Beach Metro Community News October 4, 2022

Beach Citizen of the Year David Brown honoured

By Erin Horrocks-Pope

MEMBERS OF the Beach communi ty gathered at Woodbine Park’s Mil lennium Garden on Saturday to cele brate David Brown, a fellow local, the owner of Fearless Meat, and now in recognition of his outstanding com munity involvement and support, the most recipient of the Beach Citizen of the Year award.

The annual award, first presented in 2001, honours a community mem ber who has shown a long-standing commitment to their neighbours and the community as a whole. The award is sponsored by Community Centre 55, the Beaches Lions Club, and Beach Metro Community News

Brown was honoured at the Oct. 1 ceremony with words from his peers, including past award recipients Gene Domagla (2001), Pat Silver (2010), and Barbara Myrvold (2022), certificates and acknowledgements from local politicians, and the unveiling of a plaque on the Millennium Garden’s Walk of Fame.

The numerous reasons for Brown’s award were summarized by last

Toronto Votes 2022: See our profiles of candidates running for Toronto Council and the Toronto Catholic District School Board starting on Page 7. Please see our Oct. 18 edition for profiles of candidates running for the Toronto District School Board.

Local students honour Indigenous peoples at Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

THE NATIONAL Day of Truth and Reconciliation took place on Friday, Sept. 30. To commemo rate this day, the Toronto District School Board paid tribute to the First Nations, Métis and Inuit fam ilies and communities who lost loved ones as a result of Canada’s residential school system.

The event, which occurred at Withrow Avenue Junior Public School continued a national move ment towards reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples.

“We can’t achieve reconcilia tion without first recognizing our land, and the land in which our school sits,” said Beverly O’Brien, Principal of Withrow Avenue Junior Public School and the ad joined Quest Alternative Senior

Public School.

After a moment of silence in which students were encour aged to reflect on the residential school survivors, their families and those who were murdered at the schools, they then proceeded to honour the traditional keepers of the land through land acknowl edgment rituals.

Students transformed special objects of their choice into art and placed them in a circle, signifying the promise they’ve made to be stewards of the land and an ac knowledgement that we are host ed on the lands of the Indigenous peoples.

“We also recognize the endur ing presence of First Nations, Mé tis, and Inuit peoples,” they said as they collectively made the land acknowledgement.

O’Brien said that over the last

few years “Withrow and Quest have been on a journey to learn more about Indigenous ways of knowing”.

“We acknowledge that there’s much to learn and continue to do so together,” said O’Brien.

“We are grateful to everyone for gathering at our school for the National Day of Truth and Recon ciliation and Orange Shirt Day.”

Students in attendance sported bright orange attire, an ode to residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad.

The reason for the colour choice was explained to them by relating Webstad’s experience in a residential school.

In 1973, when Webstad was six years old she went to a churchrun residential school in Williams Lake, B.C. Her grandmother had gifted her a new orange shirt for

her first day of school which she proudly wore. Upon arriving at the school, much to her surprise, the or ange shirt was confiscated and her hair was cut.

“This made Phyllis feel that no one cared for her and that her feelings didn’t matter,” explained the student.

“Phyllis’ orange shirt is a symbol of so many losses experienced by chil dren who were sent to residential schools.”

The student’s were engaged cre ating their art tributes in the circle, and many showed a clear compre hension of the day’s purpose.

“I think that the importance of this event is that we are recognizing what happened and we are trying to take steps forward to ensure that the hor rors of the residential schools never happen again,” said Noelle Koffman,

PHOTO: ALAN SHACKLETON Students at Withrow Avenue Junior Public School and Quest Alternative School on Bain Avenue took part in ceremonies Friday, Sept. 30, during the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

Balmy Beach Club event on night of Oct. 7 to help raise funds for Jumpstart Canada

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A LOCAL teenager is orga nizing an event next week to raise money for kids who face financial challenges and cannot afford to take part in recreational activities.

The fundraiser on behalf of Jumpstart Canada, is tak ing place at the Balmy Beach Club on Friday, Oct. 7, at 7:30

Local Journalism Initiative

p.m.

Growing up in Toronto’s east-end, 18-year-old Mat thew Stansfield learned about the values of having an outlet as a child. When he was nine, he joined a sailing club and eventually became an instructor, an activity he revisits in between school semesters at Western Uni versity where he currently studies business.

“Sports were a big part of my life,” said Stansfield. “They always were and still are. And I was looking for a way to give back and thought this would be a fun way to raise money [for the cause].”

Stansfield decided to rent out a venue with his own

money and hired local band, Jade Monkey Trio, to per form.

He told Beach Metro Com munity News that all the pro ceeds are going directly to the Jumpstart Foundation, an organization focussed on helping kids participate in extracurricular activities.

“It’s a chance to boost their self-esteem. A chance to nurture their creativity and help them do better in school,” reads a statement on Jumpstart’s website. “It’s a chance to connect them to their communities, so they can be a part of something bigger”

Jumpstart funds more than 65 different activities.

For every $70 raised from

Stansfield’s fundraiser, one child will be granted access to play a sport for an entire season. “As a sailing instruc tor I really like to see kids feel the way I felt about the sport,” said Stansfield. “I really see, as they improve over the course of the sum mer, the boost of confidence they get.”

Tickets for the event are available for $50 per person. The purchase includes ad mission and one drink ticket.

There will also be a silent auction, one of the prizes be ing a signed Jonathan Toews hockey sweater. To order tickets, please go to www. eventbrite.com/e/beachesjumpstart-fundraiser-tick ets-409526152747

Talking about the past is key to learning about it: student

Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initia tive Reporter for Beach Metro Community News. His reporting is funded by the Government of Canada through its Local Journal ism Initiative.

a student at Quest. Koffman said that in order for this reality to be faced, the public must continue to talk about the past and learn about the original own ers of the land who “terrible things” were inflicted upon.

Following the tribute, the arranged objects remained in position as an outdoor gal lery for the remainder of the day.

Students then proceeded to their respective classes where education about Can ada’s Indigenous peoples and the legacy of Orange

Shirt Day continued.

Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for Beach Metro Community News. His re porting is funded by the Gov ernment of Canada through its Local Journalism Initia tive.

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Better

Beachers and Malvern alumni from 1962-72 invited to reunion at The Grover this month

JOHN WATT is organizing a reunion and get-together for all past and present Beachers from the 1962 to 1972 era this month.

The gathering, billed as the Last Blast by Watt as it is the final one he will be orga nizing, will take place on Sat urday, Oct. 22, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Grover Pub on Kingston Road, just east of Main Street. There will be a DJ at the event.

“I am flying in from Victo ria B.C. on Oct. 20 and oth ers coming from out of town and province, plus your local diehards that never left the

Beach,” said Watt of those who will be attending.

Of course, many of those attending will be alumni of Malvern Collegiate Institute from the years 1962 to 1972, said Watt.

Watt and his partner

Elaine Tanner, who also lived in the Beach for a pe riod of time, said the Oct. 22 date has special meaning to them.

