Raise the Hammer

Isn't that kind of like blaming a fraud victim for getting ripped off? So because MacHattie stood up for city building, stood up for urban renewal, and tried to face down a corporate bully who had gone "crazy Ivan" with a month to go, now he's the bad guy?

Here's a question: Where was Greco during the debate? Did he show up at the pro East Mountain rally? Did he garner support and help build consensus from his shop? If he did, he was awfully quiet about it.

F.Y.I. 'Mr' Tony - campaigning to be the one to make Ward 1 a better place didn't start 3-4 weeks ago, it started 3-4 years ago. Where have you been all this time?

the rest of his website is a laugh too. He says that local residents don't want good infill projects like the new condos at Aberdeen and Dundurn, or basic infrastructure needs like bike lanes.

What? Is he going to head back to the glory days of the 80's when our part of the city was ignored and viewed as nothing more than a highway to somewhere else?? Believe it or not, many of us like riding our bikes and having safe lanes for our kids to ride their bikes.

As for nice condos replacing an empty old Hortons store, I think most people like that sort of thing. I'm sure you'll get votes from those who love empty old buildings like 220 Dundurn hulking over the neighbourhood year after year, but count me out from that fantastic vision for my neighbourhood. Hamilton has enough hoods like that already. We don't need more.

"His verbal attacks on Bob Young and the TiCats were of no assistance in finding a solution that works for all stakeholders"

Memo to Toni Greco: the pivotal phrase is "all stakeholders". Get it, "all" as in "all" of US not just the Tiger-Cats, "all" businesses not just one, "all" fans not just those who drive to games, "all" commuters many of whom would use "all"day GO trains and LRT not just those who drive to work and "all" taxpayers who "all" benefit when we revitalize a downtrodden part of our city.

Shorter Tony Greco:

"I would have been a sycophantic flip-flopper like Whitehead, Jackson, and Clark. Vote for me, Ward 1!"

Tony isn't even right about McHattie's position on the stadium. He actually voted against the west harbour once out of concern for the traffic and parking capacity that would be added to the neighbourhood. When those concerns were alleviated and it became clear that a greater danger lay in the potential east mountain site, he switched back to supporting it. He changed his position when the facts changed, he stood up for the north end neighbourhood like his own, and considered what was best for the whole city as well as his ward. And he is in fact leading the fight against the CP railyard location. Tony is obviously bitter from getting slaughtered in the last election and he should just give up.

Does anyone question why Mr. Tony Greco is running in the first place? Anything subversive come to mind? Consider the fact that the same type of recorded message came out the same time as DiIanni's in the last election, and lots of rumours at that time that there were efforts other than just Mr. TG's to get rid of Mr. McHattie.
Perhaps Mr. DiIanni wants Brian's supporters to be busy enough NOT to help another candidate - because one can't possibly win simply by working hard and demonstrating one's integrity and commitment, could one? Back-room tactics must be employed rather than just up-front, transparency. Whose tactics do those sound like?
So part of our job is to ensure we don't re-elect someone who demonstrated his own corruption and embarrassed our City by doing so. I worry much less about Mr. TG than about Mr. D. Never again elect DiIanni.

by the way, dundurn's bike lanes are always busy with cyclists and even skateboarders. if you build it, they will come indeed.

Mr Tony is showing just what sort of person he is with this cheap ill informed on McHattie. He's come out swinging with a negative attack campaign because he has nothing of substance to offer. Brian's background in planning, the vision he created for the city with the 2020 white paper. Shows he's no 9 to 5 self interest candidate.
Mr Tony should go back to what he knows best, hairdressing. Or is that sitting in the back of his shop delivering a bunch of hot air to anyone who will listen. The only thing transparent about MR tony motivation is his ego and his hidden backers who what nothing more than to get rid of one of the best voices we have on council.

Where does Tony live??

I wonder who his financial backers are? I suspect the list looks similar to Morelli's.

http://www.paultetley.com/news.php

I think Mr Tony lives quite a way out of Ward 1. Traveling in to collect rent on his poorly repaired rental units.
I wonder when he referred to "crumbling neighborhoods" he was taking about these houses???

when I hear the term 'crumbling' I think of empty old stores like the Hortons at Aberdeen and Dundurn.

Does Tony really keep a straight face when he complains about this being built in it's place:

http://www.urbanwestcondos.com/

I'm no expert, but the rendering on that website sure doesn't look like one you'd find in a 'crumbling' neighbourhood.

EDIT: I just noticed the "spectacular opening weekend. 50% sold" banner on the website. Man, this neighbourhood is crumbling before our eyes.

Comment edited by jason on 2010-10-04 13:38:04

Seems words are easy for Mr Tony but I haven’t seen him at any local Niebourhood meetings or picking up litter on the garbage crawls or in fact doing much apart from campaigning to get our votes to get in. I recon if he did it would be more of the same.

