Admiral Beez
Superstar
If? Chow's polling at 35%, equal to the combined polling of the next three candidates. Chow's our mayor.
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- Thread starter SJD_Toronto
- Start date
nfitz
Superstar
The poor guy thinks that the views equal support, rather than everyone making fun of his distracted driving.
SashaLemon
Active Member
"I will make traffic better by maintaining the status quo."
Seriously, we absolutely need to "slam it down at grade" in order to force this city to change rather then wallow in expensive mediocrity for another 65 years. Traffic is bad? We should probably invest in dedicated rail transport then. Imagine thinking making driving easier will alleviate traffic!
SJD_Toronto
Active Member
Sorry. I didn’t know the election happened and Olivia Chow is now our new mayor. Thanks.
adma
Superstar
concrete_and_light
Active Member
"Post apocalyptic hellscape" = 1 1/2 hours driving to visit your buddy across town. Ok Brad.
You know, I get it, traffic is frustrating, and our city has some significant design challenges in terms of how our roads are set up — which impacts efficiency of all modes. And we don't have good transit alternatives in a comprehensive way. But eking out a few more marginal gains in car infrastructure is never going to solve this problem.
Do people drive through Manhattan to go visit their buddy and except just smooth sailing open roads? The centre of Paris?
We gotta start thinking about these things differently as a society and city, because there's no way we can turn back the clock. The idea that if we optimize car infrastructure it will solve the problem is just denial of the reality of the future and the present. Even assuming you could get 20% more efficiency let's say out of our car infrastructure (or even 50% to be extremely generous!), growth in the city will eat that up in no time and then Brad's stuck in traffic going to drive to his buddy across town again.
This is one of the biggest cities in North America and will only get bigger and denser.
You know, I get it, traffic is frustrating, and our city has some significant design challenges in terms of how our roads are set up — which impacts efficiency of all modes. And we don't have good transit alternatives in a comprehensive way. But eking out a few more marginal gains in car infrastructure is never going to solve this problem.
Do people drive through Manhattan to go visit their buddy and except just smooth sailing open roads? The centre of Paris?
We gotta start thinking about these things differently as a society and city, because there's no way we can turn back the clock. The idea that if we optimize car infrastructure it will solve the problem is just denial of the reality of the future and the present. Even assuming you could get 20% more efficiency let's say out of our car infrastructure (or even 50% to be extremely generous!), growth in the city will eat that up in no time and then Brad's stuck in traffic going to drive to his buddy across town again.
This is one of the biggest cities in North America and will only get bigger and denser.
Brad is a cyclist. It annoys me that he is pushing this.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
No need to apologize. You’re good.
TonyV
Senior Member
Brad is a Tory loyalist, all the while it’s a challenge for me to think what Tory might have done to ease our gridlock. Even the King transit way has been abandoned. Brad is farcical.
ssiguy2
Senior Member
It does look like it's Chows election to lose so don't expect any new even mildly controversial comments or priorities from her. During elections where there is a clear leader they tend to say as little as possible hoping they can use cruise control to take them over the line and it usually works.
We know where she stands on transit, homelessness, affordable housing etc but I am more interested in what she is going to do with the public realm. In particular, what is she going to do with the dump of a street Yonge is and the Gardiner. Is she going to put Toronto on the road diet it desperately needs. Any info?
We know where she stands on transit, homelessness, affordable housing etc but I am more interested in what she is going to do with the public realm. In particular, what is she going to do with the dump of a street Yonge is and the Gardiner. Is she going to put Toronto on the road diet it desperately needs. Any info?
adma
Superstar
I think he's just allowed himself to be a puppet of his Ontario Proud/Sun News Network-vet handlers. (So if he's outpolled by Anthony Furey; well, *that* demo'll opt for the real thing over a poseur anyday.)
zang
Senior Member
Maybe that was the problem and people are tired of nebulous promises and redundant pet projects this time around?
Chow is a known entity, with connections to the federal government and a strong history as city councillor. Why is any more needed than that?
Yeah, the city has spent the last nearly 15 years with what right and centre-right politics have gotten the city; massive cuts and privatization at worst, status quo at best. Toronto hasn't gotten better under Ford or Tory.
Despite what the Fords regularly wanted everyone to believe, Rob Ford didn't unseat David Miller. Miller resigned and didn't run for a second term. Big difference. The city had no choice but to change, and most of the city still didn't vote for Rob.
Tory likely got the vote out of sheer name recognition, despite being a multiple-time political loser.
Why exactly?
zang
Senior Member
So, you think that's going to happen with a provincial government who won't themselves cooperate with the Feds? Ford wants capitulation, not cooperation, regardless of who's in power.
zang
Senior Member
Funny how Conservatives run on "fiscal responsibility", then cut taxes and increase the debt.
NDP governments have a history of actually paying down the debt. Maybe there's something to greater taxation if your goal is *truly* fiscal responsibility and not creating loopholes and tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the rich? Or have I just given the game away.
I'm so tired of this getting pulled out every time anyone wants to rail against "the left".
People so often forget that we were struck with a global recession in the middle of Rae's term; which the Harris campaign very readily chose to blame solely on Rae and his government, backed by the media power of Conrad Black. Harris weaponized grievance to get into power, and tell me, how well did that go? Thirty years later we're still dealing with repercussions, and all of the touted "positives" (selling off the 407, downloading services, etc.) have turned to negatives themselves.
AND STILL, Conservatives like to complain about "Rae Days"; when the later Rae government decided to capitulate to conservatives. He did a blatantly conservative thing and conservatives *still* complained.
Makes you think it was never, ever about Rae's policies, huh?
The Federal government is the only one that should be stepping in at this point; keep the Doug Ford's grubby hands out of Toronto, thanks.
Tory's politics were the equivalent of a car parked in the middle of the 401.
You mean a mayor might like to have a similarly-minded person as their second-in-command? The problem with this is?
Tory didn't even work with Ford, unless it was something Ford wanted first (see; Doug Ford complaining in 2011 that Toronto should have a Strong Mayor system). Ford has his own agenda for Toronto, and he'll run over whomever he wants to get it enacted.
As did Miller (see; Rob Ford).
I think you have a vast misunderstanding of who Olivia Chow is and her history in politics. Or how much respect she has in all political circles here in Toronto.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
Tory and the council during his time as mayor caused our gridlock. Developers allowed to block bike lanes and auto traffic lanes, traffic signals seemingly timed to cause congestion, taking down the eastern access to the Gardiner forcing all cars and trucks up at Jarvis, zero apparent traffic planning for the endless marathons, etc. Chow can‘t do much worse.