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Newsstand: June 22, 2010
Illustration by Matt Daley/Torontoist.
And so it begins. A hundred or so protesters took to the streets yesterday to express their opposition to a variety of things including the massive police presence in downtown Toronto, the lack of affordable housing, large corporations, etc., etc. Demonstrators shouted slogans, blocked traffic, and briefly occupied a gas station, but police were able to keep a lid on things without the use of sound, water, or other cannons. One man was arrested for marijuana possession. A relatively low-key affair all around, but it’s early days yet. Police yesterday reported finding what the Sun calls “staches” (a neologism combining “cache” and “stash”?) of pieces of concrete hidden in bushes downtown, presumably intended for use as weapons by activist groups.
While we may be worried about demonstrator versus police violence, at least we don’t have to fret about tigers anymore. The tiger and two camels stolen while on their way to a Bowmanville zoo were recovered by police near Montreal yesterday. No report on whether there was an Incredible Journey kind of thing going on, with the three pals trying to make their way home through an unfriendly world.
In election news, a Star reporter spends some time with “rising star” mayoral candidate Rocco Achampong. Achampong expresses dismay at being ignored by the mainstream media, but also manages to score a high-profile endorsement from John “Seriously, I am not running” Tory. During the interview, Achampong ponders quitting the race, but then changes his mind. Sorry about the spoiler.
If you want one reason why Rocco A. is lagging behind Rocco R. in full-name recognition, consider that the latter is, along with George Smitherman, one of two mayoral candidates who has already raised a million dollars for his campaign. Other candidates were coy about their financial status, with Rob Ford’s people noting that it takes longer to raise money from grassroots supporters than from “lobbyists and those on Bay street with deep pockets” and Sarah Thomson saying that her campaign isn’t about money. Hmmm.
The light plane that crashed Sunday near Buttonville airport, killing the twenty-three-year-old pilot, was owned by a company that provides advertising via aerial banners. The Star reports that jobs piloting these planes for companies like Skywords Inc. are often taken by young, inexperienced pilots looking to log flying hours, in spite of the fact that this type of work typically requires difficult and potentially hazardous aerial manoeuvres.