The Bulldog

GAP falls between the cracks as shoppers head elsewhere

by  • 

GAP, the trendiest clothes retailer of Y2K, will lock the door at 175 stores across North America including an unknown number of its 90 Canadian locations. In recent years, the appeal of the company’s goods faded somewhere along the way. although its Old Navy brand continues to do well. Gap Inc. also owns Banana Republic. The first GAP stores to go total 140 and will close this fiscal year. A further 35 will close later. Sources at the GAP specifically refused to say what is happening in Canada except that there will be closures. The San Francisco company also is closing an undisclosed number of stores in Europe. And it’s cutting jobs at its headquarters in an attempt to make the operation faster and more decisive. GAP has stores at Fairview Mall, First Canadian Place, on Queen Street W., Yonge Street and Yorkdale Shopping Centre. GAP also has seven Baby GAP stores similarly located in Toronto but the company has not mentioned this brand.

 

“World needs more Canadas” says Bono after meetings

by  • 

Cirque du Soleil talks of Pan Am Games opening ceremony

by  • 

Mounties long arm did undercover work in Mogadishu

by  • 

amanda-500

L to r: Ali Omar Ader, Amanda Lindhout, RCMP assistant commissioner James Malizia

The arrest of Ali Omar Ader in Ottawa for the 2008 kidnapping of a Canadian woman in Somalia reveals a long and tricky arm of the RCMP.  Ader was the “main negotiator”” according to the victim, Amanda Lindhout, for the nasty band that kidnapped, raped and abused her during a year-long ordeal in Mogadishu. Mountie deputy commissioner James Malizia would only say the case was “complex.” No doubt. The Mounties had operatives in Somalia and they won’t even say if the Mogadishu government knew about it. How did they get Ader to come to Ottawa where it was no doubt a stunning surprise to him when he was arrested? Did we say tricky?  Ader was taken into custody on June 11 by the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team right in the capital.  He is charged with kidnapping and hostage-taking and appeared in court by video link Friday.  CBC.

Hudson’s Bay buys German department store chain

by  • 

Toronto Star 

Informed information about South Korean MERS outbreak

by  • 

There is work to do, but this expert suggests South Korean authorities are getting their act together to end this outbreak of a disease which originates in camels in the mideast.

City slowly waking up to the march of monster mailboxes

by  • 

boxes

The Toronto City government appears to be slowly waking up to the arrival of community mailboxes. An Ontario court concluded last week that Canada Post can put the boxes just about anywhere it likes.. That decision came from the valiant effort by Hamilton to get control over the march of these boxes, some of them the size of bus shelters. Whatever unchallenged right Canada Post has had to put boxes anywhere dates from the 19th Century. Community mailboxes will occupy an amount of land that was completely unanticipated by the government when the post office was formed. It represents a huge task to make sure these installations are safe and well-maintained. The City is now going to tell Canada Post about these concerns but it has been slow to wake up to the march of the community mailboxes. Canada Post says it intends to end door to door delivery in South Bayview in 2017. There’s also what appears to be clear departure from fair and equal treatment of all Canadians required by the constitution as the Post Office says it will continue door to door-to-door delivery in perpetuity to downtown neighbourhoods. How nice for them.

Hospital generating most MERS cases in South Korea

by  • 

Authorities have isolated an entire hospital in Seoul after it became clear the institution was the epicentre of the continuing MERS outbreak. The SARS-like disease got its start in Saudi Arabia where it is generally said to be under control. In South Korea MERS is not spreading because it is confined to the hospitals, just as SARS was confined to Toronto hospitals in the final days of the 2003 epidemic. But it also appears that through management issues too many people are catching the disease in the hospital;. Toronto Sun

Keswick youth, 19, gives up in hit-run death on Avenue Rd

by  • 

Police have arrested a 19-year-old man from Keswick in connection with the hit-and-run death of a cyclist shortly before midnight Saturday. The cyclist was 26. The accused driver is identified as Mitchell Irwin of Keswick.  Police say he turned himself in  (Sunday, June 14, 2015) .The call for help went out about 11.20 p.m. to Avenue Rd. and Davenport Rd.  Police said the cyclist was attempting to turn east onto Davenport from southbound Avenue Rd. (a left-hand turn) and was struck by a northbound white 2015 Hyundai. The cyclist was taken to hospital  but later died there. In a final request police are asking for information from anyone who can say just where the car was located between the time of the accident and later Sunday.

Rain-soaked City asking what’s with the sloppy weather

by  • 

Remember how February was a write-off because it never warmed up once during the whole month? We could always take solace in the prospect a sunny June, right? Well, maybe not. Here we are at the 14th and it has been wet, wet wet so far this month. This weekend as supposed to be nice. Next week? It looks pretty chancy too. Weather Network 

CGS young minds stimulated by challenges of Science

by  • 

science-cgs-550

Left, a young scientist answers questions. Right, awards for ease and clarity of presentation

If you visit CGS in Leaside, there is a good chance you may catch the students doing science experiments — whether it be “making” blood, deciding which boat will sink or float or how a catapult works — CGS students love the challenge of their hands-on science lessons. The CGS Science Fair is a chance for students who are particularly interested in asking scientific questions to delve a little deeper. The Fair is open to Senior Kindergarten through Grade 3 students. The children set up their displays in the gym and classes come to visit one by one to browse the fair and ask questions of the presenters. A panel of four judges spent time with each student to learn about their projects. Demonstrating their knowledge, without looking at their written work, was a large part of the evaluation process. The students who were able to explain their work with the most clarity, understanding and enthusiasm were recognized for their efforts with a first place win. A winner was declared for the SK/Grade 1 category and for the Grade 2-3 category. Congratulations go out to all the participants!

science-banner

Columnist says Justin in a tight corner as election looms

by  • 

john

John Ibbitson

It catches the attention when someone says the federal election is merely four months away. So notes John Ibbitison as former Toronto police chief Bill Blair is nominated to run for the Liberals in Scarborough Southwest. This augurs well for the Liberals in that constituency but it is Mr. Ibbitson’s contention that the Justin Trudeau Liberals are in a tight spot if they hope to form the government Ibittson’s focus is on Quebec where the Mulcair New Democrats continue to keep voter loyalty in ridings they won under the late Jack Layton. If the Liberals can’t break through in Quebec, says Ibbitson, they can’t win a majority. Take a look at his guesstimates about national support. John Ibbitson, Globe and Mail