It’s hard to imagaine there are any Canadians who wouldn’t know Margaret Atwood. But today at City Hall Doug Ford said, “Margaret Atwood, I don’t even know her. She could walk right by me – I wouldn’t have a clue who she is,” according to the Globe and Mail. The Toronto Star is reporting this too. He also says he wouldn’t hesitate to close library branches in his own ward. He would “do it in a hearbeat.” Thankfully, Mr. Ford has only one vote on Council.
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28 Responses to Doug Ford doesn’t know Margaret Atwood
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The Threat:
Many City Councillors see Toronto's public libraries as a financial burden rather than an important community service.
As some American cities already have done, Toronto City Hall is actively considering turning over some or all of the operation of our free public library system to the private sector.
BUT WHO WILL PAY IN A FOR-PROFIT LIBRARY?
Library users, that's who, through higher user fees, fewer books, less access and fewer branches.
Doug Ford’s comments are good proof of his arrogance, which started with his comparison of library services with Tim Hortons. His ignorance is one good proof that he has no right in making any comments about anything that concern literacy – not that he has any substance in his other comments about the city in the first place.
His comments are astonishing. I cannot believe someone can be so arrogant. It’s truly sad that the city is comparing its public libraries to Tim Hortons coffee shops. Wow.
Ignorance is bliss :so the saying goes. When I was in grade school we had a teacher that would give the following label to persons such as the Ford’s : “Stupidity personified”
I also know a psychiatrist who believes that : “when a person tells you who they are: believe them.”
Basically what he’s saying is “I don’t read books”. I don’t think less of someone because they don’t read and don’t know one of Canada’s most famous authors, but I don’t think it’s something someone in public office should be boasting about.
What’s really disturbing to me is that the Ford brothers are seriously jeopardizing the quality of life for those of us who live downtown for the sake of the bottom line. They couldn’t care less because they and the people that voted them in live outside the downtown core. These are dark days for Toronto.
A Toronto city councillor doesn’t know one of the most internationally acclaimed names in Canadian writing. This sad state of affairs is only worsened by closing libraries.
That comment is sad – perhaps if he had visited a library more often he would be more familiar with Canadian authors.
Rob Ford’s lack of long term vision is shocking!
Normally I don’t follow or care about these things, but I do think it’s funny that he would offer his ignorance as a boast.
Obviously he has never read a book in his life.
Doug Ford is the perfect example the ignorance that grows when you get rid of libraries. I doubt he’s ever stepped foot inside any of his “numerous” local branches, ever.
How about Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and Mr. Magoo?
What’s astonishing is that these brothers were actually elected to their ward. Their ignorance and clear lack of understanding of what is important to good community and city development blows me away. What a family of dufi.
What happened to Canada? First we get Stephen Harper muzzling scientific research ( http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Feds+silence+scientist+over+salmon+study/5162633/story.html ) and now we get a Flintstones character trying to undermine intellectual pursuits in Toronto. Who elected these honourable gentlemen? Why?
Yes, unfortunately, the politicians usually come from the same stock as their constituents. So if you’re outraged, I’d say you should blame your fellow voters! You deserve what the majority votes for!
What rock has Rob Ford been living under for the past 4 decades?
I think that it is disgusting that closing libraries has even been brought to the table. I was shocked when Doug Ford bragged about not knowing who Margaret Atwood is! He is like one of those troubled kids in school who is afraid that people will realize how dumb he is so he tries to make it “cool” not to know “unimportant” stuff.
I am seeing the Ford brothers in a totally new and negative way. Our city is going to look like a joke to other big cities around the world. Why oh why did people vote for these idiots?
It is NOT arrogance that is his problem, it is IGNORANCE!
The “Ford Mafia” just becomes more obnoxious with each passing day…..Doug Fords comments just confirm that the two are ignorant and have absolutely no vision for our city…..don’t know how I can stand 3.5 more years of this ….it is so depressing!
Wooo. Big surprise! What does one expect from one whose literary excursions are likely limited to Field and Stream and S.I.?
Sounds to me like Doug Ford should be campaigning for more Tim Hortons, not fewer libraries. Seriously, why can’t a great city like ours have lots of both?
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great mean are almost always bad men.” Lord Acton (1834-1902)
I am disappointed to find out that Mayor Ford is turning into a cliche.
I admit, I am one of those people who voted for him. The reason I voted is because when I went to the City Council, and when I listened to the debates on television, he’s the only one that had a clear plan and made any logical sense. I believed he would cut the city’s superfluous spending (such as free TTC services for the city councilors who have more than a descent wage and all-imaginable benefits), but not attack the essential services. Clearly, the Mayor does not understand the difference between the “gravy” and the main meal. Privatizing libraries is just as bad as shutting them down, because it will make the services unavailable to those who need them the most–the poor of this great city. Can you see someone on welfare, or on minimum wage ($10/h I believe) working 10 h days and wasting time and spending $6 on TTC fare to get to a library?
