Municipal Politics - Page 4

MolsonExport · #61 Posted **Mar 31, 2011, 4:05 PM**

Is Joe Fontana a smoker? Could have sworn it was him I saw driving a mercedes off of oxfart and onto Wharncliffe this morning. Spitting image. Must be him. Except he appeared to have a cigarette dangling from his upper lip.

EDIT:

Good old google. Found this:
http://thelondonfog.blogspot.com/200...ake-grade.html

Quote:

Wednesday, 14 December, 2005
Joe Fontana fails to make the grade

Longtime entrenched Liberal MP Joe Fontana doesn't honour his personal resolutions, yet we are to trust he will act in the best interests of his constituents?

Labour Minister Joe Fontana of London wishes he'd quit smoking Jan. 1, as he had vowed. But he's still puffing and has picked up a case of bronchitis on the campaign trail. "I'm giving it up," he says. "I am trying my best."

That's it. It was him. No Dead Ringer, but rather, the real McCoy.

As a former smoker, I know how friggen hard it is to quit. 6 years now for me!

MolsonExport · #62 Posted **Apr 10, 2011, 7:06 PM**

Tim Best released on bail

Courts: The husband of ex-mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, is out pending an appeal of an impaired conviction

Quote:

Tim Best, husband of London’s ex-mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, has been granted bail pending an appeal of his impaired-driving conviction.

The Ontario Court of Appeal in Toronto granted his bail Friday.

Best, 49, is serving a six-month jail sentence for impaired driving causing bodily harm, two counts of failing to remain at the scene of an accident and dangerous driving.

He was sentenced March 25 after a trial at which he claimed he downed nine ounces of vodka after he hit a car on Hwy. 401 and another in Dorchester Jan. 31, 2009. Defence lawyer Richard Braiden indicated there would likely be an appeal of the impaired driving conviction, arguing the conviction was inconsistent with acquittals for two offences for having over 80 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood.

Braiden had sought probation or an intermittent sentence of 90 days or less that would allow him to maintain his business.

Best owns Friday Night Lights.

randy.richmond@sunmedia.ca

With files from Jane Sims

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2.../17920961.html

MrSlippery519 · #63 Posted **Apr 11, 2011, 1:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Tim Best released on bail

Courts: The husband of ex-mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, is out pending an appeal of an impaired conviction

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2.../17920961.html

On a good note, I noticed the patio is gone

Was driving by on Saturday night

MolsonExport · #64 Posted **Apr 11, 2011, 5:53 PM**

^I heard that T Best is proposing a patio outside of his new loansharking emporium on Dundas street, so he can better compete for the Centre-town-Pawnbroker crowd. According to Best, it is just a little place where customers "...can stop for a cigarette and a cup of coffee before getting a payday loan" at 318% interest.

manny_santos · #65 Posted **Apr 11, 2011, 6:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^I heard that T Best is proposing a patio outside of his new loansharking emporium on Dundas street, so he can better compete for the Centre-town-Pawnbroker crowd. According to Best, it is just a little place where customers "...can stop for a cigarette and a cup of coffee before getting a payday loan" at 318% interest.

Speaking of which, I know a guy who owns a pawn shop, but not in London. Very interesting character...he says "caaaaaaash" randomly a lot. I've told him he should have a TV commercial, he could be as famous as Russell Oliver.

Pimpmasterdac · #66 Posted **Apr 11, 2011, 10:41 PM**

Tim Best is a slimy piece of trash!

London would be a better place if he never moved here.

Simpseatles · #67 Posted **Apr 12, 2011, 12:13 AM**

I hate the Canadian legal system. A scumbag like him has the nerve to drive drunk, crash into other vehicles and drive away, attempt to use his mayor wife to get him off the hook, and then claim that the city of London will suffer as a result of him being incarcerated! And then he only gets 6 months in jail? And now he might get out after something like 3 weeks!

Blitz · #68 Posted **Apr 12, 2011, 3:46 AM**

Kinda says something about A-M DC-B when he's the best she could do...even after she had been mayor for so long.

Wharn · #69 Posted **Apr 12, 2011, 4:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitz

Kinda says something about A-M DC-B when he's the best she could do...even after she had been mayor for so long.

She was an idiot but I still think she could have done better than I-Don't-Think-So-Tim.

MolsonExport · #70 Posted **Apr 12, 2011, 4:17 PM**

TB is a lowlife. Apparently a shady past in Chatham. Likewise down in Texas. We all know the story here in London. I actually feel sorry for AMdeCB. This guy is a total loser.

MolsonExport · #71 Posted **Apr 12, 2011, 4:20 PM**

Tim's not too popular over here: http://mooseandsquirrel.ca/2011/01/2...iness-venture/ http://mooseandsquirrel.ca/tag/tim-best/

MolsonExport · #72 Posted **Apr 13, 2011, 1:03 PM**

I can't help the hate for Tim Best. The more I read about this guy and his sordid businesses, the more I can't stand the fuker.

Read up on what a terrible business those payday loans are here (article in Today's Glob and Snail, about Money Mart [same business model as TB's payday loans): http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...rticle1982697/

Why lawyers’ fees at centre stage in Money Mart case

Quote:

The original lawsuit, launched in 2003, accused the payday lender of charging illegal interest rates and gouging its mostly poor customers...

