Spectator

Toronto Police are struggling to catch the couple operating in the west-central part of the City who are committing distraction crimes on elderly people. This time a  79-year-old woman was sitting on the veranda at her home in the Montrose Avenue and College Street West area  A car with a man  and a woman  pulled up near the home The female passenger called the 79-year-old woman over and asked for directions to the Bathurst Street Hospital  She then told the 79-year-old woman that her mother was very sick and asked for her to pray for her mother   She began to place jewelry on the 79-year-old woman  She placed a new necklace over the woman’s head and took her existing necklace off   The car with the male driver and female passenger then drove off   The victim later realized that her necklace was taken  The male driver is described as white.  The female passenger is described as white, in her early 50s, 5’2”, medium-to-heavy build, with short black hair.  The car is described as a silver or light-coloured, possibly a Honda or Volkswagen. Similar Distraction Thefts have been taking place across the Greater Toronto Area. The suspects in these crimes distract the victims by giving them worthless jewelry while stealing expensive jewelry, such as rings and necklaces. The suspects appear to targeting victims who speak little or no English. Police believe there may be other victims.

Sam Hammond, head of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, told inquiring reporters today that it was not possible for the union to meet with government negotiators until Sept 1, because of scheduled union events. “We had this meeting,” Hammond said, referring to Thursday’s teachers meeting in Toronto. He also referenced another meeting in Kingston. In response to a reporter who suggested parents concerns might be more important than the union agenda Hammond said: “I’m not going to address that right now.”  September 1st? What’s the rush?

It is a tentative agreement and ratification vote is some weeks off. Let’s hope for the best. Even Thursday morning, Paul Elliot, president of the secondary teachers federation. was talking as if a strike were moments away. He excoriated the government and school boards for their “inexcusable radical management rights agenda.”  It was an angry speech to school teachers about “the war on working people.” Also Thursday morning, Sam Hammond, head of the elementary teachers union, made a fiery speech to some members. He railed against school principals and others who wanted to make decisions about testing. This was apparently well-received by the elementary teachers present. He said that if the government did  not accede to union wishes it was in for the fight of its life. Hamilton Spectator