David Miller’s Hockey Bet – Take that Hamilton.

by John Laforet
posted on October 22nd, 2008 at 13:00:36 pm

It was a genuinely ridiculous day at City Hall yesterday. It rivals the Mookie Morris endorsement earlier this year. What was the Mayor doing yesterday? Working out the finer points of a bet with the Mayor of Hamilton on our AHL teams. Below is the Press Release:

Stuart Green, Deputy Director of Communications
Office of Mayor David Miller“

Could be worse. Anyone Remember when the Mayor of Oshawa had to declare “Stephen Colbert Day” after losing a hockey bet?

Oh Toronto City Hall – Could you be any sillier ?

by John Laforet
posted on October 22nd, 2008 at 09:15:38 am

“Toronto’s government management committee today will consider a proposal for an extra $15,000 next year to buy tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce that are grown in Ontario but are more expensive at certain times of the year.” ParentCentral.ca Seriously? The City has an eight billion dollar budget, and the Government Management Committee is discussing this? 

This is probably the silliest thing I’ve seen come out of City Council this year. Basically the Government Management Committee is supposed to discuss providing an additional $15 000 a year to Children’s Services to buy locally grown produce for 37 of it’s child care centres. I do not disagree with buying local, and in fact strongly believe that we all should buy Ontario produce as much as possible, and where available from Farmer’s Markets.

I just think it is ridiculous that the sixth largest government in Canada, with a budget of eight billion dollars is having six City Councillors sit around debating the merits of how and from where daycare centres should buy their produce. The worst part, these same Councillors voted to defer a previous motion regarding adding an additional $100 000 to the Children’s Services $11 000 000 food budget to buy more local produce last spring.

I have two concerns here. The first is that to me it seems like a no brainer that supporting local produce is a good thing. Council has recognized this as being an important part of it’s climate change strategy and on that basis alone this should have been an easy decision to make. My second concern is that it takes six Councillors to meet in committee to discuss a sum total of $15 000 that will be dispensed to 37 child care facilities. Presuming these facilities buy produce once a week, this $15 000 really represents an additional $33 a week per child care centre. I base this on the assumption that each facility purchases their own produce and other food stuffs individually as I would have trouble believing that central purchasing of groceries for 37 daycare centres would be any more efficient. 

Sick Kids Hospital and Nathan Phillips Square each had farmer’s markets on their front lawns during the week from May to October this past growing season. If the City of Toronto was serious about buying local produce as a means to support southern Ontario’s farming community, a way to provide children with the freshest possible produce and to cut down on carbon emissions, then these facilities would be excellent places to start. I am sure there are other Farmer’s Markets around the City during growing season as well, these are two that I am familiar with from having seen them up and running. 

It is my hope that Councillors Lindsay Luby (Ward 4), Ainslie (Ward 43), Holyday (Ward 3), Jenkins (Ward 25), Palacio (Ward 17) and Saundercook (Ward 13) do not honestly believe that deferring a motion on whether to support a budgetary increase of $100 000 to provide children with fresh, locally grown produce and then debating a watered down $15 000 increase is a good use of their time. 

Jon Stewart On Palin — Without a Censor

by John Laforet
posted on October 21st, 2008 at 13:29:07 pm

Jon Stewart did a stand up comedy routine and was filmed by a member of the audience. I like the frankness of Stewart and can only imagine how liberated he feels stepping out on to a stage where he does not need to worry about regulations.

Palin likes free speech to right?

Enjoy.