John Tory is speaking to the Empire Club of Canada today about Toronto’s looming transit tax debate. Here’s the text of his speech (apologies for it being all in caps but that’s the way it was sent out):
IT IS AN HONOUR TO ONCE AGAIN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE EMPIRE CLUB OF CANADA. THIS HAS FOR DECADES BEEN ACCEPTED AS THE PODIUM OF RECORD IN CANADA’S LARGEST CITY AND I AM MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE INVITATION.
WHATEVER YOU MAY THINK OF MY CAREER OR CAREERS, ONE THING IS CONSISTENT. I HAVE LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE IN TORONTO AND EVERYTHING I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO DO HAS BEEN CONNECTED IN SOME WAY TO LIFE IN THE CITY AND TO THE LIFE OF THE CITY. THAT HAS BEEN MY GOOD FORTUNE AND IT HAS ONLY SERVED TO DEEPEN MY COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT IT IS AN EVEN BETTER PLACE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
I T IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO ME AS A TORONTONIAN THAT, OVER TIME, THE THINKING OF LEADERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE TORONTO REGION HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY SHORT TERM, FOCUSSED ON A MEETING NEXT WEEK OR AN ELECTION NEXT YEAR INSTEAD OF A FOCUS ON THE NEXT DECADE OR THE NEXT GENERATION.
I OFTEN USE THE GARDINER EXPRESSWAY AS AN EXAMPLE. OUR CITY LEADERS PRESENTLY HAVE IN FRONT OF THEM A PROPOSAL TO SPEND 500 MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE PATCHING UP THE GARDINER EXPRESSWAY WITH POPSICLE STICKS AND GLUE. I USED TO THINK MAYBE THAT’S ALL WE COULD DO. THEN I STARTED TO ASK MYSELF, WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK OF THAT DECISION IN 25 YEARS. WILL THEY BE TALKING ABOUT HOW BOLD WE WERE, HOW FAR SIGHTED WE WERE, TO INVEST ALL OF THAT MONEY IN A MAKESHIFT REPAIR JOB? OR MIGHT THEY GIVE US A BIT MORE CREDIT FOR CITY BUILDING IF WE USED OUR IMAGINATION AND THE INGENUITY AND MONEY OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO FIND A NEW WAY TO MAINTAIN AN IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR, BUT AT THE SAME TIME GET RID OF THE EXISTING STRUCTURE WHICH HAS A LOT OF THINGS GOING AGAINST IT, INCLUDING OBSOLESENCE.
THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY WHAT WE POLITELY CALL OUR PRIORITY NEIGHBOURHOODS. WE CAN APPLY A BAND AID HERE OR A BAND AID THERE AND HOPE FOR THE BEST, OR WE COULD DECIDE TO BE BOLD AND PUT THE DETERMINATION OF GOVERNMENT TOGETHER WITH THE IMAGINATION OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN REVITALIZING THOSE NEIGHBOURHOODS AND ADDRESSING WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE SINGLE BIGGEST ISSUE FACED BY OUR CITY: THAT OF INTEGRATING EVERYONE INTO THE LIFE OF THE CITY AND ENSURING THAT EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY IS A REALITY. THE RENEWAL OF REGENT PARK, BY THE WAY, WHILE NOT PERFECT, PROVES THAT SUCH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP FOR RENEWAL CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE.
QUALITY PUBLIC TRANSIT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FORMULA FOR CONNECTING THOSE NEIGHBOURHOODS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEM, TO THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT IS WHY I WANT TO SPEAK TO OUR CURRENT TRANSIT DEBATE IN THE TIME AVAILABLE TO ME TODAY.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE THREE PRINCIPAL REASONS TO URGENTLY ADDRESS OUR TRANSIT DEFICIT NOW:
FIRST, WE HAVE ALL PRESIDED OVER DECADES OF INACTION WHILE THE CITY REGION HAS BEEN GROWING, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF INCREDIBLY SHORTSIGHTED LEADERSHIP BY MANY PARTIES AT ALL LEVELS.
