Mayor David Miller’s legacy

Miller on his successes and hope for city’s future
An except from an exit interview with mayor
Kris Scheuer
(Written Nov. 24 for Town Crier)

Mayor David Miller gets ready to wave goodbye to politics. His second term ends Nov. 30, 2010. Photo by Francis Crescia/Town Crier.

In November 2002, before he was elected as mayor, David Miller told me as a Town Crier reporter he’d know if he was successful as a leader if “everyone feels that city hall is honest, trustworthy and if in every neighbourhood people can point to positive change.”
Based on that, he said he’s succeeded.
“My first campaign was … about taking a city government that had unfortunately slid into being a government that if you knew where the backrooms were you could get your business done,” he said today in an interview. “It (city hall) wasn’t there for the people of Toronto.”
Miller was one of the few councillors who pushed for an inquiry into the MFP computer leasing scandal that included allegations of bribery against a former politician.
In her final report Justice Denise Bellamy recommended a series of accountability offices such as an integrity officer, lobbyist registry and city ombudsman that Miller later created.
He also argues that compared to the past his administration has been virtually scandal-free.
“The city government has come under some criticism for relatively minor things like a councillor renting a squirrel costume, which I suggest rather pales in comparison to the MFP scandal where hundreds of millions went out the back door (in contracts) because people were connected to people in power and paid them off,” said Miller

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Jack Layton G20 reaction

Vandalized businesses should be compensated: Layton
NDP leader says G20 summit was mishandled
Kris Scheuer
(Written June 28 for Town Crier.)

Jack Layton paid a visit to the Town Crier offices to offer his views on compensation for G20 protest damage. Photo by Victor Aguilar/Town Crier.

The morning after the G20 Summit wrapped up in Toronto, Federal NDP leader Jack Layton called on the Harper government to compensate businesses that were vandalized by violent protesters.
Layton was speaking to reporters at an editorial board this morning at Town Crier’s offices.
He said the G20 meeting was not well planned in terms of the Toronto location.
“Of course when you invite the global leaders, you are also going to essentially be inviting the Black Bloc to show up. It’s too bad Mr. (Stephen) Harper didn’t listen to the mayor and the city officials who said why don’t we put the meetings in an area that’s easier to secure for example the CNE, which has lots of open space around it and no businesses around it.”
Layton, along with his wife and MP Olivia Chow asked the federal government to compensate businesses if there was property damage.

Robert Meynell ward 27 candidate

Meynell running in crowded Toronto Centre-Rosedale race
Author, lecturer, volunteer running for council seat
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier April 28.)

Toronto-Centre Rosedale candidate Robert Meynell. Photo courtesy of Robert Meynell.

North Rosedale resident Robert Meynell thinks Ward 27 is a great place to live and is running for council to ensure it stays that way.
“I love the ward. I grew up here. I have a house here and am raising a family here. With (Councillor) Kyle Rae stepping down, this was a good
opportunity,” said father of three boys.
“It’s an extraordinary place to live,” said Meynell, who works as the government relations associate for the Ontario March of Dimes.
He’s a cyclist and when he was living in Ottawa he served as a director of Citizens for Safe Cycling. But he questions the decision to put bike lanes on Jarvis Street as part of that revitalization.
Bike lanes on Jarvis are not part of the city’s 1999 Bike Plan that’s only 40 percent completed, he said.
“According to that plan … a bike path on Bay is a far greater priority than one on Jarvis in the interests of having a successful bike network,” he said. “Was there an honest need for bike lanes on Jarvis? I don’t think there was because there’s bike lanes on Sherbourne. Or are they using bike lanes as a way to quiet streets?”

Residents fight cell phone tower

North Yorkers want proposed cell tower stopped
Leslie St location to close to infant’s bedroom: residents
By Kris Scheuer
(Written March 31 for Town Crier. UPDATE HERE.)

Cell phone tower similar to this is proposed backing onto residential area.

William Marlatt views a proposed 40 metre cell phone tower as a health threat to his young family.
The planned Bell Canada tower would be located at 4800 Leslie St. in the parking lot of a medical building that backs onto Marlatt’s condo townhouse.
If the tower is approved by Industry Canada, it will be located less than 12 meters from the bedroom where Marlatt’s one-year-old son sleeps.
“There’s health risks associated with telecommunications towers. It shoots out electro magnetic wave lengths that’s showering down on the neighbourhood below for two kilometres,” Marlatt said. “It’s a nightmare.”
Not so, Bell spokesperson Julie Smithers told the Town Crier.
“Bell operates thousands of cell phone towers across Canada and they all meet or greatly exceed requirements by the federal government,” she said. “If there are concerns, residents can contact Industry Canada or Health Canada.”