Schwartz, union bid billions for 75% for LCBO

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CTV says that ONEX Corporation (the mining behemoth controlled by Gerry Schwartz) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) have offered the Ontario government $11 billion in cash for 75% of the LCBO. There would be other players, a consortium of banks, but the majority of shares, according to CTV, would be held by the union. Premier Kathleen Wynne has already said (in the summer) that the government will not go forward with such a plan, but many think the temptation for this deeply-strapped province may be too great. The government would retain 25% of the ownership of the LCBO. 

Small Business Day has prizes for consumers

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The CFIB has launched a national contest at the Twitter hashtag MyFavSmallBiz  (#MyFavsmallBiz) to mark what it is calling Small Business Saturday. The day is set for Saturday, October 25, 2014. But it seem a more critical date is Saturday, September 18, 2014. Until then, the CFIB will make two draws of $500 a day from among consumer Tweets to that hashtag telling why they like their favorite small business. The CFIB is the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. It is running the campaign in partnership with the small retailer’s best friend, Interac, On South Bayview, the Merchant of Tennis at 1621 Bayview Ave. has asked customers to tweet their appreciation of the store.  

Johnston family: “Our humble pleasure to serve”

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Penrose Fish and Chips is now closed, but the Johnston family has left a touching note of thanks and farewell on the door at 600 Mount Pleasant Rd.  

I regret that in the past few weeks we have not be able to attend to our evening customers who have been so important to the survival of this little shop. This little enterprise was not built to handle the volume of business we have encountered over the past month.
In the past 64 years, Penrose has hand cut, on site, more than 4,000,000 lbs. of Pacific Halibut and over 8,000,000 lbs of potatoes, not to mention the 25,000 homemade lemon meringue pies.
It has been our humble pleasure to serve any and all that walked through our door, from the rich and the famous to the those that could not pay until next week.
Our lives have been enriched by the conversation and interaction of so many of you that it becomes almost overhwhelming to think of.
As many of you may know, the Johnstons are a sailing clan. so we would like to wish you all “sandy bottoms”  as you (and I hope you do) splice the main brace.
It has been our most extreme pleasure to be part of your life in our great city.
Work hard and be humble and remember that your name will go further than your feet ever will.
Fare thee well  Dave, Rosemary, Katie and Stacey Johnston

Mall slaughter foiled, Mounties watch 90 suspects

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The RCMP has revealed it has 90 Islamist terror suspects under surveillance in Canada following a chilling report via NBC of a planned attack to mow down shoppers at a shopping mall here. The NBC News report said Canadian authorities had heard would-be terrorists discussing potential ISIS-inspired “knife and gun” attacks against Canadian and US targets in Canada. The report quotes unidentified US intelligence officials. NBC says the targets ranged from an unnamed shopping mall to attacks on Americans or the US Embassy. In the mall plan, the group allegedly discussed mowing down people on crowded escalators until police arrived. NBC says the plan was disrupted. RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson told the media Wednesday (October 8, 2014) the force has about 63 active security investigations on 90 suspected extremists who intend to join fights abroad or who have returned to Canada. But Paulson told the Commons public safety committee “it’s nothing that I think that Canadians need to be alarmed about.” Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, however, told the committee these individuals pose a threat to Canadian security at home.

2014 election silly season breaks on Toronto

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John Tory will be excoriated in a television ad for saying women learn to play golf as means to get ahead in business. Rob Ford is under scrutiny for saying, some declare falsely, that he has a Jewish wife. Olivia Chow is sinking like a rock but her battle cry is that Doug Ford can’t win. Silly may not be a strong enough word for this season.   Google leads

Shell drops gas price to 39.9 a litre — in Alberta!

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Shell was selling bronze grade gasoline for 39.9 cents a litre around Alberta Wednesday (October 8, 2014) to mark 30 years of refining in the province.  It was a time of booming western growth and there was building everywhere. The Calgary Tower was still called the Husky Tower and it wasn’t quite finished. And gasoline was cheap. The anniversary specifically celebrated the opening of the Scotford refinery and styrene plant located approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. Shell says that all products produced at the Scotford refinery come from Alberta’s oil sands. “I’m sitting on empty,” said Dave Dupuis, who was waiting for the 10 a.m. deal at the Edmonton Terra Losa Shell station since 7:05 a.m. “Why not? I’m going to save $80, $90.” He was first in a long line of vehicles hoping to get the deal within the hour it was being offered. “At least 250, 300 vehicles,” guessed Dupois. “It’s all the way past Shoppers Drug Mart.” “I think it’s absolutely awesome. The average price for regular unleaded gasoline in Edmonton was just over $1.12 per litre as of Wednesday October 8, according to monitoring site Tomorrow’s Gas Price Today. Albertans generally pay some of the lowest prices for fuel in the country. The promotion was generally met with enthusiasm on twitter from motorists lucky enough fill their tanks at the throw back prices.