...The story of the six-year, hard-fought legal battle against Money Mart has several twists. The lawsuit, launched on behalf of about 210,000 Money Mart payday loan borrowers in Ontario, accused the company of breaking the criminal code. At the time, annual interest rates higher than 60 per cent were illegal.

Money Mart disputed the plaintiffs’ lumping together of all its fees, including cheque-cashing charges, as interest. If all were deemed to be interest payments, however, according to evidence at the trial, the effective annual rate on one nine-day $100 loan (which cost $19.18 in fees and interest) was over 120,000 per cent.

...

“The reality is, people who use Money Mart are especially vulnerable,” Mr. Kim said.
...

MolsonExport · #73 Posted **Apr 14, 2011, 1:32 PM**

Tim Best audio (following arrest), including "This is the worst possible thing you could do to London right now" (0:27, again at 2:04)

EXCLUSIVE: Tim Best OPP, 911 Witness Audio Recordings Released

Quote:

The audio, listed below, is an unedited recording made on a police cellphone inside OPP Const. Julie Munro's cruiser. She began recording the conversation she was having with Tim Best, moments after his arrest, after deciding she needed evidence of his repeated requests to contact his wife, then Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best, then London Police Chief Murray Faulkner and even the Solicitor General.

http://www.am980.ca/channels/news/lo...spx?id=1353504

LFP

Found in Best's passenger seat:

Bud Light. Jesus farking Christ. Terrible guy, terrible beer.

Go to 2:46. the dialogue gets very interesting. Even a jibe from one of the cops: "Do you want us to call the London Free Press" (Best: "That's not very nice")

manny_santos · #74 Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 3:08 AM**

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2.../18284351.html

This was also the top story on /A\ News at 11. There was an emotional outburst from a dude in the City Council gallery who wants backyard chickens, and the gallery was full of supporters. Thankfully, Joe Fontana has basically said there are much bigger issues to worry about, such as job losses.

While London is worrying about backyard chickens, I predict that if I go to CKCO (Kitchener) at 11:30, the top story will be related to Waterloo Regional light rail transit developments. It's embarrassing for London that we debate such stupid issues while Waterloo Region is moving forward.

Pimpmasterdac · #75 Posted **Jun 15, 2011, 4:01 AM**

I rolled in late tonight and saw that as the Top Story on /A\ News manny, the great chicken debate continuing. It's not that there's no real news in London, I just think /A\ News in general is a piss poor excuse of a program.

Half /A\ News stories are fluff pieces, talking about great chicken debates, rescued cats from trees, and what uncle buck in Wingham thinks about windmills ruining his hairdo. They fill in their news with the Health & Home segment, which outta be renamed the geezer segment. Then they get to real news thereafter, Air Canada & CP strikes, Lybia etc. If it wasn't for the weather, which is wrong a great deal of the time, I wouldn't watch /A\ News at all. Luckily I have a PVR so 60 minutes of fluff is compressed into 10 minutes of useful info.

There's tons of news for /A\ News to report, they just have a real mellow, laid back, blue collar, senior feel to it. They could easily do investigative journalism in LRT, Road conditions, City Hall, exposés in shady people/business. But /A\ News never likes to rock the boat or really inform the public, they just put some shit together by 6:00 pm that will fill an hour and get their pay cheques.

Anyways enough of that rant, hopefully important issues like LRT and such are brought to the public's attention.

Blitz · #76 Posted **Jun 17, 2011, 5:40 AM**

It's odd how this chicken thing has made the rounds through the province...Windsor went through it 6 months ago. There was a tie when city council voted on whether to form a committee to study the idea. The mayor had to break the tie calling it a waste of time.

I tend to agree about A-Channel...ugh.

Wharn · #77 Posted **Jun 22, 2011, 3:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitz

I tend to agree about A-Channel...ugh.

I don't even bother with TV news, period. It's all pretty watered-down stuff and doesn't really give a detailed analysis. But A-Channel is particularly bad; I usually just come to SSP's Local London to get any important local news.

manny_santos · #78 Posted **Oct 16, 2011, 11:53 PM**

I got talking with someone in Toronto today who has never been to London, but he has been following the political and economic scene in London. He told me he is very impressed with Joe Fontana and he sees London "going places" because of him. Specifically he referred to the push to get various companies to locate in London.

I'm glad to see London's reputation among our bigger brother neighbour is improving.

manny_santos · #79 Posted **Oct 16, 2011, 11:58 PM**

I got talking with someone in Toronto today who has never been to London, but he has been following the political and economic scene in London. He told me he is very impressed with Joe Fontana and he sees London "going places" because of him.

From the little I've heard so far, it sounds like Fontana is better liked by Torontonians than Rob Ford.

manny_santos · #80 Posted **Jan 1, 2012, 6:47 AM**

I was at Victoria Park tonight for New Years. There were some young men carrying around a very large cardboard sign that read:

"Joe Fontana is a saint"

They were even promoting his re-election.

They're just lucky they weren't doing this in Toronto, with Rob Ford.