Chiarelli dodges apology for wasted money

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Energy minister Bob Chiarelli will say only that the government accepts the Auditor General’s damning report on the  cost of closing the gas powered electric generation plant in Mississauga. But, under pressure from reporters today, Mr Chiarelli avoided saying that the government would apologize for the enormous mismanagement of public money. It has been a recurring criticism of the government and Premier Wynne that no apology has been offered for the decision to cancel the plant for political reasons in conditions that made the public vulnerable to these costs. 

Shocking: One power plant for the price of two

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What can only be called shocking mismanagement of the public’s money has been revealed by Auditor General Jim McCarter that it will cost $275 million to close the Mississauga gas power plant. This is $85 million more than the government has estimated. The project was cancelled by the Liberal government a few  days before the last provincial election in order to save a handful of seats for the party. The plant was moved to Lambton. The AG concluded that the cancellation costs are actually more than it would have cost to finish the Mississauga plant. That cost, plus the expense of building the plant at Lambton will, he said, mean that the public will get one plant for the price of two. Global. 

Trudeau campaign rolls to huge party victory

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Quickly updated website thanks party members 

The Justin Trudeau steamroller flattened all opposition in its path today as the 41-year-old MP won 80 percent of the votes to become the Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.  “My fellow Liberals, it is with great respect for those who have stood in this place before me and great resolve to do the hard work that is required in front of us that I accept with great humility the confidence you have placed in me,” Trudeau told a cheering crowd at the Ottawa Westin Hotel. Observers said the new leader spoke with poise and confidence, rewarding those who hope to see him as prime minister after the 2015 general election. It was a nearly pre-ordained victory for Mr. Trudeau, who many analysts feel has grown during the campaign.  Others say his more polished appearance and utterances would be an easy cram in the midst of a leadership love fest. Tonight’s victory revealed both seasoned party loyalists and giddy newcomers cheering their new leader. It is, as must be expected, all about winning. Just how many people will vote Liberal in 2015 because they have a crush on Mr. Trudeau cannot be specified. But it will be an element. In today’s voting Vancouver MP Joyce Murray came a distant second, with her call for co-operation with the NDP and Greens in the next election, followed by former MP Martha Hall Findlay. Reporters wondering how Mr. Trudeau “plans to  rescue his party from the brink of extinction” may already have seen his secret weapon. In a statement, the Conservative party said “Justin Trudeau may have a famous last name, but in a time of global economic uncertainty, he doesn’t have the judgement or experience to be Prime Minister.” 

Research says that if you text a lot, you’re not nice

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Researchers at the University of Winnipeg have concluded that if you text a lot, you may not be a very nice person. Two psychology professors, Paul Trapnell and Lisa Sinclair, say a three-year study of 2,300 students makes them think this is true. “The values and traits most closely associated with texting frequency are surprisingly consistent with (scientific) conjecture that new information and social-media technologies may be displacing and discouraging reflective thought,” Trapnell said.  It has to do with a replacement by texting of “important moral aesthetic, and spiritual goals, and greater importance on wealth and image.”  Text more than 100 times a day and you’re 30 per cent less likely “to feel strongly that leading an ethical, principled life was important,” the data told Trapnell and Sinclair. “Higher texting frequency was also consistently associated with higher levels of ethnic prejudice,” said the study. This awful news does not extend to reading The South Bayview Bulldog however. 

“Blackmail” wireless ad makes some feel uneasy

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We keep our eye on the epic advertising contest between Rogers and Bell in their campaign to persuade young users that each has the fastest wireless service. One such entry ran all winter. It features three turning 20 or so kids, two guys and actor Kendra Timmins. As everyone who owns a television set will know, the guy with the Rogers service effectively blackmails his friend into running around outside in the winter conditions dressed only in his underwear. Some call it bullying. The phone guy’s hammer in  this apparently amusing humiliation of his friend is his super fast Rogers wireless service with which he will purchase tickets to a concert — maybe. “What’s it worth to you?” he smirks at his friend.  Merely an edit away we see the hapless guy outside in his underpants. The ad has now shown up on YouTube where a number of comments tear a strip off Rogers for this celebration of how to deal with your buddies. “This commercial promotes bullying and black mail. Way to go Rogers!” says one. The comment below it says: “I came here to post the same exact thing.” A third comment says: “This commercial is appalling. Basically, buying a Blackberry z10 will turn you into  (censored). Sweet.”  All of this is important since this portrayal originates not among giggling high school students like those who apparently harassed Rehteah Parsons.  The giggling geniuses behind this scenario are ad executives. Otherwise responsible people at Rogers must have liked it too. It ran for months. But it’s not funny. It’s sad just by itself and as a tip off to the deeply-seated tendency among us to celebrate pushing  people around for fun, it’s pathetic. 

Jaime Stein to climb Mount Kilimajaro in August

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Jaime Stein

A Mt Pleasant and Eglinton area man, Jaime Stein, will be part of an ambitious project by public spirited Canadians to climb Mount Kilimajaro this August to raise funds for a Canadian National Cord Blood Bank. Mr. Stein is profiled in InsideToronto.com  A cord blood bank categorizes and saves newborn cord blood as a rich source of  stem cells to permit more effective transfusions for those suffering from a long list of illnesses. The Kilimajaro project is sponsored by Canadian Blood Services and has a catchy social media name for the climb – #Climb4Cord. Mr,Stein is inviting those interested to train with him. He is quoted in InsideToronto as saying: “I lost my dad to leukemia in 2006 and at the time, he was waiting to get a bone marrow transplant. (The National Public Cord Blood Bank) is a way to help Canadians and save lives. There are at least 1,000 people waiting for a stem cell transplant and that’s 1,000 people too many.” Canada is currently the only G8 country without a national public umbilical cord bank. Mr.Stein is a digital media marketing strategist with expertise in social media and content marketing. He has experience leading social media strategy for two national brands. He recently earned an MBA with a focus in Marketing and Strategy from the Rotman School of Management where he was selected valedictorian by the students of the Morning MBA Class of 2011. He is the former radio voice of the Toronto Argonauts and currently lives with his wife and two sons.   With information from Blogs about Climb4cord.  Also Canadian Blood Services. 

Dollarama dividend jumps 27 percent a share

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As expected, Dollarama Inc. has notched up another record quarter. In fact Dollarama jumped its dividend more than 25 percent to 14 cents a share. And as we reckoned yesterday Dollarama is doing more than fine on Bayview Ave. with its nice little store at 1531-33.  It will also soon open a humongous one at Yorkdale in the months to come.  But who needs Yorkdale, right?  

DVP closure is a chance to enjoy the valley

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A local man, Rudy Limeback, has written to the The South Bayview Bulldog to remind readers that the closure of the Don Valley Parkway this weekend represents an opportunity to enjoy the valley without a lot of traffic roaring by. Mr. Limeback is a naturalist and hiker who frequently writes about his local walks on his website. Here is a feature he did during the Don Valley closure last year. Rudy.ca