Volume IX No. VIII
Monday, May 20, 2013
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Letter to the Editor



Columns & Views
Blue crabs, natty boh and world-class wine

"Wine is just too fancy for Maryland," explained Rob Deford, the owner of Boordy Vineyards in Baltimore County, as he discussed the local wine industry's challenges. "We eat crabs here; we drink beer."The audience at this year's Drink Local Wine conference chuckled in agreement. ... Full Story

Tax cuts for corporations penalize the rest of Canada

Mayor Rob Ford has built his entire successful political career on labelling Toronto residents as “taxpayers” instead of “citizens.” It is a simple-minded but effective emotional appeal to a Ford Nation comprising one third of voters. It ignores the responsibilities of active citizenship, the corner... Full Story

Gadget Zone Special: Star Trek ‘Best of Both Worlds’ Takes to the Big Screen – One Day Only!

For fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the two-parter ‘Best of Both Worlds’ was a series’ watershed. Stretched across the end of Season Three and the start of Season Four, the stunning actioner not only brought the Federation up-close-and-too-personal with the dreaded Borg, but saw Enterprise C... Full Story

Soak the poor, says Board of Trade & Transit Alliance

You expect the Toronto Board of Trade to praise a soak-the-poorest transit-related sales tax to fund the Metrolinx “Big Move” project.Perhaps it’s more surprising to find the Transit Alliance jumping up and down in favour of that as well.“We are pleased to see that a regional sales tax was at the to... Full Story

Celebrating America's Rhone Rangers

This week, more than 100 wine producers are gathering in San Francisco to celebrate America's take on the 22 grape varieties originally made famous in France's Rhone Valley. The producers -- known collectively as the "Rhone Rangers" -- trace their roots to the 1980s, when a small group of ... Full Story

Identifying Flaws and Faults in Wine

Sniff, swirl, sip. Whether at home or at a restaurant, analyzing wine is a fairly straightforward process. And when you stick your nose in a glass of wine, you'll typically encounter pleasant aromas like fruits, flowers, and spices. Sometimes, though, a wine will seem off. One unfortunate truth abou... Full Story

Zin City? More like Zin nation

Mention Zinfandel to most wine consumers, and it's quickly dismissed. It's easy to see why.  For starters, many Americans associate the variety with the cheap, sweet "blush" wines that became popular in the 1980s, like Sutter Home's white Zinfandel. This style of wine will always have fans... Full Story

Candidates: what is your position on fair voting reform

Fair Vote Canada challenges Ontario Liberal leadership candidates to support fair voting reform. The primary objective of the Fair Vote Ontario campaign is to promote a comprehensive program of public education and consultation leading to the implementation of a proportional voting system for electi... Full Story

Miss Treatment

In our world today, women are still persecuted, oppressed and harassed by the society we live in. In countries like China, baby girls who are still in the womb are being unfavoured to live. Many parents chose to abort a girl because they want to give their child the most privileges, favours, rights ... Full Story

2013 Toronto budget: how and by whom is it set?

Government budgets determine the state and well-being of our society and us as its citizens. How will they affect us? Will they improve or worsen our lives? Yet how do we learn about these budgets? Who sets them? And can we participate in setting their priorities? Take our city’s proposed new operat... Full Story

The Un-Comfort Zone: My wife of 22 years left me

When my wife of 22 years left me I became paralyzed. I was so depressed that I didn’t even know I was depressed. I was relieved that the constant fighting was over, but I had no ambition for life. My usual creative energy was gone, and I was just going through the motions. I was no longer looking to... Full Story

Toronto Hydro's outdated biz-as-usual plan

Toronto Hydro is proposing to spend $272 million on a new transformer station to carry on with business as usual.  The problems with this approach are many:It will mean pumping more power into the city from distant nuclear generating stations instead of getting smart about power use and local genera... Full Story

Drink Better in 2013

Ask a wine enthusiast to name his favorite value wines, and he'll likely to steer you towards bottles that cost between $15 and $25 each.This makes sense -- many oenophiles think nothing of dropping $25 or more on each bottle of wine. But this ignores market realities. The average bottle of wine in ... Full Story

Beware the squirrel

As outside temperatures continue to drop, wildlife are seeking shelter from the cold winter weather. Among their favourite den sites are attics and chimneys. Wildlife living in attics are inclined to chew on electrical wires, posing the possibility of an attic fire. An even greater danger exists whe... Full Story

Local food is should be a healthcare feature

The Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, together with our research partners, My Sustainable Canada and the University of Guelph, are proud to release findings from our recent collaborative study of local food in Ontario’s health care system. The– report, “Case Studies in Ontario Healthcare: Th... Full Story

Is Harper selling us out to China?

Civic advocacy group Leadnow.ca and corporate watchdog SumOfUs.org presented a 60,000-Canadian-strong petition calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to reject the Canada-China Foreign Investment Protection Agreement (FIPA).The two organizations used the press conference to launch an accompanying ... Full Story

Ontario to waste $27 billions on electricity

Hydro Quebec announced that it will not proceed with its proposed Gentilly-2 Nuclear Re-Build Project. According to Hydro Quebec, the total cost of re-building Gentilly-2 would be $6.3 billion, including decommissioning.On the other hand, the Government of Ontario is still planning to procee... Full Story

Glen Murray seeks to replace Dalton McGuinty

 Glen Murray, MPP for Toronto Centre, announced today that he is a candidate to become the next leader of the Ontario Liberal Party.“It’s time for renewal, for our party, our government and for Ontario,” Murray told a packed crowd today at Maple Leaf Gardens, where the new leader will be chosen Janu... Full Story

Middle schools may be a liability in some neighbourhoods

In neighbourhoods with falling student populations, policymakers should place a priority on closing middle schools and avoid opening new ones elsewhere, according to a report released Nov. 13, 2012 by the C.D. Howe Institute. In "Are Middle Schools Good for Student Academic Achievement? Evidenc... Full Story

Ontario continues its destruction

Sometimes I get so angry at government decisions that seem so obviously stupid and counter to every platitude they feed us.  Budget cuts!  Green energy! Green belt! Sustainability!  Blah, blah, blah.  The words sounds positive because they promise to look after us and renovate  our environment and o... Full Story

Olivia Chow to Harper: rebuild Canada

Canada’s mounting infrastructure crisis of crumbling bridges, potholes and traffic gridlock is costing more than $10 billion in lost productivity every year. NDP Transport and Infrastructure critic Olivia Chow calls on the Conservatives to take action and ensure accountable, transparent and non-part... Full Story

Stig Harvor: Condo ownership—what's involved?

The frantic pace of sales of new condos is finally slowing down. September sales were down 34% over September a year ago. Is it because of an oversupply of units?After all, the Toronto skyline today is filled with high-rise construction cranes almost twice as many as in any other city in North Ameri... Full Story

Vic Toews opposes freedom

(ITBUSINESS.CA) It’s hard to imagine what points Public Safety Minister Vic Toews thinks he is scoring when he describes those concerned about the implications of increased government Internet surveillance as supporting child pornographers.The Conservative MP made the statement in parliament Dec. 13... Full Story

The ABCs of a ‘Fiscal Cliff’

(Your comments are welcome) Being a faux banker can be a ticket to success as a scam artist. Whether your ripoff of the trusting public is intentional or “accidental,” in the U.S. you will avoid liability for your felonies. Big criminals don’t pay. They are paid.In Canada, if you’re as lofty as T... Full Story

Gadget Zone: Last Minute Christmas Ideas!

The clock may be running down to Christmas, but there is still time to get some very cool gifts for you and yours! Here are some last minute ideas from the Gadget Zone. Some can be found in stores. Others you will have buy online on a rush shipment — but they are worth it.Computer-connected graphic ... Full Story

Eric Hoskin's Prescription for a Healthy Economy

In a recent speech to the Economic Club of Canada, I presented what I’m calling my “Prescription for a Healthy Economy.” It is a five-point plan prescription rooted in the fundamental belief that has motivated me throughout my career – the belief that got me into politics in the first place, and mot... Full Story

Our vets suffer and die, and need our support

On 3 November 2012, The Royal Canadian Legion hosted the annual Veterans Consultation Group meeting of 17 Veterans organizations. On 8 November a letter on behalf of the Consultation Group was sent by the Legion to the Hon. Steven Blaney, PC, MP, Minister of Veterans Affairs outlining the key issues... Full Story

Is the real energy scandal is nuclear?

