Costco is being accused by generic drug maker Ranbaxy of insisting on an unlawful rebate of as much as $1.3 to get its medications stocked at the giant store chain’s pharmacies. The Ontario College of Pharmacists began its probe after a sales rep for generic drug maker Ranbaxy filed a complaint accusing Costco of squeezing out nearly $1.3 million in unlawful rebates. As described in a Toronto Star story, the heart of the complaint is a secretly recorded phone conversation of a Costco director explaining to a drug company sales rep how much the drug company would have to pay to “greatly reduce the likelihood of somebody eating your business.” Metro News
Tearing up the McDonald’s at Bayview and Eglinton
by •
Thirty years later, it’s goodbye to the McDonald’s building that was part of the burger firm’s historic expansion of the 1980s. A giant backhoe is ripping up the parking lot Tuesday and will soon take down the former restaurant, second home to casual eaters and Leaside High kids. The site will become the “Leaside” LRT station at Bayview Ave. and quite possibly a good deal more. Metrolinx has consulted with developers about a large, maybe quite high building on this site and has purchased two of the four-plexes to the south on Bayview to make a sizeable footprint for this new building.
Marco Muzzo sentenced to ten years for drivng deaths
by •
Drunk driver Marco Muzzo was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for killing four people — three children and their grandfather — and for seriously injuring two others in a collision last fall. He has also been sentenced to a 12 year ban on driving after he is released from prison. Justice Michelle Fuerst passed sentence against the 29-year-old grandson of wealthy developer Marco Muzzo in a crowded courtroom.
Visitation for Cedric Ritchie at Humphrey’s on Thursday
by •
Cedric Ritchie
Friends and admirers of Cedric Ritchie, former CEO of the Bank of Nova Scotia, can pay respects at Humphrey’s Funeral Home on Thursday,March 31, 2016 at two opportunities during the day. Family will be present between 2 and 4 p.m. and again between 6 and 8 p.m. The Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles-Newbigging Chapel is at 1403 Bayview Avenue at St. Cuthbert’s Ave. Services for Mr. Ritchie will be held Friday, April 1, 2016 at 11 a.m. at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church, 230 St. Clair Avenue West. Cedric Ritchie died Sunday at the age of 88 at home. His remarkable career with the bank began in 1945 as a teller. Obituary.
Now clever A&W switches to French’s ketchup, mustard
by •
Patriotism in the tomato world. First Loblaws said it would put French’s Leamington tomato-based ketchup back on the shelves. Then French’s said it would actually move bottling to Canada. Now canny A&W says it will switch to French’s O Canada ketchup and mustard. Bulldog reader Jack Frechette of London, Ontario writes to say that the mustard seed in French’s mustard are grown in Saskatchewan. Canada is the largest producer of Mustard seed in the world. Thus he says, the popularity of French’s Mustard. Hamilton Spectator
Great expectations as Alberta couple await quadruplet girls
by •
Bethani and Tom Webb have been stunned to learn they are about to become the parents of quadruplet girls. The Grand Prairie Alberta couple could hardly believe their eyes when they saw the ultrasound screen. Outlined in black and grey; the shape of not one, but four tiny, wriggling bodies — eight kicking feet.
Four-plex to be built at Merton St. and Bayview Ave.
by •
A real estate firm with the catchy name of Condo Commandos @CondoCommandos has tweeted a depiction of the finished four-plex which is now just a hole in the ground at the northwest corner of Merton St. and Bayview Ave. The building has a unit in the basement which doesn’t show here, information which comes from employees of the builder, Garrison Creek Construction.
Chinese $14 billion bid to grab Starwood from Marriott
by •
A Chinese insurance giant which already owns many U.S. firms is locked in a battle with Marriott International Inc. to buy Starwood Hotels International. China’s Anbang Insurance Group Co has raised its offer for Starwood to almost US$14-billion in its latest challenge to the U.S. hotel operator’s merger with Marriott International Inc. The Business News Network (BNN) says the bidding war for Starwood has pitted Marriott’s ambitions to create the world’s largest lodging company with about 5,700 hotels against Anbang’s drive to create a vast investment portfolio of high-yielding U.S. real estate assets. The acquisition of Starwood, owner of the Sheraton and Westin brands, by Anbang would be the largest ever by a Chinese company in the United States. BNN
Um, there’s not much news just now in 6ix (Toronto)
by •
It is widely said, or innately sensed, that there is way too much stuff passing as news. Or, maybe it’s just that there’s not enough news for the non-stop way it is marketed. CBC
Cupcake the Cat survives eight days in the Royal Mail
by •
A British cat survived eight days in the mail after she was accidentally sealed in a box of DVDs and sent 400 miles. “Cupcake” travelled from Cornwall to West Sussex. She was severely dehydrated when she reached her destination, but otherwise okay. Nine lives indeed.
2,500 pass by former mayor’s casket, second day Tuesday
by •
Mr.Ford’s wife Renata with children Dougie, 8 and Stephanie 10, at City Hall
A full day of sombre reflection on the service to Toronto by former mayor Ford will be followed tomorrow by similar honours. Some 2,500 paid their respects Monday as his casket rested in the heart of City Hall, the Main Rotunda. Mr. Ford died last week after a struggle with a difficult form of soft tissue cancer. Among the many citizens young and old were members of the Don Bosco Catholic High School football team who were coached by Mr. Ford. Many photos of the mourners are posted on Twitter. Dan Jacobs, chief of staff for Ford, said members of Ford’s family greeted mourners who came to the Rotunda. The lineup stretched out the front door of City Hall. Jacobs said members of Ford’s family will be back Tuesday, when Ford will lie in repose from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The casket arrived at Nathan Phillips Square just after 8 a.m. Monday.Jacobs said he has been urging family members to take breaks from the “emotionally draining” process in the rotunda. Live link to Rotunda courtesy of CTV
CFRB morning legend Wally Crouter dead at age of 92
by •
Wally Crouter has died at the age of 92. He was a radio legend in Toronto, working as the morning host of CFRB (now NewsTalk 1010) for 50 years. The Deer Park neighborhood remembers him still with Wally Crouter Lane, the walkway from Yonge Street to the parking lot on Alvin Ave. Crouter held sway at two of CFRB’s famous locations. One was the then Proctor and Gamble building at Yonge and St. Clair and before that at the station’s long-time studios over Stollery’s at Yonge and Bloor Streets. Although Crouter had a simple style, his folksy manner and rich voice won him a huge following. He was beloved both as a constant radio companion and a notorious night owl among radio associates. His former employer said Monday that he had passed away peacefully in his sleep. Wally Crouter was born on August 5, 1923 in Lindsay and joined CFRB on November 1, 1946 after a brief stint with CHEX in Peterborough. Crouter retired exactly 50 years later on November 1, 1996. He was later inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame. Prior to his career in radio, Crouter served with the Canadian Army in World War II.