[Anna]

THAT is some amazing sleuthing. If Mme. Julie was married to a gentleman 'known for his devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ', I'd say it's stretching the truth like a rubber band to say she remained Jewish in any tangible manner. Most likely the opposite -- born again Christian -- if anything.

Bravo, Anna.

Thank you. Still looking for the Renwick/Middlebrook wedding, but if Julie's sister was married in Evangel Temple...

Evangel Temple was established in 1927 during the excitement of the early 20th century Pentecostal revivals. The Church thrived and grew quickly under Godly and capable leadership. Marked by enthusiastic evangelism, fresh revival, fervent prayer, and excellent music, Evangel Temple became a recognized and leading congregation in Toronto and all of Canada.

 

[animatronic]

Okay...

Karla Ford, born Karla Middlebrook to father William John Middlebrook. Devoted to Gospel of Jesus Christ. Not Jewish.

Daughter of Julie Renwick, and whose sister Florence got married in a church. To someone named Thompson.

Now, through my mom's side of the family I am rather familiar with Toronto Jewish names... don't remember any Renwicks. And I went to elementary school in Thornhill.

Interestingly, apparently the Evangel Temple hosts some sort of program to "heal" gays:

MIDDLEBROOK, Bill - After a courageous battle at the Brantwood, Lifecare Centre on Thursday, December 2, 2010. Bill Middlebrook, dearly beloved son of Julie Middlebrook and the late Bill Middlebrook. Father of Douglas, Kenneth, John and Shelia and their mother Willie Mae. Grandfather of 9. Loving brother of Greg, Danny, Shannon, Michael, Kristin, Karla and Peter. Resting at the NEWEDIUK FUNERAL HOME, KIPLING CHAPEL, 2058 Kipling Avenue (north of Rexdale Blvd.), Wednesday from 10 a.m. until time of Funeral Service in the chapel at 11 a.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Burlington. Online condolences at newediukfuneralhome.com
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?pid=146973631#sthash.1k5kmtca.dpuf

Gate of Heaven is a Catholic cemetery.

 

[TRA]

I think the only conclusion we can safely draw from any of these polls is that Tory is ahead by a comfortable margin, with both Chow and Ford well back. The issue is that Mainstreet's numbers have otherwise been all over the place. Somehow Doug went from 16% to above 30% in the space of a week, despite press that would only charitably be called "negative". That level of variation speaks to a bad methodology and significant sample bias. Sure, they quote some margin of error of +/- 2%, but this is best understood as the minimum error margin. Another issue with Mainstreet is that they don't seem to use any sampling weights apart from age and gender. Adjustments are made post-sample, which means they don't represent real strata in the population, and I see nothing to indicate that they weight for Old Toronto vs Scarborough vs North York etc. The only way that works is if support for each candidate is uniform across all parts of the city - and we know that this probably isn't true.

So does that mean that Chow isn't actually behind Ford? Maybe - maybe not. But it does mean that these polls are highly questionable. One way or the other, I feel (and, yes, more a "gut" thing) that Doug's support is vastly overstated, even if we only see evidence of this on the 28th.

One thing I suspect is true from the Mainstreet Poll is the the Ford crowd has the highest percentage of "least likely to vote" (25%), so that will affect the numbers on the 27th

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

MIDDLEBROOK, Bill - After a courageous battle at the Brantwood, Lifecare Centre on Thursday, December 2, 2010. Bill Middlebrook, dearly beloved son of Julie Middlebrook and the late Bill Middlebrook. Father of Douglas, Kenneth, John and Shelia and their mother Willie Mae. Grandfather of 9. Loving brother of Greg, Danny, Shannon, Michael, Kristin, Karla and Peter. Resting at the NEWEDIUK FUNERAL HOME, KIPLING CHAPEL, 2058 Kipling Avenue (north of Rexdale Blvd.), Wednesday from 10 a.m. until time of Funeral Service in the chapel at 11 a.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Burlington. Online condolences at newediukfuneralhome.com
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?pid=146973631#sthash.1k5kmtca.dpuf

Gate of Heaven is a Catholic cemetery.

You guys are truly impressive - leaving no bones unturned.

AoD

 

[Videodrome]

CityNews Toronto ‏@CityNews 42s43 seconds ago
#BREAKING: Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School under lockdown following shooting in the Islington Avenue and Dixon Road area. #Toronto

The heart of Ford Nation...

 

[Riverdale Rink Rat]

I'm certain that most of this Ford “support†is coming from very uncommitted people who enjoy being “politically incorrect†in a poll. They’re trolling the polling companies, because they like the idea of poking a stick in the eye of people like “usâ€. I wouldn’t pay much attention to it.
There are definitely harsher elements at play here though—because Chow is unquestionably hitting up against the very real racism that exists in the city. It's not even veiled at this point.

Chow had dealt with Toronto and its citizens for years and years -- she's been elected over and over again in this town. She has overcome negative bias, be it veiled racism or not, many times. Her low polling numbers in this election are the direct result of her poor campaign. This is the 'anti-Ford' election, and she tried to ignore that factor. The 'anti-Ford' voters decided Tory was their horse, and she's lost that voting bloc.

She could EASILY have been the 'anti-Ford' candidate if she had hit him hard, early on. She missed that opportunity, and it doesn't look like she'll get it back.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

He's stupid.

Yes, thank you.
This also answers the earlier question about why he's taking shots at Tory and not Goldkind today.
(Paradoxically, the thinks he's smart, because he's attacking his main rival as opposed to the guy who actually took a shot at him; but he looks stupid because Goldkind took to them to the woodshed on this issue and the number of people who know who he is has skyrocketed overnight as a result.)

