Friday, December 09, 2011

Stupid Questions


I spent a frustrating day this week attending a portion of the Hamilton City Council’s Emergency and Community Services Committee this week.
I lasted three hours, which was about the time it took to wrap up the couple of issues I was interested in.

Way back when in my councillor days I was told you shouldn’t ask a question unless you knew the answer to it.

I’m not sure that all Hamilton councillors got this lesson.  Although, I suppose, you can ask a stupid question and know the answer to it.  Anyway there were a lot of stupid questions asked at this meeting.
But Hamilton councillors would surely come up short if there was an award for the stupid question of the week.That award would certainly go to Toronto Councillor Doug Ford, brother of the mayor.

Bruce Cox Executive Director of Greenpeace was a deputant on Wednesday addressing Toronto Council regarding the environmental impacts of cuts to urban forests and public transit.

Robyn Doolittle, a Toronto Star reporter was live blogging at the meeting and I’ve copied her comments below:

Doug Ford does not disappoint. Asks Bruce Cox if Greenpeace staff are unionized. (Some are). Then he says he just had a great book dropped off at his office "Confessions of a Green Peace Drop out" it's a "fabulous read" he says. When Cox asks if he's read it, Doug giggles and says no, clarifying he was "told it was a fabulous read." Room bursts out laughing. There is an implied "oh snap!" tone. Sadly - Doug Ford has now handed the floor back to budget chief

For some reason the phrase “some mother’s do have them” comes to mind.