
My Response to the Integrity Commissioner's Findings: The Importance of Transparent Fact-Based Transit Planning

Metro Morning Statements re Mr. Byford
1. Mr. Byford states in the Report that I "essentially said that what I and other TTC colleagues had said (via the briefing note) was not true and further implied that my motives were less than honourable." 2. As the full transcript from the Metro Morning interview demonstrates, the only time I mentioned Mr. Byford in the interview is in the context of him admitting that construction of the Scarborough LRT (SLRT) could start at the north end of the line. 3. I did not make the issue regarding the Briefing Note about Mr. Byford; Mr. Byford made it about Mr. Byford. 4. Given the above, I am left to assume that the bases for The Integrity Commissioner's finding that I contravened Sec XII of the Code of Conduct hinges on:
- My general comments about the politicization of staff in regards to the Scarborough transit debate, including the Briefing Note
- My public statements that the briefing note is misleading and contains factual errors
- My refusal to accept the Auditor General's findings
- Not following proper procedure in making my complaints regarding the inaccuracy of the Briefing Note
- Former City Manager Pennachetti signed a report that recommending that the Port Lands include a monorail and a ferris wheel.
- Former City Manager Pennachetti and Finance staff released a misleading memo stating that former Mayor Ford had saved the City almost $1 billion. Included in the figure were both savings to individuals at the expense of City revenues (vehicle registration tax) and vice versa (increased user fees), hypothetical savings from actions not taken, and "efficiencies" that were actually service cuts.
- City Planning staff spent years developing a prioritized list of transit projects through the Feeling Congested process. Additional GO stations were not even on the list, yet Staff recommended that SmartTrack be funded ahead of the other priorities on that list.
- capital costs would be borne by Metrolinx
- provides more stops for a lower cost
- serves more priority neighbourhoods
- could be built faster
- more advanced stage of design than the subway
- would be in its own corridor and capable of travelling at the same top speed as a subway