【09.12.2 The Global and Mail】Mammoliti in China on panda quest

和解团结

【原文链接】http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/mammoliti-in-china-on-panda-quest/article1379463/

【作者】Jennifer Lewington， City Hall Bureau Chief


【原文】
Councillor wants to bring bears to Toronto Zoo for long-term stay; critics say trip is nothing more than a junket

To the question “Where in the world is Toronto councillor Giorgio Mammoliti?” the one-word answer is China.

Mr. Mammoliti (Ward 7, York West), a board member of the Toronto Zoo and chairman of its fundraising committee, is wrapping up a mission this week to bring a pair of breeding giant pandas to Toronto for a long-term stay.

The trip to China, which critics charge is a junket because Mr. Mammoliti has no authority to seal a deal, has been scaled back since first proposed in September with a price-tag of $83,000 and a proposed delegation of up to nine people.

Instead, the four-day trip is expected to cost $14,000 for two people – Mr. Mammoliti and senior zoo official William Rapley. This week, they visited officials with the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens and the Chongqing Zoological Gardens, which has a sister relationship with the zoo here, to reaffirm a 2003 “letter of intent” on an exchange of animals and researchers. However, the agreement does not bind the national government to loan pandas.

For years, Mr. Mammoliti has made it his personal campaign to engineer a return of the crowd-pleasing animals, which paid a short visit here in the early 1980s.
However, a decision on a long-term loan of breeding pandas rests on diplomatic negotiations between the Canadian and Chinese governments. It is not clear if Ottawa will make such a request when Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrives in China next week.

Interim zoo CEO Peter Evans said Thursday that “current conditions may be more conducive than in the past” to securing a pair of pandas for a 10-year stay. In addition to the Prime Minister's official visit, Mr. Evans cites the coming G20 meeting in Canada next June as an occasion for a high-profile gift. He notes that earlier this year China gave a pair of pandas to Singapore, host of the Asia-Pacific conference.

Mr. Mammoliti last went to China in 2003 to make a pitch for pandas, but it failed to pan out.


评论

globalwarming ROX!
11/27/2009 2:48:27 AM
I personally think it'd be a horrible stay for the pandas, the climate here is nothing like what they are suited for (warm+wet+mountainous) and they therefore have to stay indoor a lot, and for most of the Canadian winter. But this is just my own speculation.

Eligible
11/27/2009 5:18:47 AM
Canada doesn't know how to take care of the Panda. I also believe the Zoo will not love the Panda the way China does.

zooboss09
11/27/2009 6:43:50 AM

Dear Animal Friends:

For three (3) reasons I am revamping my old site forbided by Mr Robyn Hale C.O.O of the Toronto ZOO.

1.- The Near scape of a Grizzly Bear two days ago.

2.- The Junket trip to China forwarned by a deputation to the Board of Management on Oct 04 2009.

3.- The cancelation to appear again at the Board of Management of the ZOO with the deputation to form a Citizens Advisory Committee for the Toronto ZOO.

Please visit the following site:

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/torontocitizens



By the way congrats to all the people who work hard to win this victory over the anarchy reign of Mr Tim Trow and the Board.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-humane-society-officials-arrested-charged-with-cruelty-to-animals/article1378385/

http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/217906--humane-society-raided-five-staff-members-charged


For the Animals we Love!


Miguel Avila

Toronto

zooboss09
11/27/2009 7:00:41 AM
October 28.09


Dear Mr. HARPER. Prime Minister


While it is a good idea for the You Mr Harper, to visit these two countries in China and India , in November/December 2009 , I could not avoid thinking about the Pandas. Yes, Those lovely animals . A controversial decision made by the Toronto ZOO Board of Management calls the lease of two Giant Pandas from China and it needs approval from the Chinese Government. A four-person delegation from the Toronto Zoo (including one Board member who will remain nameless) is expected to go to China and make the request themselves in Person a touch and feel trip to lovely CHINA.

The Chinese consulate has no intentions of dealing with ZOO officials here in Toronto apparently the advise given from the consulate., they would much rather speak to some one on the Federal cabinet to discuss the ZOO ambitious plan which may have some merits if they could get the Calgary ZOO on board to share the cost of the 10 year lease ( 6 years at the Toronto ZOO and 4 at the Calgary ZOO).


Despite the fact that they have absolutely no influence on the decision from the Chinese Government remember these are Municipal POLITICIANS with power to one tiny jurisdiction in the Canadian map,, yes TORONTO , ). However, the Canadian Prime Minister DOES have the power of influence.

I am preparing to make a future deputation to the Board of Management of the Toronto ZOO in November 26 2009 to requet to have a Citizens Advisory Committe form for the Toronto ZOO and provided much needed input from Torontonians before they could get themselves in some embarrasment desicions, mind you. UPDATE: the idea has been shelved by the acting CEO of the Toronto ZOO Mr Peter Evans for one year???

Would you be interested in assisting the TORONTO ZOO to achieve this possible dream?

I have proposed to the ZOO the creation of a Citizens Advisory Committee for the Toronto ZOO. regardless the opposition from the Board of Management of the TORONTO ZOO.

