Now the bureaucracy which was a gift to the people wants to start piling up debt to make your waterfront wonderful. Globe and Mail (Photo by evaingesl, Flickr)
Waterfront TO spent $11,565 EACH for umbrellas
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DVP, Bayview ext are re-opened after flooding
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Those perpetual catch basins the Don Valley Parkway at Dundas St. and the Bayview extension at Bloor Street are open Thursday morning after last night’s flooding. The Toronto Star (and the police) say it’s okay to plan a route down there. Also today, there is World Cup news with the United States facing off against Germany at noon while Portugal goes up against Ghana. Two other games — Algeria vs. Russia and South Korea vs. Belgium — will go at 4 p.m.
Flooding, cars stranded, power out in East York
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All across Toronto, and especially it seems right here in South Bayview, the rivers and streams are unable to handle the rain we have had over the past few days. This picture from Twitter shows a vehicle — one of three — and a man rescued from the flooded parking lot of Sunnybrook near Leslie Street and Eglinton Ave. E. The Don Valley Parkway is closed between the Gardiner and at Don Mills Road. Bayview Ave. is flooded and closed at Bloor St tonight. And Toronto Hydro has reported that some 3,000 customers are without power near Woodbine Ave. and O’ Connor Road Conditions seem similar and as unpredictable as July of 2013, when a GO train was half submerged and stranded on tracks beside the river. Tonight, thankfully, there are no trains in the waters of the Don. But the weather ambushed all sorts of people. Ten kayakers had to be rescued from the Humber River. Police are saying that the Don is an estimated ten feet higher than normal. And there is localized flooding all across Toronto. People who are out tonight may be a while getting home as traffic moves towards the centre of the city where the roads are still open.
Eli Wallach made big stars like Monroe look good
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Spend a minute with this enjoyable obit of Eli Wallach, a much loved character actor who stamped his mark on dozens of films and made their stars look good. He appeared on television many times as well. Wallach died at 98 this week.
LHS commencement sees visit from Premier
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Leaside High School commencement took place this Wednesday afternoon and the ceremony saw visits from a number of local dignitaries including Premier Wynne, who sits as MPP for Don Valley West, the riding in which the school is located. Spirits were high on twitter and among the new grads were these girls. The poster tweeted a few days ago: I’m Done High School!!! Congratulations to all.
Mt Pleasant Village keeps it simple in the rain
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The Mount Pleasant Village mid-week, mid-season Restaurantacular event took place with enthusiastic umbrella carrying customers tonight (Wednesday June 25, 2014). They keep it simple in the Village BIA with local merchant food-dealers picking three things and pricing them at $2, $4 and $6. If you brought an appetite and don’t mind legging it out along the busy sidewalk you can put together a nice evening’s multi-course meal. That’s what some couples were up to. The South Bayview Bulldog closed in on a couple of PEI Malpeque oysters on the half shell at $2 each. They came with a nice bit of sweet onion on top for flavour. This delicious tidbit is a regular item on the menu at Celestin at Mt. Pleasant and Belsize Dr. Up the street at Pimenton, a good-sized crowd was lined up for servings of the highly-rated Paella. It was getting on for 6.15 and the rain was starting to come down a bit heavier. For an event that was scheduled to run from 4 to 9 p.m. it seemed the Restaurantaclar might be called off early. The umbrellas came out however and business continued. Restaurants with inside seating filled up too. At Penrose Fish and Chips we liked the $6 Halibut and chips sampler to round out the evening’s eating. Excellent as always. Family patriarch Dave Johnston was at the grill as people piled in. Outside, most found a dry space in a doorway of a closed shop to eat. Further south on the west side, Cracked and Smoked was busy as well. They had the for sight to defy the city and put up a small tent so lobster eaters could stay dry. One recent closing to note, that of Belo Bio, the Vegan spot just north of Millwood Rd. The Bulldog crowd is not vegan nor vegetarian but has had a nice dish or two there. The lurid literature denouncing meat (and lobster) consumption was a little unnerving however. Photos from top: Bulldog’s choice of Malpeque oysters from Celestin, umbrellas the order of evening as rain picks up, outside Penrose Fish and Chips, young couple checks out Pimenton Paella Ford seems destined to act as “spoiler” for Tory
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With a few days left before Rob Ford returns to Toronto from his rehabilitation in Muskoka, Forum Research has released a poll that suggests he will continue to be a spoiler for John Tory in the campaign to become mayor. Mr. Ford once again sits at number two in the voter approval numbers, even though Tory has the highest personal approval rating at 61% The numbers above show Forums findings for electoral support. Just how many of those polled will actually vote seems vague. But the numbers follow a pattern set early in the campaign. Many voters who are presumed to be small c conservative have continued to stick with Ford instead of moving to Tory. The phenomenon seems certain to send Ms. Chow to the mayor’s office. She too has a high personal approval rating at 57%. The polls show that 58% of respondents want Mr. Ford to resign. It seems he cannot win the mayoralty but he will nonetheless, by his presence in the race, impact the outcome. It is perhaps evidence of the need for ranked-ballot reform. This method installs a second choice provision on ballots which permits an “instant run-off”. This ensures that the eventual winner is in fact the choice of a majority of the voters. A further factor in the race, however, is Mr. Ford’s erratic and politically perilous behaviour. It is yet possible that he may do something which will finally remove him from contention.