I don’t think any descent person will agree with Mayor Ford’s and his brother’s plan if they knew about it. There I blame the Libraries for not doing more. I visit my library at least once a week, and I have not heard about this until Doug Ford’s comment was mentioned today in the news. Though I do not particularly like reading Margaret Atwood’s books (I find her subjects disturbing and depressing), I do appreciate what she has done for Canadian Literature. I cannot believe the ignorance of Doug Ford–comparing libraries to Tim Hortons. I would rather shut down Tim Hortons than a single library in this city, especially since the American’s have destroyed the quality the food and coffee offered. I also do not understand this need to compare Canada constantly to the United States. We are Canadians, we do not have to follow where the Americans lead! When will this city have a descent leader? Education, Health Care, Jobs–that’s what matters to any living being in any city in the world. Free Library services are a way for anyone to educate themselves on any subject in the world. Clearly Mayor Ford does not understand that there are those who cannot afford the time or the fees of night courses (or university and college fees). A person should have the right to educate themselves, those who manage are known as autodidacts. Perhaps Doug Ford has heard of another famous author who managed to do just that–Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain.
Why would you help to illuminate the minds of regular people?
Who would choose you mayor if everyone would understand the world as it is?
Well, perhaps Mr. Doug Ford could go to the LIBRARY and find out who Margaret Atwood is! Oh wait….there isn’t going to be one close enough now, unless you own a car or can spring for a bus pass for the whole fam damily! I’m sure a few people are rolling over in their graves right now – Pierre Burton, Timothy Findlay, Robertson Davies, W.O. Mitchell, and Farley Mowat just to name a small group that even Doug Ford might recognize. Shutting library doors sounds more akin to “Gravy Brain Lobotomy” than “Gravy Train Economy”!
Torontonians – Join together to put an end to the Gravy Brain!
I’m glad you realized too late that Ford is a very ‘small’ man with a destructive agenda that totally dismisses the real needs of the city: As is clearly evident by his actions, his real agenda is petty and political. To be generous, he doesn’t understand the difference between the ‘gravy’ (of which he has found little) and the main meal. The sad thing is that enough people were hoodwinked by this man who got elected by making people think that small costs like TTC passes for city councillors (likely less expensive than cabs or mileage) are more important than the huge, necessary costs required to run a city; recall the statement to the effect that people understand $1000 easier than a million. Talk about distain for the tax-payer. Finally, as many Torontonians have already stated, many of us are willing to pay a tax increase to keep our city services strong and available to all citizens, including the poor and marginalized. I hope more of those who voted Ford into office will see the real man and have a change of heart as you did (though I’m not holding my breath!). I hope they will look carefully at what these cuts will really mean for everyone, but especially for the poor or those on fixed incomes (be sure to factor in user fees, outrageous destruction of our transit infrastructure for a vision that is the laughing stock of the world, etc.) before they choose the next leader of Ontario. Let Ford’s actions, as they continue to play out to the detriment of this great city, be a warning to voters in the upcoming election: Tim Hudak has the same Ford-like agenda for all of Ontario.
I went to the library in my neighbourhood today – Rexdale and Kipling – the one Doug Ford says no one goes knows about. I took out “Moral Disorder” by Margaret Atwood. Perhaps when I’m done reading it, Mr. Ford might want to borrow it next?
Disgusting. Just because the Fat “Cat” (I’d like to use another word there, but won’t), Doug Ford, doesn’t know who one of the greatest and most successful Canadian authors in history is, he wants to make sure our children won’t know who she is either? In this day and age when children have more computing power in their cell phones then it took to send men to the moon, and yet still won’t sit down to do 10 minutes of math homework, we need MORE literacy and education, not less. Books, the ability to write down, record and preserve information, are one of the main reasons why human beings have been able to advance as far as we have. The Ford Bros seem to want to send us back to the Stone Age. I did everything I could to get people NOT to vote for that clown. His interests are purely his own, and not for the citizens of Toronto. Maybe he needs to look into cutting down his own intake of gravy before looking at the cities.
I’d like to see a survey on how many “regular” Canadians know who Margaret Atwood – or in fact any literary writer – is. I think we’d be astonished by the results!
Many university students have no clue about world-class authors – I know, I used to teach and survey my students. Shocking! It’s not just a matter of libraries – it’s the educational system.