Babes In The Woods Of Oxford County

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Is Toronto The Centre Of The Universe?.....Certain...":

Evelyn,

"A hundred miles from Toronto is north of Barrie. Outside the GTA."

A 100 miles is also London or Trenton if you think in three dimensions instead of one. The response of "North of Barrie" from you is normal for those that live in the GTA. They see the GTA and all parts north of it as an extension of the GTA. Drive down to a town in the London area the same size as Aurora (St. Thomas, Woodstock, Chatham, etc.) and ask about how Toronto impacts them - they will tell you it doesn't. Other than a place for GTA garbage, there is very little perceived impact

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You are missing my point. I do not think of myself as a resident of the GTA. I am a resident of  Aurora.
If I go anywhere, I prefer it to be points north. so that I don't see the changes wrought in the area closer to Toronto.

The impact of Toronto is  political .

The four year term of office for municipalities is an example. Both senior levels of government recognise four year limits for themselves.

If there's a vote of non-confidence, the  government can be brought down and the people get to choose again. Or if the government feels it  can't accomplish in a minority situation ,it can  prorogue parliament or engineer a non-confidence vote to bring about an election.Theirs does not have to be a four year term for the senior levels of government.

No such options are available to municipal  electors. The four year term  benefits only Toronto.. Size and numbers make election  costs horrendous for candidates and the city.

The Council  is more remote.

Market value assessment was brought about , at least in part, to ensure equity among Ontario taxpayers. Toronto didn't adopt it. Their assessment is completely out of date. Taxes in the city   bear  no similarity to other municipalities. Financial support from the Provincial government doesn't either.

There is no equity among Ontario Taxpayers. No measurement to determine equality of support from  Provincial coffers.

Half-assed permissive legislation such as Code of Conduct,  with penalties yet, was Provincial  knee- jerk reaction to municipal corruption in  Toronto.

Corruption such as could never happen in a small town like Aurora or St Thomas. No official  in either town could be wined and dined and bedded by a sleazy computer salesperson  without the whole town knowing about it, let alone the Mayor and Council being totally in the dark.

No Adam Gambrione having sex  on a couch in the office of Chairman of the TTC and overspending his  personal discretionary budget (what is that) by thousands of dollars.

There is no couch in any office in Aurora Town Hall.   Only in the Councillors lounge.

Oh Yes...  and changes made to negotiable benefits for fire-fighters in Ontario,who are municipal employees. Remember the election eve pictures of the Premier surrounded by Firefighters of Ontario carrying placards above their heads.This election's objective of  Ontario  Firefighters  is the right to retire before sixty-five. At one time it was the right to work until sixty-five. What's your guess they will get that? And who do you think will pay for it? Yes indeedy, the somnambulant  taxpaying residents of Aurora and St. Thomas.

The Provincial government fielded one of their own as a candidate for  Mayor  in the recent Toronto election.  Does anyone imagine  political strategy was not involved there? Maybe it wouldn't be so obvious to a resident of St. Thomas. It certainly should have been  to a resident of Aurora.

Taxpayers of St. Thomas and London may not be impressed by the denizens of the megalopolis that is Toronto. If they even give a thought to the city on the horizon as they go about their daily lives.

But their lives are impacted nevertheless .In so many ways,  few of us can even imagine.

The population is there.

The votes.

Ridings  to be wrested this way and that.  Myriad  promises to be made by candidates about what they will do for the city if elected.

Caucus confidentiality not available to municipal politicians.
 
Cabinet seats to be distributed like the spoils of a swashbuckling  Carribean Buccaneer exploit.

Oh Yes...London, St Thomas, Chatham  and Aurora ,we are all impacted by Toronto's politics.

Like it or not...in your hiding place you shall be caught.