Soldiering through tough winters is part of being Canadian. But on this day, 27 years ago, Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman actually called on our nation’s soldiers to help Toronto dig out after a massive winter storm paralyzed the city.
In what became an iconic, and often ridiculed moment, Lastman was photographed pumping a victorious fist in the air as he rode in a military tank through the city’s snow-capped streets.
The storm hit on January 12, 1999. Two days later, on the 14th, the always-colourful Lastman made the historic call that brought 438 soldiers to the Big Smoke from CFB Petawawa in 128 military vehicles.
Another 110 reservists were on standby.
The move made headlines around the world, with many ridiculing Toronto as winter wimps.
But Lastman, who passed away in 2021, stood firm that it was the right decision.
“What’s your response to people who say you’ve pressed the panic button?” a reporter asked at the time.
“Hey, better safe than sorry,” Lastman shot back. “And if you don’t like it — too bad because the safety of the people of Toronto is more important than anything else.”
In Lastman’s defence, it was an epic storm with snow banks as tall as houses, burying bus shelters and grinding subway service to a halt.
The soldiers embraced their new role, helping stranded travellers, transporting the sick to hospitals because ambulances couldn’t get through and clearing catch basins to prevent future flooding.
“We are equipped with shovels,” said Brigadier General Walter Holmes of the Canadian Armed Forces.
“We’ve learned from our experience of the ice storm of last year (1998 in Quebec) and we’re come equipped to do whatever we’re asked to do, whether it’s in the form of chainsaws, generators or whatever we’re asked to do.”
In the end, the city received 118 centimetres during that brutal January.
Whether or not calling in the army was necessary remains an open debate.
The following year, for comparison, St. John’s Newfoundland got an eye popping 648 centimetres for the winter – and the army stayed home.