In 1968, Tanner became the first woman to win an Olympic medal in swim ming for Canada at the age of 17. At the Mexico Olym pic Games in 1968, Tanner

Toronto Votes 2022

John Watt, in his old Mal vern Collegiate hockey sweater, is organizing a reunion for Beachers from 1962-72 at The Gro ver Pub on Oct. 22.

(known as Mighty Mouse) won two silver medals in in dividual events and a bronze medal as a member of the re lay team.

Scarborough Southwest candidates’ meet on Oct. 11

VOTERS IN Ward 20 Scar borough Southwest will have a chance to meet the candi dates running for Councillor at a meeting set for Tuesday, Oct. 11.

The candidates’ meeting will take place at the Birch mount Bluffs Neighbour hood Centre, 93 Birchmount Rd., from 7 to 9 p.m.

The meeting has been or

ganized by the Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Cen tre, the West Scarborough Neighbourhood Community Centre and the Scarbor ough Civic Action Network (SCAN).

As of Beach Metro Com munity News’ press dead line, Scarborough Southwest Councillor candidates con firmed to be attending the

meeting were Gary Craw ford, Parthi Kandavel, Philip Mills and Kevin Rupasinghe.

For more information on this event, including the op tion of viewing it remotely, please go to https://sswde bate.eventbrite.ca

For more on the Council candidates in Scarborough Southwest, please see Page 9 of today’s newspaper.

Main Street Veterinary Clinic owner makes generous donation to Beach Metro Community News

DR. ROBERT Donald Pep per Jones, owner of the Main Street Veterinary Clinic in East Toronto, believes in the importance of helping the community.

Dr. Jones recently made a generous donation to the fundraising campaign for Beach Metro Community News’ 50th anniversary.

A Beaches resident for almost 30 years, Jones said Beach Metro Community News is one of the newspa pers he always reads.

“It’s important to have a local newspaper and I do en joy reading it,” he said.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Beach Metro Community News that start ed in 1972 as Ward 9 Com munity News. As part of the anniversary year events, the paper has been seeking Sup porters in the community to help continue its work pro viding local journalism to residents. Beach Metro Com munity News is a non-profit community newspaper run by a volunteer board of di rectors.

Dr. Jones said he hopes his donation of $30,000 inspires other business owners in the community to also con sider becoming Beach Metro Community News Support ers with their own generous contributions.

“It’s an important part of the community,” he said of the paper.

Dr. Robert Donald Pepper Jones, owner to the Main Street Veterinary Clinic re cently made a contribution of $30,000 in support of Beach Metro Community News. Above photo he is shown at the clinic with some of his Ironman competi tion awards. The exterior of the clinic (photo below) has been colourfully painted to be reminiscent of shop fronts in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Born in Newfoundland, Dr. Jones graduated from the Atlantic Veterinary Col lege at the University of Prince Edward Island in 1992. Following graduation, he worked a solo practice in Wallaceburg, Ont., before moving to Toronto.

He became a partner at the Birchmount Veterinary Clinic in Scarborough in 1995, then the Medical Direc tor and Corporate Partner with AVC Canada (later Vet erinary Clinics of America) in 2008.

Dr. Jones started the Main Street Veterinary Clinic as a solo practice in 2013, opening in March of 2014 at the north west corner of Main Street and Gerrard Street East. He opened the clinic with an emphasis on work-life bal ance and quality, affordable medicine.

In response to the more than 100 hours a week he found himself working, the clinic has now expanded to four veterinarians and grow ing. Also at the clinic is pet weight-loss expert Stacey

Kew who helps clients with overweight pets achieve their ideal weight through education and support.

Dr. Jones said he is now semi-retired and “loving it.”

Along with his work as a veterinarian, Dr. Jones also takes part in Ironman com petitions, practices martial arts and enjoys riding his motorcycles.

Also, he and his dog Fer gus were a St. John Ambu

For more information on the Main Street Veterinary Clinic, please go to the web site at https://www.mainstvc. ca/

The Other One of A Kind Craft Show and Sale returns

THE OTHER One of A Kind Craft Show and Sale is back as an in-person event next month at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 on Dawes Road.

The boutique craft show features an array of hand-

crafted items created by ar tisans, and food vendors put ting an emphasis on vegan treats. The show is set for Saturday Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The annual show was put on hold for the past two

years as an in-person event due to COVID-19. This year’s show is raising funds for The Scarborough Women’s Cen tre and The Beaches Mental Health Wellness Centre. For more info, email vickytsorli nis@rogers.com

PHOTOS: ALAN SHACKLETON

lance Therapy Dog Team five years before COVID hit and Ronan, his nephew, is follow ing in Fergus’ pawprints in November. Dr. Jones is also a St. John Ambulance Thera py Dog Evaluator in training which COVID interrupted as well.

Black Lives Here

Not afraid to try new things, Kita Inthirath builds her business in the Beach

curiosity and need to ven ture outside her small com munity drove her to quit high school. She had a good life, but she yearned for more.

DURING THE pandemic the thing many of us missed most was travel. Ordinarily, people will go great distanc es for work, adventure, and reuniting with loved ones, but unfortunately for count less others the reason is: survival.

We have watched this hor rible truth unfold over the past several months as mil lions of Ukrainians have had to flee their nation. This was the reality Kita Inthirath’s parents faced back in Laos in the 1970s during the Laotian Civil War.

Kita is the owner of Suoy Suoy, a beauty, wellness and recovery studio at 2487 Queen St. E., just east of Nev ille Park Boulevard.

Kita was born in Chonburi, Thailand in a refugee camp to Laotian and Vietnamese parents. Her parents fled Laos separately and eventu ally met in church at a refu gee camp in Thailand.

Though some people lived in the camp for many years, her father felt after a period that it was time to leave.

“My uncle had moved to San Diego and my dad saw his success as reason to move to a land with more opportu nity, but when he started ap plying for a visa, he quickly learned they were favouring people with families. Around this same time my mom was hoping to get to North Amer ica because she wanted to go to school and get a better ed ucation. My grandfather told my mom if she wanted to go, she had to find a husband to take her. Somehow my dad found out and they agreed to go together as ‘husband’ and ‘wife’. But when she told my grandmother, my grand mother insisted that they had to get properly married. So, they had a celebration and made it official. Eventu ally they got pregnant with me,” Kita elaborated on her parents’ union.

Her dad treated her moth er well during her pregnan cy and their relationship grew along with their family. When Kita was three months old, they were finally spon sored to come to Canada by her aunt’s church group in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“It was a rough 16-hour flight. When we arrived, it was April, and it was super cold. People from the church brought us boots and warm coats. That was the start of our life in Manitoba,” Kita said as she described her

family’s migration to Cana da.

“When we first arrived, we stayed in the actual church until we got our apartment. It was my mom who got a full-time job first as a sewing machine operator, so my dad took care of me until I was three and then he also got a full-time job.”

