[Northern Light]

And we wonder why everyone is speeding? I’m just going to sound like a boomer (I’m Gen X), but I don’t see anything in Canada today that’s better than the Canada I grew up in the 1980s and began my career in the mid 1990s. What was so wrong with Canada in 1990 that our leaders from then to today decided to take us down this path? We needed to understand that we Canadians (including immigrants like me) had a good thing, and that it needed to be protected, not shared with the world without conditions.

While we can doubtless agree that the broadly pro-immigration consensus was messed up by successive governments seeking to exploit a pool of cheap labour, instead of inviting reasonable numbers of skilled workers and a smaller number based on compassion...

And likewise we can also probably agree that governments in Canada, both federal and provincial squandered too much money on gimmicky one-time checks, corporate welfare, and interest on spiraling debt...

I think its too much to say that nothing is has improved in Canada in the last 40 odd years.

Gay rights have improved, and lets be clear, Toronto police were still raiding bath houses in the 80s...

Excessive force by police has declined, its now rarer to hear of a police shooting of a civilian/suspect, and the days of the Cherry Street Express are largely behind us.

Maternity leave became parental leave and got considerably longer.

Accessibility has improved immensely, there were zero elevators on the TTC in the mid '80s, benefiting not only those in wheelchairs, but those with strollers, buggies, bikes, etc.

Albeit in a clunky way, the majority of Canadians now have access to dental care, btw private and gov't programs.

The variety of food is way better than in the 80s.

In the mid 80s, air conditioning on subways was not yet universal, and it was non-existent on buses and streetcars. Today all transit vehicles are air conditioned

Toronto's coal-fired power plants have closed and smog has largely disappeared from Toronto's air.

****

Yes, lots of things are worse, from homelessness to drug addiction, to untreated mental illness to commute times.

Its disappointing that those have deteriorated and many other solvable issues have not bee addressed as well as they could and should have been. Still, the odd thing has gotten better in 40 years.

 

[81-717]

In the mid 80s, air conditioning on subways was not yet universal, and it was non-existent on buses and streetcars. Today all transit vehicles are air conditioned

That aside, the subway is definitely something that's worse today than back then as far as I'm concerned (both the fleets and the amount of delays/shutdowns).

 

[Northern Light]

That aside, the subway is definitely something that's worse today than back then as far as I'm concerned (both the fleets and the amount of delays/shutdowns).

I'm not sure I fully agree. I think that's a very broad brush.

The rolling stock today has wider doors, more accessible seating, and air conditioning.

The only knocks on the rolling stock vs yesteryear's would be lacks of pads for the seats and the doors are a bit pokey.

****

There are more delays but whereas those are often the product of medical and safety, larger population with more riders will do that to some degree. Social ills aside, the TTC could be better managed and more could be done to mitigate delays and their causes.

** That said, this is the federal politics thread, and I think we should save getting into the weeds on TTC for a more appropriate venue.

 

[81-717]

The rolling stock today has wider doors, more accessible seating

It's also slower than that which it replaced. Accessible seating could've been added to any rolling stock if they wanted to, nor does the lack of it preclude wheelchairs from boarding any subway.

and air conditioning

Also been a thing since the 1970s (and in NYC's case, 1960s).

That said, this is the federal politics thread, and I think we should save getting into the weeds on TTC for a more appropriate venue.

Fair enough.

but I don’t see anything in Canada today that’s better than the Canada I grew up in the 1980s and began my career in the mid 1990s

Neither do I, compared to Canada in the 2000s (which includes the above, ofc).

What was so wrong with Canada in 1990 that our leaders from then to today decided to take us down this path?

I think "going down this path" started around 2015.

 

[CMQSD402F9011]

I think "going down this path" started around 2015.

Harper was still the PM in 2014-15 and Trudeau didn’t take office until the 4th of November in 2015 btw.

 

[picard102]

It's also slower than that which it replaced.

Slower how? Source?

Accessible seating could've been added to any rolling stock if they wanted to, nor does the lack of it preclude wheelchairs from boarding any subway.

Seating and doors are not the only accessible improvements making the newer trains far superior to the old trains. Especially the garbage H series.

Also been a thing since the 1970s (and in NYC's case, 1960s).

and yet we had subways without AC as recent as 2010.

I think "going down this path" started around 2015.

Of course, it's always 2015 . Certainly couldn't have been anything done previously to 2015.

 

[81-717]

Slower how? Source?

Doors opening, acceleration, speed, obviously.

Seating and doors are not the only accessible improvements making the newer trains far superior to the old trains. Especially the garbage H series

Go ride a subway shuttle bus during rush hour then, if you think the H-series are so garbage. Hope it's a Novabus which many consider an uncomfortable ride.
Also:

I am seriously contemplating awarding them the inaugural prize of being the first and only on my ignore list on UT. For the record, even EBT never made it close to being put on that list

and yet we had subways without AC as recent as 2010.

