In And Out; In And Out...Sounded Familar

The Original In and Out Election Financing

When the controversy first erupted about the Conservative "in and out" transfers between their local and national campaigns, the term had a vaguely familiar ring to it.

Listening today to one Bloc Québécois MP after another get up to denounce "in and out" financing and praise Elections Canada, those bells started to ring even louder.

Finally it came to me.

The term "in and out" in connection with election financing was first used by my former colleague and classmate Andrew McIntosh to describe a lucrative arrangement cooked up by the Bloc to take advantage of a loophole in election financing laws to extract the maximum amount of taxpayer-funded refunds from Elections Canada. We might never have heard about it if Bloc MP Jean-Paul Marchand hadn't balked at the obligation to spend the maximum amount possible on his campaign in the 2000 election, prompting a court case, a scandal and a decision to close the loophole.

I seem to recall that the Bloc weren't as great fans of Elections Canada then as they seem to be now.

Who knows. Perhaps the Bloc is now denouncing a practice it inspired.

A Zinger From Rice.........

Street Violence Now Someone Elses Problem

Miller and most leftists solution to problems.....shift the blame and responsibility to others...............

The Hypocricy Of Fighting Poverty......

......and we should give thanks to those organizations and invididuals who have been out their for years doing what needs to be done while politicians, celebreties, etc. bask in the limelight at banquest tables.

Food crisis grows in fields of poverty

Hunger is a movable feast. At the shocking worst of the '80s Ethiopian famine, politicians from nearly everywhere, rock stars and, yes, reporters, flew from the relief camps to plunder the Addis Ababa Hilton's daily international smorgasbord. MORE...

I Alluded To This Disenchantment Last Week....

....but I still believe a book or mini-series is in the works.

Patience running out for tiresome Ms. Martin

A Brenda Martin backlash may be building in the court of public opinion and inside government. All the sobbing, fuming and complaining were understandable reactions by a traumatized Canadian after spending two years in a Mexican.. MORE...

Left Turning Sour On Greening????

Clean Air Or Full Bellies????????????

Anticipated food shortages fuel NDP's bid to reconsider bill

Toronto feeling effects of global rice shortage Maple syrup prices expected to soar

It Is Not The Union's Right To Strike It Is The Worker's Right

If you don't drive then declaring the TTC an essential service might seem like the way to go but bascially what you are doing is giving a pass to elected officials who are supposed to represent the will of the people and are supposed to be firm with their employees; here is how much money we can afford to give you; if you are not happy with that amount then hand in your resignation and we will hire someone else.

Declaring TTC essential service

Apr. 29, 2008

Toronto City Council is to consider a motion today calling on the province to declare the TTC an "essential service" and take away the union's right to strike. In the wake of the weekend's events, council ...

Homegrown Terrorism Continues.....

....and it is obvious that Dullton McGinty will continue to given into extortion and I have to admit that the tories seem to be continuing the liberal game plan in place over the last couple of decades. The only glimmer of hope is the OPP involvement and the arrest of some of the "freedom fighters" at the Deseronto blockade.

'This nonsense can't continue'

Caledonia blockade angers mayor

A renewed Six Nations blockade of a highway through Caledonia is pushing residents to the brink and is paving the way for a repeat of clashes between protesters and residents, the mayor of the beleaguered town warned yesterday.

McGuinty asked to end native bargaining

Toronto Is A Nuclear Free Zone Also....

....and the council that voted in that ban must be congratulated as Toronto, at least up to today, has not been bombed and possibly this latest ban will have the same impact.....
if you believe this GIVE YOUR HEAD A SHAKE. I just heard a couple of days ago that England, where guns have been banned for decades, saw a 4% increase in gun crimes in the latest statistical report.

Miller gets his gun ban

'Political junk food,' says critic

City council endorsed David Miller's handgun ban yesterday, but left the mayor three votes shy of winning unanimous support.

!st Of 51st....If it Matters To Anyone Lets Blame.....

* who don't get off their fat asses and vote in municipal and provincial elections
* those that do vote and vote for change and end up with "No New Taxes McGinty," New Broom Comrade Miller, et al.
* politicians who get elected and carry out election promises but turn tail and run when they get criticized for having common sense.

Just in: T.O. not centre of it all

By SHARON LEM, SUN MEDIA

Hogtown sucks?

Often criticized for acting like they live in the centre of the universe, Torontonians find they have slipped to 51st -- from 12th -- out of the best 154 places to live in Canada, according to Money Sense magazine.

Surprising many, Ottawa topped the list, followed by Victoria, Fredericton, and Kingston. Burlington made the top 10 -- placing eighth -- while Mississauga came in at 11th, Oakville at 26th, Vaughan at 47th and Whitby at 49th.

Money Sense used 16 indicators for its list, including unemployment, household income, housing, air quality, and the weather.

There were major changes to the way the listings were assessed. Communities of 100,000 or more were broken out on their own; thus Mississauga, Markham, Oakville were no longer lumped in with Toronto.

NO NIGHT LIFE

"We did not take beauty, fashion, night life or restaurants into account. The factors which make it a good place to live are economic factors, accessibility and a lack of commuter stress," said editor Ian McGugan.

"We know Ottawa has long winters and no night life to rival Vegas," but it was above average in 15 categories.

McGugan blamed Toronto's ranking on factors like average household income of $81,725 and the $404,000 average cost of a home. The most expensive city for real estate was Burnaby, B.C., where the average annual household income is $67,685 and a typical home costs $571,000.

Toronto's violent crime rate of 1,018 incidents per 100,000 people was much higher than Ottawa's 685 incidents per 100,000.

Places with the highest annual household incomes included Oakville, $134,373; Vaughan, $119,840 Yellowknife, $110,950; and Calgary, at $104,992

An Insight Into The Better Way?????

