Quote, unquote: sticking it to Toronto

Setting aside all the policy justifications and the mug’s game of tallying up the economic spin-offs, the story line here has always put Toronto in the tenuous position of dictating how Ottawa spends. And in the world beyond the 416, no self-respecting national politician – Tory, Liberal or other — can get away with letting Toronto help itself to the contents of the federal coffers.

That kind of thing doesn’t sell in Calgary, it doesn’t sell in the Gaspe and it doesn’t sell in Mississauga. As the old joke goes, the only thing that holds Canada together is that everyone hates Toronto.

-- Freelance writer John Lorinc, a regular columnist with Spacing magazine, explaining what he says is the little understood dynamic of the battle between Toronto Mayor David Miller and the feds over funding for Toronto's new streetcars.