What's with the city councillor telling a constituent to "shut up" on national TV as frustrated citizens vented?
Why did the City of Toronto allow a dangerous propane facility right next to homes? How many other neighbourhoods are threatened?
Since thunderous early morning blasts punched holes into our sense of security in sharing living space with volatile goods, the focus continues to be on The City, The Mayor and The Councillor.
The Province, responsible for so much of the regulation and rules that define the blast, has managed to avoid scrutiny.
While the city does not issue the licence or inspect the site and is not responsible for health and safety standards restricting or limiting operations of this massive propane facility, residents naturally looked to city hall for answers as disaster struck.
It is Queen's Park that most controls the levers that might avert such a disaster. Yet, it is Queen's Park that is least thought of as culpable.
Since the propane blast last Sunday morning, the city has responded admirably, including making the decision to take over the clean-up of the blast site. But to absolve the city of all blame is misguided.
Yes, several decades ago, the former North York council zoned the property for industrial use. Yes, court rulings have determined that city hall cannot impose health and safety standards on propane facilities that are already governed by provincial statutes.
And yes, technically speaking, the city couldn't stop Sunrise Propane from locating on Murray Rd., next to homes.
But there is something called moral authority. A city councillor, a mayor and a city council share this in large quantities. And they have proven adept at using it – when they choose to.
Did mayoral candidate David Miller have the right to stop the airport on Toronto Islands? No. Still, he promised it, won the election because of it, rallied public opinion to his side, and used the mandate to get city council behind him. The airport is still there – but under protest.
City council thought it important to ban pesticides. And did so. The mayor thought it important to ban target-shooting ranges from city facilities and did so. He can't ban handguns, but that hasn't stopped him from launching a public campaign to do so.
Our councillors and our mayor are the first line of defence against public danger. Citizens expect them to provide as much protection as possible – using legal or moral arguments.
The mayor rightly ordered a review of propane facilities after the blast. That means he could have done it before – except nobody thought about it. It wasn't a priority. People were sleeping at the switch as a potentially dangerous facility flourished right next to area families.
Usually, it is the city councillor who leads the charge on such matters. Residents air concerns and the councillor gives them wings. Again, here, the objections weren't loud enough and the councillor didn't elevate them to a public arena.
Maria Augimeri has been representing a North York ward for more than a quarter of a century. In general, her constituents love her because she practises personal political representation. She attends their birthdays, baptisms, funerals.
To most city councillors, attacking a constituent would surely lead to defeat at the polls. But for Augimeri, slip-ups and flip flops have never been fatal.
Maybe, until now.
Royson James usually appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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