Canadian Press says Shoppers Drug Mart has received Health Canada’s approval to be a licensed medical marijuana producer, opening the door for the pharmacy chain owned by Loblaw to dispense medical cannabis to patients. Shoppers applied for this authorization in October 2016. Shoppers media person Catherine Thomas said the firm believes pharmacists “have an important role to play in the safe and informed use of medical cannabis, and this is the first step in our journey to provide medical cannabis to our patients. We will share more information about our plans in the coming weeks.”

Last lighted home on Sutherland heading east

High winds caused scattered outages in Leaside and Davisville Friday evening. The lights remained off along parts of Sutherland Dr. east of Bessborough Dr. as well as on Southea Ave., Astor Ave. and Rolph Rd. Across the City, an early estimate of those hit by blackouts was about 8,000 customers. Toronto Hydro says homes in the Annex, Leaside, Yorkville and Etobicoke, just south of Highway 401 are off grid. There are also power failures in part of the GTA Region. The Toronto Hydro outage map suggested a widespread blackout in north and south Leaside including Bennington Heights. But lights appear to be on there and in most places.

Duplex and Alexandria

Hard luck for this driver

William Mack, principal of North Toronto Collegiate Institute, sent home the following letter to parents. It is intact except for links and unrelated forthcoming events.

Student Demonstration
Today, many North Toronto students, as well as students across the province, participated in a demonstration to express their views about recent provincial changes to the Physical and Health Education Curriculum (HPEC). They also highlighted concerns regarding Indigenous Education, following the cancellation of provincial summer writing projects as well as issues concerning LGBTQ+ youth. While there are no changes to the Physical and Health Education Curriculum used in secondary schools, the Ministry of Education requires all school boards, including the TDSB, to use the re-issued 2010 HPEC for grades 1 through 8

It is important to note that the Ontario government’s upcoming review of the HPEC will include consultations. Details are not yet available, but once finalized, these will be widely shared. At TDSB, Aboriginal perspectives are infused in the curriculum for all students. Direct wrap-around supports are provided to enhance the overall achievement of First Nation, Métis and Inuit students throughout the TDSB.

The demonstration began at 1:00 pm and continued until 3:00 pm.  To be clear, this was not a school or TDSB event. Staff did not actively participate in the students’ demonstration. The majority of students were in the building and in classrooms throughout the afternoon, and learning did continue for those students. One of the very top priorities at our school is safety. To that end, organizing students co-operated with staff to ensure the well-being of all those participating. School administration and other staff were present to ensure that students were safe throughout the demonstration.

This was a peaceful event. As a school, we encourage students to be well-informed about issues in our society, to think critically, and to express themselves respectfully and responsibly in articulating views they may have. Our students did just that and we are confident that in the days and weeks ahead they will continue to conduct themselves in this way.  I would like to thank our vice-principals who supervised this afternoon’s gathering as well as the many staff who supported us in supervising the school throughout the afternoon.

At its core, today’s demonstration proved to be an excellent way for students to get involved with civic engagement at a young age, exercise their autonomy and learn about the power of a young voice.  As always, we remain proud of our students for their spirit and passion.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at the school.

William Mack
Principal
North Toronto Collegiate Institute

 

As the afternoon progresses, winds are picking up across the City. The forecast is for strong southwesterly wind gusts of 70 to 80 km/h into the early evening. There may be higher gusts and thunderstorms. These strong winds are associated with a cold front that will track over the area late this afternoon and early this evening. As well, says Environment Canada, northwest winds gusting to 60 or 70 km/h are also expected this evening after the cold front passes. Winds will then diminish overnight.

Russian Arm

Business end

Finished unlike any Mercedes

Mean

Large crew

A few people for lunch

A television ad for a Netherlands Insurance firm was being shot Friday on Bessborough Drive. Where else? It has employed a mean-looking vehicle called by its owners the Russian Arm. It was parked on Airdrie Rd. when The South Bayview Bulldog snapped these shots. It is clearly designed to take “flying shots” of all types. We suspect the chairs and tables set out on a couple of lawns would be the likely crowd scene. A caterer was preparing food. The Russian Arm is black to the brake linings and finished in a “zippered” metal unlike any vehicle seen before, presumably to prevent glare. The insurer is said to be making its debut in Canada.

