09.12.2013 09:31 AM

She who would be mayor: listen to this

Karen Stintz provides Canada’s largest city with real, honest-to-goodness dead air when asked if she’s blown the transit file (because, um, she has).

“Who’s in charge?” she is asked by one of the fairest journalists in Canada. “How much of [the transit file chaos] is your fault?”

Dead air, around the 15 minute mark. Crickets.

Listen here. It’s painful.

Bottom line: Stintz isn’t fit to be the city’s transit boss, let alone the city’s mayor.

10 Comments

  1. steve says:

    Her talking point that its not a subway because the tracks are in open air is cringeworthy. Is Ford nation really that dim she has to communicate at that level?

  2. G. Babbitt says:

    Oh I don’t know Warren, I didn’t think that was too bad. She was a little flummoxed by the phrasing of the question and it was a bit provocative. Nevertheless she laughed and did try to answer it. I’ve moved from Toronto and I’m not suggesting that your wrong about her ability to be mayor or transit chair, but the interview wasn’t that bad.

  3. Christian Giles says:

    Cringeworthy indeed. I never thought she was mayorial material even when everyone was suggesting it back when she had her first fall out with Ford (she signed up with his admin fully knowing who she was dealing with). The question about whos fault it is (and Galloway also included De Baermaker too) is totally fair. Re-restarting the subway vs LRT debate was crass politics at its worst (the province is guilty too don’t get me wrong). What this whole disaster further illustrates is that its high time to take the whole transit planning file away from the politicians. Its far too important to the future of the City and more importantly cannot be planned and implemented in alignment with 4 year electoral cycles.

  4. Jeff says:

    I agree with the other people commenting. Stintz can’t possibly shoulder any of the responsibility for Toronto’s transit mess. She’s only the person (allegedly) in charge of the TTC who’s responsible for ensuring the city has an efficient and effective transit system for its citizens.

  5. Dennis Hollingsworth says:

    Very Well Said W.K. … Coincidentally, I Fired Karen Stintz as a Fbook friend (Smiles) … a couple of hours after this broadcast with Matt Galloway … Yess, I was Fair yet Firm in the explanation I provided to Karen !!

  6. W the K - No, not Warren says:

    The whole thing’s painful. Listening to both interviews three themes ran through what they were saying. It’s a mess. We don’t really know what’s going on. Hey, it’s not my fault.

    This sits at the mayor’s feet. The transit file went into turmoil the day he took office and I think that’s the way he wants it. Other than a stub of a subway in Scarborough, he wants nothing built. He wants the controversy. It allows him to campaign as opposed to governing. I’m surprised he hasn’t proposed more freeways within Toronto’s borders.

    Royson James has a good column on this today in the Star. He points out that otherwise capable people involved in the city’s transit have been made to look like fools, effectively neutered by a chaotic mayoralty.

    Has Stintz got the stuff to be mayor. I dunno. Is still think the next mayor isn’t on anyone’s radar yet. A dull capable administrator in the Art Eggleton mould. After the last few years voters will be begging for any kind of stability. And the powers that be on the right are getting seriously creeped out by the Fords’ act.

  7. patrick says:

    Still way better than Ford.

    Okay, that’s really faint praise.

  8. Derek says:

    David Soknacki would be a terrific mayor. As a former budget chief, he understands the city’s finances as well as anyone. Moreover, as a self-made businessman who operates a successful manufacturing business, he understands the plight of small business in the city. This solid fiscal understanding is buttresed by a Jimmy Stewart-like folky nature, and the ability to connect with people across the political spectrum- even NOW Magazine gave him “A” grades when he served as a councillor in Scarborough (Suburban credentials, another plus!). As he did in the lead-up to the 2010 campaign on his website here, WK might say it is too early. And it certainly is. But if he takes the plunge, Soknacki deserves serious consideration. He would restore a sense of civility to the office and council, and could be the right person at the right time for Toronto.

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