Silly Little Country

Toronto Government Blather

I signed up to receiving media e-mails from the City of Toronto government during the recent strike, largely to plan the next disposal of a garbage bag.
I am getting a treat far beyond anything I could have hoped for.
Today I was notified by e-mail that the City of Toronto is marking Ecuador's Independence Day next Monday. Well, that is REALLY good news! I am pleased we have the resources to do that, on top of the resources to pay overtime to our lovely CUPE locals for cleaning up the garbage they did not clean up during their strike. We have a very wise mayor.
And his staff treats me as well to this revealing bit of government-babble:

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. 2009 marks the 175th anniversary of Toronto's incorporation as a city. Toronto's government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents.

Hmmm - let us read this carefully.

Toronto is Canada's largest city

Uncontroversial.

and sixth largest government

Bafflegab and self-importance alarm has gone off big time. Sure, if you are a media person for City Hall, you likely think Toronto IS its government. That is false, and I am delighted it is false; the government contributes, and damages, this great city, which is so far more than our clown mayor and his minions, even if the minions do not see the distinction.

home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people

You betcha, but of course it is really a lot more people, but these minions are counting only those in the administrative area of our clown mayor.

It is the economic engine of Canada

Well, it was - I think there is an ongoing debate about the appropriate tense for the verb in that sentence.

one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America

Millerbabble through and through, with a generous dollop of the U of T via Richard Florida. We do have a lot of trees, and generally I like them, though my neighbor recently pointed out that the maple in front of my house (which a few years ago attacked and destroyed my drains) is now regularly depositing branches onto my car, parked into the ever-more-expensive street parking in front of my home.

Toronto has won numerous awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services

I doubt a single one of those awards was based on recent surveys of actual residents.

Toronto's government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents.

We're into Soviet-era levels of nonsense here.
I had a very enjoyable drive to my car dealership yesterday and the one thing the shuttle driver and I agreed on 100% is that we miss Mayor Mel Lastman. And may I say, that is something, but the succession has proven his worth!
UPDATE: I had to update this as I had the crazed notion that Barbara Hall as mayor was a more recent horror than was the case.

posted by Alan Adamson @ 11:54 AM