So the question for us is really, is the moral weight of our example worth the immediate, real costs to our economy and lifestyles? Will you drive 30 per cent less, buy 30 per cent less, approve putting a brake on the oilsands, offshore oil, the auto-making industry? In hard terms, will we use less energy, pay more for fuel, live less excessively, fly less often right now, just to show the world that we Canadians are willing to back up what we say about global warming by what we do?
An inconvenient truth
Feb. 1, 2007
Global warming is the biggest issue I can remember for quite a while.
Probably not since Y2K has there been the prospect of a crisis that has seized the attention of the entire world.
In the great Y2K alarms, you will remember there were all sorts of hideous scenarios... a great crash of all the world's computer systems, planes falling out of the sky at midnight as the millennium turned, security nightmares. Nothing happened, of course, except billions upon billions of dollars spent to avert a non-catastrophe.
The clock ticked over into a new millennium. The day after Y2K was very much like the day before Y2K.
But it was pretty big while it was going on, and a whole lot of very educated, scientific people kept telling us we were in for global chaos and turmoil.
I don't think global warming is another Y2K. Although it does share some of its wild properties. What it shares is a veritable industry of catastrophic prophecies and apocalyptic alarms, great gloomy portraits of the world's weather a hundred years from now.
Its loudest advocates possess a strident and quite impossible certitude about an immensely complex future outcome. Probabilities are argued as certainties. Disagreements are labeled as propelled by sinister oil interests. Science is made a handmaiden of world scale advocacy.
Beneath the noise, some things are absolutely clear. The earth is warming. It has been since the last ice age. No arguments there. Mankind has to some degree accelerated what we'll call the natural warming since the ice age.
I'm actually with Al Gore on this, although it's only fair to note that Al Gore is no more an authority on the process or the science than, say, Stephen Harper. The debate over global warming is not about the warming, but the projections of what that warming might mean, how radically it might affect parts of the planet.
It's also about what some nations, including Canada, are willing to do to slow it down. Well, what can we do, Canada? We can offer symbolic action, and, let's be clear, nothing more. Canada could shut down tomorrow completely, and if the projections of Mr. Gore are correct, it would have no meaningful impact on global warming. We're too small a country. We're not emitting CO2 gases in sufficient volume that our contribution, if it stopped, would tip the scales in any significant manner. But symbolically, if Canada were to cut its emissions drastically by choice, it might act as a signal to other bigger nations — the U.S., China, India — to give consideration to doing 0the same.
So the question for us is really, is the moral weight of our example worth the immediate, real costs to our economy and lifestyles? Will you drive 30 per cent less, buy 30 per cent less, approve putting a brake on the oilsands, offshore oil, the auto-making industry? In hard terms, will we use less energy, pay more for fuel, live less excessively, fly less often right now, just to show the world that we Canadians are willing to back up what we say about global warming by what we do?
This is not just a question for our politicians. It's a question for us all. Do we believe our moral leadership is worth the personal and public cost of providing that leadership? The answer to that question may be an inconvenient truth. But that's what the global warming debate for us Canadians is all about. For "The National," I'm Rex Murphy.
CBC.ca Viewpoint: Climate Change: To act or not?
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Stats Don't Tell The Whole Story
The fact that blacks are more susceptiable to stop & frisk by NY cops is one side of the story. The other side are stats showing crimes committed by ethnicity. These stats seem to indicate that the stop & frisk is justified.
NYPD frisked blacks at 5 times rate of whites
BY ALISON GENDAR
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
The NYPD conducted more than 500,000 stop-and-frisks last year, with blacks five times more likely to be searched than whites, according to statistics released yesterday.
Blacks accounted for 52% of the 508,540 individuals stopped and checked last year, according to data released by the City Council's Public Safety Committee.
That percentage has changed little in nearly a decade - it was 50% in 2000 and 52% in 1998.
But the total number of frisks soared from the 97,296 conducted in 2002.
Among the top reasons cops gave for stopping an individual were that the suspect was in a high crime area or had made "furtive movements," according to the statistics.
Hispanics accounted for 29% of the searches last year and whites 10%, the data showed.
Asians, American Indians and individuals whose race was not indicated made up the rest.
The half-million searches resulted in 21,269 arrests. Black suspects accounted for 51% of those charged, Hispanics 30% and whites 12%.
Critics long have argued the NYPD engages in racial profiling by concentrating on blacks and Hispanics for stop-and-frisks.
Police brass have countered that cops stop suspects based on crime victims' descriptions.
The City Council requires the NYPD to provide regular reports on the stop-and-frisks. The NYPD released last year's records to the Council yesterday but still has to provide part of 2003's as well as those for 2004 and 2005.
NYPD frisked blacks at 5 times rate of whites
BY ALISON GENDAR
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
The NYPD conducted more than 500,000 stop-and-frisks last year, with blacks five times more likely to be searched than whites, according to statistics released yesterday.
Blacks accounted for 52% of the 508,540 individuals stopped and checked last year, according to data released by the City Council's Public Safety Committee.
That percentage has changed little in nearly a decade - it was 50% in 2000 and 52% in 1998.
But the total number of frisks soared from the 97,296 conducted in 2002.
Among the top reasons cops gave for stopping an individual were that the suspect was in a high crime area or had made "furtive movements," according to the statistics.
Hispanics accounted for 29% of the searches last year and whites 10%, the data showed.
Asians, American Indians and individuals whose race was not indicated made up the rest.
The half-million searches resulted in 21,269 arrests. Black suspects accounted for 51% of those charged, Hispanics 30% and whites 12%.
Critics long have argued the NYPD engages in racial profiling by concentrating on blacks and Hispanics for stop-and-frisks.
Police brass have countered that cops stop suspects based on crime victims' descriptions.
The City Council requires the NYPD to provide regular reports on the stop-and-frisks. The NYPD released last year's records to the Council yesterday but still has to provide part of 2003's as well as those for 2004 and 2005.
Orlando Homeless Laws Stir Heated Debate
And it looks like Orlando is not the only city that is finding homelessness is a self fulfilling prophesy. Cater to the homeless and the homeless will come. As a human being we have an obligation to help the needy but the edict that Charity Begins At Home has become a joke and it would be interesting to see the "hometown" of the homeless in Orlanda or any other urban center in North America. In Toronto the homelessness budget is something in the neighborhood of $30K/homeless person and homelessness has become a cottage industry.
Contrary To Jutta Brunnée Canadians Committment Is Not That Strong
Why Canadians are right on Kyoto accord
Disregarding a treaty undermines the very foundations of international law, says Jutta Brunnée
February 04, 2007
As is so often the case, the Canadian public is far ahead of their politicians – especially those who "lead" by following opinion polls. Most Canadians, it seems, want Canada to meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.
Well, they have it right. They have it right from the standpoint of combating climate change, from the standpoint of international law, and from the standpoint of Canada's standing in the world.
A recent poll shows there is a committment to the environment as long as citizens don't have to make sacrifices.....
[Star Poll]
thestar.com Poll
Will the latest report on climate change prompt you to make changes in your lifestyle?
Yes 499 49%
No 507 50%
More
Disregarding a treaty undermines the very foundations of international law, says Jutta Brunnée
February 04, 2007
As is so often the case, the Canadian public is far ahead of their politicians – especially those who "lead" by following opinion polls. Most Canadians, it seems, want Canada to meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol.
Well, they have it right. They have it right from the standpoint of combating climate change, from the standpoint of international law, and from the standpoint of Canada's standing in the world.
A recent poll shows there is a committment to the environment as long as citizens don't have to make sacrifices.....
[Star Poll]
thestar.com Poll
Will the latest report on climate change prompt you to make changes in your lifestyle?
Yes 499 49%
No 507 50%
More
Hey Your Blondeness! Want To Reduce Smog
I have a simple solution. It won't cost you a penny and it can be implemented tomorrow....Close the underground parking lot at Toronto City Hall. The next step would be to start closing all municipal parking lots south of Bloor Street between Bathurst and the Don Valley. Next bring in bylaws to eliminate parking at all schools & universities. Once you have got the congestion and smog reduced in the downtown core you use the improvements to get McGinty & Harper to ban parking at all government facilities in the downtown core. LET'S STOP MOUTHING OFF ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO AND ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING.
Miller touts green vision TheStar.com - News - Miller touts green vision
Tolls, parking fees among possible `radical' changes
February 04, 2007
Jim Byers
City Hall Bureau
Just a few feet below the mayor's office, there's a large poster in the foyer at Toronto City Hall that asks, "Who's the greenest of them all?"
It's a contest for residents to nominate people for the city's environmental excellence awards. But it could just as easily be a challenge for David Miller himself in the race to be seen as North America's most environmentally friendly mayor.
Miller last fall laid out a bold election platform, calling for drastic cuts in smog-causing pollutants in the city's atmosphere and greatly increasing the amount of recycling. His climate change plan will soon be going to the city's executive committee and some of the suggestions will be "radical," Miller told the Star in an interview.
The guy with the great hair talks a great game. But critics say that, so far, it's been mostly just well-meaning chatter. The Toronto Environmental Alliance, a group that should be in Miller's cheering section, gave the city a B-plus in its battle to fight smog back in 2004, the year after Miller took office. By last year, his third year in the chair, council's mark had slumped to a C-minus and the alliance was dismissing the city as lots of talk and little action.
His hair stylist probably knows more about what is happening at city hall than we do........
The Strings Run Back To The Mayor's Office
And while I am willing to wait and see how things work out it is obvious from the last three years that the mayor pulls the strings in the council chamber.....
February 4, 2007
Can Bussin rule the house?
Less babbling, thinner agendas and a speaker to run the show are all part of council's new rules
By Sue-Ann Levy
City council meets for the first time tomorrow with eight new faces, a new speaker, new meeting times, a fresh set of procedural rules and a newly empowered mayor at the helm.
But it's anybody's guess whether these changes will enhance decision-making or bring a sense of refinement to proceedings that have more often than not bordered on a three-ring circus.
No expense has been spared on the new council meeting rules and committee reports which are supposed to be written in "plain language" -- some $4.5 million to be exact.
The most obvious change is an agenda which is about 25% the thickness of the previous ones. That's because they only contain recommendations from the committee meetings, not the original reports, says Peter Fay, a director in the City Clerk's office.
This term councillors will meet in the evening from 7:30 to 10 p.m., after a 1 1/2 hour dinner break -- an idea many councillors think is a recipe for disaster. The evening part of the meeting will not be broadcast on Rogers Cable 10.
Councillors won't be permitted to spend as much time babbling on about an item or questioning their colleagues, which is a good thing. But the approach to attendance won't change. It will only be taken officially when there is a quorum call or a recorded vote -- leaving councillors to wander in and out of the council chamber shmoozing whenever the mood strikes them.
Council's first speaker Sandra Bussin -- who will be henceforth known as Madame Speaker -- is leaving nothing to chance. She held a mock council meeting last Friday afternoon with the clerks office to go over the procedural rules. She says she's there to "provide continuity" on rulings but unlike speakers at the provincial or federal levels, she'll be able to speak to and vote on issues.
Bussin says she doesn't intend to engage in too many debates to provide a "sense of neutrality" and allow her to better manage council.
But Coun. Case Ootes, who ably chaired many meetings during the Mel Lastman era, is skeptical Bussin will be impartial in her rulings.
"I don't have a lot of faith in the way the council meetings might be run because their (the NDP) track record is terrible," he said. "The mayor and his designates have used the rules to their own advantage ... it remains to be seen whether that will change or not."
Bussin counters that a number of councillors on all sides of the political spectrum went to the mayor to suggest she become speaker -- a move she took as a signal that she "did appear to be treating members equally and fairly.
"I do my level best to be as fair as possible... every person has their own limitations ... I'm not God," she said.
Asked how she plans to keep the antics of some councillors in check, Bussin said she's asked for changes in how the microphones work so councillors can't turn them on whenever they feel like it.
She won't talk about other tactics. "Like a parent or teacher, you've got to keep some of your tricks of discipline under wraps," she said.
Deputy mayor Joe Pantalone insists the rules are stricter -- that a Council member can be "kicked out" of the chamber if he or she doesn't behave properly. That would include the use of "unparliamentary" language or if the councillor verbally assaulted a colleague. He added that "one lives by hope" that they'll all behave better this term.
However Coun. Doug Holyday says he'll be "amazed" if the speaker improves council decorum. He believes the new procedures won't allow most issues a "full airing" -- that decisions are essentially being made by the executive committee and the mayor.
Coun. Rob Ford, who came under fire last term more than once for his outbursts, says the new rules won't make him change who he is.
"I'm Rob Ford ... I might try to smooth out my edges a bit but if they (my colleagues) want to attack me, I'm going to fight back. I'm not going to take a back seat to any of these people."
sue-ann.levy@tor.sunpub.com
February 4, 2007
Can Bussin rule the house?
Less babbling, thinner agendas and a speaker to run the show are all part of council's new rules
By Sue-Ann Levy
City council meets for the first time tomorrow with eight new faces, a new speaker, new meeting times, a fresh set of procedural rules and a newly empowered mayor at the helm.
But it's anybody's guess whether these changes will enhance decision-making or bring a sense of refinement to proceedings that have more often than not bordered on a three-ring circus.
No expense has been spared on the new council meeting rules and committee reports which are supposed to be written in "plain language" -- some $4.5 million to be exact.
The most obvious change is an agenda which is about 25% the thickness of the previous ones. That's because they only contain recommendations from the committee meetings, not the original reports, says Peter Fay, a director in the City Clerk's office.
This term councillors will meet in the evening from 7:30 to 10 p.m., after a 1 1/2 hour dinner break -- an idea many councillors think is a recipe for disaster. The evening part of the meeting will not be broadcast on Rogers Cable 10.
Councillors won't be permitted to spend as much time babbling on about an item or questioning their colleagues, which is a good thing. But the approach to attendance won't change. It will only be taken officially when there is a quorum call or a recorded vote -- leaving councillors to wander in and out of the council chamber shmoozing whenever the mood strikes them.
Council's first speaker Sandra Bussin -- who will be henceforth known as Madame Speaker -- is leaving nothing to chance. She held a mock council meeting last Friday afternoon with the clerks office to go over the procedural rules. She says she's there to "provide continuity" on rulings but unlike speakers at the provincial or federal levels, she'll be able to speak to and vote on issues.
Bussin says she doesn't intend to engage in too many debates to provide a "sense of neutrality" and allow her to better manage council.
But Coun. Case Ootes, who ably chaired many meetings during the Mel Lastman era, is skeptical Bussin will be impartial in her rulings.
"I don't have a lot of faith in the way the council meetings might be run because their (the NDP) track record is terrible," he said. "The mayor and his designates have used the rules to their own advantage ... it remains to be seen whether that will change or not."
Bussin counters that a number of councillors on all sides of the political spectrum went to the mayor to suggest she become speaker -- a move she took as a signal that she "did appear to be treating members equally and fairly.
"I do my level best to be as fair as possible... every person has their own limitations ... I'm not God," she said.
Asked how she plans to keep the antics of some councillors in check, Bussin said she's asked for changes in how the microphones work so councillors can't turn them on whenever they feel like it.
She won't talk about other tactics. "Like a parent or teacher, you've got to keep some of your tricks of discipline under wraps," she said.
Deputy mayor Joe Pantalone insists the rules are stricter -- that a Council member can be "kicked out" of the chamber if he or she doesn't behave properly. That would include the use of "unparliamentary" language or if the councillor verbally assaulted a colleague. He added that "one lives by hope" that they'll all behave better this term.