The provincial opposition parties used much of the all-too-brief fall legislature session to hammer the Liberal government on its decision to relocate two gas-fired generating stations at a reported cost of $230 million. But nary a word was said about a much bigger scandal: the government’s full ste... Full Story

Homes needed for pets

Running of Bulls in Toronto - NOT! Toronto Animal Services (god bless'em)  and the City of Toronto did not support this event for a number of reasons including the safety of the community and the protection of the animals.  As you may be aware, these animals are prohibited pursuant to the City of To... Full Story

Letter from Israel under attack

BOOM! I jumped, startled and scared. How did that happen, there was no siren alerting of an incoming missile from Gaza. It sounded just like last night, when the BOOM! I heard turned out to be a missile destroying an apartment building in Rishon LeZion, just one city away from where I live. No siren... Full Story

Letter from Israel on brink of war

On Nov. 15,2012 at night I heard an explosion that felt alarmingly close to my home, near Tel Aviv. It was one explosion that was so scary I could barely walk, had to catch my breath. Just one.I cannot imagine what it is like to live under constant barrage of missiles for 13 years, as is the case ju... Full Story

Ottawa fails its aging veterans

The Royal Canadian Legion first identified this issue at its 2008 national Dominion Convention. Again in 2010 it was identified to government as a high priority issue. In 2012, The Legion unanimously passed a resolution at Dominion Convention and presented a statement to the Minister of Veterans Aff... Full Story

Brace yourself for 2012 property assessment

The values of all residential and commercial properties in Ontario are assessed by a single, uniform system that is managed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). MPAC is an independent, not-for-profit corporation created by the provincial government in 2001 for the purpose of prep... Full Story

The Gadget Zone October 2012

Tired of paying for cable and satellite TV? Then get yourself a Lavasat HD 2805 TV antenna (www.lavasat.com). Designed to be used indoors or outdoors – or in the attic – the HD 2805 picks up and amplifies VHF and UHF HD signals, and has a remote control that allows you to rotate it from a distance. ... Full Story

MP Olivia Chow: The Lost Generation? Youth Unemployment on the Rise

The horrible knot in the stomach. We all wish we won’t experience this sinking feeling: the world comes crashing down when you are told by your employer that you are no longer needed. The devastating moment is too often followed by endless months of sending out hundreds of applications without landi... Full Story

The Uncomfort Zone: Lessons from tough times

I was less than two minutes into my sales presentation when the business owner sitting behind his desk, gruffly said, “Get out of here.”I figured someone must have walked into his office and he didn’t want us to be interrupted. I turned around to see who it was; there was no one.He then said, “I’m t... Full Story

Google belongs to evil U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Don’t be evil: It seems like a pretty good motto to live by, so it’s not surprising that Google has enshrined it as the company’s unofficial motto. But we know Google is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an organization that pushes some of the most evil policies in the world. Which leads us ... Full Story

Federal Government Draining Dollars From Economy

The federal government’s austerity policies have acted as a drag on the Canadian economy as today’s GDP report and Fiscal Monitor report confirm. Statistics Canada reports that the economy grew by 1.8% in the second quarter, well below desired post-recession recovery rates of 3% of more. The recover... Full Story

The Gadget Zone

Welcome back to the Gadget Zone, as we push through one of the hottest and driest summers on record! Here are some cool tech gadgets that should help you beat the heat – or least ignore it from the comfort of an air-conditioned room.Face it: Most laptop speakers sound pretty tinny and thin. But drag... Full Story

McGuinty wants to privatize public services

Despite promises made by Ontario's government, proposed amendments are too weak to stop the mass privatization of public services in Budget Bill 55, Schedule 28.Proposed amendments do not remove wording from Schedule 28, subsection 10 that would allow for the privatization of broader public services... Full Story

Why is McGuinty waiting to help condo owners?

Trinity-Spadina MPP Rosario Marchese accepted Premier McGuinty’s request to help him improve the Condo Act by suggesting the government should not wait two more years to implement changes. “I welcome the Premier’s request to help improve the Condo Act,” says Marchese. “And my first piece of advice t... Full Story

Touby: Toronto already has a casino: Bay Street

Urine is the perfume of casino gambling. On the gaming floor and especially in the area where high-tech-one-armed bandits flash, ring, whoop and chime, the smell of urine is inescapable even when masked by air “fresheners.” That’s thanks to the bread-and-butter trade of casinos: aged and aging gamer... Full Story

Sewell: Are huge condos the slums of the future?

The extraordinary number of new condominium structures being erected in the city raises the question: What about the future? City building is always about the kind of place the city will be in the next decade or two or 10. The St. Lawrence Market, built 209 years ago, has served the city well in the... Full Story

Politicians and criminals use violence to collect money

While everyone needs revenue, only criminals and politicians insist that they have to get it through violence.  The criminals, however, do not pretend they're doing it in order to serve the public, and taxes make politicians public masters rather than public servants.Certainly, the present size of g... Full Story

Conservative justices reinforce Police-State America

The U.S. Libertarian Party denounces a U.S. Supreme Court decision, which on April 3, 2012 struck down a legal complaint by a New Jersey man who was subjected to invasive strip searches after being erroneously detained on suspicion of an unpaid fine.   The Libertarian Party warns that the 5-4 ruling... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: a spring tech refresher

Here are some cool-and-useful items to enjoy as the weather warms up.For super-fast, super lightweight computing in the comfort of your lawn chair, try out a new Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook laptop. This unit is just 6 mm thick and weighs less than 1.5 kilograms. Yet the XPS 13 vcan be purchased with eithe... Full Story

Lynn McDonald’s call for a Canadian Electoral Alliance

The political impasse in federal politics is obvious: a majority Conservative government that 60% (actually 60.4%) of Canadians voted against. It’s the Conservatives’ third victory with under 40% of the popular vote. They are cocky now, with control of the Senate, moving on measures they had to put ... Full Story

Making transit affordable for job seekers

Being in between jobs is tough. Most of us have been through the experience. Writing cover letters and resumes, going to networking events and interviews – maybe even attending seminars and training. But ten thousands of Torontonians are having a tough time because they are between jobs also in a mu... Full Story

The Un-Comfort Zone: How to move forward

When my wife of 22 years left me I became paralyzed. I was so depressed that I didn’t even know I was depressed. I was relieved that the constant fighting was over, but I had no ambition for life. My usual creative energy was gone, and I was just going through the motions. I was no longer looking ... Full Story

The time for planning is now

 The Time for Planning is Now New condo units, thousands of them, are transforming Old Town Toronto and more are planned. At the same time, some of Toronto’s most historically illustrious asphalt-pocked Old Town streets and sidewalks are being ripped up to accommodate them and new sewer works. Yet, ... Full Story

Big Telecom set to rip you off

At the CRTC’s recent hearing on Internet metering, a lobbyist from Bell stood up before the Commission, looked each member in the eye, and suggested Canadians don't mind a pay meter on their Internet use. Asked  afterwards how he could say such a thing—nearly half-a-million Canadians revolted agains... Full Story

A plea to preserve St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts

The future of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts is unknown during this time of economic uncertainty.  As difficult choices are being weighed at City Hall, it is important for us to participate and shine light on the value of our community's infrastructure.After a piece of the city’s infrastructur... Full Story

Steve 'Killer' Harper gets meaner

Bill C-10 would shift Canada to a cruel, costly and failed fill-the-prisons approach to justice. American states, like Texas, have tried and failed to reduce crime by putting more people in jail with longer sentences. Texas came out of the experience poorer, but wiser. Republican lawmakers and judge... Full Story

The end of the U.S. Empire

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts on the imminent end of the U.S. dollar and empire. ">See here.

The Annoying Ghost Kid

When my sons were little I would tell them a bedtime story every night. We would all climb into the bottom bunk with the lights out and I would make up a story from scratch.     Some nights when I was tired, I would need a little help coming up with a subject. I would ask them, "What do you wan... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: thin mobility, radiohead candy, tech toys

Do you want a super-thin mobile phone that has a super-fast 4G connection, big screen, and roomy slide-out QWERTY keyboard? Then consider the Motorola XT860 4G from Bell Mobility. Running on Android 2.3 technology, the Motorola XT860 4G has a permanent number row on the top of the thin QWERTY keypad... Full Story

The Un-Comfort Zone

I saw six people huddled on the sidewalk in front of me; through their legs I saw what looked like a body on the ground. I rushed over to see what was going on. I saw a man with a bloody gash on his head; he appeared to be unconscious. I pushed through and started checking him out using my Boy Scout... Full Story

The Gadget Zone, it’s all about audio

Three cool pieces of consumer tech you won’t want to live without!Want a super-thin smartphone? Then consider the Motorola XT860 4G at Bell Mobility. Billed as ‘The world’s thinnest QWERTY slider smartphone’, the XT860 runs on Android 2.3. Typing messages and emails is easy thanks to the XT860's big... Full Story

Release stalled housing money, says Crowe

Cathy Crowe, long-time street nurse and Ontario NDP candidate in Toronto Centre, calls on the federal government and the province of Ontario to release the housing money.A reported $481 million in federal-provincial funds allocated for housing has not yet been released, despite the signing of the ne... Full Story

Ford administration hoped-for saviour of Garden District?

At long last, the Garden District is a hot topic again. On September 30, 2001, then-mayor Mel Lastman proclaimed the neighbourhood bordered by Carlton, Sherbourne, Queen and Yonge streets to be the Garden District.The name drew on the tradition that a century and a half ago gave Toronto its first pu... Full Story

Act now to save our waterfront from the Fords

Do we really want a large shopping mall and the world’s largest Ferris wheel on our unique and valuable waterfront? This is what we will get if we follow the intentions of our Mayor Rob Ford, and his mouth, his older brother and suburban city councillor Doug Ford. They want to sell city-owned land s... Full Story

The Gadget Zone, back to school

A computer router is an effective way to share files and Internet access between computers, game consoles, smartphones, Internet radios, and other Internet-enabled devices. The Cisco Linksys E4200 Router comes with four Ethernet ports that can support data speeds up to 1 Gbps, and Wireless-N connect... Full Story

Repaying your student loan

Congratulations — you have graduated from university. However, your excitement about graduating may quickly be tempered by the realization that you must soon begin to repay sizeable student loans.“A student loan is not free money; you have to repay it,” says Chartered Accountant Joel Podbere, Senior... Full Story

Three tech devices designed to make outdoor living more relaxing, courtesy of the Gadget Zone

Does the WiFi on your laptop keep losing its connection? Then consider getting a Super USB WiFi Antenna 3 from the C. Crane Company. Designed to connect to 1-2 USB ports (2 will give you extra signal strength) and capable of supporting the 802.11B/G/Ns standards (speeds up to 150Mbps), the Super USB... Full Story

The Gadget Zone with three cool consumer tech ideas!

Uber-sexy: There’s no other way to describe the new Samsung Series 9 ultra-thin laptop computer. Made of Duralumin, which is typically used in advanced aircraft and is twice as tough as aluminum, the Series 9 weighs less than 3 pounds. Yet it has an HD 13.3' LED-backlit screen, second generation Int... Full Story

The Gadget Zone, it’s all about audio; for the home, car and b-boying.

