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The three-month-old third-in-line to the throne was christened today in a ceremony in London. BBC report to the right is very good.
Mike Duffy is no victim Harper tells the Commons
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“They were out to get me,” Wallin tells Senate
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Pamela Wallin said she is the victims of a vendetta by Marjory LeBreton, until recently the leader of the government in the Senate, and Carolyn Stewart Olsen, Mr. Harper’s former press secretary. The former broadcaster said the two women Senators targeted her because she was outspoken in caucus and occasionally critical of the government. “They resented me because I was an activist senator,” Ms. Wallin told the Senate. CANOE
Pope suspends high-living Bishop of Bling
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Pope Francis has ordered Germany’s Bishop of Limburg to leave his diocese over his £26 million luxury home. Report by Jeremy Barnes. CBC
Libs likely to take Toronto Centre byelection
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A poll by Global News suggests the outcome of the November 25, 2013 byelection in Toronto Centre will return the riding to the Liberal party. Voters in the north end of this odd polyglot constituency must wonder to hear the furious debate about the impact of Marxism on the status of Torontonians today. Both the Liberal and NDP candidates think there are points to be made with this early 20th Century notion, and maybe they are right in Cabbagetown. (No offense to anyone in Cabbagetown). National Post. Typically, voters in Moore Park and parts of Rosedale see their ballots swamped when the results come in from south of Bloor. In fairness, the long-time member for this riding, Bob Rae, was a popular figure everywhere. And so it seems his legacy will assist Chrystia Freeland, the Liberal candidate. The Global poll, done by Forum Research, shows Ms Freeland with 45 percent of the support. Linda McQuaig, the NDP’s choice, had 30 percent support. The Conservatives and Greens had 18 and seven percent respectively. It may be that this poll was done before the Conservative candidate Geoff Pollock, a Danforth Ave lawyer, was even nominated. But it doesn’t matter, it seems. At a federal level the Conservatives show almost no interest in Toronto Centre. They seem to have written it off, as they have done in the past. Many newspaper stories about the riding don’t even mention Mr. Pollock. It is unseemly indifference on the part of the government party.
Bank drops rate-hike talk due to weak growth
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Duffy says Harper told him to repay expenses
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It is said that Mike Duffy portrayed the aggrieved victim to perfection in the Senate today. More important it seems, he took the question of Prime Minister Harper’s knowledge of Duffy’s housing expenses home to the prime minister. Duffy said that when the issue of his $90,000 expenses arose he was called to a meeting that included himself, Nigel Wright, the prime minister’s top aide, and Stephen Harper himself. Duffy told the Senate today that the order to re-pay the money came directly from Harper. He said the prime minister didn’t really seem to care whether Duffy had followed the rules or not (and that particular question still seems unknown). Instead, Harper told Duffy that “the base” would not understand the issues involved with the expenses. He wanted Duffy to repay the money. This puts Mr. Harper closer to the the deal in which Nigel Wright gave Duffy the $90.000 to repay the doubtful expenses. But Duffy did not say, perhaps because he cannot, that Mr. Harper knew what Wright was going to do. CBC
Work speeding ahead on 308A and B Rose Park
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Work is speeding ahead at the building site which was the location of 308 Rose Park Drive in Moore Park for so many decades. The 70 foot wide lot has been divided into two and the first of two homes is well underway (inset). This one likely carries the temporary address of 308B. On August 20 we reported on the removal of the heavy oak doors from the old home to be sold by Habitat for Humanity. The home was listed for $2,495,000 in September 2012. The sale price was $2,150,000 in October 2012 and the divided lot with addresses 308A and 308B were for purchase from Cimetta Properties together or singly, with or without a home built to the approved plans. No 308 Rose Park dated from the 1920s and was one of only a few architect-designed homes on the street. Previous posts.Rear-ender on Laird Drive blocks traffic for hours
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Traffic on Laird Drive was brought a half for most of the afternoon following this nasty rear-end accident at Laird and Commercial. Traffic was diverted around the collision at Commercial on the north and Industrial Street on the south.
Bell Canada will ether-analyse you to sell stuff
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Oh goody. Bell Canada says it going to analyse you on the basis of what it can find out about you and then show you ads and “offers”” that it thinks you want. What could be better? Watch for a chance to opt out of this Bell from Hell scenario. See what happens when a phone company eats Canada for lunch? Globe and Mail (may require subscription)
Silly neighbours appear to deserve each other
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In another time, the behaviour of these two people would be ignored. Now we report silly conduct down to whether the garbage looks quite right. May require subscription.
Afternoon mugging for cash on Overlea Blvd.
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Toronto Police Service report: A 30 year old male reports that on October 20, 2013 at approximately 1530 hours he was in the area of Overlea Boulevard and Thorncliffe Park Drive when he was approached by a male suspect. The suspect removed an envelope containing a large quantity of cash from the victim’s person and fled the scene in an unknown direction. A second suspect then grabbed the victim in an attempt to prevent him from following the first suspect. The victim broke free and while chasing the first suspect, the victim tripped and fell. The victim sustained minor injuries from the fall. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following described persons in connection with this offence. Description of Suspect #1: Male, black, 20 to 25 years, 5’5” to 5’7”, heavy build. Suspect #2: Male, white, 20 to 25 years, 6’4” to 6’5”, thin build.