Around this time Kita’s younger brother was born (her youngest brother would be born when Kita was 11 years old) and their lives became more settled. Her parents were able to save enough money to buy a small one-bedroom house.

“We lived in this house un til I was 16. As we got older my parents let us rotate who got the bedroom so we could have some privacy. We never really thought much of it,” she said.

What also became part of Kita’s norm was being one of only a few Asian kids in her school; the only non whites were the refugee kids of the Laotian Catholic Community.

“They put us all in the same French immersion school. A lot of us were placed into ESL (English as a Second Language) classes because they assumed we didn’t know English. I was fully capable of speaking English. I didn’t know why I was periodically separated from everyone,” she told me.

This is an underlying prob lem with a good-intentioned system. No one thought to check if Kita was proficient in English, and it somehow didn’t matter that she was at the same school throughout her elementary years. Ev ery year she was pulled out of her regular classroom for “extra help.”

There is a stigma that goes along with being singled out, and the assumption (read: racism) in this case was

clear; in a very white school you don’t look like us so you must not be able to speak English.

Luckily for Kita, she is tough and was unfazed by this injustice.

“At my French Metis school, I was the only Asian person in my class. We learned about the Indig enous experience and that Chinese people built the railroads. So, whenever the opportunity came up that I could choose my own subject for a project, I chose to do it on my culture. Every chance I got I made it about who I was.”

When I asked Kita what inspired her to stand out and highlight her culture in this way she said, “In Grade 7 I was the only Asian. There was nothing about me rep resented in our classroom. I really felt unheard and being Lao was all I knew.”

Even though she grew up in Winnipeg, Kita was very much immersed in her Lao tian culture. “We made Lao tian and Thai food at home, and we didn’t have cable, so we weren’t really exposed to fashion or popular culture,” she said.

Kita and her brother didn’t feel so different from their peers until it came to food.

“Food wise we knew we were unlike the other kids who brought sandwiches to school. We had these snacks called Mama Noodles from Thailand that were a staple in our house. The other kids were curious about them as much as we were about their snacks, so we would swap,” she said with a smile.

The noodles became so popular that, ever the entre preneur, Kita and her broth er started selling them for a dollar!

Despite her strong marks and many team sports, Kita’s

“When I got to high school, I met more people and started exploring other parts of the city. I started to question is this all there is for me? So, I ran away to Toronto on a Greyhound bus at 14 years old. I had made friends online with people who made music. I wanted to write music and sing so I thought Toronto would be a bigger city to try it.”

After close to a month Kita was forced to go back home, but that experience of trying somewhere new stayed with her.

For years afterward Kita would bounce around be tween going back to school and working in Winnipeg, Witchita, and Toronto.

For her 19th birthday Kita flew to California to be with her best friend Sam. What was supposed to be a short trip turned into a few months.

During those months Kita and Sam decided to esca late their relationship and became pregnant. What fol lowed next was a series of cross-border highs and lows. Ultimately, after the birth of their son, Kita decided to remain in Winnipeg without Sam.

As a newly single mother Kita worked hard at many different jobs until she found her calling.

“In 2017, I started doing lashes. I saw how profitable it could be so, I flew to L.A. to take the Yumi course. When I got back, I rented a space in a studio and became the first person in Winnipeg to do Yumi lashes. After a year, I wanted to expand and that’s when I found Beautiful Bright Smile (a teeth whiten ing system),” Kita told me.

Continued on Page 21

BEACHES

Kerry Jackson

Angela Kennedy

PHOTO: MIMI LILIEFELDT Kita Inthirath is the owner of Suoy Suoy on Queen Street East in the Beach.

Tips to get the most out your extended healthcare benefits

massage and physiotherapy, are offered.

Kristy schippeL Guest Colum

With

2023 just around the corner, the last few months of the year can be hectic as everyone is looking to use up their extended healthcare benefits. As a registered massage therapist, I’ll share some tips so that you can get more value out of your upcoming appointments.

Know your coverage, and whether you’ve got additional coverage under a family members health insurance plan. Check to see what paramedical services such as acupuncture, chiropractic,

Some plans also include a healthcare allowance that can be used at your own discretion, or on related expenses such as gym memberships and personal train ers. If you’re new to the world of manual therapy be open to trying new things and see what works for you and your body.

Not experiencing an injury or illness? Then your wellness goals are going to be more preventative and maintenance focused; this is a great place to start building your healthcare team.

Regardless of where you are, start by having a conversation with a trusted healthcare prac

titioner. Tell them your wants so they can identify your needs, and if needed, refer you to other prac titioners where as a team they’ll help you meet your wellness goals.

No one knows your body better than yourself, so it is important to have a sense of what it can and can’t do and how you’ve been feeling leading up to your appoint ment.

Take note of your activities of daily living, sleep quality, stress levels, any movement restrictions, and things that provoke or allevi ate your symptoms. It is impor tant to be able to provide health information in full, so try your best to recall any previous and ongoing health issues and notify your ther

apist accordingly of any changes. This allows us to provide you with safe and effective treatments.

Having that body awareness will help you be more prepared to answer our questions, and wearing comfortable clothes that allow for movement, like shorts and a T-shirt, are always a good idea during an initial assessment.

If your overall health is great, you can try simple active range of motion movements to identify where you might need help. For ex ample, rotation, up, down, and side to side movements will determine the function and quality of move ment in the neck, shoulder, arms, hands, hips, knees, ankles, feet and so on. Does one side feel different

than the other? What sensations do you notice at end ranges? Take note of any differences between your left and right sides and how the movements feel and report these findings to your therapist at the start of your appointment.

Lastly, try to book your appoint ments in advance and in accor dance with the frequency deter mined in your treatment plan, this way you get to choose a time that suits your schedule with your preferred therapist.

Kristy Schippel, RMT practices massage therapy out of Active Healing Centre at 937 Kingston Rd., for more information feel free to contact her at kschippelrmt@ gmail.com.

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Letters to the Editor

New build on Glen Stewart Crescent concerns neighbours

With sincerity and behalf of those who live on this street in the Beach: I want to say what we’ve always said this about our wide, lovely street, but at this time we can not do so.

This unfortunate dispute has been going on for about two years now – at least it feels like this long.

A lovely piece of property - 29 Glen Stewart Crescent– with a ravine backyard went up for sale. The purchaser made it known that they wanted to build two large homes on the property as it is one-and-ahalf size of the average piece of property.

We met many times as a full street when we had an opportunity and strongly op posed this idea.

Instead, we said: “Please build a lovely, large home on #29 so if fits in with the other variety of well-kept homes on our street.”

With large financial support from the person who owned the property it was put forward many times the determination to build these two very large homes squeezed into the lot, plus a swimming pool behind one of them.

The rest of us on the street kept oppos ing the idea, but somehow we were no longer listened to and feel disrespected. As residents on our street have said: “Money talks.”

The first huge three-storey home (at least it looks three storeys to me) now almost dwarfs the home on the west beside it.

The house on the street behind the prop erty is now also suffering with the building of the swimming pool and the idea for a second house.

