The thrilling discovery by sonar photography of a ship of the ill-fated Franklin expedition has been announced by Prime Minister Harper. Canadian explorers found the well-preserved wreck on the seabed where had drifted after being sunk by crushing ice. The tragic 1845 expedition to find the Northwest  Passage had been one of the most enduring historical mysteries of the country.  Sir John Franklin and his crew of 128 in the British ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror all perished in the venture. They became part of native mythology and tales of cannibalism. It is not yet known which of the two ships has been found. “I am delighted to announce that this year’s Victoria Strait expedition has solved one of Canada’s greatest mysteries, with the discovery of one of the two ships belonging to the Franklin Expedition,” the Prime Minister said in a statement. “Finding the first vessel will no doubt provide the momentum – or wind in our sails – necessary to locate its sister ship and find out even more about what happened to the Franklin Expedition’s crew.”

It may be penetrating the public mind that the Toronto International Film Festival is among the longest events on record to be scrutinized by local all-news television. TIFF is not treated by television like a two-week session of the mid-wives association. It’s puckish to ponder if the mid-wives would cloy as quickly as TIFF does under CP24’s “official station” attention.  This year events have conspired to make it worse. There’ s no other news so it must seem like a blessing at the Bell owned-broadcaster and TIFF benefactor (Bell Light Box) to dump it back to the red carpet of the instant.  But there are bright spots. This morning the usual ennui (as song writers say) was briefly lifted when the stars came out and just drove off without stopping. David Cronenberg signed a few autographs and then waved goodbye. Goodbye David. Love your movies now and then. So sorry we could not be there to say goodbye personally.  TIFF runs to the 14th.