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Newsstand: October 25, 2010
Illustration by Matt Daley/Torontoist.
Election Day is finally here! After a nasty weekend, the fate of the city is in your hands. G20 ringleader arrested. Again. Toronto 18 ringleader sentenced. Violence in Parkdale, and another loss for the Leafs.
It’s already Christmas according to The Bay, so it’s no surprise last night felt just like Christmas Eve. ‘Twas The Night Before Election Day, and all through the city, not a pundit was sleeping. Well, Toronto, the time has finally come to cast your ballot in arguably “the most compelling election in recent memory.” Today the campaigning ends, and we say good riddance. Just when it seemed the race couldn’t get any scummier, the tone of the municipal election hit its lowest possible point this weekend when a crop of homophobic radio ads and posters sprung up Saturday night. So please make these last ten months of coverage worthwhile, get out and vote! And remember, Torontoist has always got your back, but especially today. We’ve compiled a comprehensive politics hub for your reference. Stay tuned today for our complete election coverage. Or better yet, come and join us IRL at our Election Night Party at The Cadillac Lounge. After you vote, of course.
And take heart: no matter who is elected the next mayor of Toronto, he probably won’t be the worst mayor-guy ever. The misdeeds of 2010’s mayoral hopefuls—cheating on your girlfriend, getting busted with pot ten years ago, pretending you’re a gangster in your campaign ads—are boring compared to the torture, murder, and treason that Toronto’s mayors used to get up to.
Alex Hundert was arrested again on Saturday. This is the third time Hundert has been arrested since the G20, and neither the police nor Hundert will discuss the charges ahead of his court date. You may remember Alex Hundert from the three counts of conspiracy he’s facing in relation to the G20. Or from when he was arrested in September for participating in a panel discussion at Ryerson that was deemed to violate his bail condition to avoid public demonstrations. Now he can’t even see his girlfriend without supervision. Dude’s thirty!
On to another so-called ringleader: the leader of the Toronto 18, Fahim Ahmad, will be sentenced today. Ahmad pleaded guilty midway through his trial in May to participating in a terrorist group, importing firearms for the group, and instructing his co-accused to carry out an activity for a terrorist group. The Crown is looking for eighteen years in prison, while the defense suggests ten to twelve, saying Ahmad has abandoned his violent views.
And speaking of violence, Saturday was a rough night for Parkdale, with a fatal police shooting and non-fatal stabbing occurring within hours of each other around King and Dufferin. Police were called to an apartment in the area around 8 p.m. on Saturday night for an investigation which led to an altercation inside the building with a twenty-eight-year-old man. The man was shot dead, and one police officer was cut in the face. The Special Investigation Unit has taken over the investigation of the incident. Hours later a man was stabbed multiple times in the torso and sent to hospital. Police have not commented on whether the incidents are linked, but that doesn’t stop the Star from asking.
In sporting news, the Maple Leafs return to form by losing their third consecutive game on Saturday. The Blue Jays will likely announce that John Farrell, former Red Sox pitching coach, will replace Cito Gaston as the Jays’ manager. And a few of the Raptors have devised a pretty nifty branding campaign for themselves. They’ve even offered some catchy chants for the crowd to use at games. Thanks, guys!