The South Bayview Bulldog

President Trump has tweeted a volley of threats against Canada which parade his disdain for the country. If Canada doesn’t accept US terms on dairy products, the dispute resolution clause of NAFTA and the extension of patents on drugs from eight to ten years, he will cancel NAFTA outright. It is an outcome, if he is able to do it, which he calls “far better” than dealing with Ottawa. He tweeted that “there is no political necessity to keep Canada in the new NAFTA deal. If we don’t make a fair deal for the US after decades of abuse, Canada will be out. Congress should not interfere w/ these negotiations or I will simply terminate NAFTA entirely & we will be far better off…” CBC

No winning ticket was sold for Friday night’s $34 million Lotto Max jackpot. That means the jackpot for the next draw on Sept. 7 will grow to approximately $50 million, and two Maxmillions prizes of $1 million each will also be offered.

Pinch hit go-ahead Grand Slam for Justin Smoak, definition of clutch. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/uuupcyNFan

— Andrew Hockridge (@DrewHockridge) September 1, 2018

Justin Smoak whacked a 9th inning grand slam home run in Miami Friday night to propel the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 victory over the Marlins. It was a rare flash of sunshine in a lacklustre season for the Jays. Toronto trailed 5-1 heading into the ninth. The Blue Jays loaded the bases on Danny Jansen’s one-out infield single before the Marlins replaced Kyle Barraclough with Drew Steckenrider (4-4). Aledmys Diaz then struck out looking, but Devon Travis forced in a run with a walk and Smoak drove Steckenrider’s 0-2 pitch over the wall in right for his 22nd homer. It left the Miami crowd silent as they watched the Marlins lose the lead they had held throughout the game. Play-by-play announcer Dan Shulman was reduced to a simple “Wow!” Play by play.

I'm packing up my apartment while watching the #BlueJays game and trying to come to terms with the Donaldson trade. But in the midst of this gloomy evening, Justin Smoak crushes a #GrandSlam in the 9th to take the lead. So I got that going for me.

— William Ross (@wross6) September 1, 2018

The Ontario government said Friday it is pushing ahead with the takeover of how, where and at what cost subways will be built in Toronto. It has appointed Michael Lindsay, who has worked on several public infrastructure projects, to head a panel of up to three experts to make recommendations on the building and maintenance of new and existing subway lines, a statement said. The operation of the system will remain with the TTC and revenue from it will continue to flow to the City. “An upload of the subway would help the province to implement a more efficient regional transit system, reduce costs and build transit faster,” the PC government said. “It could also allow the province to fund and deliver additional transit projects sooner.”

ONE-STOP WONDER

The upload idea raises a clear question about the future of the notorious one-stop subway scheme, now estimated to cost $3.5 to $4 billion. The subway was endorsed by the previous Liberal government which had an enormous political vulnerability in Scarborough. The June election erased all Toronto support for the present government. Such freedom from politics both local and provincial plus its absurd cost, might see the one-stop plan changed or eliminated, some think.  Ford said during the election campaign he wanted to add two more stops to the one-stop Scarborough subway plan.

Canadian Press says the Liberal government is considering changes to federal labour standards giving employees the right to ignore job-related emails at home. It’s law in France (of course). Stories Friday seems to lack context however as the notion of an employer in effect telling a salaried employee to do something outside his work hours may be open to interpretation. Emails are often widely ignored, as they should be. They call this possible revision the “right to disconnect” but it seems unlikely anyone will be shutting down the machine to avoid the boss. National Post

There was genuine soul in the Changing of the Guard ceremony Friday at Buckingham Palace. The Band of the Welsh Guards rendered “Respect” in honour of the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin. It coincided with her funeral in Detroit. A salute from one majestic lady to another.

This is a live stream of Aretha Franklin’s funeral underway Friday in Detoit. Family and friends gather at Greater Grace Temple for the service. Former President Bill Clinton, Smokey Robinson, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson will be among the speakers, with musical tributes by Ariana Grande, Faith Hill, Jennifer Hudson, The Clark Sisters, and others.

https://twitter.com/_VictoriaGibson/status/1035525943039877120

The US says Canada has made no concessions on the matter of dairy access as talks grind on towards Friday’s deadline to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. In a written statement, the US says the talks with Canada continue but “there have been no concessions by Canada on agriculture.” Information leaking out of the talks suggest that both the long-standing issue of the dispute mechanism, Chapter 19, and Canada’s highly-protected dairy industry, are stalling an agreement.

• Canada, U.S. scramble to meet U.S.-imposed deadline of Friday for NAFTA deal
• NAFTA talks to resume Friday as Trump’s deadline looms
• Why NAFTA’s Chapter 19 may not be the right hill to die on

Alize Cornet

Arya Ouskouian

David Yeomans

Our recurring gaze into faces making news begins with the silly mug of sexism. The US Open Tennis Championship has issued an apology to Alize Cornet (left) after a referee scolded her for changing her shirt on court. It was a quick switch done because she had the thing on backwards. Not proper said the ref as he totally overlooked men players who strip half-naked and never hear a word of about it. Then, the curious and youthful face of Arya Ouskouian (centre) a 23-year-old college student who has been passing himself off as a doctor at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.  Lastly, the face of David Yeomans (right). Mr. Yeomans apparently refused to let another motorist merge. It led to an out-on-the-asphalt confrontation ending with Yeomans clinging to the hood of a speeding car on the 404. People, for heaven’s sake.

The Federal Court of Appeal dealt the Trans Mountain expansion project a major setback Thursday, finding that the government of Canada had not fulfilled its duty to consult with First Nations on the pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia. The court also scored Ottawa for not providing analysis and explanation on how whales might die from possible spills. It is a kick into outer space for the plan to sell Alberta oil to China (and others). The decision means the National Energy Board will have to redo its review of Kinder Morgan Canada’s project. In a written decision, the court says the energy board’s review was so flawed that the federal government could not rely on it as a basis for its decision to approve the expansion. With a condition set by the court that there be not just consultation, but meaningful discussions, with aboriginal parties the pipeline seems to  be in limbo. This vague requirement may or may not mean that indigenous objectors have to agree with a plan to build. But either way, the concept of Canadian oil to the coast seems years away.

ABC has reprised with a little more detail the visit made by Duchess Meghan to the Moore Park home of Ben and Jessica Mulroney. “Meghan spent three days holed up at Jessica Mulroney and her husband Ben’s home in Toronto,” said Omid Scobie, ABC News royal contributor. “They spent their days catching up, cooking together and, of course, playing with Jessica’s children, who love their ‘Auntie Meg.’” ABC  Meghan in City, hinted stay with Mulroneys of Moore Park

The so-called sex doll brothel scheduled to open on Yonge St in Willowdale has been found to fit the definition of an adult entertainment parlour. No such thing is allowed by City bylaw in that neighborhood. Both the property owner and the doll entrepreneur, Aura Dolls, were warned they would be charged. The story appeared on City News  Comments on City’s YouTube site reveal much good humour. “They should do a delivery service like Dominos 30 minutes or less,” said one. “There goes my weekend,” said another. There is also a streak of sentiment common to a loose association known as Men Going Their Own Way or MGTOW. It is described as a “mostly pseudonymous online community of men supported by websites and social media presences cautioning men against serious romantic relationships with women, especially marriage.”  Wikipedia