A St. Lucian migrant worker employed at a farm near Kingsville, Ontario has been awarded $23,500 because his employer called him a “monkey on a branch.” Adrian Montrose was employed at a greenhouse at Double Diamond Acres Ltd. in 2009 under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program. The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal validated Mr. Montrose’s complaint and levied the penalty against the Windsor-area farm.
Bay move on Saks sets up tussle with Nordstrom
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The huge deal to buy Saks, yet to be finalized, reveals the giant chess game of brand, buying and property location in the department store business. The dollar figure is said to be $2.9 billion. It brings the well-known Saks name to Canadian malls and likely signals a Toronto tussle between Nordstom and Saks. Nordstrom will soon open a couple of stores here. Beyond that, what name will prevail on the outside of the store? The Bay? Saks? Some think that the old Bay name is as musty as the boats the fur traders used to float their pelts down from Manitoba. The Bay traces its roots to 17th century traders in Canada. On oh-so-exclusive (and expensive) Bloor Street West it seems easy to see a Saks at the corner of Yonge. The company could win an award for demolishing that wretched parking garage on Asquith Ave. In the deal announced today, the choice Fifth Avenue property so associated with Saks name will be owned by The Bay. The Bay now owns U.S. high-end retailer Lord and Taylor, although some may wonder whether the decisions are made in Canada or elsewhere. Holt Renfrew must be watching with wonderment although its owners have the means to make their little department store pay if they choose to act on them. Remember, the Weston family stuned the world just last week with a similarly staggering retail buyout. Reuters
Origins of Saks rich Fifth Avenue mystique
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Saks Fifth Avenue has been able to retain a lot of its luxury mystique even through tougher times like the early years of the 21st Century. Left, the flagship store was built in 1924 at a cost of $4.25 million. Today’s deal with The Bay values that site at more than $800 million. Over the years Saks has prided itself on some signal introductions. L to r, Estee Lauder 1947, Marc Jacobs in 1994 and Alexander McQueen in 1997.
Critical moments of streetcar shooting video
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An enlarged rendering of the Martin Baron video from Saturday’s police shooting is on YouTube. It shows the victim in this case, Sammy Yatim, visible just inside the front door of the streetcar. The police are shouting at him to drop the knife. He does not do that but moves back inside the car and can be seen through a window. He then appears to move forward slightly and the first of nine shots are fired by police. Some media descriptions of this video say that police say “Don’t move” but this is not apparent to many people looking at the video.
All the Pope’s world was on Copacabana beach
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The Pope’s world seems to have gathered on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro Saturday. As many as three million people were there for the last service of the pontiff’s visit. This remarkable picture spans the humanity as demurely garbed nuns walk briskly by a would-be pin up model. The nuns are wearing what appear to be the cornet headdress of the San Tanco Nunnery (and others) worn by Sister Bertrille (Sally Field) in the Flying Nun.Smoked and Cracked has hot and cold lobster
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| Pick one |
Long-time reader Susan J has written to suggest that those who love lobster might like to visit Smoked and Cracked at 516 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Susan points out they make lobster rolls both hot and cold. And the restaurant and catering service specializes in many other lobster dishes. From their website and other online links, it seems that the owners, Michael Kash and Ron Raymer, started Smoked and Cracked in December of last year. They have a fairly elaborate catering service as well. Smoked and Cracked is on the west side of Mt Pleasant just north of Millwood Rd. This suggestion arises from the McLobster posts of recent days. Previous post.
Jay’s Tom Cheek honoured in Cooperstown
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| The late Tom Cheek |
The Blue Jay’s first play-by-play announcer, Tom Cheek, has been honoured in a ceremony at Doubleday Park in Cooperstown N.Y. Cheek’s widow, Shirley Cheek accepted the Ford C. Frick award for broadcast excellence. Cheek died in 2005 with a record 4,306 consecutive Blue Jays games to his credit, including opening day in 1976. He called the team’s two World Series victories. Tom Cheek is frequently remembered for his exuberant and heartfelt call of Joe Carter’s World Series-winning home run in 1993. “Touch ’em all, Joe! You’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life.”
