[URBAN NOTE] Five Toronto links: democracy, Desmond Cole, Jennifer Keesmaat, TDSB, Doug Ford

[rfmcdonald]

• ?Writing at the National Observer, Desmond Cole makes the point that no one is going to come from outside to save Toronto. It's all up to Torontonians.


• Edward Keenan makes the point that the Jennifer Keesmaat run for mayor of Toronto will ultimately be good for the city, over at the Toronto Star.


• MacLean's shares a Michael Mendelson article from 2000 looking at how Toronto can acquire more, and more secure autonomy, within Ontario. There seem to be no easy solutions.


• The Ford government has now ordered the Toronto District School Board to redraw school boards with borders corresponding to the new wards, with just two weeks to go. The Toronto Star reports.


• George Elliott Clarke at NOW Toronto calls for federal intervention against Ford's city council moves, on the grounds that Ford is undermining and straining the quality of democracy here.