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AIDS Conference Starts PM Stays Away, Bevilacqua Bows Out, Dragon Boat Event A Success
The AIDS conference started last night and while Bill and Melinda Gates were there Stephen Harper sent his health minister. We think Stephen owes Tony one. Clement had to face a crowd who repeatedly chanted “Where’s Stephen Harper” and some who held up signs and placards protesting the Conservative government’s poor record on fighting AIDS in Canada and abroad. Even the co-chair of the conference criticized the PM for not showing up.
The Star looks at why many families are choosing to come back to Regent Park even with the choice to leave.
Toronto poet Ken Babstock looks at the East-West divide in this city and compares it to Berlin. “There’s no Eric Honecker enforcing a shoot-to-kill policy, and checkpoint Charlie’s location is debatable, but as I said, this is for my own amusement,” he writes. He also continues the metaphor by talking about two Toronto junk shops.
Vaughan MP Maurizio Bevilacqua is backing out of the Liberal leadership race and supporting Bob Rae. Bevilacqua will have a key role in Rae’s campaign as his chief economic adviser and the chair of his national campaign.
Yesterday’s P.S. Kensington’s black out anniversary party gets a write up in the Globe.
Community worker Shawn “Blu” Rose is getting a park renamed after him in the Malvern area. Blu died of a brain aneurysm last year and was widely respected in the community. NBA Player Jamaal Magliore who knew Blu, surprised people by showing up.
More items get added to the banned carry-on list at Pearson.
The recent dragon boat tournament was a big success with only one major complaint, the course was too short.
Photo by Gabe Toth, from the Torontoist + Flickr photo pool.