SIX LOST YEARS of Mel Lastman
Wow, Joe. I thought we had some common ground but we differ on airports, politicians -- everything.
I tend to like politicians. The ones I have known and admire are dynamic, connected individuals who know how to balance issues, engage in debate and discussion, and deal on a personal level with every citizen in a genuine way. The good ones have a grasp of policies and can establish priorities based on the available resources. The very best ones can look friends and supporters in the eye and say, "I don't agree with you," tell them why, and still keep their support.
Miller can do most of that and more. He is a leader of Toronto City Council in a way that Lastman could only dream about. He is the one who is setting the priorities of council and makes the major decisions. Most important, he has built a coalition of Toronto politicians so that he can execute his mandate. You can disagree with Miller, but there are few politicians that come close to his mark.
I confess I never met Mel Lastman, but I, like everyone else in the city, I saw him in action close up several times. He did have a coalition on council, but they were weak. Lastman was not a leader. He was not even able to chair a meeting. Case Ootes, the deputy mayor, performed that task for him. He seemed to know little about policy. He stumbled from issue to issue -- not a good sign for a politician. He lacked a vision on any issue whether it was transit, traffic, homelessness or housing. The one area he seemed to have some clear opinions was on the police. As a consequence we ended up with a "tough guy" police chief that was totally inappropriate for the City of Toronto.
The people who governed Toronto during Lastman's tenure as mayor were the back room boys, the lobbiests, developers and people who wanted favours. Lobbying got so out of hand that Jeffery Lyons roamed the hallways of City Hall knocking heads to get the votes he wanted. Lyons arranged the campaign donations of many of Lastman's council supporters, and then demanded votes in return. It was the most debased council I have ever heard of.
To blame Lastman for the computer leasing scandal is unfair, but it is significant that it happened on his watch. Does that suggest a lack of oversight or bad policy? I think so. This was one of the most serious corruption scandals of any municipal government in Ontario. The leader has responsibility. He sets the tone and appoints people to positions of influence and that is what happened in this case.
What Lastman was good at was as a public greeter and cheerleader. The smiling face. The pat on the back. The hand shake. He still carries on that role. Periodically I see his smiling face in a "Bad Boy" newspaper ad and I think to myself, "Heaven help us. Could that man, dressed up as a clown, in a convict suit, have been the mayor of Toronto for six years?" The answer, regrettably, is Yes, and the citizens of the city have paid a steep price for those SIX LOST YEARS.
Bill Freeman
I tend to like politicians. The ones I have known and admire are dynamic, connected individuals who know how to balance issues, engage in debate and discussion, and deal on a personal level with every citizen in a genuine way. The good ones have a grasp of policies and can establish priorities based on the available resources. The very best ones can look friends and supporters in the eye and say, "I don't agree with you," tell them why, and still keep their support.
Miller can do most of that and more. He is a leader of Toronto City Council in a way that Lastman could only dream about. He is the one who is setting the priorities of council and makes the major decisions. Most important, he has built a coalition of Toronto politicians so that he can execute his mandate. You can disagree with Miller, but there are few politicians that come close to his mark.
I confess I never met Mel Lastman, but I, like everyone else in the city, I saw him in action close up several times. He did have a coalition on council, but they were weak. Lastman was not a leader. He was not even able to chair a meeting. Case Ootes, the deputy mayor, performed that task for him. He seemed to know little about policy. He stumbled from issue to issue -- not a good sign for a politician. He lacked a vision on any issue whether it was transit, traffic, homelessness or housing. The one area he seemed to have some clear opinions was on the police. As a consequence we ended up with a "tough guy" police chief that was totally inappropriate for the City of Toronto.
The people who governed Toronto during Lastman's tenure as mayor were the back room boys, the lobbiests, developers and people who wanted favours. Lobbying got so out of hand that Jeffery Lyons roamed the hallways of City Hall knocking heads to get the votes he wanted. Lyons arranged the campaign donations of many of Lastman's council supporters, and then demanded votes in return. It was the most debased council I have ever heard of.
To blame Lastman for the computer leasing scandal is unfair, but it is significant that it happened on his watch. Does that suggest a lack of oversight or bad policy? I think so. This was one of the most serious corruption scandals of any municipal government in Ontario. The leader has responsibility. He sets the tone and appoints people to positions of influence and that is what happened in this case.
What Lastman was good at was as a public greeter and cheerleader. The smiling face. The pat on the back. The hand shake. He still carries on that role. Periodically I see his smiling face in a "Bad Boy" newspaper ad and I think to myself, "Heaven help us. Could that man, dressed up as a clown, in a convict suit, have been the mayor of Toronto for six years?" The answer, regrettably, is Yes, and the citizens of the city have paid a steep price for those SIX LOST YEARS.
Bill Freeman
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