Warmington: So much to love in Toronto

TORONTO - You know how a survey said people hate Toronto?

Well some stuck up for Hogtown.

“I feel very lucky to live in Toronto,” said Maple Leafs president and GM Brian Burke. “When people ask me the best part of my job, I say it’s that I get to live in Toronto. People are marvellous, the city is diverse, safe and clean. I love it here.”

We love you too Brian. You get us that Stanley Cup and will build a Burkie statue. If you don’t, we will still love you but miss you.

Just teasing Brian, who was the only celebrity to get back to me on this. He went over the boards for the Big Smoke.

********

Toronto really is the greatest city in the country and I think it’s our strict rules that help with this distinction. For example what other city would have its parking assassins ticket people going past the allotted one hour parking limit for being held up at a Remembrance Day ceremony? Photographer Ernest Doroszuk was telling me it happened outside a ceremony near Bayview and Davisville. No bylaw tickets yet though at occupied St. James Park, where you can park on the grass and receive no fine.

At least the revenue from the parking tickets handed out at the Remembrance Day ceremony will help cover the cost of the TTC returning the $3 fare that they have decided to refund because poor Councillor Pam McConnell was forced to cough up since a streetcar driver didn’t recognize her freebee card.

Maybe that officer is the right one to go down to St. James and hand out some bylaw tickets at Occupy Toronto. It may also help raise some cash to cover the approximately $5-million worth of unpainted police cruisers sitting for the past eight-weeks hidden from view on top of the Toronto Police Traffic Service’s building in Liberty Village.

A reader, concerned about the police budget problems, asked what gives? Const. Tony Vella tells me the 150 or so Ford Crown Victoria’s were bought ahead of the discontinuation of the that car model. They will be brought into action in the years ahead.

“It’s a cost saving,” he said of buying that many cars ahead of time.

Just hope they have rust-proofing.