The South Bayview Bulldog

Police have located the minivan that a Chinese national was stuffed into against his will on Saturday night but there is still no sign of Wanhzen (Peter) Lu and police say the kidnappers’ motive remains unclear. Police hinted that his parents, or perhaps other relatives, are on their way to Canada from China. The black Dodge Caravan caught on security camera footage was located in Toronto but was empty. Lu, 22, was allegedly kidnapped shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday, after he and a female passenger exited a black SUV in the underground parking garage of Lu’s condo building in Markham. The police say there is dead silence from the apparent kidnappers. Lu, a post-secondary student was hit by a man with a stun gun before three other men dragged him into the van and drove off. Lu’s woman friend witnessed all this and is “traumatized” but physically unharmed. She raised the alarm. YRP spokesman Andy Pattenden called the case “odd” and said the motive remains a mystery. “We like someone to tell us,” he told reporters.“Why him? Why not the friend he was with?” Pattenden went on.

Van is seen speeding away with Lu inside.

Justice Martin

SCOC 2019

Justice Joyal

CTV says Justin Trudeau and then Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould disagreed vigorously over who should fill the vacancy left at the Supreme Court of Canada by the retirement of Beverley McLaughlin. The news service says that a year before cabinet discussions about a plea deal for Quebec engineering company SNC-Lavalin, Trudeau and Wilson-Raybould jousted over the minister’s recommendation of Manitoba Justice Glenn D. Joyal. Trudeau is said to have been concerned that Judge Joyal wasn’t committed to protecting rights that have been interpreted under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This was true particularly of LGBTQ2 rights and possibly abortion access, neither of which are specifically enshrined in the Charter. CBC says that Joyal was too conservative in his view of activism on Charter Rights for Mr. Trudeau. Wilson-Raybould not only wanted Joyal named to the court to fill the vacancy left by McLaughlin’s resignation, she believed Joyal should replace McLachlin as the top court’s chief justice, a position that caused Trudeau to question his justice minister’s judgment, sources told CTV. Trudeau quashed the recommendation and instead named Alberta judge Sheilah Martin to the court. Justice Richard Wagner became chief justice.

• Judge rules in favour of Omar Khadr’s request to end remaining sentence

Brian and Ginger

Wayne S. Roberts

Kate Gardiner

Faces, faces and (at left) Brian Nadon and his friend Ginger make the news for their plan to cycle from Vancouver to Florida to raise funds to battle PTSD. Ginger will be in the trailer cart. Take a look. At centre, Wayne S. Roberts, widely known and liked in Leaside, has moved his long-time firm Blade Branding to 15 Gervais Drive across the Don Valley Parkway. The familiar Blade sign still stands at the former location, 146-150 Laird, but that building is being re-developed (below). Finally, with Spring cleaning fever in the air, Kate Gardiner has become a social media sensation for her zeal at picking up trash wherever she finds it. Love your style, Kate.

Places we knew have had to move out at 146-150 Laird Drive

Police are alerting families in Rosedale to at least two attempts to pick up teen girls (13 and 14) in separate incidents. One occurred on Elm Ave. at Dunbar Rd on March 7. The report says a man in a vehicle actually tried to pull the girl, 14, inside when she refused his offer of a ride. The girl broke away and fled. This was at about 8.10 a.m. The suspect is described as black, late 20s to early 30s, 6’0″, thin build, short or shaved head, and clean-shaven. He was wearing a black ‘Adidas’ hooded sweater, and black sweat pants. He was driving a small black 4-door sedan. Police are asking residents to check any outside video they may have taken in relation to this incident.

SECOND INCIDENT

A second incident occurred March 15 when a girl, 13, was harassed by a man in a silver Nissan Altima. She ran to safety at a friend’s home but the man waited outside in his car before fleeing. This occurred about 3:30 p.m., near  Elm Ave and Sherbourne St.  He is described as black, early 20s. CityNews report

Nissan Altima in the attempted pick up of a girl, 13, near Sherbourne St. and Elm Ave.

