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Courtesy: Pulse24.com
Whether you loved or hated Mel Lastman as mayor of Toronto, you have to admit one thing about his absence - city politics just aren’t as colourful or exciting as it was when the Bad Boy businessman was in charge.
Lastman left the political arena after more than a quarter century due to health problems.
In his tenure as the head of North York and later the MegaCity, Lastman faced it all – garbage strikes, teacher walkouts, a war with squeegee kids, a notorious handshake with a Hell’s Angel, a ride in a tank during a record snowfall and even the embarrassing revelations about an extra marital affair.
Through it all, he emerged as arguably the most outspoken figurehead to ever sit in the mayor’s chair.
And now, he’s back.
At 73, but looking much younger, Lastman claims his health has never been better.
He’s not quite so enamored of the health of the city he left behind, complaining the new City Council hasn’t served Toronto voters well.
“Ask yourself what they have accomplished, what they have done?†he demands in the excited tone residents remember. “Think of something, please! …
“In one term, they raised taxes by more than 60 percent, higher than I did in two terms … If the province had not stopped us from taxing businesses, I would have had taxes down to one percent.
"I hope you stop and look see what they accomplished in order to see if you vote for them or not.â€
He’s also upset about Wednesday’s passing of a bill at Queen’s Park that will allow civic politicians to serve four year terms instead of the current three.
“You can do all the damage in the first year and then you have three years for people to forget the harm you're doing,†he insists about Mayor David Miller.
“That's what it's doing. McGuinty handed it to him on a platter.â€
Lastman is critical of Miller’s “new broom†approach, because he believes it brought unnecessary change just for the sake of change.
“Julian Fantino … was doing a great job, but this guy [Bill Blair] is doing a great job, too, this new Chief. [But] why get rid of a person for the sake of getting rid of him to show you want a clean sweep?
“It's called hypocrisy and it's called spending the taxpayers' money for nothing."
Despite his comments, don’t expect to Mel’s name back on a ballot anytime soon. The outspoken politico is getting back to business, but not at City Hall.
He’s set to re-emerge Monday with Bad Boy, the company he founded that made him a millionaire.
But with the vagaries of public office behind him, Lastman believes the world still loves him. Or at least most of the world.
“The only people who don't like me are those who drive behind me,†he laughs. “Because let me tell you, I haven't driven, like really driven for 34 years!â€
Which is certainly a strange statement for a man who still seems very driven, indeed.
Mel Lastman On…
His Health
“The last two or three years in politics were very, very rough. I was taking medication called peginterferon, chemo for the Hepatitis C. And I couldn't walk 20 feet. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move.
"If I had to urinate, I had to sit down. You know, it was just horrible. I was always sick. If I drank water, I got sick. If I drank coffee, I got sick.â€
“If I had to do it again, I would never take that medicine. I think I would rather just pass on. It's not a pleasant alternative. I like being alive and like being well and I'm glad I did it, but I'll never do it again."
Politicians
“All they do is lie. Whoever thought a premier would lie, a prime minister would lie?â€
David Miller And What He’d Do If He Were Still Mayor
“I think the mayor twisted or broke his wrist or something with that broom, because, you know, what he did is he got rid of people who he shouldn't have gotten rid of …
“I would keep cutting costs you don't need, not salaries. Staff. People quit or retire, don't fill those jobs. In many cases you can do that.â€
The M.F.P. Computer Leasing Scandal Inquiry
“What do you know from that? What did you find out? It cost them a fortune, $15 million for the inquiry. What did they find out? Please tell me. What's the result? Who went to jail?â€
The Scuttling Of The Union Station Project
“There was a gem. There was something that the private sector was putting over $100 million into, and they blew it. And now where's the city going to get the money?â€
Stopping The Gun Violence In T.O.
“It's not a simple answer but, you know, it could have been under better control if David Miller had listened …
"He fought it all the years he was a councillor. No more police. He didn't want to hire any more police. And constantly him and a group of people with him, and then when he became mayor, he still didn't want more police.
“I remember John Tory getting up there, while they wererunning against each other, saying we're going to get 400 more police. We need them, and we did need them.â€
How He Really Feels at 73
"63 plus G.S.T. And P.S.T."
