The South Bayview Bulldog

Rachel Brady writes with authority about the century old Hamilton-Toronto football rivalry. As she counts it up the history contains more than 300 games and countless trips along the Queen Elizabeth Way. It is not much remembered that the Argonauts and the Tiger-Cats used to meet much more often during the regular season when the Big Four and the Western League were run separately. The only time the two really met was when the winners of each contested the Grey Cup. Long gone. Ms. Brady recalls that tomorrow will be the first time in 27 years since the two teams have meet with the Cup on the line. Last time, in 1986, it was a two-game total-points series. The Argos won the first game on the road, but the Tiger-Cats overcame a 25-point deficit in Toronto to win the second game and the series, before going on to win the Grey Cup. This year the rejuvenated Ti-Cats are said to be as team on the rise. May the best team of heroes win.  Rachel Brady

Paige and Blake

De La Mer, the little fish and seafood shop at 1543 Bayview, is celebrating its fourth anniversary. To mark their success the owners held an excellent charity barbecue on the street with proceeds going to the #Movember mustache growing  phenomenon in aid of research into prostate cancer. Here we see De La Mer stalwarts Blake and Paige cooking up salmon burgers and salmon sausages. The Bulldog grabbed a sausage (yummy) and then popped into the store to pick up some crab and cheese stuffed mushrooms for the broiler. Business was brisk for the burgers and sausages and South Bayviewites were generous when it came to filling the donations tin. 

Happy crowds of local residents and bargain hunters from afield as well jammed the annual Holly Berry Fair at Rosedale United Church Saturday. It is, as they like to say, a high class bazaar and the array of quality artifacts and home made goods was impressive. Many vendors were there selling goods of their own making. “This is my grandmother’s corn relish,” said one woman. Organizers of the Holly Berry are able to attract a number of independent vendors, giving the fair an eclectic and stimulating quality. In the basement cafeteria, a delicatessen-style lunch was available with at least two ham carvers going at the same time. The egg salad was sold out by 1 p.m. Inset below, a local man and wife examine a glass plate on sale in one of the large rooms. This one was dedicated to glass and books, it seemed.  There was  Holly Berry Knitting on the main floor, a beautiful selection of hand-made knit and crocheted items including, toys, blankets, hats, scarves and baby items to choose from. Proceeds from past Holly Berry Fairs have gone to support the work of the church including Local and International Outreach. The chairs of the Holly Berry Fair in 2013 are Caroline and Bob Duncanson. Rosedale United describes itself as “a dynamic congregation of the United Church of Canada located in a quiet neighbourhood in the heart of Toronto with 430 households from both our immediate neighbourhood and across the City. We have a tradition of wonderful music, strong preaching, and a welcoming environment. Whether you are a long-time member or considering a first visit, be at home among us.” 

China’s Communist Party has promised to revise and loosen its one-child policy, a program that has been in place since before the country turned to free markets in 1979. The party also said it will eliminate so-called labour camps. They are among the most iniquitous parts of China’s treatment of people who dissent for political reasons or civil issues like unfair municipal decisions. The one child policy will be loosened but not eliminated. It is designed to control China’s enormous population, now said to number 1.3 billion individuals. Some analysts say that the government now needs more young people to help replenish an aging workforce. CBC