SECOND, A PROPER TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, INCLUDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BUT ALSO INCLUDING ADEQUATE ROADS, IS CRITICAL TO OUR ABILITY TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT AND JOBS AND TO IMPROVE OUR PRODUCTIVITY, WHICH WE ARE CONSTANTLY TOLD WE MUST DO.
AND THIRD, DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED TRANSPORTATION IS A HUGE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE WHETHER THAT RELATES TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS, OR FAMILY TIME, OR EVEN JUST THE LEISURE TIME NEEDED FOR A BALANCED LIFE.
I THINK IT IS REACHING THE POINT ACROSS THE REGION WHERE WE ALL AGREE ON THE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION.
AND I THINK WE CAN EVEN SEE, NOTWITHSTANDING THE COMMENTS OF SOME, AN EMERGING CONSENSUS ON THE NEED TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC FUNDS NECESSARY TO PAY FOR THAT TRANSIT, AND IT IS THAT ISSUE ON WHICH I WISH TO FOCUS TODAY.
FOR STARTERS WE SHOULD LOOK ELSEWHERE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN HAVING TO CONFRONT THIS ISSUE. IN THAT HOTBED OF ANTI TAX SENTIMENT, LOS ANGELES, CITIZENS VOTED 67% IN FAVOUR OF A SALES TAX DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TRANSIT.
IN VANCOUVER, THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY RELIES ON USER FARES, FUEL TAXES AND PROPERTY TAXES TO FUND TRANSIT.
VOTERS IN STOCKHOLM VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOUR OF EXTENDING A CONGESTION PRICING SCHEME AFTER A TRIAL PERIOD BEGINNING IN 2006.
IN BANGKOK THAILAND, THEY JUST HAD A SUCCESSFUL IPO WHICH RAISED 5 BILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD URBAN TRANSIT. A PRIVATE SOLUTION.
I AM NOT SUGGESTING ANY OR ALL OF THOSE SPECIFIC MEASURES FOR TORONTO, JUST COMMENDING TO YOU THE COURAGE AND THE FORESIGHT THEY HAD IN THOSE CITIES TO DECIDE THEY HAD TO DO SOMETHING AND TO ENDORSE VARIOUS MEANS OF PAYMENT, AND AS YOU HEARD, THEY ARE ALL QUITE DIFFERENT.
SO BACK TO THE TORONTO REGION. I THINK THERE ARE TWO THINGS HOLDING US BACK FROM ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES HEAD ON AND MOVING FORWARD.
THE FIRST OBSTACLE IS MOST EVIDENT AT TORONTO CITY HALL, NOT THE REST OF THE REGION WHERE LEADERS IN COMMUNITIES LIKE MISSISSAUGA, OAKVILLE, VAUGHAN, MARKHAM AND OSHAWA HAVE ADDRESSED THE TRANSIT FUNDING ISSUE IN A BALANCED RELATIVELY NON POLITICAL WAY.
AT TORONTO CITY HALL ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAVE SEEN DEVELOP A VIRTUAL PIT OF POLARIZATION, WHERE EVERYTHING ON THE PART OF EVERYBODY COMES DOWN TO A KIND OF “MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY” FALSE CHOICE AND EVERYTHING IS DECLARED AN ISSUE IN THE NEXT ELECTION. THERE’S ONLY ONE PROBLEM. THAT ELECTION IS 18 MONTHS AWAY AND THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE, IN MY VIEW, EVERY REASON TO REMIND THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION THAT THEY WERE ALREADY ELECTED TO GOVERN AND TO DEAL WITH ISSUES LIKE TRANSIT, NOT JUST TO GET READY FOR THE NEXT ELECTION.