Whether you loved or hated Mel Lastman as mayor of Toronto, you have to admit one thing about his absence - city politics just aren’t as colourful or exciting as it was when the Bad Boy businessman was in charge.
Lastman left the political arena after more than a quarter century due to health problems.
In his tenure as the head of North York and later the MegaCity, Lastman faced it all – garbage strikes, teacher walkouts, a war with squeegee kids, a notorious handshake with a Hell’s Angel, a ride in a tank during a record snowfall and even the embarrassing revelations about an extra marital affair.
Through it all, he emerged as arguably the most outspoken figurehead to ever sit in the mayor’s chair.
And now, he’s back.
At 73, but looking much younger, Lastman claims his health has never been better.
He’s not quite so enamored of the health of the city he left behind, complaining the new City Council hasn’t served Toronto voters well.
“Ask yourself what they have accomplished, what they have done?†he demands in the excited tone residents remember. “Think of something, please! …
“In one term, they raised taxes by more than 60 percent, higher than I did in two terms … If the province had not stopped us from taxing businesses, I would have had taxes down to one percent.
"I hope you stop and look see what they accomplished in order to see if you vote for them or not.â€
He’s also upset about Wednesday’s passing of a bill at Queen’s Park that will allow civic politicians to serve four year terms instead of the current three.
“You can do all the damage in the first year and then you have three years for people to forget the harm you're doing,†he insists about Mayor David Miller.
“That's what it's doing. McGuinty handed it to him on a platter.â€
Lastman is critical of Miller’s “new broom†approach, because he believes it brought unnecessary change just for the sake of change.
“Julian Fantino … was doing a great job, but this guy [Bill Blair] is doing a great job, too, this new Chief. [But] why get rid of a person for the sake of getting rid of him to show you want a clean sweep?
“It's called hypocrisy and it's called spending the taxpayers' money for nothing."
Despite his comments, don’t expect to Mel’s name back on a ballot anytime soon. The outspoken politico is getting back to business, but not at City Hall.
He’s set to re-emerge Monday with Bad Boy, the company he founded that made him a millionaire.
But with the vagaries of public office behind him, Lastman believes the world still loves him. Or at least most of the world.
“The only people who don't like me are those who drive behind me,†he laughs. “Because let me tell you, I haven't driven, like really driven for 34 years!â€
Which is certainly a strange statement for a man who still seems very driven, indeed.
Mel Lastman On…
His Health
“The last two or three years in politics were very, very rough. I was taking medication called peginterferon, chemo for the Hepatitis C. And I couldn't walk 20 feet. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move.
"If I had to urinate, I had to sit down. You know, it was just horrible. I was always sick. If I drank water, I got sick. If I drank coffee, I got sick.â€
“If I had to do it again, I would never take that medicine. I think I would rather just pass on. It's not a pleasant alternative. I like being alive and like being well and I'm glad I did it, but I'll never do it again."
Politicians
“All they do is lie. Whoever thought a premier would lie, a prime minister would lie?â€
David Miller And What He’d Do If He Were Still Mayor
“I think the mayor twisted or broke his wrist or something with that broom, because, you know, what he did is he got rid of people who he shouldn't have gotten rid of …
“I would keep cutting costs you don't need, not salaries. Staff. People quit or retire, don't fill those jobs. In many cases you can do that.â€
The M.F.P. Computer Leasing Scandal Inquiry
“What do you know from that? What did you find out? It cost them a fortune, $15 million for the inquiry. What did they find out? Please tell me. What's the result? Who went to jail?â€
The Scuttling Of The Union Station Project
“There was a gem. There was something that the private sector was putting over $100 million into, and they blew it. And now where's the city going to get the money?â€
Stopping The Gun Violence In T.O.
“It's not a simple answer but, you know, it could have been under better control if David Miller had listened …
"He fought it all the years he was a councillor. No more police. He didn't want to hire any more police. And constantly him and a group of people with him, and then when he became mayor, he still didn't want more police.
“I remember John Tory getting up there, while they wererunning against each other, saying we're going to get 400 more police. We need them, and we did need them.â€
How He Really Feels at 73
"63 plus G.S.T. And P.S.T."
