[adma]

Having ranked ballots doesn't necessarily mean Rob Ford couldn't win, an assumption that people seem to think that this system will always only guarantee only progressive candidates can win.

That is, if you assume that John Tory is "progressive". (IOW this is about sanity, not progressive cred)

 

[JGHali]

Having ranked ballots doesn't necessarily mean Rob Ford couldn't win, an assumption that people seem to think that this system will always only guarantee only progressive candidates can win.

I think he would have still won in 2010 with a ranked ballot. But not in 2014 and unlikely in 2018 either.

 

[PinkLucy]

I have to say it was nice to hear Tory on CBC this morning acting like a mayor. Matt Galloway was talking with him before 7 am, and he was upbeat and chipper and enthused about PanAm. Whether he really likes it or not, I neither know nor care -- he was welcoming people to the city, he was encouraging Torontonians to get out and enjoy -- in short, he was doing his job and doing it well. Such a pleasant change from the previous situation.

(I don't like all his policies, but he does do public events well)

 

[AlbertHWagstaff]

I have to say it was nice to hear Tory on CBC this morning acting like a mayor. Matt Galloway was talking with him before 7 am, and he was upbeat and chipper and enthused about PanAm. Whether he really likes it or not, I neither know nor care -- he was welcoming people to the city, he was encouraging Torontonians to get out and enjoy -- in short, he was doing his job and doing it well. Such a pleasant change from the previous situation.

(I don't like all his policies, but he does do public events well)

Can you imagine Rob Ford trying to pull that off? I'm sure he'd say "this great city" about ten times but beyond that it would probably be a train wreck.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Can you imagine Rob Ford trying to pull that off? I'm sure he'd say "this great city" about ten times but beyond that it would probably be a train wreck.

He'd probably use it as an avenue to talk about how he wanted to build a new stadium for NFL, yadda yadda. That, or he just couldn't show up at 7 in the morning after a wild night.

AoD

 

[PinkLucy]

I think it was the wide-awake enthusiasm pre 7 am that most impressed me

 

[JWBF]

Having ranked ballots doesn't necessarily mean Rob Ford couldn't win, an assumption that people seem to think that this system will always only guarantee only progressive candidates can win.

It's the irony of a "populist" losing in a ranked ballot system is what I want to see. There is always a chance of anyone winning, basically that's the improvement over "first past the post".

 

[JWBF]

I have to say it was nice to hear Tory on CBC this morning acting like a mayor. Matt Galloway was talking with him before 7 am, and he was upbeat and chipper and enthused about PanAm. Whether he really likes it or not, I neither know nor care -- he was welcoming people to the city, he was encouraging Torontonians to get out and enjoy -- in short, he was doing his job and doing it well. Such a pleasant change from the previous situation.

(I don't like all his policies, but he does do public events well)

I agree on policy but it is refreshing having a mayor that acts like a mayor, and not a schoolyard bully.

 

[CodeMonkey]

It's the irony of a "populist" losing in a ranked ballot system is what I want to see. There is always a chance of anyone winning, basically that's the improvement over "first past the post".

Other than giving most of you nightmares for the rest of the week, my point was we shouldn't just write him off because of some illusion that ranked ballots will somehow have this inherent feature to lock people like Rob/Doug Ford out of office.

 

[Tuscani01]

I was watching news with my roommate last night (A non Tory fan), and after hearing Tory speak about the games, my roommate responded with "You know what, I am actually proud that he is our mayor. He makes us look so good".

And its true. He puts on a good face and does a pretty good job of representing the city. Makes Toronto feel more like a big city again, and not a circus anymore.

Now if only he could get rid of some of his staffers, and actually make evidence-based decisions instead of ideologically driven decisions, we'd be set!

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Tuscani:

The problem is, Fraud has driven expectations so low that what should have been a prerequisite is now exceptional.

AoD

 

[Tuscani01]

Tuscani:

The problem is, Fraud has driven expectations so low that what should have been a prerequisite is now exceptional.

AoD

Nah, I didn't even get this sort of charisma from David Miller. Tory is giving us the Nenshi type of charisma all of a sudden. Something Toronto has been lacking since way before the Fraud. (Roomie is from Calgary, hence the Nenshi reference)

 

[AlbertHWagstaff]

Nah, I didn't even get this sort of charisma from David Miller. Tory is giving us the Nenshi type of charisma all of a sudden. Something Toronto has been lacking since way before the Fraud. (Roomie is from Calgary, hence the Nenshi reference)

Mel Lastman had personal charisma, but he blew it all by being a buffoon in lots of other ways, like talking without thinking, so many times. Before Mel, Art Eggleton came off ok, a bit bland but at least he wasn't an embarassment.

 

[evvabeing]

Toronto’s casino vote sends chill through Niagara

On Wednesday, Toronto city council voted 25-19 to allow a massive expansion to the Woodbine casino in Rexdale, two years after rejecting the same proposal. We dodged a bullet then, but we knew that gun was still loaded. Once Rob Ford left the mayor's chair, councillors who automatically rejected anything he supported – like expanded gaming in Toronto – would flip their vote. So I guess we can thank Ford's haters for this not happening sooner.

On behalf of a city about to get screwed - thanks!

Thanks for not mentioning Niagara Falls during your debate yesterday. The city which stands to lose millions because you decided your piece of the pie wasn't big enough.
[...]
Fifty percent of the casino's patrons come from Toronto. A large chunk of them will have less incentive to come now. That means, the annual $20 million or so Niagara Falls gets in revenue from Ontario Lottery and Gaming will take a hit.
[...]
Woodbine's expansion still needs OLG's approval, but that's all but assured. Canada's largest city will get Canada's largest casino. That you can bet on.

As gambling lingo goes, the house always wins. Unless a bigger house comes along.

http://www.niagaraadvance.ca/2015/07/09/torontos-casino-vote-sends-chill-through-niagara

 

[evvabeing]

In an Indifferent Toronto, the Pan-Am Games Land With a Thud

The new mayor is excited about his city’s big moment in the spotlight, but hardly anyone else seems to be.
[...]
“I think the only sport that we’re not playing in the Pan-Am Games is sort of moaning and groaning,” Mr. Tory told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday. “And Toronto, on a regular basis, would be qualifying for a gold medal in that.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/10/w...oronto-the-pan-am-games-land-with-a-thud.html