disclosure. Again, something committed to by ALL candidates on TV at your behest.
For those of you on twitter, my handle is "rbmorra" and yes, I have been tweeting consistently about the hypocrisy shown by Beaulieu re. his donor disclosure. Fair game I think considering one of his supporters (and donors) raised it in the first place.
On October 25th, regardless of who you support, or don't support, talk is cheap, make sure to get off your duffs and get out and VOTE!
I want to see everyone that legally is able to vote excercise that right, that way you can legitimitely complain about the issues that are so near and dear to your hearts.
I know from having run in an election, talk is very cheap, people at the door will tell you they are voting for you, but a slight change in the weather, an opportunity to hang out with friends or just plain complacency can easily take over and prevent you from getting out to vote.
Aside from selecting the local councillor we have a great School Board Trustee running, his name is John Costa, he is not aligned to any party, but he has some fresh ideas, I also think School Board Trustee positions should not be longterm positions, aged trustees end up being out of touch with what is happening at the school level (in regards to connecting with the students needs)so I think getting young blood into the mix keeps new ideas at the forefront.
And last but not least, it would seem we have 2 candidates for mayor that have any chance to win the top spot, I suggest a lot of analysis, seperate the wheat from the chaf, and make a decision that counts. we only get the 1 opportunity to try and keep this city running and there are some scary ways to waste a vote and let the wrong person get in.
Thanks,
Philip
My name is Scott Dobson and I have lived in Parkdale/JT almost my entire adult life my. My family are card carrying IBEW construction workers and one of my brothers is a mechanic. Who is RBMorra? An Ana Troll judging by your Twitter feed of anti Giambrone Miller and Bealieu posts.
7 years ago the issue was Ana's donors and the press and citizens talked about it. Today the issue is Ana's donors and the press and citizens are talking about it again. Our area is slated for a huge amount of undeveloped land so we have a right to question who a candidate will represent. Have you noticed no qualms at all about any of the other candidates in terms of donors and companies? Nope. There must be a reason why.
You have had your say, its time you got back to Twittering where at least there your intent is clear.
Rbmorra, it is amazing that you can accuse someone of glancing over a topic that you continually raise, why has Ana Bailao raised twice as money than she can legally spend? Instead you spend all your time here attacking voters rather than focusing on the candidates and important issues.
Read what I said again. Where did I ever say that I had a problem with developers donating money to a campaign? I'm sure just about every major candidate in Ward 18 and the mayoral race has some donations from people involved in the development/construction business. But it seems that others are at least a bit more spread out across who their supporters are, and include actual local people.
I don't think you're going to change my mind on this topic.
And while you're on the topic of openness: Who are you? Do you live in this neighbourhood or ward 18? Are you a campaigner for Ana Bailao? Are you a member of the Liberal Party? You come across as someone who has just appeared out of nowhere online for the sole purpose of campaigning for a couple of people, and against various others.
I'm Vic Gedris. I live in the Junction Triangle, Ward 18. I'm not campaigning for anybody and have never been a member or supporter of any political party.
Hi,
For those that are not yet aware, KENT is CLOSING.
I'm posting this because it amazes me that a lot of parents were not aware that Kent is closing.
vic: The following are your words (Posted October 20 with titled Of course it's not an island)
"After all this stuff came out about campaign contributions from developers outside the ward, I'm not sure I can trust that. She's an intelligent, hard-working, and well-spoken woman. I respect her for many things. But her connections worry me."
And now you're saying "Nobody ever said that it's a bad thing that anyone gets donations from the development industry."
Seriously vic, are you being completely fair here?
Ward 18 residents now have access to the full names of who has donated to Bailao and Pantalone in this CURRENT election and they have this info BEFORE election day.
Beaulieu has provided only the last names of his donors and NO first names. Just a first initial. Furthermore, he has attached NO dollar figures to his disclosure.
But regardless of this, you're going to hold up Bailao's donation list from SEVEN years ago as reason not to vote for her? Really? With respect, you're boarding on insulting the intelligence of those that are following this issue.
when I went to kent after leaving perth it was like a big new adventure, after years at perth it was not that we disliked perth at the end of grade 6, but it was just a whole new experience with new faces from a greater region to get to meet and make freinds with by going on to kent out side of our specific community...
So I am divided about putting 7&8 in perth, I think the kids need to get out and see more of the greater community and meet new faces from outside the confines of this area, as kids we looked forward to going to a whole new school for senior students, it was a kind of mile stone in our childhood and yes it kinda prepared us for the next transistion to a highschool..... just my opinion...
there are valid pros and cons from both sides on this matter, hope it works out in the end so that the kids are at least happy with the results.. :)
As for french emersion, I like the route some shools are taking in that they let the children and their parents pick a language class of their choosing, this being a multicultural city i hear a lot more of the many other languages spoken on a daily basis on our streets than i ever do french, but french does give a torontonian a better chance at a government job, so maybe thats a good reason to learn a language that is hardly ever spoken on the streets of toronto...... again this is something that all the parents in the community should be asked if it is what they want or not...I kinda like it cause I think the more languages one can learn the better off you are , but i keep thinking how little i hear french on the streets of toronto while hearing so many other cultures languages spoken, so i dont know its up to the parents i guess..?
either way best of luck to all ..
