In My Opinion: The Great State of Canada and some other thoughts about 2025

By ALAN SHACKLETON

EDITOR, BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS

As we welcome 2025, I took a quick look back at the column I wrote outlining some of my New Year’s wishes for the year just past.

Sorry to say 2024 was truly the year of wishful thinking. At least when it came to my hopes for transit it was.

I find it hard to believe that here we are 12 months later still waiting for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT to start operating.

It’s beyond a joke or an embarrassment. It should now be a criminal case.

The Crosstown is a shameful situation that has broken all levels of trust between taxpayers and the organizations (both political and private) we put our faith in to provide us with the services we need.

What did change in 2024 was that Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster resigned from his position in early December.

Verster first started the job in 2017, and he had renewed for a three-year contract in 2023. Now, he’s resigned and is no longer involved in running Metrolinx.

The interim CEO of Metrolinx is now Michael Lindsay of Infrastructure Ontario. Let’s hope Lindsay has more success getting the Eglinton Crosstown LRT open and actually serving passengers.

However, I won’t hold my breath on that happening this year. I hope I’m wrong, but it’s impossible to have any optimism when it comes to that organization.

In last year’s column I also expressed concerns about the Ontario Line, the subway between what was the home of Ontario Science Centre at Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue and Exhibition Place.

In the past year, the biggest development there was the sudden closure of the Ontario Science Centre in June. The solution to that embarrassing situation will be changing the name of the stop at Don Mills and Eglinton from Science Centre Station to something else. I propose we name it after a developer. Or a horse.

Which leads me to politics, which should always follow behind horses for obvious reasons.

This year will be an interesting one.

Key question is when will we be holding the election for the new Governor of Canada?

Donald Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States on Jan. 20. We here in the Great State of Canada (Live Free or Pass the Puck) need to make sure we are ready for the greatest Inauguration in history.

For this year I’m also looking forward to finally getting to celebrate Thanksgiving in November, the Memorial Day weekend in May, and Veteran’s Day in November. Honestly now, my fellow Canadians, don’t you feel you’ve been missing out on that in the past?

Last year I wrote that a federal election in Canada in 2024 was a bad idea, and the right time for one would be in the first half of 2025. Looks like I got one thing right.

I also said in the 2024 column it would be very interesting to see who the Liberals chose as their new candidate in Beaches-East York as current MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith said he would not be running again.

Well it certainly was interesting. The Liberal candidate for Beaches-East York will be Erskine-Smith.

Yes, I know you’re thinking I’m getting 2025 confused with 2021, but I’m not. For a further explanation, read our story at https://beachmetro.com/2024/12/23/erskine-smith-sets-goals-as-new-minister-of-housing-infrastructure-and-communities-ready-for-next-election-whenever-it-comes/

Now don’t ask me that question again as I am done with state, county and municipal politics. Talk to me again when it’s time for the Midterms.

Happy New Year!