Your portlands or your life.

Rob Ford is only one vote on council.  Why is it that everything he proposes is getting passed?  Are the other councillors scared of him or something?

The latest is the complete turnaround on the portlands project, a truly visionary plan in its original inception - hiking trails, bike trails, green space, small retail and eateries, less-than-zero carbon footprint.  The bar on the plan is now well below sea-level with its big box malls, large chain stores and food outlets (you can't call them restaurants), and a ferris wheel.  Oh, and a monorail.  Nobody but Rob Ford, his brother, and their developer friends from (sniff) Australia want this.  Nobody.  And yet he is bragging that this huge development will be implemented and completed in record time.

Ford was not elected on the promise of raping the portlands.  He was elected on the promise of making the mega-city of Toronto's budget balance.

However, in this instance and in the example of the TransitCity debaucle, Mr. Ford ignored the recommendations of folks who know what they're talking about in favour of much more expensive options.  Much more.  Like maybe-we-wouldn't-have-to-close-libraries-or-fire-police-officers-if-we-went-for-the-cheaper-option more expensive.

And all this money goes into the hands of the developers.  Sure, jobs will be created.  Crappy, horrible McJobs will be created.  And sure, tourists will be attracted.  Irritating tourists (the kind who like Disneyland and food outlets) will be attracted.  It probably won't be the TIFF crowd.

Who could possibly want this for Toronto who loves Toronto?

I think Rob Ford has managed to intimidate council.  I wonder how he's done it?   I am sure he didn't mug each councillor in the middle of the night, nylons on his head, gun pressed firmly in the back of the councillor's head, rasping in a low voice:  "Your portlands or your life!"  I am sure he hasn't run around getting the dirt on all the councillors with which he is secretly black-mailing them all.  He's no Tony Soprano.  Despite his support of privatising garbage removal.  Or wait....  Nah, he's not that bright.

Hang on.  His brother is.