A Peek Into City Hall

Briefing or press shutout?
March 29, 2007

The city of Toronto always talks like it's a government heavyweight, bragging about how it's bigger than most provinces. But they don't know how to handle a budget briefing.

A huge council chamber sits empty almost all the time, but they chose to hold Monday's operating budget unveiling in a second-floor committee room, the smaller of the two major rooms at that. People were standing and tightly packed. Councillor Paula Fletcher nearly tripped over a radio reporter's electrical cord as she tried to squeeze into a seat. Later, city officials held a media briefing in the East Tower at City Hall. But it was after 4:30 p.m. and the elevators were in limited use (only for authorized staff) mode by the time some reporters were able to get upstairs. One reporter said he was able to get onto the elevators, but the pass he usually uses to get to the upper floors wouldn't activate the elevator buttons. He was forced to ride the elevator for several minutes until the doors opened for someone already on the seventh floor.

Scarborough gets along, with photo to prove it

Scarborough councillors managed a feat this week that has so far eluded their downtown brothers and sisters: They sat and had their photo taken.

Toronto city council's planned formal photo session fell apart last month when councillors squabbled over who sits where. It still hasn't been taken. But on Tuesday, the guys' club that is Scarborough community council – there are no women elected in the city's easternmost reaches – managed to sort itself out for a formal photo at Scarborough Civic Centre with nary an angry word or bruised ego.

Climate change plan has councillor in a tizzy

Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker was a tad excited at Monday's meeting of the executive committee, which was dealing with the city's proposed climate change plan. "Right now my heart is pounding, my palms are sweaty," he said as he started his speech at the meeting. "And I'm sitting in between two men. I'm not sure what's happening."

Mayor's lawn barely merits push mower

Mayor David Miller was talking in the sitting room outside his office the other day about the city's climate change plan when he was asked if he was going to invest in a push mower. "I should. My yard's about the size of that chair," he said.

No saw? No problem for North York council

City councillors on the North York community council, which rules on local issues, were in an accommodating mood the other day. A resident of Tollerton Ave. requested belated approval for a fence 2.3 metres tall, more than the maximum 2 metres.

He explained the boards came in a standard length, putting the height over the limit. Oh, okay then, council responded. Fence approved.

What, the guy doesn't own a saw? Good thing he didn't buy 10-metre boards.

City better than 52% of Ontario municipalities

Budget chief Shelley Carroll said her budget Monday pointed to a 2005 study called, wait for it, the Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative. It showed Toronto has to deliver one of the highest levels of service in Ontario "but we're delivering them more efficiently than 52 per cent of the other municipalities." Being better than 52 per cent of other cities isn't much of a rallying cry, but Carroll said Toronto is working hard and trying to do better.

Issue not critical, but at least politicians get it

The idea of giving names to council wards was received by the executive committee this week. That means it goes to council next month for one of those late-night debates politicians talk about for hours. "It isn't important," said Shelley Carroll, "but it's one of those things where councillors say to themselves, `I can understand it without reading a report.'"

There's just no escaping those councillors on TV

Demonstrating perhaps that there's no such thing in politics as overexposure, rookie councillors Gord Perks and Adam Vaughan have secured monthly gigs on Citytv. Vaughan, a former journalist with Citytv before his election victory in the fall, is revisiting his HourTown show on current events and political issues. He promises he won't be interviewing fellow councillors about ongoing issues. Perks has relaunched his Earth Matters show on environmental issues. Mayor David Miller will also continue his monthly The Mayor program. The shows are live, call-in format. Will they be looking for agents next?

city hall bureau