Bloor West Toonin' 4

I'm a little surprised at myself that I actually drew a somewhat negative cartoon of our Mayor Miller. When David Miller first ran for mayor of Toronto in 2003, I was right behind him. He was the antithesis of our previous joke, his Melness (a name coined by veteran city hall columnist Don Wanagas, who is now Miller's media relations director). Miller is educated, articulate, tall, blond and blue-eyed – the squeaky clean boy scout of mayors that our city has desperately needed for a long time. And he ran on a campaign of openness and honesty for our city (remember the whole broom thing?) "Together, we will open up the front doors of City Hall to the people of Toronto" was his promise to us Torontonians. So it comes as a disappointment that in his 2nd term in office, those doors are not so open. From the editorial that follows this cartoon:

Normally at this time of year, the corridors would be buzzing and the ink would be flowing with talk of the City budget and how to close the gap on the annual half-billion dollor or so shortfall...This year that process of public input and oversight has been dramatically reduced. Now it goes something like this: on Mar. 19, the completed budget is presented by the budget committee – perhaps balanced, perhaps not; on Mar. 20, the rest of the City Council – the people we elected to represent us when we can't speak ourselves – gets one day to comment; on Mar 21, interest groups like the Board of Trade get a day to squawk; and on Mar. 22, the public – all 2.5 million of you – get a single day to say what they think about it.

The reason for all this, according to the mayor, is to present the budget in "a more responsible way," rather than with the crisis mentality that has surrounded the process in recent years. This year, Miller is trying to circumvent the usual two months of mass panic and portray the City as a more "mature" level of government – a difficult thing when you can't even get your councillors to agree on a seating arrangement for a photo shoot – that can live up to its new powers under the City of Toronto Act.

So yes, I'm a bit disillusioned. This is the term where Miller really has to impress us (he didn't exactly wow us in his first term, but we gave him the benefit of the doubt), and so far, it ain't looking too good. But it's early days, and I'm still holding out hope for now. I mean, let's face it – he'd have to really screw up bigtime for us to forget ol' monkey man Mel, wouldn't he?

Comments

[Beth]

Has there ever been a politician who, once in office, hasn't caused us to be disillusioned? At least over some issue? It's not just the power corrupts thing, I think the reality of the elected position sinks in...promises made can't be kept...
(Or maybe I'm being too kind?)

[patricia]

You probably are being too kind...I think I'm really bending over backward for Miller because I had such high hopes for him. I would agree that often times it is a matter of promises can't be kept once they get into office and realize how the game is really played...though in the case of Devious Dalton, I would say the bastard lied through his teeth all the way.

[Carmi]

The cynical journalist in me believes that all politicans, when first elected to office, approach their role with the zeal of a newborn puppy. All happy and wiggly and perfect. Everyone hopes they'll be different than every dog that came before, that they'll somehow change the very nature of the world they are about to enter.

After a couple of years, it's clear that this is the same old dog, and it's been corrupted by the same sense of malaise - a constant supply of money, power, and dog food - that blackened its forebears.

Worse, someone's got to pick up behind them.

Sorry...been a sad day.