Elm Ave east from Mt. Pleasant near Branksome Hall

A bungalow at 334 Lumsden Ave. in East York has sold in recent months for $811,000, $212,000 over the listing price. It is a well-cared for home with two bedrooms plus one and two bathrooms. Most notably it has a two-car garage. It is located northeast of Woodbine and Danforth Aves. Other details are here and here.

334 Lumsden Ave/Google

Two-car garage

Well-cared for

Angus with friend Margaret McKnight/Bulldog

The annual Blessing of the Animals was held at Manor Road United Church Sunday morning. Amid a good turnout of four-legged subjects, Rev Roberta Howey gathered children in the sanctuary to reveal her “secret” as a youngster. She was afraid of dogs. But her friendship with a girl who owned a happy dog helped her overcome this fear. Margaret McKnight (above) joined the congregation with her Scottish Terrier Angus, who was duly blessed.

A single ticket sold in Ontario claimed the $5 million jackpot in Saturday night’s Lotto 649 draw. The draw’s guaranteed $1 million prize also went to an Ontario ticket holder. The jackpot for the next Lotto 649 draw on March 27 will again be approximately $5 million.

The evacuation of passengers from a cruise ship off the western coast of Norway has come to an end as the vessel safely makes its way to Molde harbor, Viking Ocean Cruises said in a statement. Rescue teams airlifted 479 people from the vessel after it was stranded in stormy seas Saturday with 1,300 passengers and crew on board. The Viking Sky cruise ship, which regained engine power on Sunday morning, is traveling to Molde accompanied by two supply ships and one tug assist vessel. There are 436 guests and 458 crew still remaining on the ship. Twenty people sustained injuries on the vessel, which was being tossed about by wind and waves, Viking Ocean Cruises said. All are being treated at medical facilities in Norway, or have already been discharged — CNN

A witness to an accident on Bayview Ave in front of Romeo and Juliet hairdressing has posted an emotional account. A patient was taken to hospital but this incident is unrecorded by Police Operations Saturday night suggesting the incident, although upsetting, was not fatal. All the circumstances are unknown but those familiar with our business district often choose to wait for lights at Millwood and Manor to stop traffic before crossing at mid-block. Others however are not prepared to wait the time necessary for the lights to co-ordinate.

Laura Fortino (centre in green) and friends meet Novice Wildcats/Baycrest Arena

Trip to Bangladesh

Leaside blood clinic April 4

Every amenity/Bulldog

Thanks guys/Bulldog

Upper left, Laura Fortino and some pals were hanging out with the Leaside Wildcats Minor Novice girls at Baycrest Arena Saturday. These are mentors and role models that every six and seven-year old needs. Fortino played defense for Team Canada in 2011 and was first draft selection in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in 2014. Thanks ladies. At right, MP Rob Oliphant will speak Tuesday about his recent trip to Bangladesh at the Jenner Jean-Marie Centre in Thorncliffe Park. Centre left, a reminder that the semi-annual Leaside blood clinic is April 4 at Northlea school. Please give. Centre right, Moore Park residents like to think their neighborhood has every amenity. And here on Heath St., what else could one ask for? Finally at the bottom, Toronto firefighters deserve an easy one now and then. Here they get a smile over their efforts to “knock down” a blaze started by a cigarette in a garbage container at Mt. Pleasant and Millwood Rd. Saturday afternoon. But no kidding, thanks guys.

Filling potholes in Toronto is a lot like painting the Golden Gate Bridge. The job is never over. Saturday has seen crews hard at work in the third blitz this year across the City. It is said they were concentrating on the Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner Expressway on Friday night. No mention of Balliol St. But hope is strong. Several more weekend repair blitzes are expected through April. Normally, the City has 25 crews regularly filling potholes and during a weekend blitz, that number usually doubles. This weekend, there are 90 crews filling holes across the City. Anyone can report potholes online or by calling 311, emailing 311@toronto.ca, or by using the 311 app. They say it may take four days for a crew to get there.