Don't advertise it, councillor is told, if the neighbourhood has gone to pot

Several irate homeowners have called Scarborough-Agincourt councillor Michael Del Grande since he persuaded the city to go the extra mile in identifying alleged marijuana grow operations that are raided by police. While the city usually demands landlords repair their premises after pot-growing tenants have been tagged by the cops, Mr. Del Grande wanted the city to experiment with posting big signs on the property saying "alleged marijuana grow-house operation."

The experiment appears to be short-lived, and not one that has sat well with nearby homeowners in recent days. They feared the unwanted exposure would sink property values. Nor did Mr. Del Grande get many kudos from the local media.

"They complain about politicians that do nothing, and then when you get somebody that tries to do something, he's taken to the wall for, you know, trampling on people's rights," Mr. Del Grande laments.

Meanwhile, Scarborough-Centre councillor Michael Thompson was trumpeting his invitation to a national marijuana grow-op conference put on by the RCMP in Ottawa earlier this week. Interviewed on his return, Mr. Thompson said he is eager to get going on a plan.

Mr. Del Grande was dubious about his colleague's field trip.

"He's got a press conference; he's going to a meeting. So what?" he asked. " I like Michael Thompson, but a lot of these guys [say], well, we're going to have a conference; we're going to talk about it; we're going to have a committee. . . .Years go down the road, and still nothing's happening."

Politicians need not apply More than a few ex-councillors had their noses out of joint last week when council approved a roster of citizen appointees to the property standards committee and the Toronto Licensing Tribunal.

Sources say that Fred Dominelli, Irene Jones and Mike Tzekas were among those angling for a spot on the bodies, which hear appeals on licence applications and property bylaw rules. Former Etobicoke councillor Blake Kinahan had hoped to renew his term on the tribunal for three more years.

No dice. Last week, after haggling for hours in closed session, city councillors approved the slate without any former pols. But the council could not agree on whom to name as alternates to the licensing tribunal.

Mr. Dominelli's name had been on that list, sent back for another go-round.

He showed up last week at City Hall before the closed-door session, fuming over the imminent rejection.

Mr. Dominelli, who was selected in 2003 by council to fill out the term of former Davenport councillor Betty Disero until last November's municipal election, still plans to run against Davenport incumbent Cesar Palacio in 2006.

Winner on the right

Councillor Rob Ford's office looks out on Nathan Phillips Square, and right above the entrance to City Hall, making it impossible to miss the "Bush-Cheney '04" re-election signs posted in his window.

Mr. Ford, a right-winger whose family has a label-making firm in Chicago, is thrilled at George W. Bush's re-election victory. "He's done a great job; we have to support him," says Mr. Ford, who had the Republican posters shipped from the United States.

His great joy, though, was winning a $20 bet on the U.S. presidential race with council lefty Joe Mihevc.