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Newsstand: January 21, 2010
Illustration by Roxanne Ignatius/Torontoist.
The candidates in the upcoming Toronto Centre by-election met up last night in the Church-Wellesley Village for an all-candidates debate. If you missed it, which you most likely did since coverage of this election is virtually nil, you can practically relive it via Xtra.ca’s video and Toronto Centre’s Twitter feed. Cathy Crowe (NDP), Glen Murray (Liberal), Stephen Premdas (Green), and Pamela Taylor (PC) tackled LGBT issues along with many others, with the moderation of broadcaster and community leader Jane Farrow. The next debate Torontoist has found confirmed is slated for January 31, but keep a keen eye open for more announcements.
It turns out the next biggest head-to-head smackdown is not between Ronnie and the next goombah on Jersey Shore. It’s Ontario vs. British Columbia in an all-out battle royale for the title of Greenest Province, and it’s about to get messy. Dalton McGuinty’s new Green Energy Act and subsidy program (brought to you in part by Samsung) pushed Ontario into the lead as Canada’s most attractive market for green-energy investments. But reigning champ B.C. is apparently upping the ante with even newer, more awesomer policies to be announced next week. Apparently this all started when McGuinty whispered to B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, “My province is more energy-efficient than your province” on the Queen’s Park playground.
The clashes continued in front of the C.D. Howe Institute on Wednesday when Stephen Harper was met with the rants and chants of thirty-five anti-prorogation protesters. Harper, who was in town to discuss economic issues with banking and business execs, defends his decision to halt all parliamentary proceedings until March 3 as necessary time to adjust to a post-recession economy. The protesters, armed with signs and a chorus of “Stop the prorogation, listen to the nation!” used this appearance as a small preview of a nation-wide event this Saturday. Meanwhile, NDP leader Jack Layton says he will propose new anti-prorogation legislation. As soon as he gets back to work, that is.
Another fight we’re anticipating? Ultimate Fighting Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Canadian Health Care. The American fighter, who succumbed to a digestive disease at his hunting lodge in Canada, had to travel three hours to the nearest facility where he said he was treated like he was in a “Third World country.” He said in a press conference that he and his wife, ex–WWE wrestler Sable, then had to book it to North Dakota for proper treatment. Ignoring that he compared a rural medical outpost to treatment in the prestigious Mayo Clinic (where he was initially misdiagnosed), and that he equalized his experience in Canada with the healthcare in U.S. territory Puerto Rico, the most amusing anecdote is that he got his illness from eating too much meat. Now, that has to be a lot of meat.
And Toronto may have found its answer to all the pedestrian accidents that have been, sadly, happening all the more frequently. An international group promoting pedestrian safety is telling Torontonians to take a note from Europeans and unleash our exhibitionist side, at least on the streets. A “naked street,” also known as a “home zone” or “woonerf,” are roads devoid of sidewalks or traffic signs, where pedestrians and vehicles coexist peacefully, and traffic often proceeds at a walking pace. Sound too woonerf-ul to be true? City councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38, Scarborough Centre) says it is. With Toronto’s high traffic in densely populated areas, he says the likelihood of woonerfs saving pedestrian lives is the same as finding Narnia in your shower drain.
Not to help the over-crowding of the downtown core, high-rise condo sales have spiked a whopping 995% from this time last year.
It was also a record year for the TTC. Despite all the moaning and groaning by frustrated commuters, Toronto Transit Commission vice-chairman and city councilor Joe Mihevc (Ward 21, St. Paul’s) said 2009 had the highest ridership in TTC history: 471.2 million. Can we have the $2.75 fare back now?