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Cop auction action
Toronto’s cops have gone global in their bid to turn booty into bucks, moving their regular auctions of “found and seized merchandise” to eBay. And that should mean even bigger bucks for the police, who regularly bag over $300,000 a year by selling off serendipitous sundries. The money goes to a “special police fund” that in the past has been used to send Toronto’s finest to essential policing conferences in a lovely sampling of sunny locales. How about donating the money to charity or depositing it in the city’s general revenues? We’d hate to think the police had an incentive to grab goodies that they can flip for funds.
Windmill welcome
Great to see the Windshare power-generating windmill at Exhibition Place rumbling to life. After all the trash and trashy things unleashed at the Ex over the years — oversized plumed hat, anyone? — the majestic propeller is a form of eco penance. Had to laugh when the Toronto Sun ranted on the weekend that the spire is an eyesore dominating the waterfront. To us it’s a symbol of hope and an art installation promising a better future.
Harvesting mild Ootes
Poor Case Ootes. It’s gotta hurt when John Tory, the guy who created Kim Campbell’s stunningly inept campaign for prime minister, gets a shot at the job you’ve kissed ass for years to get. Ootes played second fiddle to Mel Lastman’s Nero for years as deputy mayor, hoping to bag the gig after Mel’s tearful retirement. As people like Tom Jakobek abandoned the mayor, dutiful Ootes stood too close to the fire consuming Mel’s reign. But Case isn’t getting his great reward. Paul Godfrey and his cronies have decided the man they let believe he had a chance doesn’t cut it, and they’re putting their money — and clout — on wannabe politician (and aptly named) Tory, who will announce this week. So Ootes stepped aside, muttering something about serving his ward.
But I won’t let him kiss me
Nice to see the season of false smiles and greasy handshakes is fully upon us as the Toronto mayoralty marathon heats up. Most declared candidates felt they had to look happy and be seen at one-time Toronto councillor Rob Davis’s recent photo show opening, which featured pictures from his 1998 trip to South Africa. But the shot we’d like to see is of mayoralty hopeful and opening attendee John Nunziata holding his nose to make nice with the man who once accused Nunziata’s sister of racism when she was the mayor of York.
Hip hypesters’ heave ho
Nominations for Canada’s Juno music awards come out next week, but today the industry is buzzing about the Tragically Hip’s decision to dump managers Allan Gregg and Jake Gold, the Management Trust, after a 17-year run. Maybe the band has seen too many Avril Lavignes, Sum 41s and Sarah McLachlans over the years, all able to heat up stateside while Canada’s biggest band sells about as much there as the Rheostatics. In a strange twist, the dumped duo will continue to manage the solo career of Hip main man Gord Downie once the band’s relationship is officially severed in June.
