Torontoist is ending the year by naming our Heroes and Villains of 2009—the very best and the very worst people, places, and things in and of Toronto over the past twelve months. This week, Torontoist unmasks our picks, complete with original art by our illustrators; starting next week, and continuing until the end of the year, you can vote for your favourite Heroes and Villains as they face off in a single-elimination tournament which, at its end, will leave one Superhero and one Supervillain standing.
Comments
http://undefined ClaireBot
Great list, Torontoist; however, I think you’re missing the Olympic Committee’s flagrant omission of ringette as a sport in the upcoming winter games. And in the country of The Great Sport’s invention? Shameful.
http://undefined Christine Thompson
I actually think Balsillie is a villain for not offering all that money to the NRL.
http://undefined Amanda Factor
Amanda Happe’s choice of the Yellow Pages is brilliant. Excellent writeup.
http://undefined Mike Smith
Why hasn’t the most evil misogynist in Canada been named again this year? After reviewing your choices for VILLAINS, which included THE WEATHER, I went to his web site to summarize his year villainous behaviour. During the last few months Dimitri The Lover held Toronto Real Men meetings dedicated to the following …
1. harassing lesbians
2. seducing teens
3. not using condoms
4. raping women
5. mocking homosexuals
And the list goes on and on!
http://undefined Matthew
No Public Sector Unions’ leadership on the villians list? Is there anything that is crippling this city more?
The Summer City Workers strike is kind of a hero for exposing these true villians, who are by and large for more militant than their members want them to be and are going to break Toronto.
Karen Whaley
The Yellow Pages was for sure the best one!
Karen Whaley
I am totally blown away by the illustrations!
http://undefined friend68
Of course, with each dissenting opinion about your list, the commenters only push Outrage higher and higher. It’s got my vote as well — brilliant!
rek
This one’s easier, but I’m still split. Bell/Rogers/Telus, or the Garbage Strike.
http://undefined McKingford
Perhaps the most important thing missing from Ignatieff’s well-deserved nomination: the guy could have been the fucking prime minister, but chose to pass!!. Now we are stuck with the personification of villainy, in Stephen Harper (I’m assuming he’s already a lifetime award recipient, which explains why he wasn’t nominated this year…).
http://paul.kishimoto.name Paul Kishimoto
lifetime award recipient
That’s my best guess, too. “Had not had a particularly exceptional year of douchebaggery,” certainly doesn’t cut it.
http://undefined Matthew
I dunno, if Bill C15 goes through it will pave the way to a US style prison based slavery system. I’d say that’s a tad worse than douchiness.
I know I’m hyperbolic. But, I just can’t stop myself.
http://undefined lunarworks
The last thing we need to do is give him any sort of attention.
http://undefined mintjellie
I’m sorry – The Beer Store has a pretty sorry selection of beer compared to some supermarkets and convenience stores I’ve patronized in New York State. Almost every time I’ve been to The Beer Store, they don’t even have what I’m looking for in stock.
If you don’t have my Maudite or my Welly SPA, then why is it listed on the wall?
My pet theory is that every TBS location lists all these beers on The Wall to give the consumer an illusion of choice, knowing that 99% of people buying beer there will just grab a case of shitty industrial pale lager off the Top Ten Selections rack.
It is damned near impossible to find good beer at TBS, when compared to convenience stores and supermarket. US supermarkets carry more Unibroue products than the LCBO, TBS, or even the SAQ in Quebec. I was shocked when I walked into a Wegmans in Syracuse and saw Unibroue Anniversary Ales, Terrible, and Chambly Noire out on the shelves.
I’ve been to a neighbourhood convenience store located on the ground floor of a converted house where the entire back of the store was full of sixers and bombers of craft beer from all across the US, and even around the world. The aisles were so narrow you could barely turn around in them, and the cold beer fridges we’re filled with offerings from Oskar Blues, Lagunitas, Southern Tier, Stone, Sierra Nevada, and other great breweries that would never go through the hassle of dealing with TBS or the LCBO.
This is why Canadian brewing lags so far behind American. I said it. Sacrilege I know, but anyone who’s been to a good beer bar or beer store in the US will understand what I’m saying. The simple fact that an start-up brewery with a great product can find individual store owners willing to take the risk on carrying their product rather than having to deal with foreign-owned government sanctioned monopoly or a government run chain or stores with province-wide volume requirements really makes a difference in terms of putting interesting niche products to market.
http://undefined mintjellie
Made one mistake their – Southern Tier go through the hassle of dealing with the LCBO. For that matter, breweries like Stone and Sierra Nevada could probably meet the volume requirements as well.
