Day Nine of the Crisis at Toronto City Hall

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Friday is Day Nine of the Crisis at Toronto City Hall. It came with promises that the mayor might decide on his own to at least take time off from the job. This may not satisfy many who say their confidence has been destroyed by Mr. Ford’s vulgar and alarming behaviour. But it could give this troubled man some help.
  • The word came first from Doug Ford, the brother. He was silent Thursday. That was entirely out of character. Friday he spoke quietly and stunned reporters by saying he had asked his brother to get help.
  • The mayor himself said little except that he wanted some time from the media to do some things. Today he left City Hall at noon saying he had family business to perform. His manner was less agitated than in previous days but he was still easily irritated with reporters.
  • TTC Chair Karen Stintz (Ward 16) and mayoralty candidate spoke on CP24 with cool disdain of the mayor. He had betrayed the City and repeatedly made statements which were later revealed as lies, she said. As to Remembrance Day ceremonies, Ms Stintz said that it may be uncomfortable for councillors and others for Mr, Ford to be present at the ceremony but he is the mayor and “if he thinks he can legitimately add to the ceremony” he should be there.
  • NewsTalk1010 issues a statement that all parties have agreed that the mayor’s Sunday talk show should come to an end. Last Sunday was it. We think corporate headquarters is getting antsy.
  • Around suppertime, the mayor returned to his office, taking everyone by surprise. He appeared to be tidying up work even though he had said when he left earlier he would be gone for the day.
  • Finally, an interview with one of the mayor’s strange acquaintances has yielded a story that the so-called crack video first unearthed by Gawker magazine in the Spring was on the shopping list of the “mafia”.  He told the CBC that as the broker of this video he heard from a lot of people. He said a “suitcase” full of money was offered by “organized crime figures” in “fancy” cars who scared him so much he was concerned for his safety. “There were phone calls coming in from people claiming to be ex-military, claiming to be a police officer, saying, ‘Look, if you guys don’t pass the video or find the video, we’ll arrest you guys or we’ll have you guys executed or some crazy stuff like that.’ Just wonderful.

Cops still hunting flag-kicking Sunnybrook jogger

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Toronto police haven’t forgotten the person who kicked down our flag and gave the finger to those who objected last Remembrance Day. Cops are appealing to anyone who knows this man to come forward or call Crime Stoppers anonymously. It was a jogger who kicked down Canadian flags placed in the ground during a ceremony last year in Sunnybrook Park. The suspect is described as white, 5’9 to 5’11, 170 to 180 pounds and bald. Police are still looking to identify the suspect, and the public’s help would be greatly appreciated. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-5300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.

Three teens nabbed in five violent bank robberies

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Toronto Police have arrested three 17-year-olds  for a series of bank robberies this summer in which the bandits “stormed the bank, ordered customers to the ground and took physical control of some of the victims” .Between Saturday, June 1, 2013 and Monday, July 8, 2013 the five “take-over” bank robberies terrified customers and staff. The robberies were in Mississauga and Scarborough. It appears that the police were able to break the case because of a tip from the underworld. The Canadian Bankers Association announced a $50,000 reward for information into these investigations. Because of their age, the names of the three cannot be published.The robberies occurred during busy periods and became increasingly violent as tellers were pushed, put in choke holds and head locks and pistol whipped. Police say information from the public helped the holdup squad further the investigation, leading to the arrests of the three teens.  

Maybe Bell Media wants mayor to quit too

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Bell Media’s recently acquired NewsTalk 1010 says that Mayor Ford will no longer have his own program on the station. The station’s site says the mayor and station management “have mutually determined to conclude broadcasts of The City, ending with last week’s show.” It goes on to say that the mayor and his brother, Doug Ford (ward 2) remain welcome at any time as guests on NewsTalk 1010. Nonetheless, the public relations implications for a firm like Bell, cannot be underestimated. The huge multi-business empire has many interests both national and international. And sadly, the mayor’s conduct has made him nearly toxic in some quarters.   

