PCs reveal brutal $15 billion deficit found in outside audit

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Ontario’s new finance minister says the previous Liberal government has saddled the province with a $15 billion deficit this year, more than $8 billion larger than indicated in the former government’s budget this Spring. Finance Minister Vic Fedeli announced the figure Friday morning in revealing the results of an independent inquiry into accounting practices under the Liberals. “The hole is deep and it will require everyone to make sacrifices without exception,” said Fedeli in a speech delivered to a business audience in Toronto. CBC

Smoak homer caps 7-run 9th as Jays beat Tampa Bay 9-8

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Justin Smoak capped off an astonishing ninth inning comeback to give the Blue Jays a 9-8 walk-off win against the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday night. Smoak hit a solo blast to cap off a seven-run ninth inning as Toronto rallied to a 9-8 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. The comeback tied the largest ninth-inning rally in Blue Jays history, matching their 11-10 win over the Los Angeles Angels on July 30, 2017. TSN

Smoky scrapyard fire fed by tires still burns in Mississauga

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A smoky scrapyard fire fed by tires and cars continues to burn in Mississauga.

She falls asleep on GO train, wakes to find herself locked in

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A Durham Region woman, Victoria Munroe, fell asleep on the ride home from Toronto last June and when she woke up at 1.30 a.m. she was locked in the GO train. Ms Munroe, 27, saw that she had 16 unanswered calls on her cell from her boyfriend. Some commenting on Twitter have asked if the phone was on silent.  What’s known is that GO Transit failed to follow procedure and go through the train to make sure it was empty before being locked. The woman was able to call her boyfriend who then found a GO agent who took action. Munroe was released 45 minutes after she called her boyfriend. The train was parked in the Whitby yard. The protocol of checking trains and buses for stray passengers may not be done diligently. Last fall a 4-year-old Windsor girl was left on a school bus because an end-of-line check was not done. Windsor school bus driver fired as child left in locked lot

Matlow urges SCOC fight, “charter” freedom from Ontario

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Councillor Josh Matlow, running in the new Ward 12 (St. Paul’s), is urging the City to find ways in which it can appeal lower court decisions to approve the Ontario government’s legislation to reduce the size of Toronto Council. He says the fight should be taken to the Supreme Court of Canada if necessary. He also proposes federal legislation to permit Toronto, and other Canadian municipaltiies, independence from the current constitutional provision which makes municipalities creatures of the provinces. He describes such a provision as a City Charter.

Pussy Riot poison, child in a toy machine and PC Scarecrow

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Pussy Riot demonstration at World Cup
Anthony Helinski put daughter in toy machine
Constable Scarecrow

German doctors say there is a “high plausibility” that a member of the Russian protest group Pussy Riot, who was taken ill in Russia last week, was poisoned. Fingers are pointing at Vladimr Putin who is said to be furious with the band’s on-field demonstration during the World Cup in Russia. Then, a Massachusetts school teacher has been charged with child endangerment after video showed him putting his toddler daughter into a game machine at a New Hampshire mall and using her to steal prizes. Finally, meet Constable Scarecrow, a paper, plastic, hunk of signage that looks like a cop with a radar gun. The City of Coquitlam is deploying PC Scarecrow. Watch out.

14 Councillors face another in 25-ward election October 22

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With one day left for candidates to register for the Toronto general election on October 22, many head-to-head matchups of current Councillors may be seen. Jon Burnside will face Jaye Robinson in Ward 15 (Don Valley West). It will be Josh Matlow vs Joe Mihevc in Ward 12 (St. Paul’s) Mary Fragedakis vs Paula Fletcher in Ward 14 (Toronto-Danforth) Jim Karygiannis vs Norm Kelly in Ward 22 (Scarborough-Agincourt) Michael Ford vs Vincent Cristanti in Ward 1 (Etobicoke North) John Campbell vs Stephen Holyday in Ward 2 (Etobicoke Centre) Georgio Mammoliti vs Anthony Perruzza in Ward 8 (Eglinton-Lawrence) and Gary Crawford vs Michelle Holland-Berardinetti in Ward 20 (Scarborough-Southwest).