The new house being built at 29 Glen Stewart Crescent is shown beside its neigh bour to the west side.

We had our voting wish accepted and supported by the City the first time, and it is on record. Then a kind of battle began.

Our residents cannot understand why it wasn’t an appropriate decision to value our street as a whole and accept our votes whenever we met as a street group.

Patricia Wenger

Councillor candidate profiles for Ward 19 Beaches-East York

In order to help local voters make an informed choice in this month’s municipal election, Beach Metro Community News asked candidates for council and school board trustee positions in Beaches-East York, Scarborough Southwest and Toronto-Danforth to send us a short profile of themselves. Candidates who did not respond to our request are not featured in these profiles. Profiles of the Trustee candidates for the Toronto District School Board will appear in our Oct. 18 print edition, and on our website later this week. Please visit our website at www.beachmetro.com for more information on the candidates. Remember, Election Day is Monday, Oct. 24.

Sebastien Auger

I’m excited about the possibility of serving the ward in an of ficial capacity. I’ve been on the frontline as a successful local busi ness owner for over 20 years. In 2019 I started what became one of the most popular watersport rental companies in Toronto; prior to that I was a head-hunter for years; have been running a photog raphy business since 2004; and, ran a vacation rental business of several units for three years.

My interest in becoming a politician was born out of my own frustrations in dealing with the City. I was struck by the amount of red tape involved and the lack of willingness to collaborate. To ronto needs to be a partner with citizens and small businesses –not a barrier to entry. If nobody is willing to fight for this concept, then I’m willing to put myself out there to make a difference. I will use my lack of experience of politics and business savvy to work for you. Do not look at my lack of political aspirations as a drawback, but a benefit because I am here to fix the issues caused by bureaucracy – not join it. As the owner of service oriented businesses, I understand more than anyone the im portance of customer service. I truly believe it’s one of the most important parts of being a Councillor – something current parties forget. The fact that I don’t need to make friends with the mayor means that I can go to bat for the people without any fear of upsetting my chances of advancement in politics. I can deal with ward problems, not world problems. As a business, any problem has a solution. I WILL get things done. I WILL get rid of red tape. My platform isn’t a list of issues, it’s a promise. It’s a promise to be available to you, and to take actions. It’s a promise to deal with local issues first. I will be talking about specifics in a series of short videos on social media and I invite you to participate.

Donna Braniff

As a resident of the Beaches East York community for over 35 years, I have strong feelings and thoughts about this wonderful community and what we can do to make it even better.

Since day one, my love for the community has only been grow ing. With a Councillor like myself who feels passionate about the changes we need here, this community could become something that people can look up to.

My platforms include a wide variety of topics such as better protection, better waste disposal system, converting waste into renewable energy, better assistance programs for seniors, a more streamlined system for youth employment, better commute sys tem by understanding the specific requirements for each route, a direct platform to communicate with me where all the issues will be addressed within 24 hours, a professional development platform, cleaner roads, more events celebrating diversity in this community, and regular research and analysis to understand needs.

I believe that the requirements keep changing over time. It is important to hear out the people who live in this ward and act accordingly.

My action plan in simple terms, is to LISTEN-ACTION-COMMUNICATE. The people who live in this ward should be the decision makers on what they see fit for the ward. When we work together, all the changes that I would like to see in this ward, are definitely possible.

As a member of this community, I would like to welcome everyone to join hands with me and tell me what you would like to see changed; For I am here for you. To work for you, to work with you and make this a model ward for the rest of the world to be in awe about.

Adam Smith

I love our ward, from our beautiful beaches to our numerous ravines and parks. We’ve got great schools, great community cen tres, and many activities year-round. There’s no place I’d rather raise my son.

I’ve been deeply involved in the community for the 14 years I’ve lived in the ward, volunteering for many different initiatives, such as running the Beach Community Edible Garden, growing food for our local food bank, and delivering Meals on Wheels to seniors. I spent six years on the board of the Beach BIA helping our small businesses. I’ve lived a privileged life full of opportunity, and so feel it my duty to give back to my community.

That’s why I’m running for council, I want everyone to know the kind of life I’ve lived, with opportunities for success and a high standard of living. Because too many people do not. All is not well in our city, we have no food security, inequality and systemic poverty and discrimination persist, housing gets more unaffordable, small business retail strips are becoming ghost towns, transit is overloaded and traffic congestion strangles us, and the threat of climate change looms over us while over development makes our city less livable and trumps any concern for the environment or a sustainable future.

Our planet has finite resources, yet we live in an economic system that requires infinite exponential growth or it collapses, and we keep adhering to this counter-intuitive system de spite the fact it’s killing the planet. We must transition into a sustainable circular economy to secure our future, we cannot continue growing and consuming as we do. We don’t just need a change in politicians or policy, we need systems change. I have a vision, for our ward and for our city. Please join me in building a livable, sustainable Toronto.

Brad Bradford

I’m Brad Bradford, and I am running for re-election here in beautiful Beaches-East York. It has been an incredible honour to serve as your Councillor over the last four years. There’s no place I’d rather be than here in this special corner of the city, working for you.

Over the past four years we have found a way to keep our com munity moving ahead, and crucially - we’ve done it together. I’d be thrilled to have your support for another four years, so we can keep building on the progress we’ve made together. Our commu nity is characterized by its vibrant local businesses, incredible diversity, unique waterfront, and ecologically rich ravine system. Together, we have worked to build a place made up of safe streets, strong main streets, access to transit, with a range of housing options for all. Beaches-East York is a place to build your family, your business, and your future, no matter who you are or where you came from.

I’m running for re-election to keep building on the aspirations you have for our commu nity. We’ve achieved much together already - that’s why I’m here with my sleeves rolled up, ready to keep working with you to bring your ideas into reality. Street by street, we’re going to work tirelessly to install measures to make our local roads safer, bring in housing options that fit the needs of more people, deliver supports and policy changes for thriving local small businesses, and keep our city connected through investments in transit, infrastructure, and services. With your support, I know we can continue to amplify local voices, collaborate on solutions, and turn ideas into real action. Nothing important gets done alone. On Oct. 24, I am asking for your vote so we can keep making great things happen, together.

Frank Marra

Greetings all, my name is Frank Marra, a 12 year Beaches EastYork resident, and I am asking for your vote on Oct. 24 to be elect ed in Ward 19 as your new Councillor.

The reasons I am running are many but chief among them is that there has been much dissatisfaction with the incumbent who lacks a depth of commitment to responding or listening to resi dents. Whether it is his single-minded focus on bike lanes or lack of reflection on development issues, many are unhappy and want change. I am that change.

The qualities I offer to you are that I am a life-long city resident and bring the experience of living in other parts of the city and the certain knowledge of the need for a broader view to effectively help guide city policy forward, I am not beholden to any party or person. It starts with resi dents and their knowledge and experience which is too often dismissed or ignored in decision making that affects them directly. I’ll listen first and act later so that your views are taken into account first, last and always.