Can Twitter make money as well as hype?

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It’s a brave small investor who puts anything much into the newly created shares of Twitter today. Then again, all it has to do is make money.  CBC

Rocca onside as Longo’s takes over Zamboni ads

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Patrick Rocca tells The South Bayview Bulldog that he is a firm and continuing supporter of the the Leaside arena, personally and financially, as he has been for many years.  Patrick says the arena is part of  the fabric of the community. He made these remarks in the wake of a report from the Toronto ombudsman over the transfer of the right to advertise on the arena’s Zamboni, a right Rocca had had for many years. Longo Brothers (Longo’s) has been granted this right at a much higher rate and there were questions about the precise nature of their offer.  The arena board is said to have apologized to Rocca. The matter is described in a report by Paul Moloney of the Toronto Star

Values on Park Lane Circle seem down a bit

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It’s hard to feel sorry for a bank, but the saga of 40 Park Lane Circle in the Bridle Path makes you understand some of their worst moments. This country estate in the city started out for sale by the owner in the Spring of 2010 for $23.8 million.  Time went by and in December of the same year the price came down to $19.8 million. Speed over to early 2011 and the price is down to $17.5 million. Heading into Christmas 2011, 40 Park Lane Circle — all 18 rooms and the lot at 269 by 459 feet — could be had for a mere $15.9 million. Early this year the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank dropped the price to $13,980,000. In October 2013, HSBC threw in the towel and said this castle is going to auction — what’s your best offer. Mind, HBSC has faced worse issues. In 2012 it was revealed that staff at its global subsidiaries had laundered billions of dollars for drug cartels, terrorists and pariah states. The bank said it was very sorry about all that

Day Eight of the Crisis at Toronto City Hall

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Thursday was Day Eight of the Rob Ford crisis — eight days since Police Chief Blair’s news conference releasing court documents on the surveillance of the mayor and Alexander Lisi. The day was marked by further appeals and pleadings for Mr. Ford to step down temporarily or to resign.
  • The day began with the Toronto Star  posting a previously unknown  video showing the mayor in a drunken rant. It can be seen here. It is both comic and fearful — full of threats against someone or more than one individual. It has only two possible points of reference. Mr. Ford says “Randy walks…”  Shortly after, as the mayor insists he is going to kill someone, the voice of an unidentified person says by way of warning: “These kids are pros buddy.”
  • Councillor George Mammoliti announced that this video had prompted him to ask the mayor to step down to deal with his problem.
  • The mayor commented on the video but found himself largely at a loss for words. He said he had been inebriated but he did not answer questions about who he was threatening or to whom he was talking.
  •  Finance Minister Flaherty found himself choked up as he tried to deal with the mayor’s situation. Mr. Flaherty is a friend of the family from the time he served in the Mike Harris government with Mr.Ford’s father. 
  • In the afternoon,. Kevin Donovan, the Star reporter who has been in the forefront of the Ford investigation, said the paper had paid $5,000 for the video. Donovan said it had been recorded in the home of a businessman who was a supporter of Mr.Ford”s. But he provided no specifics nor did he name the businessman or the source of the video. 
  • Still later, Stephen LeDrew was invited to the home of Mr. Ford’s mother where he interviewed both Mrs. Ford and her daughter, the mayor’s sister, Kathy Mrs. Ford said of her son “maybe he does need some help in counselling”. She said if he did this he would stay “on the straight and narrow.”  It seemed like a mother’s charitable view of her son.  His sister called the mayor’s associates “sickening”  But they both insisted he did not need “rehabilitation.” Interview
  • Finally, the Toronto Sun saysa former common-law spouse of Kathy Ford who vowed to expose the Ford family to the media was savagely beaten in jail because he was a “bother” to the Toronto mayor, a judge told his sentencing hearing. Justice Paul French said Scott MacIntyre “was viciously attacked and severely beaten” by inmates on March 12, 2012, in a “jail-house justice” episode..  

