Wiseys Pies and Bakehouse at 874 Eglinton (at Laird) has introduced an additional New Zealand delicacy to its summer menu — ice cream pies. The dining culture of meat pies and related pastries has caught on among many South Bayview consumers since Wiseys opened two years ago. But ice cream pies have a similar tradition down there. Hearing of the ice cream pie arrival, Graeme Beresford, owner of Kiwi Landscaping, wants to know whether the pies are of the Tip Top or Frosty Tip kind, two New Zealand brands which we can only hope continue to flourish. Here’s Wiseys co-owner Anthony Spinley on his new website.

Canada Post has issued a 72-hour lockout notice to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) bringing the the prospect of a halt to mail delivery by Friday. The notice came hours after Canada Post said its latest offer presented on June 25 was fair and reasonable and that it still hoped to negotiate a deal with the union. In the statement, Canada Post said it plans to suspend the collective agreement as of Friday.  CUPW said the corporation is using the lockout notice to drive 50,000 workers “out onto the streets without pay in an effort to impose steep concessions on them.”

PENSIONS THE ISSUE

The two sides have both said the issue is changes to employee pension plans. The Crown corporation claims CUPW’s demands are “not affordable” and would add $1 billion in costs over the life of a new contract. The union accused Canada Post of preparing to lock workers out, and creating uncertainty by warning the public to avoid the post office. The Canada Revenue Agency has deemed Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, Working Income Tax Benefit and the Canada Child Benefit cheques “essential” — even during a labour disruption. Spokesman Jon Hamilton said Canada Post has a memorandum of agreement with the union “where the federal socio-economic cheques will be delivered.”

 

The popular drive-up parking spaces and the underground spots at the TD Canada Trust branch at Millwood Rd. and Bayview Ave. will be closed until September.  The street-level Green P next door at 1503 Bayview remains open.

Times Square is a long way from Battle Creek Michigan, the place historically connected to cereal-maker Kellogg’s. But today, July 4, Kellogg’s has opened its first “cereal bar” in Times Square. It’s an attempt to revive interest in cereals and the prospect of more such places is open. The restaurant had dessert chef Christina Tosi (owner of Momofoku Milk Bar and a judge on Master Chef US) create six recipes made with different Kellogg’s cereals: Pistachio & Lemon, The Circus, Berry Au Lait, Berry Me In Green Tea, The Chai Line, and The Corny Blues.

A poll which is ongoing on Monday morning on the CP24 website indicates that fewer than two in ten Torontonians had much interest in the Pride Parade. More than 3,000 people have so far responded to the poll question which asked “Are you taking part/watching the Pride Parade today”. Eighteen per cent (384) had answered “Yes” by 9 a.m. and 82 per cent (1,786) had answered “No”. There is no measure of just why this result occurs but a simple lack of interest seems likely. In Toronto, both City and Ontario governments rank the embrace of Pride and all diversities as the mark of superior citizenship. Tolerance is okay but embrace is better. Pride is apparently happy to see anyone marching along with it, except maybe the police. We’ll see. Do the St. Patrick’s Day Parade or Greek Independence rank higher than 18 per cent?  Who knows, but these days there are certainly non-Irish who wish to honour the wearin’ of the green. The Stanley Cup, now that’s a different sort of passion. Easy to embrace as well at less an 11 inches around.

OPP allege an argument between two strangers in a Walmart parking lot in Midland has ended with one of the two using his car to hit and kill the other. It was just  before 2 p.m. when 29-year-old Corby Stott, a mechanic with two children, was hit by a vehicle following an argument. The accused, Jason Heffernan, 25, of London, is behind bars and will appear in court Wednesday in Barrie.

Mississauga library workers go on strike Monday closing all buildings. It’s about money. The Canadian Union of Public Employees says 96 percent of members rejected a 1.5 per cent pay increase because, according to CUPE, inflation was two per cent.

The Black Lives Matters contingent shut down the Pride Parade Sunday for vague complaints that LGBTQ elements exhibited “anti-blackness”. The parade was permitted to resume after 30 minutes when pride organizers capitulated and conferred the title of Honoured Group on BLM.

NO MORE POLICE

Pride also agreed that it will no longer have police floats. The essence of the BLM complaint seems to be that it isn’t enough to participate in Pride as a black. Pride apparently must accept BLM as the representative of blacks. Prime Minister to march in Pride Parade  Black Lives Matter briefly halts Pride Parade 

 

The extraordinary world of voyeurism known as The Bachelor has seen a man and woman reveal their lives from first flirtation to the arrival of a family. It’s about you not them.

Leaside now has its own marijuana dispensary as the Eden group of pot sellers moves into 1625 Bayview Ave. next door to Merchant of Tennis. That’s where Whatever Lola etc lived for so long. The Eden operation is open already and staff at the clean and lean-looking premises say that their business has not been without disruption during the City’s crackdown, but they are carrying on. And expanding obviously, although many people  might guess that these small — currently outside the law — places will have no chance after the federal and provincial governments get finished legislating just how marijuana may be sold.  Premier Wynne, MPP for the street where Eden has newly-landed — has made it clear she would put marijuana in the LCBO aisle between beer and wine from Australia. You get it. The Eden store is dressed in black and easy to miss. But clerks say it is not operating incognito. A sign is said to be on the way. Among Eden’s claims are that it is non-profit (yes, but it makes money) and that you have to be 19 with “medical documentation” to buy there. MyEden  As footnote to this opening is the re-opening of the Green Room Society pot dispensary at 562 Mt. Pleasant Rd. (south of Penrose Rd.) after the police raids of earlier this year.

ELSEWHERE ON BAYVIEW

Elsewhere on Bayview Ave. at the beginning of July, a sign in the window at Elegant Garage Sale reminds people that the much-loved store will close at the end of September. The sign notes tartly that the management is emotionally unequipped to haggle. And at the Valumart store at Bayview and Davisville Ave. staff say they are still waiting for the naming of a new franchisee. The 1500 Bayview premises have been in the keeping of manager Mike Tufts since Chad and Alyssa McDowell made their way to Edmonton where Chad took an opportunity to run a larger store in the Alberta capital.