Police definitely need more training when it comes to dealing with people with mental health issues and other sensitive matters. However, in stories like the STAR one in the COMMENTS section below, I don’t think it’s fair to second guess the officer who believed her life was in danger. Very few people can act as they do in the movies/on TV, no matter how much training they have. I feel terrible for the poor man who lost his life, but it’s not this officer’s fault.

This is very different from the reckless asshole who ran over a grandmother for absolutely no reason and then lied about it–and was only fined $500!! In this particular case, I feel bad for the officer and believe her department failed every step of the way.

Former Saugeen Shores constable Lynn Rusk outside her western Ontario home. Dale Brazao/TORONTO STAR

As readers of this blog know, I am completely behind the police in most cases. And if accidents or incidents happen in the heat of a crisis situation, I’m usually sympathetic to their position, as long as it’s not due to pure recklessness or stupidity.

But if you read the shocking Star story in the COMMENTS section, you’ll see that police in Ontario are rarely held to any accountability, even in the most horrifically egregious cases such as running down a grandmother for literally NO REASON–he wasn’t rushing to an emergency, chasing someone, etc. And the poor victim’s family does not even get to know why the hell their grandmother/mother died! They were never even told why the monster was driving like a lunatic in the first place. Disgusting.

Left: Prasanth Tella, former Durham Region constable cleared of assaulting drunk driver Hafeez Mohamed. Right: Hafeez Mohamed, drunk driver was held face down and repeatedly punched in head.  SUBMITTED PHOTOS

I know that many people in Toronto/GTA–including a number of readers of this site–are very disappointed tonight. However, I truly believe that Rob Ford will be good for this city because his presence will shake up the way things have been done for far too long.

What will happen is that, unlike the past 10 years, he will be able to clearly broadcast every councilor who fails to do his/her job, votes in a way that hurts our citizens, is entitled, etc. THAT is why I voted for Ford. THAT is why I implored others to do so. As distasteful as Ford may be, he has been consistent in his criticism of city council for his entire 10 years there. He has been consistent in his commitment to serving his constituents and those of other councilors who couldn’t be bothered to do their job and return calls.

And as we’re seeing, some of the worst councilors are losing to new candidates from the left, right, and anywhere else. This shows that Ford helped inspire the citizenry to FINALLY make their voice heard. If you look at the voting record over the last few decades, you’ll see just how rare it is for incumbents to be unseated in these municipal elections.

On a related note, Vaughn Mayor, Linda Jackson, got booted out of office BIG TIME! She was just one more in a long line of scandal-plagued mayors/councilors in Vaughn, the only city more corrupt than Toronto.

And Adrian Heaps, the scumbag who got his legal bill paid by taxpayers–thanks to his buddies on council–lost his job. And so did Sandra Bussin, someone who perfectly epitomized the problems at city council.

Speaking of which, Adam Giambrone’s fiercely loyal right-hand man lost to Giambrone’s rival’s assistant, sending yet another message to those who believe they do not have to listen to their constituents. Never mind Giambrone’s sex scandal; my contacts very close to him said that he was the most arrogant jerk around and showed utter disdain for the people in his ward–unless they sucked up to him. Good riddance!

But I’m sad that Paula Fletcher still has a job. Oh well…

Okay, Joe Pantalone is disqualified automatically because he STILL refuses to acknowledge why people in the GTA are so furious at City Hall–especially since David Miller and his cronies have taken their sense of entitlement and absolute disdain for the electorate to new extremes. Poof…

As for Smitherman, have no doubt: He is a sleazy, sneaky, back-room dealing scumbag who does not know the definition of the word TRANSPARENCY or ACCOUNTABILITY. Plus, he has the full backing of that other scumbag, McGuinty and many other MPs and MPPs. The latest two slaps in the face are a) He refuses to release his list of donors–not that he must do so by law but, if people are concerned, he should do so on moral grounds; b) he handed out $10 million in sole-sourced contracts to the Courtyard Group, where his former Chief of Staff was employed; and c) McGuinty is letting 500 employees take the day off work so they can basically campaign for Smitherman on the day of the election. What the fuck?!

