A big step backward in Toronto

[marmar]

from the Toronto Star:




By Royson James
City Columnist


Now what?

Rob Ford, the man billed as Toronto’s worst nightmare, is the city’s 64th mayor.

Sophisticated Toronto has elected as its chief magistrate a penny-pinching councillor who promises to rip out downtown streetcar lines, chop the size of council in half, privatize garbage collection and squeeze as much as $2.7 billion out of the city’s budget.

And he won going away, polling nearly half the votes.

That’s the reality staring 2.5 million citizens in the face as Ford trounced George Smitherman, the choice of a well-orchestrated and divisive effort by the city’s elite to stop the suburban councillor from Etobicoke.

Ten months ago, this was unthinkable. Today, Torontonians spread across the country and the world are wondering, what happened. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thestar.com/news/article/881078--what-happens-now-four-turbulent-years?bn=1