Life after city hall: Law school, anyone?

November 11, 2010

http://www.thestar.com/news/torontocouncil/article/889511–life-after-city-hall-law-school-anyone

David Rider and Paul Moloney

Howard Moscoe, 71, has a gig lined up, but not yet confirmed, to work for the Smart!Centres shopping mall developer and is also applying for law school.

 

• Howard Moscoe (Ward 15, Eglinton-Lawrence):

I’m 71 and I have applied to Osgoode Hall Law School. Who doesn’t want a 75-year-old lawyer? I’ve wanted to be a lawyer since I was 12. Maybe it was watching Perry Mason. I’ve spent the past 31 years making laws — I figure it’s time to find out what I was doing wrong. I’m scheduled to write the LSAT on Feb. 12. I’ve got some other things, four or five offers. Two are developers and the others are government relations. That would be consulting. The alternative would be sitting at home arguing with my wife about where to hang pictures. That’s not my style.

Sweetheart deal on the beach

It’s good to see that interest in the Tuggs  Restaurant lease has become an election issue. The circumstances surrounding the awarding of this lease  to Tuggs without tender is one more example of  Toronto City Council demonstrating contempt  for Toronto taxpayers. Toronto City Council  does  not tender contracts when it should.

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By SUE-ANN LEVY, City Hall Columnist

Last Updated: September 12, 2010 11:41am

http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/sueann_levy/2010/09/12/15323871.html

You might call it a controversial lease deal like none other.

As many already know, for the next 20 years George Foulidis, owner of Tuggs Inc., will enjoy the exclusive rights to sell beverages and food at the Boardwalk Cafe and at the D.D. Summerville pool and Kew Beach concessions.

James: Councillors back down on funding legal battles

“The sense of entitlement around here is so appalling,” says Holyday, adding that council makes and breaks rules to benefit their colleagues.”

August 16, 2010

Royson James

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontocouncil/article/848683–james-councillors-back-down-on-funding-legal-battles

For once they got caught feathering their own nests, this Toronto city council.

And this being election season, when one particular candidate is head-hunting for politicians intent on self-aggrandizement, they’ve given up the chase, fearful of being exposed.

HOLYDAY – and – CITY OF TORONTO, SANDRA BUSSIN, ADRIAN HEAPS and GIORGIO MAMMOLITI

To read  the complete  decision:

http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?text=Holyday&language=en&searchTitle=Ontario&path=/en/on/onscdc/doc/2010/2010onsc3355/2010onsc3355.html

What follows are the most relevant excerpts. This decision of the Ontario  Divisional  Court makes  it clear  that City Council does not  have  the authority to reimburse City Councillors for expenses incurred outside their capacity of being City Councillors.

In response to this decision Toronto City Council:

1. In direct  violation of the court order, City Council paid the expenses of these two  Councillors; and

2. Decided to appeal the decision of the Divisional  Court.

Apparently,  City Council  is of the opinion that the law does  not apply to its actions.

Read  the excerpts of  the decision yourself.  What  do you think?

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CITATION: Holyday v. City of Toronto, 2010 ONSC 3355

DIVISIONAL COURT FILE NO.: 37/10

DATE: 20100719
ONTARIO

SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE

DIVISIONAL COURT

McCOMBS, SWINTON and WILTON-SIEGEL JJ.

B E T W E E N :

)

)
DOUGLAS HOLYDAY
Applicant
– and –

CITY OF TORONTO, SANDRA BUSSIN, ADRIAN HEAPS and GIORGIO MAMMOLITI

Respondents
– and –

TORONTO PARTY FOR A BETTER CITY

Intervenor

Council flouts court to pay councillors’ legal expenses

In a previous post  I noted  that an Ontario  court ruled  that City Council  did not have the jurisdiction to cover the legal fees of councillors incurred  prior to their becoming councillors. Now, according to the following article  in the Toronto Start, in a final act of disrespect  of contempt  for  the taxpayers of  Toronto, City Council  has voted to:

1. Ignore the court order and pay the $140,000 in legal fees anyway; and

2. Appeal the Divisional  Court decision that ruled  that Council  had exceeded  its authority in authorizing these expenditures.

Obviously City Council  does  not  think  that the law  applies to  them. Actually, the whole point is that City Council does not  have the  authority to authorize this spending. Since, they are acting outside their legitimate jurisdiction as City Councillors, those  who voted  in favor  of this should be held personally accountable.

Layton and the NDP endorse Patalonee

Once again, the NDP have entered Toronto elections. According to the Toronto Sun, Jack Layton is ready to officially endorse Joe Patalone. This is the second example of this week of the political parties entering municipal politics and trying to frustrate the will of the people. Dalton McGuinty has dealt a tremendous blow to the fortunes of George Smitherman by giving the endorsement of the provincial Liberals. George Smitherman is now officially associated with:

– the introduction of the HST in Ontario;

– the increase in electricity prices in Ontario;

– the secret regulations passed by the Ontario government during the G20 conference;

The McGuinty government is surely on the way out.

McGuinty Liberals enter race for Toronto mayor

At the June Hart House debate organized by Better Ballots, George Smitherman was adamant that political parties should stay out of Municipal politics.