The Gadget Zone, it’s all about audio; for the home, car and b-boying.Are you tired of waking up to the overhyped screams of local FM, screeching through a clock radio with the sound quality of a cat in heat? Then consider getting the Teac SR-L280i AM-FM Radio/CD Player from C Crane (www.ccrane.com)... Full Story

City letting advertisers take over our sidewalks

Toronto may be looking at 120 "‘sidewalk billboards" this fall. On July 14th, City council approved a modified design for the new InfoToGo Pillars by Astral Media. The original InfoToGo pillars were designed to help people explore Toronto by providing community information such as a map, p... Full Story

Sewell: Tickets to a police gravy train?

Twelve years ago Downtown seemed awash in youths who would wash your car window whether you wanted it or not and then demand payment. Squeegee kids, they were called. The Mike Harris government had begun cutting back the money that could fund programs for youths and that intensified the problem, but... Full Story

The fiasco of amalgamation becomes clear

I was fortunate enough to sit in on a panel of Sue-Ann Levy (Sun), Royson James (Star) and Marcus Gee (Globe), moderated by John Tory (CFRB). Fixated as I am on Toronto becoming great again, this panel of pundits was like candy. I enjoyed a Toronto focused authoritative and certified talk, made even... Full Story

Tickets to a police gravy train?

Twelve years ago Downtown seemed awash in youths who would wash your car window whether you wanted it or not and then demand payment. Squeegee kids, they were called. The Mike Harris government had begun cutting back the money that could fund programs for youths and that intensified the problem, but... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: three cool tech toys – targeted directly at Father’s Day!

Welcome back to the Gadget Zone, and this selection of three cool tech toys – targeted directly at Father’s Day!Here is something super-cool: GelaSkins. These are protective vinyl skins for iPhones, laptops, iPads, and all manner of portable devices. The cool part is that you can get these skins in ... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: outdoor speakers, rugged bluetooth, rain barrel

If you love great music outdoors but don’t want to risk damaging your loudspeakers, consider getting Grace Digital Audio’s ‘Mini-Bullets II’ indoor-outdoor speakers. They come with a wireless base with an 150' range. You can plug in your iPhone/iPod/MP3 indoors on the wireless transmitter, then list... Full Story

Overpaid Toronto police

In this issue:1. The Toronto police collective agreement: missing the obvious2. TPAC policing forum3. The secret public meetings4. The high cost of being accused of police misconduct5. G20 review hearings6. Subscribe to the bulletin***1.The Toronto police collective agreement: missing the obviousEve... Full Story

Police require major overhaul

1. Rethinking Toronto police: a public forumTPAC is sponsoring a public forum on the evening of Monday June 21 to discuss new and alternative ideas about police issues in Toronto. There has been much public discussion (and dissatisfaction) about Toronto police during the past year, and now is an app... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: 3 very cool pieces of consumer tech

MP3 players and water do not get along well, unless you have a Grace Digital Audio Eco Extreme waterproof case. This case comes with a built-in waterproof speaker and connector for your MP3 player, iPhone/iPod or smartphone; an onboard battery to deliver up to 30 hours of audio amplification, and ex... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: Three uber-cool consumer tech gizmos

It’s an MP3 player. It’s a radio – and it works underwater: The NU Dolphin Touch is a sexy, sleek MP3 player/FM radio receiver that has been designed to be used while you swim. This device can save up to 960 MP3/WMA songs, has a built-in rechargeable battery, and comes with both ‘dry’ (above water) ... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: Spring brings thoughts of...

Spring has sprung ... so it’s time for a new laptop computer! (Yes, it’s a tenuous connection, but work with me, people.) One smart option is the new HP Pavilion dm1 Entertainment Notebook PC. Think of the dm1 as a ‘notebook muscle car’: It has the extra processing ‘oomph’ (that’s a technical term) ... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: 'recertified' computer, MP3 on car radio, rocket launcher for the office

Is your Windows 2000 computer on its last bytes, yet you don’t want to spend a fortune replacing it with something new? One option is to purchase a ‘recertified’ computer from www.newegg.ca. As the name suggests, ‘recertified’ computers are PCs that have been dinged or damaged, sent back to the fact... Full Story

Promote food security and vote with your fork

Food prices in the grocery stores are on the increase.  Rumours of global food shortages abound.  Fuel prices are skyrocketing, as are all products that rely on fossil fuels for manufacturing or transportation, including most farm inputs such as diesel fuel, chemicals and fertilizers.  Very soon, it... Full Story

Did Tories kibosh return of potseed seller?

Marc Emery learned April 18 that the United States has denied his request for a transfer to Canada to serve out the remainder of his jail sentence. Mr. Emery has been serving a five-year term imposed after his guilty plea to selling marijuana seeds in order to finance worldwide cannabis law reform e... Full Story

Animals shortchanged by new THS regime: ex-prez

This is the first time since the astonishing events of a year and a half ago that I’ve spoken or written to fellow members of The Toronto Humane Society. More about that later. The important news, and why I am writing to you, is what is currently happening to the animals in need of our care in Toron... Full Story

U.S. hedge-fund gamblers threaten your water

Contact: Carl Cosack at www.ndact.com  or Harvey Kolodny at http://www.citizensalliance.ca/MELANCTHON, ON—The Highland Companies, owned by a U.S. based Hedge Fund has filed an application with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Township of Melancthon for a mega-quarry with extraction approxim... Full Story

Student Tax Tips

If you are a student, you may think that you don’t need to be concerned about income tax but you really should. You are eligible for a number of student tax credits and deductions that may bring you a refund. Here are some tax tips specifically designed for students.File a return – “Students should ... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: Emergency tool, Wireless Router, Child Tracking

The recent earthquake/tsunami is a sobering warning that anything can happen at any time. Although it is not possible to prepare for all eventualities, having a tool at hand that can help with basic life-sustaining needs can make a difference.The hand-sized BodyGard Self-Powered Emergency Tool is on... Full Story

Does immigration really hurt Canada?

According to The Centre for Immigration Policy Reform, these are facts about immigration? Do you think they're accurate? Send us your opinions and we'll publish them below: Email usDid you know?1. Immigration increases the size of Canada’s population and economy but does not improve Canadians' stan... Full Story

Toronto Police misbehaviour is rampant

Toronto Police Accountability Bulletin No. 59, March 21, 2011This Bulletin is published by the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition, a group of individuals and organizations in Toronto interested in police policies and procedures, and in making police more accountable to the community they are ... Full Story

Police speed traps

On Sunday afternoon my husband and I drove down the Don Valley Parkway and exited onto Bayview Extension. A few moments later we were stopped and issued a speeding ticket – 75 km’s in a 60 km area.You may think, what’s the big deal? I got a speeding ticket. I’ll pay the fine, have my insurance rates... Full Story

Manage your business debt

“Economic downturns and debt management challenges go hand in hand,” agrees Chartered Accountant Bruce Bailey of BAB Consultants of Sharon, Ontario. “But a tougher economy can be a benefit if it forces a business to analyze the core competencies that drive its success and the business owners are wil... Full Story

What will happen to our St. Lawrence Market

The historic St. Lawrence Market is at the very heart of our wonderful Old Town Toronto neighbourhood. It marks the centre of where our city first began. Even before the arrival of European adventurers, traders and settlers, it was known to the indigenous peoples as “To-ron-to” (the meeting place). ... Full Story

Taxpayers — circle these dates for 2011!

The new tax year is in full swing. Of course, it brings with it a new calendar of important “pay” dates from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), says Chartered Accountant Scott Conner, a tax specialist with BDO Canada LLP in Huntsville.Government payments go both ways: from us, and to us. So, knowing t... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: Smartfish, keychain battery, wet circuits power strip

If you find your wrist hurting after using a conventional computer mouse, try out the Smartfish Whirl Mini Notebook Mouse. Despite the name, the Whirl can be used with any computer (desktop or laptop) that has an available USB port. The selling point of the Whirl is that its handpiece is mounted on ... Full Story

Prepare your will with taxes in mind

 Here are some tips from Chartered Accountant Geoff Gravett, a partner with Millard Rouse & Rosebrugh LLP in Brantford. 1.      Understand what taxes may apply on death – “Estate administration taxes are based on the size of the estate that is required to be probated,” says Gravett. “In Ontario,... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: visor speakerphone, GPS, Tribbles

Cool: If you use a BlackBerry smartphone/PDA, chances are that you have it packed with music. But how can you access that music while driving, plus get safe hands-free call answering? The answer is the Blackberry Visor Mount Speakerphone, model VM-605. Available at www.staples.ca, the Visor Mount ... Full Story

Sewell: The new mayor of Toronto wears two heads

Losing one’s illusions is never a bad thing. A brief honeymoon period is fine, but it’s good to soon take a clear view of the real world.And so one stumbles into Mayor Rob Ford’s world a few months after his election. The hope of a fresh broom and a strong new look at city business has quickly vanis... Full Story

Dumb liquor laws in for change

Ontario is taking the next steps to update alcohol laws to better serve Ontarians. The proposed changes will remove unnecessary barriers and restrictions for special events, festivals, and licensed establishments. This will provide Ontarians with a more enjoyable experience, and improve tourism and ... Full Story

Toronto Police should discard sound cannons as gesture of good faith

The Toronto Police Services Board should deny Chief Bill Blair’s request tomorrow to buy the controversial sound cannons that the federal government lent them for the G20 meeting last June, says the Council of Canadians. Blair has asked for funding to buy four of the Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRA... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: 3 noteworthy items

Do you like the idea of using a tablet PC for outdoor work, but fear that it won’t be tough enough for the job? If so, consider buying the DRS Technologies ARMOR X7 rugged compact tablet. This is a truly tough computer designed for all-weather outdoor use. In fact, the ARMO X7 meets the Pentagon’s M... Full Story

10 more tax tips for 2010 Part 1

Tax Tip 1 of 10    Online access to your tax information   Stop waiting for the mail! You can now review your tax accounts online.“The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has electronic services that let individuals access their tax and other financial information online,” explains Chartered Accountant Amit... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: cool, clever and cutting-edge consumer tech

In line with the New Year’s tradition of losing weight, the folks at TomTom have slimmed version of their portable in-car navigation system. The new slimmer VIA Series comes in a range of screen sizes, including the 4.3” VIA 1405/1335 and the 5” VIA 1505/1535.  The 1435 and 1535 offer optional Voice... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: Internet radio, smartphone-Ipad keyboard, snow shovel

Internet radios are receivers that can tune to the thousands of stations on the Web, via an Ethernet or Wi-Fi Web connection, The new PURE Radio Oasis Flow is an FM/Internet radio that is built into a speaker cabinet. Trimmed in white with aluminum and black accents, it is a weatherproofed, recharge... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: On wired headsets, cheap printers & costly cartridges

The days are getting longer, but not quickly enough for most people’s liking (including mine). So here are three neat pieces of tech to distract you in the meantime.One of the great dangers of wearing a wired telephone headset is forgetting that you are wearing it ... and then wandering away. This n... Full Story

Will Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame open the door for cricket?