John Turley-Ewart: Toronto's TTC strike and the better way for the future

Posted: April 27, 2008, 8:02 PM by John Turley-Ewart
Filed under: John Turley-Ewart

On Friday, 65% of Toronto’s public transit workers voted down a three year contract with Toronto and union workers walked off the job having thumbed their noses at a generous deal that city managers struck with the transit union a week ago. Over the weekend, however, Ontario’s government passed a law forcing the workers back to their jobs. It’s a short-term fix that will pacify Toronto’s commuters in the short run, but do little to fix a broken system.
The deal the workers turned down offered annual pay increases of 3% — the rate of inflation is running at 2% — and a guarantee that Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) drivers would be paid at least as much as their counterparts in neighbouring municipalities. City councilors were correct to slam this aspect of the offer as irresponsible: Since no one knows what sweetheart deals neighbouring municipalities will give their own workers, this guarantee essentially amounts to an unknown and unfunded liability for Toronto taxpayers.
Following the Friday evening vote, TTC workers went on strike, breaking their own union’s promise to give commuters 48 hours notice. The resulting mayhem saw thousands of Toronto residents left with no option but to walk for hours to get home as taxi companies were overwhelmed by demand. Residents are understandably angry — especially since TTC operators currently take home a very handsome wage of $26.58 an hour, plus benefits. They also enjoy the opportunity to increase their take-home through over-time — which is abundantly available because the current contract makes it difficult to hire part time staff.

More

Message To Greg Swiatek

Why is the ndp party in such shambles? Could it be because of the lack of support at the polls by union members? Could it be because of the screw-ups when they are supported?

NDP takes unprincipled way out TheStar.com - comment - NDP takes unprincipled way out

April 28, 2008

Re:Province to end TTC walkout

April 27

NDP Leader Howard Hampton's cowardly stance in favour of back-to-work legislation for striking TTC workers proves once again the impotence and vagaries of NDP policy. Sure, the strike was unpopular, but what about workers' rights? And before everyone starts condemning the TTC union, keep in mind that the issues those workers are fighting for are most certainly the same ones that are confronting all Canadian workers, such as wages, outsourcing, job security and safety.

And isn't it surprising how quickly our politicians of all stripes – the supposedly pro-union NDP sadly included – can get together to thwart legitimate worker action but can do nothing to stop corporate greed, company layoffs, rocketing fuel and food prices, the outsourcing of jobs and bank fraud? Politicians just shrug their shoulders at these problems and blame them on "market forces" or "global conditions beyond our control."

It's about time we, as Canadian workers, stopped dividing our attention and our forces, and united in common interest.

Greg Swiatek, Toronto

Low Number Of Complaints?????

Possibly because people are used to the lack of concern at Toronto City Hall. But in fairness we should be aware that we now have created another well paid bureaucracy within Toronto Silly Hall.......

Patience needed on new blue bins TheStar.com - comment - Patience needed on new blue bins

April 27, 2008

Change is difficult, especially when it involves altering long-standing habits and familiar appearances. So it is no wonder that some residents in Toronto's older, downtown neighbourhoods are upset by oversized blue bins going out across the city.

The mammoth new bins pose an obvious problem for people lacking a driveway or access to a backyard, for those living in row housing, or for seniors who find them difficult to handle.

The resulting complaints have been loud and often highly emotional. But the debate requires some perspective.

The bins are going out to half a million Toronto households. That distribution is more than half done; yet city officials say they have received about 1,000 complaints, or less than one for every 250 bins.

Many residents, in fact, welcome these containers. For those living outside the city centre, in areas where storage is less of an issue, the wheeled bins end a need to deploy several of the old blue boxes on collection day. In addition, because the bins have lids, they prevent recyclable waste from blowing away in windy weather.

This is not to dismiss the concerns of downtowners. Many do have legitimate complaints stemming from lack of space for huge containers. But city officials are striving to respond to those concerns on a house-by-house basis.

When it became apparent that all three sizes of the new blue bin were too large for many downtowners, the city responded by developing a fourth, smaller bin. These should be available, on a wide scale, this summer. Meanwhile, mobile crews are visiting unhappy residents, showing them prototypes of the smallest new bin, and working to accommodate individual needs.

There is considerable flexibility here. For example, a resident may opt for two small bins rather than a single large one. Or two neighbours may opt to share a single container. Some residents are exploring the option of using the same bin for recycling as for regular garbage, but on alternating weeks. And, if all else fails, residents may forgo the new bins altogether and put their recyclable material out in clear recycling bags.

It is telling that, despite loud complaints, so far only about 200 households have opted to ditch their bins in favour of bags.

As of last week, about 500 requests for individual attention had come in, and more than 300 residents had been visited by a mobile blue bin response unit, generally with positive results. The demand for this service means it takes two to three weeks for a new caller to receive a visit. Hence the need for patience.

Toronto is in the early stages of a revolution in disposal of garbage. In the past, the city sent far more waste to landfill than it diverted. The new blue bins, and the accompanying "pay as you throw" system to be introduced later this year, are meant to reverse that ratio and divert 70 per cent of waste from landfill by 2010. Revolutionary change is never easy but in this case at least the goal is worthwhile.

Communicating With Both Riders & Members Seems To Be A Problem For Kinnear

Rumours blamed for killing TTC deal TheStar.com - GTA - Rumours blamed for killing TTC deal

April 28, 2008

Francine Kopun
Staff Reporter

The rumour mill killed the deal that the TTC hammered out with the union last Sunday, says TTC chief general manager Gary Webster.

"Some of our employees genuinely believed that our intentions were to contract out the main work on our buses. Nothing could be further from the truth," he said yesterday.

Rumours began flying last week that the proposed settlement would see maintenance work contracted out and maintenance workers laid off. The rumours intensified as the week progressed and Friday's ratification vote approached.

Webster said some resistance was expected from maintenance workers and mechanics, who make up about 4,000 of the union's 9,000 members. Officers representing maintenance workers on the union's 16-member executive board had not signed off on the tentative deal when it was reached last Sunday.

"We did not expect a strong vote in favour (of the agreement) from the maintenance employees. We expected that transportation would not feel the same way. That's not what happened," said Webster.

"I think some of our transportation employees felt that they needed to hang together."

Rumours were also circulating that the proposed deal would allow maintenance workers with seniority to bump junior drivers from their jobs, a driver told the Star.

At one point during the week, rumours became so pernicious that union president Bob Kinnear sent a telephone voice message to members, warning them that people were spreading malicious rumours.

Kinnear, who originally promised Torontonians that they'd have 48 hours' notice of any TTC strike, called Saturday's surprise strike with just over an hour's notice.

That, he said, was to keep angry transit users from assaulting drivers and other TTC staff.

"We have a legal responsibility to protect the safety of our members and so does the TTC," he said, claiming union members had faced increased threats from passengers.

An email circulating among TTC operators blamed the strike on an attempted coup against Kinnear. He was elected in 2003, against the wishes of the local's executive board.

"That no vote was a vote of non-confidence, while we should have every confidence in Bob" reads the introduction to the email. "I can't imagine how lonely he feels right now."

