Mayor Tory plans “ranked ballot” reform for 2018 election

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Mayor Tory has said that he will work to implement so-called ranked ballots for the 2018 municipal election. Premier Wynne has announced the government will introduce legislation that permits municipalities to use this form of voting before then. Ranked ballots permit second third and subsequent ranked choices for a candidate which then permit an “instant runoff” vote. If the candidate with the most votes does not have a majority, the runoff (or runoffs) establishes a majority winner. Toronto’s diverse population sometimes creates election slates with 15 or 20 candidates. The result is frequently a winner who has a small percentage of the popular vote. Some proponents of ranked ballots believe the system will create a more racially diverse City Council. The suggestion is that there are too many white men. This is a question for the voters but it seems apparent that ranked ballots will not necessarily achieve that goal. It’s interesting to speculate how John Tory might have fared under ranked ballots. He won with slightly more than 40 percent of the vote. The dynamics of the campaign suggest to many that Tory would have been a huge winner since he was probably second choice of many who voted either for Olivia Chow or Doug Ford.

H.J. Heinz and Kraft will merge to form food behemoth

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Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Co. with help from its owner 3G Capital Partners L.P. and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway have agreed to merge in a deal that would create the world’s fifth largest food and beverage company. The combined company, which will be called the Kraft Heinz Co., will have revenue of about $28 billion and include well-known brands like Jell-O, Maxwell House coffee and Planters nuts. The deal comes as Kraft and other major U.S. food makers struggle with changes in consumer tastes that have hampered their ability to sell packaged, processed food. Wall Street Journal  (There’s still Neal Bros and Manning Canning of Leaside)

Mohammed Masood Alam receives Macphail Award

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winner-3There was a full house at the presentation of the Agnes Macphail Award to Muhammed Masood Alam last night (Tuesday, March 24, 2015). The ceremony took place in the True Davidson Chamber of the East York Council Building at 850 Coxwell Ave. Many notable residents were present including former mayor Michael Prue who gave the keynote address (Agnes Closer to Home) as well as councilors Jon Burnside., Mary Fragedakis and Janet Davis. Mr. Alam was praised by a number of speakers for his selfless and diligent work on behalf of the whole community and especially Thorncliffe Park. The award was presented by Sheila Lacroix, the 2014 winner of the Agnes Macphail award. Agnes Macphail followed a sometimes difficult political path from her beginnings as a rural school teacher in Grey County to become the first woman elected to Parliament. She represented Canada at the  League of Nations and  later was the MPP for York East. She lived in the duplex at the corner of Donegal Rd and Millwood Rd. later in her life. Photo: Muhammed Masood Alam with last year’s winner Sheila Lacroix and his son

Meraki Synchronized Skating tryouts at Leaside arena

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Candidates for the Meraki Synchronized Skating Team strut their stuff Tuesday

Candidates for the senior team of the Meraki Synchronized Skating team give it their best shot under the eyes of the coaches Tuesday night (March 24, 2015) The Leaside Skating club’s synchronized skating divison is hoping to field five teams this year from among junior, intermediate the senior skaters. This is at the Leaside arena.

Canada’s former envoy to the UN says we must stop ISIS

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Canada’s former UN ambassador Paul Heinbecker, who served in New York in 2003 when the Liberal government opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq has come out in favor of Canada’s efforts to fight ISIS in both Irag and Syria. Heinbecker told the Canadian Press that Canada and its allies cannot afford to turn their backs on the threat posed by ISIS (also ISIL). .He said there is a clear moral imperative to attack targets inside Syria, with the country facing the worst death toll since the Rwandan and Cambodian genocides. “If we take the view that we shouldn’t intervene, at all, ever, that you can solve problems with diplomatic notes and put band aids over bullet holes, we’re going to be in for a world that is nasty and brutish.” House of Commons debated the government’s plan to extend bombing of the extremist movement today.

Subway scare now said to be “ground water with oil”

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Subway service has resumed after today’s shutdown between Union and Bloor stations because of a spill which was at first thought to be kerosene or fuel oil. The officially unknown substance was found leaking into the tunnel from an expansion joint about 500 feet north of College Station shortly after midnight, prompting the closure. Later today TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said  it was likely just “ground water with some latent oil that was sitting there” mixed in.