Ask Canadians who Frederick Heather is and the universal response is, “I never heard of him.” How about George Barber or John Davison? “No, don’t know them either.” These names are well known in Canadian cricket communities. Frederick Heather was a legendary cricket umpire, George Barber is regarded... Full Story

CEO pay an outrage as Canadians grow poorer

Canada's best-paid 100 CEOs breezed through the worst of the recession with earnings 155 times higher than the average Canadian income earner, says a new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).The study, Recession-Proof, looks at 2009 compensation levels for Canada's best paid 1... Full Story

The Gadget Zone. 3 cool items to warm you up!

Do you ever need to take a scanner with you, to copy documents into your laptop? If so, then check out the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100. About the size of an baguette (but only 11' long), the uber-small S1100 can scan a full colour letter-sized page in 7.5 seconds, and it works with either a Mac or PC. Th... Full Story

RRSP Checklist and Tips

RRSP Checklist•    The RRSP deadline is March 1, 2011.•    To qualify as a 2010 deduction, contributions to your personal or spousal RRSP must be made on or before March 1, 2011.•    Determine your RRSP contribution limit for 2010 by referring to your previous year’s Notice of Assessment from the Ca... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: Picks from the 2011 Electronics Show in Las Vegas

Welcome to the Gadget Zone, here in the midst of a Canadian winter. Here are three hot ideas to help you ward off the chill.The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has just wrapped up in Las Vegas, and some exciting new products were unveiled. One of the more sexy computers that turned up was the L... Full Story

McGuinty renders community engagement 'meaningless': Ombudsman

The Ontario Health Coalition applauds Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin's report, "The LHIN Spin". But the Coalition is deeply concerned that the McGuinty government has evaded its legislative requirement to conduct a full review of its Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and the legisla... Full Story

Do Parks & Rec workers goldbrick?

Why do the Parks/Rec people just turn the garbage bins over instead of dumping the garbage?  Why do we have to have maggots crawling all over our park?  Why do we pay for Park/Rec to wash City vehicles for hours at a time instead of doing their jobs - dumping the garbage?Why aren't there reflective ... Full Story

The Gadget Zone: Holiday Gift Guide #1

Even though the iPad and its clones are dominating the headlines these days, I remain a fan of laptop computers -- especially those that pack a lot of performance into an affordable package. For $599, the HP Mini 5103 fits this description. It has an Intel Atom N455 processor (upgradable to an N475)... Full Story

Michael Comstock: Will re-sellers outsmart smart meters?

Your cost of electricity will be slowly climbing over the foreseeable future, as the Ontario Energy Board adjusts Hydro rates twice a year.Toronto Hydro has busily installed “smart meters” that can be read electronically and price the electricity by the time of day. The idea is to smooth out the dem... Full Story

John Sewell: On mastering the megacity

Much to my surprise I have had a lot riding on Toronto’s election for mayor. I thought I would simply be playing an observer’s role, but a stray remark during a workout at my gym turned things around.At the end of a fitness class in mid September I was telling a friend that I thought Rob Ford had ca... Full Story

Condo buyer’s checklist

With convenient locations, affordable prices and minimal upkeep, condos have real appeal, especially for people just getting started and those looking to downsize.But all the pluses come at a price, and condo living is not for everyone. You can save yourself a lot of time, money and upset by making ... Full Story

Get your condo ready for market

If you’re planning to sell your condo, consider spending some time, and yes, money, preparing for the process. Making small improvements and having all the information and paperwork ready-and-waiting makes it easier for potential buyers, and that can pay you back in significant offers.Chartered Acco... Full Story

Mortgage shopping: 10 things to know before you sign

Someone once said that moving is one of life’s most stressful events. And if adjusting to a new home isn’t enough to cope with, you’ve now got to pay for it, and still have enough left over to buy groceries.Chartered Accountant Bruce Dimytosh is President of Prism Interim Management Solutions Inc. i... Full Story

How much money will you need when you retire?

You are looking forward to a long and healthy retirement. But how much will it cost? Here are five tips to help you figure out how much money you will need when you retire.1.    Start early – “It’s never too early to start planning for your retirement,” advises Chartered Accountant Alan Wainer of So... Full Story

John Sewell: Ford is winning because his message is clear

In his campaign for mayor, Rob Ford’s strength has been found in running against the seven years of city hall under Mayor David Miller.What people recognize, and what Ford constantly hits on, is that city hall is dysfunctional. It doesn’t offer good service. It spends money it shouldn’t. It holds pu... Full Story

David Vallance: To big to be a city, we must become Province of Toronto

I’m again a candidate for mayor of Toronto solely for the purpose of raising the proposal of making Toronto the 11th province. For information on how that could be done please see www.provinceoftoronto.ca.In the 1980s I was very involved with the Annex Residents’ Association. By 1990 it was apparent... Full Story

John Sewell: City’s policing crisis is the scary lesson of G20

As a police officer handcuffed a young woman and stuffed her into a paddy wagon during the G20 summit in Toronto on June 26, he said, “That’s what you get for protesting.”This vignette, told by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, sums up pretty clearly the attitude taken by the police during t... Full Story

Harper sells Canada out to European-based multinational corporations

The Council of Canadians and Canadian Community Economic Development Network today warned premiers to keep municipalities, water utilities and other provincially important agencies out of the Canada-EU free trade negotiations as premiers were set to discuss the proposed agreement during their annual... Full Story

CPP changes could affect you

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) is changing, with some new rules taking effect as early as 2011. The changes will affect people about to start collecting CPP retirement benefits, as well as those already drawing them. Here are some tips on how the changes might affect you from Chartered Accountant Tin... Full Story

Tips for first-time homebuyers

Tips for first-time homebuyers For many, buying a home is one of the first – and biggest – goals in life. But the process of finding that first house and arranging to pay for it can also be one of the most complicated tasks in life. Especially when finances are limited, the market is pricey and ther... Full Story

John Sewell: Hopeful signs police abuses may be addressed

As I sat in the Toronto Police Services Board meeting I was concluding—to my surprise—the board is learning. The board now seems ready to take effective action to look into what the police did during the G20 meeting at the end of June. Many of us thought it would never agree to do this.Two weeks ago... Full Story

Michael Comstock: Fix tracks, wreck stores

This missive arrived at the Corktown Residents and Business Association from Almaz Yiman, owner of Amadea Spice Market at 526 Queen St. E.:“As a brand new business I am particularly devastated by this, and it will throw my shop’s finances, already fragile, into absolute crisis. TTC has a constructio... Full Story

No compassion as marijuana raids continue

Quebec Police June 3 conducted raids every medical marijuana dispensary in Quebec. Confirmation of police raids from Montreal Compassion Centre, the oldest dispensary in Quebec, as well as the other 2 clubs, Montreal Compassion Club and Quebec (City) Compassion Centre. This followed last months poli... Full Story

Viewpoint: Publicity hound calls it wrong

Self-promoter J. P. Pampena's lust to get his name in the media spurred a desperate attempt March 10 to second guess Mayor David Miller's planned and well-hyped announcement. The limo company operator and occasional pubic relations flak was among the earliest to throw his fedora into the mayoral rac... Full Story

Viewpoint: Time to dispense with LHINs and District School Boards

Last week the Ontario Health Coalition issued a report that called for the elimination of the province’s Local Health Integration Networks(LHIN). The reason? The LHINs are unresponsive to local needs and are merely an extra layer of bureaucracy (hence, costly) at a time when health care funds and ac... Full Story

The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation (Toronto does it)

Toronto adds poisonous fluoride to your drinking water. It's a toxic waste product and many health officials decry its use as causing bone cancer, mottled teeth and for being ineffective at reducing cavities when drunk.Water fluoridation is a peculiarly American phenomenon. It started at a time when... Full Story

Viewpoint: A tunnel is a bridge

When, in plain English, is a 7-storey-deep tunnel not a “bridge”? When the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) wants to evade the legal constraint that it builds no bridge or “similar fixed link” between the Island airport and the mainland. But Webster’s Dictionary would consider the proposed $45 million t... Full Story

New, or new to you – accounting tips for car buyers

Who doesn’t love a new car? Unfortunately, you pay a huge premium for that new-car happiness. A vehicle is not an investment. It’s a constantly dwindling asset that loses value the minute you drive it off the lot, depreciating by as much as 20 per cent the first year. Then again, new cars come with ... Full Story

Killing themselves for our pleasure?