B.
Donna did a fine job,,,,
BUT as the founder of the RA i have forever been trying to rally more of the local residents to come out to meetings and participate in neighborhood politics and planning events...
Therefore with no disrespect to donna's ability as moderator i would have greatly much preferred an actual local resident of either south perth or sterling to have been the moderator. Having a local resident who is well known to the other residents is a good way of showing them that they too can participate and get involved in community issues/politics/etc. and that you dont have to be special, or a celebrity, or connected, or wealthy, etc, etc, to be involved and politically active in your community....I even would have liked Philip and myself to have taken a back seat to let others in the neighborhood be front and center, too often its just the bretts, philips, Kevins, Donnas,Chris,Vic's, Jacks, etc who are being seen, it would be nice if others who represent and are also known in the neighborhood are put up front to inspire the rest of the neighbors.
we have a great bunch of people in our community like Rajit and Anna from perth, or rob, Karen, and Lisa from sterling all of whom have lived in the community for some time and are well known and liked (very well respected in fact) members of our community...having the rest of the community see them at the podium directing the political candidates in debate would have been in my opinion inspirational or maybe even motivating to the other residents in showing them all that yes you too can get involved and take part in what happens in your neighborhood, city, province , nation ... we all live in this country and enjoy its democracy so we ALL have EQUAL right to get involved and participate,,,,, and i really would love to see more people come out and not be afraid to speak , talk , or even shout at their local politicians if they feel they need to do that to express their frustration with them, or even to simply just come out and listen in the back row if that makes them feel more comfortable,,, but the thing is to get the people out so that the politicians see that people are truly concerned is the main thing,,and having talked to so many people in the community over the years i do know they are very concerned about many of the local issues ,,,,
so yeah nothing wrong with the job Donna did , she did a fine job as usual , but as i told philip i would have much rather preferred an actual local south perth/ sterling resident to be up front to represent our neighborhood and inspire the rest of the neighbors by seeing a familiar face playing a prominent role in a regional politcal debate....and yes of course i do understand philips reasoning for asking donna, thats why in the end i regrettably left it at that with philips choice,,,,though i did try to annoy him to no end on that issue...(darn its so hard to find a reliable piano moving company these days phil...lol )
I too would like to thank all the candidates for coming out we appreciate your involvement and we tried our hardest to provide you all with a fair unbiased venue , be it in seating and in debate, though i myself perfer a shall we say lively debate, donna and phil in fact tried their best to keep it as civil as can be with out it getting to boring or predictable.
Jack emailed me and told me that he thought our debate came off looking good, I think the whole "debate" forum has been a learning experience for all the RA's in the region. We are all learning from each others debate what works, what doesnt, always trying new things ,,,if our debate came off looking good its thanks to Jacks, and donnas and all the other previous debates held in the region by the various other groups, as all the RA's many of them being fairly new continue to have such events we will all find /learn what formats work best for our particular neighborhoods and keep fine tuning those formats as years go by...we are all learning here and sharing ideas, materials , and manpower,,,,and Big thanks jack for giving/sharing with us some of the material that we used that night, it was very helpful, and thanks again Donna you did a great job....
oh almost forgot you did a great job too phil,,,so now can i have that iritating little beeping time clock so i can finally take a hammer to it...lol.
Take care all :)
Brett..
Max, is there an email or a number I can reach you at as I'm interested in knowing what steps you took to achieve this.
I can be contacted as well at perthschoolcouncil@gmail.com
NOTE: MARIA RODRIGUES has stated that she will support us in the pursuit of obtaining the FI, 7-8.
JOHN COSTA - has stated that he will also support us if voted trustee.
Hi Carla,
Yes, if elected I would support expanding grade 7/8 and F.I. at Perth. There is a clear community desire to have these programs at Perth (i.e., I haven't heard anything against the idea). As trustee I feel my role is to represent the hopes and aspirations of the community, and this clearly fits within that role. I will definately continue your fight for F.I. and expansion to grade 7/8 at Perth, if I'm elected. This will include bringing a proposal to the Board and working with other trustees to secure the support needed to bring these programs to the school.
John Costa
Nobody ever said that it's a bad thing that anyone gets donations from the development industry. The names you chose from Pantalone's donor list are only a select few from the total list. Ten out of fifty-seven. This is unlike Ana Bailao's donor list from 2003 which was almost entirely made up of developers from outside the ward.
I recognize most of the names on Pantalone's list as being actual residents of Toronto.
The Toronto Star's "The Goods" blog has posted an entry regarding mayoralty candidate Joe Pantalone donor disclosure. Found here:
http://thestar.blogs.com/thegoods/
There's some significant support here from the development industry. Should Ward 18 residents be worried?