However Coun. Doug Holyday says he'll be "amazed" if the speaker improves council decorum. He believes the new procedures won't allow most issues a "full airing" -- that decisions are essentially being made by the executive committee and the mayor.
Coun. Rob Ford, who came under fire last term more than once for his outbursts, says the new rules won't make him change who he is.
"I'm Rob Ford ... I might try to smooth out my edges a bit but if they (my colleagues) want to attack me, I'm going to fight back. I'm not going to take a back seat to any of these people."
sue-ann.levy@tor.sunpub.com
In Reality The Second Is More Doable & More Satisfying
Come on now! What is more satisfying than a good fart?Lorrie Goldstein again puts things in perspective.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
You Have To Wonder How Clinton Would Look In A Burka
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday she would not have attacked Iraq if she were president in 2002 and would end the war if elected, as she tried to blunt rivals like John Edwards who are stoking anti-war passions in the Democratic Party.
More
Dion Needs To Muzzle His Pit Bulls
Those people who a few months ago got on Stephen Harper's case for setting up criteria for dealing with the media can now appreciate the rationale behind his move.....
Bourque......
Senior Dion Libs are telling Bourque that the MP Mark Holland's shocking comments about the Party's secret plans to socialize Alberta's oil sands industry have caused the Party significant negative impact in the West at a time when the Liberals are desperate to build support for their cause across the land. Indeed, Holland was said to have spent a significant part of the day today cobbling together some semblance of a rationale to soothe over the scar left by his iambic utterings emitted on an open-line radio show yesterday, the gist of which was re-hashed by Charles Adler in an exclusive text for Bourque last night. Add to that one Dion kool-aid drinker, who noted by email, "Pierre, it's one thing for Stephane to unleash our pit bulls, it's another for the mutt to tripod a squirt on Alberta". According to another source inside OLO, there's a small chance Holland may be demoted from his current critic's gig. One wonders why ... Summa poohbah
Bourque......
Senior Dion Libs are telling Bourque that the MP Mark Holland's shocking comments about the Party's secret plans to socialize Alberta's oil sands industry have caused the Party significant negative impact in the West at a time when the Liberals are desperate to build support for their cause across the land. Indeed, Holland was said to have spent a significant part of the day today cobbling together some semblance of a rationale to soothe over the scar left by his iambic utterings emitted on an open-line radio show yesterday, the gist of which was re-hashed by Charles Adler in an exclusive text for Bourque last night. Add to that one Dion kool-aid drinker, who noted by email, "Pierre, it's one thing for Stephane to unleash our pit bulls, it's another for the mutt to tripod a squirt on Alberta". According to another source inside OLO, there's a small chance Holland may be demoted from his current critic's gig. One wonders why ... Summa poohbah
Muslim Extremism Coming To Your Neighborhood?
A mosque is bricks and mortar and doesn't present any imminent danger but when it becomes a refuge for extremists who preach hatred and promote violence we should be dealing with the individuals. The tradegy is that in attempting to promote our own beliefs when it comes to tolerance and freedom of expression we become victims of a propoganda war that we cannot win. Let's keep in mind that that when the service is over at the mosque and people gather around the water cooler the extremists are talking about destroying the jews and eventually us.
A Little History Lesson 1
A Little History Lesson 2
February 3, 2007
Little mosque, big trouble
By JOE WARMINGTON
NEWMARKET -- The story about the little mosque in the suburbs has been stirring up more than a little controversy.
Throw in an Elvis impersonator priest and the producers of the hit show Little Mosque on the Prairie should be taking notes.
But there is not a lot of humour here. In fact, angry words are flying around --including labels of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. It's normally so quiet up here.
If you haven't heard of this situation, stayed tuned because it's about to hit the fan before city council here Monday. It's purported to be a meeting about the zoning of a new mosque on Mulock Drive, near Bayview. It sounds more like it's going to be a debate about whether the mosque belongs there at all.
"Normally those meetings are kind of dull," said The Era Banner reporter Joan Ransberry. "I don't think that is going to be the case this time."
The Era Banner had a recent front page headline: Mosque Welcome, Extremist Not, Neighbour Says. It quoted George Cunningham saying: "I don't want an Islamic extremist in my community."
He's talking about Zafar Bangash --a well-known Islamic imam, who is director of The Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought.
And he has thoughts -- some critics describe them as "hate." A lot of Bangash's comments could be interpreted as anti-Israel and anti-American -- heavy ideas for neighbours of 700 Mulock Drive to handle.
Many didn't even realize Newmarket had its first mosque, which is really nothing more than a gutted bungalow on two acres, complete with pond. It still has a damaged Toronto Maple Leafs flag hanging from a pole and a rusted shinny hockey net.
It's a start. The Muslim community has bigger plans for their new place of worship. "We have fully complied with the town's requirements," Bangash said.
People have nothing to be afraid of, he said, adding much of what he is quoted to have said he actually didn't say.
He is, though, the former editor of the Crescent International newspaper which after Sept. 11, 2001 did describe Osama Bin Laden as a person who "stands up to the West in the name of Islam" and that there was a "far greater tragedy taking place in Iraq, Palestine and now in Afghanistan."
He insists stories where he is quoted as saying the U.S. knew about the potential attacks on 9/11 or that Canada is a "fully paid-up member of the Anglo-Saxon Mafia, which is responsible for most of the recorded genocides in the world" are not his.
After reading this stuff, however, you can see why people might be concerned. Fresh off last summer's charges against 17 young Muslim men on an alleged terror plot, there's certainly nothing wrong with asking some questions.
"Are you a racist? Are you are terrorist?" is what I asked him. Might as well clear the air, is what I thought.
"Absolutely not," he said. "Not at all. Of course not. I think it's important people understand we neither advocate violence of any kind, nor do we spread hatred."
He says not many are upset at all. "I don't think there are too many," he said.
"What has happened is some people have misread things and that has been deliberately done. There are some groups who are themselves racist, essentially, and don't want to see a mosque going up in Newmarket."
The more I questioned him the more defensive he seemed to get. His calm demeanor became more agitated when he said: "I am opposed to Israeli state policies. They are perpetrating terrible crimes against the Palestinian people."
I asked if he considered that a radical opinion?
"How could that be radical? Is it permissible to starve millions of people?"
For many locals, what's happening in the West Bank is a long way from York Region. Even Pakistan-born Bangash, with whom I left on amiable terms, agrees. "These are my personal views and have nothing to do with the mosque," said the Canadian for 33 years.
Meanwhile, well-known Rev. Dorian Baxter, aka Elvis Priestley, thinks the debate is "actually an opportunity."
Over lunch at Pam and Debbie's The Maid's Cottage Restaurant on Main St. he said "it's an opportunity for Christians and people of Islamic and Jewish faiths to get together. We have more in common than we don't."
We'll find out if that happens Monday when the little mosque on Mulock is on the agenda at Newmarket city council.
A Little History Lesson 1
A Little History Lesson 2
February 3, 2007
Little mosque, big trouble
By JOE WARMINGTON
NEWMARKET -- The story about the little mosque in the suburbs has been stirring up more than a little controversy.
Throw in an Elvis impersonator priest and the producers of the hit show Little Mosque on the Prairie should be taking notes.
But there is not a lot of humour here. In fact, angry words are flying around --including labels of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. It's normally so quiet up here.
If you haven't heard of this situation, stayed tuned because it's about to hit the fan before city council here Monday. It's purported to be a meeting about the zoning of a new mosque on Mulock Drive, near Bayview. It sounds more like it's going to be a debate about whether the mosque belongs there at all.
"Normally those meetings are kind of dull," said The Era Banner reporter Joan Ransberry. "I don't think that is going to be the case this time."
The Era Banner had a recent front page headline: Mosque Welcome, Extremist Not, Neighbour Says. It quoted George Cunningham saying: "I don't want an Islamic extremist in my community."
He's talking about Zafar Bangash --a well-known Islamic imam, who is director of The Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought.
And he has thoughts -- some critics describe them as "hate." A lot of Bangash's comments could be interpreted as anti-Israel and anti-American -- heavy ideas for neighbours of 700 Mulock Drive to handle.
Many didn't even realize Newmarket had its first mosque, which is really nothing more than a gutted bungalow on two acres, complete with pond. It still has a damaged Toronto Maple Leafs flag hanging from a pole and a rusted shinny hockey net.
It's a start. The Muslim community has bigger plans for their new place of worship. "We have fully complied with the town's requirements," Bangash said.
People have nothing to be afraid of, he said, adding much of what he is quoted to have said he actually didn't say.
He is, though, the former editor of the Crescent International newspaper which after Sept. 11, 2001 did describe Osama Bin Laden as a person who "stands up to the West in the name of Islam" and that there was a "far greater tragedy taking place in Iraq, Palestine and now in Afghanistan."
He insists stories where he is quoted as saying the U.S. knew about the potential attacks on 9/11 or that Canada is a "fully paid-up member of the Anglo-Saxon Mafia, which is responsible for most of the recorded genocides in the world" are not his.
After reading this stuff, however, you can see why people might be concerned. Fresh off last summer's charges against 17 young Muslim men on an alleged terror plot, there's certainly nothing wrong with asking some questions.
"Are you a racist? Are you are terrorist?" is what I asked him. Might as well clear the air, is what I thought.
"Absolutely not," he said. "Not at all. Of course not. I think it's important people understand we neither advocate violence of any kind, nor do we spread hatred."
He says not many are upset at all. "I don't think there are too many," he said.
"What has happened is some people have misread things and that has been deliberately done. There are some groups who are themselves racist, essentially, and don't want to see a mosque going up in Newmarket."
The more I questioned him the more defensive he seemed to get. His calm demeanor became more agitated when he said: "I am opposed to Israeli state policies. They are perpetrating terrible crimes against the Palestinian people."
I asked if he considered that a radical opinion?
"How could that be radical? Is it permissible to starve millions of people?"
For many locals, what's happening in the West Bank is a long way from York Region. Even Pakistan-born Bangash, with whom I left on amiable terms, agrees. "These are my personal views and have nothing to do with the mosque," said the Canadian for 33 years.
Meanwhile, well-known Rev. Dorian Baxter, aka Elvis Priestley, thinks the debate is "actually an opportunity."
Over lunch at Pam and Debbie's The Maid's Cottage Restaurant on Main St. he said "it's an opportunity for Christians and people of Islamic and Jewish faiths to get together. We have more in common than we don't."
We'll find out if that happens Monday when the little mosque on Mulock is on the agenda at Newmarket city council.
Environmental Issues Will Diminish As $$$$ Increase
When environmental issues start hitting people in the pocketbook,when they have to start making individual sacrifices and when they see their world neighbors doing diddly squat you will see voter concern about the environment diminish...maybe not in public but at the ballot box. I don't see the groundswell of support.......
[Star Poll]
Will the latest report on climate change prompt you to make changes in your lifestyle?
Yes 499 49%
No 507 50%
February 3, 2007
EDITORIAL: OK, what's this gonna cost us?
It would be nice if our politicians would listen to what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said yesterday, before giving us their pat little speeches.
Particularly since the IPCC said nothing new. All it did was state more strongly its view, which it has held for more than a decade, that global warming is real and that human activity is causing it.
This time, it said mankind's responsibility for modern global warming is "very likely." In 2001, it said it was "likely." In 1995, it said the influence of humans on global climate was supported by "the balance of evidence."
The more significant conclusion reached by the IPCC -- and it isn't new, either -- is that man-made global warming and its effects on climate will continue for centuries, no matter what we do, because of how long greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere.
Thus, even as we cut emissions going forward, the Earth's temperature will continue to rise and its effects on our planet in the forms of more violent and unpredictable weather and rising sea levels, will continue to be felt long after we, our children and their children are gone.
This raises the issue no political party has thus far addressed in the midst of all the hysteria about whether Canada can meet its 2012 Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (Short answer -- no.)
What we now need to know from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Environment Minister John Baird is this: How much more is it going to cost us than it already does for heat, gasoline, electricity and most consumer goods?
As many environmentalists have long pointed out, correctly, price sensitivity is the only way to get people to change their lifestyles quickly and dramatically.
So, how much more is this all going to cost us, prime minister, and don't forget the indirect costs, since higher prices corporations are hit with as part of your efforts to discourage the burning of fossil fuels, will be passed along to consumers eventually.
Finally, since these policies will need to be maintained for decades, even centuries, we need to hear from the Liberals, NDP, Bloc Quebecois and Green Party, their plans for dealing with these issues.
Because until they are addressed, everything else our political leaders have to say about global warming, is just so much hot air.
Are We Likely To See Crime Stat Website In Toronto
Probably not....we have a mayor and a group of left wing councillors who won't admit we have a crime problem and don't want to upset residents by highlighting their neighborhood as a "high risk" area. But I notice that even the Winnipeg stats don't list ethnicity.
Winnipeg unveils CrimeStat website to public
Updated Fri. Feb. 2 2007 11:19 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Winnipeg has unveiled its CrimeStat website, showing the public daily or weekly crime statistics in the city -- information usually seen only by the police.
"I think what you will see it an unprecedented level of openness and transparency," said Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz.
"You will be able to see exactly what is going on in our fair city."
Winnipeg joins several other North American cities in using the program, including Vancouver and New York City. The website can be found here.
The software allows police to get a quicker look at data from the Winnipeg Police Service Records Management System, giving them a better sense of emerging trends, and the ability to plot areas of heavy activity.
"As we see trends developing, we're actually in a position to proactively do something about it, as opposed to getting those numbers a month or several months down the road when it's too late to react to them," said Deputy Chief Menno Zacharias.
District police commanders hope the information will lead to a reduction in crime, as trends become more immediately apparent.
Winnipeg officials first travelled to Minneapolis, another city that uses CrimeState, to watch the program in action and see how it affected policing.
"They would flood an area with police contacts," said Councilor Gord Steeves of Winnipeg's protection committee.
"I quizzed the chiefs and deputy chiefs what that meant. And what it meant was sending people into an area to make contact with people who appeared suspicious."
The Winnipeg system is now broken down into districts. But in March, residents will be able to monitor specific neighbourhood maps, to see what sorts of crimes -- and how many -- are happening nearby.
But officials said they will be careful about how much information is disclosed.
"We're not going to put specific points on the map, because that would just perhaps further victimize someone," said Detective Sgt. Angela Epp.
"We don't want that. So it'll be in the middle of the street, or middle of the block, so it's in the area. We're kind of hoping everyone in the neighbourhood takes an interest in what's going on."
With a report by CTV Winnipeg's Kelly Dehn
Friday, February 02, 2007
Dion Has Kyoto In His Corner And An Un-namedPussy
Partisanship poisons clean air
Don Martin in Ottawa
National Post
Friday, February 02, 2007
While the environmental frenzy goes global today with the release in Paris of an early autopsy on our warming atmosphere, the climate hasn't changed one bit in Ottawa.
Amid the alarming cries from MPs about the "crisis" and "catastrophe" confronting the Earth, the usual poisoned, partisan and unproductive air has engulfed the House of Commons in political smog.
More than 60 questions on climate change were fired across the centre aisle in the House of Commons this week, most of them rooted in smears, exaggerations and rabid distortions of the other side's iffy track record on going green.
Liberal MPs, sporting green lapel ribbons, elevated their attacks to a new level yesterday when the environment was up for a day-long debate.
