The South Bayview Bulldog

Sometimes customers try to cheat a retailer by denying a credit card charge.  Typically, such people are amateurs at the game and well over their heads. But when a long distance phone customer denies the charge, many retailers are left looking for a friend. The acquirer, whether ir be Paymentech or Monex, is neutral in the matter. They just do what the credit card company tells them to do.  Both Visa and MasterCard are indifferent to the retailer. They will debit your account for sure if you can’t prove unequivocally that the charge is genuine. In addition, the card companies, Ameerican Express in particular, have a reputation for favouring the cardholder. In this bleak situation, retailers can rely on the Post Office to be a good and practical friend. If you mailed the parcel and asked for a signature on receipt, your case is a good as won. If your customer continues to deny he/she got the parcel, the Post Office will launch a lost parcel investigation. The stinger here is that the recipient is required to confirm to postal authorities that the parcel was received. If he lies, it’s called Mail Fraud. This spectre is usually enough to make the most determined cheater back down. At the bottom of this diligence by the Post Office is the concern for its reputation as a reliable shipper. So the Post Office is your friend.  

Mayor Rob Ford will find out early next month when he’ll go to court to battle for his mayoralty. Lawyers for the mayor and Toronto resident Paul Magder — who is seeking to punt Ford from office and ban him from running for council for seven years — were in court Friday to set a trial date. Justice Wailan Low told Ford’s lawyer, Andrew Parley, and Magder’s lawyer, Gerald Chan, that an out-of-jurisdiction judge would be called in to hear the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act matter. She postponed setting a hearing date until April 11 to secure a judge for two or possibly three hearing days as soon as possible, perhaps in September or October. Yonge and Roxborough News

The Supreme Court of Canada will decide whether it is legal for companies to conduct random alcohol testing of employees in factory conditions which may be dangerous.  The case arises out of a decision by the Irving Pulp and Paper Company is New Brunswick to introduce such tests in its mill there.  As is usually the case, the road to the Supreme Court has been a long one, beginning in 2006 in this case. Positions hardened after a local arbitration panel said Irving had not proven that the admittedly dangerous mill conditions were suitably “ultra dangerous.” This eyebrow raiser has been dismissed by various courts, which found the testing reasonable in the circumstances. But now the Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) will take their concern for privacy to the highest court in the land..

A’nice review of  L’Ávenue, the new bistro style restaurant at 1568  Bayview  has appeared in  PostCity.com  Previous story in the South Bayview Bulldog

A private funeral will be held for Mariam Makhniashvili tomorrow at the Murray Newbigging Funeral Home on Mount Pleasant Road.. A visitation was held today. Mariam’s family has released a statement which reads: “Now that we have our daughter come home we found some peace. And again we have your full support and sympathy to go through such a devastating pain. Thank you all for caring for our Marika.” Citytv

It’s said that Air Canada baggage handlers are back at work after being ordered to do so by an arbitrator. The massively inconvenient wildcat strike was caused by the suspension of three workers for “slow clapping” the Labour Minister as she walked through an airport. As Air Canada saw it, that was an expression of political opinion. As any labour lawyer will tell you it’s your right to have a political opinion, but you can’t self-indulgently express it to your employer’s customers while your on his dime. It’s not unknown for unionized employees to do this. More than one garbage can has been thrown down the driveway because the sanitation worker didn’t like the election sign on the homeowners lawn. And that’s about it. Except — oh yes — how much do we get paid an hour?    

Kathy Ribeiro, principal of Northlea Public School on Rumsey Road, has issued an appeal on behalf of the school’s blood donor clinic committee.  The Northlea Community’s 19th Blood Donor Clinic will be held at Northlea School (North Gym) 305 Rumsey Road on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 from 2:00-8:00 pm. Ms Ribeiro recounts some compelling history of the clinic’s essential work.  This is the sense of her note: In November of 2002, two Leaside area students were diagnosed with leukemia in the same week. They required blood transfusions to save their lives and help them fight the disease. The Leaside community began running blood donor clinics twice a year to support them in their battle. In the 9 years that followed, Leaside has continued to support Emmy, Noah, Cathy, Paul, Diane and other families during times of need, by donating over 2185 units of blood, saving over 6555 lives. Emmy’s leukemia is back for the 4th time. Cathy’s has returned as well. Both women are receiving treatment, in which blood and blood products play a huge part. They and their families would appreciate you showing your continued support by donating at the 19th Northlea Community Blood Donor Clinic. Donors may RSVP. by calling the Canadian Blood Services appointment number at 1-888-2-DONATE (1-888-236-6283)  Criteria for donating, as well as online booking can be found at www.bloodservices.ca Refreshments are available. Students over 17 years of age must have ID and can receive volunteer hours for showing up to donate as well.