jerseykrs said:

He's kinda scary.

...But he probably knows where all the fun is.

Toronto has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of

but we (and many other governments) embraced some neo=conservative trends such as cutting welfare benefits, tightening welfare and UI rules drastically and cutting various programs. Mike Harris' Conservatives did a good deal of that.

Toronto has been referred to as New York with less violence and cleaner streets or, as Peter Ustinov put it in 1987, "New York run by the Swiss". It does have many similarities, taking 3rd place as the largest English speaking live theatre centre in the world.

It's also hot on the heels of both New York and Los Angeles in film production, with around 40 films being shot every day.

From bbc.co.uk:

Ace said:

Not to mention it has THE hottest film festival this side of Cannes.

Welcome to Hogtown, "T.O.", "la Ville Reine" ("Queen City").

Toronto is a model city compared to most North American metropolis(es?). Although it's not as clean as it used to be and familiar urban problems have been on the rise, it is by and large a big city on a human scale, with absolutely world-class values of diversity, tolerance and openness. Here, all the various groups get along because no one really dominates. Over half the population was born elsewhere, often in another country.

From an urbanism POV, the city has the distinction of having kept a very diverse downtown that is not overwhelmed by any one factor. One of the richest neighborhoods is smack against one of the poorest and there's a lot of middle class gentility in between.

Aesthetically, "T.O." could afford to be more audacious. There are a number of big projects such as the AGO and the ROM, but overall the city has lacked vision and ambition for a good 15 years now. It has partially regained some of its vitality after many years of crushing pressure caused by the downloading of provincial responsibilities to the municipal level and an amalgamation that failed to deliver any efficiencies. Personally, I blame the usual economic factors but also the rise of US-style conservatism, which lead us to treat some of our poorest citizens as harshly as they are treated in the US. As a result, the homeless population grew rapidly while social services, mass transit and the likes took a huge hit.

I reside in the gayborhood (Church Street) and work downtown, so I never see much of the city. I couldn't tell you jack about the city north of Rosedale. Avenue Road is very close (two blocks away).

So, Bienvenue/Welcome!

Aerogram said:

Nice work, Aerogram (although I'll take issue with a few points):



Again, we do much better on these issues than any American city of comparable size. And would you really say that "US-style conservatism" is on the rise in a city that elected David Miller??


...Oh - and Spats? I'll save you the trouble:

Spats will say:

shellyevon said:

"Nothing to be ashamed of"? I know you intended this as a compliment, but that's like saying "Chicago's quite okay, in its own little way".

Ace said:

Sorry Ace, it was meant as a reply to Spats, I've traveled a lot and Toronto is second only to London on my personal favorites list. My only complaint would be that it's too polite .I like a little New York crassness.

shellyevon said:

Oh, go to hell!





















...That any better?

Aerogram said:

But Toronto didn't vote Harris in - the support that put him in power came from '905' country.