Leader Stephane Dion is no longer content to label Prime Minister Stephen Harper as merely a Canadian doubter, but warns that he is out to destroy the Kyoto protocol on a global scale.
He accused Mr. Harper of sabotaging international conferences in Bonn and Nairobi last year and figures Environment Minister John Baird will go down the same destructive path when he arrives in Paris today for the scientific report's release. Good grief.
The Liberals now chant "climate change denier" whenever the Conservatives discuss the problem, their choice of words being no accident as they frame environmental doubt on par with questioning the Holocaust.
The best shot the Grits took all week was The Letter, a 2002 fundraising pitch from Mr. Harper giving his candid assessment of the Kyoto accord as an unscientific, money-sucking jobkiller.
Now before moving beyond that letter, a bit of background on how it fell into Liberal hands. The party's research guru, a fine fellow named Kevin Bosch, had signed up his now-deceased cat as a Canadian Alliance member in 2000, the better to anonymously monitor the party's mailouts.
The cat died, but party correspondence kept coming, including Mr. Harper's anti-Kyoto rant, which Mr. Bosch carefully preserved for use at the appropriate time. Which came this week. That'll teach Mr. Harper to trust felines. In this case, the cat came back and got his tongue. I digress.
Conservative shots at the Liberals are just as wild. They're gleefully quoting with almost biblical fervour old attacks on the Liberals from the commissioner on the environment, the very same official whose body is still twitching from her axing this week by Auditor-General Sheila Fraser.
Sitting in the middle of the debate wearing looks of wide-eyed disgust are the New Democrats. And while this praise doesn't come easily to me, there's not much doubt they're the honest brokers of the debate. They've pushed for speedy action on the government's bill and have proposed a series of amendments to expedite it along.
"It is like a pantomime between Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton," cracked New Democrat MP Denise Savoie as she watched accusations of climate-change inaction being exchanged between Liberal and Conservative MPs.
Thing is, the Liberals actually dread the prospect of popular Canadian action being taken against greenhouse-gas emissions.
If the Conservatives' Clean Air Act passes with the New Democrats as parliamentary partners, it will be impossible for Mr. Dion to polish his Mr. Clean credentials and market Mr. Harper as an environmental knuckle dragger in the next election.
He'll have trouble even if the act is unsuccessfully rewritten. With the threat of an election fading for another year, Mr. Harper has considerable luxury to give his record an upgrade.
If he's seen as responding to voter concerns, his late conversion to the science will be forgotten, and he will be judged on his accomplishments. If that means the Liberals can only seethe at Conservatives for stealing their ideas, well, nobody cares who came up with the idea, only who delivers.
But in the short term, this week ends with an all-talk on a Liberal motion to enshrine the Kyoto protocol in Canadian law, an idea that's moving nowhere despite all the frantic talk of a slightly warmer sky falling on Canada.
Perhaps former Liberal MP David Anderson, the first environment minister I felt was a true believer in the science, had it right three years ago.
"Goddammit ? no country's planned more than Canada. This planning thing is a red herring and I'm tired of hearing it," he fumed in 2004. "When that's an excuse for doing nothing, that is really an outrageous misuse of language."
That's the defining assessment of political climate-change activity in Canada, but nobody's quoting him these days. Sadly, for a public braced to make an environmental sacrifice, Canada's words will speak louder than its action for a long time to come.
Global warming denier becomes a believer. Plus cartoon, A10
Don Martin in Ottawa
National Post
Friday, February 02, 2007
While the environmental frenzy goes global today with the release in Paris of an early autopsy on our warming atmosphere, the climate hasn't changed one bit in Ottawa.
Amid the alarming cries from MPs about the "crisis" and "catastrophe" confronting the Earth, the usual poisoned, partisan and unproductive air has engulfed the House of Commons in political smog.
More than 60 questions on climate change were fired across the centre aisle in the House of Commons this week, most of them rooted in smears, exaggerations and rabid distortions of the other side's iffy track record on going green.
Liberal MPs, sporting green lapel ribbons, elevated their attacks to a new level yesterday when the environment was up for a day-long debate.
Leader Stephane Dion is no longer content to label Prime Minister Stephen Harper as merely a Canadian doubter, but warns that he is out to destroy the Kyoto protocol on a global scale.
He accused Mr. Harper of sabotaging international conferences in Bonn and Nairobi last year and figures Environment Minister John Baird will go down the same destructive path when he arrives in Paris today for the scientific report's release. Good grief.
The Liberals now chant "climate change denier" whenever the Conservatives discuss the problem, their choice of words being no accident as they frame environmental doubt on par with questioning the Holocaust.
The best shot the Grits took all week was The Letter, a 2002 fundraising pitch from Mr. Harper giving his candid assessment of the Kyoto accord as an unscientific, money-sucking jobkiller.
Now before moving beyond that letter, a bit of background on how it fell into Liberal hands. The party's research guru, a fine fellow named Kevin Bosch, had signed up his now-deceased cat as a Canadian Alliance member in 2000, the better to anonymously monitor the party's mailouts.
The cat died, but party correspondence kept coming, including Mr. Harper's anti-Kyoto rant, which Mr. Bosch carefully preserved for use at the appropriate time. Which came this week. That'll teach Mr. Harper to trust felines. In this case, the cat came back and got his tongue. I digress.
Conservative shots at the Liberals are just as wild. They're gleefully quoting with almost biblical fervour old attacks on the Liberals from the commissioner on the environment, the very same official whose body is still twitching from her axing this week by Auditor-General Sheila Fraser.
Sitting in the middle of the debate wearing looks of wide-eyed disgust are the New Democrats. And while this praise doesn't come easily to me, there's not much doubt they're the honest brokers of the debate. They've pushed for speedy action on the government's bill and have proposed a series of amendments to expedite it along.
"It is like a pantomime between Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton," cracked New Democrat MP Denise Savoie as she watched accusations of climate-change inaction being exchanged between Liberal and Conservative MPs.
Thing is, the Liberals actually dread the prospect of popular Canadian action being taken against greenhouse-gas emissions.
If the Conservatives' Clean Air Act passes with the New Democrats as parliamentary partners, it will be impossible for Mr. Dion to polish his Mr. Clean credentials and market Mr. Harper as an environmental knuckle dragger in the next election.
He'll have trouble even if the act is unsuccessfully rewritten. With the threat of an election fading for another year, Mr. Harper has considerable luxury to give his record an upgrade.
If he's seen as responding to voter concerns, his late conversion to the science will be forgotten, and he will be judged on his accomplishments. If that means the Liberals can only seethe at Conservatives for stealing their ideas, well, nobody cares who came up with the idea, only who delivers.
But in the short term, this week ends with an all-talk on a Liberal motion to enshrine the Kyoto protocol in Canadian law, an idea that's moving nowhere despite all the frantic talk of a slightly warmer sky falling on Canada.
Perhaps former Liberal MP David Anderson, the first environment minister I felt was a true believer in the science, had it right three years ago.
"Goddammit ? no country's planned more than Canada. This planning thing is a red herring and I'm tired of hearing it," he fumed in 2004. "When that's an excuse for doing nothing, that is really an outrageous misuse of language."
That's the defining assessment of political climate-change activity in Canada, but nobody's quoting him these days. Sadly, for a public braced to make an environmental sacrifice, Canada's words will speak louder than its action for a long time to come.
Global warming denier becomes a believer. Plus cartoon, A10
A Foolish Promise Could Come Back To Bite Us In The Ass
McGinty's promise to close all coal fired plants without considering how he would supply Ontario with the lost electrical power could become a target for Dion and the Liberals if part of Dion's hidden agenda (as expressed by MP Holland) is to attack the energy sector as part of his environmental plan. This latest report would give him justification......
OPG a giant among other polluters: report
Updated Thu. Feb. 1 2007 3:51 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A new report from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance says Ontario Power Generation towers like a smokestack among other polluters because of massive emissions from its four coal plants.
The report, dubbed OPG: Ontario's Pollution Giant, takes direct aim at the coal-fired energy producer.
It finds that air pollution is not the only major pollutant being produced by OPG, but that toxic wastes are also being sent to disposal sites or buried in on-site landfills.
"When it comes to emissions of smog pollutants and greenhouse gases, OPG's coal plants are Ontario's pollution giants. In fact, OPG's coal plants produce 40 per cent of the carbon dioxide emissions reported by Ontario industrial facilities to Environment Canada and continue to be Canada's number one corporate source of greenhouse gases," said Jack Gibbons, Chair of the OCAA, in a statement.
The report includes some startling findings, claiming OPG's coal-fired plants are responsible for the following:
* 36 per cent of Ontario's airborne mercury emissions;
* 28 per cent of Ontario's industrial smog-causing nitrogen oxides emissions;
* 23 per cent of Ontario's industrial smog-causing sulphur dioxide emissions;
* 8 per cent of Ontario's industrial PM2.5 small particulate emissions that go deep into our lungs and cause asthma attacks, heart and lung diseases, strokes and premature mortality.
At the plants in Nanticoke and Lambton, carbon dioxide emissions increased by 20 per cent from 2004 to 2005, and by 90 per cent for all the coal plants since 1995.
But the pollution doesn't stop there, the group claims. According to the report, OPG plants also produce waste that contains toxic chemicals like arsenic and mercury, which is either buried in on-site landfills or sent off-site, often to cement plants where it is re-heated in cement kilns.
The Naticoke and Lambton plants are among the province's top-5 on-site landfillers of arsenic, lead and mercury, the report claims.
OPG's air pollution, combined with its on and off-site disposal levels, adds up to create a devastating environmental footprint, Gibbons said.
"The only real solution is to cut the giant down to size by eliminating coal burning and adopting cleaner solutions, like aggressive efficiency improvements, renewable power and highly efficient combined heat and power generation," Gibbons said.
He added that Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty should keep his promise to phase out coal plants by 2009.
OPG a giant among other polluters: report
Updated Thu. Feb. 1 2007 3:51 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A new report from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance says Ontario Power Generation towers like a smokestack among other polluters because of massive emissions from its four coal plants.
The report, dubbed OPG: Ontario's Pollution Giant, takes direct aim at the coal-fired energy producer.
It finds that air pollution is not the only major pollutant being produced by OPG, but that toxic wastes are also being sent to disposal sites or buried in on-site landfills.
"When it comes to emissions of smog pollutants and greenhouse gases, OPG's coal plants are Ontario's pollution giants. In fact, OPG's coal plants produce 40 per cent of the carbon dioxide emissions reported by Ontario industrial facilities to Environment Canada and continue to be Canada's number one corporate source of greenhouse gases," said Jack Gibbons, Chair of the OCAA, in a statement.
The report includes some startling findings, claiming OPG's coal-fired plants are responsible for the following:
* 36 per cent of Ontario's airborne mercury emissions;
* 28 per cent of Ontario's industrial smog-causing nitrogen oxides emissions;
* 23 per cent of Ontario's industrial smog-causing sulphur dioxide emissions;
* 8 per cent of Ontario's industrial PM2.5 small particulate emissions that go deep into our lungs and cause asthma attacks, heart and lung diseases, strokes and premature mortality.
At the plants in Nanticoke and Lambton, carbon dioxide emissions increased by 20 per cent from 2004 to 2005, and by 90 per cent for all the coal plants since 1995.
But the pollution doesn't stop there, the group claims. According to the report, OPG plants also produce waste that contains toxic chemicals like arsenic and mercury, which is either buried in on-site landfills or sent off-site, often to cement plants where it is re-heated in cement kilns.
The Naticoke and Lambton plants are among the province's top-5 on-site landfillers of arsenic, lead and mercury, the report claims.
OPG's air pollution, combined with its on and off-site disposal levels, adds up to create a devastating environmental footprint, Gibbons said.
"The only real solution is to cut the giant down to size by eliminating coal burning and adopting cleaner solutions, like aggressive efficiency improvements, renewable power and highly efficient combined heat and power generation," Gibbons said.
He added that Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty should keep his promise to phase out coal plants by 2009.
Talk About A Hidden Agenda
Why aren't we hearing more from Dion and his plans for the energy sector?
Thursday, February 1
A Bourque Exclusive
LIB MP HOLLAND GOES NUCLEAR ON KYOTO - by Charles Adler
After several hours of hot Kyoto air in the House of Commons this week, one is left to wonder what specifically a Liberal government under Stephane Dion would do if Canadians give him the keys to kingdom.
If Ajax Pickering MP Mark Holland was telling the truth today on Adler on Line, Canadians ought to be very frightened. When I pressed Holland to get beyond the plattitudes about how sincere Mr Dion is about his love of the environment, the Liberal MP blew my audience away. His rhetoric indicated that a Dion government would get into the face of Canada's energy producers.
Little doubt was left in the mind of observers that the Holland/Dion strategy was to be as confrontational as possible with Alberta voters and their provincial government.
Holland said a Liberal government would manage Alberta resources responsibly. He said, "We need to stabilize the oils sands. We are not going to allow companies to exploit that resource, to pump it out as fast as you can and give it to the Americans and blow out our emissions targets."
When I confronted Mr. Holland about serious job losses that would surely be the result of this kind of federal government policy, he talked about a British study that said short term pain was needed in the interests of dealing with climate change. This was necessary, said Mr. Holland, to prevent longer term economic pain.
Is this the real agenda of sustainable development that Stephane Dion has been talking about? The voters in the coming months leading up to an election campaign need to ask themselves four questions.
1) Do they want the federal government to impose its will on Canada's energy producers and the provincial government of Alberta.
2) Do they think the capital markets in Alberta could survive an all out assault on them by the federal government, one which would dwarf the Liberal Natioanal Energy Program a generation ago.
3) Do they think the people of Alberta will take this sitting down. Or will many of them rise up and insist that their govenrment roll out a Quebec style referendum?
4) After years of listening to the Liberals talking about Tory hidden agendas, has Mr Holland given us an insight into the hidden Liberal agenda?
I expect Mr. Dion and his mouth pieces to say that Mark Holland was not speaking the Liberal opposition when he dropped the Liberal Kyoto bomb on Adler on Line. But that shoudn't allow any of us who want this country to stay united to let our guard down. The Liberals have talked a good game on National Unity. But it seems every time there is a close call on this country being dismembered, a Liberal seems to be sitting in the prime minister's office. Canada's economy is a tower of strength right now. We can only hope that it continues to be sustainable if and when voters take a leap into the darkness with Dion.
Charles Adler is the host of Adler on Line on the Corus Radio Network
Listen to Adler's interview with Mark Holland by logging on to www.charlesadler.com
Thursday, February 1
A Bourque Exclusive
LIB MP HOLLAND GOES NUCLEAR ON KYOTO - by Charles Adler
After several hours of hot Kyoto air in the House of Commons this week, one is left to wonder what specifically a Liberal government under Stephane Dion would do if Canadians give him the keys to kingdom.
If Ajax Pickering MP Mark Holland was telling the truth today on Adler on Line, Canadians ought to be very frightened. When I pressed Holland to get beyond the plattitudes about how sincere Mr Dion is about his love of the environment, the Liberal MP blew my audience away. His rhetoric indicated that a Dion government would get into the face of Canada's energy producers.
Little doubt was left in the mind of observers that the Holland/Dion strategy was to be as confrontational as possible with Alberta voters and their provincial government.
Holland said a Liberal government would manage Alberta resources responsibly. He said, "We need to stabilize the oils sands. We are not going to allow companies to exploit that resource, to pump it out as fast as you can and give it to the Americans and blow out our emissions targets."