Beneath the introduction is the text of the forwarded message. It accuses Kevin Morton, the local's executive vice-president, and the maintenance board, of using the issue to try to get rid of Kinnear.

Morton was one of the members of the executive who did not sign off on the tentative deal. Neither Kinnear nor Morton would agree to an interview yesterday.

Several drivers said yesterday they were worried about how they would be treated by the public after the surprise walkout stranded passengers trying to get home. The glass doors at nine stations were smashed after being locked early, said Webster. Several TTC workers were subjected to verbal assaults.

"We've asked the public to treat our people with dignity and respect," said Webster. "That front-line worker didn't cause any of this. You might be paying your fare ... and the operator voted in favour of the contract and he's as frustrated as you are with that."

Extra supervisors and special constables – who can arrest unruly passengers and issue tickets – have been assigned to the system to help support drivers, he said.

At city hall yesterday, Mayor David Miller would not comment on the cause of the walkout, but said he stood by his previous remarks on the matter.

"I want to concentrate on the future," said Miller, who had called the strike "unacceptable and irresponsible."

Asked to explain why the union rejected the tentative deal, Miller replied: "The union has not given us a reason, and it's not appropriate for me to speculate."

The TTC and the union have agreed on an arbitrator and will soon begin discussions on a new deal, he said. Under the back-to-work legislation, all aspects of the contract are up for negotiation.

With files from Tess Kalinowski and Paola Loriggio

Another Small Business Under Attack

Bye lap dance, hello laptop
Brett Popplewell Apr. 28, 2008 When Madeline began working in strip clubs four years ago, she earned between $600 and $1,000 a night.

Licences issued by the City of Toronto to burlesque dancers:
STRIPPING DOWN

2834
in 1998

2447
in 2003

1254
last year

No One Should Be Surprised...This Is Toronto Silly Hall

New Broom, Transparency, Accountability were promised by Comrade Miller but once elected they became just terms in a dictionary......

Lots of talk, little action on oversight jobs
Vanessa Lu 89 min. ago
For years, Toronto city hall has been trying to win back the trust of taxpayers.

Larry Might Be A Little Cynical But.......

....is he that far off the mark? Unfortunately the responses to an issue like this is to take pot shots at the messenger rather than discuss the message......

Feeling a little green, are we? Why the Globe and Star should be celebrating skyrocketing food and fuel prices

By LORRIE GOLDSTEIN

Dear Globe and Mail and Toronto Star:

For 15 months, I've been saving your respective front pages from the glorious weekend of January 27-28, 2007, when you simultaneously declared your mutual jihads against man-made global warming.

I knew they'd come in handy some day and now, they have.

Indeed, it seems like only yesterday I awoke to my Saturday, January 27, 2007 Globe to be greeted by the hysterical, front-page headline "Welcome to the new climate," under a politically correct green masthead, declaring at the bottom: "We want action. We're ready for sacrifices."

Not to be outdone, the Star a day later had its own World War III, front-page headline, "State of denial: Do the skeptics of global warming have a hidden agenda?" -- in the finest traditions of "do you deny beating your wife?" journalism.

And now, here we are, just 15 months later and isn't it great you both have exactly what you wanted -- skyrocketing gasoline prices and about-to-skyrocket food prices -- since as we both know, hitting energy-hogging Canadians in their pocketbooks is the only way to make them reduce their evil greenhouse gas emissions hard and fast.

After all, more fuel-efficient cars? C'mon. We both know all that does is prompt people to drive more, since it costs them less per mile to do so.

Biofuels? Oops. Who knew converting agricultural land from food to fuel production would contribute to a global food shortage, runaway prices, riots in the Third World and starvation?

Incandescent light bulbs? Wind farms? Solar panels? Earth Hour? Please. All very nice but we all know, they're window dressing.

In the spirit, then, of your stirring call to arms 15 months ago, may I suggest the following articles for your future editions, as you lead the way in the battle against global warming.

(1) Daily editorials extolling the virtues of the skyrocketing gasoline (and electricity, heating and water) bills your readers will be receiving as rapid price hikes in the cost of fossil fuels really start to bite. Plus, editorials urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty to introduce a carbon tax, and not at the piddling levels imposed by Quebec or British Columbia, but a big mother !#@#%$& tax hike designed to finish Canadians off.

(2) Special features explaining how fighting global warming is really about making choices. For example, given where food prices are headed seeing as how sensitive they are to transportation and fuel costs, the Star could explain to its readers, given its strong tradition of social advocacy, that poor people will now have the choice not to eat.

And since it's better to buy domestically-grown food than foreign as it takes less fuel to get it to market, the Globe could explain to its upscale readership the virtues of truffles from, say, Hamilton, as opposed to France.

(3) For the Star, a daily feature on where the highest gas prices are in the Greater Toronto Area, urging readers to fill their tanks at these publicly spirited businesses, doing their part to fight global warming by seeing to it they have even less money to spend on gas than they otherwise would.

(4) A special series explaining the amazing scientific advances that have been made in the study of global warming -- such as the exciting discovery of carbon offsets, so Al Gore could fly.

BRIGHT SIDE STORIES

(5) "Good news" stories about the bright side of runaway fuel, food and energy prices. For example, when they get high enough that people stop their discretionary spending, thus leading to a recession, thus dramatically lowering greenhouse gas emissions the way that great environmental leader, Russia, did, after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 -- meaning we, too, will now have billions of dollars worth of "hot air" to sell to other countries under the Kyoto accord.

(6) Finally, since it would be utterly hypocritical to ask others to make sacrifices you're not prepared to make yourself, when may we expect you to cut the size of your forest-eating, greenhouse-gas-emitting, planet-destroying Saturday editions in half?

Seriously. You could stop a truck with one of those things.

People Speak Out About Leslieville

I am still waiting to hear the list of value added jobs that now exist in Leslieville and possibly Fletcher would list the value added jobs she envisions and possibly tell us about her success in attracting these $106,000 jobs.

Proposed Wal-Mart has supporters TheStar.com - GTA - Proposed Wal-Mart has supporters

April 23, 2008

Donovan Vincent
City Hall Bureau

Charie Araullo is on maternity leave from her sales job and tending to her 4-month-old at home. She'd like to see a Wal-Mart in Leslieville.

"Wal-Mart prices are affordable and it's one-stop shopping," the 27-year-old said, explaining she now has to drive to one on Eglinton Ave. in Scarborough for baby supplies. "For people on a tight budget and families, Wal-Mart is great."

That's not always an easy sentiment to express.

