Fords can be dangerous when going at full speed. This is especially the case when the Ford is named Rob and was serving as mayor of Toronto. A very recent report from Toronto’s Integrity Commissioner concludes that Ford was “unnecessarily reckless” when he knocked over a city councillor during a tense council meeting almost two years ago. That meeting followed Ford’s admission that he had smoked crack cocaine while in office and council curtailed the mayor’s power and reduced the budget for his office. During the meeting Ford’s brother Doug (then a member of council) became involved in a dispute with members of the public and the mayor rushed over to him, bowling over Councillor Pam McConnell in the process. Apparently Ford has accepted the Commissioner’s findings and will pay $1000 to an unnamed organization in McConnell’s ward.
2. Province Fighting with Itself
Rather like those folks who “argue with themselves and lose the argument,” the Ontario Government has initiated an action which essentially calls into question its own competence.
At issue is the government’s appeal of the property tax assessments that have been placed on several provincial properties, including the Queen’s Park Legislative Building and the headquarters of the Ministry of Finance. The assessment values in dispute were determined by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC), an agency of the Ontario Government. The Globe and Mail calculated that the City of Toronto had collected some $65 million in property taxes on the 19 properties for which the assessments have been appealed – in some cases as far back as 1998.
The assessment appeals have been launched by Infrastructure Ontario, another agency of the Ontario Government which hastens to ensure us that it enjoys an excellent relationship with MPAC. There has not been any indication as to whether MPAC shares this collegial feeling. But the City of Toronto is not amused.
3. Rankled by Ranked Ballot Reversal
In 2013, Toronto City Council, after extensive public consultations, decided to ask the province to authorize the city to introduce a new voting system for municipal elections under which voters would rank candidates in order of preference. A candidate would require 50% plus one to win the election, with second choice votes allocated, and so on, until one candidate gained majority support. Those in favour of this ranked ballot (or rank choice voting) system feel it would prevent someone from being elected – in a multi-candidate ward – with only a small minority of votes. The Ontario Government’s response was to introduce plans to offer this ranked ballot option to all municipalities in Ontario, in time for the next municipal election (in 2018).
Many were surprised (and upset) when City Council reversed its position on this matter at a meeting on October 1, during discussion of proposed changes to the City of Toronto Act. With a number of councillors switching their previous support, council voted to ask the province not to introduce the option of ranked ballots for any municipality – a rather presumptuous position to take. However, the province has indicated that it will proceed with the plans to introduce this voting option for all municipalities.
4. Former Ombudsman still on the attack against Ontario municipalities.
Throughout his recently ended term as Provincial Auditor, Andre Marin has made no attempt to hide his strong dislike of municipal government, often commenting publicly about municipalities in a highly disparaging manner. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that Marin has inserted himself into the discussion concerning the policy practice known as carding. A report from his office to the Ontario Government at the end of August was recently made public. Never one to hold back on his views, Marin’s report declares that carding is illegal and in violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms – although most of us would prefer to let the courts determine such matters.
Police departments appear reluctant to abandon carding, citing its value in promoting community safety. An interesting battle is unfolding in the Region of Peel, where the Police Services Board voted to suspend the practice and the Police Chief promptly refused, claiming that carding is an important tool to help solve and prevent crimes. The Board is not able to force the Chief to suspend street checks because the Police Act restricts its involvement in the operational side of police work. Such restrictions have long been deemed necessary to keep “politics” out of policing and to allow the service to be provided in an objective manner.