Gleaner

Serving Toronto's most liveable community with the Annex Gleaner

Entries Tagged as 'Opinion'

EDITORIAL: Freedom Ford-style (Feb. 2023)

March 27th, 2023 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Freedom Ford-style (Feb. 2023)

Doug Ford abandoned us. That’s what a 200-page decision reviewing Ottawa’s invocation of the Emergencies Act says. Written by Commissioner Justice Paul Rouleau and published by the Public Order Emergency Commission, this report points the finger for last year’s Freedom Convoy riots squarely at the premier, whose failure to act, it says, led to some members of the public feeling emboldened.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Editorial · Opinion

FORUM: Toronto’s budget built on a false premise (Feb. 2023)

March 27th, 2023 · Comments Off on FORUM: Toronto’s budget built on a false premise (Feb. 2023)

Where is Ford in Toronto’s time of need?

By Jessica Bell

The first official Toronto budget under the new strong mayor reign has revealed an unpleasant truth. This is a fantasy budget built on a house of cards. Even with a seven per cent planned property tax hike, the federal and provincial governments need to hand over $1.4 billion to the city for the budget to balance in 2023. And even if they say yes to Toronto’s official funding request, the city will still cut services.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Columns · Opinion

GREENINGS: Our trees are in crisis (Feb. 2023)

March 27th, 2023 · Comments Off on GREENINGS: Our trees are in crisis (Feb. 2023)

ARA to resurvey all the trees in the Annex 

By Terri Chu

There’s a lot to love about the Annex: cultural vibrancy, a wide variety of local independent businesses, walkability and trees. 

Can you imagine this place without the big, beautiful maples? The streets would feel empty and dystopian. 

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Life · Opinion

EDITORIAL: We care Mr. Tory (Jan. 2023)

January 24th, 2023 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: We care Mr. Tory (Jan. 2023)

In 2018, and during our last municipal election, Doug Ford’s Conservatives slashed the size of city council in half to 26. This created outsized wards that are too big to manage and a population that feels disconnected from elected representatives. Burned out councillors are also a symptom, and we’ve seen a few—Joe Cressy and Mike Layton, for example, just walked away. Voter turnout is down to 30 per cent of eligible voters casting ballots, and the province under Doug Ford continues to further erode the power and relevance of local government in Ontario.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Editorial · Opinion

FORUM: His villainy was his lack of transparency (Jan. 2023)

January 24th, 2023 · Comments Off on FORUM: His villainy was his lack of transparency (Jan. 2023)

Our just “trust me” mayor has betrayed democracy

By Sue Dexter

“What I can’t support is change being rammed down our throats without a single second of public consultation.” John Tory after the province slashes council in half, 2018. 

“Trust me.” John Tory on receiving unprecedented minority rule powers, after no public consultation, 2022.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Opinion

FORUM: Turbulent time to take a seat (Jan. 2023)

January 24th, 2023 · Comments Off on FORUM: Turbulent time to take a seat (Jan. 2023)

Governance, climate, and road safety goals emerge as priorities

By Dianne Saxe

Thank you all for selecting me as your city councillor. I would like to thank the Gleaner for inviting me to regularly update residents on what is happening in Ward 11 and at city council. 

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Opinion

FORUM: Toronto has a homelessness crisis (Jan. 2023)

January 24th, 2023 · Comments Off on FORUM: Toronto has a homelessness crisis (Jan. 2023)

Governments must come together to address it

By Jessica Bell

On Dec. 8, I stood with Reverend Maggie Helwig, Bishop Andrew Asbil of the Archdiocese of Toronto, and over 100 local residents to observe the installation of a cage around the Panhandler Jesus statue outside the Church of Saint Stephen-in-the-Fields on College St.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Opinion

LETTER TO THE EDITOR (Dec. 2022)

December 13th, 2022 · Comments Off on LETTER TO THE EDITOR (Dec. 2022)

Re: Grading our Greenspaces – Margaret Fairley Park

I always enjoy getting the Annex Gleaner and have appreciated your Grading our Greenspace for many years…good for the neighbourhood and good for the parks department.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Opinion

EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice — Can dreams come true? (For John Tory) (Dec. 2022)

December 13th, 2022 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL CARTOON: How Nice — Can dreams come true? (For John Tory) (Dec. 2022)

SEE MORE:

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Editorial · Opinion

EDITORIAL: Bill 23: A housing plan built on corruption (Dec. 2022)

December 13th, 2022 · Comments Off on EDITORIAL: Bill 23: A housing plan built on corruption (Dec. 2022)

Back in 2018, Doug Ford spoke his truth and it was caught on camera. The reaction to that video was so swift and forceful that the premier was forced to make a promise: he would never touch the Greenbelt, he said. If we’ve learned anything about Doug Ford since then, it’s that saying one thing and doing another is standard practice, and promises are meant to be broken. In breaking his promise on the Greenbelt, Ford is inflicting incomparable damage on this province that extends from the land to our trust in democratic systems.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Editorial · Opinion

FORUM: A fall economic statement from the Minister of Finance (Dec. 2022)

December 13th, 2022 · Comments Off on FORUM: A fall economic statement from the Minister of Finance (Dec. 2022)

So far this year, our economic growth has been the strongest in the G7

By Chrystia Freeland

I know that it has felt like one thing after another since COVID first reached our shores. We turned the economy off, and then we turned it back on again. Vladimir Putin illegally invaded Ukraine. And now we are all dealing with the impacts of global inflation at the checkout counter and the gas pump.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Opinion

FORUM: Ford takes aim at democracy and the Greenbelt (Dec. 2022)

December 13th, 2022 · Comments Off on FORUM: Ford takes aim at democracy and the Greenbelt (Dec. 2022)

It’s power for power’s sake not about sound policy

By Jessica Bell

The Ford government’s Bill 39 is a direct attack on representative democracy. The bill bulldozes local decision-making so Doug Ford can wield more power while making it easier for his developer friends to get rich paving over the Greenbelt.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Opinion

FORUM: Bill 23 is the province’s Big Lie (Dec. 2022)

December 13th, 2022 · Comments Off on FORUM: Bill 23 is the province’s Big Lie (Dec. 2022)

Residents’ associations come together to condemn move

By the HVRA and the ARA

Bill 23, the provincial government’s promise to build 1.5 million homes by 2031 is nothing short of an early Christmas gift to developers.

There’s no guarantee homes will be built, there’s nothing to ensure they will be affordable, and there’s no help for renters.

[Read more →]

Tags: Annex · Opinion