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politics

Spotted: Tim Hudak Still a Subway Believer

Mail-out encourages Torontonians to speak up for subways.

By

SPOTTED BY: Torontoist contributor Stephen Michalowicz

WHERE: Mailboxes across Toronto

WHEN: Yesterday

WHAT: Toronto, remember when you breathed that sigh of relief and thought “well, win or lose, at least the transit debate is settled now?” Tim Hudak is trying to make you think again.

A postcard went out to some Toronto residents this week from the Progressive Conservative leader, trying to drum up support for underground transit, despite Toronto City Council’s recent series of decisions backing a light-rail plan that will put new transit lines, or major portions thereof, above ground. The pros and cons have been repeated to death by all sides involved by now, and the Liberal government has made it clear it will follow the lead set by council and respect its decision, so this is a train that has left the station. Nonetheless, Rob Ford has said he’s not done fighting, and it seems Tim Hudak has his back.

UPDATE: 6:21 PM Though we hadn’t heard back from Tim Hudak’s office at publication time, his press secretary has since gotten back to us. Heather Capannelli tells us by email that 100,000 cards were mailed this week. When asked about the campaign’s goals, given that the Liberal government has already indicated it will follow council’s wishes, she replied: “The Ontario PCs will continue to advocate for subways using a number of methods, because we believe Toronto should have a world-class transit system. This includes subways. We have been clear that the province should direct Metrolinx to work with the City to build subways.”

Spotted features interesting things our readers discover in their journeys across Toronto. If you spot something interesting, send a photo and pertinent details to tips@torontoist.com.

Comments

  • Anonymous

    Day late, dollar short.

    I suppose if one wasn’t a dumb f*ck one might send these out BEFORE the city council makes a decision, but we’e talking about Hoooodak.

    • Anonymous

      who dat?

  • daveo

    exactly what we need right now

  • Edith Prickly

    Yawn. I wonder how many Torontonians would recognize Hudak if they stumbled into him on the subway.

    • Sharkey

      That’s assuming Hudak would not only take the subway, but knows what a subway is. I still don’t think he’s ever actually seen a subway train despite his poetic waxings

  • NC

    I’ve already sent my email of disapproval to Hudak.

  • Chris Howard

    Next up, hand written personalized letter from Stephen Harper. Followed by fiery note from God in the sky.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28105194 Theodore Po

      All without promises of the extra funding needed to build subways. Didn’t you see the funds allocated to the National Transit Strategy in the Federal Budget. No wait, that never happened. Empty political posturing without any support with dolla dolla bills. Pathetic, even from the Reform party.

  • ginkgo

    This is the same Hudak who helped kill subways in the 90′s. Nice to see he has principals he stands by.

    • Edith Prickly

      Exactly. What an opportunistic douchebag.

    • Anonymous

      This. If he wanted subways so bad, maybe he shouldn’t have voted to kill them 20 years ago!

    • http://www.facebook.com/mlwjones Michael Jones

      Not only did the Cons cut subways, but the same damn subways they’re bitching about now. We’d already have full Eglinton and Sheppard lines and subway access to York U had Harris not cut all the above in 1995. Just sad.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28132417 Matt Patterson

    I know this is a moot point given the fact that Tim Hudak cares little about cities, subways, or public transit in general. However, wouldn’t a fully underground Eglinton LRT absorb virtually all of the $8.4 billion in funding, leaving no money for a Sheppard subway expansion? In other words, isn’t Hudak promising two things that are mutually exclusive?

    • Anonymous

      totally true, but y’see, the thing is, Hudak … like most conservatives, don’t really think things all the way through.

      • http://piorkowski.ca qviri

        I’m sure Hudak personally has thought this through. Unfortunately this leaflet has nothing to do with actual sensible plans and everything to do with campaigning, where the more facts you can omit, the better.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28105194 Theodore Po

      Well they would have enough money left to build one or two stops from Don Mills to Victoria Park. Woo hoo?

    • Anonymous

      It worked for Rob Ford!

      (For a little while, anyway.)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28110435 Kate Roberts

    I really hope I get one of these so I can answer the following question:

    What other ideas do you have?

