Backbenchers rout Cabinet on law to deny DNA data

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Liberal backbenchers combined with the Consevaive opposition to gave the Trudeau government a sound defeat in the Commons on a law to permit anyone to block the release of his DNA information. The political.term is “genetic discrimination” but it amounts to a ban on the discloure of DNA information to doctors who say they can advance medical science if they have such results. The law does not effect Criminal Code permisson for accused parties to provide a DNA sample. CBC

Student at Davisville PS among four new cases of mumps

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Four more cases of mumps were reported in Toronto on Wednesday including one a student at Davisville Public School on Millwood Road. The number of mumps cases in Toronto has been rising in recent days and now stands at 32 — four of them students are Midtown schools. These include Forest Hill Collegiate, King Edward Senior and Junior Public and Hodgson Senior Public.  Three cases reported Wednesday are adults aged to 18 and 35, the age group of most of the patients hit so far.

Bayview Leaside BIA tweets Wonderwomen message

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CGS Science Fair prepares children for U of T Fair in April

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Does your child like science? Check out the students over at CGS on Eglinton. Their Annual Science Fair was buzzing with scientific demonstration and explanation last week. The Fair is optional for SK students and mandatory for Grades 1-3. Children present a hypothesis and then show their findings. They are required to explain to the judges the purpose and results of their experiment. Three winners were declared as well as three honourable mentions. These chosen participants will be joining over 500 other children at the University of Toronto Science Fair on April 1. They are eager to represent their school and have another chance to talk about their projects. Good luck CGS!

For more information about CGS, contact Kelly Scott, Director of Admission at kscott@cgsschool.com or 416 423 5017 x 43. Space still available for the 2017/18 school year.

Poachers kill Rhino in Paris zoo for horn worth $100,000

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Poachers have broken through two fences to shoot a four-year old Rhino at a zoo near Paris and use a hacksaw to take his horn. Such booty is worth as much as $100,000 US on the black market because of deep superstition about its power as an aphrodisiac. The crime has shocked the wildlife world and today the head of Britain’s National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) said the French attack, the first of its kind in Europe, was a wake-up call, and urgent security checks needed to be made to protect the 111 rhinos in captivity in the UK. There was apparently no guard at the Paris zoo. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) said it has a herd of greater one-horned rhinos and white rhinos at Whipsnade zoo in Bedfordshire and was increasing security patrols following the French attack.

Burlington Skyway closed in high winds after truck rollover

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OPP have re-opened the Burlington Skyway bridge on the QEW. The vital road link to Niagara and the US was closed most of Wednesday because of “extreme winds.” “Nothing was allowed  up, down or across the because of the wind. @OPP_HSD  Burlington Skyway cameras

Sophie stirs militant “no men” sentiment on Women’s Day

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Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau no doubt thought it was inclusive and becoming of a mature woman to write that on International Women’s Day ladies might like to celebrate “boys and men in our lives who encourage us to be who we truly are, who treat girls & women with respect, and who aren’t afraid to speak up in front of others.” The Facebook post won 100,000 likes nut there were numerous churlish remarks as well according to Hina Alam of the Hamilton Spectator  Trudeau marks Women’s Day with $650 million for reproductive rights 

“Don’tBFooled” has important life lessons for City teens

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Any parent has got to love Sarah Moniz and Jarred Boivin. “When you apply to a post-secondary institution, they go to your social media sites and anything inappropriate there could prevent you from getting into the school of your choice,” says Moniz. The two spoke at an event called DontBFooled.

Filth City, skirt my signal, Rihanna and tell it to the marines

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The makers of Filth City — a definitively sordid little movie — defend their work as honest. It certainly rubs the public nose in Rob Ford’s mess. His brother says it’s garbage and so does his nephew. But his wife says he wouldn’t care. Still, she won’t let the kids see it, according to family friend Joe Warmington of the Sun. To the right, US Marine Corps Commandant General Robert Neller has a few words for the troops about using your phone to take pictures of other members (naked) and posting them on Facebook. This is not the way to get ready for a battle, he says. The Commandant does not venture a comment on the 2017 practice of women marines posing naked.

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS AT THE CROSSWALK

Moving on, in Melbourne the City Fathers (can we say that?) have decided to install Walk signals which depict women. The Premier might like this one as a way to get a handle on unconscious bias. That’s what one woman calls the previously all-panted figures who popped up on green. Finally, there is nothing unconscious (or biased, so far as we can tell) about the scholastic costumes Rihanna has shown at her latest fashion gala. Wear those clothes!

Wynne to hunt down “unconscious bias” in courts, schools

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City News says the Premier Wynne will wade into the murky waters of “unconscious bias” as she tries to put to bed systemic racism. The plan will create an “assessment framework” to remove this phenomenon in programs relating to child welfare, justice and education. Unconscious bias has gained acceptance in some circles in recent years as scientists conclude that our poor primordial brains can’t deal with all the information necessary to avoid being biased. There’s no word on whether the job will require police to ask people if they know what they’re doing. City News

SUBWAY COMPARED TO TITANIC

Executive Committee has approved the one-stop Scarborough subway following the input of about 25 speakers. Some opponents called the subway, estimated to cost $3.35 billion, Toronto’s Titanic. City Council gets another chance to kill off the transit sop to Scarborough but it is expected to pass there as well. CBC

THEY LIKE SAM

And Sam Oosterhoff, 19, has won the PC nomination in the new riding of Niagara West by defeating the same slate of party executives he beat last fall when he went on to win a byelection. Canadian Press

One case of mumps at Hodgson Senior Public School

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The third Toronto public school reporting a case of the mumps is confirmed as Hodgson Senior Public School  at 282 Davisville Ave. Earlier report 

Cut and cover excavation looms at Bayview and Eglinton

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Follow the arrow west
Cross here?
Stage 1 no turns

The cut-and-cover phase of construction of the Leaside LRT Station at Bayview and Eglinton Aves. is about to begin. It is a period that will try drivers and pedestrians alike as the entire intersection is dug up, covered with planks and maintained that way for two years or more. Single lane travel will be the order of the day. They were explaining this at the Metrolinx Leaside Station Open House in the William Lea Room Tuesday night. The large footprint for the track level station and concourse above it stretches from past the crosswalks on Egljnton to the curbs on both sides. It will go down a dizzying 30 metres to the tracks. There is a lot of earth to be moved. Metrolinx was showing a diagram (above) of the first stage of traffic diversions complete with two no-right-turns and three no-left-turns. This configuration will last four to six months and will be replaced with a different set of restrictions. In total, Metrolinx expects four different such sets of restrictions.

ONE DAY AT A TIME

Taking it one day at a time, the current pedestrian detours are tricky.  Northbound pedestrians on the east side of Bayview have already misunderstood the arrow which is intended to send them over to the west side. The crossing looks chancy (see photo) so some charge through the signs to the north side of Eglinton where they can cross Bayview with a greater sense of security. Be careful all.