You want to be sure that your voice at City Hall is being expressed and that will be even more important now with strong mayor powers set to be used to override resident concerns and representation. That is vital in the areas of development and city finances, two areas where my education and experience can contribute greatly.

In closing, I invite you to learn more about my campaign platform by visiting my election webpage, VoteFrankMarra.ca. Sign up to be a volunteer, request a lawn sign or contribute or just to ask questions. All will be answered by me directly. And please vote, it matters very much too, for all residents and democracy.

For the profiles of Ward 19 Beaches-East York Councillor candidates Steven Thompson and Jennie Worden, please go to Page 16

Trio of candidates’ meeting planned for Beaches-East York this month

WARD 19 Beaches-East York residents will have a number of opportunities to meet with the candidates in this month’s municipal election.

On Thursday, Oct. 6, the Beaches Interfaith Committee of local congregations within the Ward 19 boundaries hosts an event at Kim bourne United Church at 200 Wolverleigh Blvd. starting at 7 p.m.

The event will be held in a “meet-and-greet style,” and is not a political debate.

Organizers said the meeting format will be “informal.” Candidates will be offered two minutes to introduce themselves and then voters and candidates are invited to mingle.

The theme of is City Building with Equity.

For more information about this event,

please contact Paul Dowling, (chair of the Beaches Interfaith Group) at pdowling@rog ers.com.

On Friday, Oct. 14, the Danforth East Com munity Association (DECA) hosts a Coun cillor candidates meeting for Beaches-East York at Hope United Church, corner of Main Street and Danforth Avenue. It starts at 7 p.m.

On Sunday, Oct. 16, the Balmy Beach Resi dents Association, Beach Metro Community News and Community Centre 55 host a Coun cillor candidates meeting at Kingston Road United Church. It starts at 7 p.m. and will be moderated by Alan Carter of Global News. Send questions you would like asked to Alan Shackleton at alan@beachmetro.com

Community

OCT. 6: Meet the Beaches-East York Candidates, hosted by The Beaches Interfaith Committee, at Kim bourne Park United Church, 200 Wolverleigh Blvd., 7 p.m. The event’s focus will be on climate change and poverty and food security. Info: Paul Dowling pdowl ing@rogers.com, Nicholas White nr.whte@gmail. com, Michael Van Dusen mjpvandusen@gmail.com

OCT. 11: Scarborough Southwest Candidates Meeting at the Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre, 93 Birch mount Rd., 7 to 9 p.m. Organized by the Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre, the West Scarborough Neigh bourhood Community Centre and the Scarborough Civic Action Network (SCAN). Info: sswdebate.eventbrite.ca

OCT. 12, 13: Autumn Writing Workshops in The Beach with Beach author,Rick Book. Creative Writ ing for adults, Thursday evenings, Oct. 13-Dec. 1, and Writing for Children for adults, Wednesday eve nings, Oct. 12-Nov. 30. Workshop fee: $239 includes a free evaluation of the first 10 pages of manuscripts. Enrolment limited to 8 fully vaccinated adults. Info and to reserve space: rickbookwrites@gmail.com

OCT. 14: Councillor Candidates Meeting for Beaches-East York, hosted by Danforth East Com munity Association (DECA), at Hope United Church, corner Main St. and Danforth Ave., 7 p.m.

OCT. 15: Parking Lot Sale at St. Luke’s Church, 904 Cox well Ave., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Vendors wanted for outdoor sale (new or used items). Table and 2 chairs $40. There will be raffles/BBQ, homemade baked goods and jams, preserves and many vendors. To reserve a table: 416-421-6878 x 21 OCT. 15: Organ Recital featuring Rashaan Allwood presented by Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave., 4:30 p.m. (Freewill offering). Allwood will be performing a beautiful and spiritually-moving program examining our connection to God and the divine, with music by J.S. Bach, Bert Matter, Olivier Messiaen and some of Rashaan’s own original works. Info: www.beachunitedchurch.com

OCT. 15: Used Book Sale at Scarborough Bluffs United Church, 3739 Kingston Rd. (at Scarborough Golf Club Rd.), 9-11:30 a.m. Used books (no textbooks), DVDs, CDs, LPs. Handicapped access. TTC 86 & 116.

OCT. 16: Councillor Candidates Meeting, hosted by the Balmy Beach Residents Association, Beach Metro Com munity News and Community Centre 55, at Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Rd., 7 p.m. Moderated by Alan Carter of Global News. Send questions you would like asked to Alan Shackleton at alan@beachmetro.com

OCT. 22: Malvern Reunion “1962-72” at The Gro ver Pub, 676 Kingston Rd., 4-7 p.m. “Rockin 1960s/70” DJ. Host organizer John Watt. Lim ited capacity. Info: wattj928@gmail.com

OCT. 29: Acoustic Harvest Healing Garden Fun draiser featuring Allison Lupton, Tony McManus, Shane Cook, with Joe Phillips at St. Paul’s United Church, 200 McIntosh St., 8 p.m. Tickets: $30 Ad vance on our website www.acousticharvest.ca, or cash at door. Masking is strongly recommended. NOV. 3: Book Launch - An Unrecognized Contribu tion: Women and Their Work in 19th Century To ronto by Elizabeth (Liz) Gillan Muir at Noonan’s Pub, 141 Danforth Ave., 5-7 p.m. All welcome.

ONTARIO MOSAIC ARTISTS presents ‘Putting the Pieces Back Together’, featuring contemporary and origi nal fine art mosaics at Leslie Grove Gallery, 1158 Queen St. E., October 5-30. Opening reception: Oct. 6, from 6 - 8 p.m. BEACH PHOTO CLUB. Are you interested in photogra phy? We invite all shutterbugs to check out our local photo club. We offer a range of activities including guest speak ers, mentorship, opportunities to share your work, photo excursions, competitions, practical seminars and more! We meet the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from September to June, 7-9:30 p.m., at Beach United Church, 140 Wineva Ave. (unless specified in program). Info: beachphotoclub.com or email beachphotoclub@gmail.com

F8 PHOTO COLLECTIVE presents ‘Openings’ at Artscape Youngplace, 180 Shaw St., 2nd floor, Oct. 18-31. Meet the artists: Oct. 21 & 28 from 5-8 p.m., Oct. 22 & 29 from 2-5 p.m. Info: www.f8photographycollective.com

THE BEATLES AND THEIR WORLD: A 6-Part Lecture Series presented by Beach United Church (140 Wineva Ave.) with Dr. Mike Daley, musicologist and storyteller, Mondays, 10 a.m.-12 noon beginning Oct.17. The course will track the musical development of the Beatles while considering how recording techniques, the music busi ness, the music of other artists, and the larger culture of the 1960s affected them as they created their classic works. For info and to purchase individual lecture tickets

or the entire lecture series ($100) visit: https://www.