    Like this:

    - What about a monorail through the port lands?
    - What happened to that Ferris wheel idea?
    - Could we scrap the bike lanes on Moore, I’m jealous of the cyclists moving so quickly while I sit alongside a bunch of other one person vehicles trying to get downtown
    - Could I have a poutine food truck outside my office?

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28105194 Theodore Po

      Also instead of subways I would like the city and province to furnish me with a Maybach and driver to bring me to and from work each day.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28110435 Kate Roberts

    He and the Fords would know that if they ever read anything on the Transit options that WERE debated weeks ago, but they still think LRTs are Trollys…

    • Watkwsn

      And they think an underground LRT is a subway

      • Anonymous

        He and the Fords are morons.

      • John Duncan

        Not a big fan of this talking point.
        An underground LRT /IS/ a subway. It’s needlessly expensive (because of larger tunnels to bore and vehicles built to withstand side collisions) and lower capacity than a subway using traditional trainsets, but it is still a subway.

        • Anonymous

          An underground LRT is a subway, but a light rail subway.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=28110435 Kate Roberts

    He and the Fords would know that if they ever read anything on the Transit options that WERE debated weeks ago, but they still think LRTs are Trollys…

  • Anonymous

    When will this nonsense end? Ever? Will we still be debating the best type of transit in another 10 years? I sincerely hope not…

  • Anonymous

    Does this mean I will get my pony just because I want one too?

  • http://twitter.com/Hablahblah Cousin of Bob Loblaw

    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

  • http://piorkowski.ca qviri

    Timmy, isn’t there a highway through Wainfleet you should be busy campaigning for? I recall Mike Harris actually liked that idea.

  • tpoff17

    what a lame opportunist. the NDP had approved and started construction on an eglinton subway line way back in “95. he supported the decision to scrap it and fill the tunnels back in.

  • Anonymous

    PC robocalls to Scarborough residents today regarding subways as well.

    This has nothing to do with building subways. It is all about trying to get few extra seats in Scarborough next election. If they do, promises of a subway will quickly be forgotten.

    This us vs. them, divide and conquer mentality of Consevatives, at all levels of government, leaves me cold. It’s their attempt into turning Canada into a Republican America. Sad part is that too many Canadians are either falling for it, or wanting it.

  • Anonymous

    Tim, since you’re so in favour of subways, I’ll buy you a shovel. My treat. Then, I want you to start digging in the exact spot that your former boss thought it was fun to fill in 17 years ago (hint: it’s near Eglinton West station). I don’t want you to stop until you’ve dug out every single last centimetre of the line, from Jane to Kennedy. That you should keep you busy for a few decades. As a bonus, Ontarians don’t have to hear from you, either. Good luck. And get digging.

    • junctionist

      That’s an excellent idea. Think of all the money that the taxpayer will save.

      • Anonymous

        Exactly, but what can be the negative side about it?
        Hmmmm.. it sounds good but something negative will really arises.

        Kiana
        My blog: pare feu cheminée 

  • Testu

    I am so sick of this “World Class City” crap. Every time it’s brought up, it’s some ridiculous appeal to our collective inferiority complex about Toronto. You know what World Class Cities do? They do what makes sense for their city, without worrying about how “World Class” it looks.

    If Tim Hudak doesn’t think Toronto is “World Class” he’s welcome to get the hell out. Maybe he can find work in a city he thinks is good enough. Some how I think Queen’s Park will survive without him.

    • Anonymous

      Truly no other city is as obsessed with being “world class” as Toronto is. In fact, probably 1/3 of Google hits for “world class city” are about Toronto.

    • Anonymous

      “World Class City” is just “let’s do what New York did” rephrased.

    • junctionist

      I agree. Reject the inferiority complex. We have to do what makes sense for our city with ambition and a cosmopolitan awareness of the most functional and beautiful options.

  • ThanksForNothing

    WE’D ALREADY HAVE A SUBWAY IF IT WEREN’T FOR YOU AND HARRIS, ASSFACE.

