Worth Reading – June 27, 2013

Most of this week’s Worth Reading comes from one author in a series she released. This week is a lot of municipal content and a great deal about my hometown of Brampton.

John Ibbitson in the Globe and Mail asks when a Justin Trudeau (LPC – Papineau, QC) government might be possible. Liberal strategists have been using a two-election strategy before the Liberals could return to power. However, with the Conservatives declining popularity they may be able to return in one.

Not long ago Justin Trudeau made a public press statement about the Senate scandal while flanked by protestors. One by one the phony protestors behind him have been revealed to be Conservative interns. It seems shame has long since departed the corridors of power.

The Huffington Post is asking prominent Canadians how they would change the country. Richard Florida says that he would strengthen the authority of our mayors. 

Jon Lorinc asks, what will Doug Ford’s legacy be? 

This is a wonderful piece by Martin Regg Cohn. The provincial government has announced a cutback in transfers from the provincial government to the city of Toronto. Mayor Ford is unsurprisingly furious about the funding cut, but it is odd given that he supports greater fiscal restraint. 

I went back and forth a lot on whether or not I wanted to include this one. It really doesn’t fit with my normal content. This is a letter a father wrote to his young daughter about how to choose a partner and how to value herself. This was my last week at my teaching job, and I worked with a lot of young ladies. I worry about how they think of themselves and their worth. The letter is overloaded with platitudes and it is quite sappy at points, but the underlying message, that women must not be subservient to men’s whims but find their own happiness, is important.

Dahshana Bascaramurty just did a series with the Globe and Mail about Brampton. At my count there are nine articles in the series with five tent-pole pieces; the remaining four providing some background. Bascaramurty moved from Toronto to spend a month in Brampton to learn about the city. As she puts it, Brampton is at the centre of demographic change that has implications for the rest of the country.

In part one, Bascaramurty lays the foundation by providing context for Brampton’s history, and communities. This is an excellent summary of what modern Brampton is. 

Part two looks at how Brampton’s changing face impacts our healthcare services. 

Part three is about language training provided by the Peel District School Board. 

Part three, one of my favourites, is about Brampton’s urban form and how Mount Pleasant Village in northwest Brampton is a model being adopted elsewhere. 

Part five, the intersection of faith and politics and how the gurdwaras of Peel have become hotspots for politicians. 

A side piece from the series looks at food in Brampton.