When I confronted Mr. Holland about serious job losses that would surely be the result of this kind of federal government policy, he talked about a British study that said short term pain was needed in the interests of dealing with climate change. This was necessary, said Mr. Holland, to prevent longer term economic pain.
Is this the real agenda of sustainable development that Stephane Dion has been talking about? The voters in the coming months leading up to an election campaign need to ask themselves four questions.
1) Do they want the federal government to impose its will on Canada's energy producers and the provincial government of Alberta.
2) Do they think the capital markets in Alberta could survive an all out assault on them by the federal government, one which would dwarf the Liberal Natioanal Energy Program a generation ago.
3) Do they think the people of Alberta will take this sitting down. Or will many of them rise up and insist that their govenrment roll out a Quebec style referendum?
4) After years of listening to the Liberals talking about Tory hidden agendas, has Mr Holland given us an insight into the hidden Liberal agenda?
I expect Mr. Dion and his mouth pieces to say that Mark Holland was not speaking the Liberal opposition when he dropped the Liberal Kyoto bomb on Adler on Line. But that shoudn't allow any of us who want this country to stay united to let our guard down. The Liberals have talked a good game on National Unity. But it seems every time there is a close call on this country being dismembered, a Liberal seems to be sitting in the prime minister's office. Canada's economy is a tower of strength right now. We can only hope that it continues to be sustainable if and when voters take a leap into the darkness with Dion.
Charles Adler is the host of Adler on Line on the Corus Radio Network
Listen to Adler's interview with Mark Holland by logging on to www.charlesadler.com
Time For A Food Stamp Program
The following issue was discussed on talk radio and it is surprising the number of people who still stereotype people on social assistance as bingo playing, beer drinking, lazy slobs who would just blow any extra monies. There is no question there are people like that but their kids still deserve a decent meal everyday so how do we try to make that happen. It would seem to me that a food stamp type of program would be the answer......
Doctor stands up for the poor
February 02, 2007
Carol Goar
It is reassuring, in a sad way, to live in a city whose board of health publicly exhorts the province to raise welfare rates so people can eat properly.
At least one government agency is taking a stand against hunger. At least one senior bureaucrat, Toronto's medical officer of health Dr. David McKeown, is willing to call food a basic right. At least one group of public officials understands that malnutrition is a health issue.
Unfortunately, all the board of health can do is appeal to the consciences of MPPs and enlist the support of Torontonians. The rest is up to Premier Dalton McGuinty.
This week, the board, which consists of six city councillors, six citizens and a school board representative under McKeown's leadership, called on Queen's Park to:
# Increase social assistance rates to cover the cost of a frugal, but healthy, diet. In Toronto, an individual needs $189 per month to meet his or her nutritional requirements, according to public health officials.
# Explain how social assistance is supposed to work. The province provides $548 a month to an individual with no other means of support. But it is impossible to find a decent apartment in Toronto, let alone buy food, for that amount.
# Raise the minimum wage so that working families can afford groceries.
# Recognize the link between poverty and poor health.
"Many Toronto residents are forced to choose between paying the rent and buying healthy food," McKeown said. "This situation is unacceptable and must be addressed on an urgent basis."
This isn't the first time the head of Toronto's public health agency has shone a spotlight on poor nutrition, poor housing, poor sanitation or poor wages. The tradition dates back more than a century.
But it comes at a pivotal juncture.
As budget season approaches, churches, unions, teachers' federations, community groups and a wide array of voluntary organizations are mobilizing with new energy to put poverty on the political agenda. Posters are popping up in bus shelters all over the city telling McGuinty to keep his hands off the National Child Benefit Supplement. The New Democrats are spearheading a drive to get Ontario's minimum wage raised to $10 an hour.
The Toronto City Summit Alliance is lobbying for the inclusion of a new Ontario Child Benefit in the provincial budget. The Senate is undertaking a study of urban poverty. There is renewed debate on a guaranteed annual income program.
McKeown lent medical credibility to these efforts. He put hunger in the headlines.
But as several board members noted at Monday's meeting, forests have been cut down to produce earnest reports like his. This time, the words have to precipitate action.
Nick Saul, executive director of The Stop Community Food Centre in Toronto's Davenport West neighbourhood, left the committee room feeling unusually optimistic.
"It was the strongest McKeown's ever been on this issue," he said. "The senior bureaucrats (at city hall) are committed. There's momentum in the community. You never know what the tipping point will be."
He had three specific reasons to be hopeful.
First, McKeown has promised to reach out to medical officers of health across Ontario. Some are already eager to speak out about nutrition, housing and poverty. What began in Toronto could grow into a multi-city movement.
Second, the board of health has agreed to include anti-poverty activists in its dealings with the province. It is determined to show McGuinty and his ministers the real-life damage their policies are doing. It is willing to be confrontational, if necessary.
Third, advocacy groups have resolved to stay the course. "In past years, we've made our deputations, then let go," he said. "This time, we're going to follow through."
Food is a good starting point, Saul says, because it is so elemental.
All voters, regardless of income or ideology, buy groceries. Most know how much they spend. Few would consider $6.33 per day – the amount McKeown says a person needs to eat properly – extravagant or outlandish.
The challenge will be to get Ontarians to plug that number (which works out to $189 per month) into this equation: Welfare income minus shelter costs equals the food and clothing budget.
An individual on social assistance receives $548 a month plus a GST credit of $20.94. The average rent for a bachelor apartment in Toronto is $740. That leaves a food budget of $0, a clothing budget of $0 and a scramble to come up with the missing $171.06.
It is little wonder so many welfare recipients suffer from diabetes, anemia, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, arthritis or some combination.
It shouldn't take a local medical officer of health to point this out to the province.
But it is heartening that Toronto has one who does.
Carol Goar's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Doctor stands up for the poor
February 02, 2007
Carol Goar
It is reassuring, in a sad way, to live in a city whose board of health publicly exhorts the province to raise welfare rates so people can eat properly.
At least one government agency is taking a stand against hunger. At least one senior bureaucrat, Toronto's medical officer of health Dr. David McKeown, is willing to call food a basic right. At least one group of public officials understands that malnutrition is a health issue.
Unfortunately, all the board of health can do is appeal to the consciences of MPPs and enlist the support of Torontonians. The rest is up to Premier Dalton McGuinty.
This week, the board, which consists of six city councillors, six citizens and a school board representative under McKeown's leadership, called on Queen's Park to:
# Increase social assistance rates to cover the cost of a frugal, but healthy, diet. In Toronto, an individual needs $189 per month to meet his or her nutritional requirements, according to public health officials.
# Explain how social assistance is supposed to work. The province provides $548 a month to an individual with no other means of support. But it is impossible to find a decent apartment in Toronto, let alone buy food, for that amount.
# Raise the minimum wage so that working families can afford groceries.
# Recognize the link between poverty and poor health.
"Many Toronto residents are forced to choose between paying the rent and buying healthy food," McKeown said. "This situation is unacceptable and must be addressed on an urgent basis."
This isn't the first time the head of Toronto's public health agency has shone a spotlight on poor nutrition, poor housing, poor sanitation or poor wages. The tradition dates back more than a century.
But it comes at a pivotal juncture.
As budget season approaches, churches, unions, teachers' federations, community groups and a wide array of voluntary organizations are mobilizing with new energy to put poverty on the political agenda. Posters are popping up in bus shelters all over the city telling McGuinty to keep his hands off the National Child Benefit Supplement. The New Democrats are spearheading a drive to get Ontario's minimum wage raised to $10 an hour.
The Toronto City Summit Alliance is lobbying for the inclusion of a new Ontario Child Benefit in the provincial budget. The Senate is undertaking a study of urban poverty. There is renewed debate on a guaranteed annual income program.
McKeown lent medical credibility to these efforts. He put hunger in the headlines.
But as several board members noted at Monday's meeting, forests have been cut down to produce earnest reports like his. This time, the words have to precipitate action.
Nick Saul, executive director of The Stop Community Food Centre in Toronto's Davenport West neighbourhood, left the committee room feeling unusually optimistic.
"It was the strongest McKeown's ever been on this issue," he said. "The senior bureaucrats (at city hall) are committed. There's momentum in the community. You never know what the tipping point will be."
He had three specific reasons to be hopeful.
First, McKeown has promised to reach out to medical officers of health across Ontario. Some are already eager to speak out about nutrition, housing and poverty. What began in Toronto could grow into a multi-city movement.
Second, the board of health has agreed to include anti-poverty activists in its dealings with the province. It is determined to show McGuinty and his ministers the real-life damage their policies are doing. It is willing to be confrontational, if necessary.
Third, advocacy groups have resolved to stay the course. "In past years, we've made our deputations, then let go," he said. "This time, we're going to follow through."
Food is a good starting point, Saul says, because it is so elemental.
All voters, regardless of income or ideology, buy groceries. Most know how much they spend. Few would consider $6.33 per day – the amount McKeown says a person needs to eat properly – extravagant or outlandish.
The challenge will be to get Ontarians to plug that number (which works out to $189 per month) into this equation: Welfare income minus shelter costs equals the food and clothing budget.
An individual on social assistance receives $548 a month plus a GST credit of $20.94. The average rent for a bachelor apartment in Toronto is $740. That leaves a food budget of $0, a clothing budget of $0 and a scramble to come up with the missing $171.06.
It is little wonder so many welfare recipients suffer from diabetes, anemia, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, arthritis or some combination.
It shouldn't take a local medical officer of health to point this out to the province.
But it is heartening that Toronto has one who does.
Carol Goar's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
What Is Good For The Goose Is Good For The Gander
If it is the law then it should apply to all and the local councillor should personally visit every home that is in violation of the bylaw and order them to comply. This is just another example of a bylaw enforcement officer not using common sense and a city councillor who seems to be terrified of dealing with a labour problem.
Double driveway must go
City takes narrow approach to widely seen feature okayed by old municipality
February 02, 2007
John Spears
CITY HALL BUREAU
Susan and Allan Stevens have lived in their east Toronto house, with a single garage and a double driveway, for 29 years.
Now they've been told it has to go.
City officials have known all about the double driveway for many years.
That's because the driveway used to have only a single ramp at the curb. So, back in 1993, the old City of Scarborough helpfully cut the curb to widen the ramp to full double driveway width.
The couple paid $118.77; they still have the receipt. "Payment for 2 metre curb cut," it reads.
But last fall, a city inspector slapped the couple with a notice that their double driveway violates city standards, because they have only a single garage.
The couple now has a choice. They can take out the offending pavement — a job that, with landscaping, would cost about $5,000.
Or they can install barriers that would prevent cars from using the extra pavement for parking. Concrete curbs at least 15 centimetres high would satisfy the city. So would a fence or a series of planters – as long as they are permanently fixed to the pavement.
If they don't comply, the city can come to their house, install curbs on the drive and send them the bill.
The couple points out that dozens of houses on their street have single garages and double drives, yet they seem to be the only ones slapped with the order by the city inspector.
"He could drive down this street at 5 p.m. and ding everybody," says Susan Stevens.
More
Double driveway must go
City takes narrow approach to widely seen feature okayed by old municipality
February 02, 2007
John Spears
CITY HALL BUREAU
Susan and Allan Stevens have lived in their east Toronto house, with a single garage and a double driveway, for 29 years.
Now they've been told it has to go.
City officials have known all about the double driveway for many years.
That's because the driveway used to have only a single ramp at the curb. So, back in 1993, the old City of Scarborough helpfully cut the curb to widen the ramp to full double driveway width.
The couple paid $118.77; they still have the receipt. "Payment for 2 metre curb cut," it reads.
But last fall, a city inspector slapped the couple with a notice that their double driveway violates city standards, because they have only a single garage.
The couple now has a choice. They can take out the offending pavement — a job that, with landscaping, would cost about $5,000.
Or they can install barriers that would prevent cars from using the extra pavement for parking. Concrete curbs at least 15 centimetres high would satisfy the city. So would a fence or a series of planters – as long as they are permanently fixed to the pavement.
If they don't comply, the city can come to their house, install curbs on the drive and send them the bill.
The couple points out that dozens of houses on their street have single garages and double drives, yet they seem to be the only ones slapped with the order by the city inspector.
"He could drive down this street at 5 p.m. and ding everybody," says Susan Stevens.
More
Off My List Of Places To Eat
Petty bullshit....that is how I see this.
Restaurant backs off, staff keep 20¢ raise
February 02, 2007
Kerry Gillespie
Queen's Park Bureau
A popular Toronto restaurant has backed down after trying to claw back most of the extra 20 cents an hour it has to pay its minimum-wage waiters.
Joe Badali's, on Front St. at University Ave., told servers it would start charging them $2 a shift to cover the costs of washing their aprons and providing notepads and cash envelopes.
That charge – up from 50 cents a shift – would wipe out most of the benefit waiters would get from the government's decision to increase the minimum wage.
"It seems sort of unfair that we're getting screwed out of our little bit of a raise," a server said before the restaurant backtracked.
The restaurant reversed itself after the Toronto Star asked about the charge.
It denied the $2-a-shift charge was a reaction to the increase in the minimum wage. But a memo to restaurant staff made prominent mention of the wage increase.
More
Restaurant backs off, staff keep 20¢ raise
February 02, 2007
Kerry Gillespie
Queen's Park Bureau
A popular Toronto restaurant has backed down after trying to claw back most of the extra 20 cents an hour it has to pay its minimum-wage waiters.
Joe Badali's, on Front St. at University Ave., told servers it would start charging them $2 a shift to cover the costs of washing their aprons and providing notepads and cash envelopes.
That charge – up from 50 cents a shift – would wipe out most of the benefit waiters would get from the government's decision to increase the minimum wage.
"It seems sort of unfair that we're getting screwed out of our little bit of a raise," a server said before the restaurant backtracked.
The restaurant reversed itself after the Toronto Star asked about the charge.
It denied the $2-a-shift charge was a reaction to the increase in the minimum wage. But a memo to restaurant staff made prominent mention of the wage increase.
More
Liberal/Leftwing Leadership - The Ultimate Oxymoron
The leftwing is so busy saving the world that they don't see what is happening at home. Look at the record of Chretein/Martin over the last 13 years, McGuinty over the last three years and Miller and his cronies over the last three years...broken promises, poor fiscal management, outright criminal behaviour and arrogance.
February 2, 2007
Dalton: More leadership, less whining
Has anyone asked why the Mcguinty Liberals can't balance Ontario's books?
By ADAM TAYLOR
After nearly four years in power, Ontarians are getting weary of the same old song crooned by Premier Dalton McGuinty. Everyone but him is to blame for all of Ontario's problems. Sound like leadership?
Ontario's premier sees bogeymen everywhere. First it was the predecessor Conservatives who "surprisingly" left a huge deficit. In the 2003 provincial election McGuinty's Liberals shouted from the rooftops that Ernie Eves was hiding a deficit. Yet that didn't stop McGuinty from promising not to raise taxes. He even signed the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" and vowed to only raise taxes with the explicit consent of Ontarians in a province-wide referendum. In their first budget, the Liberals introduced what may very well be the most deceptively-named tax hike since Confederation. Calling it a "health premium" it was the largest tax increase in Ontario's history, and every cent goes directly into the General Revenue Fund, like every other provincial tax.
Next, the McGuinty government blamed the federal government for its fiscal woes, loudly proclaiming the existence of a so-called "fiscal imbalance." Is there a fiscal imbalance? Absolutely. It exists between governments and taxpayers. McGuinty's "fiscal imbalance" is simply a debate between two levels of government over who gets to squeeze more out of the same taxpayer.
