Lucky break for all in Sunnybook Plaza crash

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There was a certain fretfulness among shoppers at Sunnybrook Plaza Saturday morning as they talked about the accident yesterday afternoon that sent a car through the glass front of the Rexall Pharma Plus pharmacy. “This has happened before,” said one woman outside the drugstore with her husband. “Ï wonder what they can do to make it safer?” And that was the sentiment of a number of people in the more than 60 year old strip mall. The plaza is said to be the earliest of such commercial centres in Toronto. It is owned by RioCan, the giant real estate investment trust (REIT). They have a record of responsibility and concern for their properties. In yesterday’s incident, a woman was at the wheel of a Toyota which was apparently in the permit parking spot shown in the photo, inset. For whatever reason, the car shot forward and knocked down a number of people. Only two were taken to hospital and then released. Toronto EMS say their injuries are minor.  All in all a lucky break for those concerned.  Yesterday’s post.

Star second quarter profits plummet 44 percent

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Torstar Corp. reported a sharp decline in profit in the second quarter as its media division continued to struggle with plunging print advertising revenues and even its book publishing business hit an unexpected lull. Torstar, which publishes the Toronto Star and the fre papers Metro and the Grid. It also owns Metrospan, the chain of  suburuban and city weeklies such as the Mirror. It also owns the Hamilton Specator and a number of other southern Ontario papers. Net income for the quarter was $18-million or $0.23 per share, down 44% from $0.41 per share in the same period last year. Its romance novel publishing division Harlequin posted a surprising drop, said David Holland, president and chief executive of the Toronto-based company. “We had anticipated lower earnings at Harlequin but not to this extent,” Mr. Holland said during a conference call with analysts. “Lower volumes, including a deterioration in overseas volumes, which we were concerned about in the last quarter, were responsible for the shortfall to expectations.”  It is unclear how the Kindle and Kobo phenomenon have impacted Harlequin. 

$30.1 million Lotto Max ticket in Toronto

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The OLG says a winning ticket was sold in Toronto for the $30.3-million Lotto Max jackpot drawn last night. There was also a winning Encore ticket worth $1 million purchased in Brampton. 

Only one of these election winners won a majority

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Only one of the five winners of Thursday night’s byelections won a true majority. It was Percy Hatfield the union stalwart who seized the riding of Windsor-Tecumseh for the NDP. Hatfield racked up 15,693 votes or 61.1% of the vote. The six other candidates combined didn’t match half his mandate. But elsewhere the election night winners prevailed by gaining a plurality of the ballots cast and automatically invoking the “first past the post” rule of Canadian elections. When people talk of a democratic deficit it’s usually some twaddle about why an obscure interest group can’t get elected.  The real democratic deficit occurs it would seem when a multiplicity of candidates makes it impossible for a voter to act strategically to express his/her will. That’s where the so-called ranked ballots concept applies. It permits voters to pick a first choice and second choice. If the first choice of voters doesn’t produce a majority winner, there is an instant runoff to choose one. Of course there is no way of knowing where second place votes will go and such runoffs will frequently strengthen the position of the plurality winner. The current byelection that jumps out in this context is Scarborough-Guildwood where Ms. Hunter finished 1246 votes ahead of the PC candidate Ken Kirupa. But Kirupa and the third-place NDP candidate Adam Giambone had an aggregate of more than 14,600 votes compared to Ms. Hunter’s 8852. Similarly in Ottawa South, the PC and NDP candidates out-polled the Liberal John Fraser by 3726 votes. All of this is fun to contemplate as the government finds comfort in its two retained seats.  The link takes you to a post about the prospect of ranked ballots being in place for the 2018 Toronto general election   Previous posts

Car into pharmacy window at Sunnybrook Plaza

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A woman was behind the wheel when a Toyota car jumped the sidewalk at the Sunnybrook Plaza Friday afternoon and smashed into the glass doors of the Rexall Pharma Plus drugstore. Fire and police on the scene said that although there were injuries no one was seriously hurt. An early-tweeted picture (left) from an unknown person shows a woman laying on the pavement with concerned individuals over her. It was said among bystanders that perhaps two people had been  taken to Sunnybrook Hospital. Picture centre, the dented vehicle. Right, the car more less where it landed as it crashed into the pharmacy. 

