The waterfront is already nothing but a wall of concrete. Why would an island airport for commuters be a BAD thing??? Oh right, because the whiney islanders dont like it. I forgot.

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Sue-Ann Levy Perhaps I'll never understand Mayor David Miller's way of thinking. To me, a viable airport on Toronto Island can only help the city's flagging downtown core take off. In my view, a revitalized airport housing Porter Airlines and its 10 Q400 planes -- slated to fly to markets like Ottawa, Montreal, Chicago and New York by fall -- won't stand in the way of a clean, green waterfront. Despite all the rhetoric from His Blondness, the two issues are not mutually exclusive. Frankly, the thousands of condo units that continue to be built along the waterfront have already put a stamp on the area. I'd hardly call that visionary. I'll bet most Torontonians -- other than the spoiled Islanders -- would welcome an alternative to trekking out to Pearson International two hours ahead of their short-haul flight. A beefed-up downtown airport certainly can't hurt tourism and it will add to the city's tax base. What mayor wouldn't want to collect more business taxes? Bob Deluce told me yesterday Bay Street support for his airline has been "unequivocal." He predicts it will pump $800 million annually into the economy and create 500 new jobs. He feels the opposition is coming mostly from the 200 or so Islanders who think the "waterfront is very much theirs." Nevertheless, Miller was positively spewing his shopworn socialist sanctimony this week about the decision by the Toronto Port Authority to award Porter Airlines and Deluce's REGCO Holdings an operating agreement at the airport until 2033. "A busy commercial airport doesn't have a place in a vibrant waterfront," Miller said. "The land is too valuable." He's written to the new Conservative Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon, asking him to stop the TPA's "contractual dealings" until a review of those dealings can be done. "I think agreements like long-term land leases give us all cause for concern," he said. Does the mayor ever listen to what he's saying? He wants the same Conservatives that he dissed mere days before the Jan. 23 election to bail him out? As for long-term land leases, Miller and Co. had no "cause for concern" about giving a 40-year-lease (for $1) to the friends of Coun. Joe Mihevc, otherwise known as Artscape, for a huge tract of land housing the Wychwood Car Barns. I'm not sure the mayor and his Island pals will be happy until the airport is gone and the area turned into parkland. While he's talked about being comfortable with a "sleepy commuter airport," his definition seems to be very fuzzy. He wouldn't tell me how many flights he'd be comfortable with, saying only that a busy commercial airport is a "tremendous lack of vision." Deluce says the mayor needs to check his facts more closely. At its peak in the 1960s, the airport had 240,000 air traffic movements a year; in 1987, 200,000 movements. "It (the airport) will be much sleepier even with our full use," he said, adding that he'd really like to work "co-operatively" with the city. I'd say the mayor is the one lacking vision. I suspect this has become almost a battle of wills. Not used to losing, Miller would sooner fight with Deluce and the TPA than simply get over his hissy fit and try to work out the best deal for the city and for the waterfront. "What we have right now is David Miller being close-minded and completely confrontational," says Coun. Jane Pitfield, who's running for mayor. Adds Coun. Case Ootes: "I can't think of anything wrong about (the airport) ... it has the potential to be a jewel within the heart of the city without really annoying anyone but a few Islanders."

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quote:

Originally posted by jester Everything in this country is illegal.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery…" Winston Churchill

‎"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law" - Winston Churchill

nice op-ed...

This November we have to vote and ditch Miller.


Im sick of this idiot.

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quote:

Originally posted by jester Everything in this country is illegal.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery…" Winston Churchill

‎"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law" - Winston Churchill

regardless of whether or not the Island Airport is a "good" or "bad" idea (cases can be made both ways), this piece is weak.

if the writer wants to convey an effective message, refraining from the use of loaded and clearly biased phrases and sentences such as "those spoiled Islanders" and "Nevertheless, Miller was positively spewing his shopworn socialist sanctimony this week" would be a good start.

People who use exaggeration and loaded phrases do nothing to strengthen their argument...if anything, it makes their position look weaker than it otherwise would...and can even serve to paint them as a radical nutcase to the opposition and to the undecided.

quote:

"Bob Deluce told me yesterday Bay Street support for his airline has been "unequivocal." He predicts it will pump $800 million annually into the economy and create 500 new jobs."

no kidding. did you expect him to point out negatives instead? so the word of the guy with a direct stake in this idea is what should sway me? give me numbers (independent of his)...give me NAMES ("Bay St"?)...give me EVIDENCE.

this is an op-ed piece...and a poor one.

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Originally posted by MarkT if the writer wants to convey an effective message, refraining from the use of loaded and clearly biased phrases and sentences such as "those spoiled Islanders" and "Nevertheless, Miller was positively spewing his shopworn socialist sanctimony this week" would be a good start.

exactly... shitty writing

jayx1 you can bring better to the table than this... come on

Look at it this way guys, instead of reading Jay's biased and redundant bullshit, we can read someone else's!!!

It's well known that the Toronto Sun is grade 3 level neoliberalist bullshit.

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Originally posted by Jayx1 This November we have to vote and ditch Miller. Im sick of this idiot.

Again? All this voting...

MILLER TIME!!! hahaha

I think it's great that Miller is stalling the expansion of the Island Airport. We should at the least preserve the waterfront as much as possible. Someday in the future we might have a political system that gives cities and mayors the access to finances they need. Finally, then, the people in power, who understand how world class cities work, will have the capability to develop a proper waterfront.

Unfortunatley by the time that happens much of the waterfront will probably be in private hands. It pretty much already is

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"Be the change you wish to see in the world"

quote:

[i][b] jayx1 you can bring better to the table than this... come on

ummm...????...nevermind.

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Originally posted by daves exactly... shitty writing jayx1 you can bring better to the table than this... come on

ummm....????....nevermind

Islanders again !!!!!

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Originally posted by Truepioneer MILLER TIME!!! hahaha I think it's great that Miller is stalling the expansion of the Island Airport. We should at the least preserve the waterfront as much as possible. Someday in the future we might have a political system that gives cities and mayors the access to finances they need. Finally, then, the people in power, who understand how world class cities work, will have the capability to develop a proper waterfront. Unfortunatley by the time that happens much of the waterfront will probably be in private hands. It pretty much already is

Lets preserve the waterfront for future condos!

Yay!

LOL

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quote:

Originally posted by jester Everything in this country is illegal.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery…" Winston Churchill

‎"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law" - Winston Churchill