Toronto wonders what’s happening to the tourists
Well, here’s a hint. Americans are always belittled, insulted and generally despised - openly - when they come to our “fair” city. Now even the city councilors are getting in on the act.
It is interesting to note that letters criticizing Toronto City Council for closing down city-run shooting ranges were sent from Mississauga, Halifax, Wellesley, Ont., Pickering and Peterborough.
I supported shutting down the shooting ranges because I believe it is hypocritical for city council to call for a total ban on handguns, while supporting and in fact subsidizing gun culture at city-run facilities – especially when recreation programs to keep kids away from the draw of a street culture that too often includes weapons are underfunded in Toronto.
Letters from outside the city and indeed from across North America have been trickling in since council made its decision. My favourite letters are the ones being sent from the U.S. Gun owners there are now urging a boycott of Toronto. Considering that most of the problems with guns on our streets emanate from south of the border, I couldn’t be happier.
If all it took was closing a couple of shooting ranges to stop gun-toting Yanks from coming to our city, maybe we should have shut the doors on these clubs years ago.
As for people outside Toronto, you are free to shoot off your mouths in this city or any other town. Just don’t shoot off a gun in Toronto.
Adam Vaughan, City Councillor, Toronto
The SARS epidemic has nothing on the general rudeness that our American neighbors are faced with when they decide to come North.
Um…it’s not Americans who are committing all the gun crimes in our fair, multicultural city.
Anyone up for some jerk chicken?
Comment by BillyHW — May 30, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
I love yanks, just not the gun totin’,pistol smuggling goons who come across the border and pay for their trips by smuggling formerly legal (and then suddenly illegaly) handguns.
As for jerk, the only jerk is the idiot who thinks owning a gun is a right.
Comment by adam vaughan — May 30, 2008 @ 5:30 pm
I agree councillor. We should ban cars and gas stations along the border and put an end to this smuggling problem once and for all.
Comment by BillyHW — May 30, 2008 @ 10:14 pm
It’s not Americans coming in and shooting up the city, Councilor. It’s the Jamaicans. And until the municipal, provincial and federal governments are willing to crack down on a defined ethnic group, without fear, we will continue to have daily shootings.
Ypou keep pandering. I’ll keep vacationing in the US.
RG
Comment by Right Girl — May 30, 2008 @ 10:18 pm
No no no RightGirl! The problem is we don’t have enough basketball courts in this city.
If only we had some real leadership at city hall that recognized the root cause of the problem and spent more public money on building basketball courts throughout the city.
Comment by BillyHW — May 30, 2008 @ 10:44 pm
Toronto is a crumbling hulk with inner city tribalism, nutty foreign cultural influences on local politics and a city council of visionless career marxists. It holds absolutely no fascination as a travel destination …unless you want a hand out, minority entitlements, a city housing suppliment, a safe injection site with free needles and meth, a transsexual hooker or some crack or a cheap black market Glock…these they got…that’s the TO culture.
Its once vibrant restaurant scene is eclipsed by the filthy unsafe areas it inhabits, accommodation prices and taxing is exhorbitant and restrictive there is no really active arts scene any more and every time you turn around you’re getting a $75 bylaw citation for something…why would anyone go to Toronto? New York and Montreal is more global and sophisticated, Vancouver is safer down town and Calgary and Ottawa have better hockey teams worth watching. All that Toronto is now is mile after mile of eroding seedy inner city streets lined with thousands of dingy little ethnic restaurants and corner stores…why travel to see this?
Comment by WL Mackenzie Redux — May 31, 2008 @ 11:09 am
I lived and worked in Toronto for over 30 years. I moved far away from it within a week after I retired. I now own a house and my mortgage is a lot less than I paid for a small one bedroom apt. in Toronto 7 years ago. Unfortunately Toronto is full of people who think they know what is best for everyone. I do believe in gun ownership and would certainly own one or more if they were legal. To bad criminals don’t think the same way. Wait!! That’s why they’re criminals. So Adam Vaughan can yap all he wants to and I’ll just sit here with my beautiful yard, in this beautiful little town, and be glad I never have to set foot in Toronto again.
Comment by jo — June 1, 2008 @ 1:28 am
toronto is a filthy stinking perverted diseased filled hellhole.BOYCOTT this sewer now.
Comment by mauser98 — June 1, 2008 @ 4:04 pm
I don’t get across the line as much as I used to, but when I do Canada’s cities hold zero attraction for me. If I want to see pretentious arrogance I can always go back to Europe, and if I want to see the wreck of a great city ruined by do-gooders and Pollyannas I can visit any one of many municipalities in the United States.
Go ahead and ban whatever you want to ban in town. I’m staying the heck away anyhow. Best of luck in ignoring your real problems. If hating the United States is what keeps you lot warm and happy….I can bear that burden with no trouble at all.
Comment by Steve — June 1, 2008 @ 4:25 pm
[…] the Toronto Tourist Industry Shot Itself in the Foot? Via Girl on the Right , we have this provocative Toronto Star letter from Toronto City Councillor, Adam Vaughan : […]
Pingback by Blue Like You » Blog Archive » Has the Toronto Tourist Industry Shot Itself in the Foot? — June 3, 2008 @ 4:24 pm
Toronto City Council Councilor Joe Mihevc & his executive assistant Sean Hill have added insult to injury. Check out the below e-mail thread:
http://dustinsgunblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/new-reasons-to-boycott-toronto-canada.html
Comment by Dustin — June 10, 2008 @ 12:42 pm
Toronto City Council Councilor Joe Mihevc & his executive assistant Sean Hill have added insult to injury. Check out the e-mail thread I have published on my blog dated today June 10th 2008 with the title “New Reasons to Boycott Toronto Canada”
Comment by Dustin — June 10, 2008 @ 12:48 pm