The best hockey player who never played

by  • 

Herb Carnegie is credited by Jean Beliveau with teaching him how to play hockey The Montreal Canadiens star and Carnegie were teammates with the Quebec Aces of the Quebec senior league when he learned all the tricks  of the game from the smooth-skating Carnegie, who was nicknamed “Swivel Hips” because of his puck-handling skill.  But Herb Carnegie was black. Had he been white, he would have succeeded instantly to the NHL. A remarkable man who never let the nasty penalty he served for his colour make him bitter has been memorialized following his death at 92. Toronto Star. . 

Bell buys radio giant Astral for $3.38 billion

by  • 

Canada’s largest telecommunications company BCE Inc. has reached an agreement to buy Astral Media Inc. for $3.38 billion. The transaction will give the Montreal-based company a slate of media assets that include television channels and radio stations across the country. BCE, which owns Bell Media, says the agreement includes $380 million in debt. Astral owns dozens of radio station in Ontario alone.  Among the locals are Newstalk 1010 (once known as CFRB)  Boom 87.3, Oldies 1150 in Hamilton and EZ Rock 105.7. The deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval from the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission. Astral is Canada’s largest radio broadcaster with 80 radio stations in 54 markets including NewsTalk 1010, BOOM 97.3 and Virgin Radio 99.9 here in Toronto. It is also the country’s largest broadcaster of English- and French-language pay and specialty TV services including The Movie Network, HBO Canada, Viewers Choice, Teletoon and the Family Channel. Bell Media owns 33 radio stations including here in Toronto, CHUM-FM, FLOW and TSN Radio. On the TV side, big holdings including CTV, CP-24, TSN, Much Music, Discovery, Animal Planet. 75 per cent of the deal will be in cash while 25 per cent will be in BCE common stocks. Ian Greenburg, the CEO of Astral calls the transaction “an excellent transaciton for Astral, it’s shareholder sand employees.” He calls the fit with Bell “a natural.” A news conference was set for 9:45 a.m., Friday, in Montreal to announce the details of the sale.

Future Shop break-in an Inside Job?

by  • 

The Future Shop at 845 Eglinton Avenue East in the RioCan Plaza at Laird reports that on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at approximately2.30 am. “unknown suspects” entered the store by unknown means and removed a quantity of audio and computer equipment. Break-ins like this usually cause speculation that the crime was an “inside job” perpetrated with the use of a key. No word that this was the case at Future Shop at Egliuton and Laird, but it is suspicious, especially as police are not releasing descriptions. The security system would have tipped the time of the break-in and it seems likely the crooks were caught on tape. .

Krawchuk area residents meet Councillor

by  • 

A report from Krawchuk Lane resident Isaac Gould informs that Councillor Parker met residents concerned about the 7-storey condo application now pending for 2 Laird Dr, the location of the old Postal Station R. Some 30 residents of Malcolm Rd, Krawchcuk Lane and Randolph Rd. were present. When asked about his vision for the property Mr. Parker said, “Well, I work for you, I want to hear what your vision is, this will inform my opinion”. Mr. Gould said: “It is my opinion that he was receptive to the group. He wants our neighbourhood to remain beautiful and for transition buildings/development to meet expectations of the official city plan. He also noted that our group was well organized and that we would be invited to a community meeting down the road when applications have been considered at the municipal level.”

Meeting to discuss Wicksteed “Salamander”

by  • 

Those interested in the northern annex of the SmartCentres development on Wicksteed Ave. may attend a Community Consultation Meeting on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. in the William Lea Room of the Leaside Memorial Gardens, 1073 Millwood Rd. The site is  a Salamander looking piece of land (inset) for which the application proposes to amend the former Town of Leaside Zoning By-law No. 1916 to permit a retail commercial centre with a gross floor area of approximately 13,660 m (I41,000 sq.ft.). The proposal comprises a 7,745m  (83,370 sq.ft.) second level anchor store and series of smaller buildings ranging in size from 359m2 (3,864 sq.ft.) to 1,018m2 (10,957 sq.ft.) and 479 parking spaces. You can view a copy of the Preliminary Report providing background. The official designation of 70 Wicksteed. The City’s says citizens may speak to the planner directly. He is  Chief Planner Steve Forrester,  (41 6) 395-7126. You may also contact Councillor John Parker, Ward 26, at (416) 392-0215. The shape of the site is indeed unusual. One can only imagine the discussions that have gone on between SmartCentres and the other property owners on the block. You can download both the notice and the preliminary planning report at the Byford Blog

