Geoff Kettel, Sabina Ali to guide Thorncliffe Park walk

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Geoff Kettel and Sabina Ali of the Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee will be the guides for the neighborhood walk named Thorncliffe Park: Canada’s Arrival city.  It is scheduled for next Saturday, July 25, 2015 from 1.30 to 3 pm. It will start outside the Jenner Jean-Marie Community Centre (Thorncliffe Park Library) at 48 Thorncliffe Park Drive. Organizers note that the tour is entirely on flat pavement. Thorncliffe Park began in the 1950s and welcomed people from all over the world.  Journalist Doug Saunders named it Canada’s “Arrival City”. Outsiders can discover the history and current vibe of Thorncliffe Park, from the era of Aboriginal farmers through European settlers and post-war development to the present day Tower Neighbourhood renewal.

Citizens must live here to vote says Ontario Appeal Court

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The thorny question question of whether Canadians living permanently abroad have the right to vote has been settled at least for the time being. The Ontario Court of Appeal, the highest in the province, has decided that an absence of five years from the country disqualifies Canadian citizens from voting. In fact, the court requires Canadians to be permanent residents to vote. The long-standing issue originates in Canada’s aggressive immigration policy and the decision of some new Canadians to immediately leave the Canada with no plan to return.  The issue has arisen more than once in recent years when Lebanese-Canadians, some 40,000 of whom live in the middle east, demanded the government fly them home when unrest occurred. This demand caused resentment. The court’s decision was a 2-1 split but the majority found that it was unfair to those who live in Canada to permit those who don’t to make decisions about Canadian laws. Canada’s “social contract” entails citizens submitting to laws because they had a voice in making them through voting, the ruling states. “Permitting all non-resident citizens to vote would allow them to participate in making laws that affect Canadian residents on a daily basis but have little to no practical consequence for their own daily lives,” Justice George Strathy wrote for the majority court. “This would erode the social contract and undermine the legitimacy of the laws.” The case was brought by two Canadian citizens living in the United States — Montreal-born Jamie Duong and Toronto-born Gillian Frank. They argued they had only left for educational and employment opportunities and still had strong attachments to Canada and a stake in its future. Their status and background sets up the contrast between career-driven expats and those who leave Canada to “go home” in effect. Theirs it seems is an attachment to a different culture.  A few Canadians leave the country to live in tax havens  Colin Perkel, Canadian Press

UCCB: Hefty cheques for families with kids under 18

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Starting today (Monday, July 20, 2015) Canadian families with children under 18 can expect a hefty cheque to arrive in their mailboxes or bank accounts. This comes by way of the government’s Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB). There is much politics about it as the country heads toward a general election. A short ad precedes the content but the discussion by BNN is informative. .

Boy’s death a worrisome reminder of window safety

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They are making funeral arrangements today (Monday, July 20, 2015) for the boy who fell from the 15th floor window at 71 Thorncliffe Park Drive on Saturday. The death is both a terrible family tragedy and a worrisome reminder of window safety in such high-rise buildings. The child was visiting the apartment and was playing with other kids in a bedroom while parents were in the living room. It is unclear whether a lock which should have been in place preventing the opening of the window had been altered. Hot weather is always an issue there because few units seems to have air conditioning. Abbas Kolia, the president of the building’s tenant’s association, said that safety locks had been installed on all windows two years ago however he said some residents may have removed the locks to install air conditioning units. Mr. Kolia said that going forward, every unit will be inspected to make sure the locks are in place.

Winds cause scary moments at Wisconsin hot-air event

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Winds caught balloon handlers by surprise at the Waterford Balloon Festival Sunday when gusts took control of several balloons. One of them somehow became entangled with a car and dragged it into a tent. There were plenty of scrapes but no serious injuries. A witness said it happened while balloons were being deflated after the display was canceled.

Wild weather, high-angle rescue of 2 at Scarborough bluffs

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tree in scar combo Two people were rescued off the Scarborough Bluffs Sunday afternoon during treacherous weather. High wind, rain and hail crashed in on the Scarborough Golf Club area and southern Scarborough shortly after 4.30 p.m. It was all over by about five but many trees were down. Residents had hail to gather up and record. These photos are from CP24 and City News. The rescue was described as a perilous high-angle type which seems to suggest the rescued parties were hoisted at a great than 90 degree angle with the beach below.

“Hi Mom” thieves steal woman’s gold rings off fingers

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Police are warning of a heartless crime against a senior. It happened at Hallam Street and Gladstone Ave. Some may say it could not happen in South Bayview. Maybe, but we can never be sure.  A man and woman in a car pulled beside an 85-year-old woman, The woman in the car shouted: “Hi Mom,” and then reached out and grabbed the victim’s hand. In the process, she removed three gold rings When the victim tried to stop this with her other hand, the woman removed a fourth gold ring  When the victim demanded her rings back, the woman slipped four rings into the victim’s purse pocket, and the pair drove away  The victim later realized the rings were not hers

Boy dead in fall from 15th floor window in Thorncliffe Park

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A door-to-door survey will be conducted at 71 Thorncliffe Park Drive beginning Monday (July 20, 2015) to make sure that window are properly installed with mechanisms to prevent children from falling. A 4-year-old boy tumbled from a bedroom window while playing with other kids in a bed on the 15th floor Saturday about 5.30 p.m. Police said parents were gathered in the living room on socializing on the final day of Ramadan, the Muslim holiday. According to the child’s uncle who was interviewed by CP24, the boy was playing with his mother’s cellphone when he climbed onto something in the bedroom and fell through the window.  Abbas Kolia, the president of the building’s tenants’ association, told CP24 that safety locks were installed on all the windows in the building two years ago. “It’s very sad news for our community,” Kolia said. He stressed that more vigilance is needed to make sure kids in the building are safe. “Parents must learn from this death today,” Kolia said. “It’s a very serious matter.” He said some residents may have removed the safety locks to add air conditioning to their apartments and said every unit will be inspected going forward to make sure that the safety locks are in place.