Many in the Leslieville neighbourhood, including area Councillor Paula Fletcher, vehemently oppose a proposed $200-million big-box retail centre that could include a Wal-Mart.

But voices quietly rising in support of the project are accusing Fletcher's backers of elitism and insensitivity to the needs of low-income shoppers who could benefit from the "value shopping" the 650,000-square-foot development would bring to the area.

In front of the nearby Price Chopper discount store on Leslie St., a woman who said the area needs a Wal-Mart was nevertheless nervous about giving her name.

"I have friends who are against (the project) and they'll kill me,'' she said.

With the shopping centre already vetoed by the city, the issue goes to the Ontario Municipal Board next month.

Fletcher, who wants the site in the Eastern Ave. and Leslie St. area set aside for higher paying, "value-added jobs," not retail employment, organized a rally a couple of weeks ago slamming the proposal, together with MP Jack Layton and MPP Peter Tabuns. About 300 people attended, and homes and storefronts in the area have sprouted signs reading: "No Big Box in Leslieville."

Kevin Walters, president of the Eastern Avenue Residents Association, is annoyed that the NDP has cultivated the "no" side of the issue: "They are the ones whipping up all the opposition, yet so many of their core supporters are low income and need the opportunity to shop at a place like Wal-Mart."

Fletcher counters that such remarks are "scraping the bottom of the barrel," and maintains the opposition is based on a grassroots community "push back." There's no guarantee the site will include a Wal-Mart if it gets approved.

Mitch Goldhar's SmartCentres Inc. has a 50 per cent stake in the 7.7-hectare site, with Rose Corp. owning the other half. Wal-Mart is typically the anchor for SmartCentres.

"We're talking to Wal-Mart. We hope they'll be part of the project, but they haven't signed on," said Tom Smith, vice-president, development for SmartCentres.

Wal-Mart would have to conform to the scale of the project, which calls for storefronts on three levels along Eastern Ave. and Lake Shore Blvd. E., with 1,900 parking spots tucked in behind, the goal being to minimize their visual impact.

A Wal-Mart there would be about half the usual size, or 130,000 square feet, and located on the upper floors, which Smith calls a "radical departure" for the company.

The property currently houses Toronto Film Studios, but that operation will soon head south of Lake Shore to the portlands.

Work on the project would begin next year, creating 1,800 construction jobs. At completion in 2011, it will create 2,000 permanent jobs, Smith says, with an annual payroll of $60 million.

"We believe this is significant. Further, we are committed to making these jobs available first and foremost to local residents,'' he said.

A major worry for neighbours is the traffic it will bring into a neighbourhood yearning for a more walkable, urban vibe.

Proponents say that won't be a major issue because there will be access to the site from Lake Shore. The area already has a "big-box'' Canadian Tire, Shoppers Drug Mart and Price Chopper.

Fletcher says her problem with the project isn't solely about Wal-Mart – though she is opposed to the company's labour practices. Wal-Mart is known for its low wages and resistance to unionization.

Her main argument is that the site is supposed to be set aside for "value-added jobs," like the film-related employment there now.

"The retail job is worth $33,000 a year to Toronto's economy. The value-added job is worth $106,000 a year. Multiply each of those by 2,000 and you can see the yearly difference in a value-added jobs strategy," Fletcher says.

"My job isn't to watch if somebody has to go one block or three blocks to buy something. My job, and that of city council, is to ensure the long-term economic health of the city's economy, and that the lands set aside for value-added jobs aren't gobbled up by retail."

Re:Wal-Mart: Blessing or curse?

April 23

Thanks for the article on Wal-Mart. It was a nice change to see views from both sides. The report that a local shopper "was nevertheless nervous about giving her name" did not surprise me. Many Leslieville "silent" citizens choose not to reveal their identity on this subject as they have experienced subtle intimidation with nasty arguments at community meetings or having their opinions totally ignored.

I am also confused how a cash-strapped city like Toronto can turn its nose up at the offer of an annual $3 million or more in property taxes if the Smart Centre is developed. The naysayers are ready to argue that even though there would be 2,100 jobs, they would be low-paid positions. It would be an interesting survey to find out what wages are paid to employees at many of the local businesses.

Of course, if the Smart Centre does open, it will be amusing to see many of the "No Big Box" supporters shopping there. I meet up with many Leslieville neighbours down at the new stores, Canadian Tire and Mark's Work Wearhouse, especially at sale time.

Bruce Brackett, Toronto

Cling, Clank, Clink, Clank,,,,,,,

Hab Fan Riots A Joke Compared To..........

.....the game in Ottawa.

Lisa Corbella's Experience With Elections Canada

Licia Corbella on Elections Canada: If they can't figure out what's legal, how can they expect the Tories to know?

In fairness you would have to ask whether the liberals, ndp or bloc would have anymore success in understand Elections Canada policy.

Same People Who Go Green, Attend LiveAid Concerts, Etc.

....their hearts are in the right place but their head is not.

How many hungry children would the $$$ spent on 77 tons of weapons feed?????

An African beacon of morality
Gordon Barthos 20 min. ago

So the Chinese rustbucket An Yue Jiang limps home today. And Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe can wave adieu to the 77 tons of weapons he ordered to prop up his shaky regime.

Ticket Collector Wayne Cook Has It Right........

......so you have to wonder who made the decision and when to pull the plug?

As Wayne stated: ""It's not right to do it at midnight, we should just shut down at 2:30 at the end of service," said Wayne Cook, ticket collector at Ossington, swarmed by confused commuters. "Bob Kinnear has a lot to answer for, for the way he's handled things."

Riders left high, dry and riled TheStar.com - GTA - Riders left high, dry and riled

April 26, 2008

Noor Javed
Staff Reporter

The midnight strike came as a shock to both TTC workers and commuters out on the town, leaving many stranded with few options for getting home.

The workers overwhelmingly rejected the tentative agreement and announced at 10:47 p.m. that a strike was imminent.

In subways, an announcement was made at 11:23 p.m. telling ticket collectors over their private intercom that service would be shutting down at midnight.

A public announcement didn't start until almost 11:30 p.m.

It was barely enough time for many in the downtown core to find alternate routes home.

"No way, no way," Jorge Bayona, out with friends at Yonge-Dundas Square, said at 11:40 pm. "You're kidding me. We live an hour away."

The shock on his face escalated to panic, and he and his friends started trying to conjure up contingency plans.

Danielle Consett, 25, also expressed anger at the TTC's union for voting against the tentative agreement – in favour of a last-minute strike.

