Vote Quimby
TRIBE Member
Currently being deabted. Here is an article from today.
Miller's honeymoon ends abruptly
New mayor denies there is any substantial risk of lawsuits if fixed link scrapped
CURTIS RUSH
STAFF REPORTER THESTAR.COM
One day after being sworn in as Toronto mayor, David Miller faced intense grilling this morning at a special council meeting to debate the issue of the bridge to the Island Airport.
Councillors challenged Miller's stance in a question-and-answer session that grew heated at times, with many of the mayor's council opponents accusing him of dodging their questions.
At the debate's conclusion, council was to vote on a decision that would either permit the 122-metre fixed link to the Toronto City Centre Airport or kill it and risk multi-million dollar lawsuits.
Miller emphasized that it is his vision that the waterfront should be for the people and not planes.
When asked about the threat of lawsuits, he said it is his understanding that "there is no real risk of liability to the city if we request the federal government to act" and ask the Toronto Port Authority, a federal agency, to amend the current contract.
When asked whether he wants to kill the airport as well, Miller responded that he wants to keep it as "a sleepy commuter airline."
He said council has approved $48 million in payments to the Port Authority to subsidize the airport over the next 10 years.
The moment the bridge is built, he said, "it is all opened up" to more jet travel.
Miller showed sympathy to the workers who would lose jobs if the bridge doesn't go ahead and referred to the CAW representatives who were in attendance.
"They should fight for their jobs," he said. "But we have to look at the overall public interest."
On the economic impact of the city's decision to kill the bridge, Miller said that jobs will be lost but that more jobs will be created in the long term with the revitalization of the waterfront.
With 14 new councillors elected on Nov. 10, many of the new members didn't have the chance to study or debate the issue previously, but Miller rejected further discussion on the issue.
"We just had a large public consultation on Nov. 10 (the election)," he said.
"It was debated throughout the election," he said. "My mandate (on his key election platform to kill the bridge) was clear and I have an obligation."
Ward 11 Councillor Frances Nunziata (York South-Weston) grew testy with Miller's responses when she asked when this issue became a key one for him, since it hadn't been an election issue for him in previous years, she said.
She wasn't satisfied with Miller's response: "You saw my work for three years."
The new mayor was challenged on the election results as well. It was pointed out to him that he was elected on other issues apart from the controversial bridge. And it was also suggested that because he garnered only 44 per cent of the vote, more than 50 per cent of the electorate doesn't support his stance on the bridge.
Time and again, Miller referred to his "mandate."
"If we build the bridge, it's (the waterfront area) going to remain an industrial area," he said.
Miller admitted he has talked to Paul Martin, who becomes Prime Minister Dec. 12, as well as to federal Transport Minister David Collenette, and said he is confident "they will respect the wishes of the people of Toronto."
With the weight of the decision before them, Miller reminded council: "It is our right to define the public interest for Toronto. I know in the end we will do the right thing."
http://thestar.ca/NASApp/cs/Content...517&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154
Miller's honeymoon ends abruptly
New mayor denies there is any substantial risk of lawsuits if fixed link scrapped
CURTIS RUSH
STAFF REPORTER THESTAR.COM
One day after being sworn in as Toronto mayor, David Miller faced intense grilling this morning at a special council meeting to debate the issue of the bridge to the Island Airport.
Councillors challenged Miller's stance in a question-and-answer session that grew heated at times, with many of the mayor's council opponents accusing him of dodging their questions.
At the debate's conclusion, council was to vote on a decision that would either permit the 122-metre fixed link to the Toronto City Centre Airport or kill it and risk multi-million dollar lawsuits.
Miller emphasized that it is his vision that the waterfront should be for the people and not planes.
When asked about the threat of lawsuits, he said it is his understanding that "there is no real risk of liability to the city if we request the federal government to act" and ask the Toronto Port Authority, a federal agency, to amend the current contract.
When asked whether he wants to kill the airport as well, Miller responded that he wants to keep it as "a sleepy commuter airline."
He said council has approved $48 million in payments to the Port Authority to subsidize the airport over the next 10 years.
The moment the bridge is built, he said, "it is all opened up" to more jet travel.
Miller showed sympathy to the workers who would lose jobs if the bridge doesn't go ahead and referred to the CAW representatives who were in attendance.
"They should fight for their jobs," he said. "But we have to look at the overall public interest."
On the economic impact of the city's decision to kill the bridge, Miller said that jobs will be lost but that more jobs will be created in the long term with the revitalization of the waterfront.
With 14 new councillors elected on Nov. 10, many of the new members didn't have the chance to study or debate the issue previously, but Miller rejected further discussion on the issue.
"We just had a large public consultation on Nov. 10 (the election)," he said.
"It was debated throughout the election," he said. "My mandate (on his key election platform to kill the bridge) was clear and I have an obligation."
Ward 11 Councillor Frances Nunziata (York South-Weston) grew testy with Miller's responses when she asked when this issue became a key one for him, since it hadn't been an election issue for him in previous years, she said.
She wasn't satisfied with Miller's response: "You saw my work for three years."
The new mayor was challenged on the election results as well. It was pointed out to him that he was elected on other issues apart from the controversial bridge. And it was also suggested that because he garnered only 44 per cent of the vote, more than 50 per cent of the electorate doesn't support his stance on the bridge.
Time and again, Miller referred to his "mandate."
"If we build the bridge, it's (the waterfront area) going to remain an industrial area," he said.
Miller admitted he has talked to Paul Martin, who becomes Prime Minister Dec. 12, as well as to federal Transport Minister David Collenette, and said he is confident "they will respect the wishes of the people of Toronto."
With the weight of the decision before them, Miller reminded council: "It is our right to define the public interest for Toronto. I know in the end we will do the right thing."
http://thestar.ca/NASApp/cs/Content...517&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154
