Longstreet
06-30-2009, 12:10
Sad, sad, sad. Surely this is a form of treason . . .
Toronto on strike: city cancels its Canada Day parties
Posted: June 29, 2009, 7:11 PM by Allison Hanes
Toronto on strike, Canada Day
All city-run Canada events planned for Wednesday have been cancelled due to a week-long strike by civic workers, but Mayor David Miller said Toronto residents will still have plenty of festivities to attend with private events going ahead as planned, even in city parks.
Toronto pulled the plug on some 15 events planned by the city, from Ashbridges Bay to Mel Lastman Square, saying it just doesn’t have the staff to run them.
“In general terms if an event requires things like an electrical hook up, public washrooms, as well as clean up and park maintenance, there simply is not the capacity,” Mr. Miller said this afternoon. “We have 230 management or non-union staff in parks out of 8,000 people. And it’s just not physically feasible.”
Sue Corke, the deputy city manager, said in some of these events, parks and recreation staff were supposed to conduct most of the programming, so putting them on with skeleton crews of managers would be impossible.
The Mayor brushed aside complaints a double standard was set by the city stepping in to help with clean up after Pride festivities last weekend.
“Pride attracts a million people to Toronto. It’s one of our premier events in the city that not only says who we are as Torontonians but welcomes tourists,” Mr. Miller said. “I want to be clear here: Canada Day is not cancelled in Toronto. Some events are because the city can’t support them.”
The Mayor highlighted several non-city and privately organized national holiday celebrations taking place in Toronto, from Ribfest at Centennial Park in Etobicoke, to Queen’s Park.
“There events at Downsview Park, at Ontario Place, there’s the Canada Day Jam at Woodbine Park, which is also a private park,” he said. “Canada Day’s very important to all of us. I’m an immigrant. It’s very important to me personally and there are a lot of events still going on.”
Toronto on strike: city cancels its Canada Day parties
Posted: June 29, 2009, 7:11 PM by Allison Hanes
Toronto on strike, Canada Day
All city-run Canada events planned for Wednesday have been cancelled due to a week-long strike by civic workers, but Mayor David Miller said Toronto residents will still have plenty of festivities to attend with private events going ahead as planned, even in city parks.
Toronto pulled the plug on some 15 events planned by the city, from Ashbridges Bay to Mel Lastman Square, saying it just doesn’t have the staff to run them.
“In general terms if an event requires things like an electrical hook up, public washrooms, as well as clean up and park maintenance, there simply is not the capacity,” Mr. Miller said this afternoon. “We have 230 management or non-union staff in parks out of 8,000 people. And it’s just not physically feasible.”
Sue Corke, the deputy city manager, said in some of these events, parks and recreation staff were supposed to conduct most of the programming, so putting them on with skeleton crews of managers would be impossible.
The Mayor brushed aside complaints a double standard was set by the city stepping in to help with clean up after Pride festivities last weekend.
“Pride attracts a million people to Toronto. It’s one of our premier events in the city that not only says who we are as Torontonians but welcomes tourists,” Mr. Miller said. “I want to be clear here: Canada Day is not cancelled in Toronto. Some events are because the city can’t support them.”
The Mayor highlighted several non-city and privately organized national holiday celebrations taking place in Toronto, from Ribfest at Centennial Park in Etobicoke, to Queen’s Park.
“There events at Downsview Park, at Ontario Place, there’s the Canada Day Jam at Woodbine Park, which is also a private park,” he said. “Canada Day’s very important to all of us. I’m an immigrant. It’s very important to me personally and there are a lot of events still going on.”