Drama at City Hall...Staged or Real??

Today's Toronto Sunday Sun's Sunshine Girl. A daily must see for those who appreciate the Sun..

Nothing to do with Today's Entry...but the weatherman said today's weather going to be little colder 24C high and cloudy (intermittent showers) and here's Angelic Angela to put a little warm on everyone's Sunday..For more of Sun's Sunshine Girls visit this site:
Sunshine


Toronto City Hall



Tempers and Insults flew at The City Council Meeting as the First days of the Cut of Services come into effect starting Today. The cuts were announced by Mayor David Miller few weeks ago after the Council defeated the new measures of "taxation" proposed by the Mayor to cover the shortfall. Now, they are blaming each others.
http://truenorthandme.blogspot.com/2007/08/get-ready-city-about-to-cut-quality-of.html

The cut that causes most concern, especially among the Seniors and Parents of Young Children is the closing of 130 Community Centres on Mondays and to the lesser extent of 16 Public Libraries on Sundays, until the city puts its house back in Order...

To read the council members throwing insults at one another check the Council Chamber...

Toronto Star


And also from the people who are directly affected by the cuts, the Seniors, the Parents of Young Children and the workers. Never mind the Politicians, they’re all full of hot air and they could had done something before these matters come to this point. The Provincial Government and even the Federals are ignoring their cries anyways. But just like anywhere, try to give themselves a raise and quietly and softly they become friends again..hehehe...might even see them having lunch together...

September 10, 5:00am current temp. 14 today's high 20 low 14...

Breaking News: PM Steven Harper threatened legal action against Election Canada if it doesn’t back off its decision of allowing Muslim women to vote covering their faces. Election Canada is an Independent Agency responsible for conducting elections and referendums and reports to the Parliament.

Last spring the Parliament passed Bill C-31, a law designed to have visual identification of voters and Election Canada is supposed to implement the law, not to make its own.

Today, Election Canada is holding a news conference to address the issue and to also address the Protests even from the Muslim Communities that do not agree with its decision. All political parties are solid in their opposition to the electoral body decision. Where’s JP Kingsley in times like this?

Toronto Star

DOG FIGHT!!!

Tre Smith, an Animal Investigator with the Toronto Humane Society with Cyrus, the Rottweiler he rescued from inside the overheated locked SUV. A brouhaha ensued after the incident that was all over the Front Page of Today's Dailies...





The Dog Fight..

Looking at Today’s Toronto Star Print Edition Headline I was thinking no more worthy news that this deserve the Front Page. Well this is the worthy news.

The article asked did animal rescuer go too far? The debate is still ongoing.

Tre Smith, the animal investigator with Toronto Humane Society and Paul Sonderholm, the owner of the dog named Cyrus, had both been telling Night and Day versions of what happened between them July 31.

The indisputable facts however, Smith, the investigator smashed the rear window of a SUV to rescue the overheated Cyrus inside, and when owner Paul came to the scene from somewhere, handcuffed him to the passenger side of the car, waiting for the police while rushing Cyrus to an emergency, and Paul lost Three teeth from animal lovers vigilantes nearby.

And the incident also re-discovered the dangling faulty lines between the Ontario Society for the Prevention to Cruelty to Animals and the Toronto Humane Society, Still Deep, that refused fixing for a long time...

The Toronto Humane Society who employed Tre said that he did the right thing both with Cyrus and his owner Paul, While the OSPCA said that what he did to the owner was not within his mandate and suspended Smith until the investigations resolve the issue. Note: although Smith is employed by the THS, as an Animal Investigator, his profession is regulated by the OSPCA.

And here’s is the summary of each character version of the event.

The Dog Owner
Paul: He said he left Cyrus in the back seat of his Equinox SUV to visit a friend and leave a little opening in the window as to allow a “cool breeze” and he check once in while to run the air-con to cool the dog.

But the visit lasted longer than expected and when he went down to check, he saw Smith and others trying to cool Cyrus, the Rottweiler down with a bowl of water. And as he approached the Dog investigator “yelled” at him asking “ is that your dog?” and as soon as he said yes, he was handcuffed and called names and said the investigator was trying to incite the crowd around to take the law into their hands.