Because they lasted that long and would hopefully outlast their garbage replacements.
Also Montreal will not have any subways with AC until at least 2036, or possibly never, so idk what you're on about.

Harper was still the PM in 2014-15 and Trudeau didn’t take office until the 4th of November in 2015 btw.

2015 was an approximation, it all started around that time period.

 

[picard102]

Doors opening, acceleration, speed, obviously.

Again, do you have any proof of this other than your perception of it.

Go ride a subway shuttle bus during rush hour then, if you think the H-series are so garbage.

Or I'll just ride the far superior TR's. I hope once they go out of service they take the time to preserve one.

 

[81-717]

EXCLUSIVE: Air Canada employee accused in Canada’s largest gold heist had been on police radar for years

An investigation by CTV News’ investigative unit, W5, reveals court records, intelligence documents and insider accounts that raise questions about how employees flagged in major investigations kept their security clearance at Canada’s busiest airport.

www.ctvnews.ca

Jesus christ. Can't believe I just flew to the US & back a few days ago. If I knew about this in advance, I might've canceled the trip. Think I'll pass on flying for the time being (last time before this was in 2024 for me).

 

[CMQSD402F9011]

2015 was an approximation, it all started around that time period.

You mean early 2015(?) I’m sure the first days of the Trudeau government had few weeks in parliament and then have Christmas break. The first budget would’ve been tabled in early 2016 iirc.

 

[Admiral Beez]

While we can doubtless agree that the broadly pro-immigration consensus was messed up by successive governments seeking to exploit a pool of cheap labour, instead of inviting reasonable numbers of skilled workers and a smaller number based on compassion...

And likewise we can also probably agree that governments in Canada, both federal and provincial squandered too much money on gimmicky one-time checks, corporate welfare, and interest on spiraling debt...

I think its too much to say that nothing is has improved in Canada in the last 40 odd years.

Gay rights have improved, and lets be clear, Toronto police were still raiding bath houses in the 80s...

Excessive force by police has declined, its now rarer to hear of a police shooting of a civilian/suspect, and the days of the Cherry Street Express are largely behind us.

Maternity leave became parental leave and got considerably longer.

Accessibility has improved immensely, there were zero elevators on the TTC in the mid '80s, benefiting not only those in wheelchairs, but those with strollers, buggies, bikes, etc.

Albeit in a clunky way, the majority of Canadians now have access to dental care, btw private and gov't programs.

The variety of food is way better than in the 80s.

In the mid 80s, air conditioning on subways was not yet universal, and it was non-existent on buses and streetcars. Today all transit vehicles are air conditioned

Toronto's coal-fired power plants have closed and smog has largely disappeared from Toronto's air.

****

Yes, lots of things are worse, from homelessness to drug addiction, to untreated mental illness to commute times.

Its disappointing that those have deteriorated and many other solvable issues have not bee addressed as well as they could and should have been. Still, the odd thing has gotten better in 40 years.

Well yes, the 90s were a great time to be a white, straight, able bodied, university educated, car-driving, housed, employed, sane and sober male. But when isn't it? We've definitely come a long way for everyone else since the 1990s, but to get here we have somehow surrendered affordability of housing, food and life overall, and gained a societal grit that I never saw in the 1990s, where a vagrant or drunk would be a notable occurrence. I wish we could have the best of the 20th century with the best of the 21st.

 

[CMQSD402F9011]

Well yes, the 90s were a great time to be a white, straight, able bodied, university educated, car-driving, housed, employed, sane and sober male. But when isn't it? We've definitely come a long way for everyone else since the 1990s, but to get here we have somehow surrendered affordability of housing, food and life overall, and gained a societal grit that I never saw in the 1990s, where a vagrant or drunk would be a notable occurrence. I wish we could have the best of the 20th century with the best of the 21st.

Well in Ontario after 1995. Definitely not with Mike Harris who was the premier back then.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Well in Ontario after 1995. Definitely not with Mike Harris who was the premier back then.

True, pre-Harris was definitely a high spot for quality of life in Ontario. But it was Bob Rae’s government that closed down our mental asylums under the guise of deinstitutionalization, where the province’s mentally were moved onto our streets and into our city emergency shelters.

 

[picard102]

True, pre-Harris was definitely a high spot for quality of life in Ontario. But it was Bob Rae’s government that closed down our mental asylums under the guise of deinstitutionalization, where the province’s mentally were moved onto our streets and into our city emergency shelters.

Matthew Dymond in the 60's started deinstitutionalization.
Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital in Etobicoke officially closed in 1979 under the Conservatives.
Rae had very little to do with it.