Mr Tony seems to be also beefing about the parking meters on Locke.
From what I have heard from business owners on the street they are happy with them so to was Mr T . He was also part of the consultation process and had no objects. I heard the only thing he was against though was the shop owner’s getting a share of the meter money. Go figure that one.

are we really that big of a hick town?? Find me a successful neighbourhood district in any major city on the continent that doesn't have paid parking. This isn't Loweville, Tony. It's Hamilton (heck, Loweville probably has paid parking).

Mr Tony says our our incumbent is erratic. This statement is untrue Brian Mchattie has been constant in his position unlike Mr Tony himself who it seems changes like the wind he exhales. I have seen Mchattie at a number of local meeting, never Mr Tony. Mchattie is always clear on his position and lives what he preaches. He listened to our concerns on the condo development and helped us through each stage of the consultation process. He was there in the evenings putting in the time to make sure we were collectively happy with the end result. That the condo development went through with no appeal shows he listen and it worked. Mr Tony's comments for me just don't ring true and and baseless.
I doubt he even wrote them himself. And as for him providing a full time efficient service. Well does that mean he might start attending our local meeting for once, or does efficient mean just long enough to put his face in like the stadium debate he left. I fear this man getting into council I really do.

West Harbour alone is a good example of McHattie's consistency on controversial issues. Can you really make an argument about "attacking" Mr. Young by "attacking" McHattie? I also do not consider calling out Mr. Young's disruptive behabviour on the Stadium as attacking really. As for the parking meters McHattie actually fought to have them at least delayed while a parking lot was considered but was ultimately defeated by jealous fellow councillors and McHattie's own sense of fairness. In the end Mr. Greco is a nice enough person personally but I cannot support his politics or methods. They resemble too much of those of Mr. Di Ianni a man I very much hope fails in his bid for Mayor (to put it as lightly and politely as I can).

Not to turn this post into a love-in, but Brian McHattie is everything a councillor should be. He acts with integrity and humanity in everything he does. I just don't know when he sleeps. I'm startled to see that there are any signs around supporting Tony Greco. I thought he was just a vanity candidate.

There are always conservatives who will support the "bah humbug" candidate.

I mean, really, what's McHattie done?

He's taken away lanes on Dundurn, he's going to ruin the view from the apartment building on Dundurn and Aberdeen, he's ruined a perfectly good park by putting a garden in it.

Parking on Locke? No one goes there anymore because you can't find a parking spot!

Throw him out before he ruins more of the status quo!

Comment edited by Brandon on 2010-10-05 07:08:15

LOL I like it Brandon.

And what a view it is from the apartment building on Dundurn - looking out over the bleak, crumbling streetscape of Dundurn now that everyone has fled and closed up shop due to new transportation infrastructure that was installed there. Ward 1 is the new Ward 3!!!

Weren't those condos at Aberdeen and Dundurn supposed to be LEED certified? Someday we'll dis councilours on issues like this. For now, best of luck to Brian. He's definitely the best we've got.

Where does Tony live??

Ancaster. But he owns student rental properties in Westdale. Last election he tried to pass off one of his student properties as his home by listing it as his residential address, but he was called out on it. I remember someone at a debate trying to get a straight answer out of him as to where he lived. He obfuscated for a bit and finally the person said "where do you sleep?" and Greco sheepishly said "Ancaster". At least this time he is being honest and giving his Ancaster address as his residence.

Does anyone question why Mr. Tony Greco is running in the first place? Anything subversive come to mind? Consider the fact that the same type of recorded message came out the same time as DiIanni's in the last election, and lots of rumours at that time that there were efforts other than just Mr. TG's to get rid of Mr. McHattie. Perhaps Mr. DiIanni wants Brian's supporters to be busy enough NOT to help another candidate...

There's no question about it. Eric Cunningham pushed him to run again. The same Eric Cunningham who is advising both Di Ianni and the Ticats. I wouldn't characterize it as subversive, though. It's just how the game is played, and you are absolutely correct that Greco's supporters know he doesn't stand a chance against McHattie, this is strictly about diverting financial and human resources away from Mayor Fred's campaign. I'm exhibit A. I was looking to put all my volunteer time (and $$) into Mayor Fred's campaign when it looked like McHattie would be acclaimed, but now I'm having to spread my (admittedly paltry, but we do what we can) resources between the two campaigns. Of course it's also calculated just to make McHattie's life difficult, because well, it's just plain fun to make your political enemies' lives difficult, isn't it?

So yes, considerable human and economic resources are being spent on what is really just a vanity campaign so Di Ianni and his pals can tick off McHattie and take money and volunteer time away from Fred, but this is typical of the politics of spite we've come to expect from Di Ianni and his increasingly tiny coterie.

Comment edited by highwater on 2010-10-05 09:30:09

Amen, the same old dirty tricks are in play yet again, let's hope Hamiltonian's aren't fooled twice.

seems Mr Greco's people got bored of mass-downvoting any slightly negative comment about Tony.