The Ontario government is now using tax dollars to make its "fiscal imbalance" case. In November 2006, the government of Ontario launched the "fairness.ca" website. The website claims Ontario is "shortchanged by billions of dollars every year." It urges Ontarians to send messages to their federal representatives calling for fairness and equality, or in other words, billions more in handouts. The Ontario government even purchased ad space on Bourque.com, a popular Canadian political news site to get their message out.
More
February 2, 2007
Dalton: More leadership, less whining
Has anyone asked why the Mcguinty Liberals can't balance Ontario's books?
By ADAM TAYLOR
After nearly four years in power, Ontarians are getting weary of the same old song crooned by Premier Dalton McGuinty. Everyone but him is to blame for all of Ontario's problems. Sound like leadership?
Ontario's premier sees bogeymen everywhere. First it was the predecessor Conservatives who "surprisingly" left a huge deficit. In the 2003 provincial election McGuinty's Liberals shouted from the rooftops that Ernie Eves was hiding a deficit. Yet that didn't stop McGuinty from promising not to raise taxes. He even signed the Canadian Taxpayers Federation's "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" and vowed to only raise taxes with the explicit consent of Ontarians in a province-wide referendum. In their first budget, the Liberals introduced what may very well be the most deceptively-named tax hike since Confederation. Calling it a "health premium" it was the largest tax increase in Ontario's history, and every cent goes directly into the General Revenue Fund, like every other provincial tax.
Next, the McGuinty government blamed the federal government for its fiscal woes, loudly proclaiming the existence of a so-called "fiscal imbalance." Is there a fiscal imbalance? Absolutely. It exists between governments and taxpayers. McGuinty's "fiscal imbalance" is simply a debate between two levels of government over who gets to squeeze more out of the same taxpayer.
The Ontario government is now using tax dollars to make its "fiscal imbalance" case. In November 2006, the government of Ontario launched the "fairness.ca" website. The website claims Ontario is "shortchanged by billions of dollars every year." It urges Ontarians to send messages to their federal representatives calling for fairness and equality, or in other words, billions more in handouts. The Ontario government even purchased ad space on Bourque.com, a popular Canadian political news site to get their message out.
More
Thursday, February 01, 2007
A Group At The Local Timmies Don't Invite Me To Their Table
So I have to surmise that their secret meeting is developing some type of conspiracy to integrate the nearby Country Style & Coffee Time into a tri-parte group that is meant to enslave the customers. Even though I have excersiced by right under the FOIA I can't get any details BUT I notice that one of the people at the table is the editor of a local paper so I am sure we will get full disclosure shortly.
Thursday, February 01 2007 @ 10:04 AM MST
Sovereignty Watch
North America activists plotted 'stealth' strategy
Contributed by: jensonj
NEW WORLD DISORDER
North America activists plotted 'stealth' strategy
Details of secret Banff meeting released as part of FOIA request
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: January 30, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Joseph Farah
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
WASHINGTON – Participants in a high-level, closed door, three-day conference on the integration of the three North American nations debated whether openness about goals was preferred to a stealthy policy of building infrastructure before a vision of the end result was even laid out to the people of the U.S., Mexico and Canada, according to notes obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Official notes taken on a session on "Border Infrastructure and Continental Prosperity" at the North American Forum in Banff, Canada, last September, reveal the internal debate over continued secrecy.
"While a vision is appealing, working on the infrastructure might yield more benefit and bring more people on board ('evolution by stealth')," record the notes discovered amid documents obtained by Judicial Watch.
Several speakers at the event emphasized the importance of "deepening economic integration," "integrating the energy infrastructure" and "the development of new institutions" between the three North American nations.
Participants promoted the idea of using popular issues, such as concern over climate change, to push integration of energy and environmental governance and the possibility of imposing a carbon tax.
Judicial Watch released yesterday the documents it received in a FOIA request from the U.S. Northern Command, whose commander, Admiral Timothy Keating, participated in the conference along with Northcom political adviser Deborah Bolton and Plans, Policy and Strategy Director Maj. General Mark Volcheff. A similar request concerning participation in the North American Forum meeting by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is still pending.
At least one attendee of the conference said the meeting was intended to subvert the democratic process. Mel Hurtig, a Canadian author and publisher elected as the leader of the National Party of Canada, told WND last fall the idea of the North American Forum is to move the countries toward integration without public consent or even knowledge.
"What is sinister about this meeting is that it involved high level government officials and some of the top and most powerful business leaders of the three countries and the North American Forum in organizing the meeting intentionally did not inform the press in any of the three countries," he said. "It was clear that the intention was to keep this important meeting about integrating the three countries out of the public eye."
The conference raised more suspicions about plans for the future merger of the U.S., Canada and Mexico – with topics ranging from "A Vision for North America," "Opportunities for Security Cooperation" and "Demographic and Social Dimensions of North American Integration."
The next meeting of the North American Forum is set for Oct. 12-14 in Puerto Vallarta.
The Canadian event is another in a series of meetings, policy papers and directives that have citizens, officials and members of the media wondering whether these efforts represent some sort of coordinated effort to implement a "merger" some have characterized as "NAFTA on steroids."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54004
Thursday, February 01 2007 @ 10:04 AM MST
Sovereignty Watch
North America activists plotted 'stealth' strategy
Contributed by: jensonj
NEW WORLD DISORDER
North America activists plotted 'stealth' strategy
Details of secret Banff meeting released as part of FOIA request
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: January 30, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Joseph Farah
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
WASHINGTON – Participants in a high-level, closed door, three-day conference on the integration of the three North American nations debated whether openness about goals was preferred to a stealthy policy of building infrastructure before a vision of the end result was even laid out to the people of the U.S., Mexico and Canada, according to notes obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Official notes taken on a session on "Border Infrastructure and Continental Prosperity" at the North American Forum in Banff, Canada, last September, reveal the internal debate over continued secrecy.
"While a vision is appealing, working on the infrastructure might yield more benefit and bring more people on board ('evolution by stealth')," record the notes discovered amid documents obtained by Judicial Watch.
Several speakers at the event emphasized the importance of "deepening economic integration," "integrating the energy infrastructure" and "the development of new institutions" between the three North American nations.
Participants promoted the idea of using popular issues, such as concern over climate change, to push integration of energy and environmental governance and the possibility of imposing a carbon tax.
Judicial Watch released yesterday the documents it received in a FOIA request from the U.S. Northern Command, whose commander, Admiral Timothy Keating, participated in the conference along with Northcom political adviser Deborah Bolton and Plans, Policy and Strategy Director Maj. General Mark Volcheff. A similar request concerning participation in the North American Forum meeting by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is still pending.
At least one attendee of the conference said the meeting was intended to subvert the democratic process. Mel Hurtig, a Canadian author and publisher elected as the leader of the National Party of Canada, told WND last fall the idea of the North American Forum is to move the countries toward integration without public consent or even knowledge.
"What is sinister about this meeting is that it involved high level government officials and some of the top and most powerful business leaders of the three countries and the North American Forum in organizing the meeting intentionally did not inform the press in any of the three countries," he said. "It was clear that the intention was to keep this important meeting about integrating the three countries out of the public eye."
The conference raised more suspicions about plans for the future merger of the U.S., Canada and Mexico – with topics ranging from "A Vision for North America," "Opportunities for Security Cooperation" and "Demographic and Social Dimensions of North American Integration."
The next meeting of the North American Forum is set for Oct. 12-14 in Puerto Vallarta.
The Canadian event is another in a series of meetings, policy papers and directives that have citizens, officials and members of the media wondering whether these efforts represent some sort of coordinated effort to implement a "merger" some have characterized as "NAFTA on steroids."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54004
In Support Of Kyoto
Naturally, like all causes, the environmentalists now have a ribbon and a petition. The ribbon is, of course, green, and the instructions for wearing the ribbon are very specific but if you look at the photos at Steve Janke's blog Dion, Iggy, Layton and Doucette have not followed the simple instructions.
Typical example of politicians trying to score points, but showing just how disconnected they really are from the issue that they are trying to claim for their own. Pure opportunism.
I suppose that the opposition MPs were trying to embarrass the Conservatives, who wore no ribbons as far as I could tell. But I think the opposition MPs are the ones with egg on their collective face.
But of all the MPs, Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion is the one who ought to be the most embarrassed. He's the "green" politician. He should be showing the rest of us how to dress green.
Dion's Pit Bulls At Their Best
Artisitc license? Or cherry-picking Liberal lies?
Posted by Steve Janke of the Blogging Tories at 01:32 PM
Related articles: Technorati Cosmos :: Canadian Blog Exchange delicious.gif del.icio.us: Bookmark this!
The Conservative ads attacking Stephane Dion, new leader of the Liberal Party, are particularly effective because they use statements made by other Liberals criticizing Stephane Dion's record.
One Liberal blogger is trying to counter with his own ad. But it flops. He manages to find a clip of John Baird, Minister of the Environment, stating "our party has got into a mess on the environment".
The problem is that Baird was quoting Liberal Michael Ignatieff. And Ignatieff was talking about the Liberal Party.
Nice try, Jason, but what you call artistic license is in fact a lie.
Here is the Laird quote from Hansard:
Hon. John Baird (Minister of the Environment, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, in recent years, Canadians became very used to Mr. Dithers, the leader of the Liberal Party. Now we see Liberal members showing up at committee and what we have is Mr. Delay. They want to study it for months. Canadians have had enough of that.
I wanted to look for some wisdom on Kyoto to find out what Kyoto was all about and here is what I found:
I think our party has got into a mess on the environment. As a practical matter of politics, nobody knows what (Kyoto) is or what it commits us to.
Does the House know who said that? The deputy leader of the Liberal Party said that.
The deputy leader would be Michael Ignatieff. Not only does he criticize his own party, Ignatieff criticizes the Kyoto Accord, and the ill-defined commitment to the accord made by the Liberal Party.
But editing the clip, Cherniak scrubs all meaning from Baird's words. He then layers on new meaning by placing the quote in his video. In other words, he delivers a message that is not true. He tells us Baird is criticizing the Conservatives. We call that lying.
Cherniak calls it "artistic license" in the comments.
If I were John Baird, I'd be considering some sort of action.
Cherniak is a lawyer. I really thought he would have more respect for the truth, and for the consequences of lying.
Posted by Steve Janke of the Blogging Tories at 01:32 PM
Related articles: Technorati Cosmos :: Canadian Blog Exchange delicious.gif del.icio.us: Bookmark this!
The Conservative ads attacking Stephane Dion, new leader of the Liberal Party, are particularly effective because they use statements made by other Liberals criticizing Stephane Dion's record.
One Liberal blogger is trying to counter with his own ad. But it flops. He manages to find a clip of John Baird, Minister of the Environment, stating "our party has got into a mess on the environment".
The problem is that Baird was quoting Liberal Michael Ignatieff. And Ignatieff was talking about the Liberal Party.
Nice try, Jason, but what you call artistic license is in fact a lie.
Here is the Laird quote from Hansard:
Hon. John Baird (Minister of the Environment, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, in recent years, Canadians became very used to Mr. Dithers, the leader of the Liberal Party. Now we see Liberal members showing up at committee and what we have is Mr. Delay. They want to study it for months. Canadians have had enough of that.
I wanted to look for some wisdom on Kyoto to find out what Kyoto was all about and here is what I found:
I think our party has got into a mess on the environment. As a practical matter of politics, nobody knows what (Kyoto) is or what it commits us to.
Does the House know who said that? The deputy leader of the Liberal Party said that.
The deputy leader would be Michael Ignatieff. Not only does he criticize his own party, Ignatieff criticizes the Kyoto Accord, and the ill-defined commitment to the accord made by the Liberal Party.
But editing the clip, Cherniak scrubs all meaning from Baird's words. He then layers on new meaning by placing the quote in his video. In other words, he delivers a message that is not true. He tells us Baird is criticizing the Conservatives. We call that lying.
Cherniak calls it "artistic license" in the comments.
If I were John Baird, I'd be considering some sort of action.
Cherniak is a lawyer. I really thought he would have more respect for the truth, and for the consequences of lying.
Car Buyers Not Walking Environmental Talk
Environment not a major factor in car purchases
Updated Thu. Feb. 1 2007 9:15 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A survey of new vehicle buyers shows Canadians are not overly concerned with purchasing an environmentally friendly car.
In fact, buying a vehicle that was better for the environment ranked just 23rd among 26 factors for purchase, according to the Maritz New Vehicle Customer Study of 38,500 buyers.
The ranking was far behind the top three reasons for buying-- value for money, fuel economy and reliability. It was even ranked lower in importance than towing capability and interior styling. Buyers of subcompact cars were more interested in storage and cargo capacity than they were in an environmentally friendly vehicle.
Chris Travell, vice-president of Maritz's automotive research group, told The Globe and Mail that buyers are concerned about the environment but they get overwhelmed by other factors.
"In actual buying behaviour, it's not manifesting itself in the purchase-decision process," said Travell. "It doesn't hold a candle to these other issues."
He did say that as hybrid cars come down in price, consumers will probably start choosing them over non-hybrid models.
Also, while fuel economy ranked high on the list, Canadian buying habits did not reflect that in 2006.
Sales of large SUVs jumped 17 per cent from 2005 levels while luxury SUV sales jumped 6 per cent, according to data compiled by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
Reasons why people buy:
1. 30.7% Value for the money
2. 28.4% Fuel economy
3. 27.5% Reliability/dependability
4. 21.5% Price/cost to buy
5. 19.5% Exterior styling
6. 15.9% Manufacturer's reputation
7. 15.2% Fun to drive
8. 14.6% Interior comfort
9. 13.1% Quality of workmanship
10. 11.3% Durability/long-lasting
11. 10.2% All-wheel drive/four-wheel drive
12. 9.8% Storage & cargo capacity
13. 9.4% Engine performance
14. 9.2% Safety features
15. 8.8% Road-holding/handling
16. 8.1% Future trade-in or resale value
17. 7.2% Ride quality on highway
18. 7.2% Warranty package
19. 7.0% Rebate/low interest rate
20. 4.8% Interior styling
21. 4.7% Towing capability
22. 3.6% Discount/value pack
23. 2.2% Environmentally friendly vehicle
24. 1.8% Manufacturer's loyalty program
25. 1.4% Security features
26. 0.5% Ability to accessorize vehicle
Source: Maritz Research
Updated Thu. Feb. 1 2007 9:15 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A survey of new vehicle buyers shows Canadians are not overly concerned with purchasing an environmentally friendly car.
In fact, buying a vehicle that was better for the environment ranked just 23rd among 26 factors for purchase, according to the Maritz New Vehicle Customer Study of 38,500 buyers.
The ranking was far behind the top three reasons for buying-- value for money, fuel economy and reliability. It was even ranked lower in importance than towing capability and interior styling. Buyers of subcompact cars were more interested in storage and cargo capacity than they were in an environmentally friendly vehicle.
Chris Travell, vice-president of Maritz's automotive research group, told The Globe and Mail that buyers are concerned about the environment but they get overwhelmed by other factors.
"In actual buying behaviour, it's not manifesting itself in the purchase-decision process," said Travell. "It doesn't hold a candle to these other issues."
He did say that as hybrid cars come down in price, consumers will probably start choosing them over non-hybrid models.
