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[suitablyemoname]

It's municipal politics, but no, seriously, follow this storyThis is the most exciting moment in Toronto's municipal politics since the megacity merger back in 1997. Nothing is inevitable, everything is in play, and Karen Stintz is about to either turn Rob Ford into a lame duck, or end her own short-term political career trying. It is wonderful and

Comments

[sourdick]

I barely made it to the end of that article without falling asleep.

Municipal politics are only interesting to the people who live in that city. Oh! What a DARING USE of a municipal by-law to call a meeting!

[suitablyemoname]

So why are you a member of a politics community if discussion of politics sets your teeth on edge?

[sourdick]

So why are you lumping hyper local politics with issues that face the whole country? I don't get on edge from political discussion, just have no interest in politics that is of no interest to anyone outside the 416-905.

Maybe I'll prepare a post on the politics of Celine Dion buying out Schwartz. Do you think I'll get a lot of replies?

[mijopo]

Ah, phew, dick, glad you're still standing guard here carefully analyzing posts for complete relevance to each and every Canadian. You remind me of that story of the lonely WWII soldier posted out in the Pacific who missed the news of the war's end and was found still guarding his post in 1950.

[sourdick]

Lonely seems like speculation on your part. Maybe he was really happy and enjoyed standing his post, growing sweet potatoes, and fulfilling his duty pending any more information. :P

[mijopo]

fair enough, let's focus on the "missed the news" rather than "lonely" component of the analogy.

[caitdepaor]

I love ya, sourdick, but why so reactionary? It's a rather unusual political situation that happens to be taking place at the municipal level. The municipality also happens to be the largest in the country. Just because it doesn't immediately affect you directly doesn't mean that it's irrelevant or uninteresting to a Canadian politics community. The Nisga'a Treaty had no impact on my life, as far as I can tell. It happened entirely within the province of British Columbia and really had no direct impact on Canadians not living within Nisga'a lands. It wasn't "federal" politics in that sense, but it was still rather interesting to read about and witness. Considering how much provincial and federal money would be needed for any transit plan, but especially Ford's subways, there's an argument that all Canadians might take at least a passing interest in how Mr. Ford would like to spend Toronto's share of the public coffer

[sourdick]

I take great pride in being Semo's foil, community devil's advocate, and Toronto-hata.

[skeezix1000]

It's a interesting story for those who like their politics, regardless of where they live, as it involves a mayor's entire set of transit promises potentially being trashed simply due to the procedural ineptitude of said mayor. But, yes, one really needs to enjoy politics, and the minutia thereof, to really get into it if one is not a Torontonian.

The wider impact, if there is one, relates to the gradual implosion of "Ford Nation" and the potential impact that has on provincial and federal politics, and the ability of Tories to maintain/add seats in the 416 (or even the entire GTA).

And I always assume that Sourdick's comments are good-natured and intended to challenge conventional wisdom (like the time he took the position with me that smoking can be good for one's health).

[sourdick]

Maybe Quebec is insulated from this notion of a FORD NATION, because I am not at all aware of it. (But then again, how would you know then?! (shock))

I think connecting parties through the different levels of government can be tricky. I certainly do not connect the provincial Liberals of Quebec with their Federal counterparts, and nor would I connect the conservative mayor of Toronto with the Prime Minister's party as one is a bumbling oaf and the other is a master politician with a majority government set to become one of the longest serving PMs in our history. Only a Torontonian could connect the dots between these two based on the barest of ideological threads.

And of course, my comments are all meant to be adorable, while thought-provoking, interesting while sublime, curious with a little tinge of sexiness.

[skeezix1000]

While I agree that connecting parties through the different levels of government *can* be tricky, the "only a Torontonian could connect the dots between these two based on the barest of ideological threads" comment is just silly. The media went on and on after the last federal election about how the Ford phenomenom, not to mention Ford's active support, assisted the Tories in breaking through the "Liberal Fortress" in the 416 (where the Tories had been locked out for years), helped them in the 905, and thus helped them achieve their majority. Whether it is true or not is for the political scientists to decide in retrospect, but but it was hardly a bare thread. The media, of course, prattles on about nonsense when trying to fill airtime or column-space, but even if the theories are untrue, they take on a national importance if repeated often enough. Similarly, by the time the Ontario provincial election cam around, Ford was stabbing himself in the back on an almost daily basis, and his troubles were widely credited in part with

[skeezix1000]

Oh, and I think you are pushing it when you call Ford a "master politician". :)

[sourdick]

(rage)

[suitablyemoname]

I don't get on edge from political discussion, just have no interest in politics that is of no interest to anyone outside the 416-905.

More people live in the 416-905 than live in every province other than Quebec and Ontario. (In fact, more people live in 416-905 than live in the Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and Manitoba combined.)

If your standard for posting is whether or not a critical mass of people care about the matter in question, and Toronto's politics don't meet your standard, then we can cut off most of the nation for being equally irrelevant.

[sourdick]

I've been saying that for years, to be honest.

[suitablyemoname]

So, in your mind, "Canadian Politics" only includes two provinces and the federal government.