adam giambrone

The Canadian government is investigating Toyota Canada's delay of more than three months in advising customers about serious safety problems. Transport Minister John Baird suggested a criminal probe is possible in the review of the recall process and notification. Toyota officials were grilled by members of Parliament over when the company reported problems with sticky gas pedals that could cause vehicles to unintentionally accelerate.  

T oronto Transit Commission chair Adam Giambrone said he's returning a $10 taxi fare to the city in the form of a donation after coming under fire for apparently taking a cab to a date and charging it to the city. Mr. Giambrone spent close to $3,000 on cab fare in 2009. In a statement, the councillor and former mayoral candidate said he apologizes "if a personal expense may have been submitted in error."

if a personal expense may have been submitted in error.   -Adam Giambrone

 

For lefties at city hall, the mayoral race has been a political cha-cha. Nimble feet are assets to insiders who've had to quickly transfer weight from one left-wing candidate to the next— David Miller, Adam Giambrone, Joe Pantalone. But the dance may end now that Toronto's most sought after campaign manager, John Laschinger, is joining Team Pantalone.  

Forty-five minutes before her death, two men entered the hospital room of an elderly woman at Toronto East General Hospital and stole seven thousand dollars worth of her jewellery. It happened near the end of visiting hours on Tuesday evening in the fifteen minutes the woman's family left her side to get a coffee. Last night, police arrested twenty-nine-year-old Isaac Lewkowicz for the theft, but the search continues for his suspected partner, Marcos Marinoni.  

T oronto's most sought-after campaign manager has decided to work for Joe Pantalone, meaning it's unlikely another prominent left-winger will emerge to challenge the deputy mayor. John Laschinger, the architect of David Miller's successful mayoral bids, confirmed yesterdayhe will chair Mr. Pantalone's campaign. "If you look at the choices, Joe fits my vision of what a mayor should be," Mr. Laschinger said.

If you look at the choices, Joe fits my vision of what a mayor should be   -John Laschinger

 

T oronto councillors spent more than $55,000 in taxpayers' money last year on donations to groups including churches, seniors' clubs, ratepayers' associations and minor sports teams that splash politicians names across their jerseys. And if the past is any guide, the councillors who made these donations last year will do so again as the Oct. 25 election looms, reinforcing their near-insurmountable incumbent advantage. "I think these kinds of donations are inappropriate," said Myer Siemiatycki, a munic

I think these kinds of donations are inappropriate   -Myer Siemiatycki

 

More Rob Ford talk in the news today. The Sun is suggesting he's good for the mayoral race. This seems to be centered around Ford's frugality, and being the kind of cool guy who wants you to call his home phone number – which is 416-223-6934.  

Sarah Thomson leapt into her mayoral campaign with a pitch for a citywide subway system she hopes to build if elected. Calling for fifty-eight kilometres of new subway tunnels at a total cost of around eleven billion dollars, Thomson can't be accused of thinking too small. To pay for it all, she proposed private-sector involvement, a five-dollar road toll on the Gardiner and the DVP, and shifting a staggering amount of provincial funding away from LRT projects.  

The list of expenses racked up by the chair of the Toronto Transit Commission last year shows that sometimes, taking a cab is the better way. The office expenses of Coun. Adam Giambrone (Ward 18, Davenport) show he spent $3,057.70 of his $53,000 annual office budget on transportation, in 2009. His overall expenses were $41,831.90. His biggest expenses were: Giambrones's staff told CTV Toronto he was in meetings all morning and unable to comment on his office expenses.  

Toronto transit officials are pondering the fate of a driver who lost her driver's licence for three days after a roadside breath test — but its decision will not be made public. Some reports suggested a decision on whether to fire the driver would be made Wednesday. But Toronto Transit Commission spokesman Kevin Carrington says there's no deadline for a decision.

I'm not very pleased with the incident that occurred   -Gary Webster