Preville on Politics
Hey, Hoy! Thanks for the publicity
Posted on December 11, 2007 by Philip Preville
Why do I bother plugging my own work when the city can do the job for me? In response to my January cover story, City Manager Shirley Hoy wrote a 1,200-word alternative-reality memo and sent it out to every city employee. It quickly made the rounds in the press gallery and beyond. Read it here.
Philip Preville
Veteran freelance writer Philip Preville lived much of his life in Montreal and Edmonton before he was lured, like so many Torontonians before him, by the promise of more work and a better living. A National Magazine Award winner and former Canadian Journalism Fellow at the University of Toronto’s Massey College, Preville writes Toronto Life’s politics column. He lives with his wife and one-year-old son in Riverdale, just close enough to the Don Valley Parkway that he can hear it when he steps outside his house—but just far enough away that it doesn’t keep him awake at night. On his office wall hangs a 1938–39 press pass belonging to his grandfather, Elias Gannon, who wrote for the Montreal Star.
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Comments
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an ex City employee December 12, 2007 at 2:21 p.m.
Ms. Hoy,
In response to your apology, I would have to point out that the City is bound to get SOME things right out of blind luck from time to time. Even so, if you hadn't, you'd be facing open revolt, rather than a bit of negative press.
But the issues involved here are systemic, and you utterly fail to acknowledge or address them. Let me assure you that during my five years with the City, I was confronted with them on a daily basis.
During that time, it was furstrating to be impeded by the rampant mediocrity, embarrassing to be painted with the "silly servant" brush by my peers, and also infuriating as a tax-payer to see my money wasted on a daily basis.
The utter lack of acknowledgement or support on management's part, coupled with the rampant political in-fighting led to my eventual resignation out of utter disgust.
Good riddance,
a heavy, comfortable sigh from the public sector
S December 13, 2007 at 12:12 p.m.
If you write like that ex City, I think we're better off without you.
an ex City employee December 14, 2007 at 8:59 a.m.
Excellent rebuttal S! I am truly shamed and cowed. I'm thankful that you mercifully drew the line at telling me that I stink.
But I agree that City Hall is better off without me. No organization can operate effectively, or indeed survive for very long when their employees are unhappy, and management does not address the issue(s).
Fed Up Contract Worker December 17, 2007 at 2:06 p.m.
Dear ex-City employee,
You and Philip have only scratched the icing on a badly burnt cake (perhaps it’s still burning?). I read Philip's article the other day and gasped! I wasn’t in shock of learning what really happens at City Hall. Instead, I could relate to nearly everything written in that article and on Phil’s blog – with exception to a few comments. So true are items mentioned ie. throwing away of money of miss-managed projects, micro-management, staffing and hiring issues (aka gapping), the unions (don’t get me started), and of course contracting out (if you are paid 80k a year to do a job why do you need a contractor to help you do it? Isn’t that why you were hired in the first place?).
I have been working with the province and the city for a number of years (all on contract – underpaid and no holidays) and if tax-payers only knew of the crap I have seen. So much so that I don't even know where to begin. And to think that CUPE is going to push for another 3-4% pay increase for City, TFD (they already got it), and Toronto Police employees. THEY DON”T NEED IT! They need to clean up the dead-wood/ ageing out-of-date management, stop contracting work out, and stop with these stupid hiring freezes just to name a few.
Just think another three years of this of this crap. At this rate the City won’t have any brainpower left, just contract staff wearing paper hats making 8$/hr. I am waiting for City Hall to simply implode under its own mismanagement.
I thank God that I am not working for the City anymore as I don’t know how long I could take it anymore. It was absolutely disgusting what I saw and experienced during my tenure. I feel bad for all of the dedicated employees from the City, TFD, and TPS that care about doing a good job. They are they ones that usually take the brunt of City Hall’s reckless stupidity and are left working in a demoralized hell.
Hmm… what if Jane Pitfield did win as mayor – do you think she would of kept her promise to clean up City Hall?
For those of you that can't understand this, watch a City Council debate one afternoon, these are the people you have to work for! Over paid children that lack the skills or wiliness to get anything done, on-time, and on-budget.
For you Philip, soldier on my dear man and please don’t stop with just this one article. As I said you have ONLY scratched the surface…