The South Bayview Bulldog

The debt-ridden Ontario Government is pushing forward with urgent plans to control the cost of OHIP. Friday morning the health minister, Dr. Hoskins, released eye-popping figures which show that 500 doctors on the province bill more than a $ million in fees each and that one, a ophthalmologist, took home $6.6 million. The names of all doctors are being kept confidential .The 500 doctors represent just two per cent of all practitioners but cost $677 million a year, or nearly 10 per cent of Ontario’s Fee-For-Service budget. And many of them charge much more than $1 million, the government’ reports.

DUELLING NEWS RELEASES

The information appears to be part of a war of media releases between the Ontario Medical Association and Queen’s Park. The OMA says the province’s efforts to limit certain types of doctors’ fees is hurting patient care. It’s not family doctors and their practices that Health Minister Eric Hoskins wants to see reduced, but the most costly specialists. Many patients will know that over the past few years specialists in particular have had to change the frequency with they perform certain procedures, especially preventive. Among these is cataract removal, which has become less expensive to perform because of technology. “Of the top five billers in the province, two are ophthalmologists, two are radiologists and one is an anesthesiologist,” a government fact-sheet states. “The top biller, an ophthalmologist, billed more than $6.6 million last year. The top diagnostic radiologist billed more than $5.1 million and the top anesthesiologist billed more than $3.8 million. The  average doctor’s gross payment is $368,000 a year.

Justin Trudeau went boxing in New York City yesterday and the Twitter responses range from “be still my foolish heart” to “how embarrassing.”  The prime minister was at a Brooklyn gym for a stripped-down snapshot session of change-room odour. Later, Mr Trudeau held a question-and-answer session at New York University where some queries packed a punch (good one). But the punch wasn’t a knockout wallop. One student asked how Trudeau could justify backing new oil pipelines after campaigning on climate change. He said that he was very clear before the election that he backed the Keystone XL project and didn’t actually campaign against the fossil-fuel industry. He called halting fossil fuel development simplistic. Better than boxing maybe. Mr. Trudeau is at the United Nations today signing a climate treaty.

CBC

Visitation and services for three prominent local men are scheduled at the Humphrey Funeral Home at 1403 Bayview Ave. Charles Stephen Knapp was a labour camp survivor during the Second World War and went on to leave a lasting legacy in Toronto with his design work in the sign industry. His obituary notes that he created both the Shoppers Drug Mart logo and the design of the many Crosswalk signs that mark the City’s streets. Geoffrey Ogram was a Phd  in Physics who pursued a career in energy research at Ontario Hydro and later became an executive at the utility. In later life, Mr. Ogram was afflicted with lung cancer although he was never a smoker. He spent his remaining years in a vigorous contribution to the advocacy work of Lung Cancer Canada. William Bruce Waugh is described as a man of keen intellect who served as a naval officer aboard the Royal Navy aircraft carrier Nabob. He retired from the Canada Life Assurance Company in 1985 as chief actuary.

Owners of some 100,000 Volkswagen vehicles who have seen the value of their cars plummet because of the emissions scandal will find out in June what the company intends to do about it. Yesterday VW agreed to pay U,S. owners as much as $,5000 or buy back the vehoicle.The judge in the case ordered the details to be kept quiet until June 21. In a release Thursday, Volkswagen Canada said owners do not need to take any action at this time and they will be provided with next steps once they are available. Volkswagen has admitted some diesel cars had software installed to cheat on emission tests after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publicly revealed the scheme last September. The carmaker has said about 500,000 cars had cheated emissions tests and about 100,000 of them were sold in Canada.

Prince, the superstar American singer-songwriter known for his musicianship, wide appeal and many award-winning hits, has died at age 57. Prince “died at his home this morning at Paisley Park,” according to his publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure.Deputies responded to a medical call about 9:43 a.m. local time, according to Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson. CBC, Global

458 St. Clair Ave East

The open house set for this Saturday (April 23, 2016) from 2 to 4 p.m. will tell how the Heaps Estrin team will do with the semi-detached home on St. Clair Ave East between Welland Ave and Hudson Drive. It is listed for $975,000. Of course it is Moore Park where values are flying. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms too. There’s another open house on Sunday as well.

The U.S. Treasury Department has chosen Harriet Tubman to be the first woman on an American banknote. Tubman was born a slave but escaped and during the years before the Civil War spirited slaves out of the south by way of the historic Underground Railroad. This was a series of safe places where slaves could stop and hide during their flight to the north. Later, Tubman became a spy for the Union during the war of 1860-65. President Andrew Jackson, who she will replace on the front of the twenty, moves to the other side of the new bill. BBC

Volkswagen has agreed to pay U.S. diesel owners a lump sum of $5,000 and, if Reuters is correct, buy back as many as 600,000 vehicles. There is no word about Canada. After many months of deliberation and confusion it looks like an agreement between Volkswagen and the federal prosecutors is near, as a Reuters Report cites German newspaper Die Welt, saying VW has agreed with U.S. authorities to pay each affected owner $5,000. Just this alone represents billions of U.S. greenbacks and does not address claims in Europe or the rest of the world.

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The 51st Annual General Meeting of the South Eglinton Residents and Ratepayers Association was well-attended Wednesday night in the gymnasium of Manor Road United Church. President Andy Gort said that after many  years at this location, it was the last time SERRA would  meet there. Renovations to the church and the sale of half the property to make a public park means SERRA will have its AGM in the newly finished Sanctuary of Manor Road Church next year. The meeting heard from Josh Matlow (Ward 22) who reviewed many issues such as transit plans, the proposed Davisville Hub and a number of developments of concern.

BROWNLOW AVE, BAYVIEW AVE

Matlow noted the proposal for 18 Brownlow Ave. at Soudan Ave which he called “egregious and obnoxious.” It contains two towers of 20 and 25 storeys. He said the City is fighting this development all the way.  On the other hand, he said talks continued with the Brown Group for the proposed nine storey development on Bayview Ave. between Soudan and Hillsdale Aves. No firm progress has been made although discussion has gone back and forth about a reduction of storeys with a type of  quid pro quo that would make the building more dense, a design feature which the City opposes.

NOISE LEVELS

A ripple of surprise ran through the meeting when Mr. Matlow said that a proposal to raise the legal decibel level in residential neighborhoods was about to return to Council. This is apparently related to music clubs. The Councillor said he favoured “vibrant streets” but that he would be fighting at the Licensing and Standards Committee against an increase.. In fact, the proposal seems like political gelignite.

CONCERT WITH SHARON AND BRAM

There will be a concert on May 14, 2016 at Davisville Park featuring the surviving members of the group Sharon, Lois and Bram.   Lois Ada (Goldberg) Lilienstein died in Toronto last year. The concert will be a tribute.