McDonalds to be demolished for Bayview LRT

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A well-attended meeting at Northern Secondary School Thursday night saw pictures and diagrams showing the shape and location of LRT stations between Avenue Road and Bayview Avenue. Metrolinx personnel answered questions. The Bayview-Eglinton station will be built on the site of the McDonalds restaurant which overlooks Howard Talbot Park and the Sunnybrook Plaza (inset top). Kitty-corner from main station (inset bottom) will be a feeder entry station in the Metro parking lot on the northwest corner. Unlike stations in heavier traffic zones, the Bayview station will have only two entrances, one in the main station on the southeast corner and one in the entry station in the Metro lot. Travellers leaving Sunnybrook Plaza will have to cross either Bayview Ave. or Eglinton Ave. to get the LRT.  A nice bit of news on the northwest corner of Mt Pleasant and Eglinton where, according to Metrolinx information, the facade of the old building will be retained. Right now, that building houses a busy Second Cup franchise. At Yonge and Eglinton, the LRT will disappear from surface level because it has to be built under the Eglinton station of the Yonge line. Presumably entry will be made via the Yonge station. Over at Avenue Rd and Eglinton, the Mac’s store has been expropriated and that space will accommodate the LRT station. A secondary entrance to the station, which will run east from Avenue Rd. will be made through a converted storefront on the north side of Eglinton.

All welcome at re-dedication of LMCG tommorrow

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Ray White Board Chair of the Leaside Memorial Community Gardens invites all to join him tomorrow (November 8, 2013) for the service of rededication of the arena. As Mr. White points out, Leaside Memorial Community Gardens was originally built as a memorial to the 17 men from the Town of Leaside who died during WWII. A memorial plaque, that was originally dedicated near the entrance to the William Lea Room has been refurbished and remounted on the new building near the flag poles. Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Todmorden Branch 10 will participate along with a bugler from HMCS York and piper to play the last post, lament and reveille. Mr. White said the board is especially pleased that the children of St. Anselm’s School will be participating in the service. The  school choir will be singing and students will read the names of the men from Leaside who were killed during the war. Rev. Beth Benson from St. Cuthbert’s Church in Leaside will officiate. Elected officials and members from three of the families of the servicemen killed will be in attendance. There service will start promptly at 1 p.m. near the flagpoles. 

Yeh! Yogurt on Bayview closes — open just a year

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The yogurt bar known as Yeh! Yogurt at 1617 Bayview Ave. has closed. It is a sad end for a franchise which started with much promise, opening on a warm September 1, 2013. Today brown paper covers the windows and a for rent sign is on the window. This building is the north half of the double store belonging to the the owners of the Tru Value Hardware outlet at 1615. That portion of the store is also for rent,. 

Toronto Star pays $5,000 for 2nd Ford video

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The Toronto Star has paid $5,000 to unidentified parties for a video which shows Rob Ford in a fit of drunken bravado ranting against an unknown individual who is not present.  The location of this incident has not been revealed and it isn’t clear what anyone at the Star knows about it. The newspaper took the precaution of recording the transaction but will not release that video. As to the video purchased by the newspaper showing Mr. Ford, it appears to have been taken without the knowledge of the mayor from a low position. The deputy mayor, Norm Kelly, said it  looked like “a set-up.” It is very early in the public phase of this video and there may be some as yet unknown reason why the newspaper is keeping secret the circumstances under which it was purchased, and from whom. Mayor Ford told reporters that the video was”very embarrassing.” He said he was “extremely, extremely inebriated” when the video was taken. CP24 has broadcast a transcript of the mayor’s remarks on the tape. He is said to be denouncing someone with whom he has an issue. The mayor says “Ill ‘kill him” among other threatening things however the sense of Mr. Ford on the video is that his words are bravado.