Liechtenstein is looking better all the time. Unemployment 1.5%. Personal income tax rate 1.2%
Chow isn't interested, last I heard, in the mayoral job. But she is a smart woman and from what I know now, she would be a good choice.
Rather well written. Stinging but nonetheless true. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/when-the-ford-jokes-stop-208982891.html
You can smoke cocaine if it's put on hash or mj. It's called a cocopuff.
Last year, I was invited to a small café where a group of men in ethnic garb sat around smoking water pipes similar to the one Ford was seen with.
I've not read that it was a 'water pipe' and I've read most articles and also seen the video of the two reporters who did see the video, but they didn't mention water pipe. I felt they were talking about a bong.
If however Ford was seen smoking a water pipe or hukka, it's not uncommon and he could have easily said he did and then brought those he was with to verify that it was harmless. That would have eliminated a lot of what everyone has been going through.
There is nothing wrong with smoking a hukka which uses tobacco usually with flavours such as apple, mint, cherry, chocolate, coconut, licorice, cappuccino etc
Some attack the media that disagrees with them as being manipulated by the govt. and big business. Then, when the media attacks someone they dislike (like Rob Ford), they suddenly believe whatever is printed in the media.
To begin with some attacks are manipulated by the government, such as recently the Canadian artist Franke James who had her climate change artwork monitored by the government. But she found herself on the federal government’s radar in the spring of 2011 after some diplomats agreed to offer a $5,000 grant in support of a European art tour featuring James’s artwork, only to see it revoked a few days later by a senior director of the Foreign Affairs Department’s climate change division who felt the funding would “run counter to Canada’s interests.” Government memos showed her artwork was not funded because it dealt “mostly with climate change” and was “advocating a message that was contrary to the government’s policies on the subject.” So does the Harper government go after and punish those who disagree with them? Absolutely!
When it comes to Ford however the possibility that he smoked hard drugs, I personally think has a high probability because of his past. He has an addictive personality.
I don't where I saw it or heard it, but didn't Chow and Layton expense the same house in Ottawa on their tax returns?
No actually with regards to the house it was a home in some sort of low income area and they were accused of paying low income rent. However it was revealed that they paid the full price as others in the same area do and not the low income price.
Who are the people who claim that Fords sold hashish in high school and how many people did the newspaper who dug up this material interview to get this information?
Are these people reliable, did the newspaper pay them to make up stories and how many people told them that the Fords didn't sell hashish in high school.
The people have spoken to reporters but they are afraid to come forward because of possible revenge from the Ford family. Maybe they are protecting themselves or even their own families, or their families businesses. But it happened longggggg ago in high school and young people sell lots of things in school. To me the accusations against Ford's brother have little to no effect or attachment to the mayor's problems.
I heard that a cop who worked in the precinct where the Fords went to school called into the radio station during the Fords' program and said the Fords were not known to the police at that time.
I heard that as well. I give it little credence. First of all the cops don't know 80% of people dealing (especially high school kids) and for all we know, the cop who called in might be a regular at the Ford rib barbeques. It's of little importance.
The problem is Rob Ford himself and his past record and now the present problem. One of the reasons I think anyone who is being paid by the public to preform any service should be tested regularly for hard drugs. Not only is it important that they are doing those drugs but even more important is..... who they are associating with in their positions of power.
Ford Nation stands strongly
Not for long. Calling the media "maggots" and then attacking the other members of Toronto council was political suicide.
"Isn't expensing the same house double dipping?
They got $48,000 per yer and should have got $24,000."
Same old, same old.
Typical conservative throwing mud at anyone else - even if they are dead - to take attention away from their own problems. It does not matter if the claims do not match reality - keep throwing mud knowing some of it will stick.
The reality - Chow and Layton split the cost of their rental unit in Ottawa - $1,000 a month ($12,000 a year) each.
Chow was refunded $17,010.20 for rent and "per diem" meal expenses
Layton was refunded $25,468.00
At the time, several years ago, from the Toronto Star:
"Instead, she wanted to talk about other opposition MPs and what they charge, including Human Resources Minister Diane Finley, whose husband, former Conservative party national campaign director Doug Finley, was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in August 2009.