Heartbreak as texting lovers parted by death

by  • 

Heartbreak

A young man and his girlfriend were exchanging sweet endearments this winter as she drove along a busy highway in Quebec. The text messages of love ended abruptly when young Emy Brochu drove her vehicle into the rear of a transport truck near Victoriaville. Now her heartbroken and forlorn boyfriend, Mathieu Fortin has posted those last sentiments on his Facebook page as a warning to all those who might fall into the same deadly trap of distracted driving.  In French, Fortin says the police investigation has found that cellphone use while driving was the cause of the accident, although police have not confirmed the cause of the crash. “This conclusion was a shock because during the tragedy, I was having a conversation with her by text,” Fortin writes. “I have attached our latest texts for awareness and ask you to think twice before texting and driving.” In the texts, Fortin tells “Mme Brochu” that he loves her, to which the young woman replies “moi aussi,” and goes on to tell him that she will do what she can to make him happy. Fortin replies with a smiley face and a “moi aussi” and “XxxxxxxxxxxX.” Fortin then writes that he has a meeting at 12:30 and “would love to hear your beautiful voice before.” He wishes her a good day at school. Nearly an hour later he asks “is everything okay my love?” More than an hour after that, he writes to tell her that he is worried.

Democracy in China “inevitable” says Premier

by  • 

The outgoing Premier of China, Wen Jiabao, has told the country that democracy in China is inevitable.  Mr Wen was speaking after what will be his last National People’s Congress as China’s Premier. “As the economy developed, it has caused unfair distribution, the loss of credibility (for the government), corruption and other issues. I know that to solve these problems, it’s necessary to not only enter into economic reform but also political reform,” he said. The Telegraph newspaper says that Mr Wen –- considered the most progressive of China’s top nine leaders – has mentioned the need for political reform in one-party, authoritarian China before, but these are his strongest comments yet on the subject. He retires next year along with President Hu Jintao after a decade in power which has seen China grow to become the world’s second biggest economy.The outgoing Premier went on to call for freedom and real democracy in the country, saying the legitimate rights of those in villages to hold direct elections should be guaranteed.

Decision on 7-storey condo expected in June

by  • 

It appears that a decision will be made at the administrative level in June regarding the application to build a seven storey condominium on the site of the former Postal Station R at 2 Laird Drive. This is a pie shaped piece of land which sits at the busy corner of Millwood Rd and Laird Drive. It is across the street from the Leaside Memorial Gardens and Arena.  The matter is said to be in the hands of Steve Forrester, chief planner for the City, He is expected to make a decision on re-zoning to permit the structure.  The developer is Knightstone Capital. Their site discusses the acquisition note here http://www.k-cap.com/news.html  Knightstone seems to do mostly commercial development.  Opponents of the development are contacting the Councillor, Mr Parker. Previous stories

Gamble at the grocery checkout, OLG says

by  • 

If you consider Ontario lotteries a kind of tax on the poor, get ready to see the poor taxed a lot more. And you may have to wait behind them at the supermarket check out too. The  Ontario government says it will expand the sale of lottery tickets at supermarket and big box store checkouts across the province. That means multiple-lane sales at stores instead of selling tickets at just one lottery checkout.  This follows a recommendation from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. Other recommendations: include an online casino and a new casino in or near Toronto. Can door-to-door lottery sales be far behind?  Hey, don’t get us wrong. Live and let gamblers live. But the sale of lottery tickets will slow down the checkout process noticeably. 

Amazing video of nuke plant demolition

by  • 

Thousands of people yesterday watched as three cooling towers and a giant chimney which dominated the east Kent (UK) skyline for 50 years were blown up. It was a breathtaking show.  The demolition at Richborough Power Station, near Sandwich, was carried out by explosives experts and took less than one minute.The 300ft (100m) towers were part of a complex which opened in 1962 to burn fuel from the Kent coalfields. The owners of the plant want to build a green energy park on the site. Almost every accessible vantage point on roads in the surrounding area was taken as people parked where they could to watch the demolition.