And he said he was in his best behaviour despite Smith belligerence. Believe it or Not.. And added Cyrus didn’t look comatose....

The Investigator:

Tre: He said when he arrived at the scene upon reports of witnesses seeing Cyrus locked inside an closed SUV, he say the dog slumped in the back seat foaming in the Mouth, gasping for Breath.

He immediately summoned Police and called out to some passerby to bring buckets of water and after smashing the window, pour the water to cool off Cyrus. That when the ‘villain’ appeared to the scene and more perturbed about his car than his dog. He added that Paul scared him and other bystanders by spouting profanities and tried to pull and push Smith away from the Pet.

After repeated pleas to allow him to do his job, he decided to handcuffed the “bad guy” and push him to a picnic table but it didn’t work and decided to handcuff him to his SUV and put him in a gentle watch of five female friends instead of an angry mob. He called police again as he realized Cyrus needed to have an emergency attention as he rushed the Dog to the clinic. the “stoning of the sinner”, begins.

Now back to the OSPCA who suspended the investigator:

The SPCA doesn’t train its investigators in handcuff use. And the spokesperson said that animal investigators don’t exactly have the same power as the Police, simply because they are not trained to use weapons. But she also added that the Society has not received the full report of the incident yet and the lead investigator has yet to put the whole matter together.

This is not the first time both societies butt heads. In mid-8o the SPCA accused the Humane Society of unethical conduct of its internal fights, links to vandalism and the way it nominate its board.

The Humane Society challenged the SPCA Act in Court for the ability to train its own investigators to gain more control of its activities. It lost.

Aftermath:
Paul the Dog Owner was Charged with Cruelty to Animals (the cops did eventually came to the scene).

Two bystanders (both male vigilantes) were charged with assaults, one assault with a weapon (stone).

Cyrus, the Rottweiler: Recovering quite well and his fate will be decided by the Court soon.

Smith: Animal Investigator, appeared in reality show ‘lofters”, also a regular in an animal show, was suspended from work by the Regulating Body, the SPCA but has the support of his Employer, the Humane Society and suddenly will get his t.v. shows ratings a few bars higher and a hero to most animal lover and city residents...


Police-like powers unleashed

Animal cruelty investigations by the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and its affiliated Humane Societies are governed by the Ontario SPCA Act.

The province's 205 inspectors and agents are trained criminal investigators.
The act specifically states that investigators have the same powers as police officers when enforcing animal cruelty laws, issue orders to relieve an animal's distress and enter private property.

The legislation also provides investigators with police powers to investigate Criminal Code offences related to animal cruelty.

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/246856

Get Ready- The City About to Cut the Quality of Life of its Residents..

mother and child enjoying a swim at one of the city's community centres facilities, which will become the victim of cost saving measures by the city, will be closed on Mondays.

City cuts quality of Life...

City mayor David Miller said that the city must cut the quality of life to its residents and citizens as he struggles with a shortfall of $575 millions projected for 2008.

Dirtier streets, more graffiti and potholes, less snow removal, city golf courses closing a week earlier, and no Monday service at community centres.

And it is not getting any better from now on.

Read the rest of the Article and see how the Locals (the council members "insult" and shout at each others like anywhere else).
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/245340

From Toronto Star on-line edition ( the blog publisher subscribes to the Print Edition).

Toronto Star is Canada’s largest daily serving Toronto Greater Area and the rest of Canada..

A subdued looking Mayor David Miller told a news conference at City Hall that the changes are unavoidable given the city's fiscal crisis. The crisis peaked during the past two weeks after councillors, in a 23-22 vote, deferred a motion – backed by Miller – to raise about $350 million by increasing the land transfer tax and vehicle registration fee.

"All of these things are a diminution of the quality of life in Toronto, and from my perspective that's why it was so important to try and avoid this day," the mayor said.

"All of it is something I don't think any member of council wishes to do, but we face a real choice. It's time for people to understand that you either pay for a quality of life in a city that you want, or you get a different quality of life. There is no way to provide good quality of life without paying for it," Miller said.

Savings from Hoy's reductions include: (Shirley Hoy is the City Manager, the top Civil Servant)
$700,000 by closing all city community centres on Mondays beginning mid-September.

$800,000 by opening outdoor artificial ice rinks in January instead of December.