"It's a danger to society," she said. "It's selfish. We have rights, too. We have the right to know about a strike 48 hours in advance."

Some TTC workers, on the job, expressed concern about their safety when asking people to leave the station, evident by the announcement heard at many stations: "If you're having difficulty closing your station, let us know."

"I'm kind of worried about how it will be when the last train comes and I'm dealing with a lot of angry people," said a ticket collector, who didn't want to give her name.

One man, who tried to get on a southbound train after they had just closed off the service about 11:50, starting cursing at her.

"We have to stick together," the ticket collector said. "If they are going to contract out with the maintenance people, where does it end?"

But other TTC workers were less sympathetic.

"It's not right to do it at midnight, we should just shut down at 2:30 at the end of service," said Wayne Cook, ticket collector at Ossington, swarmed by confused commuters. "Bob Kinnear has a lot to answer for, for the way he's handled things."

With files from Michele Henry, Jason Paul, Paola Lorrigio

Union Executive Kinnear Should Resign.......

TTC employees strike
Workers vote 65% against deal

First of all I would like to see how many union members actually voted. This would give us a better insight into how many of the members require reality therapy. I am sure the majority of the riders that ride the TTC to get to jobs that put food on the table and a roof over their head and a loss of a day's pay is a crisis might think the following is generous......

• Term: three years, expiring March 31, 2011
• Wages: April 1, 2008 -- 3 per cent; April 1, 2009 -- 3 per cent; April 1, 2010 -- 3 per cent
• Vision Care: $300 every two years; plus $50 for exams
• Dental Care: major restorative, including implants up to $2,500
• Orthodontic: up to $4,000 (50 per cent TTC coverage)
• Physio & Chiro: $1,000 max ($35 per visit)
• Long-term Disability: $2,550 max, per month

POINT OF VIEW: TTC strike a crime against Torontonians

Updated: 5 minutes ago

A knee-jerk strike by the Amalgamated Transit Union -- hijacking the TTC while the union implodes -- is a crime against the people of Toronto.

Full Point of View Workers vote all day on TTC deal TTC workers were expected to ratify a tentative deal yesterday during an all-day voting process, despite a group of workers grumbling about the agreement. I am sure these union members didn't put pressure on any of their fellow union members

Comrade Miller Does Something Right But What Is Adam Vaughan Smoking......

But like Miller, he said that property owners should be responsible for the costs.

"The city is not in the business of providing free demolition service," Vaughan stated.

"If there isn't a charge back to the property owner," he pointed out, "owners across the city, who know they're going to go through a redevelopment exercise, would do their demolition with matches."

Duke's Cycle On The Hook For Fire Damage: $64,000

Homegrown Terrorists

OPP draw weapons in tense standoff with natives

Updated: Fri Apr. 25 2008 11:23:41 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

The Ontario Provincial Police were involved in a tense standoff with Mohawk protesters in Deseronto, about 220 kilometres east of Toronto, on Friday.

At one point during the confrontation, which occurred around 4 p.m., officers drew their weapons.

OPP Sgt. Kristine Rae, in an interview with CTV.ca, would not confirm earlier reports that officers drew their weapons in reaction to seeing one of the Mohawks with a rifle or shotgun.

The protesters claim they had no weapons and no shots were fired.

The standoff followed an earlier incident Friday when Napanee OPP officers arrested Tyendinaga Mohawk leader Shawn Brant during a traffic stop.

During the arrest, which took place around 1:45 p.m., a group of people approached police and a confrontation ensued.

The police officers were allegedly assaulted and the window of an OPP vehicle was smashed.

As a result, the OPP established road blocks to prevent access to Deseronto Road.

Around 4 p.m., a group of people approached police at a blockade at Bridge Street.

Police recognized some within the group as suspects wanted in relation to protests that occurred in Deseronto on April 21 and 22.

Officers attempted to arrest the suspects but were met with resistance from the group.

During that incident "officers had their guns drawn in reaction to something," said Rae.

The report that officers saw a gun was "still under investigation," she said.

Ten people were eventually arrested for various offences including assaulting police. Six adults remain in OPP custody and will appear for a bail hearing Saturday in Napanee. Four young people were released unconditionally and the two police officers were taken to hospital for minor injuries.

Dan Doreen, the leader of a group that erected a blockade last Sunday on Deseronto's main road, was among those arrested.

Last Sunday's blockade was erected near Belleville, Ont., to protest a land dispute with a Kingston-based developer.

Brant was already under court order to stay away from any protests following his involvement in last June's national aboriginal day of action.

At that time, Brant lead a blockade of Highway 2 near Deseronto and was charged with mischief and breach of his bail conditions.

With files from The Canadian Press

Some insight into Brant from The Nexus Of Assholery

Shawn Brant Arrested -- Again -- In Standoff

Brant's history defies bail elligibility

Need Anything More Be Said

Purring at puff party

Toke-in has more takers than Earth Day rally

Matt Mernagh

Amazing pot smog hangs hazily in the sunny afternoon during Toronto Hash Mob’s second successful smoke-out on Sunday, April 20, better known as 4/20. By 4:20 pm, almost 2,000 stoners fill our …

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Let's Leave Some Room In The Spotlight For The Liberals

Police ready to turn spotlight on Liberal officials

With fraud investigations into ad agencies nearly wrapped up, Mounties to intensify scrutiny of possible corruption, influence peddling

DANIEL LEBLANC

From Friday's Globe and Mail

April 25, 2008 at 4:58 AM EDT

OTTAWA — The police have almost finished probing advertising firms involved in the sponsorship scandal and are moving on to allegations of corruption against Liberal officials, sources say.

The RCMP and the Sûreté du Québec have recommended to Crown prosecutors that a final set of charges be laid in the advertising phase of the probe, against people who worked for at least two companies involved in the sponsorship program, sources said.

These cases wind up the police investigation of the major advertising firms involved in the controversial federal initiative to put up Canadian flags in Quebec after the 1995 referendum on sovereignty.

Having focused on issues of fraud since 2002, the Mounties sent a clear message last week they are now looking at allegations of influence peddling, laying charges against former federal Liberal official Benoît Corbeil.

Sources said the RCMP is hoping to go higher up the Liberal hierarchy than Mr. Corbeil, the former director-general of the Liberal Party's Quebec wing, who is accused of taking a bribe from a businessman and defrauding the party.

