Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

'They should f*** off'

by Aaron Wherry on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 9:51am - 54 Comments

This should actually only make John Baird more popular in Ottawa, right?

Tags: David Miller, John Baird, Ottawa, Toronto

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http://intensedebate.com/people/Harbles Harbles

One wonders what Toronto did wrong on their request? T not crossed? I not dotted? Details please.

Wotcher?

Not enough Conservatives elected.
scf

It's pretty damn simple, and stupid, on Toronto's part.

A stimulus project is intended to create local jobs. How on earth is it creating local jobs in Toronto to be buying streetcars from Bombardier, which will be built anywhere but Toronto? And that's it, there is no other stimulus funding request from Toronto.

Jenn

Why? Why is the stimulus project only to produce local jobs? Canadian jobs, jobs in the north, like say Thunder Bay, why can't Toronto get what it wants moving forward, while employing people from outside the 416? Who is it hurting?

To put it another way, how about Thunder Bay asks for streetcars in Toronto. That better?

scf

Frankly, I think stimulus is bunk, I don't agree with the theory, nor the premise.

However, that being said, the whole idea seems to be to ensure that people are out there working immediately, in all regions of the country, so it's not unreasonable for them to ask that this particular bit of funding be allocated towards immediate projects that will have immediate impact in the local area.

Therefore, it is easy to see the frustration. You create a program with certain parameters, and the applicants treat it like a free-for-all, and to top it off, they give you no alternatives, so it's all or nothing. With the way the coty of Toronto blows their budget, you'd think they could find something else that deserves funding.

Michael

The application contained the wrong city name, province and postal code.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Harbles Harbles

Thunder bay vs T.O.?
tobyornotoby

Is this some kind of fundamentalist job creation policy? That money spent in 416 has to create jobs only in 416? I can't even imagine how you'd guarantee that. And what's wrong with securing jobs in 807? Northern Ontario has staggering job losses in the forest sector for the size of its population and economy.

http://www.intensedebate.com/people/sea_n_mountains sea_n_mountains

I think the subtext to "[Toronto] should f_ _ _ off" is "…and f_ _ _ Northern Ontario too!"

http://www.intensedebate.com/people/Harbles Harbles

Thunder bay vs T.O.? Got the Provence and Country right.
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/Harbles Harbles

Thunder bay vs T.O.? Got the Provence and Country right.

Michael

Nah. Should have said "Calgary, Alta" on the app.

Jason

Baird is just trying to get votes outside 416.
http://www.299bloorcallcontrol.com @larrylarry

Baird claims that because Toronto's streetcar contract is over a 10 year period, it does not offer "immediate stimulus", which is a load of crock (see, I can control my language!). The second the contract is signed, the whole chain of supply to build them will be initialized, from the engineers, parts manufacturers, and quite possibly, the construction of a new assembly facility in the GTA. The Toronto streetcar contract also has a "Canadian Content" clause as well, where at least 25% of the value of the contract must be spent in Canada.

The reason why this isn't acceptable to the Tories is because unlike small scale road and bridge or sewer projects, this is long term, large scale thinking that they will likely not get any photo opportunities from. The first streetcar is not expected to roll off the assembly line for two years, and they're very well aware that they need a big publicity stunt before that. Once again, the Tory mantra is not to 'dream big', but to resort to expediency and short-term political advantage.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Geiseric Geiseric

If it wasn't Baird it wouldn't be funny.
Anon

To be fair, Toronto has been saying F-O to the Tories for umpteen elections. About time one of the leading lights of the Conservative party retaliated.

Ted

Because that is what democratic representational government is all about, right? Screw those who don't vote for you?

Sadly, with 80% of infrastructure money going to Tory ridings, this is hardly a surprise.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Silly_Walks Silly_Walks

This is good politics.
andrew

it's not as if they got *no* votes in TO. Just no seats. I think the ended up with something like ~20% of the vote. Sticking it to Toronto is a good way of making sure that number goes down.

Terren

Baird is nutso
http://intensedebate.com/people/SeanStok SeanStok

Crap, even my young children have pretty much learned to keep some thoughts to themselves. We call it "inside voice", and have used such learning opportunities as not commenting on the fish and broccoli dinner when we are guests in someone's house, and refraining from vocal observations about the weight, scent or mannerisms of passersby. All in the hope they may become cabinet ministers, or at least decent ordinary folks, some day.

The Libs should rent a giant billboard on the Gardiner with a pic of Baird and this quote.

