What the Crown calls an honour killing in a Toronto apartment. National Post
“Throat slit for letting kids adopt Canadian ways”
by •
What the Crown calls an honour killing in a Toronto apartment. National Post
“Toronto’s official development plan is a farce”
by •
A provocative case made that wealthy developers are simply buying their way around the plan. Even if its not true the appearance of Toronto along the waterfront is crazy enough to make the allegation believable. Toronto Sun. Also here on Section 37 Funds
Malala Yousafzai’s courage challenges us to act
by •
The conscience of the world is enraged by the religious primitivism that has resulted in the shooting attack on a 14-year-old Pakistani girl who fought back against the suppression of women and girls. Washington Post.
Awesome sale at Leaside United starting Friday
by •
This will be one of the busiest weekends of the years as churches launch all sorts of rummage sales. One of most enjoyable is the Awesome Sale at Leaside United Church. It begins Friday afternoon ( 3 to 7 pm.) and extends to Saturday, October 13, 2012 from 10 am until noon. There will be thousands of pre-sorted quality items in 15 departments including treasures and trinkets, books, linens, toys, furniture, small appliances, housewares and jewellery.
Leaside Cleaners owners decide to retire
by •
The building owned by Mimi and Phillip at 1540 Bayview has been put up for lease. The decision seems to spell the end of Leaside Cleaners, the business they operated at that location for decades. The premises was gutted by fire about a year ago and for many long months the couple persevered and were determined to re-open. Now however it appears, they will retire from this business and let the well known storefront be used by someone else.
Report opens door a crack in holiday retail ban
by •
City staff has laboured long and produced a series of recommendations on holiday retail shopping to be considered on or shortly after Tuesday October 16, 2012 by the City’s Economic Development Committee. The report calls for a change in the present Toronto legislation to allow shopping on four holidays — Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day. It recommends that stores be closed on New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. The staff report containing these conclusions does not seem to make it clear if the closures which would apply to “retail stores” would now also apply to so-called shopping districts like the Eaton Centre. It’s been a source of irritation to retailers that Toronto legislation has been unfair in this respect. Research done by the City Staff revealed a wide disparity among Ontario municipalities with respect to openings. It’s notable that 74% of the Ontario communities surveyed permit retail openings on Family Day. BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan permit opening on any day.
Read staff report
Read staff report
Tomatoes a dramatic anti-stroke food: survey
by •
Tomatoes are said to contain an antioxidant which dramtically lowers the risk of stroke in men. A study from Finland shows that men who had the highest levels of lycopene—an antioxidant found in tomatoes—had fewer strokes than men who had the lowest level of lycopene in their blood. Overall, the risk of strokes was reduced by 55%.
180 Laird Drive asking price is $2,000,000
by •
The now vacant bank building at 180 Laird Drive across the street from the Smart Centre is for sale. If you’re in the market for a fairly spacious 1930s building with 20-odd parking spaces (nice) this one is listed for $2,000,000. It has two floors with somewhat less than 3,000 square feet downstairs and about 2,000 square feet upstairs. Some planners have noted that if this building were removed it would permit a much smoother flow of traffic through the Laird, McRae, Wicksteed intersection. Over the front door the property comes with a very nice coat of arms in concrete of the now defunct Imperial Bank of Canada Imperial and the Canadian Bank of Commerce merged in 1960.
Ontario druggists to re-new scripts, give flu shots
by •
The Ontario Government has relaxed long-standing rules about the renewal of non-narcotic prescriptions. Such prescriptions may now be authorized by pharmacists without reference to a doctor. Logically, it appears that doctors must still write the prescription. Pharmacists are also now permitted to give flu shots. For most people who take a prescription on a standing basis, this arrangement will mean less waiting at the drugstore while the pharmacy tries to confirm a repeat with the physician. This process sometimes takes as much as 48 hours, although it is usually shorter. Doctors typically charge their patients a fee which is attributed to the expense of having staff deal with pharmacy calls. Globe and Mail
Teen suffers from ‘Sleeping Beauty’ syndrome
by •
Hamilton area girl is caught in a six-week cycle of fatigue that forces her to go to bed for about ten days. CBC.ca.
Casa Loma one of Toronto’s great misfortunes
by •
It is widely acknowledged to be an ugly white elephant. It was a useless burden on the community in the beginning and it has defeated every well-intentioned effort over the decades to find any worthwhile existence for it. Casa Loma is truly one of Toronto ‘s great misfortunes. Maybe Councillors Josh Matlow and Joe Mihevc have struck on a use that will make us want to go there. Make it as valuable as the lands it sits on. But their plan to put a municipal museum in there seems like more of the same. Listen. God bless them for trying. But it’s quite a stretch to think that a museum is going to inspire I Love Casa Loma bumper stickers. Why not go for broke? Can we find a sheik who would like to disassemble Casa Loma and pay us to take it block by block back to Arabia? What a break that would be. Beyond that, this Philistine Bulldog would demolish the fearsome “castle.” Put a few of its better parts in a museum and use the land properly.