The South Bayview Bulldog

Sergio Marchionne, the visionary Italian-Canadian who left an indelible mark on the global auto industry, has died at age 66. His death Wednesday in Switzerland came days after he stepped down officially as chief executive officer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV. He died from complications after shoulder surgery. Italian newspapers reported that he suffered an embolism during the surgery and sustained brain damage — New York Times  Jeep boss Mike Manley to lead FCA as Marchionne falls ill

“Bad Boy” son of Mel to run

Barb and John Tory

Emma Teitel — Sooomebody!

Lastman announces will NOT run. See later post. Blayne Lastman, the Bad Boy son of former Mayor and retailer Mel Lastman, says he will file papers Thursday to run against John Tory for Toronto’s top job. Lastman has spent his life running the furniture chain founded by his dad. He is the brother of Dale Lastman, Chair of the law firm of Goodmans. Star Columnist Emma Teitel threw cold water on the idea of Mr. Lastman’s candidacy in remarks this week. She said it is proof that political dynasties time was up. She warned readers to prepare for a lame joke. “Who’s better than John Tory? Sooomebody!”

An Amazon fulfillment centre/ The Business Journal

Canadian Press reports that Amazon will open a new fulfillment centre in Caledon to pick, pack and ship books, electronics and toys. THe address is not specified. The Seattle-based e-commerce company says the centre will create more than 800 full-time jobs. The one-million square foot centre will be Amazon’s sixth facility in Ontario and ninth in Canada. The centre is expected to be built by the end of 2019 and, along with its future Ottawa facility, will bring more than 1,400 jobs to the province — CP

Toronto Councillor Josh Colle

Wilmot and Judy Matthews

Toronto City Councillor Josh Colle (Ward 15) will retire from municipal politics at the end of his term in October to take a job in private business. Colle is also Chair of the TTC and sits on several other boards and committees. He is the municipal member for Eglinton-Lawrence. Colle was elected in 2010 and says restoring bus routes, expanding TTC service across the city and advancing work on LIne 2 and Relief Line subway projects are some of his proudest accomplishments.

JUDY AND WILMOT MATTHEWS KEY TO THE CITY

Mayor Tory presented philanthropists Judy and Wilmot Matthews with a Key to the City Wednesday at City Hall. The Matthews are distinguished philanthropists who give to a wide variety of Toronto-based organizations that support education, medical research, cultural organizations and city-building initiatives. One of their recent gifts was for $25 million to The Bentway, a unique and innovative public space that transforms 1.75 km underneath Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway into a new gathering place.

NOMINATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY

Municipal election nominations close at 2 p.m. this Friday  This is the deadline for filing or withdrawing a nomination for the office of Mayor, City Councillor or Trustee for the City of Toronto’s October 22 municipal election. Nominations on July 27 must be filed between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Election Services Office on the first floor north of Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W. Individuals filing nominations on that date must bring all required documents and identification with them and ensure the completeness of their forms. After 2 p.m., no additional nominations or withdrawals will be accepted.

Someone has “taken credit” in the name of Islamic State for the Danforth shootings. News outlets have duly reported this with a straight face and quoted university professors accordingly. Global News for example says professors in the US and Canada doubt that ISIL had any responsibility for Sunday’s terrible rampage. One called it BS. More than that, the simple existence of ISIL — however it is now defined — is subject to doubt. Anyone in Leaside could post online saying he’s from ISIL.

Fatal collision at Doris and Holmes Aves in Willowdale/Tony Smyth@LateNightCam

A man of 23 has died after his Honda slammed into a utility pole at Doris and Holmes Aves. in Willowdale early Wednesday. Fire service and paramedics told 680 News they worked for nearly an hour to free the victim from his Honda S-2000. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Julianna Kozis of Markham

Toronto police have named identified Julianna Kozis, 10, of Markham, as the second victim of the mass shooting on the Danforth on Sunday night. A release at the police newsite says that the family has requested privacy during their time of grief.

DANFORTH STRONG WALK AND VIGIL WEDNESDAY

A public letter has been sent by Councillor Paula Fletcher about a planned walk and vigil Wednesday night.

Dear Friends,
We will be gathering for a walk and vigil on Wednesday night at 7 pm at the corner of Danforth and Bowden Ave to honour those affected by Sunday night’s tragic event. Thank you to the GreekTown on the Danforth BIA, the Danforth BIA, our Interfaith Community, Riverdale Share and community members for organizing this gathering.  We will begin with a candlelight procession starting at Bowden Ave walking to Ferrier Ave, and then we will proceed to Alexander the Great Parkette at Logan and Danforth where there will be a short interfaith ceremony. As well, here is information from the City’s Community Crisis Response Program which lists a number of supports available:

The bodies of 26 men, women and children have been found huddled in a field after they fled their cars in an attempt to escape fires. They were trying to reach the ocean but were trapped. Hundreds have been pulled from the sea off the Silver Coast vacation area on the eastern side of Greece.

