The South Bayview Bulldog

Two RCMP cadets fainted during speeches by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the new commissioner Brenda Lucki Friday in Regina. It is common for military and police officers standing at attention to faint. Makes one wonder why they are forced to do it just that way. Then, that irritating and outrageous person Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison for fraud. But he is most notorious for increasing the price of a medicine he had under patent by 5,000 percent and bragging about it. His smirk in court and other appearances infuriated officials although today it is said he cried. Below that, City News explores sleep divorce. Then lastly, US Secretary of State Tillerson explains his distinction between “talks” and “negotiations” in any meeting between the president and Kim Jong un.

The Ontario Superior Court has dismissed a request to extend the voting period in Ontario’s Progressive Conservative leadership race. The decision means that the new leader of the party will be known Saturday. Late polls have suggested that the front runners are Christine Elliott and Doug Ford, with Ms. Elliott having an edge. She was a long-time MPP and is the widow of former federal Finance MInister Jim Flaherty. Back at court, the lawyer asking for the injunction said his client and others had not received a personal identification number, which party members need for verification purposes before they can vote. But Justice Todd Archibald said postponing the election would adversely impact the 60,000 people who have already voted in the race.

THIS JUST IN! The application for an injunction in the PC leadership race has been dismissed. Which means we will find out who the new leader of the PC Party is tomorrow. #OnPoli

— Momin Qureshi (@MominYQureshi) March 10, 2018

Team Ontario: John Epping, Matt Camm, Patrick Jannsen, Tim March

Suspense is high at the Tim Horton’s Brier in Regina as Team Epping from the Leaside Curling Club meets defending Brier champion Brad Gushue’s Team Canada Friday night at 8 p.m.  Both rinks are 8 and 1 heading into the playoffs. The match airs on TSN.

• R.J. Barrett named Naismith high school basketball player of the year

A ceremony will be held Saturday to re-open the refurbished Playground Paradise in Flemingdon Park and those wishing to attend are warned to wear socks. The play structure features child-friendly, modern play areas as well as a new toddler zone and vertical play maze. Light refreshments will be served. Playground Paradise is a two-storey indoor play structure that was designed to promote active, inclusive and age-appropriate play that challenges physical, social, cognitive and decision-making skills in children up to age 12.  It is a shoe-free facility so everyone must bring and wear socks. The ribbon-cutting will take place after 10.30 at the playground at 150 Grenoble Dr. Jon Burnside (Ward 26) and others will be present.

This is the time-change weekend. There’s a giggle or two in the first video about why we still do this thing. Then, City News is hot on the trail of canine influenza. Who knew? Below that, a Moscow TV anchor tells would-be traitors to Mother Russia that they can expect to die, especially if they flee to the UK. So nice. And finally, a very touching story of a couple who met and fell in love after they each received heart transplants at the same hospital.

New Zealand Ice Fernz ready to play at March Madness

Hockey stick signed by Leafs on auction

Rolph Road School Choristers

Ontario vs Alberta at 3 p.m. Friday

Rotary Recycling event coming

BIA marks IWD

Mabel’s Fables March 15

An exciting weekend of girls hockey begins now as teams pour in from across Canada to compete in the Leaside Wildcats annual event. Upper left, the shining faces of the New Zealand Ice Fernz team along with NZ High Commissioner Daniel Meslop. Read more about the Fernz and Wildcats. Upper right, this stick signed by members of the 2017-2018 Maple Leafs will be a hot item at the March Madness silent auctions in the Lea Room. Drop in and make a bid on something. They’re open today. Centre right, Okay You Rolph Road Choristers!  This is from a concert Thursday in the auditorium of Leaside High School. Lower row from the left, a reminder that the sparkling play of Leaside’s Team Epping continues Friday at 3 p.m. in Regina. Then a green flag that Leaside Rotary will hold its annual recycling event in the parking lot of the East York Town Centre April 21. The resilient woman is Rosie the BIA Riveter. She reminds us that lots of women have been strong long before gender parity. And the Mabel’s Fables book visit March 15 looks just right for your tweens. Send your event to the South Bayview Bulldog. Tampa Bay girls will try to teach Canadians about ice hockey

