The issue of police cameras

Privacy expectation has been a hot topic since the City of Toronto decided to go ahead with the installation and operation of surveillance cameras on the streets in a number of communities in the city. Public space can be defined in a number of ways with varying degrees of privacy expectations, however the streets and public thoroughfares where law enforcement members are hired to protect and keep members of the public safe while they are in use should not be seen as a violation given that these cameras are not reported to be producing x-ray vision nor are they mounted at ground level. Opposition to this latest crime prevention measure warrants serious research as I struggle with the issue of PRIVACY expectation in PUBLIC places. How ridiculously ironic.

Is the number of parents seeking places in faith-based schools on the increase?

The Ontario election campaign is in its final stage and one wonders why faith-based schools were a constant focal point. I have already established that the issue of funding is moot as these pupils are entitled to paid tuition should they chose to access any of the two publicly funded school systems.

Is there a correlation between the changing public school curriculum to accommodate the more liberal views of today's society towards minorities like gays and lesbians, and the trend towards enrollment in faith-based schools? Is there a fear from liberals that the public school system could be replaced or outnumbered by publicly funded "faith-based" schools? While I research this further the indicators are suggesting that this divisive issue may have been precipitated by an earlier and equally divisive one.

Tory's team should be providing more expalnation on his key policy issues

I just read John Tory's response to voters' questions in the National Post this afternoon and I am wondering why his campaign team is not explaining the key policies the way Tory did today. The explanation given by John Tory today which would see all faith-based schools having had to meet key provincial school board requirements would best become law in three years following consultations and pilot projects. Also included was his response to questions on public transit in the Toronto and the GTA.
Tory went on to further explain and allay the fears of a voter who thought keeping now private schools out of the public system of monitoring and supervision, would prevent extremism from being taught in these classrooms.

Again, here is my question to the electorate. If the 53,000 students attending the faith-based schools decides to enter/re-enter the public school system, isn't the province and Dalton McGuinty obliged to accept them and provide additional funding for the schools they choose? Read the full blog.

TO is world's No. 5 most livable city!

Toronto is ranked No. 5 on the Economist magazine's world most livable cities list after No. 1 ranked Vancouver. Way to go Canada! more

Toronto and the Mayor's tax plan

Today Royson James outlined in his Toronto Star article what might be the genesis of the city's tax woes. Whatever happens for the rest of Mayor Miller's tenure there will still be a need for strong leadership in the city in the years to follow.

The Mayor is on the offensive again

His Lordship is carrying out some of his threats to Torontonians as he can't seem to have his way at taxing the population. The mayor has not displayed any form of negotiation skills since he started threatening the Federal Conservative government about campaigning against them (which he always does since he is affiliated with the NDP) unless he gets 16.7% (his misleading 1 cent plan) of the GST revenue collected in the city. Mayor Miller never negotiates from a position of strength and seems surprised when he is unsuccessful. His leadership ability is now being questioned and he should be doing some serious self assessment if he has not done so in the past couple days. Things have not changed since he first took office and the city's debt has climb to where it now sits. The Mayor now has some critical decisions to make and chief among them should be his tenure in office.