Tim’s

A &W

McDonald’s

Those who think about the next meal-time (most of us) may well wonder how the geniuses at renowned fast food places like Tim’s, A&W and McDonald’s, got their jobs. To listen to them now that all-day breakfast is part of the 24-hour fare, you would think they had invented the egg. Tim Hortons announced Tuesday that eggs will be available at any hour. McDonald’s figured it out a year ago and seemed stunned there was so much demand. They had been yanking the dish off the menu at 10 a.m. sharp  for decades. And let’s be perfectly clear. All-day breakfast is about the eggs. Yes, you can get meat with it but without the eggs it’s more like a quarter-pounder.

LULULEMON NEW BOSS

Calvin McDonald has been named CEO of Lululemon, replacing Laurent Potdevin, who was ousted earlier this year amid allegations of conduct violations. The changes are effective on Aug. 20, the company said. McDonald will also become a member of Lululemon’s board of directors. McDonald comes to Lululemon from Sephora, where he served as president and CEO of the makeup retailer’s Americas division. He also served as president and CEO of Sears Canada for two years.

John Howard campaign

Horror that brought gun control to Australia

It’s now 22 years since Australia effectively eliminated mass killings with firearms by enacting some of the strictest gun laws in the world. Today, Australians remain outrageously free in their peaceful cities and polls say 90 percent of the population strongly support the limitations on firearms. It was the horrifying slaughter of 35 people by a 28-year-old mentally deranged man in 1996 that shocked the nation into action. The newly-elected prime minister, John Howard, used his fresh political power to get agreement from the Australian states to ban the importation of most weapons and tighten drastically the conditions for ownership. Self defense is not an acceptable reason to own a gun in Australia.  A person must have a firearms licence to possess or use a gun. Licence holders must demonstrate a “genuine reason” for holding a firearm licence and must not be a “prohibited person”. All firearms must be registered by serial number to the owner, who also holds a firearms licence. Where is the Canadian leader at the federal level who will show us the way out of gun madness. There are challenges. Canada is bigger and more diverse than Australia. It is next door to the US. But it must be done.

Sadia Zafar and Vanessa Rose of the Thorncliffe Neighborhood Office with. Abbas Kolia, president of the Thorncliffe Park Residents Association

Harriet Noel and Fiena Smith were there

Renee and Ron Damiani with MP Rob Oliphant

Cold meat and salads were popular

Flowers

Customers Wendy and Francis Brunelle with Costco director Adam Fenton

Paella station

Young man enjoying buffet

Costco on Overlea Blvd opens Tuesday morning. Monday a pre-opening evening was staged by the company at its new Overlea Blvd store. As many as 200 people in the area of Thorncliffe Park have received jobs at Costco. They are said to pay as much as $15 an hour and include benefits.

A man, 24, is in custody following what’s being described as an incident involving “a man with a knife” on Parliament Hill during the Changing of the Guard ceremony Monday morning. The CBC quotes a statement from the Department of National Defense: “An incident took place this morning at 10:15 on the lawns of Parliament Hill, during the Changing of the Guard parade. Due to the quick reaction of our soldiers, RCMP and Parliamentary Protective Services, the potential threat was identified and neutralised. No one was injured during this incident.”

FILM FESTIVAL CANCELS EVENT BECAUSE OF DANFORTH SHOOTING

The Toronto International Film Festival is canceling an event to announce its planned film slate due to the deadly mass shooting in the city. Festival organizers said Monday that out of respect for those affected by the attack, the film slate will be announced in a press release instead. The Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 6-16.

MAN 81 FIGHTS MAN 44 TO RETRIEVE CASINO WINNINGS

An 81-year-old Ottawa man battled it out with a thief of 44 after casino winnings were snatched from him as he was about to deposit them at an ATM.  The elderly man chased the thief in his car and cornered him in an alley. Police say they were called to a robbery in progress at an ATM on Montreal Road and St. Laurent Boulevard around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. A man at the adjacent machine asked for assistance with his debit card and during this distraction, he grabbed the envelope with the casino winnings in it and fled. The 81-year-old gave chase in his car and cornered the suspect in an alley. The two struggled, and the older man recovered the envelope after the suspect dropped it on the ground. With the help of a description of the suspect and a cellphone photo, police officers made an arrest without incident.