The heat is on - better listen up, Mayor Ford!

 'Daycare' space established outside Mayor Ford's office!

Supportive Council members line up for snacks and to 

'pinky-swear' not to support the cuts!

More pics can be viewed here.

Creative and powerful actions are underway in response to massive cutbacks to core services looming at the hands of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and his band of bandits.

On the morning of September 22 a large group of children, parents and supporters descended on Council Chambers to demand that child care subsidies not be cut - the kids took the lead in a big way here, bringing snacks to city council members and imploring them to 'pinky-swear' (take an oath while linking little fingers together) not to implement these cuts.

 

Musicians and 'Grim Reaper' lead funeral procession

 'Die-in' in City Hall rotunda

 Chalk memorial is drawn outside City Hall doors

More photos can be viewed here.

A video clip can be viewed here.

On September 23 a solemn mock funeral procession and 'die-in' by AIDS activists delivered a similar demand regarding funding for HIV/AIDS resources.

Led by musicians and a giant 'Grim Reaper' puppet, nearly 100 people collapsed in mock death inside City Hall's rotunda, then proceeded back outside where the 'die-in' was repeated, with people drawing chalk outlines around each others' prone forms. Flowers and candles were then left within these images.

Earlier in the week hundreds of Toronto residents signed up to deliver a virtually unanimous message against further assaults on city services  at another marathon session of Mayor Ford's executive committee.

In the wake of this meeting many of the proposed cutbacks were deferred until the budget process begins in November, with still other items being sent to the various standing committees for further review. Only a few relatively innocuous items will come up for vote at the current session of City Council.

While it is clear that Ford and Co. have blinked, this fight is far from over. Everything is still on the table - it  simply appears that sneakier methods are likely to be utilized to push this agenda forward.

We need to be vigilant; to keep up the momentum that has been built throughout the year and be ready to confront these people when they try yet again to impose this devastating plethora of cuts  upon us!

A massive rally will be taking place at 5:30 PM on Monday, September 26, 

when thousands of people are expected to descend on Nathan Phillips Square