The South Bayview Bulldog

Pet Rocco did what cats do Tuesday during a committee meeting of the UK House of Commons. He let his tail wander into a Zoom meeting as his friend and benefactor MP John Nicolson was speaking. Funny.

Canadian and the US have agreed to keep their continent-wide border closed to non-essential travel until August 21. The news broke Tuesday morning. Sources say both governments are agreed. The ban on discretionary travel was first introduced in March and has been extended each month since. The latest extension was set to expire on July 21. There is widespread concern in Canada that rampaging COVID-19 in the US will set off new infections here.

Trudeau apologizes

Prime Minister Trudeau has apologized for failing to recuse himself in the awarding of a government contract to a charity with deep connections to his family.

Were family courts derelict in death of Keira Kagan?

Keira Kagan, 4, died in February while in her father’s care. Her mother, Jennifer Kagan-Viater, believes Keira’s death could have been prevented if the court system had considered accusations of spousal abuse during their bitter custody battle. She is now fighting for change. Keira Kagan archives

Cones direct vehicles away from patio territory/Bulldog

Space awaits a patio or two/Bulldog

Hazel’s Diner and Wild Chicory will share patio/Bulldog

The Belsize patio is open/Bulldog

So is the patio at Piano Piano/Bulldog

Still space to park/Bulldog

Mount Pleasant Village BIA has been configured with orange cones along the east side to facilitate restaurant patios in the curb lanes. It’s a summer project designed to help restaurateurs do business safely during the pandemic.

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The Ministry of Health reports 116 new COVID-19 cases Monday for the 24-hour period ending midnight. The province reported 129 cases on Sunday, 130 on Saturday and 116 cases on Friday. Ontario’s frontline warriors in the battle against this infection slogged on over the weekend. Among other work, they performed more than 20,000 tests Sunday alone. Daily summaries.

Ontario will announce plans Monday to reopen even more business and activity as it enters the so-called Stage 3 return to something like normal. The cockeyed world of COVID-19 sees many countries beating back the infection while three huge places — the US, Brazil and India — seem totally out of control. Many people are tweeting about the need to keep the US-Canada border closed.

Retail and commercial building at 25 Industrial St. looking east southeast (top) and west southwest (bottom) toward Laird

A large retail and commercial building is under construction at 25 Industrial St. this summer. City documents show that it will soon carry a large lighted sign reading Shoppers Drug Mart. It may well be that the businesses to be located here will have a Laird Drive address. The site is beside the existing Leaside Village (Longo’s) shopping centre owned by the First Capital REIT.

Mike Layton represents University Rosedale (Ward 11) at Toronto Council and was one of eight Councillors who voted recently for a ten percent reallocation of money from the $1.2 billion Toronto Police Service budget in 2020. The motion was defeated eight to sixteen with one member absent. Mr. Layton’s diverse constituency stretches from Moore Park in the far northeast to Ossington Ave. more than three kilometres west of Yonge St. He was asked by The Bulldog to comment on this summer’s “defund the police” phenomenon.

Public discourse surrounding defunding the police has been top of mind recently, but it is important to note that the conversation is not new. We know that racism manifests in poverty, housing discrimination, cuts to social and community programs, and in health outcomes, especially as being observed through the current pandemic.

In the Toronto context, what I mean by defunding the police is that we must reallocate resources away from the police budget and put them into services that we can create, or that are currently in existence, to provide safety and support for oppressed communities that recognize systemic racism toward Black, Indigenous, and people of colour. We need to stop looking to the police as the first response to all emergency calls, and to look at alternative front line models that work better for situations of mental health crises, homelessness, and gender-based violence for example.

Toronto’s highest budget cost is our police budget, because it reflects the long-held idea that enforcement is the only way to keep everyone safe. Studies over many years have proven that this is not true – and in many cases show the opposite effect. We must take action to reinvest our limited resources to address the inequities that form the roots of violence and poverty in our city. It starts with properly funding education, youth-based programming and mental health supports.

People don’t need more surveillance, they need opportunity and a more intelligent approach to supporting individuals in our community who are dealing with mental health issues. Although this has been in conversation for many years, we still seem to be in the beginning stages. The City works to apply an equity lens on every budget decision it makes, which is a good first step, but more must be done. Going forward, meaningful consultation with Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities must become standard to ensure that funding decisions ultimately reflect their voices. Our City budget demonstrates our governance priorities, and there has been an overwhelming and historical refusal to acknowledge the harm created by ignoring these communities. We are overdue for change.

Do you find me disapproving? — Colin Mcconnell

Nature photographer Colin Mcconnel has posted additional pictures at the I am a Leslievillian Facebook page. As usual, these wildlife depictions entertain and enchant.

Young bucks will remember the NHL season of 2020 as the year teams played all-day on television in two Canadian towns in the middle of summer with no fans in the arenas. The schedule begins August 1 in Toronto and Edmonton, places chosen among other reasons because Canada has done a good job of beating back COVID-19. Players will apparently be able to opt out for concern of catching the virus.  We’re back

Enjoy!

Scholar’s Choice closing

Long-time Bayview Ave. location

Staff at Scholar’s Choice, 1599 Bayview Ave., confirm to The Bulldog that the store will close possibly as early as the end of August. Looking around on the Internet it is clear Scholar’s Choice has had trouble weathering the pandemic. The national chain has already closed stores in many communities.

New Davisville Public School

New Davisville Public School

On Davisville Ave. work continues apace on the new Davisville Public School School scheduled to accept classes in fall 2021. This picture of advancing work was taken Thursday.

Leaside Mobile Car Wash

Classy poster

Thumbs up for Leaside Mobile Car Wash

A bright poster that includes an early 1960s Pontiac Grand Prix and the faces of two enterprising Leaside boys appears on Facebook to announce Leaside Mobile Car Wash. Go guys.