Thanks

Miguel Avila

Thorgasm
11/27/2009 7:37:30 AM
the City already has two Georges (Mammo and Smithers). Isn't that close enough to breeding pair of bears?

sejtoronto
11/27/2009 8:36:40 AM
I hope that Mr. Mammoliti is successful in his negotiations to bring a pair of breeding pandas to the Toronto Zoo.
Pandas are beloved wherever they visit (including, in the past, the Toronto Zoo). Their presence in TO could be a real benefit to zoo visitors and the Zoo itself. bringing many first-time visitors who will, hopefully, return to see the other wonderful animals there.
We have a fine zoo, but it needs pandas - not just for the sheer enjoyment they would bring to zoo visitors, but also for the opportunities for study and education.

Skinny Dipper
11/27/2009 9:10:22 AM
Just paint a spot on Mammolitti's belly and stick him in a cage.

zooboss09
11/27/2009 9:56:30 AM
Today in Metro NEWS:

$250.000 million dream to RAISE just $16,000 million.
WOA! and they had to FIRED the Toronto ZOO foundation to realize that they can't do it by themselves this foundraising plan...

MR Harper: Take this under advise.




The Toronto Zoo’s 10-year, $250 million fund-raising campaign will generate just $16 million over its first five years, according to estimates of zoo staff. The modest start continues to raise questions about the wisdom of the zoo jettisoning its fund-raising foundation last year, says Coun. Paul Ainslie, a director of the zoo.

A report to the zoo board from acting chief executive Peter Evans showed that the zoo will raise no money toward its $250 million capital campaign this year, and forecasts $731,000 next year.

It says it forecasts the zoo will raise a total of $16.2 million over the first five years of the 10-year campaign. That would leave $233.8 million to raise in the final five years.

The zoo board voted to terminate its relationship with the Toronto Zoo Foundation a year ago, after complaining the foundation wasn’t raising enough money.

Ainslie said the latest report shows the zoo board’s $250 million target was optimistic.

“I stand by what I’ve been saying all year long,” Ainslie said. “Those numbers are unrealistic, they need to be changed, but my colleagues don’t want to change them.”

Concordia
11/27/2009 10:01:24 AM
I'm sure the Toronto Zoo needs a panda or pandas. I'll even pretend that Mammolitti is the man we needed to go all the way to China and pick them out. So here's a few questions?

Apart from 2003 and this year, how many times has Mammolitti gone to China in the last ten years?

Who paid for the trip(s)?

How many members of Toronto City Council have had to go to China in the last ten years or so?

How many members of council went more than once?

Did they also pick out a nice panda for the Toronto Zoo?

Did they ever pick up their own trip costs or did the Toronto taxpayers foot the bill?

I'd be surprized if they haven't all been to China at least once on the taxpyers dime and that's just trips to China.

Who wants a pretty panda?

Did your taxes go up last year? Do you expect them to go up again this year? Can we continue to afford this kind of foolishness.

Larry Perlman
11/27/2009 4:43:12 PM
Let's review "Pandagate", shall we:

First, the original plan was a nine-member junket to China at a cost of $63,000, plus a political consultant at $20,000. The Zoo Board eliminated the consultant and reduced the junket to four members ($28,000). In the end, the junket was lowered further to only two people (George Mammoliti and one Staff member) -- that's quite a presence!

Second, the junket itself was a waste, as the Chinese Government will ONLY look at the lease if pursued at the Federal level. There is no comment from Stephen Harper's office, DESPITE a trip to China coming up in December. Past requests from the Zoo were ignored completely.

Third, in the remote chance that the Pandas come to the Toronto Zoo, there is no money available to cover the capital or operating expenses. An exhibit will cost at least $17 Million and the ten-year lease will cost between $400,000 and $1 Million PER YEAR. The first two or three years will be profitable (yes, the Pandas are cute), but there will be losses for the remaining years of the lease that will result in SUBSTANTIAL losses overall. Neither the Zoo nor the City has the funds to cover the exhibit.

Finally, Zoo staff has indicated that any fundraising plans will not result in more than $15 Million in total OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. In my opinion, that is optimistic.

CONCLUSION: The way I see it, the trip to China was nothing more than a junket for George Mammoliti to feed his already inflated ego. The Federal Government has not been influenced in this project ONE BIT, and it was a waste of time and money. IF (and its a BIG if) this project goes forward, there will be no money for an exhibit, nor will the operating costs cover the full ten year lease cost for the Pandas.

Apparently the Toronto Zoo Board did not do a cost-benefit analysis of this project and greedy politics got in the way of common sense.

Is there anything left to say?

I have a good one: How about "come back home George, we miss you"...

Poorhorse
11/27/2009 7:10:19 PM
The poor dude from the zoo.

Imagine having to make small talk with the likes of Mammarilitti all the way to China and back.

Wally 56
11/29/2009 11:12:29 AM
Maybe China can keep George and put HIM on display for a few years.

Guytonyca
11/30/2009 11:40:47 AM
Personally I think Councilor Mammoliti would make a better zoo exhibit than the Pandas. "Wastful spender species exhibit" Just what expertise does he bring to this junket? This man wants to be Mayor? Does he speak manderin or cantonese?

Xander
11/30/2009 12:19:14 PM
I'm not defending George Mammoliti, but NOBODY does junket like Kyle Rae does junket. Barcelona twice in one year, those useless international AIDS conferences and other gab-fests, a week and a half to cut a ribbon on a health centre in Botswana...and on and on and on.