Laura Cooper @moonreflections

Hey @fordnation, your government has become everything you pretended to run against in 2018. #onpoli

TheTrillium.ca @Thetrilliumca

2 days ago

PC MPP spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars renting friend’s office space thetrillium.ca/insider-news/p…

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I just listened to an interview on @NEWSTALK1010 between @stephenholyday and @millandmaitmom on the topic of Billy Bishop. What a dishonest exchange. Holyday, the only Ford shill on city council, fabricated benefits for Billy Bishop expansion that are totally unproven, and straw men arguments that both he and Deb (a PC partisan) could easily knock down. Pearson is putting $3B into infrastructure to increase passenger rates from 47 million (today) to 65 million by early 2030s and 85 million by 2037. There should be no capacity issues requiring expansion of Billy Bishop. Holyday’s claims in this regard are completely fabricated. He also ignores the costs to the city and federal government of increasing capacity from BB’s 1.7M passengers in 2025 to 10 million (as Ford wants). Increasing BB volumes by 6 times would destroy the island and harbour and require massive investment by Toronto at Bathurst Quay. Stephen and Deb skipped over this to pretend it was all about engine noise (a straw man). The appeal of BB is that it is a boutique airport. Increasing it by six times would mean it ceases to be boutique. It will probably be faster to go to Pearson by UPX than Bathurst Quay by shuttle if BB is expanded. The real issue we should be discussing is what is the highest and best use for the waterfront. Airport capacity can go to many places. Toronto only has one waterfront. People do not visit cities for their airports. They visit for what cities offer. The lesson from Chicago is that shutting down waterfront airports and prioritizing the city waterfront for people pays off far more than an airport does. Chicago is similar in size to Toronto, yet it does almost 4 times what Toronto does in tourism. Much of that comes from Millennium Park (which is the 10th biggest attraction in the US), and the McCormick Convention Centre which looks over the park. All of this points to the direction Toronto should take — shut down Billy Bishop and put money into creating the greatest waterfront in the world.

ICYMI: Progress Toronto filed an Integrity Commissioner complaint against Brad Bradford over undeclared conflict of interest. Brad voted to cut development charges while his spouse holds a senior role at developer set to receive a multi-million benefit. progresstoronto.ca/media-release-…

Erin, I’m surprised you are taking this position. I think very highly of you so it makes me a sad to see you parroting Ford’s “Trumpy” talking points. The business case for Billy Bishop is exceedingly weak, and the Ford government should be embarrassed for the amateurish way they have conducted themselves. Business cases have to be weighed against alternatives. The alternative to Billy Bishop is not business as usual. It is what the Toronto waterfront could be with a little imagination and leadership; it is about opportunity cost. What are we giving up? The benefits of extending BB airport are small potatoes compared to what we could have in its place. Consider Chicago. Many years ago, they were faced with similar debate about what to do with their waterfront. Like Toronto, they even had a harbour airport, Meig’s Field. In 2003, mayor Richard Daley abruptly closed the airport by covertly digging up the runway at night. He took a lot of heat for it, but it turned out to be the right decision. Chicago developed its Lakefront Trail—a contiguous public walking trail running along Chicago’s waterfront. It stretches 18 miles for cyclists and 18.5 for pedestrians. It links Lincoln Park, North Avenue Beach, Navy Pier, Grant Park, Millennium Park, Museum Campus, Soldier Field, Burnham Park, and Jackson Park. What makes it important is that it acts as the spine of Chicago’s public waterfront, connecting beaches, parks, harbours, museums, neighbourhoods, and downtown—a place for residents and visitors alike. Millennium Park alone is now one of the 10 most visited destinations in the US with 25 million visits annually. Chicago earns $22B USD in annual tourist spend. By comparison, Toronto’s annual tourist spend is a measly $6B USD. Chicago’s McCormick Place, which faces Millenium Park, is the largest convention centre in North America—2.6 million sq feet of exhibition space. What Mayor Daley did was create an economic cash cow for his city—against the entrenched interests. Compare that to Ford’s muddled thinking. He wants to extend a runway that will go right in front of Ontario Place—his supposed new entertainment complex. He is spending public money to build a parking garage for a spa operator. He wants to build a convention centre somewhere at the Ex—although, God knows where he would put it and how it would function. The problem with Doug Ford is he thinks about issues about as clearly as Donald Trump, and makes as many economically stupid decisions as The Donald. The Ford government has the misguided view that extending Billy Bishop will bring more conventioneers. It won’t. People are not attracted to a city because of an airport. To attract conventions, city’s have to offer something special. We should be selling our waterfront—we are blessed with a natural asset better than Chicago’s. We should build a convention centre in the Port Lands at Polson Pier overlooking the greatest skyline in the world and putting in a streetcar loop joining the Islands, the Port Lands and Harbourfront. A connected waterfront in Toronto is capable of bringing in far more tourist business than Chicago. Air travel capacity can be accommodated in many places and in many ways — including $3B in capacity increases to Pearson, the UP Express, regional transit upgrades, and the Alto train. The issue we need to understand is that Toronto has only one downtown waterfront. Let’s use it for its highest and best use—not some dumb airport that could go elsewhere. Any smart business person should be able to do the math. I’ve done the math and I’m happy to show you my work—including in person. As I said, I respect you. I would honoured to show you what is possible. My DMs are open.

