tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900996.post341751773217207186..comments2007-06-01T01:48:25.856-04:00Joan Tintorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12310221026999893117noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900996.post-8281631612676048172007-06-01T01:48:00.000-04:002007-06-01T01:48:00.000-04:00When it comes to incidents of violence (Jefferys Collegiate) or extortion (Caledonia), the easy response -- backing away -- is now considered to be a demonstration of enlightenment and sensitivity to issues.<BR/><BR/>This cultural default-setting only encourages more and more menacing behaviour. On the plus side, though, this will provide more future opportunities for sensitive, aware "brokers" to pat themselves on the back as they concede ground -- on our behalf, on our ancestor's behalf -- to those who disregard the rule of law.<BR/><BR/>I think a big shout-out to LPC "good Canadian" values is in order.EBDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10137716859725217936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900996.post-44194159321433920032007-05-31T10:03:00.000-04:002007-05-31T10:03:00.000-04:00“In 2006, the Toronto District School Board had 504 employees who were paid in excess of $100,000, totaling $54,696,949.63 in salary and $582,065.16 in benefits.”<BR/><BR/>Wow! Just think about how many ways that money could be used on the front lines in schools instead of these bureaucratic School Board jobs.<BR/><BR/>We need to bring some business practices to our education system and while we have not heard much from John Tory yet, I’m hoping he will be the kinder gentler Mike Harris that goes at this problem in Education again. But we’re bucking entrenched powerful forces; so the voters need to pay attention and vote for change and give Tory a mandate. <BR/><BR/>Every business faces this same dilemma of Head Office crowding out the budgets of the front lines that serve the customers. Either a takeover or outright failure tends to fix things in the business world. Unfortunately the taxpayers subsidize bad practices in public institutions like Education until the crises point. I think we’ve reached it.<BR/><BR/>Fortunately my riding in Don Valley West has John Tory running in it with CEO retail experience at Rogers Communications, a highly successful organization. Federally we have John Carmichael who is a seasoned business guy with retail automotive experience. We need politicians that understand and show leadership in retail businesses instead of what has historically been a bunch of failed lawyers running our cities and Provinces and Ottawa. (Not all lawyers are bad, but we need more balance, some diversity in our political class). These problems can be solved with the right leadership.nomdebloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10463322518382058504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900996.post-76876148195947286232007-05-31T08:24:00.000-04:002007-05-31T08:24:00.000-04:00Wow. What an insightful perspective. Thanks so much for this.Joanne (True Blue)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17445664997050698154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13900996.post-52158598958774519732007-05-31T06:45:00.000-04:002007-05-31T06:45:00.000-04:00Donna Quan*, safe schools superintendent for Toronto, said Jefferys was an outstanding school and urged concerned teachers to discuss their problems with administration and the school board.<BR/><BR/>“We’ll be glad to meet,” Quan said. “It’s important to have courageous conversations.”<BR/><BR/>In other words, STFU and don't leak our dirty laundry out for public consumptiontorinoreply@blogger.com