If the following article is true, it appears that he has enlisted the help of provincial Liberals to help in his campaign to stop Rob Ford. We now have the Liberals (supporting George Smitherman) and the NDP (supporting Joe Patalone) involved in the Toronto mayoral race. Will the Conservatives jump in?

Rob Ford is NOT the candidate of the media (the mainstream media work against him).

Rob Ford is not the candidate of the political parties (both the Liberals and NDP want to stop him).

Rob Ford is (love him or hate him) the candidate of the people of Toronto who are disgusted with politicians in general, the ruling party elites, and Toronto City Council in particular.

Christopher Hume of the the Toronto Star commented that:

“The rage against politicians, élites, experts, panels and the entire power structure has reached the point where many Torontonians do in fact trust Ford because they recognize themselves in him. He is angry; so are they. He’s confused; they are too. He feels as threatened by change as they do. He, too, is suspicious of things he doesn’t understand. He also rejects complexity and ambiguity. He is a black-and-white, no-nonsense kind of guy, full of bull and bluster in the tradition of Don Cherry, Harold Ballard, Mel Lastman….”

The next two months will be interesting. Can the “party elites” and the mainstream media frustrate the will of the people? It all comes down to whether people vote. Those candidates who are supported by neither the political parties nor the media are running against voter apathy. Torontonians can reclaim Toronto. All they need do is vote. The office of mayor of Toronto is “the peoples seat“.

On October 25, 2010 get out and vote!

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Liberals scramble to help George Smitherman stop Rob Ford

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/TorontoMayoralRace/article/850753

August 21, 2010

Robert Benzie

This flyer will be in up to 75,000 Toronto mailboxes starting monday.

Audio Post – It’s about the “Three R’s”

When it comes to City Council – It’s About “The Three R’s!”

Toronto Residents have a right to expect:

Respect – They work for us!

Regard – They must act in our interests!

Responsibility – They must exercise – “Sound responsible judgment!” when spending our hard earned money!

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For the last four years, Toronto City Council has treated Toronto residents as though they are annoyances to be managed and not as constituents to be served! You have every right to be angry.

On October 25, 2010:

Exercise the power of your vote to reclaim the City of Toronto!

Elect councillors who are committed to the “The Three R’s”

My name is John Richardson. I have been your neighbour in Ward 29 since 1984.  If elected on October 25, I guarantee that you – the residents of Ward 29 – will be represented with:

Respect, Regard, Responsibility and Sound and Independent Judgment.

City wrong to cover councillors’ legal fees, court rules

Monday, July 19, 2010 8:54 PM

Kelly Grant

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/inside-city-hall/city-wrong-to-cover-councillors-legal-fees-court-rules/article1645330/

Councillor Doug Holyday has won a partial victory in his court battle against the city and two councillors who received taxpayer-funded reimbursals for nearly $100,000 in legal costs.

In a decision released Monday, Divisional Court ruled that city council acted outside its authority in 2008 when it voted to cover legal fees racked up by two councillors forced to undergo a compliance audit of their 2006 election expenses.

James: Can Pantalone turn Ford’s momentum into victory?

The race to become Toronto’s next mayor is fascinating. The major media dislike Rob Ford – can’t believe that he is the front runner. Rob Ford is the front runner because  he has actual support  from real voters.

I came across an interesting article about this in the June 14, 2010 Globe written by Marcus Gee.  The following comment on this article offered an interesting prediction:

“October 25 is a long way away. Rob Ford’s success is rooted in the fact that, whether or not you like the message, Rob Ford does stand for something. Furthermore, he has real “flesh and blood” supporters. The other candidates stand for nothing except wanting to be Mayor.

Here is my prediction (barring a strong candidate entering the race):

1. Ford’s support will continue to grow. The reason is that he actually has support from real voters. The other candidates have support from only the media.

2. The “left” will rally around Pantalone.

3. Smitherman will be relevant only is so far as we will see where his supporters go when it becomes clear that he can’t win.

4. The left will ignite an “Anybody but Ford chorus”.

5. This will solidify Ford’s support.

6. On October 25, in the largest percentage turnout in Toronto voting history, Rob Ford will win.

What the intelligentsia fails to understand is that people do not like and do not respect City Council. They want a change and Rob Ford is it!

There is time to reverse Ford’s momentum. The first step is to realize that Rob Ford does embody a lot of what people want from City Hall.

The current City Council does not.

I will reread this prediction on October 25 and see if I was right.”

It looks as though  Royson James may be having similar thoughts. The other mayoral candidates need to understand that Rob Ford is for real.

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July 12, 2010

Royson James

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/torontomayoralrace/article/835001–james-can-pantalone-turn-ford-s-momentum-into-victory

City Hall is near shut down for the summer. Mayor David Miller is on vacation and unavailable for comment. And Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone is the man in charge.

The last thing Joe needs is a quiet two weeks of summer doldrums. He could use something dramatic to catapult him to the top of public consciousness. The career politician needs a crisis or two to test his civic chops, something to show the public that Little Joe can handle the big job.