Also, while fuel economy ranked high on the list, Canadian buying habits did not reflect that in 2006.
Sales of large SUVs jumped 17 per cent from 2005 levels while luxury SUV sales jumped 6 per cent, according to data compiled by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
Reasons why people buy:
1. 30.7% Value for the money
2. 28.4% Fuel economy
3. 27.5% Reliability/dependability
4. 21.5% Price/cost to buy
5. 19.5% Exterior styling
6. 15.9% Manufacturer's reputation
7. 15.2% Fun to drive
8. 14.6% Interior comfort
9. 13.1% Quality of workmanship
10. 11.3% Durability/long-lasting
11. 10.2% All-wheel drive/four-wheel drive
12. 9.8% Storage & cargo capacity
13. 9.4% Engine performance
14. 9.2% Safety features
15. 8.8% Road-holding/handling
16. 8.1% Future trade-in or resale value
17. 7.2% Ride quality on highway
18. 7.2% Warranty package
19. 7.0% Rebate/low interest rate
20. 4.8% Interior styling
21. 4.7% Towing capability
22. 3.6% Discount/value pack
23. 2.2% Environmentally friendly vehicle
24. 1.8% Manufacturer's loyalty program
25. 1.4% Security features
26. 0.5% Ability to accessorize vehicle
Source: Maritz Research
Why Would Anyone Be Surprised
This is starting to become a trend in the world of political correctness and those shitting their pants becaause they might be accussed of racial profiling.
'Today' Highlights Muslim Identity of UK Terror Target, Ignores That of Suspects
Posted by Mark Finkelstein on February 1, 2007 - 08:29.
Like describing a spiral staircase without using your hands, "Today" pulled off the impressive feat this morning of getting through an entire segment about the UK terror plot uncovered yesterday without once mentioning that the suspects are Muslim. Oh, the word "Muslim" did pop up - but only or purposes of describing the intended victim of the plot and concerned area residents.
'Today' Highlights Muslim Identity of UK Terror Target, Ignores That of Suspects
Posted by Mark Finkelstein on February 1, 2007 - 08:29.
Like describing a spiral staircase without using your hands, "Today" pulled off the impressive feat this morning of getting through an entire segment about the UK terror plot uncovered yesterday without once mentioning that the suspects are Muslim. Oh, the word "Muslim" did pop up - but only or purposes of describing the intended victim of the plot and concerned area residents.
Only In Canada You Say
Risky to Tell Truth about Islam in Canada
"First it was Franklin Graham. Now Windsor's Theological Institute and Campbell Baptist Church have joined the anti-Islam crusade. They are presenting a series of lectures under the general heading, "The deadly threat of Islam." The first one was entitled, "Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: The Frightening Facts about Islam." The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) and other Muslim groups have called upon police to investigate whether a hate crime has been committed....
More than 120 people, including members of Windsor's Muslim community, packed the church last Thursday to hear Lebanese-born Anani - who is not a member of the congregation - say that Islam is a religion of war being brought to Canadian soil. He also said that Islam teaches "ambushing, seizing and slaying" of non-believers, especially Christians and Jews. Many attendees challenged Anani's views in a heated debate.
Canada does not give the same leeway to speech that the United States does. It bans hate speech. In this case, as with Graham, it appears that to make a case it would be necessary to show that the speech constituted an attack on Muslims, not just on the religion Islam. Pastor Donald McKay, the minister at Campbell Baptist Church, may have crossed the line.
Whether the remarks of those involved violate the law or not, they have been denounced by Member of Parliament Joe Comartin and by a Windsor City Counsellor, Ron Jones. Comartin called Pastor McKay's remarks "bigotry."
Source
posted by jonjayray at 12:15 AM
"First it was Franklin Graham. Now Windsor's Theological Institute and Campbell Baptist Church have joined the anti-Islam crusade. They are presenting a series of lectures under the general heading, "The deadly threat of Islam." The first one was entitled, "Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: The Frightening Facts about Islam." The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) and other Muslim groups have called upon police to investigate whether a hate crime has been committed....
More than 120 people, including members of Windsor's Muslim community, packed the church last Thursday to hear Lebanese-born Anani - who is not a member of the congregation - say that Islam is a religion of war being brought to Canadian soil. He also said that Islam teaches "ambushing, seizing and slaying" of non-believers, especially Christians and Jews. Many attendees challenged Anani's views in a heated debate.
Canada does not give the same leeway to speech that the United States does. It bans hate speech. In this case, as with Graham, it appears that to make a case it would be necessary to show that the speech constituted an attack on Muslims, not just on the religion Islam. Pastor Donald McKay, the minister at Campbell Baptist Church, may have crossed the line.
Whether the remarks of those involved violate the law or not, they have been denounced by Member of Parliament Joe Comartin and by a Windsor City Counsellor, Ron Jones. Comartin called Pastor McKay's remarks "bigotry."
Source
posted by jonjayray at 12:15 AM
The Best Method Of Destruction
Is to undermine it from within and that is something most of the wingnuts who view us as the enemy have learned and practiced for years.
January 30, 2007
A new bunch of “true believers”.
Filed under: Loony Left, Totalitarian Regimes, Dissecting Leftism, Anti-Americanism, General Stupidity, Freedom, Latin America, Capitalism — Jerry @ 2:33 pm
Young Miami leftists meet tough crowds
A group of students has founded the Bolívarian Youth, a socialist group in Miami — where most people abhor their views.
Continue
“It shows a diversity of opinion can be tolerated.'’ You mean just like in Cuba or Venezuela?
January 30, 2007
A new bunch of “true believers”.
Filed under: Loony Left, Totalitarian Regimes, Dissecting Leftism, Anti-Americanism, General Stupidity, Freedom, Latin America, Capitalism — Jerry @ 2:33 pm
Young Miami leftists meet tough crowds
A group of students has founded the Bolívarian Youth, a socialist group in Miami — where most people abhor their views.
Continue
“It shows a diversity of opinion can be tolerated.'’ You mean just like in Cuba or Venezuela?
One Attack Ad You Won't See On Television
We neo-cons might be heartless, war mongering, rich bastards but at least we do have a sense of humour......
Will The West Have To Save Francis' Ass Again
When will the French people elect a government that has some balls?
February 1, 2007
Chirac Strays From Assailing a Nuclear Iran
By ELAINE SCIOLINO and KATRIN BENNHOLD
PARIS, Jan. 31 — President Jacques Chirac said this week that if Iran had one or two nuclear weapons, it would not pose a big danger, and that if Iran were to launch a nuclear weapon against a country like Israel, it would lead to the immediate destruction of Tehran.
The remarks, made in an interview on Monday with The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune and Le Nouvel Observateur, a weekly magazine, were vastly different from stated French policy and what Mr. Chirac has often said.
On Tuesday, Mr. Chirac summoned the same journalists back to Élysée Palace to retract many of his remarks.
Mr. Chirac said repeatedly during the second interview that he had spoken casually and quickly the day before because he believed he had been talking about Iran off the record.
“I should rather have paid attention to what I was saying and understood that perhaps I was on the record,” he said.
The tape-recorded, on-the-record interview was conducted under an agreement that it would not be published until Thursday, when Le Nouvel Observateur appears on newsstands.
On Monday, Mr. Chirac began by describing as “very dangerous” Iran’s refusal to stop producing enriched uranium, which can be used to produce electricity or to make nuclear weapons. Then he made his remarks about a nuclear-armed Iran.
Does Vichy sound familar.....
February 1, 2007
Chirac Strays From Assailing a Nuclear Iran
By ELAINE SCIOLINO and KATRIN BENNHOLD
PARIS, Jan. 31 — President Jacques Chirac said this week that if Iran had one or two nuclear weapons, it would not pose a big danger, and that if Iran were to launch a nuclear weapon against a country like Israel, it would lead to the immediate destruction of Tehran.
The remarks, made in an interview on Monday with The New York Times, The International Herald Tribune and Le Nouvel Observateur, a weekly magazine, were vastly different from stated French policy and what Mr. Chirac has often said.
On Tuesday, Mr. Chirac summoned the same journalists back to Élysée Palace to retract many of his remarks.
Mr. Chirac said repeatedly during the second interview that he had spoken casually and quickly the day before because he believed he had been talking about Iran off the record.
“I should rather have paid attention to what I was saying and understood that perhaps I was on the record,” he said.
The tape-recorded, on-the-record interview was conducted under an agreement that it would not be published until Thursday, when Le Nouvel Observateur appears on newsstands.
On Monday, Mr. Chirac began by describing as “very dangerous” Iran’s refusal to stop producing enriched uranium, which can be used to produce electricity or to make nuclear weapons. Then he made his remarks about a nuclear-armed Iran.
Does Vichy sound familar.....
How Many Homeless People Will Be Housed
Did the McGinty government bother to visit the area and talk to the local residents before they put money into a project that will house 26 "artistes" or did they ignore the residents like Miller and Mihevic have been doing.
McGuinty Government Invests In Arts And Environmental Centre
Using Green Technology To Preserve Heritage Buildings
TORONTO, Jan. 30 /CNW/ - The Government of Ontario is investing $3 million in the Artscape Green Arts Barns to redevelop brownfields and the historic Wychwood TTC streetcar repair barns, in the St. Clair and Bathurst neighbourhood in Toronto, into a 61,000 sq. ft. multi-tenant arts facility and community centre, Minister of Culture Caroline Di Cocco announced today.
The redeveloped barns will showcase sustainable, energy-efficient design principles and encourage community accessibility and collaboration. The barns
will include artists' live/work studios, rehearsal space, offices for non-profit arts and environmental organizations, and space for year-round community events and festivals. There will also be a greenhouse and community kitchen.
"I am pleased to see so many people sharing a passion for the creative and innovative use of heritage property," said Di Cocco. "This project will contribute to a dynamic and vibrant community while we preserve historical buildings, provide studio space for artists and encourage arts education."
"Artscape's Green Arts Barns are revitalizing this part of our great riding and our great city. St. Paul's is all the better today thanks to this $3-million investment by the McGuinty government," said Michael Bryant, MPP for St. Paul's. "Local vision and local initiative together with grassroots and business investment made this project possible."
"This project is all about creativity and thinking-outside-the box," said Tim Jones, CEO of Artscape. "We are creating a new model here where artists, environmentalists, and community members can rub shoulders and generate the kind of heat and creative energy the City thrives on."
Artscape is a not-for-profit enterprise engaged in culture-led regeneration. Its work includes anchoring creative communities within affordable spaces and building authentic and dynamic places by connecting creative and cultural resources. Artscape has played a catalytic role in the regeneration of some of Toronto's most important creative communities, including Distillery Historic District, Queen Street West, Liberty Village, and Toronto Islands.
"The Artscape Green Arts Barns is a prime example of culture as an essential pillar in building sustainable communities," said Di Cocco. "Today's investment makes it clear that the Ontario government, under the leadership of Premier Dalton McGuinty, is taking the lead in fostering a cultural and creative renaissance in Ontario."
McGuinty Government Invests In Arts And Environmental Centre
Using Green Technology To Preserve Heritage Buildings
TORONTO, Jan. 30 /CNW/ - The Government of Ontario is investing $3 million in the Artscape Green Arts Barns to redevelop brownfields and the historic Wychwood TTC streetcar repair barns, in the St. Clair and Bathurst neighbourhood in Toronto, into a 61,000 sq. ft. multi-tenant arts facility and community centre, Minister of Culture Caroline Di Cocco announced today.
The redeveloped barns will showcase sustainable, energy-efficient design principles and encourage community accessibility and collaboration. The barns
will include artists' live/work studios, rehearsal space, offices for non-profit arts and environmental organizations, and space for year-round community events and festivals. There will also be a greenhouse and community kitchen.
"I am pleased to see so many people sharing a passion for the creative and innovative use of heritage property," said Di Cocco. "This project will contribute to a dynamic and vibrant community while we preserve historical buildings, provide studio space for artists and encourage arts education."
"Artscape's Green Arts Barns are revitalizing this part of our great riding and our great city. St. Paul's is all the better today thanks to this $3-million investment by the McGuinty government," said Michael Bryant, MPP for St. Paul's. "Local vision and local initiative together with grassroots and business investment made this project possible."
"This project is all about creativity and thinking-outside-the box," said Tim Jones, CEO of Artscape. "We are creating a new model here where artists, environmentalists, and community members can rub shoulders and generate the kind of heat and creative energy the City thrives on."
Artscape is a not-for-profit enterprise engaged in culture-led regeneration. Its work includes anchoring creative communities within affordable spaces and building authentic and dynamic places by connecting creative and cultural resources. Artscape has played a catalytic role in the regeneration of some of Toronto's most important creative communities, including Distillery Historic District, Queen Street West, Liberty Village, and Toronto Islands.
"The Artscape Green Arts Barns is a prime example of culture as an essential pillar in building sustainable communities," said Di Cocco. "Today's investment makes it clear that the Ontario government, under the leadership of Premier Dalton McGuinty, is taking the lead in fostering a cultural and creative renaissance in Ontario."
Affordable Housing - Reduce My Taxes
So I can AFFORD the house that I built and paid for.....
Addition to poor house
By SUE-ANN LEVY
February 1, 2007
By the end of yesterday's first meeting of Mayor David Miller's handpicked Affordable Housing committee, I left convinced of two things.
One, that the next four years will be a veritable heyday for the city's A-list of non-profits and private developers who choose to make their living in the affordable housing game. The "bricks and mortar" brigade are so firmly entrenched at City Hall, I predict hundreds, perhaps thousands, of not-so-affordable housing projects will be foisted on unsuspecting neighbourhoods, whether they like it or not.
Two, that only at socialist City Hall would such housing be THE answer to Toronto's homeless woes -- even as the feds and the province choose to get out and stay out of the affordable housing game.
As Sean Gadon, the city's director of partnerships noted, there is no national or provincial affordable housing strategy and insufficient government funding to meet the city's housing needs.
Never much mind that however. Ground breakings. Ribbon cuttings. Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Affordable Housing websites, forums and even a bookmark. The crusade takes precedence over silly details like a lack of sufficient funding.
Housing development director Kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas said an Affordable Housing Office -- budgeted at about $3.1 million -- is in full swing with 24 advisors and managers ready to "develop policies to deliver" on Miller's platform commitment to create 1,000 new units of affordable housing a year.
Why they're even working on a (I hate to say it) 10-year action plan to build 1,000 affordable homes or more per year.
We also heard that 3,600 new affordable homes have been approved already -- some are occupied and some are under development -- although Llewellyn-Thomas didn't have the breakdown at her fingertips.
That kind of information won't be readily available until much later this year when a new database is developed that indicates what projects are at what stage and whether they're good value for their money. "We're tracking it almost manually (now)," she said.
Meanwhile, another RFP closed earlier this week to create 600 more units of affordable housing. "It's a very, very exciting initiative," enthused deputy city manager Sue Corke.
Gadon spoke with pride of other initiatives including the 300 units being created at 110 Edward St. and 26 affordable units (for starving artists) at the Wychwood Car Barns site.
Ah yes, the $60.9-million 110 Edward St. project. The average cost of one of the so-called affordable 300 units to be created on that site will be $203,217 -- and only 100 of the units will actually be geared to the homeless.
As they waxed poetic about the building boom, no one but Coun. Cesar Palacio bothered to address the issue of the decrepit state of the city's 90,000 units of social housing (the bulk of them managed by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation). No one but Palacio would dare mention, except in passing, the $300-million backlog on repairs to the TCHC units -- with no money to fix them.
