Anyone who ever attended university as a youth may recall how the kids all thought the same and really believed that they had discovered God’s truth about everything. It may be more of a problem when lecturers and profs join the group-think. A meeting at the Chestnut Conference Centre at 89 Chestnut Street was held last night to decry many conventional points of view which apparently demand that you be quiet if you disagree. City News was there.
Picasso’s Femme Ecrivant (Woman Writing) has sold at auction in London for €39,570,000 (C$58,741,665). It is a portrait of his dearest love, a woman of 17 who he met when he was 45 in the early 1930s. It was painted in 1934. The work has never been at auction before. Picasso held onto it until 1961 and finally sold it to a private owner whose estate put it up for auction. To the right, that’s an ISIS bullet hitting the wall beside a Kurdish woman sniper as she and her comrades close in on what’s left of the blood-thirsty mob at the City of Raqqa. They say she laughed and maybe that’s all anyone could do. Lastly, WWII Luftwaffe ace Hugo Broch, 95, got to meet the enemy close up Wednesday as air enthusiasts in Kent, England gave him a ride in a Spitfire.
Ontario has published suggested changes to legislation that would make it illegal for sales representatives to represent both the seller and buyer in a given transaction. The Liberal government has been at work on proposals since the government brought in its surcharge on foreign speculators in real estate. One of the proposals is to ban — with some limited exceptions — salespeople from representing both the buyer and seller or more than one potential buyer in a trade. The proposals are set out for public discussion.
WATERFRONT FLOOD PROTECTION
Prime Minister Trudeau was at the waterfront Wednesday with the Premier and Mayor to say that the three levels of government will spend a combined $1.2 billion to improve flood protection on the City’s lakefront. The money will go to Waterfront Toronto, the organization that administers the Toronto Port Lands Flood Protection Project. Many would have preferred to hear Mr. Trudeau announce the abolition of Waterfront Toronto, a hangover from the days of the Harbour Commission. WT permits Ottawa to continue to control the City’s waterfront to no apparent purpose except power.
KEN PAGAN
Ken Pagan, the man who tossed a beer can onto the Rogers Centre field during Toronto Blue Jays wild card playoff game last year was given a conditional discharge on Wednesday but sentenced to 12 months of probation for mischief. Mr. Pagan, who pleaded guilty to mischief under $5,000 on May 30, will not have a criminal conviction, but he will be required to perform 100 hours of community service. He has also been banned from all MLB games for 12 months and has to stay 500 metres away from the Rogers Centre.
Work is underway to replace the 90-year-old water main on Randolph Rd and the work has demonstrated stark reasons for the fashionable fabric placed under every sewer lid. These iron lids de rigueur are intended to keep rubble from clogging the sewers..And then, a single rose tucked into the top of a rubber pylon. Who said these bruisers had no soul.
The federal government is trying to calm some fears about the security of Canada Day celebrations after reports say ISIS has named Canada and the US as potential targets following the Manchester bombing late last month. In an email statement, the public safety minister’s office says it doesn’t comment on specific threats but adds the government is unwavering in its commitment to protect Canadians and will continue to take appropriate action to counter terrorist threats. It is a reminder of the brief attention span of the general public perhaps that Canada has been mentioned many times by ISIS as it invites any misfit to commit violence. RCMP Superintendent Mike O’Beirne also didn’t directly answer when asked about any known threats for Canada Day. “Our assessment is continuous, both domestically and internationally and I can tell you constantly in contact with our partners in that regard.”
OTHER NEWS
The splendid new decorative fountain in Berczy Park to the west of the Gooderham (flatiron) Building on Wellington St. is soon to be christened but friends of the park say damage has already been done to dog sculptures that enliven the wonderful whimsical “dog” water spot at its centre. Members of a volunteer community group known as Friends of Berczy Park say skateboarders are to blame. The fountain, as shown in the many photos taken of it by citizens, is a delight.
TPS NEWS RELEASE – ROAD CLOSURES
On Saturday, July 1, 2017, the annual East York Canada Day parade will take place. At 10 a.m., the parade will begin near Dieppe Park and finish at approximately 1 p.m., at Stan Wadlow Park.
Participants will assemble for the parade beginning at 9 a.m.
Formation Area: Cosburn Avenue from Greenwood Avenue to Barfield Avenue
The parade route is as follows:
– eastbound on Cosburn Avenue to Coxwell Avenue
– southbound on Coxwell Avenue to Sammon Avenue
– eastbound on Sammon Avenue to Woodbine Avenue
– northbound on Woodbine Avenue to O’Connor Drive
Dispersal Area:
– floats and participants, Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot at Woodbine Avenue and O’Connor Drive
– spectators, Stan Wadlow Park via Trento Avenue
Motorists in the area may experience traffic delays.
The Toronto Fire Service will celebrate Canada 150 with a lecture on the disastrous SS Noronic pasenger ship fire in 1949 and a display by the fire boat William Lyon Mackenzie. The speaker will be Corey Keeble, curator emeritus of the Royal Ontario Museum. He will conduct a lecture and presentation tour about the fire, which occurred on September 17, 1949 in Toronto Harbour and resulted in 119 deaths. It will be held Saturday, July 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Marine Fire Station 334, 339 Queens Quay W. Mr. Keeble, a well-known public lecturer, tour guide and author. He will also conduct speaking tours of the William Lyon Mackenzie fire boat. The William Lyon Mackenzie fire boat will also demonstrate a firefighting water display on Lake Ontario.
TORONTO WITH LOVE EVENTS
The City will stage fireworks and related celebrations of Canada 150 at four locations. Release
Whitney School student Noah Jamieson, 11, takes solace in his new friend Lucky at lacklustre Blue Jays play Tuesday at Rogers Place although mom Rani seems happy. The home squad lost 3-1 to the Orioles despite a ninth inning home run by Troy Tulowitzki. Some merriment was provided when Umpire Angel Hernandez and Jays catcher Russel Martin helped Adam Jones of the Orioles pick up his broken necklace at home plate.
Reader Lennox Huang snapped this accident on Mt. Pleasant Rd. at the Crescent Rd. bridge Tuesday during evening rush hour. More
UPDATE: Worker has been rescued. Toronto Fire Service has tweeted that a worker is stuck at the top of a cell tower (100ft up), equipment is broken, Toronto Fire investigating.
All Bayview lanes closured nr Post Rd. @Toronto_Fire rescuing worker in broken cranebucket 100' up. #GO1148537 ^vk
— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) June 27, 2017
BAYVIEW AVE – #TorontoFire crews have rescued the worker stuck 100ft up a cell phone tower when the equipment failed pic.twitter.com/J4y8GBgeeY
— Toronto Fire Services (@Toronto_Fire) June 27, 2017