Here are some of Pantalone's donors:
Stephen Diamond (lawyer and president of Diamondcorp, a real estate development and consulting business, picked by George Smitherman for John Sewell-headed panel on government reform)
Bronwyn Krog, developer and retail and planning consultant
Cynthia MacDougall, development lawyer
Alan Menkes, condominium developer
Brad Butt, president, Greater Toronto Apartment Association
Adam Brown, development lawyer
Frank Lewinberg, architect and former city planner
James Harbell, development lawyer
Sol Wassermuhl, architect
Alfredo Romano, principal, developers Castlepoint Group
Incidentally, kudos to Pantalone for releasing the FULL names of his donors. Perhaps Beaulieu should follow suit now considering he donated to Pantalone and Bailao has already released this information.
Hey Jack. You keep saying your not going to come on this site anymore and you keep coming back. Flip flop, flip flop. I guess we can't trust anything you say.
Have a look at the intensity of comments on Now Magazine's breaking the news about Senso scandal: http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=177246
Formal complaints being made from other sources too.
Given how close the vote is, will Ana squeak in under a cloud of suspicion that will exist for her term, or will we find out the true facts?
Jack tends to paint a rather hysterical picture of Toronto that is not is tune with how I see the world. With Adam and Miller gone I wonder what he will do with all his free time? : ) I did not agree with everything that Miller did but at least he was at work every day as opposed to Lastman who was a mayor in name only (and contributed to todays problems by delaying them years into the future for short term political gain such as the water pipe replacement program).Toronto has the lowest taxes in the GTA and one of the lowest debt loads for any modern western city. Right now there is a large chorus of Tea Party types thinking they are hard done by even though the evidence proves they are wrong.
I travel for a living and Toronto is not a great city like Chicago (who pump a lot of money into culture) but it is a decent city that works most of the time and compared to other cities like New York manages to deliver services at a pretty good price. There is more than enough evidence that selling off public assets and services to the lowest bidder creates a decline in the quality of life in a city that is very hard to reverse. The evidence is that when you cut services and go that route that it is the people on the lowest rung that suffer the most. Why do people not see this? It's explained in a famous book called "What's Wrong With Kansas" where basically decent folk turn on their neighbours and become selfish and self destructive to their own historical common good.Why ? Because they become consumed with "culture wars" and in our case one could argue that Ford has created "gravy train wars" to distract people from taking a more substantive look at the issues.
That would explain why when crime is down Ford wants to hire more cops which makes no sense fiscally at all unless you are consumed by the mirage of a room full of wasted money (2 billion) that nobody has ever found until now.Is there wasted money? Yes, but not in the way Ford thinks. His "gravy train" is really a code for not cutting waste but cutting government and services directly just like his dad did as part of the Mike Harris government. I don't mind if people vote for Ford at all, he never accomplished much in council so far, but I would like to to know what they are voting for.
Make no mistake about it, Ford is a Mike Harris agenda. If like that vote for it. You probably wont like what the city becomes and by then it will be too late.
rbmorra's comment about ward 18 not being an island brings to mind Edmund Burke's 1774 Speech to the Electors of Bristol. A relevant excerpt:
Please note my message should not be construed as an endorsement of Ana Bailao. It is more a general comment on how local councillors should go about making decisions that affect the city as a whole.
Yes, of course Ward 18 is not an island. But let's continue to use the development example:
Development has been one of the key issues in Ward 18 recent elections, especially in hot areas like the Junction Triangle, Queen West, etc. Doesn't it seem suspicious when a candidate's campaign is almost entirely financed by people from outside the ward who are involved in the development industry? It certainly does to me.
I would be equally distressed if any other candidate's entire campaign was financed by any other specific lobbying sector, especially from outside the area.
Yes, a councillor has to work with other councillors, the mayor, and others from outside our ward, but the primary purpose of a councillor is to represent us. Even Ana Bailao said this at the first debate, "Your voice will be my voice at City Hall", and similar things at other times. "A voice for our community at City hall – not City Hall’s voice in our community", as stated on her website. After all this stuff came out about campaign contributions from developers outside the ward, I'm not sure I can trust that.
She's an intelligent, hard-working, and well-spoken woman. I respect her for many things. But her connections worry me. I also disagree with parts of her platform, but that's another topic...
Kevin P writes: City Councillors have a huge impact on the livelihoods of construction companies and development firms. Taking the majority of your money from one industry, especially for a Councillor, does not consitutute success, but only raises suspicions.
It interesting how you view the construction/developme industry. I disagree and I will disclose I am a son of a construction worker. One that came to Canada from Italy with a grade 5 education and managed, on one income, to put two kids through university and pay off mortgage and is now comfortabley retired. Words cannot describe how proud I am of being his son.
The housing industry is one of the key markers of economic well being. It provides jobs for tradespeople and a sense of achievement for home owners. Moreover, the spin of economy from housing industry further provides opportunity for people (landscaping, furniture and appliance sales, decorating and design etc.)
Locally thousands of Ward 18 residents, yes thousands, earn a living from the contruction industry and its spin off sectors. This is a good thing. Development or re-development, done right and with consultation of the local community is a good thing.
Most importantly, we need to have political representation that can enter into a dialogue with that industry to secure a place for the local communities needs. During a harsh economic period, that need is even moreso.
A reminder to please return to this forum's topic about the "2010 Municipal Election". Another reminder for readers to respect the web site's Code of Conduct.
Thank you.