Rob Ford Wiggles

Ford needs the province to agree if he is to proceed with his campaign promise to convert the Sheppard light rail line — on which nearly $70 million has already been spent — into a subway.

The mayor-elect said he has set up a meeting with the premier to discuss the matter. If he can’t get McGuinty’s approval, or if killing the LRT means hundreds of millions in penalties and fees on contracts, the subway won’t go ahead, Ford said.

“If it’s going to cost the taxpayer an arm and leg, then obviously we can’t do it,” he said

Translation: kiss that promise good-bye.

Also:

He said he’s hopeful he can end the VRT — and possibly slash councillor expense accounts — in the first new council meeting in December.

But he repeated his concern that the city would need approval from the province to get rid of the Land Transfer Tax, which brought in $183 million to the city in 2009.

Actually, as mentioned in this story and confirmed here, he doesn't need any such approval. So, my translation: the vehicle registration tax will go, the LTT not so much. And, of course, the much railed against street-cars will stay. And there's that line again: if it costs “the taxpayers an arm and a leg, then obviously we can’t do it.” Wanna bet this replaces "stop the gravy train" as the Fordism du jour?

Tory For Toronto Mayor?

The City could do worse (with, for example, the guy we got).

Pinball Will Not Save The Liberal Party Of Canada

...as this article rather naively suggests. However, Michael Clemons might well pull the City of Toronto from the clutches of David Miller, and its more than a bit odd that Rob Granatstein's column today doesn't mention him as a possible candidate. Sure, Clemens has said "no", but the race is a couple of years down the road and there is still time for him to change his mind.

Unless you live here, it is hard to appreciate just how much Toronto loves its Pinball. I have had the pleasure of listening to him speak, and he is (at least when delivering a set-piece) very good. Afterwards, though, when he allows himself to mingle with his audience, is when the wild stuff happens. His bodyguard is apparently under instructions to treat the crowd with kid-gloves, and he is almost literally mobbed by (primarily although not entirely) middle-aged white women, usually a couple inches taller than he is, who want to touch him. The mayoralty is his if he wants it, and who knows that that might serve as a stepping stone to higher office.

So while Pinball is not Canada's Obama, at least not yet, he may be our new Mel Lastman.