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. This is my last Campaign Confidential before E-day, yet I'm hesitant to pen any "final thoughts" knowing how much can happen in the final week of a campaign. It's been a bit of a strange campaign. On the......

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. Running for office is an extremely rewarding experience, but it's not without sacrifice and set-backs. All of us are doing this because we honestly believe in the process and the ideas we bring to the table. We believe......

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. As you read this I'm somewhere in the Centre Block of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa, likely between the House of Commons visitors' gallery where I will have just finished watching question period and the Railroad Room where......

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. There is, of course, no multi-partisan training manual for new candidates on how one is to behave during an election campaign with regards to one's opponents. Therefore, the first time I ran (in the 2006 federal general election)......

This week, Musicologist is pleased to share that Wavelength will be hosting a festival celebrating their anniversary. The weekly music series has come a long way since its inception in 1999 and has seen various bookers, venues, and, of course, musicians contribute to the success of the series. Wavelength commits to showcasing great music at an accessible cost (all shows are pay-what-you-can) and most recently, has made a vow to feature diversity in the selected......

The last time we looked at accessible pedestrian signals (APS), those chirping and cuckooing crossing indicators for the visually-impaired, it was with some surprise at the city's claim that it simply couldn't afford to install APS at more than a handful of intersections each year. Instead of allocating enough money to improve availability of a fairly basic service to visually-impaired residents, the city instead looked for corporate sponsors to pick up some of the......

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. A strange thing is happening here in Toronto Centre: Barack Obama seems to have become a candidate. Not literally of course, and (as you'll see) it's not clear what party he's representing, but his presence is certainly being......

Calling all local dance floor heroes and heroines! Hearts are ga-gunking to the clocks, which countdown to a night of pure electro-bliss. This Saturday night, Kensington Market’s Teranga (159 Augusta Avenue) will play host to Woodhands, Bocce, Opopo, and Green Go for what will undoubtedly be the sweatiest night of your lives. Too generous? No! With a lineup like Saturday’s, you'll definitely need to bring a second set of clothes. Woodhands is fronted by keytar......

Sometimes we find ourselves wondering, "Where do I put these lead acid batteries now that they've started to leak corrosive fluid all over the place," or, "How can I save money while being green in 2008?" A new Greentree book by Allison Greenbaum gives us the answers. "The Little Green Book of Big Savings" is an indispensable tool for being green and thrifty in Toronto in the new year, featuring over $4,000 in savings......

In a strange moment of synchronicity, there are currently two musicals on the Toronto stage about a man who kills people and disposes of their bodies by feeding them to someone/something. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has been playing at the Princess of Wales since early November, and closes on December 9. Sweeney tells the story (which we are all likely to become more familiar with after Tim Burton's film adaptation......

People queue up for a chance at a condo. The condos at One Bloor Street East range from $300K to $2 million, so remember, kids: lines aren't just for poor people and the Nintendo Wii any more! Loonie breaks a buck ten American. It's funny because last week when Torontoist mentioned the loonie-rising story, economists were all "well it'll probably hit a dollar-ten eventually" and it seems "eventually" was "less than a week." Speaking......

Just because you're being indulgent doesn't mean you have to ignore environmental, human rights, and health concerns. That's the philosophy of the Kakayo Chocolate Company, a fantastic new truffle shop that opened last week. Located at 1584 Queen St. East, right at the edge of the Beaches, Kakayo is a truffle shop with morality in mind. Not only can you fulfill your cravings for delectable, high-quality chocolate, but you can do it ethically. Founder......

The Royal St. George's College "Focus on the Environment" speaker series continues with David Suzuki at the Bloor Cinema on Monday night. This year's series kicked off in September with Jane Goodall and continues through the rest of the school year with guest speakers ranging from writer Roy MacGregor to polar explorer Geoff Green. In contrast, the only guest speakers we remember from our high school years were actuaries and federal civil servants telling......

With the provincial election upon us, Toronto's Davenport riding is in for a shakeup as a new candidate enters the fray: Lucky, Felis catus siamensis. Presumably asking for a ballot write-in, Lucky's campaign statement outlines a concern with the declining quality of life in Toronto's neighbourhoods, and promises to bring accountability to the riding. "If something stinks, I'll sniff it out," he says. "I'm your best pest control." And why should Torontonians send a cat......

"It's hard to beat the system / when we're standing at a distance / so we keep waiting / waiting on the world to change." - JOHN MAYER How Do You Get To Massey Hall? I don't know, I only came close. I can at least tell you that practice has nothing to do with it. I'd practiced my speech a lot. Last night I was invited to represent my party (the Green Party of......

This weekend, the Ex is once again hosting Toronto's popular Clothing Show, the retail sales event offering "the unique, the unusual, and the handcrafted" to the citizenry. Currently celebrating its 30th anniversary, this event has been taking in greater numbers over the years because of its talented pool of local designers. And though there's an increasing amount of lazily silk-screened American Apparel T-shirts being touted as "alternative" fashion, it's still the best place to get......