Walk out beside Leaside High School

Leaside High School students stayed out of class after lunch Friday to demonstrate primarily about the sex education curriculum. There were one or two impassioned speeches in the playing field beside the school and then a march down Bayview Ave. (video below). Shoppers, merchants and patio slouches were informed and possibly entertained by the orderly group. They shouted “No ignorance, no hate, don’t go back to 98.”

On the hill

Recalling rapper Tupac Shakur

There were placards bearing various sentiments. Indigenous rights in general was noted. One placard said “We are the future,” which is indisputable. Some who demonstrated as teens from earlier generations may have reflected on how the perceived future has a way of working out in a way that’s often unforseen. One gentleman in the Starbucks patio averred with a political slur on teachers that the students should not have been let out of class. All in all it was a reminder of how teens wish to express themselves. It must be reported however that some merely went home. The walk out was mirrored across the province at other schools. 

Ontario’s new finance minister says the previous Liberal government has saddled the province with a $15 billion deficit this year, more than $8 billion larger than indicated in the former government’s budget this Spring. Finance Minister Vic Fedeli announced the figure Friday morning in revealing the results of an independent inquiry into accounting practices under the Liberals. “The hole is deep and it will require everyone to make sacrifices without exception,” said Fedeli in a speech delivered to a business audience in Toronto. CBC

De Blue Jays stonden 8-2 achter tegen de Rays in de 9de inning. De inning eindigt met een Justin Smoak #Walkoff homerun 💣💥🔥#BlueJays #MLB #SportAm ⚾️⚾️⚾️pic.twitter.com/qtk787gq4I

— Lars (@LarsLeeftink) September 21, 2018

Justin Smoak capped off an astonishing ninth inning comeback to give the Blue Jays a 9-8 walk-off win against the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday night. Smoak hit a solo blast to cap off a seven-run ninth inning as Toronto rallied to a 9-8 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. The comeback tied the largest ninth-inning rally in Blue Jays history, matching their 11-10 win over the Los Angeles Angels on July 30, 2017. TSN

A smoky scrapyard fire fed by tires and cars continues to burn in Mississauga.

A Durham Region woman, Victoria Munroe, fell asleep on the ride home from Toronto last June and when she woke up at 1.30 a.m. she was locked in the GO train. Ms Munroe, 27, saw that she had 16 unanswered calls on her cell from her boyfriend. Some commenting on Twitter have asked if the phone was on silent.  What’s known is that GO Transit failed to follow procedure and go through the train to make sure it was empty before being locked. The woman was able to call her boyfriend who then found a GO agent who took action. Munroe was released 45 minutes after she called her boyfriend. The train was parked in the Whitby yard. The protocol of checking trains and buses for stray passengers may not be done diligently. Last fall a 4-year-old Windsor girl was left on a school bus because an end-of-line check was not done. Windsor school bus driver fired as child left in locked lot

Councillor Josh Matlow, running in the new Ward 12 (St. Paul’s), is urging the City to find ways in which it can appeal lower court decisions to approve the Ontario government’s legislation to reduce the size of Toronto Council. He says the fight should be taken to the Supreme Court of Canada if necessary. He also proposes federal legislation to permit Toronto, and other Canadian municipaltiies, independence from the current constitutional provision which makes municipalities creatures of the provinces. He describes such a provision as a City Charter.

Pussy Riot demonstration at World Cup

Anthony Helinski put daughter in toy machine

Constable Scarecrow

German doctors say there is a “high plausibility” that a member of the Russian protest group Pussy Riot, who was taken ill in Russia last week, was poisoned. Fingers are pointing at Vladimr Putin who is said to be furious with the band’s on-field demonstration during the World Cup in Russia. Then, a Massachusetts school teacher has been charged with child endangerment after video showed him putting his toddler daughter into a game machine at a New Hampshire mall and using her to steal prizes. Finally, meet Constable Scarecrow, a paper, plastic, hunk of signage that looks like a cop with a radar gun. The City of Coquitlam is deploying PC Scarecrow. Watch out.