"If you have a house that is falling down, it doesn't make sense to add an addition to it," he contended.
But it seemed not to dawn on the other handpicked Millerites that they should perhaps concentrate on trying to convince the province to take over the cost of social housing and its overdue repairs (some $219-million) -- that is, get their own house in order first -- before looking for more funding to build up their social housing portfolio.
Coun. Howard Moscoe even had the nerve to blame the Mike Harris government for dumping 25,000 social housing units on the city with "no money" to fix them. (The units were transferred starting in 1990 and 1992 under former NDP premier Bob Rae).
He even suggested some money be diverted from the city's shamelessly low reserve funds to fund more housing initiatives.
Is it any wonder the city's debt keeps going through the roof? If they keep this up, they'd better be saving some of those affordable units for poor beleaguered city taxpayers.
Addition to poor house
By SUE-ANN LEVY
February 1, 2007
By the end of yesterday's first meeting of Mayor David Miller's handpicked Affordable Housing committee, I left convinced of two things.
One, that the next four years will be a veritable heyday for the city's A-list of non-profits and private developers who choose to make their living in the affordable housing game. The "bricks and mortar" brigade are so firmly entrenched at City Hall, I predict hundreds, perhaps thousands, of not-so-affordable housing projects will be foisted on unsuspecting neighbourhoods, whether they like it or not.
Two, that only at socialist City Hall would such housing be THE answer to Toronto's homeless woes -- even as the feds and the province choose to get out and stay out of the affordable housing game.
As Sean Gadon, the city's director of partnerships noted, there is no national or provincial affordable housing strategy and insufficient government funding to meet the city's housing needs.
Never much mind that however. Ground breakings. Ribbon cuttings. Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Affordable Housing websites, forums and even a bookmark. The crusade takes precedence over silly details like a lack of sufficient funding.
Housing development director Kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas said an Affordable Housing Office -- budgeted at about $3.1 million -- is in full swing with 24 advisors and managers ready to "develop policies to deliver" on Miller's platform commitment to create 1,000 new units of affordable housing a year.
Why they're even working on a (I hate to say it) 10-year action plan to build 1,000 affordable homes or more per year.
We also heard that 3,600 new affordable homes have been approved already -- some are occupied and some are under development -- although Llewellyn-Thomas didn't have the breakdown at her fingertips.
That kind of information won't be readily available until much later this year when a new database is developed that indicates what projects are at what stage and whether they're good value for their money. "We're tracking it almost manually (now)," she said.
Meanwhile, another RFP closed earlier this week to create 600 more units of affordable housing. "It's a very, very exciting initiative," enthused deputy city manager Sue Corke.
Gadon spoke with pride of other initiatives including the 300 units being created at 110 Edward St. and 26 affordable units (for starving artists) at the Wychwood Car Barns site.
Ah yes, the $60.9-million 110 Edward St. project. The average cost of one of the so-called affordable 300 units to be created on that site will be $203,217 -- and only 100 of the units will actually be geared to the homeless.
As they waxed poetic about the building boom, no one but Coun. Cesar Palacio bothered to address the issue of the decrepit state of the city's 90,000 units of social housing (the bulk of them managed by the Toronto Community Housing Corporation). No one but Palacio would dare mention, except in passing, the $300-million backlog on repairs to the TCHC units -- with no money to fix them.
"If you have a house that is falling down, it doesn't make sense to add an addition to it," he contended.
But it seemed not to dawn on the other handpicked Millerites that they should perhaps concentrate on trying to convince the province to take over the cost of social housing and its overdue repairs (some $219-million) -- that is, get their own house in order first -- before looking for more funding to build up their social housing portfolio.
Coun. Howard Moscoe even had the nerve to blame the Mike Harris government for dumping 25,000 social housing units on the city with "no money" to fix them. (The units were transferred starting in 1990 and 1992 under former NDP premier Bob Rae).
He even suggested some money be diverted from the city's shamelessly low reserve funds to fund more housing initiatives.
Is it any wonder the city's debt keeps going through the roof? If they keep this up, they'd better be saving some of those affordable units for poor beleaguered city taxpayers.
Ho Hum! More Transparency At City Hall
The city's super-secret trash bins
Experts to evaluate three proposals before citizens allowed to weigh in on new bus shelters, benches and other items
February 01, 2007
John Spears
Staff Reporter
The bids are in for a project to transform the look of Toronto's streets by redesigning every transit shelter, garbage bin and newspaper box on the sidewalk.
But you're not allowed to see them.
Three companies have bid for the massive job of placing more than 25,000 items of "street furniture" on Toronto sidewalks for the next 20 years.
They are: Astral Media, who supplied the information pillars at places including Nathan Phillips Square; a partnership headed by Clear Channel Outdoor; and CBS Outdoor Canada, formerly Viacom, which designed the existing bus shelters.
So what does all this stuff look like – the bins, bike racks, benches, bus shelters, even sidewalk washrooms?
That's not for the public to know yet.
Instead, a team of five design experts will review the submissions for the next two months and bring forward recommendations in March or April to council's executive committee.
A technical committee of city employees will also evaluate the bids to ensure they conform to rules outlined in the city's request for proposals.
For now, the city is following the policy adopted yesterday, when the bids closed and the contenders were formally announced in a city hall boardroom normally closed to the public. The bids were accompanied by large boxes – presumably models of the proposed designs – with the lids firmly closed.
Mayor David Miller said in an interview the public will have to wait for the experts.
I don't see one garbageman on the selection committee......
Experts to evaluate three proposals before citizens allowed to weigh in on new bus shelters, benches and other items
February 01, 2007
John Spears
Staff Reporter
The bids are in for a project to transform the look of Toronto's streets by redesigning every transit shelter, garbage bin and newspaper box on the sidewalk.
But you're not allowed to see them.
Three companies have bid for the massive job of placing more than 25,000 items of "street furniture" on Toronto sidewalks for the next 20 years.
They are: Astral Media, who supplied the information pillars at places including Nathan Phillips Square; a partnership headed by Clear Channel Outdoor; and CBS Outdoor Canada, formerly Viacom, which designed the existing bus shelters.
So what does all this stuff look like – the bins, bike racks, benches, bus shelters, even sidewalk washrooms?
That's not for the public to know yet.
Instead, a team of five design experts will review the submissions for the next two months and bring forward recommendations in March or April to council's executive committee.
A technical committee of city employees will also evaluate the bids to ensure they conform to rules outlined in the city's request for proposals.
For now, the city is following the policy adopted yesterday, when the bids closed and the contenders were formally announced in a city hall boardroom normally closed to the public. The bids were accompanied by large boxes – presumably models of the proposed designs – with the lids firmly closed.
Mayor David Miller said in an interview the public will have to wait for the experts.
I don't see one garbageman on the selection committee......
Promote Black History Month
Gawd only knows that the contribution of blacks in Canada over the last couple of hundred years is not as well know as it should be so let's celebrate those acheivements....it is only fair considering that the black community is finally starting to take responsibility for the rise in black gang crime.
NOW Celebrates Black History Month
Untold stories clamour to be heard
February 01, 2007
Christian Cotroneo
staff reporter
For thousands of men and women who dreamt of a life without chains, Canada once had another name.
Heaven.
And Heaven was the last stop on the Underground Railroad, a secret network that saw at least 30,000 escaped slaves smuggled to freedom in what was then Upper Canada during the 19th century.
The "railroad" ground to a halt when slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865.
Yet, the stories of history's heroes – the men and women who helped thousands cross the border and those who braved the hardships of a perilous journey – still ring out in schools, churches and community centres as Canadians mark February as Black History Month.
The question is: Are we still listening?
After all, more and more voices are proclaiming their own histories, as increasing numbers of black Canadians trace entirely different journeys.
"We have people who live in this province who may have connections to Bermuda or the Caribbean or to Europe or South America," says Rosemary Sadlier, author and president of the Ontario Black History Society.
Ultimately, however, many stories converge in memories of hardship. And a uniting lesson comes to the fore.
"It's always been about education," Sadlier continues. "And it's always been about social justice and what we can do to bring about true raised awareness. I think (the celebration has) broadened a bit, to try and include the stories of people who have many different backgrounds."
The relevance of Black History Month has been challenged in recent years, especially in a high-profile, roundly rebuked assault by actor Morgan Freeman. During a December 2005 interview on 60 Minutes, he suggested history should not be segregated.
"I don't want a black history month," he complained. "Black history is American history."
But Sadlier argues that the month serves to highlight black achievements that should be in our cultural consciousness all year round.
More
NOW Celebrates Black History Month
Untold stories clamour to be heard
February 01, 2007
Christian Cotroneo
staff reporter
For thousands of men and women who dreamt of a life without chains, Canada once had another name.
Heaven.
And Heaven was the last stop on the Underground Railroad, a secret network that saw at least 30,000 escaped slaves smuggled to freedom in what was then Upper Canada during the 19th century.
The "railroad" ground to a halt when slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865.
Yet, the stories of history's heroes – the men and women who helped thousands cross the border and those who braved the hardships of a perilous journey – still ring out in schools, churches and community centres as Canadians mark February as Black History Month.
The question is: Are we still listening?
After all, more and more voices are proclaiming their own histories, as increasing numbers of black Canadians trace entirely different journeys.
"We have people who live in this province who may have connections to Bermuda or the Caribbean or to Europe or South America," says Rosemary Sadlier, author and president of the Ontario Black History Society.
Ultimately, however, many stories converge in memories of hardship. And a uniting lesson comes to the fore.
"It's always been about education," Sadlier continues. "And it's always been about social justice and what we can do to bring about true raised awareness. I think (the celebration has) broadened a bit, to try and include the stories of people who have many different backgrounds."
The relevance of Black History Month has been challenged in recent years, especially in a high-profile, roundly rebuked assault by actor Morgan Freeman. During a December 2005 interview on 60 Minutes, he suggested history should not be segregated.
"I don't want a black history month," he complained. "Black history is American history."
But Sadlier argues that the month serves to highlight black achievements that should be in our cultural consciousness all year round.
More
Ineptness Of City Council Obvious Even To Miller's Children
Men's website pushes for `booty pass'
February 01, 2007
We've heard of the mayor's clean and beautiful city, but a group of guys appear more set on a "booty-full" Toronto.
The folks who run a self-proclaimed website for guys say they're asking city council to set up a "booty pass" that would allow people to get an overnight parking permit for $10 and eliminate expensive tickets people can get for parking illegally overnight on the streets of what used to be called Toronto the Good.
They're soliciting support through a site called bootypass.ca.
Lee calls for wage hike study
Councillor Chin Lee isn't quite ready to jump on the $10 minimum wage bandwagon. A pair of councillors have said they'll ask city council on Monday to petition the province to hike the minimum wage from $8 to $10. But Lee (Ward 41, Scarborough-Rouge River) said the city ought to study the issue before acting. "I think we'd have to consider the impact on small entrepreneurs," he said.
Miller parties on Pitfield turf
The final wheeze of November's election campaign takes place on Feb. 23, as Mayor David Miller throws a party to thank his workers and supporters.
"Even though two months have passed since you helped re-elect me, the significance of what we achieved has not diminished," Miller writes in the invitation.
The party takes place at a banquet hall on Dundas St. W. near Keele St. That's Miller's home turf, of course – but on the same stretch as rival Jane Pitfield's campaign headquarters.
Waterlogged councillor
The most unintentionally funny line in an otherwise mundane debate over increasing the price of water in Toronto came from Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38, Scarborough Centre), who backs rate hikes.
In full rhetorical flight, De Baeremaeker told councillors you pay just 0.15 cents for a glass of water.
"You have to drink eight glasses of water just to spend a penny," he crowed, while some spectators smiled.
De Baeremaeker acknowledged later he was unfamiliar with the British expression "to spend a penny," which means to go to the bathroom.
Mayor's etiquette advisers
If Toronto councillors won't take direction from Mayor David Miller, perhaps they'll take it from his children.
Laughter bubbled through a city hall meeting room Friday when Miller called members of the executive committee to task for misbehaviour after being prompted by his daughter Julia, 11.
Sometimes, Miller said, "a pair of fresh eyes" is useful. Julia had whispered to him a little earlier: "Why is nobody listening when that person is talking?" Miller wouldn't say who had been speaking at the time.
He had brought his two children to city hall because their classes had been cancelled for a professional development day.
With files from The Star's city hall bureau
February 01, 2007
We've heard of the mayor's clean and beautiful city, but a group of guys appear more set on a "booty-full" Toronto.
The folks who run a self-proclaimed website for guys say they're asking city council to set up a "booty pass" that would allow people to get an overnight parking permit for $10 and eliminate expensive tickets people can get for parking illegally overnight on the streets of what used to be called Toronto the Good.
They're soliciting support through a site called bootypass.ca.
Lee calls for wage hike study
Councillor Chin Lee isn't quite ready to jump on the $10 minimum wage bandwagon. A pair of councillors have said they'll ask city council on Monday to petition the province to hike the minimum wage from $8 to $10. But Lee (Ward 41, Scarborough-Rouge River) said the city ought to study the issue before acting. "I think we'd have to consider the impact on small entrepreneurs," he said.
Miller parties on Pitfield turf
The final wheeze of November's election campaign takes place on Feb. 23, as Mayor David Miller throws a party to thank his workers and supporters.
"Even though two months have passed since you helped re-elect me, the significance of what we achieved has not diminished," Miller writes in the invitation.
The party takes place at a banquet hall on Dundas St. W. near Keele St. That's Miller's home turf, of course – but on the same stretch as rival Jane Pitfield's campaign headquarters.
Waterlogged councillor
The most unintentionally funny line in an otherwise mundane debate over increasing the price of water in Toronto came from Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38, Scarborough Centre), who backs rate hikes.
In full rhetorical flight, De Baeremaeker told councillors you pay just 0.15 cents for a glass of water.
"You have to drink eight glasses of water just to spend a penny," he crowed, while some spectators smiled.
De Baeremaeker acknowledged later he was unfamiliar with the British expression "to spend a penny," which means to go to the bathroom.
Mayor's etiquette advisers
If Toronto councillors won't take direction from Mayor David Miller, perhaps they'll take it from his children.
Laughter bubbled through a city hall meeting room Friday when Miller called members of the executive committee to task for misbehaviour after being prompted by his daughter Julia, 11.
Sometimes, Miller said, "a pair of fresh eyes" is useful. Julia had whispered to him a little earlier: "Why is nobody listening when that person is talking?" Miller wouldn't say who had been speaking at the time.
He had brought his two children to city hall because their classes had been cancelled for a professional development day.
With files from The Star's city hall bureau
Toronto City Councillors Take Note
Tax cuts plastic bags in trees but not in dumps
Ireland's charge at the checkout has helped raise consciousness about litter, but has not reduced landfill volume
February 01, 2007
Deborah Dundas
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Visit a supermarket in the Republic of Ireland and you're in for a surprise at the checkout counter: You have to make a special request for plastic bags, and they cost the equivalent of 23 cents Canadian each.
As Toronto councillors toss around the idea of sharply reducing the number of plastic bags heading to the dump, perhaps through a bag tax, they may want to take a look at Ireland's example.
While the idea is being raised in Toronto as councillors try to find ways of achieving Mayor David Miller's target of diverting 70 per cent of the city's waste from landfill by 2010, Irish authorities simply wanted to tackle a growing problem in the countryside: litter.
