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Newsstand: December 3, 2014
One hundred brains are missing from a collection of specimens held by the University of Texas at Austin. There really is a black market for everything, isn’t there? In the news: A whole lot of collisions during yesterday’s evening rush hour, TTC chair Josh Colle gets to work, new councillor Jon Burnside is missing a lot of files, and new provincial securities rules aim to get more women in executive roles.
The Ontario Provincial Police said that wintry conditions yesterday led them to receive over 400 calls in one evening, 80 per cent of which were collision-related. In the Greater Toronto Area alone, there were over 90 collisions on highways when roads became slick. OPP Sergeant Kerry Schmidt reminds drivers that, as winter descends upon us, it is important to slow down, increase following distance, and avoid distraction.
Someone teach him how to use a tunnel-boring machine, because new Toronto Transit Commission chair Josh Colle (Ward 15, Eglinton-Lawrence) says it is time to stop talking about transit and just start building. In a new interview, Colle declares that his focus as TTC chair will be on improving existing service, and restoring some cuts that were put in place by the Ford administration. Fast-tracking the Presto card system rollout and adding express buses to popular routes are two of his top priorities as he gets started in office. Colle also emphasizes the importance of securing increased funding for the TTC, saying that it is not acceptable that the city has the least-subsidized transit system in North America. “Transit isn’t some charity case. It’s the lifeblood of our economy and our city. If you want a thriving city you’ve got to fund that infrastructure,” says Colle.
Newbie city councillor Jon Burnside (Ward 26, Don Valley West) thinks that his predecessor John Parker took spring cleaning at his City Hall office to an extreme when he destroyed all of his files before vacating. On Monday, Burnside arrived at his new office to find that Parks had wiped his files completely, citing the fact that he was complying with a rule that states councillors cannot share resident information with incoming councillors without express permission. Fair enough, but Burnside says that the lack of files on ongoing resident issues could slow down his start in office. Parker has said that City staff still have their own files, which will be available to Burnside as he takes over. Was Parker following the rules, or living out his own personal Office Space moment? It’s a mystery we’ll likely never solve.
The province hopes that a new securities rule will lead to more women being appointed to corporate boards and senior management teams. Starting on January 1, 2015, companies will be forced to disclose the number of women on their boards and in executive roles. Companies will also be required to disclose policies regarding the representation of women at the director level. The aim of the new rules is to encourage the promotion of women to more senior roles. Currently, women only make up 16 per cent of board members at FP500 companies, which are the country’s biggest companies by revenue.