The Financial Times is reporting on their front page May 27 that nine people at a giant manufacturing facility in southern China where Apple, Dell, and Hewlett-Packard manufacture their products for the US market have committed suicide. The factory is in Shenzen and both employs and houses 300,000 p... Full Story

Michael Comstock: Mayoral candidates try for name recognition

The mayoral election is a long way off. We don’t vote until October and I have been told that nothing meaningful will come out of the candidates’ mouths until after the summer. They are at work making their names known speaking to the more interested political junky groups. I am a member ... Full Story

John Sewell: $100 million windfall for Toronto police

“It’s important work you are doing, so spend what you must, and do what you must.” Maybe they aren’t the exact words that were spoken, but it seems awfully likely that police authorities were given an open chequebook when they were tasked with providing security for the G20 and G8 meetings i... Full Story

Viewpiont: McGuinty, Broten tolerate abuse of youths

It’s outrageous how the Province of Ontario is abusing young people. Laurel Broten should be fired as Ontario’s minister of children and youth services for sitting on her thumbs. Premier Dalton McGuinty should resign in shame.If he has any reverence for the Liberal brand, he’d boot Broten from caucu... Full Story

Paulette Touby: The prayer that is Ireland Park

It was with its usual swirl of pomp and self congratulation that the city made a flowery announcement this St. Patrick's Day that a direct pathway from Queen's Quay to Ireland Park had been forged. They called it a promenade. It did elicit a visit to find a very modest bit of gravel between Lake Ont... Full Story

Big boxes get big tax breaks as city hoses small retailers

Small merchants struggle to continue with specialty shops on the street, battling aggressive parking police, while thin-walled corporate warehouse buildings with acres of un-assessed parking spaces get away paying the city only a third of the property tax per foot.No level of government has ever ack... Full Story

Tricky move captures additional tax money for police

When the city’s budget committee threatened to limit the budget increase to the Toronto police service to $33 million while the police wanted an extra $37 million, the Police Service Board responded with a counter-intuitive strategy that was absolutely brilliant. Sure, said the chief and the board, ... Full Story

Sewell: G20 has got to be haunting Bill Blair’s sleep

Imagine yourself as police chief Bill Blair. It’s New Year’s evening, you’ve gone to bed a few minutes past midnight and then are roused awake by a nightmare. What’s it about? Surely the G20 meeting in Toronto this coming June. It is hard to think of anything that will be more trying for the chief t... Full Story

Comstock: A small town is moving Downtown this year

2010 brings in a new year that will be special and memorable for people living in the city. It will be a year of real change for 40,000 to 45,000 people moving into newly completed Downtown condo units.   Being able to cycle or walk to work, live amongst the cultural attractions and entertai... Full Story

Viewpoint: Old Town Toronto ready for Pan Am Games closeup?

Old Town Toronto denizens have seen motorized wheel chairs topple over in winter around the southwest corner of Church and The Esplanade, a spot notorious for the lack of a sidewalk. That is changing thanks to city efforts.   And more than one pensioner has been hurt during the years, simply... Full Story

Sewell: Crime is in a 10-year decline, cop’s wages are soaring

It won’t be much of a show down, at the end of the day. The city budget chief, Shelley Carroll, needs $500 million in cuts to balance the city’s budget next year, and she has asked all city departments and agencies to cut their 2010 budget request by 5% from last year. That request has also been mad... Full Story

Comstock: Non-hospital safe-injection sites create skid rows

I am blessed with two sons. One lives in Vancouver, the other in New York City, and so around Christmas travel plans have to be made. I visited Vancouver this month to feel better about NYC for Christmas. Of course, the eco-warriors will argue that we should all just stay put and save the carbon foo... Full Story

Sewell: Cop culture conflicts with school culture

There’s nothing like real life experience to sharpen one’s perceptions about the real world. That has happened in spades with the issue of police in schools. In mid-October, less than two weeks after police made their presence felt in Northern Secondary School, an incident occurred there which was c... Full Story

Comstock: Compassion lacking as bureaucracy crushes citizens

Victims of the system young and old,” reads the headline of Letters to the Editor in the Toronto Star Oct 17. It was a group of letters stimulated by Joe Fiorito’s absolutely great writing about Al Gosling’s death. This happened at the hands of bureaucrats from our social housing services. This trag... Full Story

Viewpoint: Schools are a community asset

Much was written during the budget discussions earlier this year about a motion from one of the Toronto school trustees on the need to create cash for new projects by closing and selling schools. This motion was a simplistic view that often finds its way into the budget deficit fights at the school ... Full Story

Touby: Dalton McHarris & the Harmful Sales Tax

Do you get the feeling they really don’t give a damn about you? Does it seem to you that the labels Left and Right no longer fit the suits who wear them? You’re not hallucinating. There is a misdirection in politics nowadays that has erased those labels in the two major parties.So if you think Dalto... Full Story

Sewell: Do cops really belong in schools?

Police are expanding their presence from 22 to 36 public high schools, and from eight to 12 Catholic high schools in Toronto. In the Catholic system, that means there are police in half the high schools; in the public system, police are in 40% of schools. That’s a big spread from no police presence ... Full Story

Comstock: My Bucket trip

I want to show people my travel photos from this summer. It was the best trip ever; the trip of a lifetime, my wife and I say. But she also says most people don’t want to see all of your travel photos any more than you want to sit down for an hour and look at theirs.Two things worth sharing about th... Full Story

Viewpoint: HST will have real impact on condo owners

When Linda Pinizzotto steps out of her office to show condos to potential buyers, she knows there’s a storm looming on the horizon for her clients. “The HST will have a huge negative impact on affordability and real estate value. I don’t think owners fully understand the ramifications.” Pinizzotto ... Full Story

Touby: Our poll may show most would fire their city councillors

If Downtown were a city of its own—not a bad idea, by the way—there might be an overthrow of the government in the works. At least that’s what The Bulletin’s online poll at www.thebulletin.ca would indicate. (The poll is ongoing for a while longer, so there’s still time to post your own choice. Only... Full Story

Sewell: Cops won’t investigate fellow cops’ misdeeds

A new police complaints mechanism will finally be available in Ontario in the next few months. It’s been a long time coming.When he was premier, Mike Harris scrapped the independent complaints mechanism instituted in the early 1980s, and put in its place a system where police investigated complaints... Full Story

Comstock: The Gardiner should toll for thee

The summer break is over and it is back to the grind. Back to school and back from vacation. Yes, years of the behavioural training based on the school board’s calendar, has set all of us up. We have an incredible desire to get free of routine every summer and get back to business as fall begins. If... Full Story

Viewpoint: Communities are the new frontier

I believe nations are failing us, and that communities are the solution to our problems. When people ask if I'm a Communist, I say, no I'm a Communityist.There's a big difference between a Communist and a Communityist. In fact, they’re opposites. A communityist is a community booster first, and a st... Full Story

Sewell: Cops in schools; tasers; cop brawl; union boss

This Police Accountability Bulletin is published by the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition, a group of individuals and organizations in Toronto interested in police policies and procedures, and in making police more accountable to the community they are committed to serving.  Our website i... Full Story

Prince of Pot Rally

On Saturday, September 19, 2009, people all over the world ralliedin support of ‘Prince of Pot’ Marc Emery, a marijuana activist andmagazine publisher who is facing a 5-year prison sentence in theUnited States for selling marijuana seeds over the Internet.More than 100 cities across the globe will h... Full Story

McGuinty asked to reward insurance firms at your expense

The current provincial government prides itself on being a champion of the disabled. It points to its role in strengthening the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, establishing an Accessibility Directorate, and setting timetables for change to make Ontario accessible to all its citizens. It’s ironic, t... Full Story

Sellout of Canada in the works?

ACTION ALERT: Demand a say in North America's future   The next North American leaders summit – where Canada, the United States and Mexico have met to discuss progress on the Security and Prosperity Partnership – is less than four weeks away and Canadian... Full Story

Salute to a brave and modest nation

Until the deaths of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan , probably almost no one outside their home country had been aware that Canadian troops are deployed in the ... Full Story

Cops brawl; Grits & Tories vote to overfill prisons

1. A fine police brawlIt has become a Toronto police tradition to hold a fight night—Fitenite—every spring to raise money for charity.  The event consists of about 10 boxing matches of cops punching cops plus carryings-on appropriate to such an evening. This year, the event was held at a club near T... Full Story

Frank Touby: Veggies breathe CO2—should they pay the carbon tax?