There’s lots of great small breweries out their that sell through supermarkets though, but could never meet the volume demands of the LCBO or get into TBS. If you’re ever in Syracuse, stop by a Wegmans and look for beers from Middle Ages Brewing Company. even better, stop at the brewery, sample everything they have on tap, and buy from the brewery store. They’re good people and they brew damned good beer.
http://undefined McKingford
That can’t be right, because even by Harper standards, he has been especially villainous this year – from running the most secretive government in memory and shutting down any kind of accountability to – especially bad – being the single biggest impediment in the world to achieving a climate deal.
http://undefined Craig C
Those illustrations really do need to be up for a Major Award. If I had a leg lamp on hand, it would be delivered to the Torontoist Compound tout suite!
As for the supervillain, I’m also torn between rogers/bell/telus and the garbage strike. Google Street View will show us the way!
rek
I’m pretty sure “Mike” is spamming.
http://undefined Svend
What’s wrong with prejudging the Michael Bryant-Darcy Sheppard collision? Why is having an opinion on this considered villainy?
Excellent scary illustrations though.
http://paul.kishimoto.name Paul Kishimoto
What I meant was, “doesn’t cut it as an excuse for leaving him off the list.” I agree with you both.
http://www.guesswork.ca Patrick Metzger
Because if you didn’t see it happen, your opinion is worthless and taking one side versus the other is straight-up bias.
http://undefined Darren
Well of course we’re going to blame Stephen Harper…he does eat babies and he single handedly caused the world wide recession, and he has since banned gay marriage, and he has taxed us to death (note the obvious sarcasm)
How about we villify those people who have directly screwed this city over??
Miller for giving into every single union he came across
ATU113 for asking for increases hand-over-fist for then entitled mostly suburbanite members, who caused illegal strikes in 2006 and 2008
Greg Sorbara for owning land at the SW corner of Jane and Steeles, and personally pushing for a subway extension into another city (where buses dont even run) and where we will surrounding each mega-million dollar station with NOTHING BUT hundreds and hundreds of parking spots
http://undefined Svend
Perhaps Torontoist commentators are worthless and biased, but does that make for us being Villain of the Year?
http://www.guesswork.ca Patrick Metzger
Hey, my opinions are worthless and biased and you don’t see anyone making me villain of the year. Which I’m a little bitter about.
http://undefined Rachel Lissner
The illustrations for the villains are way better the the heroes’ ones. Way to convert that anger into beauty, Torontoist!
http://undefined jw03
You make me miss pickletoes.
http://undefined Pete E.
“…..We in Canada are fortunate enough to be possessed of one of the most transparent, one of the best regulated, one of the most rational justice systems on the planet….”
Rational….Oh really?
Then why have thousands of Ontario Citizens lost the right to the PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE (due to “reverse onus” Legislation) unlike Michael Bryant who is presumed innocent until proven guilty(and rightly so)?
Why has this gentleman been in Court for 4+ years but Michael Bryant has yet to set foot in Court? http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090617/pitbull_oca_090617/20090617/?hub=TorontoNewHome
Support MPP Cheri DiNovo and send a strong message to those who corrupted the Justice System due to a personal Political agenda. http://thestar.blogs.com/broadsides/2009/11/bully-for-cheri-dinovo.html The Justice System is a perverse joke!
http://undefined piccola
I (selfishly) vote media layoffs. Closely followed by Rogers/Bell/Telus and outrage.
http://undefined Gauldar
Never thought I’d read that sentence on here.
http://www.torontoist.com David Topping
Voting for Villains opens in less than twelve hours, and there are four rounds, right up until the new year. You can always find the latest round of Heroes voting at this URL: http://torontoist.com/heroesandvillains/villains
Greg
What total and utter bull. We should just sit down, shut up, and let the justice system walk all over us? Idiotic! This is coming from a blog affiliated with the Globe & Mail, which is clearly influenced by Navigator Ltd. and any number of Susan Abramovitch’s entertainment law connections. Who the hell would ask anyone to shut up and take it in a first world country? Maybe we should get rid of lawyers too, and just let the judges rule over us. Hell, why don’t we get rid of free speech while we’re at it?
I would replace “prejudging the Michael Bryant hit-and-run” with “PR firms run by failed, corrupt politicians” as the villain of 2009.
http://undefined beebee
You’re saying that Joe Pantalone is a villain for standing up for Ossington-area residents? Sorry, but I don’t feel bad for “the hipsters” who walk by my house at 3am, yelling and screaming, and basically having no regard for any of the people that they may be disturbing.
I like to go out and enjoy myself just like anybody else but I still have respect for the people around me, whether they are in front of me or are inside their house trying to sleep. Joe Pantalone is not the villain in this case, it’s the people who can’t resist acting like jackasses on their way home from the bar.
