GD's Political Animal: Toronto

Showing posts with label Toronto. Show all posts

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Toronto protest organizers want police defunded

Protest organizers have accused Toronto police of trying "to criminalize and intimidate pro-Palestinian protesters off the streets," calling for an independent civilian investigation and for the police to be defunded.

Organizers of pro-Palestinian rally in Toronto accuse officers of police brutality, call for independent investigation | CP24 | Codi Wilson:

April 1, 2024 - "Organizers of a pro-Palestinian rally in Toronto are calling for an 'independent civilian investigation' into what they allege was police brutality at a demonstration this past weekend. The demonstration, which occurred downtown on Saturday evening, led to three protesters being charged.... [P]olice alleged that ... protesters 'became aggressive and assaultive' toward officers.... But at a news conference on Monday morning, the organizers of the rally accused the officers of using excessive force in their interactions with protesters.

"'In the last two weeks we have seen dramatic escalations and violence at the hands of the Toronto Police Service. These escalations are in an attempt to criminalize and intimidate pro-Palestinian protesters off the streets,' Dalia Awwad, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement – Toronto, told reporters. 'We are here today reaffirming our calls to defund the police because the police do not keep us safe… We are also calling for an independent civilian investigation of what took place and what’s more, we are affirming that these are the people’s streets and we will continue to come out and we will continue to mobilize.' The Palestinian Youth Movement – Toronto also shared videos of the demonstration on social media, where officers can be seen pushing protesters.

"In a statement released over the weekend, the Toronto Police Service said ... that their presence this weekend is consistent with what they have done with past demonstrations, adding the Mounted Unit was on standby for crowd control. 'The fundamental difference lies in demonstrators’ refusal to adhere to police directives despite clear forewarning,' Const. Stephanie Sayer wrote. A spokesperson for Toronto police told CP24 on Sunday that they did not receive any reports of injuries at the demonstration but added that formal complaints can be made through the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD)."

LILLEY UNLEASHED: Pro-Hamas protests have no place on Canadian city streets | Toronto Sun | April 8, 2024:

Do councillors support pro-Hamas groups that rejoice in Oct. 7 terror attacks? | Toronto Sun | Brian Lilley

April 10, 2024 - "Mayor Olivia Chow says she won’t condemn six councillors who criticized the Toronto Police Service’s handling of a recent pro-Hamas rally. Neither will the six councillors who signed the letter answer questions put to them by The Toronto Sun, detailing the links between the groups organizing the protests and support for terrorism.... On Monday, I wrote to Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, and Councillors Gord Perks, Aljandro Bravo, Paula Fletcher, Amber Morley and Lily Cheng, and presented them with information about Samidoun and the Palestinian Youth Movement, two of the main organizers of the rallies ... presenting the six councillors with details of the ties between these groups and banned terrorist groups in Canada....

"Samidoun is a group which shows up at protests across Toronto with a large banner reading 'Long Live the Resistance.' The banner features an image of an AK-47 rifle firing bullets, with the butt of the rifle painted as the Palestinian flag.... The group’s Canadian-based international coordinator, Charlotte Kates, states explicitly that she supports Palestinian armed resistance in all forms and encourages everyone else to do the same. Samidoun has direct ties, visible on their website, to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a group listed as a terrorist entity by the Government of Canada since 2003....

"The Palestinian Youth Movement has spent years promoting members of Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and other terrorist groups as heroes. Immediately after the Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas, the PYM began organizing rallies in support of 'the resistance,' including here in Toronto. Shatha Mahmoud, an organizer with PYM Toronto, gave an interview saying resistance is justified days after the brutal attack Hamas launched on Israel.

"After presenting the information to the councillors, I asked them if they supported Samidoun or the Palestinian Youth Movement, or if allowing groups that endorse banned terrorist groups to march through our streets is a good idea. I asked the councillors if they would denounce the groups for their support of terrorist organizations.... No response....

"We should be into condemning and distancing ourselves from groups that support, embrace and rejoice in terrorist attacks like Samidoun and the Palestinian Youth Movement have done. These are not groups that councillors or any elected official should be supporting in any way or be seen next to. Nor should these groups be given free rein on our streets."

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Toronto cops say agitators inciting protest violence

Pro-Palestinian protesters breaking the law, assaulting officers 'will be arrested': Toronto police | National Post:

April 5, 2024 - " Toronto Police have warned pro-Palestinian protesters to behave, saying agitators are escalating tensions on Toronto streets in the wake of multiple arrests at a downtown demonstration last Saturday.

"Police have said that, during Saturday’s protest, they seized a truck to lay a charge of stunt driving, and that protesters then 'became aggressive and assaultive' toward officers. They said one woman threw horse manure at officers while another 'intentionally used a flagpole to "spear" at an officer.' Organizers of the rally later accused the officers of using excessive force.

"Lauren Pogue, deputy chief of Community Safety Command, told a news conference at police headquarters on Friday that two people were arrested Saturday for assaulting police officers with weapons, and a third arrest was made this week for spitting on an officer, while a fourth person was being sought for striking a police horse.

"Pogue said police have not changed the way they are responding to protests, but that they will not hesitate to respond to violence directed against their officers.

"'If they’re going to break the law, if they’re going to assault our police officers or assault our police horses, there will be consequences and people will be arrested,' she said.

"She also said police were aware of a number of 'agitators' who were present at multiple demonstrations in Toronto and who were stirring up violence."

Toronto police warn of more arrests as pro-Palestinian protests become more violent } Global News | April 5, 2024:

Friday, July 21, 2023

Toronto council votes to ban gas lawnmowers, etc.

Toronto Ontario city council voted this week to ban gas-powered lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and week whackers from the city.

Cheers to beer in parks, but gas weed-whacker ban needs to be cut | Toronto Sun | Brian Lilley:

July 19, 2021 - "City council passed two different motions on Wednesday: One looking to allow an activity that is already happening, the other to ban something the city has no ability to enforce.

"Council gave the go-ahead to allow a pilot project to allow consumption of alcohol in 22 of the city’s roughly 1,500 parks between Aug. 2 and Oct. 9. The motion requires city staff to prepare a report on the pilot project and report back in early 2024. The province gave municipalities the ability to allow alcohol consumption in city parks years ago. Many municipalities did so simply by removing their existing bylaws, but not Toronto....

