The South Bayview Bulldog

The Ford goverment will introduce legislation Thursday to upload responsibility for many major transit projects in Toronto. This will make the province responsible for new subway construction projects, including the downtown relief line (Ontario Line) the Scarborough subway extension of Line 2, the Yonge-north subway extension and the Eglinton-West LRT project.

True conservative?

Premier Ford

Mayor Tory

Josh Matlow (Ward 12) told the South Eglinton Ratepayers and Residents AGM Tuesday that there are things to like about Doug Ford’s Ontario Line scheme for a downtown relief line. It makes sense, said the Councillor for St. Paul’s, to take the relief line up to Eglinton and build the line in one fell swoop along with the route downtown.  Elsewhere, Mr. Matlow was doubtful about the extension of the line out to Ontario Place and of the three-stop arm reaching into Scarborough. This option would add two stations to the infamous City-owned One-Stop Wonder plan. Matlow called Ford’s Scarborough plan “just as crazy” as the City’s. He once again proposed an LRT alternative to a subway that would be built along the Scarborough RT right-of-way and spread into northern Scarborough with multiple stations.

“TRUE CONSERVATIVE”

(Some think the subway option remains alive because of a macho-like demand by residents for the real thing. Ford won four of six Scarborough ridings in June.) A “true conservative” said Matlow would insist on getting as much as he could for the figure of $4 billion often cited as the cost. His six-year-old daughter understood such things. “Whether you love Doug Ford or don’t, whether you love John Tory or not, they cannot continue to advocate or promise plans for transit that are not evidence-based. I’m going to continue to challenge both of them on that,” he said to much applause. In closing, the Councillor offered an interesting glimpse of his transit thinking when he said the City should consider a “bus rapid transit route” for Avenue Rd. and/or elsewhere.

SERRA AGM at Greenwood College School Tuesday

Unifor, the union representing school bus drivers for TDSB and TDCSB, has reached a tentative settlement with Stock Transportation, avoiding a strike on Thursday.  A strike would have stranded around 4,235 TCDSB students and 4,105 in the TDSB with the majority of affected schools east of Yonge St. A press release said the tentative contract is supported by the union’s bargaining committee, but details will not be released until the deal is ratified.

A man fell off the roof of a home at a construction site near Old Orchard Grove and Greer Rd Tuesday afternoon. Police say the man, a construction worker, is in 30s. He fell about 25 feet and was unconscious but breathing when emergency crews arrived.

CNN is saying that FAA records suggest the fatal crashes of two Boeing 737 Max 8 jets was caused by an unreliable external sensor that could send the aircraft into a nosedive. Not only are the AOA sensors said to be chancy, they were the only device installed to tell whether the plane was gaining altitude safely. Then, Japanese Emperor Akikhito has retired, the first Japanese monarch to step down in 200 years. His father Hirohito, who presided over the insanity of Japanese warlords, kept his life and his job when the Americans decided to leave the monarchy in place after WWII. Below that, the future of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock seems uncertain as the biggest backer pulls out. Lastly, a decision to take down a video of a woman eating a banana at a Polish art gallery has caused what they’re calling a banana rebellion by fans.

The annual Creative Clay Pottery Show runs from Friday to Sunday inclusive this weekend at the studio, 566 Mt. Pleasant Rd. at Penrose Rd. This is the 16th Annual Show and Sale. (416) 322-8889. The studio was formerly known as Pleasant Pottery and has a new owner.

What’s in the suitcase?

CBC — A confidential document sent to the Liberal Party of Canada in 2016, and obtained by CBC/Radio-Canada, reveals how top officials at the embattled engineering firm SNC-Lavalin were named in a scheme to illegally influence Canadian elections. The list of names, compiled in 2016 by federal investigators probing political party donations and leaked to CBC’s The Fifth Estate and Radio-Canada’s Enquête, raises new questions about an agreement by the Commissioner of Canada Elections not to prosecute the company.

ELECTIONS CANADA KEPT DONATIONS SECRET

The federal Liberals were sent the list in a letter marked “confidential” from the Commissioner of Canada Elections — the investigative branch of Elections Canada — on Aug. 5, 2016. But for nearly three years, neither Elections Canada nor the Liberal Party shared that information publicly. The investigation reveals that over a period of more than five years between 2004 and 2009, 18 former SNC-Lavalin employees, directors and some spouses contributed nearly $110,000 to the federal Liberals, including to four party leadership campaigns and four riding associations in Quebec. According to the letter, the investigation found that SNC-Lavalin reimbursed all of those individual donations — a practice forbidden under the Canada Elections Act. CBC

Oprah Winfrey will appear for one night at Scotiabank Arena Friday, June 14, as part of a cross-Canada speaking tour. The enormously successful former television show host and role model to millions is one of very few people who could presume to fill a hall as big as the Scotiabank. In recent years, Ms. Winfrey has spent most of her time as an inspirational speaker. This tour is called Your Path Made Clear. An example of Winfrey’s professional style and impact is seen in this video. Other dates on the tour are Montreal June 16, Calgary June 19, Edmonton June 20 and Vancouver June 24. Tickets for all dates will go on sale Friday, May 3, at 10 a.m.

Annual General Meetings for SERRA and Moore Park residents are scheduled for Tuesday night.

The capacity of humans to behave like growling canines has been the subject of stories before here at The Bulldog. Make what you like of the TPS notice that a man, 29, was walking eastbound on Donora Dr and another man was walking westbound. The men had an argument causing one to produce a firearm and shoot the other several times. This occurred Sunday evening east of Victoria Park. It’s not stated if the two men had ever met. The shooter is on the run. He’s described as white, between 25 and 30, approximately 5’8″ to 5’10”, wearing all dark clothing. Police ask anyone who has information to contact them. Man shot several times in East York near Victoria Park Ave.

Does Russia want Canada’s Arctic?

Whole hog for Huawei?

Too late to save Lord Stanley

Countries like Russia, China, Venezuela, Iran and apparently others are all suspected of a desire to somehow meddle in Canada’s general election this fall. The issue is maddening because no one can say the clear purpose of such efforts. Below is an interview with two eminent men visiting Canada to warn us of such efforts. They are Anders Rasmussen, a former secretary-general of NATO and Michael Chertoff, a former secretary of Homeland Security in the US. Both men are quite concerned but neither has detail. There’s a suggestion that such meddling could somehow hijack the Facebook and Twitter accounts of Canadians.

ELECT A SLEEPER SPY?

If so, what might the Russians secretly try to do? Lay the groundwork for stealing the  Arctic? Elect Russian sleeper spies? Trudeau or Scheer? Will China try to make us go whole-hog for Huawei or simply annex BC?  You may be sure that Albertans suspect the Venezuelans of spreading nasty stories about Canadian crude oil. In fact, US lobbyists have a huge influence on pipeline politics here. The Iranians? Do they want the Stanley Cup? We’ve already lost it.