Besides, there are plenty of bars to choose from along Ossington already – I really don’t see why it’s such a big deal to have a limit on new establishments in what was once a mainly residential area. How about focusing some real issues?
http://undefined Cats
Okay,
I live on Ossington as well. Since when is Ossington Avenue a ‘residential” street? When I moved there it was auto repair shops, gas station, car wash, tire shops etc. it has only recently become more residential and it’s because it is now a much nicer place to live. I absolutely love the fact that I can go out for dinner and drinks without having to get in a taxi. We are very fortunate that the change has begun, I know that my property is worth MORE than double what i paid for it 7 years ago, to me that’s a good investment and good forcasting on my part. I took the risk when most people would not. Joe Pantalone would like to take tis away from us.
As a resident how can you honestly say that the change is a bad thing?
http://undefined beebee
When did I say that I lived on Ossington? I live in the area, on a street off of Ossington, which is most definitely residential, as are most of the streets that run off of Ossington. The residents that live on these streets are the people who voiced their concerns about what was happening to the area and those are the people that Joe Pantalone is defending.
I am not opposed to change but I think there needs to be a limit to the amount of change and to find a balance that will please both the residents of the area and “the hipsters who just wanna have fun”. There are still plenty of bars and restaurants to pick from along Ossington and the 11pm patio curfew ensures some level of quiet for the residents whose properties are close to said patios.
Joe Pantalone is not taking the opportunity for increased property value away from us. Like you said, the property value has already increased in the area but that doesn’t necessarily mean that if the number of bars and restaurants were allowed to increase, so would the property value. Many families choose to live in this area because of the close proximity to the schools on Ossington but the high number of bars would make the area less desirable. The key to a good neighbourhood is balance and I think that we have that at the moment in the Ossington area.
I really don’t see what people have to complain about regarding this issue (i.e. not ENOUGH bars along Ossington) when there are so many other issues and “villains” to deal with in Toronto.
http://undefined Dry Brain
Greg is assuming that the Globe and Mail is, in fact, influenced by Navigator (despite there being no serious evidence of this), and that this then trickles down to Torontoist. Are the masons involved too? Or scientologists? Some paranoia.,,
Do you actually believe Navigator is directly responsible for tarring Sheppard’s name? Isn’t it possible that some reporters actually did their job and tracked down some info on the man via friends and family? (Sheppard was on Facebook, after all, and that’s the first place I’m sure reporters went to.) Or do you think that journalists just like to re-print whatever PR flacks tell them to? In case you weren’t aware, journalists and PR people have a sort of mutual distrust thing going on.
And I remember lots of press coverage sympathetic to Sheppard and the cause of cyclists. The fact is, nobody knows what happened that night except Bryant and his wife. (The only other person who could tell us is, sadly, dead.)
Dry Brain
Bryant has yet to set foot in court because cases always take months (or sometimes longer) to go to trial. Putting your comments in bold does not make them more logical or truthful. The justice system is not a perverse joke, It’s complicated and imperfect. Irrational rage isn’t going to change anything. Reasoned discussion will.
http://undefined Serkan
I live on Ossington as well. Since when is Ossington Avenue a ‘residential” street? When I moved there it was auto repair shops, gas station, car wash, tire shops etc. it has only recently become more residential and it’s because it is now a much nicer place to live. I absolutely love the fact that I can go out for dinner and drinks without having to get in a taxi. We are very fortunate that the change has begun, I know that my property is worth MORE than double what i paid for it 7 years ago, to me that’s a good investment and good forcasting on my part. I took the risk when most people would not. Joe Pantalone would like to take tis away from us. Soğutma Büyüsü
http://undefined kralx
I moved there it was auto repair shops, gas station, car wash, tire shops etc. it has only recently become more residential and it’s because it is now a much nicer place to live. I absolutely love the fact that I can go out for dinner and drinks without having to get in a taxi. We are very fortunate that the change has begun, I know that my property is worth MORE than double what i paid for it sincerely
http://undefined qwer
When did I say that I lived on Ossington? I live in the area, on a street off of Ossington, which is most definitely residential, as are most of the streets that run off of Ossington. The residents that live on these streets are the people who voiced their concerns about what was happening to the area and those are the people that Joe Pantalone is defending.
I am not opposed to change but I think there needs to be a limit to the amount of change and to find a balance that will please both the residents of the area and “the hipsters who just wanna have fun”. There are still plenty of bars and restaurants to pick from along Ossington and the 11pm patio curfew ensures some level of quiet for the residents whose properties are close to said patios.
Joe Pantalone is not taking the opportunity for increased property value away from us. Like you said, the property value has already increased in the area but that doesn’t necessarily mean that if the number of bars and restaurants were allowed to increase, so would the property value. Many families choose to live in this area because of the close proximity to the schools on Ossington but the high number of bars would make the area less desirable. The key to a good neighbourhood is balance and I think that we have that at the moment in the Ossington area. http://www.kaancan.co.cc/ http://www.carpictures.co.cc/
I really don’t see what people have to complain about regarding this issue (i.e. not ENOUGH bars along Ossington) when there are so many other issues and “villains” to deal with in Toronto.
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