$1 million by providing sidewalk and windrow plowing only when there's 15 cm of snow. The current standard is 8 cm.
(start wearing a higher sole snow boots, hehehe, by 7 cm, good for shorties)

$120,000 by cancelling December yard waste pickup.
(we can always haul our own yard waste to the designated drop off locations anytime).

$125,000 by reducing automated leaf pickup, in areas that have it, from two pickups to one.

$230,000 by releasing seasonal litter-picking staff two weeks earlier than normal.
(people just simply stop littering, problem solved)

Miller says the city still needs the new taxes and council is to vote on them Oct. 22.
Yesterday's announcement led to emotional outbursts, with Councillor Howard Moscoe, a supporter of the new taxes, saying seniors will be crying foul over the reductions in snow removal, especially the windrow service,* which is available in certain parts of the city.

*windrow service is the service provided by the city, removing the snow dumped by the road clearing at the end of the driveway. During heavy snowstorm windrow could be waist deep, though only the lenght of the driveway will be taxing to clear, especially of senior citizens. glad got myself a powerful snow thrower. neighbors ( those without) better be nice to me..


"It's going to be awful. We've got an aging population, senior citizens who shovel their driveway, then the snow plow dumps the snow in front."

An ugly shouting match erupted immediately after the cuts were revealed, as councillors launched personal attacks against one another.

"You're a hypocrite, Denzil. You're an absolute hypocrite, and you haven't done the research. You've been on council since you were 12 years old and you don't even know the details in this budget. That's embarrassing,'' Councillor Adam Vaughan shouted at Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong.

"Adam, you may be interested in increasing the ratings on your television program, but I'd like to answer this (reporter's) question ... do you mind?'' Minnan-Wong fired back, a reference to the fact Vaughan hosts Hour Town, a monthly political special on CP24.
(Although by law, Municipal politics are not allowed to have political parties, still councils are some kind of "buddy, buddy party".)

In giving her presentation, Hoy said the city's "financial issues'' are on the revenue side.
Under provincial law, the city is required to balance its operating budget every year, she said, adding it has done that over the past few years in part by depleting the city's reserve funds and exhausting all potential one-time fixes.

Hoy said the "long-term sustainable solution'' to the city's financial challenges must include: Getting the province to pay the true costs of its social programs and resume carrying half of the TTC's operating budget; obtaining new and diverse revenue sources; and continuing cost-control measures.

The city's operating budget in 2007 is $7.8 billion. One-quarter of that pays for roads, garbage collection, recycling, parks and recreation services and libraries.
A third covers provincially mandated programs, and another third is spent on TTC**, police, fire and ambulance.
(glad, ms Hoy didn't ask any savings from fire and ambulance budget, wise move)

Hoy asked for $30 million in savings from the TTC and $10 million from the police.
The TTC came up with $6 million, police $3 million.
(not enough, you two!!)

Still up for consideration by the TTC are measures such as mothballing the Sheppard subway line, eliminating more than 20 bus routes, and a fare hike. The transit commission plans to hold public consultations in September and make a final decision on those reductions afterward.

**Toronto Transit Commission (mass transit system)

Public Service from Police Services:
THE ARE 4000 bikes stolen every year in the City. To help the Police Re-unite the re-covered Bicycles to their rightful owners and help prosecute the criminals, registration of Bikes is now offered on Line Free of Charge... visit this link and help stop the crime, register your bike...

http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/bike/

Shattered HAVEN!!!

Jordan Manners, 15 shot and killed inside his school, Wednesday afternoon, by an unknown assailant, the first to happen in the City.

Shattered HAVEN!!!
Today headline, today’s high 26Celcius; Front Page, "Don’t Die Jordan"... his best friend pleaded . His eyes opened but unseeing. And without saying a word Jordan collapsed at the Floor at the bottom of the stairwell inside their school in the pool of blood.

It was 2:30 PM Wednesday, May 24, the Coroner confirmed that Jordan Manners, just turned l5, a gifted student in Arts and Drama, had been felled by single gunshot to the chest and two hours later was pronounced dead at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, his mother collapsed outside when told of the dreadful news.

Toronto now has the ignominious distinction of having its first fatal shooting inside a school.