BEACH INTERFAITH OUTREACH LUNCHES resume

Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. •Mondays at Corpus Christi Church (16 Lockwood Rd.) •Tuesdays – alternating loca tions: St. Nicholas Anglican Church (1512 Kingston Rd.), Oct. 11, 25, Nov. 8, 22, Dec. 6, 20, Jan. 10 etc. and St. Aidan’s Anglican Church, (2423 Queen St. E), Oct. 18, Nov. 1, 15, 29, Dec. 13, 27, Jan. 10 etc. •Wednesdays at Beaches Hebrew Institute (109 Kenilworth Ave.) •Thurs days at Beach United Church (140 Wineva Ave.) •Fridays at Kingston Road United Church (975 Kingston Rd.). Lunch format may vary site to site. Info: 416-691-6869

VARIETY VILLAGE FOOD DRIVE until November 20 in support of Feed Scarborough, Food Securities initiative. Please drop a non-perishable food item to Variety Village, 3701 Danforth Ave., and let’s sup port our community and make a difference! Drop off: Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat & Sun 7 a.m.-5 p.m. BEACHES MENTAL WELLNESS GROUP meets each Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Community Centre 55, 97 Main St. at Swanwick. Info: www.mentalwellness. help. Or join us most nights of the week on Zoom. Go to: https://www.meetup.com. Ask to join us: Mental Wellness Peer-to-Peer Support-Groups

DANFORTH MENTAL WELLNESS GROUP. Join us most days for a free video support group run through ZOOM. Sign up and get details at https:// www.meetup.com/Mental-Wellness-Peer-to-PeerSupport-Groups/. Info: www.mentalwellness.help

GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS. If you or a fam ily member are struggling with gambling, Gamblers Anonymous is there to HELP. Call: 1(855) 222-5542 or visit www.gatoronto.ca

CHURCHES

ST. AIDAN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 2423 Queen St. E. welcomes you to join us for Sunday worship at 8:30am in person, or at 10:30 am in person or on Zoom. Wednes days: Mid-week service, 10:30 am; Christian Meditation at 7:30 pm. All welcome. Our energetic, active church offers varied opportunities for spiritual growth, vibrant Chil dren’s and Music programs, Youth activities, and a strong commitment to action on social justice and environmental issues. •Holiday Craft Market Dec. 3. Interested vendors please contact office@staidansinthebeach.com to arrange for a table. Info: www.staidansinthebeach.com, 416-691-2222 ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST NORWAY Anglican Church, 470 Woodbine Ave. Welcome to St. John the Baptist Norway! We are a growing community which enjoys the Anglican expression of the Christian faith. We gather to connect with one another and worship God on Sun days at 9 AM on ZOOM and In-Person or on Livestream at 10:30 AM. Info: stjohnsnorway.com, 416-691-4560

ST. SAVIOUR’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, 43 Kimberley Ave. All are welcome. We’re meeting both in-person, and via Zoom each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Call the church for info. 416-699-6512. Blessing Box in church yard: “Take what you need, give what you can”. www.stsaviours.ca https://www. facebook.com/churchwithreddoor/ Sermons available on Proclamation! Podcast (now available for free on iTunes).

BEACH UNITED CHURCH, 140 Wineva Ave., invites you to share in worship with us each week, offering in person and YouTube livestream opportunities on Sundays 10:30 a.m. •Oct. 9: Thanksgiving Service of gratitude and thanks that includes communion. We ask that all folks attending for in person worship wear a mask. Services are led by our creative and passionate music director Steven Webb and Rev Greg Daly our minister. In addition to Sunday services Beach United Church offers a variety of inspira tional music and educational programs open to the entire Beach community. Info and links: beachunitedchurch.com

ST. JOHN’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, 794 Kingston Rd., 2 blks. east of Main St. No registration required. Masks needed. Masses: Sat. Vigil at 4:30 pm, Sun. 9 & 11 am, Tue. - Fri. 8:15 am. Confessions 3:45 to 4:15 on Sat. Info: stjohnsto.archtoronto.org, 416-698-1105

FALLINGBROOK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 35 Wood Glen Rd at Kingston Rd, is available for inperson worship and ZOOM. Please join our Worship Services on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Angela J. Cluney. Join us for our Hobby Circle on the fourth Monday of the month at 2 p.m. Any hobby is welcome. For all details, ZOOM & phone links: email fboffice@ rogers.com or call 416-699-3084. Info: www.fallingbrook presbyterianchurch.com Everyone is welcome!

Councillor candidate profiles for Ward 20 Scarborough Southwest

In order to help local voters make an informed choice in this month’s municipal election, Beach Metro Community News asked candidates for council and school board trustee positions in Beaches-East York, Scarborough Southwest and Toronto-Danforth to send us a short profile of themselves. Candidates who did not respond to our request are not featured in these profiles. Profiles of the Trustee candidates for the Toronto District School Board will appear in our Oct. 18 print edition, and on our website later this week. Please visit our website at www.beachmetro.com for more information on the candidates. Remember, Election Day is Monday, Oct. 24.

Gary Crawford

As both a resident of Scarborough and in my representative roles as both Toronto District School Board Trustee and Council lor for a combined 19 years, I know Scarborough Southwest and the changes and challenges over the years.

I have met, spoken with and listened to thousands of residents working to improve their quality of lives in Scarborough and the City.

More than ever, we need strong leadership and real experience to get us through post COVID-19 and its economic challenges to lead Toronto to a strong recovery as well as to finish the good work that we have started such as improved community safety in our neighbourhoods and on our roads, affordability both in hous ing and the cost of living in Toronto and in shaping better neighbourhoods through more efficiency at the City and stronger community engagement.

After settling in Scarborough Southwest to raise my young family I was elected as Toronto District School Board Trustee, where I held many leadership roles including Co-chair of the Board, Chair of Facilities Management and Chair of Negotiations.

After serving for seven years as TDSB Trustee and with a passion for public service, I suc cessfully ran for City Council in 2010 for Scarborough Southwest and was re-elected in both 2014 and 2018.

Among my roles at the City, I am a member of the Mayor’s Executive Committee and have served as Budget Chief for the past 8 years. I am an active advocate for arts and culture and also serve as Vice-Chair for TOLive.

Parthi Kandavel

Growing up in Scarborough Southwest and raising my family here now, means I’m accountable to my own community. I am run ning to be your next Councillor to fight for Responsible Planning, Improved Public Services and to Protect our Neighbourhoods and Green Spaces.

Scarborough Southwest is being inundated with irresponsible development and planning without principles, all of which was done during COVID and without any genuine consultation with the community.

As your Toronto District School Board Trustee for the last eight years, and as a teacher, I understand first-hand how healthy, well functioning and sustainable neighbourhoods are the only way for ward. I know what works, what can be improved upon and what is broken. We’re seeing wave after wave of new market priced condos while losing affordable units where so many seniors, families, and long term residents have been our neighbours for decades. Of course, we do need housing options - options which are responsible, protect our green spaces and are at pace with public services. Schools in south Scarborough are near or at capacity - shipping students to schools outside their neighbourhoods is not an option I would ever support.