"My first time in High Park after moving here in my 20s was to watch a play in the park, which I did while drinking a bottle of wine like most of those around me. That was in the 1990s and it’s still happening in parks, at the beach and elsewhere without much in the way of an issue, but we had to debate it still and demand a report....

Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

"Moments later, council went from being permissive to restrictive, deciding that even if two-stroke engines powering weed whackers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers and other small engine equipment are legal, they shouldn’t be used in Toronto. The motion called for city staff to 'identify the resources required to develop and implement a ban on two-stroke equipment.'

"The ban would cover city workers using the equipment and residents. For residents struggling to transition, the motion called for staff to look into the ability to set up a lending library for electric versions of lawn equipment that residents could borrow...

"What’s fascinating about this proposed ban is that the city has little ability to enforce such a ban. Buying the equipment would still be legal unless and until the federal government passes legislation to ban it. Even if local stores stopped carrying the equipment, there would be nothing to stop residents from driving outside of city limits to buy their lawnmower or weed whacker or ordering them online.

"It’s certain that some residents would rat out neighbours using gas-powered lawn gear, but what could the city do? The city can’t enforce existing bylaws and has allowed encampments to take over parks across the city, but some councillors want to make stopping you from using a weed whacker a priority."

Monday, July 17, 2023

Toronto gov't wants drugs decriminalized in city

The Toronto government, supported by the police and board of health, has asked the federal government to decriminalize drug possession for personal use in the city. But the Ontario premier vows to fight it.

Could decriminalization of drugs combat the opioid crisis? | Sudbury.com | Jenny Lamothe:

July 6, 2023 - "Toronto Public Health, with the support of the Toronto Police Service, has recently re-applied to Health Canada to decriminalize personal use drugs within the city limits as part of their effort to tackle the opioid crisis.... Initially submitted in January 2022, the now updated application from Ontario’s capital city asks Health Canada to go beyond the exemption it recently granted to British Columbia.

"Effective Jan. 31, Health Canada granted B.C. a three-year decriminalization exemption covering adults and certain drugs — namely, opioids, crack and powder cocaine, meth and MDMA — and decriminalizes possession up to a combined 2.5 grams of otherwise illegal drugs. The Toronto Model does not outline a proposed threshold, nor does it have limitations on the types of substances one can possess. The city is asking for all drugs to be decriminalized for personal use and for the exemption to cover adults and young people. It would also extend across the city, except for schools, child-care facilities and airports.

"Toronto Public Health’s stated goal is to 'reduce the mental, physical and social harms associated with criminalizing people for possessing drugs for their personal use.' In the application itself, Toronto Police Service states their data shows that of 617 charges for possession in 2021, in 36 of these cases, possession was the only charge....

"In many countries across the world decriminalization has proven effective. Czechia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland are among a handful of countries that have decriminalized drug use and possession for personal use and have invested in harm reduction programmes.

"According to a New York Times analysis, the number of heroin users in Portugal has dropped from 100,000 to just 25,000 today. The number of HIV diagnoses caused by injection drug use has plummeted by more than 90 per cent. Over the last 20 years, levels of drug use in Portugal are consistently under the European average, particularly with young people between the ages of 15-34.... A 2015 study found that since Portugal approved this new national strategy, the per capita social cost of substance use decased by 18 per cent."
Read more: https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/could-decriminalization-of-drugs-combat-the-opioid-crisis-7241636

Toronto's Push to Decriminalize Drugs | The Agenda | TVO Today | January 20, 2022:

“Craziest thing I’ve ever heard,” Ford slams Toronto’s plan to decriminalize hard drugs | True North - Elie Cantin-Nantel:

July 17, 2023 - "Ontario Premier Doug Ford is slamming the City of Toronto’s plan to decriminalize hard drugs, including fentanyl and meth for kids and adults.... In a Friday radio interview with Global AM 640’s Alex Pierson, Ford said Toronto’s sweeping proposal is the 'craziest thing I’ve ever heard.' 'Go out to Vancouver, go out to San Francisco,' he added amid the two cities facing major drug issues.

"'I will do everything I can to fight this,' said Ford. 'This goes up to the federal government. They cannot be following up with the request. It would be an absolute disaster for our city.'"

Toronto's Model of Decriminalizing Drugs for Personal Use | City of Toronto:
https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/94de-Torontos-Model-of-Decriminalizing-Drugs-for-Personal-use-March-22-2023-FINAL.pdf

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Pro-CCP groups aided Toronto mayor-elect

Toronto mayor-elect Olivia Chow says her campaign did not ask for help from nor coordinate with two pro-CCP (Chinese Communist Party) groups that "went all out" to support her election.

Pro-Beijing groups claim credit for helping Olivia Chow win Toronto mayoralty. She says she was unaware | National Post - Tom Blackwell:

July 10, 2023 - "Two prominent community groups aligned with the Chinese government — including one that allegedly hosted a Chinese police station in Ontario — 'went all out' to support Chow’s push to be mayor, supplying numerous volunteers to the effort, a letter from one of the groups claims. A post last month on WeChat from Felicity Guo, deputy secretary general of the Canada Toronto Fuqing Business Association (CTFBA), one of the two groups, urged followers to back Chow. The message was accompanied by a photo of Guo, Chow and another woman.

"'We did not ask for or co-ordinate any volunteers from either organization,' said Shirven Rezvany, a spokesman for Chow. He also pointed to the mayor-elect’s longstanding support for opponents of the Chinese crackdown on Hong Kong, and her history of speaking out against Beijing’s human-rights abuses. Chow was supported during the campaign, in fact, by two of Toronto’s fiercest critics of the Chinese regime: Gloria Fung of Canada Hong Kong Link and Cheuk Kwan of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China....

"[I]deological differences aside, the first election of a person of colour as Toronto mayor has been hailed as a long-overdue breakthrough in one of the world’s most culturally diverse cities. But evidence that the Fuqing Business Association and the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations (CTCCO) worked to help get Chow elected on June 26 — even if their participation was not requested (or, arguably, needed) — raises further questions about the involvement of Beijing and its local allies in Canadian politics. Neither group responded to requests for comment.

"Jonathan Fon, a Toronto-based commentator and Beijing critic, said it’s unlikely Chow would have any motivation to promote groups aligned with the Chinese Communist Party. But 'it is a concern that those pro-Beijingers really have the capacity of mobilization among Chinese diasporas,' he said.... The groups’ participation is worrying because 'they work too close to the Chinese government,' said an immigrant from mainland China and small-business owner in the Greater Toronto Area, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution....

