Mayor Ford has stonewalled members of City Council this morning as they attempt to make him understand that his behaviour has been unacceptable and that “apologies” are not sufficient. In reply to his supporter, George Mammoliti, the mayor said that he was guilty of “utter stupidity” and would not agree that his decision to smoke crack cocaine was caused by stress. Councillor Shiner asked if the mayor had admitted all of his mistakes. Mayor Ford said he didn’t know. “I don’t know what’s out there.” In response to the question, “Will you get help?” The reply was “I am not an addict. Why are you asking me if I need help?
70 percent want mayor to step down says poll
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There has been a dramatic shift in public opinion against Mayor Ford. An Ipsos Reid poll commissioned by CP24 shows more than 70 percent of respondents want the mayor to resign or step down for a period of time. They say his plan to soldier on is not acceptable. CP24
Will Mayor Ford make bobble heads of council?
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Fresh off his Robbie Bobbie cash-and-carry love affair with supporters Tuesday, Mayor Rob Ford will face a City Council motion Wednesday morning demanding he apologize to citizens. It also tells him to step aside and get help for his substance abuse. More than that, if the mayor doesn’t agree, Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34) says he will move another motion asking the Ontario Government to remove Mr. Ford from office. That would be quite a tall order and Mr. Ford knows it. The bobble head follies went on in a variety of forms at City Hall Tuesday. The Globe and Mail videos at the top tell the improbable tale. Don’t miss the Ford Nation lady wanting to know what happened to the “promise” that she could buy more than one. Maybe she was hoping to make a killing with multiple $1000 robbie listings on e-Bay. But back to council. Last week there was a head count of the 44 members of council (Mr. Ford makes 45). It showed at least 30 members want the mayor to resign or take a leave of absence. For some it was the second video of the mayor in which he bravely describes how he will kill one or more unnamed people. That was the video that moved John Filion (Ward 23) to draft his motion calling on council to suspend many of the mayor’s powers. That motion has yet to come to council. During this strange day, Mr. Ford allowed to reporters that things were “just going great.” It is an expression of confidence that many will find simply absurd. It should be a lively day.
Jim Flaherty predicts end of deficit by 2015
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| Finance Minister Flaherty |
Jim Flaherty was joking about spending. He said that his staff had recently bought him a big old-fashioned looking rubber stamp which simply says “No”. Call him a cold-hearted capitalist or the saviour of a prosperous and independent Canada — the man does not like debt. “Everybody wants something,” he said a little sadly. “Sooner or later you have to have the courage to say no.” It is the process of hanging onto money that has permitted Canada to turn itself into a fiscally strong example to the world. In the 1990s, Flaherty said, Canadians ponied up 30 cents of every $1 in taxes to pay down the interest on the debt. Now that interest is down to 11 cents out of every dollar. In that respect, Canada is the envy of the western world. Flaherty said today that if everything goes according to plan, the country will have a $3.7-billion surplus in time for the next national election in 2015. And that would pave the way for tax breaks. Making good on earlier pledges to chalk up a surplus, Mr. Flaherty used his economic and fiscal update in Edmonton to issue the most optimistic forecast. Selling off government assets, reigning in department spending and growing tax revenues will all combine to put Ottawa back in the black, finance department figures reveal. Global News
Holly Berry this Saturday at Rosedale United
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A profusion of Holly Berry signs across South Bayview heralds the Rosedale United Church annual fair this Saturday, November 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fair-goers will find Christmas Shopping and more. There will be baked goodies, jewellery, and lots of handcrafted items from “unique vendors”. The fair features a Fran’s Deli. Proceeds from past fairs have gone to support the work of local and international outreach. The chairs of the Holly Berry Fair in 2013 are Caroline and Bob Duncanson. churchoffice@rosedaleunited.org Rosedale United is at 159 Roxborough Drive at Glen Road.
Wind whips South Bayview with more to come
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| Bayview and Sutherland |
November’s windy weather is especially noticeable this week with gusts up to 40 k/hr today and stronger winds forecast for later this week. Tomorrow we may see gusts up to 50 k/hr. These garbage containers on Bayview Ave. at Sutherland tumbled out into the road Tuesday. Another effect of the winds is the chill factor. Temperatures of near zero feel like you’re experiencing something well below that. As it turns out, those higher winds will soon come with warmer temperatures. It will reach a high of 5 degrees Celsius tomorrow and by the weekend we’ll have temps as high as 12 degrees Celsius.