I’m trying to get my head around this global warming/climate change thing and the carbon tax that hapless professor Stéphane Dion was trying to flog in his quixotic tumble to political obsolescence that keeps Stephen Harper in power. And now my brief hero Barack Obama is touting the same or a simila... Full Story

John Sewell: Relax, we’re almost as safe as Guelph

Police Chief Bill Blair has announced that crime in Toronto is down, which is obviously a good thing. Now comes the big question—what does it mean?Chief Blair says that for the first six months in 2009, charges laid for serious crime are down about 12% compared to last year. That’s the drop in the r... Full Story

VIEWPOINT: At last, Conrad may be freed

I’m heartened to learn that my fellow media mogul, Conrad Black, has won a hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court on his wrongful conviction of charges laid by a glory-seeking Chicago prosecutor. Now it’s certainly true that Conrad has lost much public sympathy because of his elitist, arrogant attitu... Full Story

Viewpoint: Noise management at the Island airport is a waiting game

Saturday morning. 8 a.m. I wake up to an airplane revving its engines not once, not twice but three times before taking off. Sunday night, I’m drifting off to sleep as a plane lands and guns its engines in reverse thrust after the 11 p.m. airport curfew. In both cases I am jolted awake, setting into... Full Story

John Sewell: Quickie re-hiring of chief costs needed scrutiny period

It happened so quickly that everyone except insiders was taken by surprise. It was as though the event was so contentious and important that the public was not entitled to any prior notice or any chance to mull the matter over in advance. It’s a strange way to do public business, but that’s the way ... Full Story

Frank Touby: Want to get rich? Get regulated by Ottawa

While Neocons argue that government regulation is anathema to an effective marketplace, their masters in big business find it just the other way around. Having a government-regulated oligopoly is a sure way to wealth and power for an industry.In many ways the industry and the regulator are natural b... Full Story

VIEWPOINT: Dalton imposes the BS Tax

The guy nobody wanted as Liberal Party leader, Dalton McGuinty, has cursed Ontario with a Tory-style attack on the poor and middle classes. It’s a hellish concoction of the original Tory tax curse of GST and the Provincial Sales Tax to become the new Blended Sales Tax, or BS Tax.It adds 8% to things... Full Story

Touby: Police-state tactic approved by high court

Let’s say you’re walking down Yonge Street with your backpack (or your briefcase or whatever) and a cop thinks (or claims to think) there’s a smell of pot coming from it.The cop uses that superior sense of smell as probable cause to search your backpack. You can’t resist or you’ll find yourself in h... Full Story

Sewell: Cops in high schools

Someone, probably Police Chief Bill Blair, will have to soon make the decision whether police officers should again be put in selected Toronto high schools.About 20 schools have had officers assigned to them since last September. That decision was taken by the chief, with the assent of the school tr... Full Story

Corky Evans bids a meaning-filled farewell

M.L.A. Corky Evans’ farewell speech to the British Columbia Legislature is a most candid, thoughtfully crafted and moving rendition. From “good, old, independent, competitive free enterprise–type businesses, to monopolies, to sixty-year-old men who “sob in [their] pick-up truck”, he shares his persp... Full Story

Touby: Dalton taxes our patiencei—iand everything else

Even before there was history, tax collectors have been the detested scourges on humankind. As far back as cave dwellers, there were thugs in animal skins who forcibly claimed turf and extracted tribute. Today they wear polyester and wool.In the 1980s I was a national radio commentator for the Finan... Full Story

Sewell: Toronto cops have superior Taser protocols

From the point of view of the Toronto police service, 2008 was a successful year in the use of the Taser. According to a report by Chief Bill Blair to the March 30 meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board, officers used the Taser 367 times and no one suffered any injuries.Was the high rate of po... Full Story

Olivia bashes censor-crazed Tories

Canadians interested in hearing international experts deliver anti-war messages will now have to leave the country to do so. British MP George Galloway, who was schedule to talk on resisting the war in Afghanistan, was banned by Harper’s government from entering Canada. “Harper's Conservatives are w... Full Story

City Hall crisis costing Andre his job

There has been entirely too much harm done to the city's hiring intentions. When you consider that senior executive-type staff and managers must be kept on to keep the system from falling apart, it's clear that the only way to trim costs is to trim bottom-level staff. Unfortunate as this is, it's a ... Full Story

VIEWPOINT: Greedy Miller council cashes us in

Greedy David Miller and his council gang are cashing in Toronto taxpayers’ properties to finance his out-of-control spending on ridiculous things like super-expensive streetcars. Things that might grow his "legacy," but don't help and might even hurt taxpayers.He plans, for instance, to du... Full Story

Jury duty? Just shoot me

Maybe it sounds naïve, but I used to think being called up for jury duty was kind of an honour. Hey, it’s an opportunity to serve your community and the justice system.Several years ago I sat on a jury-type “public institutions inspection panel” that got to drop in on places like the Don Jail and re... Full Story

Touby: Second-Rate Olympics R Us

Now, from the clowns at city hall, a new circus! Presenting... Olympics Lite! (Otherwise known as the Pan American Games.) What better way to take a broom to that feeling of less-than-world-class than to sweep up in 2015 where 1999 host Winnipeg left off?Ringmaster David Miller has whipped his counc... Full Story

Comstock: Sidewalk sidelines

The snowplough that is driven down King St. E. this winter has to skip sections of the walk where the transit shelters take up so much of the sidewalk that it can’t fit between the pole and the advertising. Of course this is not directly the result of poor city planning. The rules clearly state that... Full Story

VIEWPOINT: Toronto bans bottled water but not bottled pop

LONDON, U.K. — The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, they say. And to prove it, the city of Toronto has decided to outlaw the sale of bottled water in all municipal buildings, including local arenas.But rather than being an example of smart, progressive action to protect the environment, t... Full Story

Sewell: Gangbanger candidates target of hopeful new program

As we climb out of cold February into the early spring of March, here’s some good news. The federal government has agreed to fund a program targeting youth involved in gangs and violence. It is exactly the kind of initiative recommended by Roy McMurtry and Alvin Curling in their report “Roots of You... Full Story

Subway policing may be more feel good than do good

Toronto Police Accountability Bulletin No. 45.This Bulletin is published by the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition, a group of individuals and organizations in Toronto interested in police policies and procedures, and in making police more accountable to the community they are committed to serv... Full Story

Island airport bird threat

After reading the Letters to the Editor in the Feb 2009 issue, I am compelled to respond to the twisting of information to suit the NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) that oppose the Toronto Island airport.Brian Isler states that there is "an alarming frequency of bird strikes at YTZ" and "... Full Story

Toronto turns 175 next month

Toronto will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2009.The City of Toronto was incorporated on March 6, 1834, following a significant increase in demand for public services in the former municipality of York. Prominent journalist and politician William Lyon Mackenzie was chosen as Toronto’s first mayo... Full Story

We are upbeat about our personal financial prospects

A majority of Canadians expect 2009 to be a year in which the Canadian economy worsens, employment levels drop substantially, inflation spirals, taxes surge, the national debt balloons, and the value of the Canadian dollar depreciates. But despite this record-high pessimism – the highest recorded in... Full Story

Eggleton: Conservative approach worsened Great Depression

As the economic crisis deepens, and many Canadians are worried about their jobs, retirement and standard of living, it is often useful to look back at similar times in Canadian history.  By doing so, we can find many lessons from past generations that can guide us.  The last great economic crisis of... Full Story

Viewpoint: Are Canadians really this stupid?

Are Canadians really this stupid? My blog is getting scores of replies from voters who claim their votes don’t count because a coalition is going to replace a minority Tory government. That’s nuts. How dumb are these people? If you voted for Stephen Harper or Jack Layton or that doofus Stephane Dion... Full Story

VIEWPOINT: Condo proposals threaten historic King Street East

The oldest prominent commercial street in Old Town Toronto is under attack. King St. E. from Yonge in the west to Parliament St. in the east is designated by city planners as a “Special Street” in an “Area of Special Identity.”Three developers today propose high-rise condos along the street. They ar... Full Story

Bell hell: Unsupportable support

While many Canadians are suffering from job losses and an uncertain economic future, homegrown Bell Canada is—some might say unpatriotically—exporting jobs to foreign lands. So unbeknownst to them, Canadians are unwillingly paying foreign aid by losing the chance to earn paycheques with a Canadian c... Full Story

Viewpoint: At last, an end to Harper and his gang

Editorial minds at National Post have adhered to the Neocon lying point that because the separatist Bloc Quebecois is backing the pending coalition government likely to replace the Tories, there’s something illegitimate about the pact. That is pure baloney. We are thankful that the Stephen Harper re... Full Story

Viewpoint: Bikes versus cars

Last month in the Bulletin the merits of Sharrow lanes were discussed – bike symbols painted on the roadway to remind drivers to share space with cyclists.. But Sharrow lanes or bike lanes, we still have a lot of problems with irresponsible road users. Both drivers and cyclists themselves need to be... Full Story

Viewpoint: Newcomers get favoured treatment over citizens

Our parents and grandparents fought in the World Wars and what good has it done to them and their offspring?  Seniors living in poverty after all they have done for this country! Any of the services they get, they pay an arm and leg for.  How many of these seniors are being forced into nursing homes... Full Story

Touby: At Christmas we prayed for cool weather

Have a cool yule and a frantic first. That’s from a greeting card I received in 1954 from a classmate at Gesu Catholic School in downtown Miami. I wrote a column in the mimeographed school newsletter about how inappropriate such a “jazzy” greeting was for such a monumental religious event.It was a f... Full Story

Sewell: City spends lots on police, not much on youth

One of the wisest and most perceptive reports on a pressing public policy issue the city is facing was released a few weeks ago: Roots of Youth Violence, by former Chief Justice Roy McMurtry and former legislative Speaker Alvin Curling. The media generally focused on one controversial section of the... Full Story

Comstock: I solved the coffee cup with plastic lid recycling problem

You always expect daylight will fade in the winter months, but it comes as a shock each year that it is dark at 5 p.m.In Old Town there are over 100 home décor stores; many tell me this is a great time to be selling lamps.The brain trips a switch with the loss of daylight and we need lamps. To every... Full Story

Viewpoint: FSE death blow costly

The city’s planning committee has just urged a significant shift in the horrendously complex waterfront transport tangle by excising the very costly, controversial, and nearly dead Front St. Extension (FSE) project from the Official Plan during a meeting on Nov. 13.Although this seems like great new... Full Story

Frank Touby: Chin up! Things really are much better than they seem

I was 14 when I heard the devastating news that a bunch of judges in Washington D.C. had declared that American children would have to share their classrooms with monkeys. In my then largely redneck town of Miami, Florida where the Stars and Bars of the Confederate flag decorated automobiles and man... Full Story

Sewell: McGuinty drags heels on cop accountability protocols

There was considerable optimism 4-and-a-half years ago, in April 2004, when Michel Bryant, Attorney General of Ontario, announced he was beginning a process to determine how complaints against the police could be made into a rational and respectable system. Eight years earlier, in 1996, Premier Mike... Full Story

Comstock: City staff muddlers get credit they don’t deserve

The building of a new St. Lawrence Market North finally made the major media last month. The report by the Toronto Star was accurate but framed by the reporter in Star-eze.That is to say the Star editorializes most everything you read. News, crime stats, the suffering of today’s fresh tragedy, is us... Full Story

Sewell: Cop-budget savings could aid at-risk youth

You never know when constructive debate might break out, so I was surprised when it occurred in the midst of a fairly sleepy meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board on Sept. 20. I had just made a presentation on the recently released compendium of police info found in the 2008 Environmental Sc... Full Story

Frank Touby: When ‘conservative’ was good

There was a time not too long ago when “conservative” stood for something honest and good. It described a political and social position that built North America. It meant honest labour was a high virtue, along with reasonable self reliance, concern for one’s fellow citizens, a sense of fairness for ... Full Story

Comstock: Greens turned me red

I had hoped to vote Green this election. It seemed like such a nice, political party. They have such a wonderful future-looking, save-the-planet bunch of platforms. I mean, what’s not to like? Well after making a modest donation to them, I was shocked to learn they support “safe injection sites.” N... Full Story

Sewell: Are our cops underworked?