"A series of intelligence leaks in recent months alleges Chinese interference in Canada’s federal and provincial politics, but there is evidence that Beijing targets municipal-level politicians, as well. A leaked handbook for cadres of the United Front Work Department — a huge branch of the Chinese Communist Party at the forefront of foreign influence and interference efforts — urged officials to 'work with' several candidates of Chinese descent elected in Toronto in the early 2000s. A recent Globe and Mail report cited a Canadian Security Intelligence Service briefing that said Chinese diplomats tried to get sympathetic candidates elected in last year’s Vancouver municipal vote, in part by using diaspora groups that represented Beijing’s interests. Ken Sim, who won the Vancouver mayor’s race in a landslide, has denied that such interference played any part in his victory.

"An article on the Canadian Chinese Media News site reprinted on June 28 a letter of congratulations to Chow from the Fuqing Business Association, named after a city in China’s Fujian province. [T]he letter says the Fuqing group and the CTCCO 'went all out to actively support, and sent a large number of volunteers to participate in the campaign,' according to a translation from Chinese. In the WeChat post, first reported by the blog Found in Translation, which monitors China’s influence, the Fuqing group’s Guo says 'let’s all support' Chow so she will win.

"The association’s ties to the Chinese regime are not hidden. Its website says it was set up under the guidance of the United Front and other Chinese government agencies. The association also lists its headquarters as a commercial office space it owns in Markham, Ont., that state-media in China listed as the site of one of three Fujian 'police service stations' in Ontario. The RCMP has said it is investigating the stations, amid allegations they are being used to intimidate Chinese expatriates here.... It has defended Beijing’s crackdown on democracy protesters in Hong Kong, while working with the local consulate to promote Beijing’s stance on Tibet, trying to bring the Chinese-outreach Confucius Institute to Toronto schools, and to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Chinese Communist revolution. Beijing’s Overseas Chinese Affairs Office has praised the group on its website....

"National Post reported earlier that Chow also spoke to and received a gift from the Confederation of Ontario Newcomer Organizations, another group with close ties to Beijing.... National Post has [also] reported on non-Chinese politicians’ relationships with such groups, as well. It documented, for instance, how Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was introduced by a staunchly pro-Beijing regional councillor at an event earlier this year, and sat next to one of China’s most prominent local allies at the same gathering."

Is Olivia Chow an Asset of the CCP? | Daniel Bordman | July 11, 2023:

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Black endorses Anthony Furey for Toronto mayor

Anthony Furey is the only one who can beat Olivia Chow | National Post - Conrad Black:

June 3, 2023 - "The Toronto mayoral election on June 26 is raising important urban issues and its significance will ramify far beyond Toronto.... Although there are over one hundred mayoral candidates, polls indicate that approximately 90 per cent of decided voters support the seven leading candidates. These are bracketed by Olivia Chow on the left and Anthony Furey on the right. Neither of these could reasonably be called an extremist and the other five principal candidates are somewhere between them in policy terms: former provincial education minister Mitzie Hunter, former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders, environmentalist city councillor Josh Matlow, former deputy mayor Ana Bailao, and councillor Brad Bradford.

"Chow is a veteran former councillor and widow of federal NDP leader Jack Layton. Anthony Furey is a journalist who recently left Postmedia, which publishes the National Post. As the only prominent person in the race who is not a career politician, Furey is refreshingly original in his views, and is the only overt capitalist among the principal contenders. He has risen from zero to about 10 per cent in the polls in two months, but Chow seems to have about a third of decided voters. She ran for mayor in 2014 against John Tory and Doug Ford. There were almost a million votes in that election, ... and Ms. Chow, the NDP’er, polled less than a fifth. She has not been politically active in the intervening years, and her strong showing now demonstrates superior name recognition, but ... if one or more of her opponents starts to make inroads, there is no reason to be confident that her present standing is unshakeable....

"Furey is the candidate who is moving quickly and has attracted prominent and interesting supporters, including the eminent public intellectual Jordan Peterson and former Conservative foreign minister John Baird. His candidacy has practical as well as symbolic importance. If he is able to get his message out more widely in the three weeks before election day, his rapid advance in the last month could accelerate and make him a serious contender. The other candidates apart from Ms. Chow have generally moved laterally in this period, and are not easily distinguished from each other. If they all withdrew in favour of one among them, that candidate would inherit a strong challenging position as a middle-of-the-road alternative....

"Furey is advocating 500 more policemen to assure the safety of the transit system and launch a counteroffensive on the streets of more crime-ridden areas, while Olivia Chow wants to send out more social workers on police emergency calls. Furey as the only outspoken capitalist contender in this race, is the only advocate of municipal tax cuts, specifically the municipal land transfer tax. He also advocates reductions in some expenses. He wants to repurpose plans for new safe injection sites to treatment centres where drug addicts are not simply supervised while they take drugs, but are actually treated to fight their addiction.

"Furey is the only serious candidate who really wants to roll back the corrosive despotism of the bicycle lanes that are strangling Toronto’s streets. Chow is a peppy and in policy terms, aggressive, cyclist.... It is a symbolic issue ... [T]he lanes are little used, are almost completely unused for the five coldest months of the year, and are really just a method for enforced technological regression and the coercion of the population to patronize the public transit system, which is substantially infested with drug addicts and hooligans.... In the same spirit as her championship of bicycling, Olivia Chow wants to level the elevated Gardiner Expressway and funnel all traffic onto the ground....

"The only other candidate apart from Chow who at this point appears to have any chance of winning, the only one who will roll back the soft left consensus that has produced the deterioration of security in the subway, the increasing obstructive presence of drug addicts, homelessness, and assorted misfits, and an increasing crime rate, and the only one who is not steeped to the eyeballs in platitudinous and robotic continuation of the policies that have made the city less enjoyable even as its physical proportions become more impressive every year, is Anthony Furey.

"It’s time for leadership and innovation, for some course corrections, and deference to the legitimate wishes of the majority rather than the poseurs and mythmakers of the left. The office seeks the man, and dull habit, humbug, and socialist fear-mongering must not be allowed to stall the maturation of this remarkable city.... We must not fail to seize this opportunity to take the next step in Toronto’s metamorphosis toward becoming one of the great cities of the world. Anthony Furey should be the next mayor."

