Toronto Uncovered

Posts Tagged ‘Bill Murdoch’

Hello, my name is G. Wander and I was asked to contribute my first guest editorial for Toronto Uncovered. The reason I am writing the post is because in a very selfish way, I like to have people read what I think. Yet in a very unselfish way, I never force anyone to read what I think or use any trickery to promote my agenda. The issue I have today is with the quick dismissal over the very responsible proposal regarding the Province of Toronto.

Why?

I’m neither arrogant nor ignorant enough to believe that I know the best course of action here, but I also know that you should never waste a good opportunity. In this case, we finally have a chance to address the unspoken angst that the province and the city of Toronto share towards each other. We’ve all witness the numerous battles over matters over jurisdiction and encroachment of each other’s powers. Yet, here we are almost three decades or so after the first words were even uttered on a possible secession for the city, and we have yet to properly research and debate the issue to see if it holds ground in today’s time. We have an opportunity like no other with the proposal put forward by Bill Murdoch (MPP – Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound).

You might have missed it. The most important part of that last paragraph was actually in parenthesis. You see, the reason this opportunity is worth exploring is because for the first time in a long while, this idea is being pitched by someone outside of Toronto and the GTA.

For the first time in a long while, we are being told by someone else in the province that, “Hey Toronto, we don’t want you around!” For those who have advocated for the secession, sometimes over a decade, this comes as welcome news.  Toronto will not be perceived as being selfish, self-centered and the centre of the Canadian universe as is almost always the case, especially when we ask that we be represented properly. Toronto is humble enough to be subservient to a larger provincial government that has repeatedly used the transfer payments to feed the rest of the country (except the resource-rich, AB, SK) and left us with a crumbling infrastructure and a public transportation system whose promises are made and broken due to provincial wrangling.

I think it’s time we stop begging the province to give us what is rightfully ours. At the very least I think it’s time we debate this openly and without any hurt feelings. The time for Toronto to show its true selfishness is now, Bill Murdoch has spoken up for the other side and has given us the out we need to explore the issue without being perceived as selfish.

In the end, that was the most unselfish thing Bill Murdoch could have done for the City of Toronto.

What do you think?

- G. Wander

*Thank you for reading and I hope you find a side of this issue that you can believe in, because in this case any decision is better than the status quo. You can find me debating issues on Twitter, Facebook and at Gwander.com