Toronto group to crown 'Lord of the Slums' (Toronto Mayor criticizes New York and Chicago)

Reuters ^ | November 25, 2005 | Reuters

[MikeEdwards]

TORONTO (Reuters) - To coincide with the world premiere of the "Lord of the Rings" musical in Toronto in February, a city tenants' group will crown a "Lord of the Slums."

The group also wants slumlords to line up for a chance to win the "Golden Cockroach" award, and is eyeing a "Slums Unlimited" safari for tourists.

The campaign by the Parkdale Tenants Association, which represents residents of a down-at-the-heels west end neighborhood, is taking aim at the city of Toronto and the government of Ontario over what it says are sub-standard living conditions for low-income renters.

"When the city and province brag about spending C$3 million on bringing tourists in, we thought we'd use it as an opportunity to show this dirty little secret," association representative Bart Poesiat said on Friday.

[MikeEdwards]

You should have seen it on television!

Toronto Mayor David Miller mayor_miller@toronto.ca defended himself against this www.torontoslumtourism.com website by attacking the slums of New York City and Chicago because the website says Toronto is in fact far worse than either city's slums.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Et tuque arguments aside, a slum is what you make it. In my experience the greatest cause of unpleasantness in slum quarters is the tenants, not the quarters.

[Tzimisce]

Toronto.....or should we call it "New Paris"?

[dangus]

>> the world premiere of the "Lord of the Rings" musical <<

*shudder* I guess even the drama queens liked the movies.

[atomicpossum]

taking aim at the city of Toronto and the government of Ontario over what it says are sub-standard living conditions for low-income renters.

Well, you get what you pay for.

[blackie]

I'm shocked ~ slums in the socialist utopia of Canada, say it isn't so!