Canada’s internationally respected Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is resigning that post and leaving the cabinet. He will return to the private sector, he said. Mr. Flaherty released  a statement late Tuesday saying he feels fulfilled. Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement of his own, saying he had accepted Flaherty’s decision “with great reluctance.” Flaherty said the decision to leave politics is unrelated to his health, but is instead simply “the right decision for me and my family at this time.” Flaherty, the member for Whitby-Oshawa has suffered for some time from a painful skin disease.  It is apparently not fatal but is very uncomfortable. Flaherty’s replacement will be named Wednesday.  

A resident of Scarth Road (Rosedale) reports to police that between 8.30 and 10.30 p.m. on Monday, March 17, 2014, a mink coat was removed from a restaurant in the area of Yonge Street and King Street East.  This is not a nice St. Patrick’s thing to do. 

Mayor Ford has had another one of his “You may be perfect but I’m not” moments outside City Hall Saturday. He was blithering away and unloading vulgar verbal stink bombs in front of kids. The story is all complete from reporter Natalie Johnson except to say that whatever the mayor’s bleeped outburst some bystanders found it hilarious, as you can tell from loud guffaws off camera. It’s instructive that the lady whose 13-year-old shot this video opened her shouted remarks to the mayor by saying she thought he was “awesome.” Certainly. And the mayor used his “I guess you don’t drink” trick on Ms.Johnson but she didn’t fall for it. We were only a moment of petulance away from — all together now — “You may be perfect, but I’m not.”  

Josh Matlow (Ward 22) has announced that Toronto has signed a ten-year lease on the Hodgson Senior Public School Ice Rink on Davisville Ave. The rink is one of a few artificially supported outdoor rinks in the city and has been out of use this season– at least officially — because of needed repairs to the aging facility. But with the Toronto District School Board’s agreement to lease the rink, the City will now proceed with an estimated $2 million in repairs. It expects to have Hodgson Rink back in service for the fall of 2014. The lease also has a two year notice clause which means it seems likely that the rink will be in service for at least 12 years. It sits on TDSB property and Hodgson is an aging structure. Built in 1915, it’s nearly a century old. The future of the present school building probably can’t be predicted much beyond the term of the lease. Any decision to replace it or make major changes would probably mean the end of the rink at that site. 

Three are dead and two in hospital after apparent carbon monoxide poisoning in a Brampton Home. Propane heaters were brought into the house to keep it warm after the furnace stopped working over the weekend. CBC

A Lawrence Park home on Daneswood Road was broken into March 15, 2014 between the hours of 6.24 p.m. and 8.28 p.m. Those precise times suggest an alarm system recorded comings and goings. Let’s hope there’s a video capture. Removed was a quantity of jewellery and watches.  Also in 53 Division, a resident of Hillhurst Boulevard reports that between March 7, 2014 at 1 p.m. and March 14, 2014 at 6 p.m. entry was gained to the premises by forcing a window. Removed was a quantity of computer equipment and watches.

The Tea Emporium is downsizing from the large premises it has at the corner of Eglinton Ave. W. and Braemare Ave. west of Avenue Road (inset). The company will move to a smaller storefront at 369 Eglinton West. The Tea Emporium is a retailer and wholesaler of tea. It’s Eglinton location has also operated as a tea shop for about a decade. The company had a location on Bayview Ave. where Tori and Cates Cupcakes now operate.  Many people will know the Tea Emporium from their location in the Loblaws complex on the ground floor of the old Maple Leaf Gardens at College and Church Streets.   

The Rosedale Main Street Business Improvement Association has announced it will repeat its successful Rosedale Art Fair. The fair will be held Saturday, May 31 from 11a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, June 1 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.. The event will feature the work of emerging artists at participating Rosedale stores and restaurants. The location is Scrivener Square where as many as 40 artists will be featuring their work.

So China abstained on the UN vote to condemn the Russian referendum in Crimea.  It declares its support of Ukraine territorial integrity. What a surprise. In fact, the Beijing politburo doesn’t give a fig about Ukraine. It does care (obsessively) about anything that permits parts of countries to secede. Canada never has to worry about China having a democratically-elected Quebec separatist for tea in the Middle Kingdom. No, no. You only have to mention possible separation of (insert a name) to give the un-elected big boys in China a terrible rash.