The South Bayview Bulldog

Zakaria Amara

It seems there’s every chance that people like Zakaria Amara and his friends, naturalized Canadians who planned to blow up downtown Toronto, will be guaranteed their citizenship under revised legislation to be tabled in the House of Commons. The CBC link below recalls an exchange during the election campaign between then-prime minister Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau. Harper asked Trudeau why those convicted of terrorism shouldn’t have their citizenship taken away. “A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian,” the now prime minister responded. CBC

Pay attention class. The cable and satellite companies have been ordered to bust up mandatory bundles. You can still bundle if you want, but maybe you don’t. If not, the new supposedly cheaper “skinny basic” service may delight or bore you. And it may actually cost you more than a bundle. But from the lofty offices of Bell and Rogers, skinny basic is a tool to get twenty babies to buy something and avoid an awful fate as a “cord never.” Is that clear class?

The Globe and Mail recounts the turn-of-the=year sale of 124 Bessborough Drive for $2.21 million, a bonus of more than $100,000 over listing. It was a move that the Globe writer, Sydnia.Yu, calls a pre-emptive bid. The home was on the market just five days and had 30 qualified buyers sniffing around. Previously it has sold in 2006 for $1,419,000 and in 1993, for $555,000. The article recalls again for those not familiar with Bessborough the distinguished nature of the street. As Leasiders know, those sprawling boulevards that grace Bessborough between Sutherland Dr. and Parkhurst Blvd. are a rare phenomenon. Globe and Mail

Premier Wynne has made it clear that motorists and homeowners will pay the price of Ontario government spending to be announced tomorrow.  Gasoline and natural gas will increase as a result of new taxes. Gasoline is set to jump 4.3 cents  a litre but that increase will require consumers to pay sales tax. Analysts suggest the increase will be more like five cents a litre out-of-pocket. Environment minister Glen Murray tried to blunt the news by saying the careful selection of your gas station can save you money. “In my constituency (Toronto Centre) the difference in gas prices between one station and another is greater than any change that’s going to occur as a result of cap-and-trade,” he said. The Premier said the budget will also see a new surcharge on natural gas.

ALL ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING

The Government continues to make the environment and fear of global warming the justification and rationale of its policies. Ms. Wynne painted a grim picture of costs that would far outpace the present burden on taxpayers if we do not battle global warming as set out by Ontario government policy for energy. Speaking at Ryerson, Ms Wynne spoke with a passion about the certainty as she sees it of higher energy costs, high repair costs and higher insurance if we do not, in her words, address the degradation of the environment. Others are staggered by the growing provincial debt, now closing in on $300 billion dollars. It costs taxpayers more than  $10 billion in interest to carry the debt each year. Where your is going 

Buses and cars continue to find it a difficult passage through the changing and narrowed roadway of Eglinton Ave E. at Bayview Ave. At about 1.30 p.m.Wednesday a bus and a car collided in the westbound lane just east of Bayview. Not surprising. Traffic funnels into one lane. It is less than a week since a TTC bus slammed into a utility pole at the same corner.

Collision: Eglinton/Bayview…reports of a bus and another veh..no injs reported at this time. ^adc

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) February 24, 2016

Facebook has announced emoticon emotion is now officially in place or will be shortly on all platforms including mobile. The new feature went active overnight. To activate, hover over the old familiar “like” icon for a second on the web version of Facebook, and the array of alternate options pops up before you. On mobile, when your app gets the update, holding down for a moment on the “like” button should have the same effect. Consumerist says: For now, Facebook says, any reaction you use will count the same. That is, when it comes to the magic algorithms that decide what actually shows up in your news feed, being “angry” or “sad” will carry the same weight as feeling “love,” “like,” or “wow.” Consumerist 

Bharat Masrani, CEO of Canada Trust TD Bank, received a 10 per cent pay raise last year — that’s about $800,000 to bring him up to a nice $9 million. They say others were laid off to get costs under control. This state of affairs is often known in business as an optical contusion. Canadian Business 