Candidate Anthony Furey gains ground in the polls for Toronto mayor | CityNews | June 1, 2023::

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Toronto's $12Billion+ Eglinton-Crosstown mess

As a long-time resident of Toronto's Eglinton-Crosstown corridor, I was happy to recently read this account of our ordeal with Toronto's rapid transit line there: 12 years of construction, a budget that's crept over $12 Billion, and no end in sight.

Heads should roll over the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT boondoggle | True North - Sue-Ann Levy -

May 20, 2023 - "It could be considered the boondoggle of the past decade and proof of how little accountability there is by provincial and municipal governments over major construction projects. I’m referring to the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT build, which is now in its 12th year of construction with no end in sight. The construction is at least $1B over budget (up to $12.5B which includes operating the system) and the actual opening is [at least] one year away – four years from the initial target date of fall 2020.

"The 19-km line – which is supposed to be ... managed by Metrolinx and built by a consortium led by Crosslinx Transit Solutions – has been plagued by legal issues, delays due to Covid and troubles digging under key stations with an existing subway like Yonge Eglinton. Several sources have contended that contractors encountered a water table when they dug deep at Yonge and Eglinton. If so, it is something that should have been anticipated long before construction began. But none of the players associated with this fiasco are admitting to anything except for uttering useless platitudes about how the Eglinton-Crosstown is a priority. The Ford government keeps blaming delays due to Covid and the contractor.

"Earlier this week, Crosslinx filed its second lawsuit against Metrolinx, claiming that the TTC – which will operate the line once done – has made never-ending demands on them. Another lawsuit in 2020 claimed that supply chain problems and absenteeism during the pandemic delayed Crosslinx from meeting its targets and hiked costs. A $325-million settlement was reached at the end of 2021 and the target completion date was pushed back a year. The latest lawsuit, which could shut down work entirely, has left the completion date completely up in the air.

"There’s been plenty of finger-pointing ... on this. The leftists, who believe the government should be responsible for building all projects, blame the private-public partnership model. But the P3 model works if its government overseers do their job. Both the Ford government and Metrolinx have been grossly negligent about keeping on top of Crosslinx. Toronto city officials – council and the mayor – sat on their hands, passing the buck to Metrolinx ... [and] the Ford government turned over the management of the Ontario Line build to Metrolinx as if they haven’t completely made a mockery of on-time and on-budget construction with the Crosstown.

"All any politician needed to do was come to my neighbourhood, where they’d have a bird’s eye view of the lack of productivity by all of the trades on the project. I have written much over the years about workers loafing at or near the job site playing with their iPhones for more time than constitutes a coffee break. At the stations near me, workers leave the job at 4 p.m. sharp or earlier, never to be seen on weekends or at night.... It was outrageous to see, especially as the years wore on and those of us living near the construction site had to endure being detoured and trapped in our streets, construction debris and an endless stream of trucks (even TTC buses) being diverted to our streets.

"I lost count of how many businesses, hidden behind construction hoarding, went bankrupt over the past 12 years [see video]. Those who managed to hang on during the construction and COVID lockdowns worked night and day to stay alive.... Construction-weary shop owners told me they have no clue what will happen next. They added that Toronto City Hall, in its wisdom, started to install bike lanes along the street – until the businesses got a one-year moratorium to recover from the construction. They worry that once the year is up, Toronto transportation officials will remove all parking on the street to put in the bike lanes.

"No end date in sight. No accountability. No concern for the residents and businesses impacted. No ownership of the issues. Heads should roll, starting with the overpaid head of Metrolinx and the point people on the project. But they won’t. It’s as if accountability has gone off the rails, along with the project itself."

‘I lost my house, everything:’ Restaurant owner says coronavirus has forced him out of business | CityNews | April 23, 2020:

This owner was forced to close his last remaining restaurant due to the first Ford lockdown. As the video explains, that was enough to force him out of business because the previous year he had been forced to permanently close his other, larger restaurant due to the Eghinton-Crosstown mess.

Friday, March 24, 2023

Canadian MP quits Liberal caucus over allegation

Canadian MP Han Dong has left the Liberal caucus after allegations that he advised the Chinese government to delay the release of two Canadians being held on spying charges.

Canada MP Han Dong steps down over Chinese interference claims | BBC News = Nadine Yousif:

Mar. 23, 2023 - "A Canadian member of parliament has stepped down from his party's caucus over allegations he was involved in Chinese political interference. Han Dong has been accused of lobbying a Chinese diplomat to keep two Canadians imprisoned in China. On Wednesday, Mr Dong said that he will leave Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's governing Liberal Party to sit as an independent. Mr Dong has denied the allegations against him.

"'To all my colleagues in the parliament, media reports today quoting unverified and anonymous sources have attacked my reputation and called into question my loyalty to Canada,' Mr Dong, who was elected to parliament in 2019, said in an emotional evening address to Canada's House of Commons. 'Let me be clear, what has been reported is false. And I will defend myself against these absolutely untrue claims,' he said.

"In an unconfirmed report published by Canadian media outlet Global News citing anonymous national security sources, Mr Dong was accused of suggesting to China's consul-general in Toronto, Han Tao, that the release of two imprisoned Canadians should be delayed. The two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were imprisoned in China for more than 1,000 days on spying charges. The pair became known worldwide as the 'Two Michaels'. Their detention was widely viewed as retaliation for the 2018 arrest of Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada at the request of the US....

"Mr Dong allegedly suggested to the diplomat in February 2021 that a release of the two Canadians would benefit the federal Conservative Party of Canada, which is seen as unfriendly to Beijing.

"Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor were eventually released on 24 September, 2021 [four days after the 2021 federal election - gd].. The following day, Ms Meng was released from detention in Canada and returned to China following a deal with US prosecutors.

"The allegations against Mr Dong come as Canada grapples with wider accusations that China attempted to interfere in the last two federal elections and a mayoral election in Vancouver. A series of reports published in recent months by broadcaster Global News and newspaper The Globe and Mail, based on anonymous national security sources and leaked classified documents, indicated concerns that Beijing interfered by putting pressure on its consulates in Canada to support certain candidates. The alleged interference is not believed to have altered the outcome of either federal elections."

"Mr Trudeau has faced growing political pressure to launch a public inquiry and this month appointed an independent special rapporteur to look into the reports and determine whether such an inquiry is needed. A majority of MPs in the House of Commons on Thursday passed a non-binding motion calling for a public inquiry, with most Liberals voting against it. Mr Dong cast his vote in favour."