Toronto Needs A Strong Leader But Not An Elected One

Our Board Of Directors

Our CEO

Every successful corporation has a CEO (Mayor) who reports to a Board Of Directors (City Councillors) but the CEO serves at the behest of the board and can be fired for incompotence, etc. instantly rather than wait three years. Anything would be an improvement over what we presently have........

Power play targets Miller's power grab TheStar.com - Columnist - Power play targets Miller's power grab

April 24, 2008

Royson James

Eight Toronto councillors have initiated a flurry of procedural moves to short-circuit Mayor David Miller's bid for enhanced powers.

Claiming that Miller's power grab harms local democracy and leaves them as mere scrubs on city council, they've filed six notices of motion to council's Tuesday meeting – fighting back with sarcasm, anger and a power play of their own.

One motion lampoons their plight with a stinging shot at the mayor. It recommends the province "eliminate altogether" the 44 positions of city councillor and that the 2010 election "be conducted only for the position of the Mayor of Toronto."

In lieu of council, the motion recommends the mayor "appoint or dismiss 12 individuals to serve on the mayor's executive or cabinet committee" to handle city affairs; and the mayor "unilaterally hire or fire the city manager ... and anybody else he sees fit."

Changes implemented this term of council already give Miller more power than any mayor in Ontario and reduce council's sway. He appoints and dismisses a 12-person executive as well as all committee chairs. This creates a huge voting block. Adding more is overkill, several councillors say.

But Miller says he plans to have private talks with Premier Dalton McGuinty seeking the right to hire and fire the city manager, and the right to hold secret meetings with his hand-picked executive committee, acting like a provincial cabinet.

"What do you need us for?" asks Councillor Michael Thompson, who's signed two of the motions. "Maybe we just need one person with an iron hand to run the city with a strong political voice, and appoint those that he needs and they can do the job. Some people might say, great, get rid of (councillors). Let's have that debate."

Councillor Mike Del Grande, whose name is attached to four of the motions, anticipates the mayor will sideline the motions Tuesday, with the help of his allies. The dissenters need a two-thirds vote margin to have council debate the issue, and that is unlikely when the mayor controls as many as 17 airtight votes.

Del Grande, Thompson and others are planning to hold public meetings, like U.S. congressional hearings, if they can't get a council airing.

"We are going to go to the public and there's nothing (Miller) can do to stop it," Del Grande says. "We need to shine the light on this and let the general public understand that this is a man who is power-hungry. He gets frustrated easily when his measures are slowed down for a debate."

Councillor Brian Ashton called it "ironic that Miller came to city hall promising openness and transparency but he's going in reverse."

He says the motions "demonstrate an absolute frustration. When councillors have to resort to resolutions to council to have input or to make their points, it marks a breakdown in the structure at city hall. If councillors can't get past the barriers to debate, how do you expect the public to?"

The mini-crisis could be averted if Miller quits circumventing council. It's inconceivable that he would have stood for this just a few years ago. Now, he prattles on while dancing around the essential truth: His quest erodes democracy, polarizes council, politicizes the civil service – and aims to do so by provincial fiat, not council discussion.

The success of the mini-revolt rests with how non-partisan it becomes. The fact that Councillor Adam Vaughan, a frequent Miller backer, seconded one motion by Case Ootes should worry the Millerites. Council must consent to any change in the mayor's status, the motion says. The current structure "prevents an autocracy."

Some Should Remind Bussin She Is A PUBLIC OFFICIAL

Don't shut down lobbyist registry TheStar.com - comment - Don't shut down lobbyist registry

April 25, 2008

After barely three months of operation, Toronto's lobbyist registry requires some fine-tuning, but there is no need to suspend its website, as one city councillor has suggested.

The registry monitors lobbyists seeking to influence decision-making in Canada's largest city. The backbone of the service is its website, where lobbyists register online and where the public can see who is lobbying whom.

Simply because the rules under which this agency operates are being modified is no reason for the web presence to vanish, even temporarily. Yet a suspension of online public searches and registrations is being urged by Councillor Sandra Bussin.

There are, indeed, some legitimate concerns about the registry, including the requirement that lobbyists list in advance everyone they might approach.

Some lobbyists, unsure of their plans, simply list all city councillors as potential targets. In Bussin's case, the agency's website lists 173 people who have registered as lobbyists intending to contact her, but she has talked with only two, and they were constituents. Bussin is understandably upset because, as council's speaker, she strives to keep lobbyist contacts to a minimum.

Obviously, there is little value in listing potential contacts that never materialize. But Bussin's suggested response – shutting down the agency's web operations – goes too far. Until the new rules are in place, she is calling for a return to "more traditional methodology," such as having the public and lobbyists either telephone or appear in person at city hall to obtain information. That is not how one communicates in the 21st century.

Some teething pains should be expected given that this is the first lobbyist registry in Canada operated and administered by a municipality. And action is being taken. Lobbyist registrar Marilyn Abraham is in the process of changing the rules, including lifting the requirement to list potential contacts. Her recommendations are expected to go to the executive committee, and subsequently city council, in June.

With improvements on the way, it would be unwise to hamstring this registry by suspending its website.

You Decide......

Tories delaying Martin transfer, Liberal charges 82 min. ago

A Liberal MP says a Canadian woman jailed in Mexico could be transferred into...

Feds to advance cash for Martin's release

The Conservatives are taking the unusual step of loaning Brenda Martin the cash she was ordered to pay as a fine for her fraud conviction in Mexico.

Canadian's release from Mexican jail snarled in red tape

Canwest News Service

Published: 2 hours ago

GUADALAJARA, Mexico - Mexican justice officials appear to have cleared the way for convicted Canadian Brenda Martin to get out of their country by the end of today.

But the Mexican government is insisting Canada must abide by an international prisoner transfer treaty that will delay her return by up to two weeks, Martin's friend and designated advocate, Deb Tieleman, said yesterday in Guadalajara.

Abiding by the treaty may also force Canada to imprison Martin in her home country, a possibility that frustrates and confuses Martin.

Bob Rae Races Out Of Foreign Affairs Gate Stumbling......

China 'gaffe' was all Rae

Its human rights record is awful and new Liberal MP should not appease tyranny

It's widely conceded that when he was premier of Ontario, Bob Rae screwed up his mandate, his legacy, the province and his party.

I Am Sure Community Minded Leslieville Residents Will Step Forward

In my neighborhood we have a group home two blocks away on my street, a drop in center for people with drug/alchohol a couple of blocks away and I am sure we have a number of similar facilities in the neighborhood so I think it is only fair to let other community minded groups to step forward.