Chow had dealt with Toronto and its citizens for years and years -- she's been elected over and over again in this town. She has overcome negative bias, be it veiled racism or not, many times. Her low polling numbers in this election are the direct result of her poor campaign. This is the 'anti-Ford' election, and she tried to ignore that factor. The 'anti-Ford' voters decided Tory was their horse, and she's lost that voting bloc.

She could EASILY have been the 'anti-Ford' candidate if she had hit him hard, early on. She missed that opportunity, and it doesn't look like she'll get it back.

Again, yes. Whether or not I agree with all her policies, Chow is a smart and viable candidate. She's trailing because of how poor her campaign is and how weak her attempts to look like she was taking the high road ultimately made her seem. Did she gain ANYTHING by calling Tory "nasty" and giving Rob and Doug the benefit of the doubt on Switcheroo Day? I don't think so.

Finally, since I'm Jewish I'll just kick in that if Karla's mother was Jewish, she is Jewish and so are Doug's daughters. That's on a technical level, as far as a rabbi is concerned. If they do absolutely nothing to practice Judaism - either religiously or culturally - that's another matter. I've seen no evidence they do but I'm not in a position to know. If that's the case, Doug pulling out the technicality is rather low even if it's true.

 

[DeathSilver]

Okay...

Karla Ford, born Karla Middlebrook to father William John Middlebrook. Devoted to Gospel of Jesus Christ. Not Jewish.

Daughter of Julie Renwick, and whose sister Florence got married in a church. To someone named Thompson.

Now, through my mom's side of the family I am rather familiar with Toronto Jewish names... don't remember any Renwicks. And I went to elementary school in Thornhill.

Interestingly, apparently the Evangel Temple hosts some sort of program to "heal" gays:

Although this will be stating the obvious, Doug will lie about just anything. Lying about his wife being Jewish is just comical really.

 

[tiffer24]

Andray Domise made a relevant point a few weeks back concerning Rob's appropriation of the black community's voice by calling that out as "blackface". Is there a similar term for Doug suddenly defending and marketing his own inauthentic "Jewishness"?

 

[JGHali]

What was the year of that wedding? The idea that a Jewish girl married a Thompson in a Pentecostal church c. 1950 is fanciful. This was still "Old Orange Toronto" until at least after 1955 when Nathan Phillips was elected.

 

[DeathSilver]

MIDDLEBROOK, Bill - After a courageous battle at the Brantwood, Lifecare Centre on Thursday, December 2, 2010. Bill Middlebrook, dearly beloved son of Julie Middlebrook and the late Bill Middlebrook. Father of Douglas, Kenneth, John and Shelia and their mother Willie Mae. Grandfather of 9. Loving brother of Greg, Danny, Shannon, Michael, Kristin, Karla and Peter. Resting at the NEWEDIUK FUNERAL HOME, KIPLING CHAPEL, 2058 Kipling Avenue (north of Rexdale Blvd.), Wednesday from 10 a.m. until time of Funeral Service in the chapel at 11 a.m. Interment Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Burlington. Online condolences at newediukfuneralhome.com
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?pid=146973631#sthash.1k5kmtca.dpuf

Gate of Heaven is a Catholic cemetery.

Oh dear, Doug is such a scumbag. I hope the press picks up on this.

 

[Anna]

What was the year of that wedding? The idea that a Jewish girl married a Thompson in a Pentecostal church c. 1950 is fanciful. This was still "Old Orange Toronto" until at least after 1955 when Nathan Phillips was elected.

1947

 

[anonymoose]

Someone finally said it:
http://www.thestar.com/news/city_ha.../10/06/doug_ford_defends_debate_comments.html

Before beginning his media scrum, Ford got an earful from Phil Pothen, a planning and environmental lawyer who happened to be walking by.
“Anybody in Toronto could have achieved what you’ve achieved with your background,†Pothen scolded Ford. He struggled to get out his message while Pothen continued his harangue.
“You were born on third base and you act like you hit a triple — you and John Tory both.â€
Afterward, Pothen told the Star he is not connected to any other candidate.
“I may take a sign for one person or other, but I’m not involved in any campaign.â€

 

[animatronic]

Someone finally said it:
http://www.thestar.com/news/city_ha.../10/06/doug_ford_defends_debate_comments.html

Not exactly - Doug Ford is someone who was born on third base and act like they hit a come-from behind grand slam home run. In extra innings. In the World Series. In Game 7.

Well, either that or his dad did.

 

[pud99]

That's a bit of good news then. However if the court does find there was a violation, would the timing make removal from office moot, since Rob is no longer running in the merryl race and Doug's low chances. Or does it apply to all public office? Rob is still technically a MINO a short time after oct 27 no? I mean I'll still take that scenario if that happens, just to see the metaphorical boot print on the Ford's ass being thrown out of office. All metaphorical, of course.

Why do I get the feeling the Fords probably won't get the max 7.

Applies to all offices.

RF is Mayor until the midnight between Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

If he is 'annointed' in Ward 2 the removal would apply to that. (As I read the Act, it is not limited to the particular office held by the offender at the time of the offence or of the finding that there was an offence. As I read it, the judge is to declare vacant the office held by the offender at the time of the finding that there was an offence.)

Ignorance and studpidity are not defences but might be raised to try to persuade the court to impose a lighter penalty (re the 7 year max). However, it has previously been found that RF is 'willfully ignorant' about COI and one would expect the same sort of finding for DF - especially re votes that took place after the finding that willful ignorance is shameful, not grounds for latitude.