“What about them? Are you going to look at their expenses?” Chow said.
While the House of Commons has taken some baby steps in releasing members' expenses, there are critics who still insist the lack of transparency prevents the public from getting a detailed breakdown.
“If we had detailed disclosure, we would be in a better position to say whether Jack and Olivia are or are not taking advantage of the rules,” Kevin Gaudet, the federal spokesperson for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said."
As suggested by Chow, the Star looked at Diane Finley's expenses.
The Conservative cabinet minister, who is paid $233,247 annually, filed $386,982.08 in member expenses and, of that, spent $25,403.40 on accommodation and per diem expenses.
She can also draw on her minister's office budget for department-related expenses.
Doug Finley, who makes $132,300 a year as a senator, can charge up to $20,000 a year for accommodation and per diems.
Layton told the Star that at $1,000 each, he and Chow are saving the taxpayers' money, especially given they can give a week's notice and suspend the lease when there are prolonged breaks in the action on the Hill.
“First of all, it is very common for MPs to live together, even unmarried ones. We found that this is a cheaper way than, for example, renting hotel space . . . And, of course, it's a far cry from what the Leader of the Opposition gets for his place,” he said.
Layton said that his $12,000 or so in per diem expenses simply reflects that he regularly travels and eats in restaurants, “which this is designed to do.”
" but paying full price."
That is correct buy it defeats the purpose here of throwing mud on the dead. Anything to move the conversation away from Conservative Ford. 😞
It is a bloody shame.
When Ford was elected mayor it happened when people in TO were upset with the money being spent by councillors. I forget the details now but I believe his election motto was something to do with 'stopping the gravy train'. People in TO were angry about the spending (right or wrong) and Ford came in as the sheriff who would solve all their problems, which in a city the size of TO was a ridiculous concept. It was a knee jerk reaction on the part of the voters the same as Harper being elected after the Liberal Ad scandal.
I'm not saying he wasn't right in some of his views but it was easy for him to cut councillors costs because he and his family have a successful wealthy business while other councillors live based on their one paycheck. That aside however he attacked people with a vengeance, isolating council and even getting to the point of making racial remarks. During the meeting Ford spoke out against the city donating $1.5 million to help prevent AIDS, Ford argued that most tax payers should not be concerned with AIDS because "If you are not doing needles and you are not gay, you wouldn't get AIDS probably, that's bottom line...those are the facts." After then Mayor David Miller pointed out that women are the largest growing demographic of people contracting AIDS, Ford responded that it must mean 'they are sleeping with bi-sexual men'.
On March 7, 2007, Ford made controversial comments about cyclists' use of the roads, saying, "What I compare bike lanes to is swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you're going to get bitten... Roads are built for buses, cars, and trucks, not for people on bikes. My heart bleeds for them when I hear someone gets killed, but it’s their own fault at the end of the day."
The list on Ford goes on and on and on and on and some people consider him an interesting comic book character who they wait for the next disaster on his part (especially when it is not affecting them), while others consider him a bully. Whichever view, he has proven to be not good for Toronto. He's taken away whatever 'class' Toronto had in the world view and made the city the laughing stock of stand up comics. I think Toronto can do a LOT better. JMPO
As for Fontana, well he too has a longgggg history. He's not as brash as Ford, Fontana is more conniving. I'm not sure how you can say he has helped London's employment picture with the unemployment rate it has and the fact that he has scared business away which went to Woodstock. He may have kept the legal profession in $$$ but only Gord will benefit in the long run and he should be able to finally retire after Fontana's bill is paid.
When we add it all up......the mafia corruptions in Quebec, the Harper/Senate scandal and other situations where democracy has been forgotten, then Ford, then Fontana, and there are probably others that have slipped my mind............Canada is looking more and more like a third world country of underhanded politicians who have the intellect of street corner gangsters in expensive suits.
