Netflix posts then mysteriously deletes tweet criticizing Eglinton LRT project
Metrolinx spokesperson puzzled over decision to delete lighthearted, fun tweet
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It vanished quicker than your favourite streaming series.
Less than 24 hours after it appeared, a viral Tweet posted Tuesday by Netflix Canada has mysteriously vanished — seemingly deleted by the online streaming giant.
The saucy social media post opined “you could watch literally every movie on netflix ever and eglinton constriction still won’t be done,” taking a dig at the seemingly never-ending Eglinton Crosstown LRT project, which two years after its original opening date is only now showing tantalizing signs of completion.
The tweet gained appreciable traction during its all-too-short life, garnering thousands of likes and a number of sarcastic retweets and replies — including a sardonic reply from Metrolinx head spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins, who remarked that her Netflix bill is far outpacing Crosstown’s construction progress.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve seen some shade thrown at Crosstown in a marketing ploy,” Aikins told the Sun Wednesday.
“That’s fair game — it’s been a project that’s taken a very long time.”
Currently Canada’s largest single transit project, the Crosstown LRT — a nearly 20-km transit line running alongside and underneath Eglinton Ave. — has suffered numerous delays since construction began a decade ago.
Initially meant to open in 2020, current estimates on when the LRT will accept its first paying passenger are some time in 2022.
“It’s a very complex project given we have to build it through a very densely urbanized area,” Aikins said.
Meanwhile, she’s at a loss as to why the Netflix tweet was taken down.
“I wish they hadn’t deleted their tweet,” she said, adding it wasn’t her intention to get anybody in trouble.
“We were having a lighthearted banter on Twitter, so I’m not really sure of their motivation on why they decided to delete it.
“They had a little bit of fun, I wasn’t offended at all, and I thought I could have a little bit of fun back — Twitter is a lively place, a lot of our work isn’t a lot of fun, so this was a bit of fun for a few minutes.”
Inquires to Netflix by the Sun for comment went unreturned.
bpassifiume@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @bryanpassifiume
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