Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Toronto: Canada's Heck
Sorry Todd, I wasn't trying to insult anyone who lives in Toronto. Yes, it is a much nicer place than many American cities. But how many other Canadian cities and towns have you been to? For example, Ottawa is amazing, as is Vancouver and Montreal. And they are just as diverse and have great transit!
One of the reasons I choose not to live in Toronto is that it is just too damn big and crowded. With way too many cars (and traffic), and pollution. We have the exact same diversity here in Ottawa on probably a one quarter scale (our pop. is about 1 million). I used to work for the School Board, and we had over 100 different cultures represented in the school that I worked in. In fact, I am very happy that my children are attending schools where diversity is celebrated and encouraged.
I think what this Toronto terrorist news has brought back to me is the huge change in NYC since 9/11. I was there in May of 2001 with two of my daughers and we had a wonderful time. We felt totally safe, even late at night.
I have since been back last summer and this past spring. On every subway we say army guys with machine guns - they were in every building too. I can't believe people live like this. That living in a police state has become normalized. Thus my comment that I wouldn't want to raise a child in Toronto, as I am worried that it will become like NYC in the very near future.
I would not want a child to be raised in a place where it is normal to carry a gun to feel safe, or to have the police on every block so that the people feel safe from gangs or terrorists.
That scene in Bowling for Columbine where Michael Moore walked into Canadian homes in Toronto is so REAL for most people I know. Canadians don't all lock their doors, as they feel safe.
As I commented on your site - I totally agree with your comments about the war in Iraq/Afghanistan - and I don't trust Stephen Harper at all. You are probably right - perhaps this whole thing is just a way to get Canadians to accept more invasion of privacy and letting go of our freedom of expression, as well as permitting detention without trials, etc. for so-called terrorist suspects.
As our grandparents probably said... "the world is going to hell in a hand basket". Whatever a "handbasket" is...???
One of the reasons I choose not to live in Toronto is that it is just too damn big and crowded. With way too many cars (and traffic), and pollution. We have the exact same diversity here in Ottawa on probably a one quarter scale (our pop. is about 1 million). I used to work for the School Board, and we had over 100 different cultures represented in the school that I worked in. In fact, I am very happy that my children are attending schools where diversity is celebrated and encouraged.
I think what this Toronto terrorist news has brought back to me is the huge change in NYC since 9/11. I was there in May of 2001 with two of my daughers and we had a wonderful time. We felt totally safe, even late at night.
I have since been back last summer and this past spring. On every subway we say army guys with machine guns - they were in every building too. I can't believe people live like this. That living in a police state has become normalized. Thus my comment that I wouldn't want to raise a child in Toronto, as I am worried that it will become like NYC in the very near future.
I would not want a child to be raised in a place where it is normal to carry a gun to feel safe, or to have the police on every block so that the people feel safe from gangs or terrorists.
That scene in Bowling for Columbine where Michael Moore walked into Canadian homes in Toronto is so REAL for most people I know. Canadians don't all lock their doors, as they feel safe.
As I commented on your site - I totally agree with your comments about the war in Iraq/Afghanistan - and I don't trust Stephen Harper at all. You are probably right - perhaps this whole thing is just a way to get Canadians to accept more invasion of privacy and letting go of our freedom of expression, as well as permitting detention without trials, etc. for so-called terrorist suspects.
As our grandparents probably said... "the world is going to hell in a hand basket". Whatever a "handbasket" is...???
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Good points, all of them. And I agree - if TO goes the way of NYC then you'll be seeing us leaving. I did notice (or perhaps I was just imagining) a more visible (though still unarmed) security presence at the Science Centre.
Parenthetically - when I was last in NYC in 9/04, I didn't see the armed folks. I'm guessing that you probably won't see them much longer, either after Bush cut antiterrorism funding including bioterrorism funding to NYC. I did find the blatant nationalism a bit disturbing, though.
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Parenthetically - when I was last in NYC in 9/04, I didn't see the armed folks. I'm guessing that you probably won't see them much longer, either after Bush cut antiterrorism funding including bioterrorism funding to NYC. I did find the blatant nationalism a bit disturbing, though.
# posted by 
: 6:25 a.m.
: 6:25 a.m.<< Home
