Federal finance minister Jim Flaherty emphasized that today's budget will be "frugal" in anticipation of an economic slowdown in the coming year. To demonstrate the concept in symbolic terms, Flaherty had an old pair of shoes resoled instead of buying the pair of new shoes traditionally associated with budgets. Flaherty also announced that he's saving money on undergarments by going "commando," although to be fair that gesture is more about sexiness than symbolism. A......

Unionized Toronto Star employees met at a downtown hotel yesterday and voted 96% in favour of a strike, or as the Star itself might say, "Star Employees Vote To Strike At Hotel." In another sign of potential economic trouble on the horizon, the benchmark TSX stock index dropped 623 points in two days. While most issues declined, analysts declared themselves bullish on several sectors, including rural real estate, bottled water, and firearms. The San......

Transformation AGO will soon be entering the final stages of its expansion project, estimated to finish sometime in mid-2008. But before the AGO closes its doors in order to begin reinstalling over 5,000 pieces of art into 110 galleries, they will be offering free admission to the public for its closing weekend this October 6 and 7. This will be your final opportunity to view the four exhibitions that have been on display since......

Ontario Conservative leader John "The Tory" Tory has promised that if elected a Conservative government would allocate $800 million to public transit in the province. Tory also confessed that it has been a long-time dream of his to one day ride on a streetcar, but that his chauffeur wasn't yet licensed to drive one. David Crombie has been named "community liaison official' in the sometimes violent land claim dispute between the First Nations and......

With the Rebel Alliance continually blowing up all the swanky Death Stars, what's an Imperial warrior to do when in the mood for a little R&R? If you're married stormtroopers Red and Jonny, you end up far, far away in the little town of Caledonia, Ontario, Earth. Normally, servants of the Galactic Empire might stand out like a bantha at the Mos Eisley spaceport, but distracted with an ongoing First Nations protest, the sleepy......

If you’re feeling hungry and are looking for something a little less bland than your average, it might be worth dropping by the Tenth Annual World Spicy Food Festival at Harbourfront. The Festival promises three solid days of spicy goodness, with heat levels ranging from slightly piquant to eye-popping, face-melting, sinus-clearing insanity. Highlights of the festival include candied insects courtesy of Sugar Mountain and a series of tastings by a group of women (somewhat misleadingly)......

Yesterday the AGO revealed its latest summer exhibition, Treasures of the Tsimshian from the Dundas Collection—a first for the public eye in more than a century. Featuring 39 First Nations artifacts deriving from the 18th and 19th centuries—comprised of daily objects varying from ladles, combs and feast bowls to more exquisite pieces such as ceremonial masks, clan helmets and clubs carved from antlers—the Dundas collection is certainly worth a peek (even if there are some......

At random intervals, two Torontoist staffers square off to debate an issue that's important to our city. We invite our readers to join the debate in the comments section following the post. Last Friday June 29 was designated a "national day of action" for First Nations people to raise public awareness on Native issues. While most of the activities were peaceful, there were some groups which went further, engaging in illegal blockades of roads and......

Today is the First Nations National Day of Action. According to organizers The Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the event is a chance for all Canadians to call for "immediate action to improve [aboriginal peoples'] quality of life." Basically, bands from across the country are demanding the government work with First Nations to gain control of the programs, services and decisions that affect their lives. At noon, there will be a peaceful demonstration supporting......

Toronto is apparently "about to go broke." Wait, what? Today, VIA stands for Very Irritated Aboriginals. A First Nations protest over land is currently affecting all of VIA Rail between Montreal and Toronto. The move, according to 680 News, was to "protest against a developer's plans to build condominiums using material from a quarry on land they claim is theirs." Since the entire country is pretty much native land (it even says it right......

For filmgoers interested in heavier fare than Because I Said So, the 3rd annual Prison Justice Film Festival begins today at the U of T’s William Doo Auditorium and the Toronto Women’s Bookstore. The festival presents thirteen films, mostly documentaries, about prison and those affected by the prison system. Hosted by the Prisoner’s Justice Action Committee, the films don’t hold back in their gritty portrayals of the prison system in various parts of the world.......

Drake, you ho, this is all your fault. The Ontario Municipal Board has approved a high-rise residential project on Queen Street West at 48 Abell Street, just steps from the Gladstone and everything hipsters cherish about Toronto's arts scene. Developers intend to build 7 condos in total with affordable housing, and the ratio of "normal people" to "artists with cool hair" will be thrown into upheaval. Unfortunately, there's not much that we or neighbourhood-preservation......

Canadians have always been explorers, from the First Nations peoples who crossed the Ice Age land bridge from Asia, to Jacques Cartier, to the Canadian astronauts who tag along on the Space Shuttle missions. It was in this spirit of discovery that I undertook a holiday exploration of that which makes Toronto more than just another blob of concrete, people and cockroaches – our miles and miles of indoor shopping. What follows in an......