With Toronto City Council meeting daily Monday to Friday in two different meetings, a lot can happen that impacts life in the City of Toronto. Here is our rundown of four items you should know about.
1. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, and Two-Spirited (LGBTQ2S) Youth Focused Transition Hub Vote - 37 in Favour, Mayor Ford against.
While there has been a lot of hoopla raised around the fact that both Mayor Rob Ford and Councillor Doug Ford maintained a seated position during the standing ovations given to City staff and various organizations for their work during WorldPride, the true actions of the Fords on LGBTQ issues are much more concerning.
Cllr Wong-Tam asks if Mayor Ford will release item on LGBTQ2S Youth Focused Shelter or Transitional Housing report. He refuses. #TOCouncil
— Toronto Media Coop (@TOmediacoop) July 9, 2014
On the importance of the proposed transitional hub, city staff note that existing space is insufficient and creates barriers that…
may include lack of sensitivity to the unique needs of LGBTQ2S youth including homophobic and transphobic attitudes of staff and other services users, as well as inappropriate personal space, and/or washroom and shower facilities which do not respect the dignity and gender identify of LGBTQ2S youth. Mainstream services may also not have the capacity to support youth facing complex issues related to gender transitions, internalized homophobia and transphobia and risk factors related to HIV transmission.
Having held the vote on the transitional hub back from the floor until Day 3, Rob Ford continued his active repression of the queer and trans community. Without as much as a comment as to his reasoning for holding the vote back until then, Mayor allowed for a vote to proceed. Following this, the vote regarding the transitional hub passed with 37 votes in favour and only the Mayor voting against.
2. Councillor Mammoliti’s Code of Conduct Violation.
While all eyes rest on the Fords, there are still other major issues created in Council by other members. Giorgio Mammoliti, Councillor for Ward 7 (York West), is tied up in a fundraising event scandal that brought together lobbyists, companies involved in City affairs, and City staff to fund the Councillor personally. The Integrity Commissioner’s report on the matter recommended harsh sanctions against Mammoliti and it appeared conclusive in its findings regarding a breach of Council’s Code of Conduct. However, on the day of the Council meeting an anonymous email was circulated among Councillors claiming wrongdoing on the part of the Commissioner. With Mammoliti missing for most of the meeting, this led to Commissioner Janet Leiper taking the limelight.
Crisanti clearly trying to argue that skates around rules. Luby asks how evidence was obtained, IC answers through powers of IC. #TOCouncil
— Toronto Media Coop (@TOmediacoop) July 9, 2014
Some further and slightly less helpful questions from Minnan-Wong on the IC's power to gain information. #TOCouncil
— Toronto Media Coop (@TOmediacoop) July 9, 2014
3. The Appointment of Two New Councillors.
As mentioned, there was an attempt to defer matters around Mammoliti’s code of conduct violation. This was raised by new Ward 5 Councillor James Maloney. Maloney replaces Peter Milczyn, while Ceta Ramkhalawansingh has replaced Adam Vaughan in Ward 20. Milczyn and Vaughan were both elected in their respective federal by-elections with the Liberal Party. Maloney’s motion was met with skepticism and disregard by some councillors (one referring to it as “just bad”), while others online accused Maloney of taking up the banner of the Fords in his decision-making. For himself, Maloney claimed to be attempting to be cautious, as was in line with his legal background, even as the motion failed.
Maloney moves to withdraw motion, following the responses from Cllrs on the deferral. Motion is withdrawn successful, unanimously #TOCouncil
— Toronto Media Coop (@TOmediacoop) July 9, 2014
Later in the Council session, Ramkhalawansingh moved her first motion – which was to have city officials and staff attend an Ontario Municipal Board meeting about proposed changes to heritage buildings at 562, 564 and 566 Spadina Crescent.
Cllr Ramkhalawansingh's first motion - to appear before the Ontario Municipal Board re 562, 564 and 566 Spadina Crescent -passes #TOCouncil
— Toronto Media Coop (@TOmediacoop) July 9, 2014
4. Sir John A. Macdonald Plaza Vote.
In an attempt to recognize the two hundredth anniversary of John A. Macdonald’s birth, Council moved to consider renaming Union Station after the long-dead first Prime Minister of Canada. However, this motion, as originally put forward by Denzil Minnan-Wong, was amended before presentation to Council to be restricted to the naming of an outdoor plaza at Union station.
Councillor Pam McConnell and a number of other Councillors raised concerns over naming a section of Toronto’s primary railway station after Macdonald, given his well-documented racism toward Chinese migrant workers involved in building the Canadian railway and their families. To McConnell, this seemed contradictory in light of the 2006 Federal government apology regarding the Chinese head tax instituted by Macdonald.
Cllr Wong-Tam: "There are other histories to be celebrates, other histories to be told" on Union Station motion #TOCouncil
— Toronto Media Coop (@TOmediacoop) July 9, 2014
Cllr Fillion makes an interesting point: There are lots of things named after J.A. MacDonald. #TOCouncil
— Toronto Media Coop (@TOmediacoop) July 9, 2014
