Olympic bid? Say a prayer for common sense and Toronto
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Mayor Tory is said to think that Toronto’s administration of the Pan Am Games sets a fine example with which to bid for the 2024 Olympic Games. He will be correct in all likelihood from the viewpoint of that stern council of Olympic bosses who sit in judgement of municipal supplicants from all over the world. Who can erase the images of weeping losers forced to participate in those grotesque television specials in which the winner is finally declared. Not unlike the cruel spectacles of the Hunger Games. Taxpayers may relate better to knowing that in the past it cost their town millions just to be humiliated in front of a world audience of billions. It’s not the same as losing in the high jump. This defeat comes by the arbitrary fiat of IOC Brahmins in Lausanne.
COST OVERRUNS NOT UNKNOWN IN TORONTO
The City and the Province have indeed produced a series of smooth functioning sites for events, a structure of homes in the Pan Am Village of which to be proud and some nighttime carnivals on Nathan Phillips Square which entertained many. Could Toronto mount the 2024 Olympic Games? Sure. The issue for thoughtful ratepayers will be whether the indebtedness and inconvenience is really necessary. The Olympics, remember, seldom make a profit. The host City is always left holding the bag. God knows, cost overruns are not unknown in Toronto. The mayor says he wants to make a decision ”very quickly”. We think not too quickly would be better, sir. Toronto is facing a tight deadline. Candidates must make an official bid with the International Olympic Committee by Sept. 15.
REMEMBER, THE IOC WOULD BE LUCKY TO HAVE US
Notwithstanding deadlines, the most important Olympic planning issues in debt-ridden Ontario are the cost and the sound judgement of those to be in charge. Ontario is not China, where a wonderful spectacle was produced with the unpaid labour of millions of patriotic people. The profound truth about this blessed place on the Great Lakes is that the IOC will be lucky to come here. Let there be enough good judgement to prevent abuse of the citizens. The HOV lanes on the Gardiner, QEW and Don Valley have been an abomination. The drive to Hamilton has turned into a two-hour stop and go ordeal. No earthly purpose has been served by this product of over-excited planners.
Conservatives leap ahead in new Postmedia election poll
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A new poll shows the Conservative Party is by far the most popular among Canadian voters. The poll was done by Mainstreet Research for Postmedia. It suggests Prime Minister Harper and the Tories received a sharp boost in popularity as a result of the enhanced Universal Child Care Benefit. Among decided voters, the Conservatives lead with 38 per cent support, followed by the NDP at 27 per cent and the Liberals at 25 per cent. The Green party is at six per cent (the Bloc Québécois is at four per cent). One in five voters (20 per cent) remains undecided. Ottawa Citizen
Premier Wynne in summit with teachers union Friday
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Premier Wynne was scheduled to meeting Friday morning (July 24, 2015) with leaders of the Elementary Teachers Federation, the Secondary School Teachers Federation and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. It looks like a kind of Hail Mary Summit. Worried parents can only hope that something will come out of this meeting although it is difficult to see what it might be. Will the Premier say again that there is just no money? The unions claim they don’t want an increase (really?) but there are a lot of things they do want that translate into dollars (like more teachers).
Lamoriello shocks NHL world by jumping to Leafs as GM
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Large owl sends driver, Lexus into ditch near Dundas
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An Ancaster motorist is recovering from serious injuries in a Hamilton hospital after he was apparently driven off the road by a confrontation with a large owl on rural roads Thursday morning. It happened around 1 a.m. on Sulphur Springs Road near Dundas. The vehicle, a Lexus SUV, flipped and crashed into a tree near a sharp bend. The man was trapped in his car for about half an hour before fire crews managed to cut him out. Police originally believed the car hit a deer before crashing but have now confirmed that it was an owl. They are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact them.
Cabbies class action claims Uber is “illegal transportation”
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It is a $400-million suit embracing every taxi operator in Ontario according to the Toronto law firm Sutt Stroberg LLP. It’s not quite clear where the lawyers want to go with their claim that Uber is creating “a marketplace for illegal transportation in Toronto” but it is intriguing. Reuters
Campaign to name Leaside street after Dave Stickney
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Sandra Creighton writing on the Leaside Chit Chat Facebook page is asking friends to help her honour the late Dave Stickney by re-naming Markham Avenue to Stickney Way. Markham Ave. is a short street running from Airdrie Road to Laird Drive. Sandra writes: “Please help us to rename Markham Ave to Stickney Way in honour of Dave Stickney. A group of Dave Stickney’s friends have formed a committee to find ways to honour and remember Sticks who gave so much of himself to the Leaside Community, Leaside High School, Leaside United Church and girls softball (to name a few).” Sandra says Markham is a good candidate for this because it has no addresses on it, so no homes or businesses will be impacted. She intends to canvas the homes Thursday night (July 23, 2015) surrounding Markham Ave. to inform them of this initiative and obtain signatures. A petition is available to sign at Grill Time on Laird for the community to sign if you agree. You can also visit this link to sign online: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/393/820/106/rename-markham-ave-in-leaside-to-stickney-way/
Can Starbuck’s “news” app beat the Bulldog’s news digest?
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Starbucks is touting the addition of the New York Times to its app but what about South Bayview news? Well, we’re going to tell you. The local news in digest form is posted on the Starbuck’s Bulletin board at Bayview and Belsize. Through the kind auspices of the manager and staff, coffee fans can now get a quick, regularly updated digest of news from the South Bayview Bulldog. We thought you’d like to know. Love the espresso.
Worried mom gets help with parking meter from strangers
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This is a very moving story of a mother who took her son to the emergency department at Barrie’s Royal Victoria Hospital and as she waited to see a doctor realized time was ticking by for her car. She posted a message with a local mother’s group on Facebook asking if she would be towed. In short order, many people offered, and did, top up the meter. Bless them all. Hamilton Spectator
Loblaws to close 52 unprofitable stores across Canada
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Loblaws has issued a statement Thursday morning (July 23, 3015) saying it will close 52 unprofitable stores in Canada over the next year. Loblaws has more than 2,000 stores and its locations include Loblaws, Provigo and Extra Foods. It also owns Shoppers Drug Mart. It did not say where the closures might occur but there are unlikely to be many in the Toronto area. In South Bayview, the Redway Rd. store has always seemed under-patronized and it is well off the main street. This is not an asset. Still, it is full of goods and Loblaws has seemed committed to it. Loblaws said the closures will cut its annual sales by roughly $300 million a year, but will result in an improvement of $35 million to $40 million in its operating profits. As reported by Canadian Press, the statement said the closures are expected to cost the company a total of approximately $120 million. Of this amount, a charge of $45 million was taken in the second quarter ended June 20, including $30 million for severance and lease termination costs.
CONSOLIDATED SALES
The release shows the grocery retailer’s consolidated sales rose 2.2 per cent to $10.54 billion from the same quarter last year. The firm said it made a second-quarter profit of $185 million, or 45 cents per share, compared with a loss of $456 million or $1.13 a share a year ago. On an adjusted basis, it said it earned $350 million or 85 cents per share in the quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $297 million or 74 cents per share a year ago. “Looking ahead, the grocery industry remains highly competitive and health-care reform continues to put pressure on our pharmacy business,” company president and executive chairman Galen G. Weston said in the statement.
Astonishing 11-year-old genius prefers to be “just a kid”
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You’re likely to enjoy this well-produced story about Jaxon Cota, an unassuming kid with an IQ of 148 from McKinney Texas. He is staggeringly smart but he just wants to be a kid. His parents agree. Nice.