In today’s Sun: the mayor of some of the people, not all of them

In 1971, a Canadian politician could probably get away with snubbing the gay community.

In 1981? Probably then, too.

1991? Getting tougher. 2001? Getting a lot tougher.

2011? Pretty much impossible.

That’s why the decision of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford to skip the city’s annual Pride parade attracted a lot of attention last week. It’s the first time in a long time a Toronto mayor has snubbed the powerful gay community. Among other things, it’s kind of bizarre.

Ford’s excuse — he’s continuing a 30-year family tradition of gathering at the cottage in Huntsville.


Ticket to ride, NDP style!

Jack won’t be riding one to Toronto, turns out. He’s bailed out of attending the Ontario NDP convention. What a disappointment!

I guess they should have told him their convention was being held in Vegas!

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I hate people when they’re not polite

“For a so-called advanced civilization – where we speed around in high-tech cars below skyscraping architectural marvels – people can be awfully uncivilized. And according to a Toronto etiquette expert, its only getting worse.”

I’m on my way to give a speech to a few trade unions, but the above story had me laughing out loud. Among other things, how do “experts” measure this stuff? “Day 15: Am in week two of scientific study of rude Torontonians in the wild. Just this morning, the team observed a banker loudly slurping a latte at bus stop in Leaside. Have captured and sedated the specimen. Could be a breakthrough.”

Anyway, my “expert” analysis is that (a) you can get a student loan for just about anything, these days and (b) the friendliest (and therefore most courteous) folks are in the Atlantic provinces. Least friendly place I’ve lived? Vancourver, by a long shot.

There, I have now impolitely set off an Internet stink bomb. What’s your view, O ye civilized wk.com readers?