The defining issue of our time…
… is of course climate change. But I have been sounding alarm bells on this blog about economic prosperity for a while now. And if you read this new report from TD Bank, you might, like me, come to the conclusion that, in this city and in this province, prosperity ought to have at least equal billing with the environment. In fact, prosperity ought to be the driving force behind every initiative at City Hall, and the defining issue of the coming provincial election.
John Tory is trying to convince people that the province is mismanaged, but he’s been thus far unable to make that spaghetti stick to Dalton McGuinty. The Mayor is apparently planning some big economic development initiatives for this fall. Can’t come fast enough. David Miller continues to ask other governments for money, but as the city’s situation worsens, he looks less and less like the political kingpin of Canada’s economic engine, and more and more like just another beggar.
Torontonians like to argue over whether cities are primarily places to live or places to work. This is a false dichotomy. Cities are places of opportunity — places that hold the promise of a better life. The GTA offers less and less of that right now. Richard Florida notwithstanding.