Hot or cold lobster and crab are on our menu
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Reader and genuine down-easter Patrick Rocca (and others) have commented on the South Bayview Bulldog’s preference for lobster as a hot dish. This arose (post below) on our observation that the McLobster was a disappointment because we were expecting a hot dish. Expectations are so important. It was no doubt careless to anticipate something like a luscious Hot Lobster Roll (left) when we hit the Bayview-Eglinton McDonald’s. And we certainly should not have expected it at $6.79. There are just so many hot lobster dishes that it seemed natural to expect it. Ever tucked into Lobster Cantonese style? As to cold seafood, those who have been fortunate to visit Joe’s Stone Crab (right) in Miami will have been whisked to tongue-tickling heaven when they eat this delicacy with a little lemon mayonnaise. Late add: A reader writes that a small plate of stone crabs at Joe’s is now $30. “Gridlock” is not the same as rush hour traffic
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| Not Leaside |
As Toronto sets out on a $300,000 traffic study of Leaside it would be helpful not to get carried away with exaggerated ideas about the nature of traffic. The only real solution to less traffic is fewer vehicles. That doesn’t seem likely. There is always going to be rush hour traffic. Journalism has burdened this discussion with the spectre of the dreaded gridlock. In fact there is almost no gridlock in Toronto. Gridlock occurs when vehicles interlock at an intersection to prevent forward motion. It’s against the law for drivers to let this happen. Don’t block the box and all that. Moreover, rush hour isn’t just about drivers. Residents, like those along Southvale Dr. would be pleased to see fewer cars on their street. John Parker (Ward 26) has told the Post magazine that the extension of Redway Drive over to the Bayview extension is needed. Maybe. In the past, residents of Rosedale have lobbied against the Redway extension. In this regard, the traffic study would do well to find out how many drivers really want to drive south on the Bayview extension. We suspect many of them prefer Mt. Pleasant and the extension into the heart of mid-town. But that’s a slow crawl for motorists because of the long-standing no turns that control traffic through Moore Park. Homeowners pitted against motorists. This thorny issue will haunt the Leaside traffic study, you may be sure. Some such ancient battles are now largely forgotten even though their outcomes continue to bless and bedevil. Few remember the epic fight conducted to save the wide sidewalks of South Bayview. In the end, our little high street was saved from the fate of Mt. Pleasant Rd. But the traffic is worse. And we love it. Study that!
Laird Drive Husky station being renovated
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The Husky service station at Laird Drive and Millwood Road is undergoing ten days or so of renovation, including new pumps for new blends of gasoline and to permit the sale of diesel. It was in the fall of 2010 that the Sunoco station at this location was sold to Husky because of a directive from the competitions bureau in Ottawa. Sun Oil had purchased Petro Canada and it was decided that it owned too many outlets. Thus the Laird Drive station, along with hundreds of other PetroCans, was sold to Calgary-based Husky. The station should be open again in a week.
“Boulevard crisis” is likely to be manageable
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| Bessborough at Field |
The “boulevard crisis” is not likely to upset too many people in Leaside and other parts of the one-time un-amalgamated city. A relatively new bylaw which tidied up responsibility for mowing boulevards has now tossed that job to homeowners who previously had the work done by the municipality. That was true except in Toronto and York where even before the 1997 union of the city homeowners had to tend to the boulevards. Homeowners in all South Bayview are pretty house-proud and able to have the grass cut. There is a concern for the elderly and disabled which might require the city to cut lawns, much as it now shovels the snow of those who are physically unable to do that. It is obvious however in parts of Leaside and elsewhere, the size of those beautiful boulevards makes their care a big job. Above is a section of the boulevard on Bessborough Drive by Field Ave. From the well-cared look of it, we can probably thank the residents of the street for its appearance. In Davisville village, even though its in the old Toronto, the wide divider boulevards on Belsize Drive probably need some definition. The one west of Mt. Pleasant is Glebe Manor Park. It is definitely the purview of the city. To the east however is a divider and park-like boulevard which has no name. Who is supposed to care for it?
New arena and parking lot near completion
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The new $11 million Bert F. Grant Arena at Moore Ave. and Millwood Road is looking a lot like a finished hockey centre these days. It is amazing what the grading of the land along both streets has done for the visibilty of the hockey complex. Equally amazing is the huge new parking lot nearing completion. There is much work still to be done, but it does make us wish for a chance to peek inside this important new addition to the community and to Toronto. Bert F. Grant