Toronto condo sales slow but single-family homes steady
Barenaked Ladies’ keyboardist alleges Morrisseau forgery
$27 million annually in property taxes from casino complex
France: Love-child minister “had 8 boyfriends”
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The stunning public European debt crisis is a world-wide scandal but these days Euro readers are more intrigued by the sensational details of a paternity suit involving the apparently busy love life of the woman who was the first female finance minister of France. The svelte Eurocrat is 47-year-old Rachida Dati. The target of the action alleges that Dati was seeing up to eight boyfriends at around the time she had a love child three years ago. Multi-millionaire businessman Dominique Desseigne, 68, is refusing to take a DNA test after being accused of being the girl’s dad. Ms Dati has gone to court to try and get him to admit that he fathered Zohra, now three, during a passionate encounter in 2008. The alleged boyfriends included a TV host, a minister, a chief executive officer, a Spanish prime minister, a brother of Nicolas Sarkozy, a Qatari Attorney General and the heir to a luxury goods empire, says an article in Le Monde.
Abduction attempt near Summerhill-Whitehall
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Toronto Police Service report: A 21 year old male reports that on November 3, 2012 at approximately 0200 hours, he was in the area of Summerhill Avenue and Whitehall Road, when two male suspects in a vehicle approached him. The suspects ordered the victim to their motor vehicle. The victim made good his escape. The suspects then fled the scene westbound on Summerhill Avenue. No injuries were sustained by the victim. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following described persons in connection with this offence. Description of Suspect #1: Male, white, 25 to 29 years, 6’0”, 180 pounds, medium build. Suspect #2: Male, white, 25 to 29 years, 6’0”, 180 pounds, brown short hair, medium build.
TTC chief Byford wants a straphanger’s charter
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Andy Byford is out to codify just what TTC riders can and should expect from their transit service. The boss of all bus, subway and streetcar service wants to publish a customer charter that will spell out to riders what they can expect from their transit agency. Some people think that should include a pledge to make the trains and other transit vehicles run on schedule. Mr. Byford wants to see a public undertaking on what the company will strive to achieve in terms of punctuality, reliability, cleanliness and helpfulness from staff. He will also specify promises that the TTC will deliver on. Go Andy.
Bayview area MPPs contest Liberal leadership
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MPP Glen Murray has declared himself in the contest to become leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. Mr Murray (left) is the member for Toronto-Centre (Rosedale). He joins his Bayview area colleague Kathleen Wynne (right) in the political joust to take over the minority government left behind by the resignation of Dalton McGuinty. She is the member for Don Valley West which includes Leaside and areas to the east and north. Mr. Murray made his announcement a day after stepping down as minister of training, colleges and universities. The event was a lively gathering held at Maple Leaf Gardens. The candidate is a former Mayor of Winnipeg and was elected to the Legislature in a 2010 byelection. Ms Wynne resigned from the cabinet last week in preparation for an announcement expected this week. Other possible candidates include former cabinet minster Sandra Pupatello. Previous post IKEA Town — home of flat-pack furniture
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To mark the 25th anniversary of IKEA in the UK, reporter Harry Wallop travels to Almhult in Sweden, where the flat-pack furniture revolution began.
PM Harper on his way to India trade mission
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The prime minister has taken off for trade mission to India, the second visit Mr. Haprer has made to that country. He is accompanied by Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, Joe Oliver, Minister of Natural Resources, Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport), and Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), as well as representatives of the business and cultural sectors The trip will also see stops in the Philippines and Hong Kong before arriving in New Delhi.
Creaky old “Sonic” hall goes back into mothballs
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The hopelessly unwanted Masonic Temple seemed to have found a real use when CTV purchased it in the 90s to have a “downtown” location like CHUM. Now CTV is owned by Bell Media and Bell owns CHUM’s jewel at 99 Queen Street West. Who needs the Sonic Hall any more? So the Sonic (as it came to be known) at Yonge St. and Davenport Rd. will go into moth balls at least for the time being. Story
Huge crane lifts generator to roof of RioCan office
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The redoubtable real estate and management firm RioCan may be feeling a little vulnerable to the electrical service. But in any case, they had a very big crane out on Eglinton Ave. W. at Yonge Street Saturday for the purpose of lifting a diesel operated generator into place. This unit will provide uninterrupted power in the event of Hydro outages like those the other night. RioCan is, as many will know, the owner of the Sunnybrook Plaza and the Leaside Centre at Eglinton Ave. E and Laird where Canadian Tire is located.
Hundreds on Heather’s Walk in South Bayview
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Several hundred happy people marched through South Bayview Saturday morning in Heather’s Walk for Homelessness. It was a heartfelt response to the life and work of Heather Scholer, a supporter of the advocacy body known as Raising the Roof. It is dedicated to ending homelessness. Their target was to raise $10,000 and it appears they were well on their way by this morning. Each walker wore a Heather Button (inset). Here was see three friends as the group passed through Moore Ave at Orchard Green. The whole route went from the Granite Brewery at Eglinton Ave. E. and Mt Pleasant Rd. southbound to Carstowe Rd. and through Moore Park via Maclennan Ave. and Welland Ave. to Moore. Thence the walkers went up South Bayview, and back along Eglinton to the starting point. Healthy. Return to Standard Time 2 am Sunday
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Daylight Saving Time ends tonight. Clocks are scheduled to “Fall Back” one hour at 2 am. Sunday.
Bloomberg forced to call off New York Marathon
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A revolt by ordinary citizens and political supporters has forced Mayor Bloomberg to cancel the New York Marathon. New Yorkers have been revolted by the idea of police and city staff assigned to build tents, keep order and provide generators for the big run at the same time people in the New York suburbs are freezing in the dark.