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Trudeau minister endorsed Communist front group

International trade minister Mary Ng won't comment on her public endorsement of the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations, considered a Chinese Communist Party front.

Trudeau's trade minister connected to Chinese Communist Party front organization | Westerm Standard - Christopher Oldcorn

March 13, 2023 - "According to the Blacklock's Reporter, Federal Trade Minister Mary Ng refuses to comment on her public endorsement of the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations (CTCCO), which is considered a Communist Party of China (CCP) front. Ng has attended CTCCO events and records show three other Toronto-area Liberal MPs publicly endorsed the Confederation’s work - Shaun Chen (Scarborough North, ON), Han Dong (Don Valley North, ON) and Majid Jowhari (Richmond Hill, ON).

"'This is but the tip of the iceberg,' said witness Cheuk Kwan at the Commons Ethics committee. 'China’s interference in Canada has been soft, intangible, and gradual. As a result, this build-up over the years remains invisible to many Canadians.' Kwan is a co-chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China and a filmmaker based in Toronto.

“'Urged on and supported by Chinese consulates, organizations were set up by individuals sympathetic to the regime,' said Kwan. 'Chief among them are the National Congress of Chinese Canadians, NCCC, and its successor, the Confederation of Toronto Chinese Canadian Organizations'....

"These and many other proxy organizations practice the art of astroturfing, echoing the party line to defend China’s foreign and domestic policies,' said Kwan. 'In addition to engaging friendly academics and business people to advocate on its behalf, China also spreads its tentacles to cultivate elected officials and infiltrate political institutions at all levels of Canadian society.'

"Kwan testified that innocuous-sounding community groups manipulated by CCP agents 'harass and intimidate Canadians who are critical of China' including activists, dissidents, and human rights advocates. 'You get a phone call in the middle day asking, "So, how are your parents doing back in Sichuan, China?"'... 'Then you get the message,' said Kwan. 'If you don’t behave, your parent's phone numbers, address, or even their physical well-being is under threat. It’s a very subtle threat. They have used this on many, many Chinese Canadians.'

"'How commonly known was this?' asked Conservative MP Damien Kurek (Battle River-Crowfoot, AB). 'Very commonly known,' replied Kwan. 'We’ve seen a lot of this on the ground. Many of these have not been reported, or if they were reported to local police or the RCMP, they would not be handled.'

"Kwan urged Parliament to enact a Foreign Agents Registration Act mandating disclosure of paid China agents. 'The Chinese-Canadian community and other people welcome this registry,' said Kwan. \This line that setting up a registry is an attack on the Chinese-Canadian community I will not buy. This is a standard line given by the Chinese Communist Party'....

"On Friday, Ng said the cabinet should use caution in enacting a registry of foreign agents. 'We have a great responsibility to ensure that we are not unfairly or unintentionally creating a cloud that hovers over an entire community that is feeling incredibly uncertain and who have felt the discomfort of unconscious bias,' Ng told the media."

Cheuk Kwan interviewed, Powe3r & Politics, CBC News, March 14, 2023:

Monday, February 27, 2023

Liberal MP allegedly nominated due to CCP help

As critics push Trudeau on China interference, Liberal MP says he has become ‘target’ | Lethbridge News - Canadian Press:
December 23, 2022 - "Politicians including a Liberal MP and a senator say they fear allegations of Chinese interference in the 2019 federal election will lead to anti-Asian racism.... In an interview with The Canadian Press, Liberal MP Han Dong suggested that claims of Beijing’s interference have been light on detail. 'If it’s so vague, then I think a lot of Chinese Canadians feel that they might be targeted,' he said. 'I have a big target on the back.'

"Global News reported last month that after the 2019 election, senior officials had briefed Trudeau about a 'vast campaign of foreign interference' allegedly waged by China’s consulate in Toronto. The allegations, which The Canadian Press has not been able to verify, involve the Chinese Communist Party flowing funds to a pro-Beijing network in Canada that included at least 11 Liberal and Conservative candidates who ran in that election....

"Dong argues the reporting has left unanswered questions that could cause people to make assumptions based on anti-Asian tropes.... 'The worst of vagueness is (that) it’s very easy to trigger another round of anti-Chinese racism or anti-Chinese hate we saw during the pandemic,' said Dong, who immigrated to Canada from China in his youth. 'I’m worried that the outcome of it will negatively hurt the Chinese Canadian community here'....

"In spring 2021, the Conservatives had objected to a suggestion Trudeau made that their questions about Chinese interference could wade into intolerance.... Former Tory MP Kenny Chiu, who was born in Hong Kong, had compared Trudeau’s response to the communist regime’s tactics of conflating dissent with anti-Chinese sentiment. In an interview this week, Chiu said that Dong’s argument follows the same logic, whether intentionally or not.... Chiu lost his seat in the 2021 election, during which he was the subject of a Chinese-language disinformation campaign that he suspects was linked to Beijing, although authorities have never confirmed this."
Read more: https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2022/12/23/as-critics-push-trudeau-on-china-interference-liberal-mp-says-he-has-become-target/

News report identifies Liberal MP helped by Chinese interference | True North - Cosmin Dzsurdzsa:
February 25, 2023 - "Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) sources and documents claim to show that Liberal MP Han Dong received assistance from the Chinese consulate in Toronto during his nomination race in 2019. Global News reporter Mackenzie Gray tweeted on Friday that the consulate was involved in transporting seniors and students to vote for him at a party meeting. It is alleged that CSIS had urged senior officials in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office to rescind Dong’s nomination due to the alleged foreign influence involved.

"It is alleged that the seniors were told to vote for Dong to be the candidate by having his name written on their arms. It is also alleged that Chinese international students were also equipped with fake residence addresses and sent to the nomination meeting in support of Dong under the pretense that not doing so could threaten their student visa status. Dong told Global News that he denies the allegations, claiming instead that his nomination followed ordinary procedures....