Storekeeper, 76, attacked by two young thieves
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There was a gratuitous attack on a 76 year old storekeeper at the AZ Mini Mart at 8 Satterly Road near Islington Ave and Steeles Ave W. It happened at about 6.50 p.m. on Sunday when two young men came into the store.They demanded cash and emptied the man’s pockets of personal money and a phone. Then they hit him on the head even though he had complied with their demands. He was taken to hospital and will recover. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying suspects described as follows: Suspect #1: Male, 18 to 20 years, 5’2”, 135 pounds, thin build. Suspect #2: Male with no further description. .
Shoppers Drug Mart shows modest Q3 growth
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Shoppers Drug Mart is showing a modest increase in third quarter same stores sales and a similar increase for the year so far. The company, which was recently purchased by Loblaws and awaits approval from the Competition Bureau, released these high lights Tuesday: Third Quarter Year-Over-Year Highlights Sales increase of 2.4% to $3.287 billion Same-store increase of 2.2% Pharmacy sales increase of 2.7% to $1.582 billion Same-store increase of 1.8% Retail prescription count increase of 5.3% Same-store increase of 4.1% The public is waiting to see just how the Loblaws and Shoppers businesses will be adjusted to make the purchase worthwhile. Loblaws has said the business will continue to stand alone but common sense dictates that there will be some rationalization. Otherwise the deal has no value.
North Korea executes 80 to repress western ideas
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Several large-scale public executions of around 80 people have taken place in North Korea, according to a South Korean newspaper. In one, women and children were herded into a sports stadium and forced to watch people being shot dead by machine gun fire. The executions took place on Sunday November 3, a source told the paper. Speculation in South Korea is that the bloody repression is intended to stop the infiltration of capitalist and Christian thinking into the strict communist country. There is a growing taste for western movies and TV in North Korea. In South Korea, about half of the country’s 50 million people are fairly devout Christians, a distinct threat to North Korea, a state of about 25 million. Daily Mail
Flood prevention night at Leaside High School
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An important meeting to discuss causes of flooding in Leaside will be held Tuesday, November 26, 2013, in the Cafeteria room of Leaside High School, 200 Hanna Road. This is the public consultation portion of the city’s strategy to prevent flooding of the kind experienced in 2005 with the storm of August 19. As we know, Toronto has also been subject to serious flooding subsequently, most notably August 2009 and again this past July when two days of heavy rain stranded a GO train in the swollen Don River. This will be the First Public Information Centre to learn about the causes of flooding and the options that will be considered to address the problem in the study area. Everyone will have an opportunity to view information display boards and speak one-on-one with project staff. Location and times again: Tuesday, November 26, 2013 from: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Leaside High School Mayor meets with trainer, doctor, nutritionist
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Joe Warmington in the Sun says he has learned that Mayor Ford has “got together” with a personal trainer. The mayor also saw a doctor on Saturday and a “person with expertise in nutrition.” There is skepticism however that this type of assistance, good as it may be, will address the mayor’s apparent substance abuse issues. Joe Warmington
What will be open and closed across Toronto
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Open:
All Toronto Public Library branches will be open.
Schools will be open
Fort York is the only one of the city’s 10 historic museums that will remain open. Admission is free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Parks, Forestry and Recreation programs City services that regularly operate 24 hours a day/seven days a week (such as 311 and emergency services) will remain available Emergency shelters
LCBO Stores will open at noon.
Closed
Banks Post offices Federal and provincial government offices
All Toronto Employment and Social Services locations
Solid Waste Management Services’ drop-off depots and Container Pickup locations Children’s Services offices and centres
All parking ticket counters
Long-Term Care Homes and Services adult day programs
All Property Tax and Utility payment counters at City Hall and the civic centres will be closed.
Banks Post offices Federal and provincial government offices
All Toronto Employment and Social Services locations
Solid Waste Management Services’ drop-off depots and Container Pickup locations Children’s Services offices and centres
All parking ticket counters
Long-Term Care Homes and Services adult day programs
All Property Tax and Utility payment counters at City Hall and the civic centres will be closed.