What neighbourhood in Toronto would want a safe-injection site a la Vancouver's East Side for drug users? Um, no takers?
When the cops in 51 Division recently pulled the trigger on a six-week undercover operation nicknamed Project Revival -- targeting the rough-edged and crime-ridden Dundas St. E. corridor -- they rounded up almost 300 drug dealers, prostitutes and hardcore panhandlers.

Rude Awakening For Torontonians

And all this time, Toronto though it was the center of the universe

April 21st, 2008

Who knew?

Muslim scientists and clerics have called for the adoption of Mecca time to replace GMT, arguing that the Saudi city is the true centre of the Earth.
Mecca is the direction all Muslims face when they perform their daily prayers.

One geologist argued that unlike other longitudes, Mecca’s was in perfect alignment to magnetic north.

He said the English had imposed GMT on the rest of the world by force when Britain was a big colonial power, and it was about time that changed.

Posted by: Right Girl

Happy Earth Day

Bio-Foolishness.

Poverty, famine and violence are among the supposed products of global warming in the future. Yet these calamities are with us today thanks to a key element of “green” policy, biofuels. This feel-good measure is becoming a real-world disaster.

The prices of wheat and rice this year will have doubled since 2004, according to World Bank projections. Soybeans, sugar, soybean oil and corn are expected to be 56% to 79% costlier than in 2004. The bulk of the increases have come in the past year and can be attributed to the West’s push to turn these crops into fossil-fuel replacements like ethanol. Food prices will likely remain overinflated until at least 2015, the Bank says.

The result of these rising prices is that 100 million people could slip back into poverty, erasing seven years’ worth of gains, Bank President Robert Zoellick warned earlier this month. Food inflation and shortages have sparked riots from Egypt to the Philippines, and six people were killed in Haiti alone during nine days of related unrest there this month.

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Gore Won’t Ask Wealthy Hollywoodans to Alter Lifestyle to Save Planet

NIMBY Alert

No big box on Eastern Ave!

The East Toronto Community Coalition (a non-profit community group committed to keeping an eye on how new development affects the health and well-being of neighbourhoods east of the Don) has started a letter-writing ...

One of the arguments against "big box stores" is usually something like "I tend to give my business to the older mom and pop stores here, as I get better value for my dollar I feel by getting good advice from an older person who owns the shop, and supporting the community." I have a message for these NIMBYers.....go to the box store websites and see how they support the community.

Community Play Spaces - Playgrounds/Ice Rinks
The Home Depot partners with KaBOOM! to build and rebuild community play areas. See Playspaces for more information.

The Home Depot Housing Impact Grants
The Home Depot Housing Impact Grants supports affordable housing projects built or preserved with environmentally friendly, efficient and durable materials that increase energy and water efficiency, improve indoor air quality, and reduce maintenance costs.

To apply for these grants applicants can go to www.homedepot.com/impactgrants

The Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation invests in nonprofit organizations and programs throughout the United States and Canada. The Home Depot Foundation is dedicated to creating healthy, livable communities through the integration of affordable housing built responsibly and the preservation and restoration of community trees.

For more information, please go to http://www.homedepotfoundation.org.

They also imply that there are not knowledgeable people working for the box stores...this is insulting.

Homegrown Terrorists

200 OPP force removal of Mohawk blockade

Chinta Puxley Apr. 22, 2008 Road blockades that are a headache for police, create anxiety and threaten people's safety are no way to resolve long-standing aboriginal land disputes, Premier Dalton McGuinty said today as a Mohawk barricade ...

Comrade Miller's Negotiation Skills Questioned

Howard Levitt on Toronto's new contract with TTC workers: A boondoggle orchestrated by David Miller?

Just The Facts Maam....Just The Facts

Of course the no Plan B Mayor doesn't and never has let the facts get in the way of holding media scrums........

Miller’s YouTube video

Fact Check: the ban handguns campaign

David Miller is talking tough on gun violence, but do his numbers add up?

Barry Cooper comments.......

21, April, 2008 | 3:05 pm

If handguns were illegal, and if criminals obeyed the law, and if angry unstable people were always calm, then, as Mayor David Miller said, innocent bystanders would not be shot either by criminals or by angry and unstable people using handguns. The only thing wrong with the logic of His Worship is its complete divorce from reality. Which brings us to his closing remark: a handgun ban would constitute "an incredibly powerful statement about the kind of ... country we are." This is true, which is one more reason why Canadians, at least from this part of the world, are by turns amazed and amused by the political leaders of Toronto.

For those who have a serious interest on the question of the effectiveness of banning handguns, as distinct from encouraging people, especially elderly women, to carry concealed weapons, may I commend to their attention John Lott's classic statistical study of the problem, "More Guns, Less Crime".

CHRC Debacle

Kangaroo court is now in session

At the Canadian Human Rights Commission, it all comes down to double-sided faxes

That poor woman down the street

Apparently it's perfectly okay for the CHRC to hijack its neighbour's computer system

"Human rights": running dogs of statism

Human rights codes, originally designed to attack the propaganda of hard-core racists and neo-Nazis, are now being used against mainstream journalists by complainants who simply disagree with them.

National Post, April 19, 1008

The National Post Is Right...On A Number Of Things

* It is a silly law and should be repealed.
* The fact that the liberals did it should have been a red flag if the conservatives actually did it.
* Whether they did it or not will be decided by a judge, not the media or left wing losers, but the damage has been done.

Conservatives knew the rules

National Post Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2008

The law under which Elections Canada is investigating the Conservative Party of Canada for alleged overspending on advertising in the last election is a silly and undemocratic law. It should be repealed. But until it is, it remains the law of the land. If Conservatives knowingly violated it, they should suffer the legal consequences.

During the 2006 election, spending on national advertising for all the major parties was capped at $18-million. While that may sound like an enormous sum, it is not. As a point of reference, Senator Barack Obama spent nearly $3-million just this past weekend for television, radio and newspaper ads in one state alone -- Pennsylvania-- and that was for a primary, not a general election.

Elections Canada alleges that when the Conservatives reached their allowable limit they disguised an addition $1-million in national commercials as local advertising. Individual candidates have separate advertising limits and some Conservative candidates had room left in their local allotments. So, Elections Canada believes, the Tory war room gave individual candidates money and asked them to buy space for national commercials with it.