In the 1960s Toronto City Hall was ruled by developers. Prominent thinker Jane Jacobs and other visionaries, like Beacher John Sewell, led the fight to take back local control of planning and development at City Hall. They took control by volunteering and electing councillors who understood the value of healthy neighbourhoods and community centred development. His tory is repeating itself. We need to return to grassroots activism and take back control of our neighbourhoods.

Kevin Rupasinghe

I’m running to be your Councillor so we can share in a vision for a better city, better neighbourhoods, and stronger communities here in Scarborough Southwest.

I’m proud to live in Cliffside. I love Scarborough for the same reasons you do: the people, the food, the nature, the culture. Scar borough is welcoming and vibrant; that’s why I will raise my fam ily here. And I know there is so much more we can do to make it even better.

We need to make our streets safer for everyone getting around in our community. We need to make housing more affordable, so people can continue to call Scarborough home. We need to invest in better jobs, more transit, and new infrastructure, while protect ing our incredible natural landscape.

For years, we have tolerated the same ineffective career politicians who have failed to ad dress the issues that seriously affect you: the cost of housing is out of control, more people are being injured and killed on our streets, and there is no plan for how to shape the growth coming to our community. Worse, they have acted as significant barriers to progress, focusing on their own agendas instead of working proactively with residents to find solutions to critical problems here in Scarborough.

I have a background in Cities Engineering and community organizing on municipal issues, which means I’ve studied and know how cities work, and what 21st century cities need. Scar borough Southwest needs someone who is going to listen and fight for us all at City Hall. That is why I am running: it’s time to elect a champion for our community.

As your Councillor I will bring my energy, knowledge, and tenacity to City Hall to truly represent you in the fight for the future of Scarborough.

Corey David

I’m 33 and have spent 25 of those years in Scarborough South west. I’ve worked as a Machinist for the last seven years, before that I worked six years for Community Living Toronto and the Toronto District School Board supporting individuals with intel lectual disabilities.

I volunteered on three of the four last NDP bids for office and am the secretary for our Electoral District Association. I am a member of Socialist Action where I help organize civil actions and political education. I was on the picket lines when postal work ers got forced back to work, when Tropicana Community Centre workers in Scarborough were being mistreated. I went to “1492 land back lane” to stand with Indigenous people when they stood up for their rights. I’ve stood with Palestinians when they protested Canada’s complicity in the ethnic cleansing of their home land. I tried to organize a campaign to save the quarry habitat at Gerrard and Victoria Park. I’ve stood with houseless people and allies when the City sent the police to attack encampments, where I was beaten and arrested.

My priorities: Social housing driving the profit sector out of this city, no one should be benefitting from people living in desperation; Abolishing the carceral system that abuses and attacks minorities, the poor and the working class. I will not support any funding to the police; Protecting the habitats and green spaces of the city that are essential to our health and add to our quality of life; To commit to serious investment in public services and infrastructure to foster an inclusive, healthy and prosperous city; It won’t be easy but working people make this city run, we should be the ones making the decisions and together we can, for Scarbor ough Southwest and for Toronto.

Philip Mills

As a resident of Toronto, I’ve felt the deterioration of our qual ity of life, where everything just seems so much more expensive and inaccessible.

Our current Council is comprised of people who live very com fortable lives, and so do not directly feel the crushing nature of our financial reality. If they do not feel it, how will they feel the urgency to fix it? I want to be your Councillor because I feel that urgency. My focus would be to do whatever we can do to make this city more affordable for the lowest-income individuals.

A minimum wage that is tied to a proper, living wage; We want all these services to be available to us, baristas, fast food workers, and grocers, 24/7, but somehow we don’t expect that they should be able to live a dignified life working 40 hours at these jobs. I fundamentally disagree.

Creating a municipal broadband internet service that is treated like a public utility, to keep costs low and to bring some competition to Bell and Rogers, who at the moment have little incentive to offer cheaper services.

Building out Toronto’s cycling infrastructure comes with a few easy wins; naturally, on af fordability, bikes are cheaper than cars. Encouraging more people to ditch their cars will then have a cascading effect on the climate, as well as simply reducing traffic (in short, cycling infrastructure is a win for motorists as well).

Housing needs to get built, and rentals need to be in reach of everyone. What good is “Af fordable Housing” if the stat they’re using to determine that is market rate, which seems to have exploded beyond wages and support incomes? Services that work, term limits, account ability for Line 3 shutting down are just some of my thoughts.

candidates running for the Councillor position in Ward 20 Scarborough Southwest are Malik Ahmad, Sharif Ahmed and Lorenzo Berardinetti.

Votes 2022

Toronto Catholic District School Board candidate profiles for Ward 11 (Toronto-Danforth and Beaches-East York) and Ward 12 (Scarborough Southwest)

Re-Elect

Re-Elect Nancy Crawford

Catholic School Trustee, Ward

Catholic District School

Contact Nancy Phone: 416-425-8025

I am seeking re-election to serve the students and parents and Catholic residents in Ward 12.

I will work to strengthen good learning environments for our students, where students are nurtured and encouraged in mind, body, heart and soul, where student wellbeing comes first and stu dents experience a loving caring community modelled after the teachings of Jesus Christ. I will also advocate for good physical learning environments, that the School Board improve air circula tion and purification systems and repair or replace school build ings when needed.

I was first elected in 2010 as Catholic School Trustee at the TCDSB. I have served on numerous Board committees and chaired several. I have been Vice Chair of the Board at two different times. People describe me as calm, balanced and a good meeting chair.

My professional experience includes over 30 years experience in Human Resources involv ing career management and employee learning. I hold a Masters degree in Education from OISE and am half way through a Masters in Religious Education at St Michael’s College, Fac ulty of Theology, University of Toronto.

I am an active member of my Catholic Parish of St Brigid’s and contribute as a Lector and Eucharistic minister and a Catechist in the Baptism preparation program.

My husband Paul and I are blessed to have five children all of whom graduated from Catho lic schools, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild, many currently attending Catholic schools.

I can be reached at njcrawford7@gmail.com or 416-425-8025. Further information at www. crawfordforcatholictrustee.ca

District School

Faith

continual

school

of

In order to help local voters make an informed choice in this month’s municipal election, Beach Metro Community News asked candidates for council and school board trustee positions in Beaches-East York, Scarborough Southwest and Toronto-Danforth to send us a short profile of themselves. Candidates who did not respond to our request are not featured in these profiles. Profiles of the Trustee candidates for the Toronto District School Board will appear in our Oct. 18 print edition, and on our website later this week. Please visit our website at www.beachmetro.com for more information on the candidates. Remember, Election Day is Monday, Oct. 24.

Celine DiNova - Ward 11

njcrawford7@gmail.com

crawfordforcatholictrustee.ca

learning

students,

student

Celine DiNova is a retired secondary school teacher as of 2020.

for new

@nancyjeancrawford

school

is running for the Trustee seat in Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Ward 11 because she believes a Trustee should return calls and emails from constituents; be a liaison with par ents, school boards, and city officials; communicate with parents, school board and community in the best interest of the children, should preserve the Catholic faith and Integrity of the Catholic Teachings; should provide faith-focused opportunities in schools and the community; should honour parental authority; and pro vide and foster faith in schools, the community and families.

nancy.crawford.710

DiNova was the first event skilled/careers trade event devel oper and coordinator in the Peel Board, and was an Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) representative for the community and school.

