Adam Vaughan is at it again

For those of you who love the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, the name Adam Vaughan might ring a bell. He’s the talkative Toronto City Councillor who has tried for years to close your airport, which would put 1,700 people out of work and undercut one of the things that’s working for the City’s economy (see prior post “Entrepreneurs are driving airport’s success” Nov. 10-12). Last Friday, he was at it again.

This time it was live on AM640’s The John Oakley Show, and he couldn’t resist telling yet more fibs about the BBTCA and it’s parent body, the Toronto Port Authority (which are detailed here). As you’ll see from the trail of correspondence, Councillor Vaughan has repeated some of these anti-airport fibs for years, despite being politely reminded of the facts on several occassions. Slow learner? I think not.

Councillor Doug Ford — a strong supporter of the airport who recognizes its positive economic impact — was also on the same Oakley show, and did his best to rein in his colleague. As did a random caller. But, as always, Councillor Vaughan was his own worst enemy, getting caught up in the moment and gilding the lilly, just as he did with Jerry Agar and Mark McAllister on the very same issues over the past couple of years. Put a mike in front of the guy and you never know if the sputtering is fact or fiction (at least in my experience). The City Hall Press Corps love him for his one-liners. But the taxpayers deserve better than a wry comic.

And for a moment there, I’d thought that he’d learned his lesson.

Over a short period this summer, he came out in favour of sharks at the Ripley’s Aquarium at the CN Tower (upsetting animal rights groups), and the 82 storey King West highrise proposed by David Mirvish (bedeviling locals merchants). You’d be allowed to think Councillor Vaughan has making a play for the Mayoral Chair, trying to recast himself as a City-builder with these Pan-Toronto stances. Positions that certainly weren’t part of his longstanding obstructionist ways.

But, with the backdrop of the joint TPA and Toronto Board of Trade announcement about the $1.9 billion annual economic impact of the BBTCA, Councillor Vaughan couldn’t resist John Oakley’s open mike and he let his retread fibs flow.

In case he hasn’t noticed, the media have high expectations of our Mayor; particularly when it comes to the veracity of the claims you make and the “facts” you draw upon. I know you’re waiting to see what MP Olivia Chow is going to do before launching your own campaign, but be careful what you wish for.

As Spiderman would say (quoting Voltaire): with great power comes great responsibility.

MRM
(disclosure – this post, like all blogs, is an Opinion Piece. And, of course, reflects a personal view and is not meant to represent the views of the TPA, its Board/Staff or the federal government.)