The President of the Toronto Police Association, Dave Wilson, has said his goal in a new contract with the Toronto Police Services Board is to ensure Toronto police officers are the highest paid police in Canada. At the moment, the highest paid officers work for the Peel Service—they start at about ... Full Story

Frank Touby: It’s deadly when governments work for corporations

The multifaceted errors of amalgamation and the team that brought Toronto to this sad state of dysfunction are becoming more apparent as time goes on. Big is not best unless you’re also a big warlord like the corporations that rule North America and much of the world.Amalgamation suits big business—... Full Story

Comstock: Badly managed surroundings won’t mar Old Town TO Festival

I was considering what visitors to the upcoming Festival of Old Town Toronto, scheduled for Sept 12 – 14, will find. We are going to have Walking Tour groups raising funds for the Homework Club, led by our local guides Bruce Bell, Richard Fiennes-Clinton and Bill Genova. They’ll be wandering around ... Full Story

Viewpoint: Comstock's Gardiner article intelligent and sensible

I just read a copy of Mike's article entitled: "Think hard before tearing down Gardiner" and wanted to say how pleased I am to finally see someone with intelligence, sound reasoning and sensible rationale report on the Gardiner issue. It is such a welcome relief to read Mike's realistic, well-founde... Full Story

Sewell: Cops spew gobbledygook on gun facts

Gun clubs have been chased out of the city by city council’s decision at the end of June, and that’s apparently a signal that our leaders think that something has to be done about guns.   It is difficult to argue with council’s intention, but much remains to be learned about the real world of... Full Story

Comstock: Think hard before tearing down Gardiner

The next time someone talks about the Gardiner Expressway being torn down please review their reasons and weigh their arguments. This could be the biggest mess the East end of Toronto (actually the whole Downtown) might ever have to face. The huge cost, which only converts one type of roadway into a... Full Story

Viewpoint: Preview our new, muchdreaded ‘street furniture’

In May I visited the Astral Media showcase of the city’s new street furniture program on behalf of Cabbagetown2.0, the Old Caggabgetown Business Improvement Area’s public space committee.   Overall, it inspired in me a long list of pros and cons, questions and possibilities. For instance, the... Full Story

Sewell: Did Pam let cop board kill useful womens counsel?

Most public figures steer clear of policies to reduce levels of sexual assault against women since it is so tangled and immediately runs into the need to change the way the police force works. But, to her credit, local councilor Pam McConnell waded into this issue almost 10 years ago in the hopes of... Full Story

Comstock: Tax Big Box ‘acres of free parking’

I would like to thank the many folks who have told me they enjoyed and now miss, the Food and History Shows that Bruce Bell and I—helped along by one or more of the St. Lawrence Market merchants—performed each Saturday at noon. The Market is looking into a revival program for the Kitchen West Mezzan... Full Story

Viewpoint: Farce that Launched a Thousand Suicide Bombers

His dying image was spread across front pages of newspapers and television screens worldwide, making Mohammed al-Dura the poster boy for Israeli brutality and Palestinian victimhood. But what if the footage distributed so fervently by France¹s state television Channel 2 was unwittingly misleading? O... Full Story

Viewpoint: Where garbage reigns supreme

A city aspiring to “world class” should be able to deliver on key services under its municipal charter–efficient municipal infrastructure, safe and secure streets, attractive business and residential tax rates. Downtown residents, however, are inundated with rubbish both figurative and non-figurativ... Full Story

Comstock: City hall ignores our greatest source of tourism

This is the time of year to think about house guests visiting you and Toronto this summer. Hopefully these are planned visits by old friends and family you love to see. Of all the city slogans kicked around, “The City of Neighbourhoods” is the best for me. Your visitors should see the city sites and... Full Story

Sewell: Do cops adequately police themselves?

What should happen when senior police managers are unwilling to fully prosecute criminal cases in a timely fashion and their lack of action results in cases being thrown out of court? And what should be done when the cases involve police officers accused of wrongdoing? These are the questions now ho... Full Story

Viewpoint: More bunkum from Joe Volpe

Joe Volpe, Liberal MP and avid Toronto Port Authority supporter, omitted some important facts in parliament yesterday.  In a debate on amendments to the Canada Marine Act, he stated: “Despite all the criticisms, it ranks, according to Transport Canada and according to the volume of operating ... Full Story

Comstock: How about a Downtown TTC discount?

I am quite different from Pam McConnell, Kyle Rae and Olivia Chow, because I have a car. I drive it very little, it is 11 years old with only 94,000 kms, and most of that mileage (kilometrage?) is driving to Michigan to visit my sister. But, I don’t think any of these Downtown public servants even h... Full Story

Harper reactionaries call Grits crooked

LIBERALS BYPASS POLITICAL RULES, SEEK BIG CORPORATE MONEYStephane Dion to participate in Secret Corporate Fundraiser, with no donation limits OTTAWA - Today, Conservative Member of Parliament, Pierre Poilievre demanded answersfrom Liberal Leader Stephane Dion about a big money, no limit, Liberal cor... Full Story

Viewpoint: Take off the green beer goggles before voting

March 17 is usually a day associated with Ireland and green beer—but for the residents of the federal riding of Toronto Centre, this St. Patrick's Day is a day for serious decision-making.Calling the by-election on St Patrick's Day is arguably one of the “Greenest” moves made by the Harper governmen... Full Story

Sewell: Spend less for cops, more for youth

Did you hear the story about the cop who made $140,000 last year? He’s a constable with the Toronto police force and that was his take-home pay. Or maybe the Toronto cop who made $102,000 not working a single day last year? He was on leave because he had been charged with extortion, obstructing just... Full Story

Comstock: Tourism helps makes Downtown living rich, exciting

Within the service sector in Canada we find tourism in the crapper. The looney, the border and the people sleeping on the streets are robbing Toronto’s economy of tourism’s value. And tourism is a wonderful thing. Tourism integrates the world, shares the experience of living, creates learning and fo... Full Story

Sewell: Tasers for cops on the beat?

At its next meeting on Thursday February 21, the Toronto Police Services Board will consider a report from the Chief of Police containing a recommendation that the Board write to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to amend the regulations to allow for the expansion of TASER... Full Story

Canada being sold out to Mexico and the U.S.

As some of you may know, Canada is in the process of aligning its policies with those of the USA. Very quietly. Without public debate. It is all part of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) signed in Waco, Texas, 2005. This is not a left-right issue -- Martin signed the accord, Harper is ar... Full Story

Sewell: Tasers, cop shift work at issue

Toronto Police Accountability Bulletin No. 39, January 21, 2008.In this issue: 1. Forum on Tasers, February 6 2. Taser International comes to Toronto 3. Police shift work to shift? 4. Dealing with perpetrators of woman abuse 5. Subscribe to the Bulletin *** 1. Forum on Tasers, February 6... Full Story

Viewpoint: Little Norway omission tells of Port Authority-planned fate

In mid-July, the Toronto Star decided to run a contest for “Top Waterfront Park” to see which waterfront park was most popular. For some reason, even when reminded, it decided to leave out Little Norway Park, a major park between what used to be called Lower Bathurst St. and Little Norway Crescent.... Full Story

Sewell: Acquitted? Your records may still follow you

The Toronto Police Services Board alternates its monthly meetings between Committee Room 2 at city hall and the auditorium on the second floor of the College Street police headquarters. But neither space seems to get the seven members of the board into a democratic frame of mind where they exhibit e... Full Story

Viewpoint: Humane society pets living cheek by jowl

I know we can sometimes sound like the boy who cried wolf, but we always operate at the very edge of our capacity because we never resort to euthanasia to keep the numbers in check. People know that if they bring in a lost dog or cat, or surrender a pet to us, that the animal will be housed, fed and... Full Story

Sewell: Limit dangerous cop chases

Maybe police chases are a necessary evil, or maybe there’s an alternative. They certainly happen with great regularity. According to the chair of the police Services Board, Alok Mukherjee, Toronto police were involved in 245 chases in 2006. Mukherjee made the comment after the horrific crash in whic... Full Story

Chow: Pilot projects do not make for a national crime prevention strategy

Over a month after the tragic school shooting of Jordan Manners, the Conservative government, namely Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day has failed to address the needs of Canada's biggest city, said NDP MP and Youth Critic Olivia Chow.Yesterday, Minister Day announced 27 new crime prevention studi... Full Story

Frank Touby: Pork barrel’s annual spring passion play

It is an annual ritual that former Liberal MP Dennis Mills condemned city residents to endure each year when the perennial backbencher talked the Jean Chretien government into remaking the failed Toronto Harbour Commission into a federal port authority, against all common sense, common decency and, ... Full Story