"The Prime Minister’s Office has also responded to the story, saying that there was 'factual inaccuracies' to the report. 'As you are aware, we are unable to comment on your questions regarding secret or top secret matters. That is the law. There are so many factual inaccuracies in your questions that it is not possible to even begin to answer your questions,' wrote the PMO. 'Han Dong is a strong representative who served his community through the pandemic and consistently works to make life better for people, including calling out discrimination that is too often targeted at the Chinese Canadian community.'”
Read more: https://tnc.news/2023/02/25/news-report-identifies-liberal-mp-helped-by-chinese-interference/

"Is Justin Trudeau in Trouble?", Ratio'd, True North, Feb. 28, 2023:

Monday, October 3, 2022

China has police stations in Canada, US, Europe

China has opened police stations in US and Canada to monitor Chinese citizens: Report | New York Post - Michael Lee, Fox News:

September 30, 2022 - "China has opened dozens of 'overseas police service stations' around the globe to monitor its citizens living abroad, including one location in New York City and three in Toronto. These operations eschew official bilateral police and judicial cooperation and violate the international rule of law, and may violate the territorial integrity in third countries involved in setting up a parallel policing mechanism using illegal methods,' reads a report by Safeguard Defenders, a human rights watchdog, released earlier this month.

"The report, titled '110 Overseas: Chinese Transnational Policing Gone Wild,' details China’s extensive efforts to combat 'fraud' by its citizens living overseas, in part by opening several police stations on five continents.... Europe is home to most of the police stations, with locations spread across the continent in places such as London, Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, Athens, Paris, Madrid and Frankfurt. North America is also home to four of the stations, with three locations in Toronto and one in New York City. In all, there are 54 such stations in 30 different countries.

"The report details how China has attempted to 'combat the growing issue of fraud and telecommunication fraud by Chinese nationals living abroad,' running operations that have resulted in 230,000 Chinese nationals being 'persuaded to return' to China 'voluntarily' over the last year to face criminal prosecution.

"The Chinese government has claimed that the stations provide vital services to its citizens living abroad, though the report notes that many of the services are those that would be traditionally carried out by an overseas embassy. Instead, the report argues that the stations have been used to enhance China’s overseas law enforcement capabilities in possible violation of international law.

"The report also outlines the potential human rights abuses associated with the stations, including using harassment and intimidation methods, such as threatening the family members of the overseas citizens. The stations have also served as centers to spread Chinese government propaganda and monitor the behavior and opinions of Chinese nationals."

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Sikh guards lose jobs over Toronto mask policy

Sikh security guards dismissed from jobs at City of Toronto sites over facial hair policy | BlogTO - Lauren O'Neil:

Tejinder Singh Sidhu, World Sikh Organization

July 4, 2022 - "More than 100 Sikh security guards who, until very recently, were stationed at City of Toronto properties, have been laid off, relocated or demoted to lower-ranking positions for having too much facial hair. The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) issued a release Monday morning calling upon Mayor John Tory and City Council to lift a new clean shave requirement, specifically for Sikh employees 'who maintain uncut hair as a tenet of their faith.'

"'The new City of Toronto mandate requires all security guards to be fitted for N95 respirators that seal directly on the face. Facial hair is not permitted when performing fit tests,' explains the organization, which contends that the policy results in 'the exclusion of Sikh security guards' from city-owned sites.

"Strangely, says the WSO, non-security staff at these same sites have not been asked to shave. The City of Toronto explains this by pointing out that its policy does not apply to city staff, only contractors. Pretty much all of the security guards working at city sites are not actually working for the city, but for private companies that rent out security services...

"'Under City policy, all contractors must agree to abide by the City's Human Rights and Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Policy (HRAP) and applicable human rights legislation, and make a declaration to confirm compliance with these requirements," reads a statement from the city sent to blogTO. 'The City is reviewing the complaint which alleges that certain contractors failed to accommodate their own employees in relation to the City's Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) division's requirement for the use of N-95 masks for all staff and contractors who may come into contact with any person who has or is suspected of having COVID-19.'

"The SSHA divison's policy requires that anyone who may have to use an N-95 mask must be clean shaven for fit testing. 'This is consistent with the City's Respirator Protection policy for all City divisions with situations in which respiratory protective devices may be required. SSHA's policy allows for accommodations as per the City's Accommodation policy," notes the city. "Employees of contractors who seek accommodation should have their requests assessed, in accordance with the contractors own human rights policies'.... As for what's next, the city says that it has its own standardized process for addressing complaints about contractors, 'which requires contractors to review and respond to the complaint under the contractor's appropriate internal process.'

"WSO president Tejinder Singh Sidhu doesn't seem keen to wait around for the city to process and review everything — a task which often takes months, if not years. 'It is completely unreasonable that Sikh security guards who served in their positions at the City of Toronto through the height of the pandemic are now being terminated, reassigned, or demoted for not being clean-shaven,' he said in a statement. 'Mayor John Tory and the City of Toronto must find a solution for these Sikh security guards and other affected employees. Those Sikh guards who have been removed must be immediately reinstated."

Toronto to accommodate, compensate Sikh security guards laid off over facial hair | Global News - Maan Alhmidi, Canadian Press:

July 5, 2022 - "Sikh security guards removed from their positions in Toronto due to a conflict over facial hair required by their religion and COVID-19 masking rules will be rehired and compensated for their lost hours. The World Sikh Organization had complained to the city last month on behalf of more than 100 Sikh security guards, who it said were required to wear N95 masks sealed directly to the face — a rule that wouldn’t allow for facial hair.

"The city said Tuesday that it had directed its security contractors to accommodate and rehire Sikh employees who were removed from their positions and appropriately compensate them for any financial impact. 'The city will not accept any contractors failing to accommodate religious freedoms,' it wrote in a statement. The city also said it apologizes to the World Sikh Organization for any delay in addressing the issue....

"Singh said the city also agreed to a suggestion from the organization to introduce a technique called 'under masking' to help accommodate Sikh employees. The technique involves using a cloth or latex mask over facial hair before covering that mask with an N95. 'It’s been scientifically proven to form an effective seal,' Singh said."

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Toronto police, protestors oppose vax mandates

Toronto Police Association against mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for members | Lawyers Daily - Amanda Jerome:
August 25, 2021 - "In response to the Toronto Police Service’s (TPS) announcement on Aug. 24 to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for all its members, the Toronto Police Association (TPA) declared its opposition....

“'We understand this is an initial announcement without any policy documentation, procedure, or routine order in place,' said Jon Reid, president of the TPA, in a statement. Reid said the announcement, 'however preliminary, is missing critical details that are central to understanding the impacts, timelines, or potentially alternative options available to our members.'