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@normsworld That would end Toronto’s waterfront. No resident/tourist wants the smell of the stagnant water in the harbour which would be the result of the exp. 3 decades of work, $ Bs would be going down the tubes. Then the noise and the ultra fine particles in the air. People’s health 👎

🚨BACKFIRE: Republicans are reading Fauci’s journal and it’s all true. SEN. MOODY: “You called Governor DeSantis, ‘A total jerk.’ A ‘complete disgrace.’ That he is ‘blocking local authorities from mandating masks in various locations, including schools.’” WHERE IS THE LIE???

the Ford Government needs to learn when to quit

Toronto Star @TorontoStar

5 days ago

Billy Bishop airport expansion isn’t dead, Ford minister insists trib.al/Iy0A3LV

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Turns out the people don’t like being called “fringe” “I will remember this in the next scheduled Provincial election, April 11, 2030.” #onpoli

The number of votes our jet-supporting transport minister got in the last election was 15,379. Clearly he is the product of a fringe group who should be dismissed as irrelevant.

Doug Ford lectures everyone else about expenses. Then we learn he was flying short-haul trips across southern Ontario on the OPP plane while his government finalized the purchase of a $28.9 million private jet. You can't make this stuff up. #onpoli globalnews.ca/news/11973406/…

Listening to Giles Gherson from the Toronto Board of Trade continue to shill for the island airport expansion on @metromorning , I wonder when the Board of Trade will realize they're on the wrong side of a major issue and losing credibility.

There are several commercial airlines that fly between Charlottetown and Toronto every day, with a choice of several different times. All a fraction of the cost of flying in the OPP jet. Where is the business case or justification? @fordnation is a self-entitled wanker.

TDot Resident @TDotResident

a week ago

#ONpoli The OPP jet flying to pick up Doug Ford... which other Premiers get their own jet?

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@MikeSchreiner OMG, the corruption continues. @fordnation needs to stop this. He is doing so much damage and we still have way too long before another election. How do we get rid of him early?

One of my favourite "we don't give a shit about people" letters: Toronto Port Authority telling the City that they should plan to seal the windows and sound proof all housing on the waterfront to get ready for jets: toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2… #NoJetsTO #Cdnpol.

NEW: The Ontario Progressive Conservative caucus was given the green light to book hotel rooms in downtown Toronto at the taxpayer’s expense whenever night sittings were scheduled, Global News has learned, despite Premier Doug Ford’s repeated public assertion that the expenses were “unacceptable.” globalnews.ca/news/11974967/… #onpoli

On top of the $16,000 in hotels that MPP Stan Cho billed taxpayers, Cho also ran his riding association’s card. Limousines, luxury suites, flights, steaks and sushi — totalling over $100,000 on his supporters’ dime. How did Cho’s indulgence serve his community? #onpoli #FordNationStaycation

🇨🇦 Great question from Richard. Ontario Premier Doug Ford stuck the Ontario taxpayer with $200k of fees importing a 2016 Bombardier Challenger 650 from Brazil, which Chartright is now the registered owner of, and the sole benefactor of Doug Ford's $200k gift.

Richard Southern @RichardCityNews

2 weeks ago

WATCH - I ask Premier Ford about the almost $200K bill taxpayers were left with for costs associated with his private jet. Since he’s directing his caucus members to pay back the hotel charges, will he repay taxpayers for the jet? “I have zero expenses” says Ford.

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Air Canada has scheduled flights thoughout the day from Toronto to Charlottetown. But he chose the OPP jet. But remember folks @fordnation never incurs expenses.

TDot Resident @TDotResident

2 weeks ago

#ONpoli Doug Ford on the OPP jet to PEI this morning.

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What if I told you a single decision being made right now could change Toronto's waterfront forever?   Doug Ford has proposed bringing jets to the Toronto Islands, impacting air quality, traffic congestion and housing targets. It would pave a massive runway extension on the lake, likely increase airfares from Billy Bishop, and cost at least $5 billion. Toronto has a waterfront plan, and we’re already seeing it become a reality- balancing vibrant and healthy communities, beautiful parks, recreation with tourism, economic development and the environment.   The federal consultation closes on July 24. Please visit joshmatlow.ca/waterfront to make your voice heard! Our waterfront needs you.

This Sunday!📣 Join us for a RALLY & MARCH to tell the federal government & its Toronto MPs to say NO to jets at the Island Airport. 📍Harbour Square Park ⏰ 10:30 a.m. RSVP now: act.environmentaldefence.ca/page/194959/ev… #NoJetsTO #TOpoli #CdnPoli