‘Straight guy’ to wed woman born a man

Since my last year of high school, 1983-84, when I was 18, I had gone an awfully long time without having a girlfriend, even though at times I desperately wanted one. Going places on my own, especially when I saw other guys with their female partners, not to mention spending a lot of time at home by... Full Story

Comstock: Heal the suffering on our streets

For many years I have loved this city, but seeing the squalour on the streets of our financial district sidewalks, I am beginning to see why a lot of the country thinks Toronto sucks.The greatest crime in Downtown Toronto isn’t Conrad Black’s income manipulations but the inhumane crime of people lef... Full Story

Kids dig Nelson Mandela greening project

With school grounds often resembling parking lots rather than places of inspiration and learning, the need to bring nature back to students is a growing concern for many parents and teachers.Nelson Mandela Park Public School is addressing the issue through the school’s greening committee. The garden... Full Story

Nailing down Conrad as a prosecutor’s trophy

Like most Canadians, I was shocked when my fellow media mogul, Lord Black of Crossharbour (I just call him Conrad), was yanked in front of the Yankee system of justice by that showbizzy prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald who has toppled some bigshots in the States.To get some insight into what my fellow... Full Story

Flanders: Waterfront condos not the kind of focus we need

To Mayor Miller:The proposed condos at the foot of Yonge Street expose this city's total lack of vision for what could be. People are against waterfront condos, but they can't imagine what an amazing focal point this site could be. The citizens of Sidney, Australia saw what a magnificent opera house... Full Story

Comstock: In praise of volunteers

I am a volunteer junkie. It seems I can find the enthusiasm needed to get involved, when certain community projects appear. Over time, you start to recognize those people who re-appear at deputations, talks, displays and the councilor’s ceremonials. These people provide a role that is the very neces... Full Story

Conrad Black is not guilty

As I watch the prosecutorial abuse of my fellow media mogul, Lord Black of Crossharbour, it is apparent how that stilted skit we call a justice system plays to the very stages we erect.Lord Black, or Conrad as I know him, has been targeted by a showbiz prosecutor in the States and it’s interesting t... Full Story

Viewpoint: Inconvenient truths extend to Downtown

The bubble of deceit, pretense and political correctness called Harm Reduction has been burst by the United Nations drug control agency. A stern warning to Health Minister Tony Clement declares that Canada having signed the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is flouting international drug cont... Full Story

Comstock: Old Town Toronto is winning recognition

Before SARS, before Amalgamation, before 9/11, the southeast Downtown of Toronto began to organize itself as a district within the city. How can we bring improvements to the neighbourhood if we are all reading different manuals? We were a long way from being on the same page. There were heritage fol... Full Story

Frank Touby: Tories: Aristocrats, Wannabes or Butlers

Some of you are going to be very offended by this and for that, I’m sorry and I apologize in advance. Because if you’re offended, it’s likely that you’re not among the people I’m going to describe, despite your political label. In some cases you’re just following in the footsteps of your family who ... Full Story

Viewpoint: Quay to the City: Some concerns from a resident/owner

The purpose of this memo is to outline the reasons why I believe the Quay to the City promenade concept will be a mistake for the City of Toronto.  As well I have concerns about some of the other elements of the Quay to the City design that will adversely affect residents and visitors.My understandi... Full Story

Comstock: Tax free parking everywhere, including malls

As Mayor Miller contemplates the heady new powers of the City of Toronto Act, his first pronouncement was, why not punish Downtown neighbourhoods with a new tax on parking? Taxing only Downtown’s already high-priced parking is harmful to the economic development of a vibrant, diversified core. This ... Full Story

Frank Touby: David, please be as good as you look

With our recycled more powerful mayor and genuine new decision-making powers for council, we have every reason to expect city hall to turn around this new year. There are a number of things that haven’t been addressed by council in any effective way and with a decided majority of councilors supporti... Full Story

Toronto Dollar founder keeps the faith

At a recent conference on climate change, experts and scientists declared unequivocally that catastrophic times are upon us. One physicist at the University of Toronto said it was already too late.  The Titanic has hit the iceberg. Huge disasters of climate change have already arrived and more are i... Full Story

Changes at 51 Div. CPLC

Why get involved in community policing? Let’s see. It’s a venue for information exchange between my neighbours and the police. A chance for a good bitch session. It’s an opportunity to publicize policing strategies to the community. A chance for cop wannabees to sit closer to the sun (once a month).... Full Story

Yes, you’re reading this right: Comstock praises the NDP

All Toronto media completely missed a big story of the Dec. 12 provincial legislature’s meeting.The most amazing thing that morning was the opposition gallery and many other seats packed with 60-70 members of neighbourhood business organizations (BIAs) from across Toronto. They were viewing Ontario ... Full Story

Viewpoint: Tory cancer chemical stance disappoints

Prevent Cancer Now (PCN), a national, non-profit coalition of health, environment, labour and other organizations today expressed disappointment with the federal government’s chemical management announcement.  Citing the government’s Chemicals Management Plan website, the group said the so-called pl... Full Story

Don't tear down the Gardiner: YQNA

York Quay Neighbourhood Association wrote to Toronto Star columnist Glen Murray with comments and questions about the Gardiner Expressway, which was his topic on Dec. 3, 2006.It’s always interesting to hear new ideas on the Gardiner Expressway that runs through our neighbourhood. On the waterfront, ... Full Story

Liberals: a united party? Or unite and party?

I attended this weekend’s convention as a delegate for Stéphane Dion, and a reporter for The Bulletin Online, and I’ll say this for the Liberals: they can throw a party. Political folklore has it that you go to Conservative conventions to get drunk, NDP conventions to get stoned, and Liberal convent... Full Story

Comstock: NDP Waffles as problems pile like pancakes

The NDP was founded in 1961. The party has had six leaders: T. C. Douglas (1961-71), David Lewis (1971-75), Ed Broadbent (1975-89), Audrey McLaughlin (1989-95), Alexa McDonough (1995-2003) and Jack Layton (2003-present). The federal NDP has averaged 15.4% of the vote, which is enough to influence Ca... Full Story

Sometimes a bureaucrat can be a public treasure

No matter who gets elected, it’s the civil service who actually are the government. At the most intrusive array of their powers and tasks, they’re the ones who’ll chase you for taxes, stuff you in prison, confiscate your property, even shoot you dead if they think you’re resisting enough to warrant ... Full Story

Viewpoint: Meet the 'Meth'

Our friends in St. Lawrence may or may not wish to hear how some Corktowners are coping with Mr. Gupte’s methadone business that moved from their neighbourhood to ours about three months ago.At the September meeting of the Corktown Residents & Business Association, several people who lived and/o... Full Story

Viewpoint: It's time for a change on Queen East – we need a BIA

We are a group of business people who have been working together for the past two years to form a Business Improvement Area (“BIA”) on Queen St. East. We have all experienced the problems in the area: concerns about safety, the appearance of the street, the effect of these issues on our businesses, ... Full Story

Viewpoint: Shapcott on Pitfield's panhandling pan

Anti-panhandling bylaw: Is it legal?Toronto municipal politician Jane Pitfield has proposed a “quality of life” bylaw to ban panhandling. The law courts have ruled that there is “expressive content” in begging that is protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In plain language, people are ... Full Story

Steve screws Toronto

READ THIS AND WEEP: CLICK HERE

Beancounters disgrace themselves

A fetid storm of outrage has blown ill at the beancounters’ biggest labour union, aka the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, as their “ethics” watchdog committee farted out the clearance on charges of accounting wrongdoing of former city hall sexpot Wanda Liczyk, the somewhat potato-fac... Full Story

Our Guardian Angels: A blessing or a curse?

Received with high fives from pedestrians, bells ringing on passing streetcars, waves from drivers and scattered applause, the controversial (only-in-Toronto) Guardian Angels began their patrols of Downtown July 13. A dozen or so sauntered from Billboard Central at Dundas and Yonge to what residents... Full Story

Viewpoint: Our bland, blond hope

He was our great blond hope: The man with the broom; the man who was going to make a clean sweep at city hall and rid us of the civil-service ineptitude and backdoor dealings that peppered the place under the Mel Lastman regime in the nasty wake of Mike Harris’ unwanted Amalgamation.The Bad Old Boys... Full Story

Mike Comstock: BIAs are spicing up our core

It’s back-to-school season and once again the weather turned just as St. Lawrence Market’s Buskerfest was in swing.Downtown East was popping with street events this summer. There was a large turn out at Quay to Toronto, to see the style of street architecture that will be used to improve the waterfr... Full Story

Viewpoint: The Docks and the Islanders

In a classic piece of tabloid journalism, the Toronto Sun and radio hotline shows blamed Islanders when the Docks lost their liquor license on Monday, July 24th. In fact, the Docks had no one to blame but themselves.The origin of the dispute goes back almost to the time the complex was built over t... Full Story

Frank Touby: Pols erect ‘money siphons’ to suck out taxes

The recent raise for Toronto’s dysfunctional city council—a curse of the previous provincial government that was operated by yokels—is mere peanuts, according to my friend Slovo the shoemaker.He says he knows exactly why many politicians are willing to raise and spend vast sums of money and devote h... Full Story

Viewpoint: Queen E. BIA is a sucker’s bet

Business improvement areas or BIAs have existed in Toronto since the ‘70s. Back then, BIAs were chiefly concerned with beautifying their business streetscapes to attract shoppers.Merchants determined which projects they wanted to undertake, they approved a budget for the projects and directed the ci... Full Story

Mike Comstock: Local merchants are dying out

Is Toronto still a city of neighbourhoods? That was one of the mottos that seemed to fit, at least, I had hope that it was true. I get the idea of a giant metropolis which is made up of more personable small towns, neighbourhoods that you can know and understand. Over the years I have had the pleasu... Full Story

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