SIMILARLY, AS DISCUSSION OF REVENUE RAISING METHODS OCCURS, WE FIND SOME PEOPLE SAYING “NO NEED FOR ANY OF THOSE REVENUE TOOLS, LETS JUST GET THE MONEY FROM ELIMINATING WASTE”. THERE ISNT A PERSON IN THIS ROOM WHO COULD STAND AT THIS PODIUM WITH A CLEARER CONSCIENCE THAN ME IN SAYING THAT I CONTESTED THE OFFICES OF BOTH MAYOR AND PREMIER WARNING, YEARS AGO, THAT OUR PRESENT COURSE AND SPEED ON SPENDING WERE NOT SUSTAINABLE, BUT IF THAT SPENDING WERE TO BE PROPERLY ADDRESSED TODAY, AS IT SHOULD BE, IT WOULD HELP US ELIMINATE ONGOING ANNUAL DEFICITS BUT WOULD NOT CREATE THE POOL OF MONEY WE NEED EXCLUSIVELY FOR TRANSIT.
SIMILARLY THOSE WHO SAY, “NO NEED FOR THOSE REVENUE TOOLS, WE CAN USE PRIVATE MONEY” ARE BEING EVEN LESS STRAIGHTFORWARD WITH THE VOTERS SIMPLY BECAUSE PRIVATE MONEY OF ANY KIND– WHICH SHOULD BE USED TO BUILD TRANSIT AND REVITALIZE PUBLIC HOUSING, JUST TO CITE TWO EXAMPLES— THAT PRIVATE MONEY MUST BE PAID BACK WITH INTEREST, THUS STILL LEAVING OPEN THE QUESTION OF WHERE THE MONEY WILL COME FROM TO MAKE THE REPAYMENTS.
AND LEST I SEEM TO BE SINGLING CITY HALL OUT FOR ALL OF THE CRITICISM, SOME OF THE SAME POLITICALLY MOTIVATED RHETORIC HAS BEEN HEARD IN THE HALLS OF QUEENS PARK AS WELL, DESPITE THE HONESTY AND COURAGE SHOWN BY PREMIER WYNNE IN ADDRESSING THE TRANSIT FUNDING ISSUE HEAD ON, THOUGH AS I WILL POINT OUT IN A MOMENT, I THINK OTHER ASPECTS OF HER GOVERNMENT’S RECORD MAY BE THE SINGLE BIGGEST OBSTACLES TO GETTING THE TRANSIT WE NEED BUILT, AND PAID FOR.
I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES AS A POLITICIAN, AS THE HEAD OF CIVIC ACTION AND AS A BROADCASTER THAT IF THERE ARE TWO COMMODITIES MORE NEEDED THAN ANY OTHERS IN POLITICS AT ALL LEVELS IN 2013, IT IS HONESTY AND COURAGE. THE HONESTY AND COURAGE TO TELL PEOPLE THERE IS NO FREE TRANSIT, THAT HEALTH CARE SIMPLY BY THE NUMBERS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE ON THE PRESENT BASIS AND THAT MANY PENSION PLANS ARE TRAIN WRECKS WAITING TO HAPPEN, JUST TO NAME THREE ISSUES MOST OF OUR LEADERS CONTINUE TO SUGAR COAT IN THEIR OWN POLITICAL INTERESTS.
AND THE SAME IS TRUE ON TRANSIT. POLARIZED POLITICS AND A LACK OF HONESTY AND COURAGE ON THIS ISSUE REPRESENT THE FIRST OBSTACLE STANDING IN THE WAY OF ACHIEVING REAL PROGRESS.
THE SECOND OBSTACLE IS A PROFOUND LACK OF TRUST– WORSE THAN I HAVE SEEN IT IN 40+ YEARS OF POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT—A PROFOUND LACK OF TRUST IN HOW GOVERNMENTS DEAL WITH OUR MONEY.
IF WE ARE ASSESSING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS, MORE BLAME MUST GO TO QUEENS PARK, WHERE SUCCESSIVE, MASSIVE SPENDING SCANDALS AND GENERALLY UNSUSTAINABLE LEVELS OF SPENDING HAVE WORN DOWN THE ONTARIO TAXPAYERS, AND THE ONTARIO BALANCE SHEET. AS I SAID EARLIER, MY MESSAGE ON THIS IS CONSISTENT GOING BACK TO MY DAYS AS OPPOSITION LEADER ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO. YOU CAN LOOK IT UP IN HANSARD.
