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Politics

Ward 29 Debate

Last night, I went to the Ward 29 debate at the Eastminster United Church, around the corner from me. The six candidates were (in alphabetical order, by last name): Chris Caldwell Mary Fragedakis Jane Pitfield Mike Restivo John Richardson Jennifer Wood None of the candidates are the incumbent, that was Case Ootes, who is retiring. One thing that bothered me is that all the candidates are upset over how well Toronto’s parking enforcement do their job, and they’d try to get a 10 minute grace period. This is bloody ridiculous, if you park illegally, you park illegally. Don’t expect to not get a ticket if you’re “running in and out.”… Read More »Ward 29 Debate

Jews in America: A Cartoon History

I was at the Pape/Danforth Library, browsing the graphic novel section for any works by Chester Brown1, I didn’t find any, but I did find this book, Jews In America. As a Jew in (North) America, I figured much of my people’s history will be in here. Sure I knew not to expect stories of riots in Christie Pits, or the tales of Montreal Jews, but I knew there would be some connections. Well, the author, David Gantz, unfortunately doesn’t really tell much of a story. His book is so disjointed that he doesn’t get across any interesting stories, he just briefly glosses over the horrors and success that Jews… Read More »Jews in America: A Cartoon History

Prostitution

Warning: This is all written by someone with no legal edumacation. Recently, the Ontario Superior Court struck down three laws surrounding prostitution as unconstitutional. For those unaware, the Constitution Act, 1982 begins with what has become the most important legal document in Canadian history, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I’m not going to pretend to have read Justice Himel’s verdict, as I can imagine it to be one of the most boring reads in history, but what I imagine it relates to, from my reading of the press is this… Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived… Read More »Prostitution

G20: A Reply

Back in late June, I sent the following email to the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper. Dear Mr. Harper, Toronto has long been proud of our women and men in uniform who protect our city, and provide an invaluable service to its people. The security of the G20, however, has soured the People’s view of the Toronto Police Service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Ontario Provincial Police. With videos and photographic displays showing what appears to be excessive force and an abandon of the Charter, Torontonians cannot trust their Police or feel safe. Obviously these videos and photos only show one side of the coin, and I do hope, along with all of… Read More »G20: A Reply

Canada & Mr. Diefenbaker

[The Liberals]1 bit the dust because they treated Parliament with contempt.2 BT Richardson’s Canada & Mr. Diefenbaker is a book which isn’t so much about the then-Prime Minister, but is more about Canada in 1962. I thought it was really ambitious to write a biography of a sitting Prime Minister, but I was mistaken, Richardson wasn’t talking about Diefenbaker’s childhood and early years, he was talking about Canada. Even in the few chapters that did discuss Diefenbaker was more interested in painting the picture of a family living in rural Ontario3 and moving out to Saskatchewan to start a new life with free land and the great opportunities of this… Read More »Canada & Mr. Diefenbaker

G20

Dear Mr. Harper, Toronto has long been proud of our women and men in uniform who protect our city, and provide an invaluable service to its people. The security of the G20, however, has soured the People’s view of the Toronto Police Service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Ontario Provincial Police. With videos and photographic displays showing what appears to be excessive force and an abandon of the Charter, Torontonians cannot trust their Police or feel safe. Obviously these videos and photos only show one side of the coin, and I do hope, along with all of my fellow Torontonians that the Police are honourable and were only… Read More »G20

Governor General James T. Kirk

Friday morning’s Toronto Star had William Shatner on the cover, the former star of Star Trek, who has a fan movement on Facebook vying for him to be Governor General of Canada. For those unfamiliar, the Governor General is the nation’s de facto head of state. While the monarch (currently Elizabeth II) is the actual head of state, she cannot perform those duties, as she is also the head of state for numerous other countries, and resides in the United Kingdom. Governors General provide a mostly symbolic role, they represent the nation on an international level, are a spokesperson for the country, sign bills into law (once they’ve passed through… Read More »Governor General James T. Kirk

Compare and Contrast

This message brought to you by the Liberal Party of Canada, we won’t rape your ears.

Our Home On Natives’ Land

Why would Canada want to change the lyrics to “O Canada?” It makes very little sense, especially right now at the end of one of the most patriotic events in Canadian history. There’s not too many times I’ve been in a bar and suddenly had the entire establishment break out in the national anthem, but that happened at the end of the gold medal Men’s Hockey game. The 2010 Olympics, while not as patriotic as the 1972 Summit is a close second. This move seems to be more of a play for the Government of Canada to get sympathy votes from women voters, when the nation has more pressing concerns,… Read More »Our Home On Natives’ Land

Toronto got itself a subway, really!

My dear, and sexy friend Nicholas, posted this video to twitter. There’s a few things that strike me about this video… other than the terrible audio, because really, the sound’s horrible. Three tokens for a quarter?!?! WTF?!?! Now it’s one token for twelve quarters! Toronto in the ’50s seems quaint. I’m pretty sure it’s just the music, but Toronto in the ’50s does seem like some cheesy movie. Anyone have a time machine? I wanna see what it was really like? Go down to Queen Street and see what was hopping in the pubs and bars that lined Queen West. I’m sure Buddy Holly was shredding on the stage of… Read More »Toronto got itself a subway, really!