How it feels to win the lottery #lottomax pic.twitter.com/MUmxNCeg9d

— LOTTO MAX (@lottomax) February 24, 2016

Helping family, friends and charitable orgs plus more! #daretodream pic.twitter.com/pSKkfYqasq

— LOTTO MAX (@lottomax) February 24, 2016

It is pay day at the OLG as two Lotto Max winners get cheques for $60 million each on the same day. Joan Patterson, a ranch owner from near Owen Sound, discovered she had won on Christmas Day. John Henry, a grandfather from Mississauga is another $60 million winner. Joan has her act together. She is going to re-fence the ranch, buy a new horse trailer and get a sporty car. Hey Joan, you got it. Clarification: An error originating elsewhere said the $64-million Lotto 6/49 jackpot from the Oct. 17 draw would be awarded today but that ticket is still outstanding. It is not known if the winner is even aware he/she holds such a ticket. .

Joan Patterson, a rancher from the Owen Sound area, came forward on Friday with her winning ticket from Christmas Day.

John Henry, a grandfather from Mississauga, won the other $60 million jackpot.

Our winners arrive! Video 1 of 2. John Henry won $60 Million in the Dec 25 lotto max draw! pic.twitter.com/nYLC9fHh1h

— LOTTO MAX (@lottomax) February 24, 2016

At its worst — if we get the worst — there will be enough snow and then rain to produce a slush field that should melt considerably during the day Thursday. It will be colder — minus 3 — and sunny on Friday then plus 2 on Saturday.  Keep a grip and be not afraid. Live blog

Dalton McGuinty was back outside the office he left in scandal tonight more than three years ago. Near the door to what is now the office of Kathleen Wynne. Mr. McGuinty unveiled an official portrait of himself. Every premier has one, and  the former premier’s  has been rendered by a well-known painter of Ontario prime ministers, Istvan Nyikos of Collingwood. Nyikos has done the portraits  of  former premiers Bill Davis and Mike Harris, among others.  McGuinty conceived and/or approved the disastrously costly election-eve cancellation of two gas plants in 2011. His subsequent biography blamed others for the decision and said the plants were always located in the wrong place. But it was the naked political expediency of the cancellations which, critics say, cost so much money. The figure has been set at $1.1 billion.

Phyllis Ellis

Celebrated Leaside filmmaker and sports personality Phyllis Ellis will see her latest documentary Girl’s Night Out aired Thursday night (February 25, 2016) at 9.p.m. on the CBC. The film was inspired by the book Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol by Ann Dowsett Johnston. “I was captivated and deeply impacted by the book,” says Ellis. “It spoke to me as a mother, a woman, and a filmmaker. Everyone has a relationship with alcohol. It’s ubiquitous in our culture and we’re affected by it in different ways.”  Ms. Ellis, a Donald Brittain Award-winning filmmaker is also an active member of the community having served as a judge for the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame in her capacity as a former field hockey Olympian. She is a a member of the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame and an advocate for enhancing opportunities for women in sport.

The news that Starbucks at Laird and Kenrae was closing has touched a nerve in the community. The story is now in many forums with the question of “why?” frequently asked.  Even Starbucks employees are not sure although there seems to be a feeling that Starbucks was over-stored in South Bayview. The location at Eglinton and Laird in the old TD Bank building is probably not as busy as Starbucks would like but as one person said, it an “investment store” ready to pump out thousands of drinks a day when the LRT is finished.

SOCIAL DAY SATURDAY

A small bright note is that the final day, which was said to be Friday, is put over to Sunday and there will a Social Day at the 62 Laird location on Saturday. There is speculation about who or what will move into the spot. Some suggest that even with perhaps two years left on the lease Starbucks will “protect” the nicely positioned store by papering it over and paying the rent. The economics strain the brain. Perhaps they don’t want Tim’s in there. Well, who knows? But it seems certain the premises will certainly be in demand.