There are too many sides to the story of why this sad and tragic incident happened in a place where Children are supposed to be safe. The Police is not giving much information about the motives and the prospect of an arrest for the slaying, but here are some of the accounts from classmates, neighbours, relatives and eyes witnesses leading to the Crime, and some statements from the Police Authorities.
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/217623

Also from the Star columnist Rosie Dimanno:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/217619

Some will suggest that thorough check will be done on schoolchildren backpacks, but there is already a case about to be Decided by the Supreme Court regarding an appeal by the Crown of the Decision by Lower court that the Police dog snipping of a Student backpack charged of possession of elicit drugs was Unreasonable invasion of Privacy.

The courts has been consistent that the Police can not search a person or property without reasonable ground and discovery of such search is illegal and had no force of law.

Until the Courts finally decide that checking of weapons or any other banned materials on schoolchildren or students bags or backpacks is a reasonable limit of rights to freedom from unreasonable search, some of our children will continue bringing guns and knives and drugs in schools, and we may see another incident like this one.

But one thing we have in our side, this is an isolated case, the Very First to happen in our City and we believe that all parties, our leaders, our school officials and police services and social services agencies and parents will again put their heads together and spare no efforts and money to make sure that such will never again Happen.

We mourn with the Jordan's Family and Classmates and Schoolmates and we also encourage anyone with information that they believe will be useful for the police investigations, not to withhold any.

Update:May 28. Toronto Police made an Arrest of one suspects in the slaying of Jordan and another suspect surrendered, after his name and photo was published under judicial authority as the suspect is a minor. Both suspects, 17 are charged of First Degree Murder and both go to the same school. Under the Young Offenders Act, the suspects can not be named and the authorization ended with the youth surrender.

Toronto the Good...Are we still are??

Going home at 3 am after a night at the bar with a male friend, Toronto Journalist Jessica Hume decided to take a short cut walk home across the darkened road in her neighborhood only to be confronted by three stocky "scumbags" who robbed them both with force and violence. The male friend was beaten and stabbed and Jessica was able to get free and called 911 and the arrival of Police and Paramedics within minutes prevented any more serious injuries and consequence to the criminal acts.

And the Journalist is wondering what is happening to Toronto the Good where she grow up. And I ask the same question: what is happening to the city known only not so long ago as the Toronto the Good and the Cleanest city in North America? Have we gone downhill the way of most Metropolitan cities? Are our politicians not doing their jobs? Or are we getting complacent, taking everything for granted?

It is no longer safe to walk at night or any time of day without getting confronted by streets "hustlers" and small time druggies. And there are purse snatchers lurking in the malls, subways, though not as common, but one incident just too many for this city where years ago such are unheard of. And there incidents of Gun violence in our city streets, especially among our youths.

Well, for us residents of the city we can do our part by firstly, do not be a part of the problem, secondly, report any suspicious acts or any incidents either by calling the anonymous tips line (222-tips) or report them by calling your local police, or in emergency 911. If you pretend to be blind and deaf, you maybe contributing to the problem.

And for any refuse take a little walk. There are garbage catchers everywhere, in the bus shelters, every street corners. Put those garbage in their proper places.

Let's put back our city where it was once, the Good and Clean.

For Jessica Hume’s first person account of her experience click this links:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/215856

**********************************************************
‘Tis the season for B and E (Break and Enter) and here are the tips the Toronto Police Service how to avoid becoming the victim:

Keeping the B and E artists at bay
There are ways to protect yourself from theft. The Toronto Police Service offers the following tips:

• Avoid incentives. Keep windows clear of valuables.

• Get to know your neighbours, even when living in a high-rise.

• Away for a short time? Set lights on timers and leave a radio turned on so anyone contemplating a break-in thinks someone's at home.

• Away for a while? Have a neighbour pick up the mail, cancel newspapers, make sure the grass gets cut.

• Avoid leaving car keys by the door, and be especially careful if you have a posh car in the driveway – it provides greater incentive for thieves.

• If you live in a high-rise, report broken security cameras and parking-lot lights, and doors that are either being left propped open or aren't working.

• Don't be a victim of courtesy and allow strangers to enter a building behind you.

–Surya Bhattacharya

Now, don’t tell I don’t warn you. Have a good Spring and Summer ahead to all...