The South Bayview Bulldog

Councillor Josh Matlow has sent out a release about a meeting on January 26, 2016 at North Toronto Collegiate, 17 Broadway Ave.to discuss how he and others can “free Toronto from the OMB” That’s the Ontario Municipal Board. The release indicates the proceedings will be structured as a panel discussion moderated by Christopher Hume, of the Toronto Star, with contributions by Mr. Matlow, Peter Baker of the umbrella group of residents associations FoNTRA, MPP Peter Milczyn and Kerri Voumakis of the City Planning Department. Time is 7 p.m.

Private enterprise is alive and well at World Class Bakers on St. Clair West and Humewood Dr. where the firm has seen lineups to make the necessary $20 or more purchase to get a free Powerball lottery ticket. This video is courtesy of the Toronto Sun. Jackpot? When lives fall apart after a lottery win

The Detroit Auto Show opened today and for the first time since its 2009 bankruptcy, General Motors has returned to the family convertible or cabriolet market in North America. What’s a cabriolet look like?  You can see dozens every day on Bayivew Ave in the snow. They’re called BMW, Audi, Mercedes and VW. In fact, General Motors makes a German cabriolet too. It’s called the Opel there. So much better than a Mustang or Camaro.

The Toronto Stock Exchange was up modestly Tuesday morning but by noon it had turned down and was headed for another losing day. Canada’s main stock market indicator has lost more than seven per cent of its value including 126.20 points on Monday.

Here is a wrenching story from CNN about lottery winners who lose it all and in many cases die in the aftermath of being given enormous wealth. This happens everywhere and gives testament again to the truth that poverty is caused not by a lack of money but by human behaviour. Most government lotteries in North America have counselling on how not to lose winnings. But no one can force winners to listen. By the way, the jackpot for Wednesday’s Powerball drawing in the U.S. has grown to $1.4 billion, the world’s largest lottery prize.

TORONTO BAKERY SELLS POWERBALL TICKETS

World Class Bakers on St. Clair Ave. West at Humewood Drive is giving away up to 500 Powerball tickets with every purchase of $20 or more Tuesday and Wednesday. Canadians are allowed to buy tickets for the jumbo multi-state lottery, but they are not sold in Canada. Some adventurous people have driven to Buffalo and spent 20 minutes in the U.S. to obtain one. Websites offer to purchase tickets on behalf of Canadians, Powerball cautions people against doing so. The tickets themselves cost US$2. The Powerball draw takes place at 11 p.m. on Wednesday.

Frank McKenna

Frank McKenna says the federal government should require more Syrian refugees to settle in Atlantic Canada, The former New Brunswick premier and now TD Bank deputy chairman says the region badly needs more and younger people. While the efforts to bring Syrian refugees to the country have been successful, the handling of immigration in general has not, says McKenna. “It is not a Canadian success story at present in terms of widespread distribution; 70 per cent of all immigrants now go to the three major cities, and we only get 2.5 per cent of immigrants in Atlantic Canada, so we are not receiving our fair share of immigrants,” he said in an interview Monday. McKenna, a Liberal, is one of the most respected former politicians in Canada.

Engineers are working night and day in the Northern Ontario cold to try to make the fractured Nipigon River Bridge whole again. The excellent CBC report here describes a series of bolts snapping off like so many pretzels. This caused the road bed to leap upward on tension from the cable suspension system. What strength was called for in these bolts and by what engineering firm? The questions abound and the implications are said to range from economic to political, to social and even international. This bridge along the Trans-Canada Highway in northwestern Ontario was hailed as a “monumental” achievement — part of the largest infrastructure investment in the province’s history. “This is obviously a national issue. This area has been identified as being a vulnerable part of the Canadian transportation sector,” Nipigon Mayor Richard Harvey said Monday.

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A Hamilton businessman who knows soccer is linking up with the Tiger-Cats ownership to propose a wintertime bubble dome over Tim Hortons Field to facilitate both professional soccer and recreational use by other groups. The bubble would cover only the field, not the stands and would be removed when football season arrived. According to John McGrane, a retired professional and Olympic soccer player, the project would cost $3 million dollars, all of it to be covered by private enterprise. The scheme is to be considered by City Council next month. McGrane does not want to reveal the name of financial supporters yet, especially the “lead investor” to whom he has been talking. Hamilton Spectator 

It was a thrilling day for school kids and the community as they got time off to watch the Maple Leafs make their annual visit to Dieppe Park on Cosburn Ave. Leaf Captain Dion Phaneuf talked about the quality of the ice and the rink itself in the CBC video above. Ahead of the practice, about 40 students from local schools participated in a hockey clinic with Leafs alumnus Darcy Tucker. Fellow alumni Shayne Corson and Curtis Joseph also held an autograph session. Leafs head coach Mike Babcock attended the practice, along with Mayor John Tory and Ward 29 Councillor Mary Fregedakis. The Leafs and SportChek announced at the practice they will donate a new water fill station and additional dressing room storage at Dieppe Park.

Kids from Beatty PS give thumbs up as Leafs unlimber at Dieppe Park

At Dieppe Park for the Leafs outdoor practice pic.twitter.com/onFXiipJyM

— Momin Qureshi (@MominYQureshi) January 11, 2016