"He stressed that the TPA 'must make every effort to protect all of our members and therefore, does not support this mandatory vaccination announcement or mandatory disclosure.'"
Read more: https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/articles/29269/toronto-police-association-against-mandatory-covid-19-vaccination-for-members

Protesters against COVID-19 vaccine mandates say they're pro-freedom, 'not anti-vax' | CBC News - Philip Lee-Shanok:
September 3, 2021 - "As more provinces introduce proof-of-vaccination certificates, protests ramped up against public health restrictions and COVID-19 vaccine mandates this week in cities across Canada...

At a rally in Toronto on Thursday, protesters called it an infringement on their freedom of movement to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination to access places like restaurants, movie theatres and gyms. (Other indoor places, such as schools, grocery stores and places of worship are not included in the provincial vaccine mandates.) Hundreds of people gathered outside police headquarters to demonstrate in support of the Toronto Police Association's opposition to mandatory COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment, which the police service announced last week....

"While some at the rally were opposed to vaccines in general, those who spoke to CBC News said their concerns are more about the erosion of personal freedom — and what they see as excessive government control — than the COVID-19 vaccines themselves. They spoke about their 'natural and legal' right to refuse a mandatory vaccine and that requiring vaccine proof would create a two-tier society."

Friday, December 4, 2020

Criminal charges laid against Toronto BBQ owner

Etobicoke restaurant owner facing new charges for again defying COVID-19 lockdown rules | CP24 - Joshua Freeman & Kerissa Wilson:

November 26, 2020 -"Two men are now facing criminal charges and the city has completely seized a building following a raucous three day-long dispute between police and city officials and a restauranteur who brazenly declared that he would open up to serve customers despite lockdown orders.... Adam Skelly, the owner of the Adamson Barbecue restaurant in Etobicoke, was arrested by Toronto police officers Thursday afternoon after a crowd of supporters allegedly broke through a cordoned-off section of the building by smashing down drywall in an effort to reopen the shuttered restaurant.

"Speaking with reporters Thursday afternoon, Supt. Domenic Sinopoli said police allowed Skelly into a section of the building “in good faith” because they didn’t believe that it fell under a closure order from Toronto Public Health. However a crowd of supporters then tried to smash through the walls to reopen the facility....

"Sinopoli said Skelly, 33, now faces one count of attempting to obstruct police, one count of mischief under, one count of failing to comply with a continued order under the Reopening Ontario Act, and one count of failing to leave when directed under the Trespass to Property Act.... He said 27-year-old Michael Belito Arana of Markham is now facing a slew of charges, including one count of obstructing police, six counts of assaulting a police officer, two counts of uttering a death threat, and one count of failing to comply with a continued order under the Reopening Ontario Act.

"Both men are expected to appear in court via video link tomorrow morning for a bail hearing. Toronto Public Health has now taken occupancy of the entire premises and police will be posting trespassing signs prohibiting people from entering the building or the adjacent parking lot, Sinopoli said.... City spokesperson Brad Ross told reporters that workers will be boarding up the building and changing the locks tonight to prevent re-entry....

"At around 6 a.m. Thursday, police returned to the restaurant for a third day in a row to change the locks under an overnight order made by Toronto Public Health. Skelly was seen first arriving at the premises shortly before 8 a.m. He asked the media to stay off the property and was seen talking with police officers. Shortly after, he entered a portion of the building where there is no access to the restaurant, through a back door to obtain personal belongings. Adamson Barbecue posted an Instagram story on their account Thursday morning saying 'need locksmith & other hands at Etobicoke asap.'

"A crowd of people surrounded the establishment in support of Skelly, who vowed to continue reopening his business despite provincial COVID-19 lockdown rules in Toronto and Peel Region that prohibit indoor dining to curb the spread of the virus.

"Crowds formed around the premises throughout the morning and many people were seen without masks or face coverings. At around 12:30 p.m., Skelly and another man were taken away from the premises in handcuffs by police officers."

Adamson BBQ Legal Defence Fund: https://ca.gofundme.com/f/adamson-bbq-legal-defence-fund

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Canada's poor & elderly hit hardest by lockdowns

Canada's COVID-19 strategy is an assault on the working class | Toronto Sun - Martin Kulldorff & Sunetra Gupta:

November 23, 2020 - "The Canadian COVID-19 lockdown strategy is the worst assault on the working class in many decades. Low-risk college students and young professionals are protected; such as lawyers, government employees, journalists, and scientists who can work from home; while older high-risk working-class people must work, risking their lives generating the population immunity that will eventually help protect everyone. This is backwards, leading to many unnecessary deaths from both COVID-19 and other diseases.

"While anyone can get infected, a key feature of COVID-19 is that there is more than a thousand-fold difference in the risk of death between the oldest and the youngest. In fact, children have much less risk from COVID-19 than from the annual influenza. Considering this, we must do a much better job protecting the elderly and other high-risk groups until a vaccine is available. As a contrast, children should go to school in-person while we encourage young adults to live near normal lives to minimize the collateral damage from the pandemic. For them, the public health damage from lockdowns is worse than their minimal risk from COVID-19.

"Following basic public health principles and numerous pandemic preparedness plans, this is a focused protection strategy, as outlined in the Great Barrington Declaration, with accompanying details on how to properly protect the elderly....

"Despite heroic efforts by the public, the nine-month lockdown and contact tracing strategy has tragically failed older Canadians, with 97% of COVID-19 deaths inflicting those over 60. Where it did 'succeed' was in shifting the COVID-19 burden from affluent professionals to the less affluent working class. For example, in Toronto, the incidence rates were the same at the beginning of the pandemic, but after the March 23 lockdowns, detected cases declined in affluent neighborhoods while they skyrocketed in less affluent areas. A similar effect was subsequently observed for mortality....

"While it is impossible to protect anyone 100% during a pandemic, the notion that we cannot better protect the elderly and other high-risk groups is nonsense. It is not harder to protect the old than it is to protect the affluent, and the former leads to fewer deaths.

"Lockdowns have generated enormous collateral damage on other health outcomes, such as plummeting childhood vaccination rates, worst cardiovascular disease outcomes, less cancer screening, and deteriorating mental health, just to name a few. Even if all lockdowns are lifted tomorrow, this is something that we will have to live with – and die with – for many years to come.

"One of the basic principles of public health is to consider all health outcomes, and not only a single disease. Having thrown that principle out the window, we urgently need to bring it back to minimize mortality and to maximize overall health and well-being."