The Republic of Korea (ROK) security advisor says that Kim Jong un has said that he is committed to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The South Korean minister said that President Trump has agreed to meet Kim Jung-un by May. These forthright declarations from the minister, Chung Eui-yong, may or may not tell the world just what is going to happen, but the press statement late Thursday sounds groundbreaking. Chung Eui-yong was the leader of a delegation from Seoul to Pyongyang in recent days at which all of this was discussed. It seems stunning that the north, which has never conceded it might disarm, has actually said this to the South. Then there is the complex issue of verification. If the North has had a genuine change, it is profound. Until now, it has been a state that has relied in simple terror to maintain itself. Denuclearization carries the prospect of foreign intrusion in a way that must give Kim and his insiders the shivers.

Was the new stop sign an issue?

Huge tangle

From the air/CP24 Twitter

A tangle of five cars has seriously injured one person and shaken up others at Queen West and Jameson Ave. Thursday.  Police say one vehicle struck four others. A pole was knocked down in the process. Police are appealing to witnesses to come forward.

Team Epping from the Leaside Curling Club stole two points in the 10th end to edge McEwen 8-7 in Brier play in Regina Thursday. Epping and his colleagues join the top four teams advancing to the Page playoff. Winner of the Page playoff between the top two seeds advances directly to Sunday’s championship game, while the loser drops to the semifinal to face the winner of the playoff between the third and fourth seeds. Sunday’s champion represents Canada at the world men’s curling championship in Las Vegas from March 31 to April 8.

Dofasco steel in Hamilton

Alcoa Aluminum

Canadian Press quotes an unidentified source in the US administration as saying Canada and Mexico will gain an open exemption from heavy tariffs on steel and aluminum declared Thursday by President Trump. Trump signed the documents for the legislation at the White House, surrounded by burly steelworkers. It specifies a 25 percent tariff on steel and a ten percent tariff on aluminium. CP’s source is called an official speaking on condition of anonymity. It said he would not address the issue of whether the threat of tariffs would be used to bully Canada and Mexico at the NAFTA bargaining table, saying only that NAFTA is important to economic and national security. CBC

Saudi Arabian women jogged this International Women’s Day. It’s a right they recently acquired along with drivng and popping in at the football matches. But their Iranian sisters are feeling the sting of a two-year prison sentence on a woman who took off her compulsory headscarf in protest. The story is creepy. Much more pleasant is the City News celebration of its reporter Ginella Mass. Take a look. Below that, McDonald’s is taking flak for its Women’s Day efforts but this corporate video about a black woman who became an wealthy franchisee is quite moving. Finally. there is still no cause of death for Italian soccer star Davide Astori. His funeral took place today.

Jana Pokorna

Coyote urine for this guy

Thursday at 3 p.m. on TSN

Mabel’s event

Starts Friday

Engaging composite of faces

Jana Pokorna, the well-liked and long-time creator of jewellery in Leaside, has moved her shop from Sutherland Dr to 461 Eglinton East at Banff Road. Jana is a talented and inspiring person. She is an annual participant in the Ride to Conquer Cancer. Check the City News story done when her bike was stolen in 2015. Then visit Jana. Upper right, there is an informative and entertaining thread about raccoons in Leaside here. The consensus is as strong as coyote urine that if you get some of it from Urban Nature on Don Mills Rd. the raccoons will flee. But others are resigned to raccoon hegemony. One poster says:  “I for one, welcome our new raccoon overlords.”  Below that, a small reminder that Leaside’s Team Epping faces a Wild Card team at the Tim Horton’s Brier at 3 p.m. Thursday. It’s on TSN.  Centre left, don’t forget to get your tweens and teens over to Mabel’s Fables March 15 when the author and artist of the kids gaming series Cross Ups will visit. To the right, a most engaging poster for International Women’s Day tweeted by Leaside United Church. Lastly, tomorrow marks the beginning of March Madness. Go over to the arena and check out the silent auction offerings.