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Newsstand: February 24, 2010
Illustration by Roxanne Ignatius/Torontoist.
Now, for part 847,020 in the never-ending series of TTC tussles, David Miller says he wants Dalton McGuinty to keep his hands on his own government. The premier stated yesterday he supports debate over Liberal MPP David Caplan’s bill to make the TTC an essential service, but according to Miller the issue is already over and done with (the City narrowly declined the same notion in October of 2008). It’s just another sign the province wants to be in the TTC driver’s seat, hopefully without coffee breaks. Too bad the McGuinty government is nowhere near being able to afford it.
Mayoral candidate Giorgio Mammoliti (Ward 7, York West) is setting up his platform for all kinds of Torontonians: gamblers, johns, and…the elderly. Some would call Mammoliti’s platform, to be officially launched tomorrow night, a bit scattered. But budget chief (and mayoral possibility?) Shelley Carroll (Ward 33, Don Valley East) calls it “incredibly dangerous.” Torontoist has more on her later today.
At least Toronto City Council no longer calls Steve Ellis one of their own. The former councillor, now immigration judge, is on the hot seat for allegedly soliciting sex from a Korean refugee claimant in exchange for approving her claim. “I want to be good friends with you, and I know you’ve got a boyfriend,” he’s heard saying on a tape Ji Hye Kim recorded during one of their conversations. “I’ve got a wife, so I mean, if we do things together on the side, that’s OK.” Charming. It kind of makes Adam Giambrone look like Boy Scout of the month, doesn’t it?
Yesterday was golden for Canada at the Olympics with a first-place finish for women’s cross skier Ashleigh McIvor, Team Canada pucking up Germany 8–2, a record-time run for women’s bobsledders, and an emotional yet triumphant skate for Joannie Rochette. Unfortunately, the dream to Own the Podium is just that, a dream. But Dalton McGuinty and the cash-strapped Ontario government still think they can do in the Pan Am games what millions of funding dollars couldn’t in the Olympics.
For those who haven’t yet formed their couch grooves in front of the TV, Team Canada faces Russia tonight at 7:30 p.m. Betcha these guys will be watching.
But Canada has won the year’s biggest media-driven panic medical battle—H1N1! The World Health Organization says the flu is gone in Canada, unofficially of course. The WHO never should have doubted the resiliency of Canada’s immune systems, now that we’re living longer than ever. Our next challenge to overcome? Humpday! Now go get ’em, Hogtown habitants!