“I get it,” Premier Wynne tells Ontario voters

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Wynne and Hunter — “Ï get it”
Both Premier Wynne and her Scarborough Guildwood star-in-the-making Mitzie Hunter were expressing a lot of regret as they spoke on the byelection outcomes Thursday. Wynne acknowledged that people are right to be angry about the gas plant scandal and the punishing cost of the Liberal political expediency.  People were angry and they had a right to be, she suggested. “I entirely get that,” she declared.  The Premier called the outcomes a “verdict on the recent past”.  She said  “I have heard it and I accept it. The next election will be about the future. That’s what we’re working toward.”  Wynne condemned the political management of the controversial cancellation of two gas plants as “heavy handed” and “secretive.” “Correcting the mistake that was made in the first place cost more money than it should have, and as a member of the government that made those decisions, I could not be more sorry about that, and I mean that,” she said. “I absolutely mean that.”  Ms. Hunter, who held the east Toronto riding for the Liberals apparently on the strength of her personality, said she understood that the loss of three of the five seats represented a message from voters that they were not happy with the performance of the government. “They deserve better,” she said. 

South Bayview will welcome carnival visitors

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Toronto’s popular Caribbean Carnival will entertain thousands this weekend. It is now 46 years old, although the name had to be changed a few years ago for corporate reasons. It is an event that appeals to many as a one-time experience — to others it is an annual attraction and they come many miles to attend. Accordingly, the city will be in carnival mode or maybe just going about its business this long weekend. South Bayview will be conducting business and will welcome, as it frequently does, many visitors from the U.S. who come here for the carnival. Events are mainly on Lake Shore Boulevard where a winding, gyrating, colourful river of people will take over the roadway. Caribbean Carnival Toronto is a three-week string of parties for some leading up to the August long weekend and celebrating the culture of Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and neighbouring islands. It is sponsored by Scotiabank. Taxpayers also support the carnival with a $525,000 donation which from time to time raises the question as to whether there should be a modest charge to attend.    

Premier Kath’s excellent consolation prize

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She would have had the outcome better but Premier Wynne could go to bed in Don Valley West last night with a consolation prize. She claimed two wins — Scarborough Guildwood and Ottawa South. Almost as tasty to her, she stopped the blue ambition at the western edge of Toronto — the PCs getting a win only in Etobicoke-Lakeshore. Her best friend (if you will pardon the expression) Andrea Horwath may now come to those second floor Queen’s Park tete-a-tetes with two more seats. Under the surface however is a huge amount of discontent. The only candidate who really ran away with a race is the NDP candidate in Windsor.  Election Ontario official results 

New York balcony railing sends woman to death

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The perils of a sky-high balcony, not unknown in glass towered Toronto, accompanied the death of a bright young advertising executive in Manhattan Wednesday. Jennifer Rosoff, 35, was smoking a ciigarette on the balcony of her on East 57 St. apartment with a man she had apparently invited home. The woman casually stretched a leg out and propped her foot on a metal balcony railing at the corner of her balcony. The man later told police he offered the woman a warning that her position might be dangerous. Rosoff told him she did it all the time. A moment later the railing collapsed into a V-shaped killer that catapulted the woman off the balcony and sent her 17 floors to her death.  She landed on first floor scaffolding. Fire and police found her male friend screaming and dazed on the street below. 

What happens if the farmers are deadlocked?

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Ryerson University staff and students may find themselves comforted by the new sustainable food policy said to be in place at the school this coming year, but will they be any better fed?  The proud boast may help sustain the caterer’s bottom line but it ‘s a mystery what it will means on your plate. Here’s what to check for if you have time after class.   

Sustainable agriculture is a way of raising food that is healthy for consumers and animals, does not harm the environment, is humane for workers, respects animals, provides a fair wage to the farmer, and supports and enhances rural communities.

Food that’s healthy for people. These days that could mean no sugar, no meat, no salt, no starch and no butter. Who gets to pick? It has to be healthy for animals too. Hey look, we’re pretty easy but are there going to be four-legged customers in the cafeteria? What does that mean for getting a ham sandwich? Altogether the food must be humane, fair, respecting of animals and enhancing of rural communities. Is dinner delayed until we hear from all the parties? Can we have half servings if the farmers are deadlocked?  

When bad things happen to good maples

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It’s a challenge every time one of these big fellows comes crashing down and especially so when it happens in a backyard with no access to the street, not even a driveway. As reported by our sister blog Yonge and Roxborough News this tree came down a few days ago in a storm and in order to get it out, a giant crane had to lift it perilously over the rooftops. This happened at 52 Macpherson Ave an area of the city that was built in that twilight zone of history where there were no lanes between the fine homes. Left, great tree lays across the garden; centre, a flight into the unknown and right, close to terra firma and a meeting with the tree man’s buzz saw. 

Feds say they can change Senate without premiers

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Poillievre

The newly-appointed Democratic Reform Minister Pierre Poillievre is taking on the big jobs first as he laid out the Conservative government’s plan for the future of the Senate. In a rather bold approach, Poillievre says the federal authority does not need the permission of the provinces to make the red chamber more democratic and to place new limits on terms. He also argues that the Senate can be abolished with the consent of seven provinces containing at least 50 percent of the population. These arguments will be heard and decided up on the Supreme Court of Canada. Fixing the Senate