First flood of votes show Tory leading: John Tory 149762 39.354% Doug Ford 134021 35.217% Olivia Chow 85083 22.358%
Cops fear for family safety in parental abduction
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Toronto Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing woman and her two children. It is described as a case of parental abduction. Rebekah Isaac, 34, Jonathan Isaac, 7, and Joylin Isaac, 5, were last seen on Monday, October 27, 2014, in the morning, in the Neilson Road and McLevin Avenue area. Rebekah Isaac is described as brown, 5’0″ to 5’2″, 120 lbs., with straight black hair and gold earrings. She was last seen wearing black pants, a red-and-white striped shirt and a light brown three-quarter-length hooded jacket. She was carrying a black and blue knapsack. Jonathan Isaac is described as brown, 4’4″ to 4’5″, with a slim build and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a pull-over sweater with brown and blue horizontal stripes and blue jeans. Joylin Isaac is described as brown, 4’0″ to 4’2″, 35-50 lbs., short black hair with gold dangling earrings. Police are concerned for the family’s safety.
Good, nasty and amusing Twitter election photos
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Most of the messages at #voteTO today are incoherent so we have linked you instead to the photos exclusively. If you can’t go there. here’s a selection posted today. They touch many of the bases in this stranger than most democratic exercises. The poster top right is a dirty piece of work. It depicts Tory as a hapless soul of some kind but perhaps you also noticed the demonic look on Mr. Ford’s face. Never worry friends. The City will be in the very best of hands.
Dr. Bell meet Dr. Fleshner — now try to get along
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If there was ever evidence that doctors may, or may not, know what they are talking about it comes today in the startling disagreement between Dr. Neil Bell, chair of the Canada Prostate Cancer Guideline Task Force and Dr. Neil Fleshner, who studies and treats prostate cancer at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. As the CBC story linked reveals these two eminent men have quite opposite opinions about the value of the so-called PSA test for detecting prostate cancer. Doctors will disagree of course but the clinical nature of this question seems so apparent that it makes one wonder. Dr. Bell’s task force has recommended categorically that the PSA be scrapped because “it can do more harm than good.” Dr. Fleshner, on the other hand, says the test “absolutely” detects cancers early and saves lives. CBC
Toronto Star pursued Jian Ghomeshi sex story
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The Toronto Star has published stories Monday which make it clear that the newspaper was behind the digging and questions to Jian Ghomeshi about his unusual sex activities. Previously, it was suggested that a blog called Canadaland has been responsible for this work. The complaint originates with three women, aged it would seem between 25 to 30 years, who say they were subjected by (involved with?) the 47-year-old CBC radio interviewer in sex acts which dominated them and were, in some cases, physicially abusive and hurt them. There do not appear to be complaints that the women were permanently injured or that there was any contact with the police about these things. One woman does say she was strangled. For his part Ghomeshi says he has done nothing wrong, that the activities were consensual and that he is being smeared by the women. He says he will sue the CBC for $50 million for the loss of his job.
Ranked ballot reform needed in TO elections
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Good morning and welcome to General Election Day 2014. Many South Bayviewites will have already voted in advance polls but for those who have not it ought to be solemn duty to get to the polling station in one’s electoral subdivision and vote. Lawn signs in Ward 22 (Josh Matlow) Ward 25 (Jaye Robinson) Ward 26 (John Parker) and Ward 27 (Kristyn Wong-Tam) have shown pretty solid support for John Tory. Ms Wong Tam is a Chow supporter however and no doubt the former NDP member of Parliament will do well in that ward’s south end. Today on Twitter and elsewhere Mr. Tory has published his #57 graphic, reminding voters that he is the 57th name on the billboard-like ballots. At City Hall, the MyVote website has delivered useful information. Still, the Toronto electoral system seems clanky as an old streetcar. The National Post this morning laments that we do not yet have Internet voting. It might be nice but far more essential to simple democracy is the reform known as ranked voting. In so many ridings the numbers of candidates deeply distorts the wishes of the community. In Ward 27 (Toronto-Centre) and many others it is quite common for the “winner” to emerge with a plurality of less than 30 percent of the ballots. This is entirely unsatisfactory. It is one of the things the City should change for the next election. In Ward 26 (Leaside and East York) voters may expect a close fight and maybe a later night. John Parker will it duke it out with Jon-Burnside, the man who almost won the last time.
Here’s what you need to know to vote today
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“I’ve done nothing wrong,” Jian Ghomeshi insists
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Mystery firing: Jian Ghomeshi sues for $50 mln
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| Ghomeshi (top) and Brown |
Jian Ghomeshi, the popular CBC broadcaster has “cut ties” with the corporation but it seems based on his planned $50 million lawsuit that he was fired. The Globe and Mail, Global News and Postmedia are reporting Sunday afternoon (October 26, 2014) that there has been a lengthy investigation into Ghomeshi on the news and podcast site Canadaland. The details are not public but media are using the word “yet” in that regard and some are saying they will report the information shortly. The Canadaland site is linked below and is fully titled Jesse Brown’s Canadaland. It appears to be a highly personal and eclectic blog The author says he has done “months” of research on Ghomeshi. The CBC is trying to be gracious saying it wishes Ghomeshi well and that it is saddened the relationship has come to an end. Asked for clarification CBC communications director Chuck Thompson told Postmedia that “information came to our attention recently, that in CBC’s judgement, precludes us from continuing our relationship with Jian Ghomeshi.” Ghomeshi is reported to be planning to sue the CBC broadcaster for $50 million claiming breach of confidence and bad faith, according to a statement from the law firm Dentons Canada LLP sent out Sunday afternoon. The 47-year-old radio personality has been one of CBC’s biggest stars since launching his arts and culture program in 2007, making international headlines in 2009 after a testy exchange with actor Billy Bob Thornton. He previously hosted the music show Play on CBC Television and was a founding member of the rock band Moxy Früvous. Google leads Wikipedia Jesse Brown’s Canadaland
Cream bassist Jack Bruce, 71, dead of liver disease
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Interviewer Jian Ghomeshi finished at the CBC
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Vote at Yonge and St. Clair? Thanks for nothing
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When voters cast ballots tomorrow the residents of Moore Park’s subdivision one (previous post) will have an extra hurdle or three to leap. Their polling station is actually outside the subdivision, seemingly the only such example of this oddity around South Bayview. In other elections, voters could access a polling station near at hand, and with lots of parking. The photo above shows well-known voting station venues. Left to right Our Lady of Perpetual Help School on Garfield Ave., OLPH church on Clifton Road and Whitney Junior Public School on Rosedale Heights Dr. For reasons unknown, only voters in subdivision two will vote at OLPH school but not those in subdivision one. They will instead trek to the inaccessible realm of The Deer Park Public Library at St. Clair Ave. East and Alvin Ave. This is the land of parking enforcement officers, delivery trucks, U-turning taxis, no street parking and streetcars. Thanks for nothing.