Ted

"All in the hope they may become cabinet ministers, or at least decent ordinary folks"

You say that as though becoming a cabinet minister is the higher accomplishment.

http://intensedebate.com/people/SeanStok SeanStok

My bad. I'm just nostalgic for the days when cabinet ministers served a function slightly more engaged than a potted fern. I will say that I'm growing increasingly sympathetic to Harper's instinct to keep his ministers on short leashes. It's like he's got to oversee a group of Vikings visiting the Queen for tea.

john g

He said this publically, in earshot of reporters?

What is he thinking? Trying to draw fire away from Raitt?
Gaunilon

Mayor Miller couldn't find his rear with both hands. What a gump.
CanadianInDC

I'd say that the picture the Star used is unfair, but that's what Baird looks like answering questions in QP, so….you know. It's tough.
http://intensedebate.com/people/SeanStok SeanStok

Any close up of Baird's head is a bit unfair, given that he resembles the Hulk, only pastier.

BCer in Mtl

More like Ralph Kramden. Or the John Candy character in 'Stripes' (the character's name escapes me at the moment)

http://intensedebate.com/people/SeanStok SeanStok

Francis?

BCer in Mtl

More like Ralph Kramden. Or the John Candy character in 'Stripes' (the character's name escapes me at the moment)

http://intensedebate.com/people/Silly_Walks Silly_Walks

Yeah, John Baird is within earshot of Toronto reporters hurling obscenities about the largest city in the country, but it's David Miller who's oozing incompetence here. Right.
sbt

If anyone comes out of this story a winner it is Baird. At least we know he has a pulse.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Sir_Francis Sir_Francis

At least we know he has a pulse.

That Baird has a pulse was never in question. Whether it's wasted on him is far more arguable.
http://intensedebate.com/people/SeanStok SeanStok

"At least we know he has a pulse."

One that apparently only feeds blood to the angry region of his brain.

sbt

But do you really care? My guess is no. It's a funny story and that's about it.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

I love how the Star dug around in its file room to find the most ogre-like photo of Baird. He looks like a "Shrek"-style caricature in this one.

I love the headline: "Top Tory Curses Toronto" (As opposed to: "Top Tory Curses David Miller" or "Top Tory Curses T.O. City Hall". Reading the headline you'd swear Baird had hurled curses at the city and everyone who lived there.

In an unguarded moment, Baird told aides Toronto stood alone in not meeting the technical criteria for federal cash, yet was complaining about Ottawa dragging its feet. The federal minister overseeing the infrastructure program was overheard by a Star reporter after he mistakenly walked into a media room at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities convention at this British Columbia resort.

Ha, ha, ha. The reporter accidentally (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) walked into the room and "overheard" the minister dropping the F-bomb.

Actually, I'm surprised the Star showed such restraint. Better headline: "Top Tory Tells Toronto: F*ck Off"

http://intensedebate.com/people/Sir_Francis Sir_Francis

I love the headline: "Top Tory Curses Toronto"… Better headline: "Top Tory Tells Toronto: F*ck Off"

I, too, think the Star missed the boat on this one–especially since "f*ck off" is not literally a curse. It’s merely a profanity.

A more accurate headline would have been, "Top Tory Offers Toronto an Obscene Coital Non-Sequitur".
http://intensedebate.com/people/SirJohn_Eh SirJohn_Eh

Wasnt it Baird who accidentally walked into the media room??
Headline offering – "Top Tory flips Toronto the B(a)ird"

http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack_Mitchell

"Top Tory flips Toronto the B(a)ird"

That's good.

Nick

So the problem with the application is that it would create stable, high-paying jobs for the enxt 10 years mainly in Montreal/Quebec with other jobs being created in Toronto and it doesn't qualify because the timeframe is too long and most of the jobs aren't created in the 416 area?

Long-term high-paying jobs in Canada = bad, when Canada = Quebec or Toronto.

When will you in Toronto and Quebec learn to vote correctly! Tabarnak!
Jenn

"The federal minister overseeing the infrastructure program was overheard by a Star reporter after he mistakenly walked into a media room"

Boy, they sure don't make ministerial aides the way they used to, huh?
Shame on Baird's aide for sneaking a media room right in Baird's path. Oh sure, you could claim that cabinet ministers ought to be able to watch where they're going, successfully cross the street all by themselves, etc., but what are aides for if not these sorts of things?
Wayne

This is just too funny = way to go baird – call it like it is once in awhile.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

LOL.
scf

Yes, all good points. Partisan journalism, and they don't even bother trying to hide it.
scf

Yes, I think this is something that actually might gain him some votes in fact, across the country.