The image of grocery bags caught in hedges and in fences – streamers of dirty, wind-torn plastic flapping in the wind and rain – wasn't exactly the picture of Ireland the government wanted to send out. Rolling green fields, sure. But, in the late 1990s, those fields were coming under threat from litter and, in particular, plastic grocery bags.
"They were a plague," says Tony Lowes, director of Friends of the Irish Environment.
"Plastic bags were springing up everywhere," agrees Sean Dunne from the Ministry of the Environment and Local Government. "They were sticking in trees and becoming prevalent as a persistent litterer."
Supermarkets and convenience stores were handing out 1.2 billion bags a year to an Irish population of just over 4 million people. The government decided something had to be done, and the plastic grocery bag tax was born. According to Lowes, an outright ban was considered but, he says, "the study commissioned by the minister at the time found that it wouldn't be as acceptable to the public."
In March 2002, the tax was imposed. Every retailer in the country had to collect a tax of 15 cents (23 cents Canadian) on every plastic bag, and remit it to the government.
"We did a 95-per-cent reduction in plastic bag use quite literally overnight," says Seamus Banim, communications manager from the major supermarket chain Tesco Ireland. "People bought into it."
With the tax in place, use of the plastic bags plummeted and consumers' attitudes changed. In 1999, according to a recent survey, 40 per cent of people were opposed to a tax. Now, after five years of the tax , 90 per cent believe it is a good idea.
A criticism of the tax – and one the Canadian Plastics Industry Association has pointed out as it lobbies hard against it being implemented in Ontario – is that the sale of conventional garbage bags has risen as a result.
A leading Irish retailer, Superquinn, is enthusiastic about the the bag tax, but agrees that sales of garbage "bin liners" have increased since it was introduced.
Ireland's Department of the Environment admits this is a limitation of the tax, as households that previously used plastic shopping bags to line kitchen bins switched to buying conventional garbage bags. "Whereas it has not reduced levels of plastic going to landfill ... it has had a huge impact on visible litter."
The taxpayer gets hit twice.....
Ireland's charge at the checkout has helped raise consciousness about litter, but has not reduced landfill volume
February 01, 2007
Deborah Dundas
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Visit a supermarket in the Republic of Ireland and you're in for a surprise at the checkout counter: You have to make a special request for plastic bags, and they cost the equivalent of 23 cents Canadian each.
As Toronto councillors toss around the idea of sharply reducing the number of plastic bags heading to the dump, perhaps through a bag tax, they may want to take a look at Ireland's example.
While the idea is being raised in Toronto as councillors try to find ways of achieving Mayor David Miller's target of diverting 70 per cent of the city's waste from landfill by 2010, Irish authorities simply wanted to tackle a growing problem in the countryside: litter.
The image of grocery bags caught in hedges and in fences – streamers of dirty, wind-torn plastic flapping in the wind and rain – wasn't exactly the picture of Ireland the government wanted to send out. Rolling green fields, sure. But, in the late 1990s, those fields were coming under threat from litter and, in particular, plastic grocery bags.
"They were a plague," says Tony Lowes, director of Friends of the Irish Environment.
"Plastic bags were springing up everywhere," agrees Sean Dunne from the Ministry of the Environment and Local Government. "They were sticking in trees and becoming prevalent as a persistent litterer."
Supermarkets and convenience stores were handing out 1.2 billion bags a year to an Irish population of just over 4 million people. The government decided something had to be done, and the plastic grocery bag tax was born. According to Lowes, an outright ban was considered but, he says, "the study commissioned by the minister at the time found that it wouldn't be as acceptable to the public."
In March 2002, the tax was imposed. Every retailer in the country had to collect a tax of 15 cents (23 cents Canadian) on every plastic bag, and remit it to the government.
"We did a 95-per-cent reduction in plastic bag use quite literally overnight," says Seamus Banim, communications manager from the major supermarket chain Tesco Ireland. "People bought into it."
With the tax in place, use of the plastic bags plummeted and consumers' attitudes changed. In 1999, according to a recent survey, 40 per cent of people were opposed to a tax. Now, after five years of the tax , 90 per cent believe it is a good idea.
A criticism of the tax – and one the Canadian Plastics Industry Association has pointed out as it lobbies hard against it being implemented in Ontario – is that the sale of conventional garbage bags has risen as a result.
A leading Irish retailer, Superquinn, is enthusiastic about the the bag tax, but agrees that sales of garbage "bin liners" have increased since it was introduced.
Ireland's Department of the Environment admits this is a limitation of the tax, as households that previously used plastic shopping bags to line kitchen bins switched to buying conventional garbage bags. "Whereas it has not reduced levels of plastic going to landfill ... it has had a huge impact on visible litter."
The taxpayer gets hit twice.....
Bipartisan Politics Or Bribery
Winners do what they need to do in order to win. Harper has taken a lot of heat for his jumping on the green bandwagon and while I personally feel uncomfortable caving in it is what real leaders have to do sometimes...change the game plan to satisfy the perceived wishes of the shareholders.
$30M buys NDP's goodwill
Ottawa's funding for B.C. rainforest seen as satisfying one of party's concerns
February 01, 2007
Allan Woods
Ottawa Bureau
OTTAWA–A strange and risky unofficial political alliance between the NDP and the Harper government on the environment has been bolstered by a $30-million federal contribution two weeks ago to a rainforest in the British Columbia riding of the NDP environment critic, the Toronto Star has learned.
A potential deal between Jack Layton's New Democrats and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Tories has been rumoured ever since the two leaders agreed last fall to send the government's Clean Air Act to a special legislative committee to be rewritten.
But it was at a Vancouver meeting of Layton, NDP environment critic Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley) and Environment Minister John Baird that the NDP's political demands started to bear fruit, sources said.
At that Jan. 11 meeting, Layton presented his list of demands to the Tories – primarily a series of amendments to be made to the government's Clean Air Act – if they were to regain credibility on the sensitive environment file.
The government has been heavily criticized since presenting its environmental legislation last fall.
Before consenting to anything, sources in B.C. and Ottawa said, Layton told Baird he wanted to see a sign of good faith showing the Conservatives were actually committed to the environment, and not just trying to save their minority government from defeat.
"That absolutely happened," said one source. "It was one of many, many components that helped get them over the top on this."
Then, last week, the environment minister arrived in Vancouver to announce a $30-million contribution to an investment and incentive fund to help conserve the Spirit Bear Rainforest. It was matched with $30 million from the British Columbia government for economic development and $60 million in private funds.
"A number of political stars aligned," the source said.
$30M is chump change......
$30M buys NDP's goodwill
Ottawa's funding for B.C. rainforest seen as satisfying one of party's concerns
February 01, 2007
Allan Woods
Ottawa Bureau
OTTAWA–A strange and risky unofficial political alliance between the NDP and the Harper government on the environment has been bolstered by a $30-million federal contribution two weeks ago to a rainforest in the British Columbia riding of the NDP environment critic, the Toronto Star has learned.
A potential deal between Jack Layton's New Democrats and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Tories has been rumoured ever since the two leaders agreed last fall to send the government's Clean Air Act to a special legislative committee to be rewritten.
But it was at a Vancouver meeting of Layton, NDP environment critic Nathan Cullen (Skeena-Bulkley Valley) and Environment Minister John Baird that the NDP's political demands started to bear fruit, sources said.
At that Jan. 11 meeting, Layton presented his list of demands to the Tories – primarily a series of amendments to be made to the government's Clean Air Act – if they were to regain credibility on the sensitive environment file.
The government has been heavily criticized since presenting its environmental legislation last fall.
Before consenting to anything, sources in B.C. and Ottawa said, Layton told Baird he wanted to see a sign of good faith showing the Conservatives were actually committed to the environment, and not just trying to save their minority government from defeat.
"That absolutely happened," said one source. "It was one of many, many components that helped get them over the top on this."
Then, last week, the environment minister arrived in Vancouver to announce a $30-million contribution to an investment and incentive fund to help conserve the Spirit Bear Rainforest. It was matched with $30 million from the British Columbia government for economic development and $60 million in private funds.
"A number of political stars aligned," the source said.
$30M is chump change......
Bloggers Are Lonely People According To Calgary Professor
And probably some of his comments are valid but IMHO they are a gross generalization. Using his criteria we could say the same about people who fish, those who wander around malls, go for nature walks in the park, people sitting in Timmies reading the newspaper, etc. etc. etc. We all have our own reasons; mine are akin to the fisherman who is just killing time and will leave saving the world to those have bigger problems and more time than I.
Calgary author says bloggers a lonely bunch
Updated Tue. Jan. 30 2007 5:27 PM ET
Canadian Press
CALGARY -- Bloggers are living in a world where emotions may be real but everything else is make-believe, says a University of Calgary professor in a new book.
Blogs are everywhere on the Internet these days and often reveal the innermost feelings of individuals who hate their jobs, activists with a political cause or even angst-ridden teenagers in the throes of first love.
The popularity of sites such as MySpace.com, which contains virtually thousands of blogs, is a testament to the world of self-expression.
But Michael Keren, who has written "Blogosphere: The New Political Arena,'' suggests individuals who bare their souls in blogs are isolated and lonely, living in a virtual reality instead of forming real relationships or helping to change the world.
"Bloggers think of themselves as rebels against mainstream society, but that rebellion is mostly confined to cyberspace, which makes blogging as melancholic and illusionary as Don Quixote tilting at windmills,'' the author says.
Keren, who teaches in the faculty of communication and culture, spoke to reporters Tuesday at The Loft, a student cybercafe at the university, where many students were busily typing away on laptops -- perhaps updating blogs of their own.
"In this world of blogging, which the whole world can read, you have a personal expectation about a readership that's just not there for the millions of bloggers who are writing their personal feelings.''
Keren praises the Internet as a great place for self-expression, but he also suggests that blogs often have the opposite effect by creating feelings of loneliness for those who aren't lucky enough to reach "celebrity'' status.
"Many of us end up like Father McKenzie in the `Eleanor Rigby' Beatles song, who is writing a sermon that no one is going to hear,'' he suggests. "Some of us are going to be embraced by the mainstream media, but the majority of us remain in the dark, remain in the loneliness.''
In his book, Keren follows the blogs of nine individuals, including a Canadian woman living in the woods in a cabin in Quebec. She discusses her identity through stories about her two cats.
"One day one of the cats dies and the whole blogosphere becomes crazy about the death of this cat, and what happens is she gets a community of support which is not real.
"These are people with nicknames who express enormous support, but they can disappear in the next minute and they are not real, and she remains lonely in the end.''
Bloggers say web is just a tool
Keren's view of the blogosphere is not shared by everyone.
"That's harsh,'' declared Arian Hopkins, 36, of Calgary, who has a spot on MySpace.com.
Hopkins said the web, along with community portals and blogsites, has become a great tool for Generation Y to spout on everything from "how much they hate their mom to the best show that is out there.''
Saying bloggers are lonely and living in a make-believe world is unfair, she said.
"I don't think it's based on these poor people who are so lonely and sad. I don't think that's really fair because it's being used in all sorts of mediums,'' said Hopkins, a business analyst for TransCanada Pipelines.
Living in a make-believe world can help some people deal with loneliness, she suggested.
"There are these crazy relationships that are happening online from people getting to know people through their blogs. Who cares if they're not real people?'' said the mother of three.
"Bloggers tend to be a little more extroverted. They say, `I have a story and want you to hear it.' It's kind of like my story is as important as everybody else's.''
Fellow blogger Peter Leveque agrees.
"I would disagree with anyone whose thesis is that people who blog are lonely outcasts,'' the Calgary lawyer wrote in an e-mail.
"I expect bloggers are like everyone else and come from all walks of life with all sorts of different interests.
"But what do I know? Not much likely.''
Probably Much Ado About Nothing
Cheap shots are cheap shots and they occur but normally not by someone who aspires to be a leader and if they do occur it is in the backroom at the legion.....I remember the outcry a few years ago when someone commented on Cretien's speech impediment.
Tories miffed over Dion's poke at PM's midsection
Updated Wed. Jan. 31 2007 7:13 PM ET
Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- Stephen Harper's troops aren't laughing at an apparent fat joke directed at the prime minister by his chief rival Stephane Dion.
Liberal leader Dion made a reference to the prime ministerial paunch this week during a TV interview in which he suggested Harper might need some exercise.
Expressing outrage at the wisecrack, senior government officials distributed transcripts of the joke to reporters Wednesday and offered up spokespeople for official comment.
One Tory cabinet minister said the joke was unbecoming of a man who aspires to be prime minister.
"We're partisan on a regular basis. But as a fellow politician right now I'm really embarrassed,'' said Helena Guergis, junior minister for sports and foreign affairs.
"Essentially what he's done is called the prime minister fat.''
She said "real leaders ... do not go around making fun of other people's weight.''
That dig at the Liberal leader echoes new TV ads in which the Tories question Dion's leadership qualifications.
It was a discussion about those ads that led to Dion's joke in a Global TV interview. He said that negative ads were not his style and that he wouldn't stoop as low as the Tories had.
The Global reporter then pointed out to viewers that Dion wasn't above taking personal shots of his own.
The Liberal leader joked that the exercise room at Stornaway -- the official residence of the leader of the Opposition -- had been refurbished.
And he said the new workout room would benefit his successor.
"Maybe Mr. Harper will have the opportunity to lose his (extra) weight now because we have this exercise room,'' Dion said.
Guergis said she learned about the joke when her mother called from Angus, Ont., and sent an email to say she'd seen the TV exchange and was appalled by it.
Tories miffed over Dion's poke at PM's midsection
Updated Wed. Jan. 31 2007 7:13 PM ET
Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- Stephen Harper's troops aren't laughing at an apparent fat joke directed at the prime minister by his chief rival Stephane Dion.
Liberal leader Dion made a reference to the prime ministerial paunch this week during a TV interview in which he suggested Harper might need some exercise.
Expressing outrage at the wisecrack, senior government officials distributed transcripts of the joke to reporters Wednesday and offered up spokespeople for official comment.
One Tory cabinet minister said the joke was unbecoming of a man who aspires to be prime minister.
"We're partisan on a regular basis. But as a fellow politician right now I'm really embarrassed,'' said Helena Guergis, junior minister for sports and foreign affairs.
"Essentially what he's done is called the prime minister fat.''
She said "real leaders ... do not go around making fun of other people's weight.''
That dig at the Liberal leader echoes new TV ads in which the Tories question Dion's leadership qualifications.
It was a discussion about those ads that led to Dion's joke in a Global TV interview. He said that negative ads were not his style and that he wouldn't stoop as low as the Tories had.
The Global reporter then pointed out to viewers that Dion wasn't above taking personal shots of his own.
The Liberal leader joked that the exercise room at Stornaway -- the official residence of the leader of the Opposition -- had been refurbished.
And he said the new workout room would benefit his successor.
"Maybe Mr. Harper will have the opportunity to lose his (extra) weight now because we have this exercise room,'' Dion said.
Guergis said she learned about the joke when her mother called from Angus, Ont., and sent an email to say she'd seen the TV exchange and was appalled by it.
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About Me
- Unhypentated Canadian
- I lean to the right but I still have a heart and if I have a mission it is to respond to attacks on people not available to protect themselves and to point out the hypocrisy of the left at every opportunity.MY MAJOR GOAL IS HIGHLIGHT THE HYPOCRISY AND STUPIDITY OF THE LEFTISTS ON TORONTO CITY COUNCIL. Last word: In the final analysis this blog is a relief valve for my rants/raves.