And of course, when you need to take out a loan or second mortgage this winter just to pay for your Hydro Bills, remember that the whole Hydro Smart Metre scandal was Smitherman’s baby. He even brags about it. He will end up costing you so much more money with absolutely NOTHING good to show for it.

The Toronto Sun column in the COMMENTS section by Christina Blizzard shows one clear reason for the pathetic state of our health care system in Ontario (and the rest of Canada). This problem of free-loading consultants run amok has been around for years but it’s also been made public for years. And the spineless scumbag McGuinty and his impotent Health Minister Deb Matthews will never do anything about it. Fire their sorry asses!

DISHonourable Deb Matthews, MPP, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

I know some people are surprised at my support for Rob Ford. But I truly believe that he will be the only person to shake up City Hall, and because of him, many of the entitled, slovenly, corrupt scumbags at City Hall will be getting their walking papers very soon. Well, Sue-Ann Levy from the Toronto Sun said all that needs to be said in her most recent column. Please read the COMMENTS section to see why I am all for Ford.

And fuck Joe Pantalone for being so out of touch and sounding like a clown every time he opens his mouth. He really does represent all that is bad with City Hall and he has no idea that jerks like him have made the city of Toronto reject the mind-set of this gang of clueless, selfish criminals…

Read the story below, if you dare. Make sure you’re sitting. Make sure you’re nowhere near anything that can be broken easily. If you happen to be anywhere near Federal Court Just-ass Judith Snider at any point after reading this story, please make sure to show her what true justice should look like. I am disgusted to be Canadian once again…

Criminal ordered deported is allowed to stay

(By BRIAN LILLEY, Parliamentary Bureau)

Thanks to a court decision, a career criminal who was ordered deported in 1993 and has a rap sheet that includes armed robbery remains in Canada.

Van Thanh Nguyen came to Canada from Vietnam in 1988 as a permanent resident. But after a 1992 conviction for armed robbery, his status was pulled and he was ordered deported on Dec. 15, 1993.

The deportation order was never carried out. Instead, Nguyen racked up another four criminal convictions.

In 1998, he received a kidney transplant that required him to take anti-rejection drugs. Nguyen also claims he is unable to work and is collecting provincial disability benefits and has his medication paid for by the province of Ontario. In 1999, following his kidney transplant, the federal government suspended the deportation order against Nguyen.

Now married and the father of a Canadian-born child and two stepchildren, Nguyen applied to stay in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate grounds in December 2006. That application was turned down in September 2009, a decision Nguyen appealed.

In late August, Federal Court Justice Judith Snider ruled that the decision to deny Nguyen the right to stay in Canada is unreasonable.

Snider ruled that the minister of immigration was unreasonable when the department failed to take into account Nguyen’s claim that he is unable to work and therefore would be unable to buy anti-rejection drugs or afford proper medical care in Vietnam.

The case is now awaiting a new review by officials in Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s office. Alykhan Velshi, a spokesman for minister Kenney, said the minister’s office can’t comment on specific cases, but he did take a swipe at the courts.

“We’re frustrated when judges overturn government decisions, and delay the deportation of illegal immigrants,” said Velshi. “The safety and security of Canadians should always come first.”

(ERNEST DOROSZUK/Toronto Sun)

No, I am not xenophobic. Many important and very close members of my family come from all over the world. However, whenever I see Canadians being taken advantage of or bullied by immigrants with absolutely no recourse, it pisses me off. Nowhere does this occur more often than in Markham. A few years ago, non-Chinese owners of stores in a mall were pressured to leave and could do nothing about it. Now, take a look in the COMMENTS section to see how one TV station is discriminating against non-Cantonese speaking candidates for council in Markham. Sorry, but I think this station should cancel the Cantonese-speaking debate or have its license yanked.

From left: David Papadimitriou, Meg Stokes and Alex Chiu (SUPPLIED PHOTOS)