    • Bradley

      And Doug Ford Sr. … people keep forgetting about that one-term backbencher.

      So is Hudak going to build the Downtown Relief Line?

      • Anonymous

        Only if he thinks he can get seats for the PCs downtown.

  • Myssblack

    Why are they so interested in subways all of a sudden? Why isnt anyone getting to the bottom of WHY the cons SUDDENLY and recklessly want subways? What is in it for them?

    • Anonymous

      votes

  • Anonymous

    World class cities build subways where their is density. They do not build them in the suburbs.

  • Sharkey

    You know what’s amazing to me? If Harris hadn’t stupidly sold off the 407 to some Japanese consortium for the next 3 billion years this province would be fine! Think of the toll money they are missing out on!

  • Ratazana

    World class political leader PAYS for subway!

  • Anonymous

    Tim, if we wanted your input we would have voted for you. Er, in case you didn’t notice, we didn’t. Besides what do you care about Scarborough? Its crawling with “foreign workers”.

    • http://piorkowski.ca qviri

      As far as Conservatives are concerned they stop being foreign workers and start being very ethnic when they get their citizenship…

      • Anonymous

        Actually the program the Tories went ballistic on was for new citizens only.

        • http://piorkowski.ca qviri

          Oops! That doesn’t reflect well on my grasp of facts at hand, thanks for the correction.

          If this was politics, I could attempt to deflect attention away from my fail by pointing out the inconsistency of their position.

  • TimFr

    I’d be nice to know what percentage of these postcards were targeted towards Scarborough households. Opportunistic and extremely transparent.

  • Anonymous

    Tim Hudak, still disingenuously supporting subways that there’s no way he would fund were in in government, which he isn’t.

  • Anonymous

    Scarborough a world class city??

    • Anonymous

      Scarborough has downtown envy, apparently…

  • Anonymous

    I think tying his fortunes to Rob Ford is the best move Tim Hudak can make. Now he just needs to defeat the budget because it doesn’t cut corporate taxes and spending enough, force an election, and we’ll never have to see him again.

  • Anonymous

    Hey Tim, world class cities also build LRT instead of subways in areas that don’t have the density to warrant subways. Like London and Paris. The ones in Europe.

  • Anonymous

    Tim really has missed the bus on this one.

  • auditorydamage

    I’ll join the “Hudak, you hypocritical piece of Peter Kent” pile-on.

    Hey, did that former Harris cabinet minister who now claims to be federal finance minister cough up a penny for subways, subways, SUBWAYS!!! yesterday?

    No?

    Did the firmer Harris cabinet minister who now spreads gravy as Treasury Board head cough up a penny for subways, subways, SUBWAYS!!! ?

    No?

    Former Harrisites: Big on rhetoric, nowhere to be found when action is required (except to airdrop money on their own ridings). Maybe Hudak can push for subways in his own riding, then cancel them if he becomes premier, only for one of his backbenchers to browbeat municipal politicians a decade later about the transit his boss halted.

  • Anonymous

    Why o why is Hudak sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. The most competent of this crop of PC’s is the Transport & Infrastructure critic (Frank Klees). I’m sure Mr Klees would have a creative alternative if Hudak would stop tripping over himself, being the lapdog to the Ford’s and offering unworkable options.

  • Anonymous

    Isn’t he part of the same Conservative party that cancelled the Eglinton Subway 20 years ago. He is truly pathetic.

  • junctionist

    As long as we can get these LRT lines into the advanced stages of construction before the next election, the city will be fine. It’s good to see that both sides of the political spectrum recognize the need for substantial transit expansion. After Transit City, we’re going to need a long new subway line from downtown to the suburbs because the demands on the current line are becoming extreme. However, I would never expect Hudak to show the kind of leadership that it would take to follow through with a transit expansion project in tough economic times. It would probably be one of his government’s first cuts.

  • musicgeekstress

    tax money well spent on a moot point. bravo.

  • Dragorade

    This is the same Hudak, that under Mike Harris, in 1995, cancelled the Eglinton Subway. Yes folks, the city is building the same thing twice, though now as an LRT.

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