John Leeson 🇨🇦🇺🇦

“Carney apparently strolling around Parliament Hill with his pockets full of delicious Floor-Crosser Snausages.” 🤣

Screenshot from our website “About Us”

18 days ago we launched our website, introduced ourselves and our mission, and explained what we’re going to do.

Today we passed 5000 followers here on Bluesky. And counting.

Thank you all for your interest and support, and for your OWN efforts to change cities for the better. #UrbanTruth

😂

Doug Ford’s obsession to expand downtown Toronto airport would be economic vandalism ‘Anything that dilutes Pearson’s hub function risks real economic harm,’ urbanist and futurist Greg Lindsay says

Would jets downtown be good for Toronto’s economy? As it turns out, no. @greglindsay.org explains the truth behind the vibes:

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Now THAT is incisive political analysis. 👏

Farmland…When I was a kid, in 1955 my family moved to Willowdale, Bayview & Finch. (Just below the W & N in “Township” in that map.) That big blank space was/is the hydro corridor that a dairy farmer on Bayview used to grow hay. When he tied them into bales in the fall, we built forts from them.

It's a blistering takedown of Witkoff's incompetence (which you're familiar with, if you know of his role in the Ukraine talks) but this skips over the fact that these negotiations weren't meant to be serious. They were a ruse.

Trump and Netanyahu decided the start date of this war on February 11.

So the Trumpie is just a useless “silver dollar”? I recently took some old coins to a bank here. They wouldn’t accept silver dollars, 50 cent pieces or pennies. Took the pennies to a supermarket change machine.

There are at least 2 streets that change names mid-block because of old boundaries. Heath (Toronto) & Tichester (York) and Old Mill Rd (Etobicoke) and Catherine St (York). (The bridge is invisible in map.)

More Toronto 1985

1. Allan Gardens on Sunday morning
2. Peoples' Parties
3. Brunswick House
4. Kensington Market
#photography

this means it is not open for transit

I had two babies and they both cried less than this fool

Only reason I can think of the US doing that is copying Canada’s loonie dollar coin. But we used the beautiful and evocative wild loon on the face, not that kind of loon.

I had to double check that it’s not April 1 today (just Friday the 13th.) Then I realized the US is just copying Canada and issuing a loonie coin.

This just in, biking is growing as a revenue source *far* faster than parking. 30% growth in revenue for bike share vs only 5% for parking. It's growth is also consistently underestimated in forecasts vs parking which is overestimated.

We got a flyer in our door from the Lib candidate in Uni-Rose well before the byelection was called. Lawn signs started sprouting the day after it was called. I’ll be sure to ask her about the airport if I see or hear from her or her team. (And a few other ?s.)

I went with a friend to see the handwriting exhibit at the Toronto Reference Library last weekend. As always, a delightful exhibit. Here's some of my favourites - doodles on a poll register, an amazing list of misdeeds, and Britannia checking out her Indigenous colleague on a 1886 TPL announcement.

The Toronto Police Accountability Bulletin that just came out is really good. I suggest you take a peek, share it around. Especially the stuff about how the police board chair, Shelly Carroll, worked to avoid public input on the budget. Ford is not the only one steamrolling local democracy.

Matt Elliott: Why Doug Ford needs to get over his obsession with Toronto and its waterfront The premier’s recent proposal for jets at Billy Bishop and a conference centre on reclaimed land follow 15 years of his various attempts to put his own stamp on the waterfront.

The defining characteristic of Doug Ford, besides his unending obsession with Toronto and its waterfront, is his systematic overriding of transparency and meaningful consultation. He continually imposes his will on communities and people without evidence or input. He is a threat to democracy.

*Political Will sold separately.

I love the idea that *this* US government, which has been nabbing landscapers and five year olds knows where Iranian sleeper cells are but just hasn’t gotten around to doing anything about it yet.

Side research find: Maybe it's best if I present this find with no extra commentary, other than I doubt you'd meet Sophia Loren if you signed up.

Varsity, September 16, 1968 #vintagead #TOHistory

I always enjoy checking the info sign outside St Joe’s private girl’s school on Wellesley for their *timely* announcements.

Team Canada!

Just a reminder

a nuclear arsenal for use at his sole discretion

Every candidate in NDP leadership race comes in third Winnipeg, MB – The results are in: All five candidates running to be the next leader of the NDP have finished in third place.

Every candidate in NDP leadership race comes in third

“Tourism boycotts do come up over one issue or another, but in my 37 years in the travel industry, I have never seen anything like what the Canadians have pulled off,” Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International, told Forbes. “This is one that’s being felt and it’s not going away quickly.”

With Libs set to win both Toronto by-elections, Idlout would give them the majority, using Speaker’s vote to tie-break. One win of Terrebonne & Boulerice’s riding could make it a full majority.

Worked for me. 🤷‍♂️L