AT CITY HALL, THANKS TO SOME OF THE DISCIPLINE AND DETERMINATION OF MAYOR FORD AND HIS ADMINISTRATION, THINGS ARE BETTER, BUT EVEN NOW WE CONTINUE TO SEE BOONDOGGLES UNFOLDING WHETHER ITS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN HAND SANITZER FLUSHED DOWN THE DRAIN IN RECENT WEEKS, A TRANSIT STORAGE FACILITY ALREADY TENS OF MILLIONS OVER BUDGET BEFORE CONSTRUCTION, OR A TRANSIT COMMISSION WHICH SEES PRIORITY ONE IN ADDRESSING CUSTOMER SERVICE AS BEING THE APPOINTMENT OF 24 NEW MANAGERS AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH TO MANAGE SUBWAY STATIONS.
THE PUBLIC ACCEPTS THE NEED FOR NEW TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION.
THE PUBLIC IS SHOWING GROWING ACCEPTANCE BY THE DAY OF THE NEED TO ADDRESS, HONESTLY AND REALISTICALLY, HOW TO PAY FOR THAT TRANSIT.
BUT THE SINGLE BIGGEST THING STANDING IN THE WAY OF GETTING ON WITH ALL OF THAT IS THEIR JUSTIFIABLE FEAR THAT ANY MONEY COLLECTED BY WHATEVER MEANS WILL NEVER MAKE IT TO THE BUILDING OF TRANSIT AND WILL INSTEAD DISAPPEAR INTO THE INFAMOUS BLACK HOLE, WHEREVER IT IS.
AND THAT IS WHY CIVIC ACTION HAS SAID WE MUST DEVELOP MEANS TO PAY FOR TRANSIT, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, WHICH ARE, ABOVE AND BEYOND ALL ELSE, FAIR, TRANSPARENT, AND DEDICATED SO PEOPLE WILL KNOW EVERYONE IS PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE, THEY WILL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS DONE WITH THE MONEY AND THEY WILL KNOW THAT REGARDLESS OF WHERE AND WHEN, IT ALL WENT TO TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION.
SO WHAT TO DO NOW TO AVOID A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP WHICH WOULD IN MY VIEW BE CATASTROPHIC FOR THIS CITY REGION AND FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
FIRST, IF IT IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE WE SHOULD DISPENSE WITH THE POLARIZATION AND PLAYING OF POLITICS ON THE TRANSIT AND TRANSPORTATION ISSUE.
FOR STARTERS,I WOULD URGE MAYOR FORD TO AGREE IMMEDIATELY TO AN URGENT CITY COUNCIL DEBATE ON HOW TO PAY FOR THE TRANSIT HE AGREES WE NEED. HE WOULD BE WELCOME, OF COURSE, TO STAND UP IN THAT DEBATE AND REJECT ALL OF THE PROPOSED REVENUE TOOLS, TO MAKE HIS PITCH FOR SUBWAYS AND FOR HIS PREFERRED MEANS OF PAYING FOR THEM, AS WELL HE SHOULD. BUT TO FORCE THE CITY COUNCIL TO GO TO EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS JUST TO DEBATE, ON A TIMELY BASIS, A REPORT WRITTEN BY THE CITY’S TOP PUBLIC SERVANT IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND NONSENSICAL.
AND I WOULD SAY BY THE WAY THAT IF THE MAYOR HAS A PREFERRED AND REALISTIC PLAN TO PAY FOR THE SUBWAYS THAT FORM PART OF HIS PLATFORM, I WOULD EXPECT HE WOULD BE SEEKING DAILY OPPORTUNITIES TO PRESENT THAT ALTERNATIVE,INCLUDING A COUNCIL DEBATE ON THAT VERY SUBJECT.
AS FOR SOME OF THE MAYOR’S CRITICS, ITS TIME THEY AGREED TO TAKE A SINCERE LOOK AT A SUBWAY EXTENSION TO SCARBOROUGH IN PLACE OF THE PRESENT LRT. THAT LRT IS GOING TO BE REPLACED IN ANY EVENT AND ALTHOUGH A SUBWAY EXTENSION AT THIS STAGE WOULD PRESENT COME COMPLICATIONS, THAT LINE SHOWS THE GREATEST PROSPECTS FOR FINANCIAL VIABILITY AS A SUBWAY EXTENSION.
