I don't have a cold, but I am very irritated by Toronto's transportation in general. When I complained to my montréalais uncle that there were only 2 major subway lines here, his eyes popped out, brow lines went up and his chin jutted out in major disbelief. Yeah, the situation is that dramatic.
Searching for solutions, Jennifer Keesmaat, Toronto's new chief city planner, initiated the
feeling congested campaign. Not much interested in transportation planning and pretty skeptical that the situation would change anytime soon, I didn't think much of it until I noticed that the graphic design looked pretty cool so I ended up visiting the site.
 |
| Sadly, books aren't the only things I still judge by their covers. |
The graphics are awesome. Then somehow I learned about a panel discussion in which Jennifer Keesmaat would participate. "I WANT TO
BE HER" is how one of my fellow classmates reviewed her when Keesmaat gave a talk at York last term. And all of the guys were raving about how good-looking she was and how she was wearing hot pink pants. Apparently, these infamous pants were still at the centre of their conversation while they were on a bus and an older man, a complete stranger, leaned over and excitedly said: "You should see her Ted Talk, she wears a
mini skirt!!!"
 |
| Jennifer Keesmat Chief Planner for City of Toronto. Source |
Awww man, did I miss out on something great because I was too lazy? Well not this time! This time I was a good student who does extracurriculars and went!
 |
| From left to right: Larry Beasley, Councillor Michael Thompson, Jennifer Keesmaat, Councillor Peter Milczyn, Carol Wilding, John Howe, and CBC Radio One host Matt Galloway. |
The venue was the Jane Mallett theatre, the name of which you could see how I would easily remember, in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts. Matt Galloway was a great moderator, cutting off the councillors and John Howe (Metrolinx Vice President) to remind them the question they were being asked if they were trying to avoid it.
Larry Beasley had interesting ideas about the need to use all the different types of funding tools we can think of and that Toronto just "needs to get on it" already. No decision is the worst decision they say, especially where every year Toronto waits will require billions of dollars more to fix the transit problem. He also had a theory that in the near future, when cars all run on electricity, there won't be as convincing arguments for deterring car use as there is now (pollution). "We will re-invent the car much faster than we will implement transit options." That's definitely something to think about.
What nagged me was that the discussion didn't seem to have progressed much despite the many consultation sessions that had already occurred. They claimed that the conversation moved from which modes of transportation should be funded to what tools will be used to fund them but that night they also talked about wether local or regional transportation should be prioritized. Galloway asked them a direct question that went something like this: "Now that we've talked a lot, it's time to act. What can Toronto citizens see that will show that the action is beginning?" The replies were unconvincing.
The last question from a member of the audience was the best. An old greying lady spoke softly into the microphone and restated a stat that had been given earlier, that only about a quarter of Toronto's population was aware that there are major transportation plans being developed. She asked what was being done to educate Toronto citizens about the issues at stake here so that they would be willing to support the funding tools.
John How (Metrolinx): Well we have had all these public meetings and the website and blah blah blah Matt Galloway (Moderator): It's obviously not working.
(audience claps in assent)
Old Lady: Have you considered hiring an advertising team?
(audience laughs, more clapping)
Beasley (Planning academic): You should hire her! What needs to be understood here is that public consultation is not the same thing as educational engagement.
Which is very true, I learned a bit about transportation planning that day, but I am awfully unqualified to give this panel a true analysis. They didn't even list all of very important possible funding tools.
Back to J Kees. Her public speaking skills are fantastic. The photos don't do her justice. She looks gooood! Therefore, I am joining the group of people who want to be her. She's an MES grad from York so I must be on the right track. I'm seriously buying brown tights next time I go shopping, I can at least try to look as presentable as her.
On the subway on the way home, who do I see? Jennifer Keesmaat standing next to me!!! What are the odds?? If you've never met someone you know on the subway, you should. It's one of the most exciting things ever. While I was nervously trying to think of something intelligent to say (all I could think of was "do you have any tips for me as a student planner" which sounded like the most lame thing in the world at the time but at least it would have started a convo) she started talking to a group of men in suits who she seemed to know through work. She was telling them how pleased she was with the councillors' replies and how they said they would get council votes for funding transportation despite the
mayor's refusal to raise taxes. It was really cool to hear her opinion on how the panel worked out though it was hard to eavesdrop on everything from where I was.
Sadly, she had to get off the subway too soon. The next thing I hear is a comment from one of the men she was talking to: "She's done more in 6 months than we have in years."