Last night's Ontario leaders' debate was replete with the kind of wit, sophistication, and rhetorical flourish we've come to expect from our candidates. Tory to McGuinty: You're a big fat liar. McGuinty: Am not. Hampton: Are too. Big fat liar. McGuinty: You guys are the liars. Green Party Leader Frank DeJong wasn't invited to the big kids party, even though he got a haircut and everything. A five-alarm fire at a wrecking yard in......

Right now, if you turn on your TV to channels 2, 3, 6, 8, 15, 24, 62, or 104 (presuming you have cable), you will see the leaders of the provincial political parties having at each other. Or, more accurately, you will see Dalton McGuinty, John Tory, and Howard Hampton having at each other. You will not see Green Party of Ontario leader Frank de Jong having at anyone. As they like to do,......

Earlier this week, Toronto's film production industry introduced the Green-Screen alliance, which has the goal of increasing the eco-consciousness of productions shooting in and around the city. At a time when more and more producers, directors and actors are supporting environmental charities yet not applying their tax-deductible beliefs to their own industry, Green-Screen is taking a welcome step inside. A voluntary initiative that will help film shoots to reduce their carbon footprint at all......

Beginning this Thursday, the fifteenth annual Junction Arts Festival will be swarming the streets with an entourage of innovative musicians, performers, and visual artists hailing from Canada, Denmark, Brussels, and the United States. Taking place on the one kilometre stretch between Quebec Avenue and Keele Street on Dundas Street West, the festival will present the works of over fifty visual artists as selected by the 2007 Juried Art Exhibition—and for the first time, will......

With over one million attendees in previous years, there was no chance that Torontoist would have forgotten about Taste of the Danforth. One of the most popular cultural events in Toronto begins tonight at 6 p.m. on Danforth Avenue between Chester and Jones Avenue and continues throughout the weekend to make sure you get your fill of souvlaki. To help you plan out your trip, Taste of the Danforth has put together a handy......

From mid-September through year-end, all City Community Centres will be closed on Mondays. Skating rinks won't open until January. Fewer potholes will be repaired. Snow won't be cleared unless there is at least 15 cm of it (the current minimum is 8 cm). New materials from Public Health will only be available in English. Welcome to the new Toronto, where you get what you (and the provincial and federal governments) pay for—or won't get what......

It's that time of year again, when punks (and punk wannabes) dust off their Doc Martens, ply up their mohawks, master their moshing, and make their way to Park Place in Barrie for Vans Warped Tour. Saturday's show will see bands such as Bad Religion, New Found Glory, Ill Scarlett, Killswitch Engage, and Toronto's own k-os hitting the stage. This year marks the 13th annual event, which has previously showcased such great acts as......

Readers in their thirties may remember Going Great: the Toronto-produced CBC/Cineworld newsmagazine targeted to kids. The series eventually folded after a few seasons wrestling the challenges of presenting newsy human-interest stories to kids, but it won a 1983 Children's Broadcast Institute Award for Best Network Television Program. What Going Great was most known for in later years, however, was its hosts. The entire run was helmed by Chris Makepeace, 1980s Meatballs and My Bodyguard teen......

UN Messenger of Peace Dr. Jane Goodall is celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of her eponymous Institute this year, and Toronto is lucky enough to be part of the festivities. Dr. Goodall, most renowned for her involvement with chimpanzees in Tanzania, will grace Toronto for three days in September. Of particular interest is the good doctor's appearance at UofT's Convocation Hall on September 15. According to Tim Grant, co-editor of Green Teacher magazine, Dr. Goodall will......

We're intrigued by this apparent statement discovered yesterday by Torontoist Flickr Pool contributor Eyeline-Imagery. The mystery art includes quarters glued to the sidewalk next to a Green P lot at Yonge and St. Clair, beside the message "Why scrounge? Park for free. Drive a bike." With most of the focus of cycling on the environmental and health benefits, it's a fresh idea to point out the high cost of parking instead, especially with such......

Green is the new black. Going green is not just about flicking off or simultaneous international concerts, but being more environmentally conscious about how it creeps into everyday living. Local Food attempts to go beyond the popular concept of healthy organic eating by reducing the distance your food travels to your mouth and exposing what it takes to get that pineapple on your table. Farmers' markets are the most easily recognizable source for Ontario-grown......

The Green Toronto Festival wasn’t enough to get the city to go all environmentalist, so here’s another attempt. The Green Toronto Streetfest will take over Yonge-Dundas Square and Yonge Street from Dundas Street to Shuter Street on Saturday, July 7, noon–8 p.m. It coincides with the 7/7/07 Live Earth concerts around the world, which will be broadcasted at the Square in support of Friends of Live Earth. With this backdrop, check out clothing made......

Yesterday, the folks at Artscape participated in the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Wychwood Green Art Barns. Awww, look at them with their little shovels. The City of Toronto's plan to tax homeowners for extra garbage pickup was given the green light and should launch by the fall of 2008. If you want to keep it cheap, limit your garbage output to one bag per two weeks. Of course, The Sun immediately claims that......

It's hard to imagine a better of way of getting people to want information than by trying to keep it from them. That's why the federal government probably shot itself in the foot last month when, according to the CanWest News Service, Conservative MPs "abruptly shut down parliamentary hearings on a controversial plan to further integrate Canada and the U.S." Apparently (and this is still in the words of the news report), the Conservative......