Councillor loses his piggy, prompting city council to make jokes that were actually kind of funny
In an attempt to remind people of the seriousness of the city’s dire fiscal straits, Toronto budget chief Mike Del Grande has taken to bringing a red piggy bank to council and budget meetings. It’s far from the most bizarre prop that a councillor has brought to the clamshell—remember Glenn De Baeremaeker’s toilet?—but things got serious when council returned from lunch yesterday to discover that “Mini Mike,” as the wee piggy has been dubbed, was missing. Council immediately began a serious investigation into the purloined pecuniary porker. But mostly people just started making funnies. Some highlights, after the jump.
• “I’m just worried that I might get a slice of bacon [back] at a time. I’m just really concerned. I’m waiting for any ransom note” — Del Grande
• “Frankly, the majority of the 2012 budget can be found within that piggy bank” — Josh Matlow
• “I’m offering a reward, the kosher meal of your choice, for the return of Councillor Mike Del Grande’s pig, “Mini-Mike” — Matlow (via Twitter)
• “Matlow Blames Observant Jews for Theft of Piggy Bank” — Daniel Dale of the Toronto Star (via Twitter)
• “It was just there. And then it wasn’t. It could be any one of them. I’m going to have to watch my stuff more closely” — city hall reporter Jonathan Goldsbie
• “I’ve never stolen a pig. Although I have Irish ancestors who were sent to Australia after stealing horses from the British army” — Adam Vaughan
The latest news this morning: Mini Mike (we swear, Del Grande actually calls it that) is rumoured to be locked in a councillor’s desk drawer. Not since Baby Jessica fell down the well has anything so captivated the media’s attention. Of course, council did attend to some actual business as well yesterday—for instance, shooting down a request for a new hockey team in Toronto. See? The piggy bank caper wasn’t the most absurd thing that happened at city hall yesterday.
• Budget chair’s piggy bank pignapped [Toronto Star] • Ham back my missing piggy, councillor demands [Toronto Sun] • Stolen piggy bank a Toronto council mystery [CBC]
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