Globe and Mail reporters Steven Chase and Tamara Beluias have produced an engrossing article detailing the search for election dirty-trickster “Pierrie Poutine.” The key player is Elections Canada sleuth Allan Mathews. Read it.
“Cash stores” charge the poor 23% on loans
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The Cash Store and Instaloans have been ordered to pay back “several millions” of dollars in fees for charging customers in British Columbia for cash cards when they took out loans. Laws in B.C. in force since Nov. 1, 2009 limit the amount lenders can charge for payday loans – loans for a maximum of $1,500 that must be paid back within 62 days – to 23 per cent. But The Cash Store and Instaloans, which are both owned by Alberta-based Cash Store Financial Inc., were charging customers between $7 and $21 to put the money borrowed on a cash card, said Manjit Bains, vice-president of corporate relations with Consumer Protection BC, which issued the compliance order. “The law that was introduced [in 2009] says you can’t charge for cash cards and they were charging for cash cards,” Bains said.
Subway referendum coming in 2014?
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Mayor Ford says he will attempt to make the municipal election of 2014 a referendum on subways for Toronto. Ford made the remarks on his call-in show on Talk1010. And the new Chief General Manager of the TTC, Andy Byford (center) has said he would have preferred a plan to build subways over LRTs. Of course, Byford is careful to express these thoughts as his personal opinion with no political leaning whatsoever. He stands ready, he said, to build the LRTs authorized by City Council without delay or complaint. But his professional standing is worth noting. It’s clear from his carefully worded remarks that he thinks subways are the way to go. “My personal preference would have been to have had a subway, I think if we can expand the subway system then I think that that is a good investment for the future,” he said. What about those who insist LRTS are better? The media has failed to report much on the princples behind this point of view. We assume its because they are cheaper and faster to build. Is that it? Meantime, Mayor Ford has invited anyone who feels qualified to seek a candidacy on a pro-subway ticket to give him a call. It’s an interesting idea and seems to have struck a nerve with Councillor Josh Matlow (Ward 22) (right) who vows to stop the mayor from using his office to take calls from anybody interested in opposing LRTs at the next election. But this is incidental because no one can stop anyone from running for anything in Canada. Subsequent to this post Mayor Ford apologized for inviting people to call his office phone and said any discussions about candidates for the next election would occur on a personal private line not his office line.
Developer schedules meeting, residents angry
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Residents in the area of the property at 2 Laird are seriously concerned that the process of changing the character of their neighborhood is moving too fast. They note that Knightstone Capital has scheduled a meeting for the public to discuss their project to build a seven story condominium at the address. The meeting will evidently show drawings of the project which is called Terraces of Leaside. As noted by the residents, the developer “does not even have re-zoning approval and yet they are hosting an open house showing proposed drawings? That’s just insulting.” The meeting will be in the old Station R postal building at 2 Laird, Wednesday, March 28, beginning at 6.30 pn.
14-year-old swarmed at 1.30 a.m.
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Toronto Police Service — A 14 year old male reports that on March 24, 2012 at approximately 0130 hours, he was in the area of Mount Pleasant Road and Carstowe Road when he was approached by four male suspects. The suspects pointed a broken beer bottle at the victim and removed an iPod and an iPhone from the victim’s pockets. The suspects then fled the scene in an unknown direction. No injuries were sustained by the victim. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following described persons in connection with this offence. Description of Suspect #1: Male, black, 14 to 15 years, 5’8″ to 5’10”, 150 pounds, thin build. Suspect #2: Male, white, 17 to 19 years, 5’11”. Suspect #3: Male, 17 to 19 years. Suspect #4: Male, white, 17 to 19 years.
Daylight mugging near Millwood and Rumsey
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Toronto Police Service — A 16 year old male reports that on March 25, 2012 at approximately 1515 hours, he was in the area of Rumsey Road and Millwood Drive, when he was approached from behind by two male suspects. The suspects made a demand for the victim’s cellular phone. The victim complied and the suspects fled the scene northbound on Rumsey Road. No injuries were sustained by the victim. Police are requesting the assistance of the public in identifying the following described persons in connection with this offence. Description of Suspect #1: Male, white, 6’-6’1”, 161-169 pounds, medium build, short straight brown hair. Suspect #2: Male, black, 5’9”-5’10”, 119-130 pounds, thin build, short black hair in an Afro.
Postie is your friend when customer is a crook
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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.
Review of prospects for a BIA
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Out-of-town judge will decide Ford’s fate
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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
Work begins on Jus de Vie on Bayview
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Work has begun on the new Jus de Vie shop at 1627 Bayview, site of the former Parado0x. The renovation appears to involve gutting the premises with work going on right trough the weekend. Jus de Vie will offer high vitamin content juices and “healthy snacks.” Jus de Vie will occupy a great location in the south block with other established businesses like the Merchant of Tennis nearby. Previous story on Jue de Vie
High court will decide on random testing
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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..
Hydrangeas herald Spring on Bayview
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Dramatic Hydrangea blossoms in many colours are on sale at Passion Fruit on South Bayview, a sure sign of Spring.