Results tagged “georgesmitherman”

View Torontoist's 2010 Toronto map (1.9 MB .PDF)

Torontoist Environment Editor Chris Tindal is currently engaged in a federal by-election campaign. This weekly column is an attempt to offer a behind the scenes glimpse into what it's like to be that mysterious Other: a politician.

Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman has caused a furor with his comment that he'd be willing to test-drive an adult diaper to see if being left in soiled diapers for hours on end is really all that bad. Critics say he isn't taking the issue of sub-standard care in nursing homes seriously, which seems a bit harsh, since there can't be too many politicians who'd be willing to spend a day crouched in their own excrement on behalf of their constituents. Brings a tear to the eye, it does.

Photo of Owen Pallett by Heidi Slimane from his MySpace.

Me and some of my co-workers left early today to see Blue Rodeo, who were playing various spots around Toronto, promoting their new album. By the time we'd arrived, a sizeable crowd had convened on the patio of the Black Bull, and a couple of stragglers and curious passers-by milled about its perimeter.

Continue reading "A Thousand Shining Pamphlets Waiting Just To Rain Down On You"

If you've ever lamented the absence of business-savvy and hygiene-obsessed superheroes at your local community barbecue, today is your lucky day. From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. this afternoon, the Clean Freak Patrol will be on duty in Allan Gardens, making sure attendees of Health Minister George Smitherman's barbecue "spread the word, not the germs." What word do they want us to be spreading? A look at their ironically cluttered website explains it all.

Kids think that food in a McDonald's wrapper tastes better than the same food not in the wrapper, study shows. This study confirms what many of us have long believed: namely, that children are stupid.

Every week (or so), 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.

In the first five minutes: the reunited Police gave a lacklustre performance; Jaime Foxx's attempts to warm the crowd with stale racial jokes flopped; the first award went to a duet by Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder. Click. Broadcasting The Princess Bride twice during the lengthy award show was the smartest thing YTV has ever done.

Starting today, you must have a passport to fly from Canada to the U.S. If you're dead set on clearing customs, it might be best to leave your anti-Bush shirts at home.

Council is dealing with the fallout of the landfill deal. The Star found data that the city could've bought land at the Green Lane landfill site for much cheaper last year but did nothing. Jane Pitfield realises a day after the vote that she voted the wrong way and ended up supporting the mayor.

The police admit that they've been protecting witnesses and sources to the Jane Creba shooting. They've put up a $50,000 reward and got 20 investigators working on it. Here's hoping they close the case soon.

Students at West Toronto Collegiate are being tested for tuberculosis after one of their classmates tested positive for the lung disease. Health officials are just being cautious and don't think TB has spread.

Health Minister, legislative pitbull and name caller George Smitherman is responding to Stephen Harper's open endorsement for John Tory by challenging him to a cage match. Actually, Smitherman only challenged the current Ontario Conservative leader to run in Toronto Centre. But seeing how Smitherman won with over 51% of the vote in 2003, doubled the PC candidate and the unpopularity of the Conservative party in the riding, Tory might actually fare better in the ring.

Torontoist was visiting Dora Keogh's pub for the first monthly CommonPlaces drinks night, when he noticed a sign for the Ben Chin Meet and Greet. It seems that everybody's favourite Liberal candidate was going to be having a minor campaign event. Torontoist would have to say that Chin was an absolute gentleman, he even spoke to us about how impressed he was with his riding association, "one that couldn't put together an event for 15 people a year ago."

A very clear message from the Council of Canadians on health care reform. At Bay, north of Dundas.

There's nothing like throwing around the "T" word to get yourself some international attention. Australia had to stage a raid with hundreds of police officers to get itself on the news. Ontario health minister George Smitherman only had to target that new member of the axis of evil, optometrists.

To make an internet diagnosis and find out where to get immunized, read here.

Yesterday, our PM with the same initials admits he needs to focus more on specific issues for the upcoming year. In contrast, Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman admits nothing.

Dude, it used to be that you could rely on the legion for communal smoking, and a good roast beef raffle every now and then. But Health Minister George Smitherman says that may soon be no more - the smoking that is, not the beef. Despite the GTA-wide smoking ban, an exemption had been in place for private clubs. But Smithy says the new legislation will outlaw smoking in any building that's not a private resident. Guess that's more money for the members to wager on the next 'meat draw.' Torontoist expects we can look forward to some commentary in the pages of the Legion's own creatively named magazine, Legion Magazine. And then again maybe not.