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Newsstand: January 10, 2012
In the immortal word's of Elton John, Tuesday morning's alright for fighting. Tu-ue-sday! Tu-ue-sday! Tu-ue-sday! Tuesday morning's alright, alright, alright! In the news: budget committee says libraries must be cut but nutrition programs can be saved; the NDP chooses a new candidate for Jack's old ward; the York Region school board wants all kids to feel equal, threatens specialty programs; GO Transit fare hike; Karen Stintz goes undercover; and someone made Giorgio Mammoliti mad.
The draft 2012 budget has taken another step toward getting passed, as the budget committee met on Monday to review it and pass it up the decision-making chain. A few programs and services—notably student nutrition programs and select community centres—were spared the axe, while most others—like the library—were not. Two pools were spared, while others were not (the saved ones being conveniently located in Ford-ally wards). In all, the draft budget emerged from budget committee with a list of to-cuts and not-to-cuts that looked, overall, pretty similar to the one we started with weeks ago. The budget continues on to executive this week and council the next. Oh, what a journey it will be.
The NDP have picked their candidate for the by-election in Jack Layton’s old ward. Craig Scott is his name, and he won in the first round of voting. Scott’s current job is teaching international law at Osgoode Law School, but we’ll see about that after the by-election. The Prime Minister has yet to set a date for that vote. He has until the end of February to decide.
The York Region District School Board is considering an end to all specialty programs, like focused arts and athletics programs, at their elementary schools. Some critics of the programs are nervous that the programs make the untalented students feel inadequate. Elementary school should just be about getting the basics down, they say, not separating students by interest and ability (that comes in high school). And to them, the Toronto board says, “it’s on.” The TDSB plans to open nine such specialty programs next fall.
Just as transit riders were adjusting to the TTC fare hike, GO Transit has announced a fare hike all its own. The increase of 30 to 40 cents will kick in February 18.
TTC Chair Karen Stintz has a new-found appreciation for the men and women that staff the rocket. Stintz went undercover as a transit worker for an episode of Undercover Boss Canada. Posing as Ruth Bear, Stintz worked five shifts in the trenches.
And Giorgio Mammoliti (Ward 7, York West) basically called a guy a communist after the guy requested a compliance audit of the councillor’s campaign.