MasterCard to jump rates in Canada by 20%

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Small business and their customers will  be absorbing an estimated 20% increase in transaction fee to be imposed by MasterCard this year. MasterCard has announced it will  increase the fees, paid for by businesses when they swipe your card, now set generally between 1.7 to 3.5 per cent of the cost of each purchase. These rates already are the second highest rate in the world. Richard Truscott of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is quoted as saying it will be the consumers who bear the brunt of the increase. “Consumers should realize the businesses pay those fees but they will pass it along to clients and consumers in the form of higher prices,” says Truscott. “So the public is paying for those fees in large measure.” 

Olivia Chow, Rob Ford and Jose Canseco

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Toronto MP Olivia Chow is dealing with a facial spasm near her mouth caused by a disorder known as  Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Type II. It is a nerve condition which has partially impeded her ability to smile and make some facial expressions. Ms. Chow, the NDP transport critic, said she was diagnosed with the syndrome after waking up with some discomfort on the left side of her face over the holidays.  The virus causing the disorder has been taken out of her system completely, she said, adding she is no longer taking medication and is not in any pain. In other news, Mayor Ford will hear Monday whether his appeal to stay in office has been granted. Mr. Ford’s lawyer Alan Lenczner will try to persuade a panel of three Divisional Court judges to overturn the ruling that he must vacate his office. That decision stunned many people and was judged by some to be excessive. And finally, out of nowhere comes a whimsical  offer by former Blue Jay Jose Canseco to serve as our chief magistrate. There is a wrinkle. Mr. Canseco seems to understand. In an email to the Toronto Star the 48-year-old said it is unlikely he will be able to solve the obstacle of his citizenship, which is American, not Canadian. 

Northern Secondary debut in Carrie is delayed

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The re-make of the movie Carrie, largely shot at Northern Secondary School in the summer of 2012, has been delayed in release for reasons unstated. Carrie, starring Chloe Grace, has been bumped by MGM some seven months over to October 18, 2013. Carrie had been timed to coincide with the Spring prom season. All of Carrie’s vengeful blood and gore occurred at the prom. In the move that is.  Another Chloe Grace film made in Toronto last summer, Kick Ass 2, was shot in part on Airdrie Road. That movie will be seen this summer. 

Few independent shops left at Sunnybrook Plaza

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Sunnybrook Plaza is down to three or four independent, one-store operators  One of those few, gift card and wrapping paper store Wrap-it-up, is about to close after 30 years at the corner of Bayview and Eglinton. “It was just that the rent was too high,” said a clerk today about her boss’s decision to pack it up. And it’s true that the capacity of a stand-alone business to weather bad conditions is not as great as a chain. But there’s also the viability of each business for its own time.  In the past, the sale of cards, paper and little china gifts could sustain a large space like that occupied by Wrap-it-up. Now retailers have ever more specialized fare and are misers when it comes to paying for space.  The reliable post office in Wrap-it-up will also leave the plaza. All postal services in South Bayview will be consolidated at the Shoppers Drug Mart on Bayview Ave. As for Sunnybrook itself, this is an end-of-lease departure which so far seems to have no new tenant waiting in the wings. Indeed, the eviction of Mountain Bean Coffee over unpaid rent has left a multi-month vacancy at the other end of the plaza for owners RioCan.  The Wrap-it-up location is a prime one however, sitting between two important anchors, CIBC and Pharma-Plus. 

Baby reaches out of womb to grasp hand of doctor

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The photo of a baby holding a doctor’s finger while being pulled from her mother’s womb during the c-section has gone viral on Facebook. Alicia Atkins shared the photo on her photography studio page on Dec. 26. Since then, it has amassed over 3,900 shares, over 800 comments and over 7,000 likes. The photo was taken in October and clearly shows Atkins’ daughter, Naveah, reaching out to hold Dr. Allan Sawyer’s hand. “The doctor called me over and said, hey, she’s grabbing my finger,” the baby’s father, Randy, told 3TV in Phoenix. “So I ran over there and just grabbed the shot and I was just in awe looking at it. It was such an amazing picture.” When Atkins shared the photo, she wrote that it is “Truly amazing.” “I am in awe of this photo,” she continued. “Something to remember forever.”

Retire in Ecuador? With respect, that’s silly

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With the greatest of respect to InternationLiving.com (whoever they are) the Globe and Mail and all others pushing this story today, we offer a polite “Don’t be silly”  It may be true, as the stories go, that retiring overseas “has captured the imagination and attention of post 50s looking for adventure and affordability”, but if they’ve got their wits about them, they’ll forget it. It’s true that to live in Ecuador is to live very cheaply. The story cites dinner out for $2.50.  The reason prices are so cheap however is because people are very poor. Poor as in poverty. Poverty as in do you want to live with that?  Do you want to flaunt your Leaside affluence around the metropolis of Quito? Hmm? Then there’s your family, friends and pensions. How’s your Spanish?  How are your pre-colonial American dialects? They have more than 24 there spoken by nearly three million inhabitants. It might be fun to visit.

Canada creates 40,000 jobs in December

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Ontario is showing the capacity to once again become the country’s economic engine. The province created three-quarters of the more than 40,000 full time jobs created in December.  Statistics Canada said that caused unemployment to recede a tenth of a percentage point to 7.1 per cent.  The results easily topped economist estimates for a gain of just 5,000 jobs nationally and an unemployment rate of 7.3 per cent. Results were also strong in November with the economy creating 59,300 jobs. 

Smartphone thefts continue in 53 Division

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Over the holidays there were two instances of phone theft from people in public. Two 15 year old boys were confronted by six others wearing disguises on New Year’s Eve. This happened in the area of Rosewell Avenue and Glengrove Avenue about 10.30 in the evening. The suspects made a demand for cellular telephones and the boys complied. No one was hurt.  On December 28, 2012, a 25 year old man was on the subway near Bloor St.  and Sherbourne St. when a man removed his iPhone.

Sad aboriginal reserve seen through different eyes

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A few days ago we said that the issue of  living conditions among First Nations people and their relationship with official Canada was a moral and intellectual quagmire for many of us. For a host of reasons, and despite heartfelt goodwill, we don’t know what to think.  Today’s most notable development was the rebuffing of a proposal that hunger-striker Chief Theresa Spence meet with other chiefs and Prime Minister Harper on January 24, 2013. National Chief Shawn Atleo issued the invitation for Mr. Harper and Gov. Gen. David Johnston to attend the meeting. It has been seen as a way to make it easier for the prime minister to personally acknowledge Chief Spence without committing the government to unstated and open ended undertakings.  But Spence’s spokesperson Danny Metatawabin said Thursday that the Attawapiskat chief, who is entering the 25th day of her hunger strike tomorrow, must have her demands met in the next 72 hours. Please Chief Spence

Darla gets to shovel snow for Global News

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Here’s Darla out to get a few things at the Canadian Tire at Laird Drive and Eglinton Ave. E. but oddly enough finding herself shoveling snow in the CTC parking lot.  That’s what happens when big Global News comes to South Bayview looking for news about how we’re dealing with winter. Are you selling more shovels?  Got any salt? Hey lady, will you just clear this patch here so we’ve got video? You know. Anyway, Darla took it all in good spirits. Tonight and tomorrow look to be clear with perhaps only flurries in the forecast for Saturday.