New angle on biting incident shows Chiellini flinch
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Newly available ITV footage taken from a different angle from the ones already seen clearly show Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini reacting to a biting attack by Luis Suarez during yesterday’s game. With 12 minutes remaining and the game tied at 0-0 Suarez can be seen to put his head down on Chiellini’s shoulder at which point the defenseman flinches and throws an arm at Saurez.
Finally some clarity on what’s happening in Egypt
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The sound and fury of yesterday’s reporting from Egypt on the guilty verdict against three members of the Al Jazeera English staff has abated a bit. Good thing. We have a much clearer picture of what is really going on in Egypt from the BBC’s Mohammed Yehia. He explains that there is a highly-inflamed relationship between the new Egyptian government and that of Qatar, which owns Al Jazeera. For right or wrong, the Egyptian army views Al Jazeera as the mouthpiece for the Muslim Brotherhood. The truth or otherwise of this belief doesn’t justify what was done to the three journalists but it makes the context much clearer. It may also remind us of what many people in the West think about Al Jazeera, which is not much. There is further word today the Egyptian president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, will not reverse the court’s decision but will consider a pardon of the men once the appeals are exhausted. This is certainly second best but a hope nonetheless.
Area notables in Liberal government’s new cabinet
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The Liberal government cabinet was sworn in today and successful area members were assigned new jobs. The Premier, Ms. Wynne, will shed the agricultural portfolio. This is not surprising. The assumption of that ministry was seen at the time as an effort by the premier to somehow relate better to rural Ontarians. It may be said without too much research that the plan worked. Eric Hoskins, the member for St. Paul’s, will take over the Health Ministry from Deb Matthews. He is Doctor Hoskins by the way. Matthews will become president of the Treasury Board and add Deputy Premier to her titles. She was a trusted ally of Ms Wynne during the minority days and often got out front to deflect flack from the Premier. Glen Murray, a man The Bulldog said was a temper tantrum a day, will move out of Transportation and into the Environment. Steven Del Duca, the MPP from Vaughan, will try to straighten up the fast-moving ducks in the Scarborough subway shooting gallery. A well-watched and likeable MPP, Mitzi Hunter, inherits one of the most troubling initiatives of the Wynne years — the Ontario Pension Plan. Good luck to her, and to the rest of us. CBC
How about the George Mammoliti Jitney Joint?
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Really, some things are so obvious it takes a politician working overtime to get it wrong. We said this last April when Denzil Minnan-Wong floated his idea to re-name Union Station the John A. MacDonald train place or whatever. It’s just silly. Like naming the Bay Street Bus Terminal the George Mammoliti Jitney Joint. Silly. “Union” is what the place has been called for more than a hundred years. There is a reason for and a purpose to such long-established names. Now it appears the verdict is in and of course no one wants to change the name of Union Station. National Post Previous post
Christine Elliott expected to run for PC leader
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Christine Elliott, widow of the late finance minister Jim Flaherty, will hold a news conference tomorrow (Wednesday, June 25, 2014) to declare her candidacy for leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.