Courtesy Bob Arsenault

Police say injuries were minor at this 8.30 a.m. collision Sunday at Eglinton and Bayview Aves. No need to explain that conditions are confusing, and they change too. These two drivers didn’t get the right of way sorted out as they were making a turn.

BOTULISM SUSPECTED IN LARGE DUCK KILL

As many as 30 ducks and a heron were found dead on Woodbine Beach Sunday morning. The suspected cause of botulism caused by bacteria in Lake Ontario. Avian botulism is a paralytic disease found in waterfowl.

Valérie Plante declared mayor of Montreal #mtlpoli #decision2017
READ MORE: https://t.co/QuugSmNU6V pic.twitter.com/AbUPB82AJg

— Global Montreal (@Global_Montreal) November 6, 2017

A year ago, she was unknown to most Montrealers. On Sunday, she was elected the City’s first woman mayor. Valérie Plante’s meteoric rise to the city’s top job was as remarkable as it seemed unlikely just a year ago, when she wasn’t even considered a top contender to take the helm of the Projet Montreal.

Queen Elizabeth II

Stephen Bronfman and Justin Trudeau

A leak to a German newspaper of the registries of 19 tax havens and two offshore service providers is being said to embroil hundreds of famous people and organizations in sensational financial dealings relating mostly to income taxes not paid. Among those named are Her Majesty (whose office says she had no idea) and Prime Minister Trudeau’s money raiser, Seagram’s heir Stephen Bronfman. As many as 3,000 Wealthy Canadian are named  Among those in the records with some connection to offshore accounts are former Canadian prime ministers Brian Mulroney, Paul Martin and Jean Chretien. The leak is called the Paradise Papers by cunning journalists for the luxurious world of those caught up in the expose. Canada Revenue Agency is quoted as saying it will track down and prosecute any wrongdoing but as the CBC report below suggests, this may all be perfectly legal.

• Trudeau’s chief fundraiser linked to Cayman Islands tax scheme
• Paradise Papers: Tax haven secrets of super-rich including the Queen exposed

An Algerian man has been inspired to sue the Canadian government for $50 million by the reported $10.5 million dollar settlement given to Omar Khadr earlier this year. The unproven allegations by Djamel Ameziane, who was never charged or prosecuted, is based on Canada’s alleged co-operation with the US at a time of abuse of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Ameziane’s Edmonton lawyer says the subject requires a  public inquiry. In a draft statement of claim obtained by The Canadian Press, Ameziane is seeking the damages on the grounds that Canada’s security services co-operated with their US counterparts even though they knew the Americans were abusing him. Canadian intelligence, the suit alleges, began sharing information with the Americans after failing to pick up on the 1999 “Millennium plot” in which Ahmed Ressam, another Algerian who had been living in Montreal, aimed to blow up the Los Angeles airport.

READ ABOUT OMAR KHADR

After 9/11, Canadian agents interrogated Ameziane at the infamous American prison in Cuba, as they did Canada’s Omar Khadr, according to the claim. The US detained Ameziane at Guantanamo Bay for more than 11 years until his release in December 2013. “For many years, I had the idea of suing the Canadian government but didn’t know how and honestly didn’t know it was possible until I read the news about the settlement of Omar Khadr, who was my fellow inmate in Guantanamo Bay,” Ameziane said. “The action I am taking may also make (Canadian officials) think twice before acting against the interests of Canada and Canada’s human values.”

There is a long thread of posts on Leaside Community related to the appearance of signs in Leaside which say “It’s okay to be white.”  From media reports in the US and Canada the phenomenon is recent and widespread. It is said to be intended to make people identify with white supremacists.

Recommendation to get rid of this yield at O’Connor and Woodbine

Laird and Millwood decorative yield sign

Toronto and East York Council will decide on Tuesday, November 14 on a recommendation from the director of traffic services to get rid of the yield sign at O’Connor Drive and Woodbine Ave (right). The City has followed a program of eliminating yield signs in recent years particularly as bicycle advocacy made them a target. The yield sign at the intersection of Millwood Rd. and Laird Drive remains on the post over newly laid sod this weekend, a curious vestige of how it used to be at this corner.

Montreal City Hall/Montreal

Valerie Plante/CTV Twitter

Denis Coderree/CTV Twitter

The voters of Montreal head to the polls today (Sunday, November 5) with the scene set for one of the tightest races for mayor of that City in years. Former Liberal cabinet minister and incumbent Mayor Denis Coderre, 54, is facing off against challenger Valerie Plante, 43. They are said to be neck and neck in polls. Coderre says he has brought billions in investment to Montreal although he is accused of being a backroom operator when it comes to getting things done. Plante is the head of a left-leaning movement called Project Montreal. The outcome should be known Sunday evening.

Eglinton and Yonge

Eglinton and Bayview

Pottery and Bayview

Sunday, Sunday is quiet across our pleasant realm this first day of EST. Rain is forecast — maybe not quite the Biblical amounts in the weather warnings — but it is going to be good and wet. Above are captures of three traffic cameras showing how little interest there is in being out right now. The Pottery Rd. and Bayview Extension camera show the street unflooded, at least for now. Later may bring a different story. If you have not been through Egl.inton and Yonge recently the picture gives you an idea of just how ugly things are there. Two lanes (north and south) pushed over to the west side. And we presume the big barrier is to keep drivers from falling into a pit.

Two winning tickets were sold for Saturday night’s $7 million Lotto 649 jackpot. They were sold in Ontario and somewhere in the Prairies. The winners of the jackpot if claimed will share the sum getting $3.5 million each. The guaranteed $1 million prize was won by a ticket holder in Ontario.

Where do we belong?

This older Labrador was found on Bessborough without a collar Saturday. Take a look and see if you can help Leaside Community

Thieves in Sweden who were sneaking up behind inter-City delivery trucks at 80 km/h and breaking into the vehicles as they sped along have been captured. The felons would inch up to the rear of the delivery vehicle and climb onto the hood of their vehicle as they worked on the van’s cargo door latch. All this as the pavement sped by below. Then In Ottawa, a caustic exchange between the Environment Minister, Catherine McKenna, and a reporter for Rebel Media (which does not like the Liberals). Ms McKenna objects to be being called Climate Barbie (fair enough) and uses it to change the subject dramatically. Below that, the election for mayor of Montreal is tomorrow and the race is said by the CBC to be a dead heat between a political unknown, Valerie Plante, and the current mayor, Denis Coderre. Then finally, in Russia there’s another female challenger but she may not do quite as well as Valerie Plante. Ksenia Sobchak wants to replace Vladimir Putin.