Monday, November 30, 2020

Ontario MPP charged after lockdown protest

Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP to lead anti-lockdown rally at Queen's Park | Ottawa Matters:

November 26, 2020 - "Anger over the COVID-19 lockdown in Toronto and Peel Region is prompting a protest in downtown Toronto on Thursday morning. The ‘No More Lockdown’ rally will take place outside Queen’s Park at 10 a.m. Independent Member for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston, MPP Randy Hillier says on twitter he will be ‘testing the law’ and leading the rally on the lawn of the Ontario legislature. Hillier is imploring others to join his protest.

"The independent MPP also praised Adam Skelly, the owner of Adamson BBQ, for defying provincial lockdown orders and offering dine-in services at his Etobicoke location. 'Today I recognized Adam Skelly of Adamson BBQ for his courage & conviction. He tested the law & I encourage others to do the same'....

Skelly has vowed to open his Etobicoke restaurant for the third straight day on Thursday ... despite being forced to shut down following orders from the city on Tuesday [and] being hit with provincial and local charges after opening up the location for a second time on Wednesday."

Ontario MPP charged after lockdown protest | Global News - Bill Hutchins:

November 26, 2020 - "Randy Hillier, a Kingston, Ont.,-area MPP, has been charged under the Reopening Ontario Act after organizing an anti-COVID-19 lockdown rally outside Queen’s Park Thursday morning.

"Supporters banged pots and carried placards ... on the front lawn of the legislature. This is the second rally organized by Hillier in as many months to claim that the pandemic restrictions and lockdowns are unlawful and are causing more harm than good....

"During Toronto’s lockdown, only 10 people are allowed to gather outside. Hillier’s gathering far exceeded that limit.

"Hillier said in a phone interview on Thursday that he is looking forward to his day in court, so that he can challenge the constitutionality of Ontario’s COVID-19 restrictions."

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Privatized toll highway 407 benefits all Toronto

Why Toronto needs more toll highways like the 407 | The Toronto Star - Peter Shawn Taylor:

November 18, 2019 - "Highway 407 ETR ... Toronto’s east-west toll highway is the road everyone loves to hate. Some critics say it’s robbing taxpayers blind, others accuse it of causing congestion across the GTA. Both views are nonsense. Rather all Torontonians should celebrate its mere existence. Whether you pay the tolls or not – and even if you don’t drive at all − everyone benefits from this freeway that isn’t free.

"A few months ago the road’s owners, which include majority stakeholder Canada Pension Plan, released a report from the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CCEA) totalling up its wide-ranging impact. The highway boasts an average 413,000 trips every weekday, a substantial chunk of daily commuter traffic. (More trips than GO Transit.) And these trips are smooth and fast. During peak hours, 85 per cent of vehicles on the 407 ETR are travelling at or above 100 km/h. By comparison, 85 per cent of drivers on the equivalent portions of the 401, are going below 50 km/h at the same time.

"The toll road is also substantially safer than the alternatives. The 407 ETR’s annual collision rate is less than 0.30 accidents per million vehicle kilometres travelled; on other freeways in Ontario the collision rate is nearly double that. The gap for fatal collisions is wider still.

"Because of its striking lack of congestion and accident delays, the CCEA study estimates Highway 407 ETR users save a cumulative 22.7 million hours every year, as compared to driving on roads as congested as an un-tolled GTA freeway ... equivalent to more than 12,000 full-time jobs. If we add in the effect on businesses of employees travelling during the workday, the time savings grow by another 7.7 million hours per year, or a further 3,700 full-time jobs.

"These effects are real and tangible, and have an immediate impact on families and employers. They cannot be ignored or waved away as part of any ideological crusade. While many transit or cycling advocates either tacitly or explicitly argue in favour of greater road congestion in order to push drivers out of their cars and into more-virtuous modes of transportation, such an argument crumbles on the basis of economic efficiency.

"A Metrolinx estimate once put the cost of congestion in the GTA at $3.3 billion per year in lost time and environmental impacts. The 407 ETR is a practical, on-going response to those costs....

"It is true only drivers willing or able to pay the tolls can reap these direct benefits. But by capturing a significant share of traffic volume, the road has a beneficial spillover impact on all the other public thoroughfares. In the absence of the 407 ETR, congestion everywhere in the GTA would be much worse. Plus, these time savings provide society-wide benefits in terms of lower greenhouse gas emissions and, due to reduced collision rates, lower health care expenses as well. So even folks not using the road should feel thankful.

"And let’s be clear: the benefits arising from this highway are as a direct result of its tolls. Invent a new social obligation for the CPP to provide cheap travel for Torontonians by dramatically reducing fees, as some toll-road detractors do, and these advantages disappear. Plus, this would fatally undermine the pension plan’s higher-level duty to professionally manage its contributors’ money."

Monday, July 24, 2017

Toronto tears down stairs senior built for $550

Toronto mayor thanks citizen stair master as city demolishes his handiwork | CTV News - Daniel Otis:

July 21, 2017 - "A City of Toronto work crew was seen in Etobicoke’s Tom Riley Park early Friday morning, removing a staircase that had been erected by maverick local handyman Adi Astl. Construction on new stairs, Mayor John Tory promises, will begin immediately.

"Astl, a retired mechanic, says he built the stairs for a mere $550 after several neighbours tumbled down a muddy slope leading to the park’s garden. The work, which only took a few hours, came after the community was told to wait for a $65,000 to $150,000 solution from the city.

"If you imagine after heavy rain, or any rain, it becomes like a slippery slope -- there’s no holding on,” Astl told CTV News Channel from the park on Friday. “It might be okay when you’re ten-years-old, but if you get in my age, or a little bit younger, it’s very tough.'

"Astl’s stairs, declared unsafe by city bylaw officers, were quickly cordoned off with caution tape....

"In a written statement released Friday, Mayor Tory called the original price tag for the project 'absolutely ridiculous and out of whack with reality.'

"'I want to thank Mr. Astl for taking a stand on this issue,' Tory added. 'His homemade steps have sent a message that I know City Staff have heard loud and clear.'

"According to Tory, construction of new stairs will begin Friday and be completed within days.... The City estimates that the new stairs will cost $10,000. In an interview with CTV News Channel from Toronto City Hall, Tory vowed to make sure that cost estimates are more reasonable in the future."

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/toronto-man-builds-park-stairs-for-550-irking-city-after-65-000-estimate-1.3510237
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