THE MAYOR’S ADVERSARIES ALSO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SHOW SOME WILLINGNESS TO COMPROMISE, SO THE CITY OF TORONTO CAN GO AS A UNIFIED TEAM TO THE PROVINCE AND REQUEST WHAT COULD BE QUITE A SENSIBLE INVESTMENT IN A SUBWAY EXTENSION TO AN UNDERSERVED PART OF THE CITY REGION. AGAIN, ASK YOURSELF WHAT DECISION PEOPLE WOULD THINK WE SHOULD HAVE MADE WHEN THEY LOOK BACK AT THIS IN 25 YEARS.
SECOND, THE POLARIZATION AND THE PLAYING OF POLITICS MUST ALSO END AT QUEENS PARK WHEN IT COMES TO THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE. SURELY IT ISNT TOO MUCH TO EXPECT THAT OUR THREE LEADERS, ON AN ISSUE VERY MUCH RELATED TO THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF THE PROVINCE’S BIGGEST CITY AND ITS ECONOMIC ENGINE MIGHT TRY GOING INTO A ROOM TOGETHER AND SPEND WHATEVER TIME IT TAKES TO FIND AN ANSWER THEY CAN AGREE UPON IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
THAT PROBABLY SEEMS TO YOU LIKE A FANCIFUL NOTION, ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLOWED OUR LEADERS TO THINK POLITICS CAN BE PLACED AHEAD OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR MUCH TOO LONG. WELL, THOSE DAYS SHOULD BE OVER AS THE CONSEQUENCES OF CONTINUED PARALYSIS ARE SIMPLY TOO HIGH FOR A PROVINCE AT A CRUCIAL CROSSROADS.
THIRD, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST THE WYNNE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SPELL OUT NOW A PROCESS AND STRUCTURE THAT WILL SAFEGUARD THE MONEY DEDICATED TO TRANSIT, WELL BEFORE A SINGLE PENNY IS COLLECTED OR SPENT.
I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT AN ARMS LENGTH TRUST FUND, AWAY FROM THE POLITICIANS AND IN THE HANDS OF INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES– ( I HAVE HALF KIDDINGLY SUGGESTED THOSE TRUSTEES MIGHT BEST BE SALVATION ARMY OFFICERS OR NUNS)—SUC H AN INDEPENDENT TRUST WOULD BE A GOOD START, ACCOMPANIED BY AN ANNUAL AUDIT BY THE AUDITOR GENERAL WHO WOULD TELL THE PEOPLE, LINE BY LINE, DOLLAR BY DOLLAR, HOW MUCH WAS COLLECTED AND WHERE IT WAS INVESTED.
AND FINALLY, WHILE YOU MAY WONDER WHAT THE GAS POWER PLANT ISSUE HAS TO DO WITH OUR SUCCESS IN FINDING AN ANSWER ON THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE, I WOULD SAY: A LOT.
THIS ISSUE, PERHAPS MORESO THAN ANY OTHER, HAS CAUSED THE PUBLIC TO GO OVER THE EDGE AND CONCLUDE THAT GOVERNMENTS GENERALLY HAVE NO REGARD WHATSOEVER FOR THEIR HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS.
IN MY RESPECTFUL VIEW, WE WILL BE MUCH HARDER PRESSED TO EMERGE WITH A CONSENSUS ON HOW TO PAY FOR TRANSIT UNLESS AND UNTIL THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO DOES MORE THAN IT HAS DONE TO ERASE THE STENCH OF PAST MISMANAGEMENT AND INCOMPETENCE AND SHOW THE PUBLIC THERE REALLY IS A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN WITH SOME TOUGH NEW RULES IN FORCE.
I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING THREE THINGS NEED TO BE DONE NOW BY THE LIBERALS FOR THREE REASONS—THE REASONS BEING THEIR OWN WISH TO SAVE THEMSELVES POLITICALLY, THE NEED TO MAKE THE PROGRESS WE MUST MAKE ON TRANSIT, AND BECAUSE THEY ARE THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO, PROBABLY IN REVERSE ORDER.
