Doug Ford

Mayoral Candidate Doug Ford is INCORRECT.

FACT: Toronto HAS Elected Mayors who never served on Council.

— HIMY SYeD

if-you-want-to-destroy-civilization-you-burn-the-libraries-himy-syed-said-at-tuesdays-library-board-meeting
… If you want to destroy civilization, you burn the libraries

“Doug Ford, the blunt-talking Toronto councillor and brother to the mayor, is ratcheting up the cost-cutting rhetoric at city hall, vowing to support library closings…

“Mr. Ford, a rookie councillor who has quickly gained a reputation for headline-grabbing statements, said Tuesday he would close a library in his ward “in a heartbeat,” characterizing a growing movement to save branches backed by Margaret Atwood as an “over-reaction,” led by “library groups.”

“Good luck to Margaret Atwood. I don’t even know her. She could walk right by me, I wouldn’t have a clue who she is,” said Mr. Ford

“She’s not down here. She’s not dealing with the problem,” he went on to say. “Tell her to go run in the next election and get democratically elected.”

“Mr. Ford figures there are five or six library branches within a two-mile area near his ward, which includes what he described as a little-used location in an industrial area.

“Asked if he would vote to close that branch he said, “Absolutely I would. In a heartbeat.

“And my constituents, it wouldn’t bother them because they have another library two miles one way and two miles the other way.”

“Ms. Atwood has devoted several tweets to the Etobicoke councillor, who got into hot water earlier this month by suggesting there are more libraries than Tim Hortons in his ward – a statement which proved to be an exaggeration.

“At Tuesday’s meeting, the library board voted to defer consideration of KPMG’s report…

“Library supporters applauded two members of the public who made presentations.

“I do not want the official Toronto city library bookmobile to become a Tim Hortons truck,” said Himy Syed, who argued Toronto needs many libraries to serve its diverse, multilingual population.

“If you want to destroy civilization, you burn the libraries.”

Elizabeth ChurchElizabeth Church | Toronto City Hall bureau chief
The Globe and Mail (07/26/2011)

… want to know what a privatized library looks like — it’s called a bookstore

“Earlier this month, Councillor Doug Ford targeted libraries, saying his neighbourhood has more of them than doughnut shops.

“I do not want the Bookmobile to be a Tim Horton’s truck,” deputant Himy Syed said at the meeting.

“The reason we have 99 libraries is because we have the most diverse population of any city in the world. If you want to know what a privatized library looks like — it’s called a bookstore.”

Jenny YuenEdward Keenan | Reporter
The Toronto Sun (07/26/2011)



“…The press generally cites Doug’s opinions as though they are official pronouncements from the mayor’s office, and refers to the administration casually as “The Fords.”

“He’s the shadow mayor, there’s no doubt about it,” says Councillor Janet Davis, who has been among the Fords’ most vocal critics.

“It’s quite striking, really, that Doug has assumed the role of mayor so easily, and people have now come to accept that he has some greater authority around here.”

“Political gadfly (and former mayoral candidate) Himy Syed recently joked on Twitter that Doug Ford needs more security protection than Rob since, if anything were to happen to Doug, Rob would become mayor.”

Edward KeenanEdward Keenan | Lead Columnist, Senior Editor
The Grid TO (05/26/2011)


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