Matt ElliottCouncillor McKelvie wants to know why the details of the SmartTrack cost overruns can't be public. "Has Metrolinx explained to us why there is a significant overrun and why they will not make that public?"
Staff say Metrolinx's view is this is "commercially confidential" info.
"How long are we going to continue calling this SmartTrack?" Councillor Josh Matlow asks transit staff.
"Do you really want me to answer that?" responds Derek Toigo of the Transit Expansion Office.
"Maybe it should be PastTrack," says Speaker Nunziata.
Councillor Mike Colle asks what happens if Council just decides to walk away from this whole SmartTrack thing.
Toigo says the signed agreement says the City would still be on the hook to pay for costs that have occurred to date, and potentially other costs going forward.
Councillor Gord Perks moves to rename all five SmartTrack Stations:
- Boondoggle Station
- Too Good to Be True Station
- Won't Get Fooled Again Station
- Ever Get the Feeling You've Been Cheated Station
- Tory's Folly Station
Nunziata rules Perks' renaming motion out of order.
"If we're pleading with the province for funding, I don't think this is the way to do it," she explains.
Holyday says Perks was wrong to name Tory in his motion, and wants Nunziata to strike it from the minutes.
Pasternak is also very offended by Perks' motion. "This brings this whole chamber into repute." He also wants this expunged from the official meeting minutes. The Clerk says he can't edit the minutes.
Seriously, though. I've already posted about it, guys. It belongs to history.
"When it becomes clear that it's stupid, accept stupid and move on!" thunders Councillor Anthony Perruzza about the SmartTrack plan. "You can't fix stupid!"
"We just keep doing stupid!"
The SmartTrack vote will have to wait, as it's almost time for the dinner break.
But before they go, after a few tiny tweaks, Council votes via show of hands to approve the slate of mid-term appointments to committees and boards. https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2024.ST7.1
The bells are ringing, and councillors are sloooowly trickling back in for their evening session.
The new meeting livestream is here. Viewer discretion is advised. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWNRxxxqzXw
City Council - December 18, 2024 (Evening Session)
Saying he shares the frustration with Metrolinx, Councillor Matlow asks Colle if he'd consider withdrawing the motion. Matlow says these stations are still useful, if the province pays.
"The time for appeasement is over. Appeasement doesn't work with Metrolinx," Colle says.
McKelvie asks Colle if maybe her motion is more productive than his.
"No, because Metrolinx doesn't believe in accountability and transparency - that's been proven!"
"I'm asking them to stop fooling and farting around," McKelvie says.
"They're not going to do that," Colle says
After much cajoling, Councillor Colle withdraws his motion to defund SmartTrack. "You said it was stupid — I'm withdrawing it," explains Colle to Nunziata.
But Perruzza wants a recorded vote on whether to withdraw. The withdrawal CARRIES 19-4.
"When I hear a lot of the battle cry for protests and charter rights, I get the impression that the charter rights are for the hateful mob, and not for the rest of us ... who are charter rights for?" wonders Pasternak.
"Charter rights are for everybody," the City Solicitor says.
"Would workers who are striking at a religious school be caught in this?" Myers asks of "bubble zone" bylaw.
"I don't think it would capture a peaceful protest," Solicitor says.
"But it could..." Myers says.
Solicitor says they'd try to address that when crafting the bylaw.
"Has any person been found guilty of a hate crime arising from activity at any protest about the activities in Gaza and Israel since October 7 of last year?" asks Councillor Gord Perks.
"Not in Toronto," says rep from police.
Police rep says there are lots of things they look at when responding to a public demonstration, but public safety is paramount.
"It would be disingenuous to suggest a bylaw would somehow change the dynamics on the ground for us."
Deputy Mayor Malik asks what powers a bubble zone bylaw would give police that they don't currently have re: protests
"We have essentially created de facto bubble zones already," admits police rep, noting they've heavily restricted protests along hospital row and on the Gardiner
"Restricting people's ability to protest and speak is a step backward in the journey toward a hate-free world," says Councillor Gord Perks.
"If we take away guaranteed rights — even by a bit — we make the most vulnerable in our society more vulnerable."
Council is now haphazardly trying to deal with changes to zoning bylaws to permit corner stores at 9:46 p.m. Councillor Holyday has questions to staff.
https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2024.PH17.2
