OneCity
Senior Member
How chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat tried to stop the Scarborough subway
More of the same from the Star.
It serves 2 purposes: criticizes SSE, and promotes Keesmaat for future office as a Progressive.
I note there is still no mention of how Council and Liberal MPPs killed* the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown just to defeat the (then) popular Rob Ford. Within a half a year, they realized their own jobs were in trouble and introduced the SSE to save their jobs.
* - Council killed it by their vote, of course. Liberals killed it by hiding Metrolinx June 2012 report from City Council (to ensure Council would vote against the Ford plan) and from the public (so they could run as Subway Champions in 2013 by-election and 2014 election). This was a clear example of defeating Ford at all costs - and now we are paying those costs. It is likely cheaper (on a per seat basis), then the Liberals wasted on the Oakville and Mississauga gas plants.
The Star has been really trying to promote Keesmat as a brand and even coining her as a "celebrity". Speculating here but she may have stepped down for a soft landing as the media and Political opposition can now ramp up the attack on the SSE and Tory into the election. Therfore she won't have her name in the line of fire even since she would have to field questions ad she was very much a part of the current 1 stop. Sad as that sounds as there is no doubt that have a large planned attack coming and the left media has been pumping out some great PR for her.
Inevitably this ongoing attack is just handing Ford votes if he runs. A part of why people voted for the Fords in the last two elections because of this bias crap in the first place. Certianly It wasnt for good behaviour or good looks. Tory and Ford will run away again as the opposition is really only digging a deeper hole now
And there is no doubt anymore this ongoing transfer LRT promotion is completely political based and certainly not "evidence based". The evidence was the first political plan with transfer was rejected overwhelmingly in the last two elections when given the democratic opportunity to stop it. There is little "evidence based" planning in the Sheppard stubway or the current RT but they expected Scarborough to ignore the short comings and inconvenience caused busy both plans and then when the Vaughan centre subway was approved it was another slap. This "evidence based" nonsense to rally their dwindling base is going to cost them again.
They really need a better political strategist at this stage.
Last edited: