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Newsstand: June 16, 2011
Illustration by Sasha Plotnikova/Torontoist.
Did someone lace the sweet B.C. bud with rage-ohol or what? Vancouver has erupted into violent riots after losing the Stanley Cup to Boston, a TTC manager has been charged with fraud, the Bloor Viaduct might get a separated bike lane, and the government plans to force another union back to work.
Ex–Maple Leaf Tomas Kaberle and his fellow Boston Bruins are the winners of the much-ballyhooed Stanley Cup, sending Vancouver into a violent hissy fit. After last night’s 4-0, game seven Bruins win in Vancouver, surly Canucks fans hit the streets and started breaking shit. The first sign of trouble came as the Bruins were still celebrating their win on the ice: a news update broke into the broadcast to say a car had been overturned and was on fire. Soon enough, several more vehicles were ablaze, windows were smashed and there were reports of people being punched randomly in the streets. Vancouver hospitals dealt with at least three “major traumas,” three stabbing victims, a person who had fallen or jumped from a viaduct, a head injury, and dozens of minor injuries after the game. The riot echoes the mayhem in 1994 after the Canucks lost the Cup to the Rangers in game seven.
“This is releasing tension, man,” a man in his twenties who set a garbage can on fire told the Toronto Star. “What else are you going to do when you lose the Stanley Cup? You riot.”
Now onto the “gravy at the TTC” beat: Project manager Bruno Colavecchia is accused of taking at least $149,000 in kickbacks from a paving contract he arranged. Police are calling it the worst case of fraud ever at the agency—IPAC Paving Limited allegedly billed the TTC $198,619.92 for work worth just $54,087.75. Colavecchia, his wife, and his 21-year-old son are all charged with fraud and related offences, as is IPAC Paving owner Sebastian Corbo.
There is good news and bad news for cyclists this morning in a draft of the city bike plan obtained by CBC Toronto. The report to the city’s public works committee recommends starting construction on separated bike lanes on the Bloor Viaduct later this year, on Sherbourne and Wellesley streets next year, and possibly more after that in the entertainment district. It also recommends getting rid of the lanes on Pharmacy Avenue and Birchmount Road. There’s no mention of removing the somehow-contentious Jarvis Street bike lane, but Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34, Don Valley East), chair of the public works committee, says its days could be numbered as well.
“Labour rights, who needs you?” said the federal government for the second day in a row on Wednesday, moving to end the postal strike/lockout a day after doing the same with striking Air Canada workers. Canada Post locked out its workers on Tuesday, after rotating strikes around the country began on June 3. On Wednesday, the government said it will introduce back-to-work legislation, which requires 48 hours advance notice. At the earliest, the legislation could be passed next week.