Monday, October 11, 2010
media coverage
didja catch the end of the debate on CBC -- final question, "if not you,who?" Ford says Sarah Thompson; Smitherman says Joe Pantelone; Mr Pantelone says Rocco Rossi -- and Mr Rossi says HOWARD GOMBERG!!!! oowee and yippie skippie what a wonderful surprise!!!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
My comments on CP24
1. What are your thoughts on Transit City?
"NYC and Montreal are light-years ahead of us. In twenty years we've only added four stations in this city, that's nuts. We're better than this. Every form of transit needs to be electrified and we need to be building more subways."
2. Bike lanes have become a heated topic during this campaign. Where do you stand on the issue?
"I look at the struggles between cars and bikes. It's a war out there, you have a bike lane that lasts two blocks and then war breaks out! We're better than that. We know other cities have adopted better approaches, we need to that. We just need to take something beautiful off the shelf from NYC, or Amsterdam, that's what we need to do."
3. How do you feel about the idea of charging road tolls?
"There has to be a pay as you go approach, I am in favour of road tolls."
4. What "big idea" do you have that will be part of your platform?
"We need to find new revenue. This city is the most multicultural in the world. Mayors of the world should send their staff here and we shall teach the people of the world how to build a great city, that's a cash-cow. We'll build the world's municipal university and each year tens of thousands shall send their civic workers here to learn how to build a great city."
5. How do you feel about the crime level in Toronto? How do you plan on addressing it?
"My job is about empowerment, everyone who lives here is my family, even the junkies, I have to care about them. We keep throwing money at the courts and police to a system that doesn't work, the current system is broken. It would be cheaper to send kids to college than prison."
6. What are your plans for the city's budget including property taxes?
"I think we should be making a profit, we should be calling on the entrepreneurial genius of this city. We're better than the debt we carry. We should be making a profit."
"NYC and Montreal are light-years ahead of us. In twenty years we've only added four stations in this city, that's nuts. We're better than this. Every form of transit needs to be electrified and we need to be building more subways."
2. Bike lanes have become a heated topic during this campaign. Where do you stand on the issue?
"I look at the struggles between cars and bikes. It's a war out there, you have a bike lane that lasts two blocks and then war breaks out! We're better than that. We know other cities have adopted better approaches, we need to that. We just need to take something beautiful off the shelf from NYC, or Amsterdam, that's what we need to do."
3. How do you feel about the idea of charging road tolls?
"There has to be a pay as you go approach, I am in favour of road tolls."
4. What "big idea" do you have that will be part of your platform?
"We need to find new revenue. This city is the most multicultural in the world. Mayors of the world should send their staff here and we shall teach the people of the world how to build a great city, that's a cash-cow. We'll build the world's municipal university and each year tens of thousands shall send their civic workers here to learn how to build a great city."
5. How do you feel about the crime level in Toronto? How do you plan on addressing it?
"My job is about empowerment, everyone who lives here is my family, even the junkies, I have to care about them. We keep throwing money at the courts and police to a system that doesn't work, the current system is broken. It would be cheaper to send kids to college than prison."
6. What are your plans for the city's budget including property taxes?
"I think we should be making a profit, we should be calling on the entrepreneurial genius of this city. We're better than the debt we carry. We should be making a profit."
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Only 100 days left until the vote, do you know who your mayor will be?
As we enter the countdown to election day, I am increasingly concerned about the immediate and long-term consequences of our choice for mayor. While my respect for each of the front-running candidates has grown, my hope has shrunk.
The fact that each of the candidates has stepped forward and is willing to be subjected to intense scrutiny, criticism, attack and ridicule has won my appreciation but not my vote. The complete absence of imagination, creativity and inspiration is appalling. What we are being offered for this office is a collection of lawyers, accountants, bureaucrats, and professional politicians.
I want more. I want my mayor to inspire me. None of the hopefuls does that. This is the 21st century but the campaign might as well be taking place in the 19th. The complexity of the times calls for a new way of thinking, new ways of seeing, new ways of being.
These times may require a person who can see from the mountain top which way the terrain flows. A person who can anticipate where problems may arise and harness the wisdoms which make Toronto their home.
I have spent all my adult life exploring who we are and what we may yet be. Our creativity and potential is enormous but we accept so little from ourselves. My challenge to you my fellow citizens is to see a much bigger view of our city. Open your minds, be brave, and dare to dream about the kind of city you can be proud of. Join me in the New Mind Campaign and let's have some fun along the way.
Please tell your network about this, the city is too important to be turned over to these small minds.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
touching the elephant
Hail citizens! I attended the front runner candidate's debate at OISE. The subject was what to do about the homeless situation in Toronto. Hosted by Habitat for Humanity. As i listened to each candidate make their points, I was reminded of the old wisdom story of the blind men and the elephant: a group of blind men come upon an elephant. Each one touches the elephant and tries to describe what the elephant is. One grabs the tail, and says an elephant is like a rope. Another touches the leg and declares it is like a tree. Another touches the belly and says it is like a wall, and so on. Each one was correct. The meeting was like this, but in the description of the elephant of homelessness, none had the whole picture.
It seems to me that if we can get beyond our egos, we may actually be able to do something effective in regards to the situation. What we need is a mayor who is not afraid to say "your idea is better (or more complete) than mine, and for the sake of our city I welcome your input."
It seems to me that if we can get beyond our egos, we may actually be able to do something effective in regards to the situation. What we need is a mayor who is not afraid to say "your idea is better (or more complete) than mine, and for the sake of our city I welcome your input."
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