When the Liberals were in power and flush with campaign cash, they engaged in similar practices, known as an "in-and-out" scheme. The key is to edit the national ads enough that the party and its candidates can argue convincingly they are no longer national spots, but really local ones. The national campaign also may not redirect funds to its local candidates specifically for the purpose of buying air time or newspaper space for these ads.

Did the Conservatives violate the Elections Act in this manner? In order to obtain its warrant to search Conservative party headquarters late last week, Elections Canada provided a judge with 700 pages of evidence claiming to show that was what the party did. Ultimately, though, any determination of guilt will be left up to a judge.

In the mean time, it needs to be said that this is a useless and undemocratic law. Like most of our campaign finance laws, it is based on the false premise that severely restricting how much politicians may raise and spend to get elected will take the influence of Big Money out of our elections and create a level playing field for all parties and candidates.

There is little evidence that such limits produce the benefits claimed for them. Indeed, in the United States, which has the most expensive elections in the world, for every free-spending campaign that wins thanks to its ability to saturate the airwaves there are almost two more that lose.

What is required to make elections "fair" is transparency -- letting voters see who is contributing to which campaigns, and how much. Any restrictions greater than that and the law not only insults the ability of voters to make up their minds for themselves, it also limits candidates' freedom to express themselves as often as they wish, even at risk of turning off voters by being too much in their faces.

In its enthusiastic and vigorous pursuit of the Conservatives over this possible infraction, Elections Canada is also running the risk of appearing to be exercising an old grudge. When Stephen Harper was president of the National Citizens Coalition, he twice had bitter run-ins with Elections Canada officials over limits on advertising by advocacy groups during elections and the premature posting of election results on the Internet. Since becoming prime minister, Mr. Harper has also clashed with election regulators over their decision to permit veiled women to vote in last fall's federal byelections.

When Liberal and CBC camera crews showed up outside Conservative headquarters last week just minutes after Mounties arrived to serve the warrant, it caused a lot of people to wonder whether Elections Canada tipped media and the opposition for the purpose of embarrassing their old foe, Mr. Harper.

But as poor as the campaign advertising law is and as much as the Conservatives' targeting under its provisions may have personal motivations, the Conservatives knew the rules going in and now need to show that they abided by them or accept their punishment.

Big Box Hysteria

'Big-box' myth vs. reality TheStar.com - comment - 'Big-box' myth vs. reality

April 21, 2008

A proposal to build an eight-hectare shopping and office complex in Leslieville has attracted loud opposition that seems out of proportion. Critics, foremost among them Councillor Paula Fletcher, have railed against the prospect of a "big-box" store locating there. Many seem especially outraged that a likely tenant would be Wal-Mart.

However, the official site plans, filed by the developer SmartCentres with the city on Friday, indicate that what is planned is far from the suburban big-box outlets that Fletcher has deemed an "anathema." The proposal features retail outlets that resemble traditional storefronts lining Eastern Ave. and Lake Shore Blvd. plus a central pedestrian area. Parking would be hidden from the street, and the complex is expected to provide about 2,000 full-time retail jobs.

But that's the problem, according to Fletcher. The city's official plan designates this area as a special employment zone, reserved for high-quality jobs. The site's existing warehouse-style buildings were devoted to film production until moviemakers left for Filmport, an enormous studio complex a short distance away in the Portlands.

Toronto officials, backed by Fletcher, maintain that this property should be held for similar "high-value" occupations, not lowly retail jobs. Backers of the shopping complex are going to the Ontario Municipal Board next month in an effort to reverse that ruling.

There seems some room for compromise here. The proposed shopping complex is a mixed-use development with upper-floor offices suitable for medical practices, smaller law firms, accountants, architects, and other professions. By any standard, those are "high-value" jobs. Proponents of the development say they are willing to suspend their OMB challenge and open discussions with the city if there were any indication that some mutual agreement could be found.

That, rather than more protests, seems the best way to proceed.

Didn't We Spend Millions On An Inquiry About This Type Of Practices

Does this deal fix parking meter woes?

Jack Lakey

Apr. 22, 2008 The Toronto Parking Authority signed a $10 million deal to buy new credit card readers for its multi-space parking meters without giving tenders or doing research to determine if the price represented fair value.

Where was the mayor, executive committee, etc. etc.

Miller Secures Union Votes

POINT OF VIEW: TTC workers strike ... gold

Tue, April 22, 2008

Now that the TTC has agreed to a three-year labour contract with its employees, we have to ask: What was union president Bob Kinnear smoking Sunday when he claimed this was the toughest negotiation his union had faced in 20 years?

Full Point of View

Miller And Rae's Trip Pays Off.........

......for the Chinese. Couldn't these be manufactured in Green Toronto?

You Have To Wonder.......

.....how many of those that bloggers "torment" actually even know they exist, with a few notable exceptions, therefore it is the main stream media who gets credit.

Robert Fulford: For the love of humanity, stop tormenting Stéphane Dion

Posted: April 19, 2008, 12:31 AM by Marni Soupcoff
Filed under: Robert Fulford

Hasn’t Stéphane Dion suffered enough? After spending 17 months as an ineffective Liberal leader, he’s been more reviled than any Canadian since Brian Mulroney.

In The Globe and Mail, demonstrating that Dion is a disaster for his party, Michael Valpy searched his imagination for flaws he could add to the already thick anti-Dion indictment. He came up with an accusation unique in the history of political writing: Dion suffers from inadequately aged skin! Valpy charged him with looking “untouched by life … A too-smooth face.”

Hmmm! What An Interesting Approach To Democracy

Let's start at the municipal level and work our way up from there........$10K to get rid of Moscoe, Rae, Pappalone, et al would be a bargain.

Voting for Bad Teachers

A US group called Center for Union Facts has a great ad campaign in the works drawing public attention to how hard it is to fire union-protected, incompetent teachers.

Here's the gimmick: The Center is going to pay the "ten worst union-protected teachers in America" $10,000 apiece to get out of the classroom- for good. It's using newspaper ads to get nominations.

What a brilliant way to raise public awareness.

It reminds me of the kind of ad campaign I used to write, a long time ago, in a political galaxy far, far away.

Immigration Reality

Wanted: Hard workers

As Stephane Dion weighs the pros and cons of triggering a federal election over the Conservatives' proposed changes to the powers of the Immigration Minister, he would do well to reflect on one simple fact: 40% of skilled and professional male immigrants leave Canada permanently within 10 years. MORE... Comment: How successful do you think a company would be if they had this level of churn...there is a cost for training and supporting of employees and this cost comes out of the bottom line.