FORMER MPPs

Kristyn Wong-Tam will face nine other candidates, most notably George Smitherman, former MPP and Liberal Minister in Ward 13 (Toronto Centre), Denzil Minnan-Wong will face former Liberal cabinet minister David Caplan in Ward 16 (Don Valley East) John Filion will face 13 opponents including former Councillor and Police Board Chair Norm Gardner. Nominations close at 4.30 p.m. Friday, September 21.

 

Coffee with a cop Friday at 10 a.m. at Pape Ave. McDonald’s

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Pape and Cosburn

East York residents are invited to have a coffee with a cop in Pape Village on Friday, September 21. Neighbours are welcome to have a friendly chat with police officers from 54 Division from 10 a.m. to noon at the McDonald’s restaurant at 1045 Pape Ave. at Cosburn Avenue. The Coffee with a Cop program aims to give community members an opportunity to ask questions, share concerns, and meet local police officers. There is no agenda or speeches. For more information, call Const. Ingrid Hannah at 416-808-5429.

EYTC mall open but many stores closed for smoke cleanup

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New Dollarama
Food Court shrouded for cleanup
LCBO and others closed
Wild venting from former Dollarama in basement

Doors to the mall of East York Town Centre were open Thursday morning as promised by the management but many stores remained closed as smoke cleanup continues. The problem was created by a fire in the mall’s Thorncliffe Banquet Hall after an event on Sunday, September 9. One store which was busy is the new Dollarama. It is now located on the main floor in part of the former Target space which has been blocked off since 2015. Much of that retail space at the east end of the mall is to be a new 24-hour Dialysis Clinic run by St. Michael’s Hospital. It was expected to open this year. Most of the mall familiar to shoppers is shrouded in white tarps as cleaning goes on. There is no food in the food court although Tim’s remains open through doors onto the parking lot. Food Basics and other businesses with doors to the parking area are open.

Leaside HS students will join province-wide walkout Friday

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The Bulldog has been contacted by four grade eleven students from Leaside High School to let us know that they have teamed up to organize a school walkout on Friday, September 21st, at 1 p.m. on the back field of Leaside High School (Howard Talbot Park, 635 Eglinton Ave E). It is the same time and day over 40 schools across Ontario are participating in their own individual walkouts. This walkout is to protest the reverting of the newly updated sex-ed curriculum (2015) to the one taught in 1998. In the 1998 curriculum, students were not taught about modern sex ed topics such as LGBTQ+ issues within sexual education, consent and safe sexting. The walkout will also protest the lack of priority given to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which will halt the effort to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and teachings in Ontario classrooms. Finally, the walkout will address the $100 million budget cut to school repair funds that Doug Ford issued under his government rule for Ontario public schools.

Ninth Annual Harvest Fair on Mt. Pleasant is this Saturday

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Harvest Fair is Saturday
Saturday too
He wanted muffins/Jenny Serwylo
Ken Oppel at Mabel’s Fables
112 Bessborough/Bulldog
112 Bessborough/Google

Saturday will see the 9th Annual Harvest Fair on Mt. Pleasant Rd. It’s always fun. At top right, Michael Garron Hospital’s Kick the Stigma Day is also Saturday. It’s a soccer tournament and festival at Monarch Park Stadium on Coxwell Ave. south of the Danforth. There will be games in three divisions geared towards players of all levels. There will also be a community festival, featuring live music, games, a beer garden, and mix of street food. Below that, Jenny Serwylo snapped this picture of her stare-down with a raccoon Tuesday. He was after the English muffins. The story is told in the Star. Centre right, Ken Oppel, the children’s book writer had a good crowd of kid’s and parents in attendance Wednesday evening for some story telling at Mabel’s Fables, 662 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Mabel’s is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. At bottom, neighbors and others are watching with interest as 112 Bessborough Dr. gets a makeover. It is seen recently on the left showing its original copper roof over the bay window. That’s 112 on the right before work began. Keep watching.

She calls at crack of dawn to report wallet found on street

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A Leaside woman writes in a FB post Thursday morning that “this just happened.” She says “woke up to a phone call and text shortly after 6 a.m. from someone who had my wallet. Gulp. Apparently it fell out of my bag and she found it on the road next to my car as she was out for her morning run at 5 a.m. She even ran home and came back placing a note on the windshield of my car. Grateful for my amazing neighbour who restored my faith in humanity. Have a fantastic day Gail!” Nice.