The fire service has charged the City of Toronto and Bondfield Construction Company with violations of the fire code for blocking three of four exit doors at Union Station December 17. The blockage, for unstated reasons, caused human congestion in the Bay Teamway as concert goers left Scotiabank Arena. Here’s the story (below) as produced by City News at the time. News release.
US President Trump has abruptly walked out of talks with Kim Jong un in Hanoi because, it is said, North Korea insisted on the US removing sanctions before it would disarm its nuclear weapons. The move seems surprising only because both leaders went all the way to Vietnam before the US revealed the impasse. Some are suggesting it was a tactic to bring the little despot down to size. “Sometimes you have to walk,” Trump explained at a closing news conference after the summit was abruptly cut short. He said there had been a proposed agreement that was “ready to be signed.”
Fallout from former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Reybould’s brutally-honest testimony before the Commons Justice Committee has seen many reports Thursday that it is the end for the Trudeau government. The election is in October. CPC leader Andrew Scheer has called for Trudeau’s resignation. Christie Blatchford in the National Post says it seems like a “death knell” for the Liberals. Elsewhere, CBC reporter Chris Glover has complained to the Toronto Police about the man who began licking him on the neck during a live report from a demonstration of comedians earlier this week. The Bulldog posted it Wednesday. The culprit has been named as an actor-comedian, Boyd Banks. Finally, Mayor Tory has visited Sully’s Boxing Gym located on Dupont St. near Dovercourt Rd. as a way of showing support for the historic hangout in the face of a landlord’s order to vacate. Sully’s once played host to Muhammad Ali.
The 40th edition of the Leaside Wildcats March Madness Hockey Tournament begins Friday, March 8 and excitement is growing with barely a week left to the first face off. This year Mark Schrutt, new head of the Wildcats association, reports that 177 teams will play. This record turnout beats last year (157) and the previous record of 171 in 2017. There will be more than 3,000 players plus hundreds of moms, dads, grandparents and siblings. The tournament once again demonstrates the power of hockey as a force for the social, competitive and physical growth of young women. Leaside Arena and 18 others in the area will rock to the games.
Leaside ice will be home to the online www.sagoto.com/tlgha/auction and in person auction, photo booth and kids draw and raffle. It is well worth a visit to see the auction prizes and the action as well as people watch. Championship day is Sunday, March 10, where bronze, silver and gold will be handed out. Mr. Schrutt estimates that the tournament will bring in close to $4 million to local businesses. Major sponsors this year include Access Storage, Smart Centre and Lexus on the Park. Most importantly, it is a weekend when the girls will let their skates do the talking about competition. Every single one will emerge a champion.
Wednesday’s drive home to Leaside and other South Bayview neighborhoods apparently lived down to its expecptations. Posts at Leaside Community refer to the slip-and-slide congestion on the Bayview extension as a “nightmare.” Read the many posts.
A wave of criticism of a number of billboards questioning the use of vaccines has prompted Outfront Media to announce that it will take down the recently placed displays. They were bought and paid for an organization called Vaccine Choice. The most prominent person associated with the body is Ted Kuntz, who says that his late son Joshua was permanently harmed by a diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus as a child.
Former justice minister Jody Wilson-Raybould says she came under “consistent and sustained” pressure – including veiled threats – from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Privy Council Office and the finance minister’s office to halt a criminal prosecution of Montreal engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. Testifying Wednesday to the House of Commons justice committee, Wilson-Raybould said she believes she was shuffled out of the justice portfolio because she refused to give in. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his senior staff, the clerk of the Privy Council and others repeatedly “hounded” her to end the prosecution, she said, and this went on for months after the director of public prosecutions, Kathleen Roussel, rejected the idea of negotiating a remediation agreement with SNC-Lavalin – and long after Wilson-Raybould unequivocally informed them she would not intervene to override Roussel’s decision — Canadian Press
The storm system which has left Wednesday’s snow seems two to three hours away from leaving Toronto behind.
TDSB and TCDSB have cancelled all permits in school facilities tonight, February 27th. As a result, all recreation and aquatic programs in school-based facilities are cancelled. Recreation and aquatic programs, and all facility bookings in City of Toronto facilities will continue as scheduled. Visit the Recreation Centre Closures page for facility-specific information. After-School Recreation (ARC) and CLASP programs will continue as scheduled, parents are encouraged to pick up their children as soon as possible.
Due to snowfall expected this afternoon & into this evening, Continuing Education classes (Adult ESL, night school classes, community programs/Learn4Life, International Languages after school programs) and school permits are cancelled as of the end of the regular school day.
— Toronto District School Board (@tdsb) February 27, 2019
Due to inclement weather, all permits for this evening, Wednesday February 27, 2019 are cancelled.
— Toronto Catholic District School Board (@TCDSB) February 27, 2019
Air Canada has temporarily suspended all service to India due to the closure of Pakistani airspace The company confirmed the suspension in a statement on Wednesday morning. A flight en route to Delhi from Toronto turned back while over the Atlantic Ocean. It is due to return to Toronto this afternoon. Pakistan and India are on high-alert after India launched an attack on Pakistani extremists earlier in the week. Pakistan says it shot down two Indian warplanes after they crossed the boundary between the two nuclear-armed rivals in the disputed territory of Kashmir on Wednesday.
Toronto Police Operations has posted the theft of Chico on Sunday from Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. where he was tied up waiting for his owner to return. Chico is 7 to 8 years-old, a black pug/chihuahua. Anyone with information is asked to call (416) 808-5300
UPDATE: The Toronto Police Service would like to thank the public for their assistance locating a stolen dog. On Sunday, February 24, 2019, a dog named “Chico” was tied to a fence in the area of Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue. The owner had left the dog unattended for less than a minute and when he returned, the dog was gone. See previous release. On Saturday, March 9, 2019, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the dog was located safely and in good health.
There isn’t much to say except that Wednesday’s snow seems like more than enough. The 10 a.m. shot of Accuweather’s Canada Radar indicates the size of the storm. Snow is expected fall until into the evening. The predictions are for 10 to 15 cm, maybe 20 cm in some areas.