THE THREE ACTIONS I BELIEVE PREMIER WYNNE SHOULD TAKE NOW IF SHE WANTS TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS ON THE TRANSIT FILE WOULD BE THESE:
FIRST, AN APOLOGY TO THE PEOPLE OF ONTARIO AND AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THESE WERE POLITICAL DECISIONS WHICH CAUSED A FINANCIAL FIASCO AND WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
SECOND, SPECIFIC AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO SATISFY US THIS KIND OF THING WONT EASILY HAPPEN AGAIN. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE OFTEN SUGGESTED THAT DECISIONS SUCH AS THIS SHOULD BE LEGALLY BARRED DURING AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN, EXCEPT IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.
AND THIRD,A GENUINE, MEASUREABLE, TRANSPARENT ADDRESSING OF INEFFICIENT SPENDING AND BLOATED BUREAUCRACY. THE DRUMMOND REPORT CONTAINED A ROADMAP TO GET A GOOD WAY ALONG THAT PATH, AND WHILE I DON’T AGREE WITH ALL OF IT, NOR WOULD I EXPECT THEM TO, IT HAD A LOT OF NECESSARY MEDICINE IN IT AND MORE OF ITS CONTENTS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
I AM THE LAST PERSON THE LIBERALS WILL RELY ON FOR POLITICAL ADVICE, BUT I DO KNOW THIS—THOSE THREE THINGS, IF THEY WERE TO BE DONE NOW, WOULD HELP IMMEASUREABLY IN SELLING THE REVENUE RAISING TOOLS NEEDED TO PAY FOR TRANSIT, NOT TO MENTION THAT ALL THREE ARE SIMPLY THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO, FOR STARTERS ANYWAY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE DECISIONS TO BE TAKEN IN THE COMING MONTHS ARE QUITE LITERALLY THE DECISIONS FOR A GENERATION. I CANT THINK OF ANY THAT WILL BE MORE IMPORTANT TO THE OVERALL FUTURE OF OUR CITY REGION.
THEY ARE IMPORTANT ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY AND IMPORTANT TO OUR OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.
I READ ALL OF THE SAME SURVEYS AS YOU DO ABOUT WHERE TORONTO RANKS IN THE WORLD. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I HONESTLY BELIEVE,BEING AS OBJECTIVE AS I CAN BE AND TAKING EVERYTHING INTO ACCOUNT, THIS MAY BE THE SINGLE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD WHERE ANYONE COULD LIVE.
I DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE A PONY IN THE TRANSIT DEBATE RACE. MY SOLE INTEREST AS THE CHAIR OF CIVIC ACTION, AS A BROADCASTER, AS A BUSINESS LEADER AND AS A CITIZEN, IS TO HELP US MAKE THE RIGHT, RATIONAL DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. TO SEE THOSE DECISIONS MADE HONESTLY AND COURAGEOUSLY, AND NOW.
MAYBE IT IS SIMPLE AGING AT WORK, BUT I HAVE INCREASINGLY COME TO LOOK AT MOST DECISIONS OF THIS KIND THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LENS: 25 YEARS FROM TODAY, HOW WILL PEOPLE LOOK AT THE DECISIONS WE MADE NOW, THE INVESTMENTS WE DID OR DID NOT UNDERTAKE, THE WAY WE BUILT THE CITY, PHYSICALLY, SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY? WHAT WILL THEY BE SAYING THEN, THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING NOW, TO MAKE THIS A CITY OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE REALLY PROUD OF?
IF WE FOCUS ON THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS, IF WE GET BEYOND THE SHORT TERM POLITICKING THAT SEEMS TO DOMINATE EVERYTHING NOWADAYS, IF WE SEE SOME HONESTY AND COURAGE AT ALL LEVELS AND IN ALL PARTIES, I BELIEVE THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO ARE ACTUALLY QUITE EVIDENT.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG DOING THE RIGHT THING.