She was a Student Safety School Coordinator and liaison for the construction business in dustry. She was a Canada Wide Scholarship (Fiorio) Liaison, and a World Youth Day Parish Leader/Coordinator in Rome, Italy and Downsview, Ontario.

She is a parish fundraiser and event planner; a Queen of Apostles Retreat Team Leader; a Rosary Apostolate and a CWL member.

District

Councillor candidate profiles for Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth

In order to help local voters make an informed choice in this month’s municipal election, Beach Metro Community News asked candidates for council and school board trustee positions in Beaches-East York, Scarborough Southwest and Toronto-Danforth to send us a short profile of themselves. Candidates who did not respond to our request are not featured in these profiles Profiles of the Trustee candidates for the Toronto District School Board will appear in our Oct. 18 print edition, and on our website later this week. Please visit our website at www.beachmetro.com for more information on the candidates. Remember, Election Day is Monday, Oct. 24.

Wali Abro

Wali became a Canadian citizen just this past winter, having immigrated from Pakistan nearly 10 years ago. He bought into the clichéd image of Canada: That it was fair, compassionate, and built in partnership with the Indigenous peoples of this land. That image was quickly shattered. Now, he’s fighting for the Canada that was promised. To those ends, he has long been an advocate for electoral reform, holistic social supports, and decolonization.

He’s an active community volunteer, keeps close to the grassroots, and is a passionate activist for Indigenous rights. He’s running on a platform featuring:

1) Immediate housing for people experiencing homelessness or precarious housing.

2) Guaranteeing basic needs are met for all.

3) Affordable or free public transit.

4) Mass expansion of public transit routes, frequency, and quality of service.

5) Wrap-around supports to nurse those who’ve experienced poverty back to full physical and mental health, allowing them to successfully return to being full, active, healthy, produc tive, contributing members of society.

6) Improved public safety by significantly defunding and disarming the police, and using the savings to address the root cause of nearly all crimes (including theft, drug use, and even seemingly random violence): poverty/inequality.

7) Rebuilding Toronto’s infrastructure with climate change and population growth in mind.

8) Electoral reform to make this undemocratic system democratic and responsive to the will of the people by eliminating first-past-the-post, and implementing ranked ballots.

Paula Fletcher

John De Marco

John De Marco, if elected, will be one voice and one vote at tempting to encourage a majority on Council to vote for positive change.

He is aware that control at Toronto City Council should be in the hands of the elected but the reports and recommendations come from city staff bureaucrats who sometimes have an agenda that does not address the needs of the people living and work ing in the city. When Council accepts what the bureaucrats hand them 82 per cent of the time how much control does Council have over what needs to be done?

Our debt is closing in on $2 billion and the elected can’t say no to frivolous spending. A responsible parent says no to a child that demands something but adult councillors can’t say no. When councillors do not challenge the veracity of reports they are handed then the decisions are predetermined and rubber stamps are the misguided support that runs our system.

We need to stop blaming the system and fix it. Our building permit system is in need of a fix. This will allow builders to build more cheaply and with a better designed system to pro vide the affordable housing called for so often. Toronto’s system needs fixing to move it from 63rd position to something workable. The system should be online.

Our business community has been hammered for almost three years and we need them. They provide jobs and revenues. Without them homeowners would have to pick up the slack and pay more in property taxes and water taxes. Council should not be looking for more ways to tax our business community.

Our seniors are the foundation that built Toronto. Council should not be treating them like stale bread or push them aside because some had the temerity to become ill.

Paula Fletcher has a long record of service to Toronto-Danforth residents. She became involved as a leader in the East End Parent Network and was elected as the TDSB Trustee in 2000. Paula was elected as City Councillor for the former Ward 30 in 2003 and has served as Councillor since. She was re-elected in 2018 to represent the new Ward 14.

Paula is focused on creating and protecting affordable housing, improving road safety, fighting the climate crisis, collaborating on public realm improvements, parks and green spaces, and improv ing public transit. She works with residents, business owners and community agencies to build vibrant, healthy, inclusive neigh bourhoods and she has been a strong progressive voice at City Hall. Toronto is now facing big challenges – the impacts of the pandemic, the rising cost of living, the push to privatize and cut public services, climate change, and the growing housing crisis. Paula will bring her experienced leadership back to City Hall to take on these monu mental issues.

Over the next four years she will continue working with community members to fight for affordable housing, push for a new Renovictions Prevention Bylaw, build new parks and ac cessible playgrounds, ensure our parks are better maintained and winterized, make roads safer, save the Don Valley Park, take further action on climate change, support small busi ness, protect local democracy, create a waterfront for everyone, advocate for Toronto’s film in dustry and local arts organizations, and stand up for those most vulnerable. Paula has a track record of getting things done and will continue fighting for Toronto-Danforth and for our city.

You can learn more about Paula at www.PaulaFletcher.com and you can reach her cam paign at info@paulafletcher.com or 416-461-3100.

Other candidates running for the Councillor position in Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth are James Dyson and Denise Walcott

Advance polls for municipal election to be open from Oct. 7 to 14

By Amarachi Amadike, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

WITH TORONTO’S municipal election less than three weeks away, local residents will have a total of nine days to vote in-person, including eight days of advance polls being open prior to Election Day on Monday, Oct. 24.

Advance voting in Toronto is scheduled from Oct. 7 through to Oct. 14, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.

This is a major change from previous city elections as voters now have three extra days of advanced in-person voting.

Final voting opportunities are reserved for Election Day on Oct. 24.

To maximize potential voter turn-out, ad vance polls will be open during the Thanks

giving long weekend. This will help give vot ing opportunities to post-secondary students who are coming home for that weekend.

There will be a total of 1,460 voting loca tions across Toronto.

Fifty of those will be advance voting sites, as each of the city’s 25 wards will have two locations for voters who prefer to cast their votes in advance.

To be eligible to cast a vote, residents must be Canadian citizens and at least 18 years of age. Property owners must vote in the ward they live in. If the voter is a non-resident of Toronto, they or their spouse must own or rent property in the city.

By law, an eligible voter can only vote once regardless of how many properties they own or rent within the city.

For the first time, the more than 1.89 mil

lion eligible electors in Toronto’s municipal election also have a mail-in voting option. However, the deadline to register for it was Sept. 23.

Although the deadline for voters to con firm if they are on the voters’ list and update their information online was also Sept. 23, they can still add their names by calling 311 or emailing VoterRegistration@toronto.ca before Friday, Oct. 14 at 4:30 p.m.

It is important to remember that eligible voters can also add themselves to the list when they go to the polling station to vote during advance voting days or on Election Day

When going to a polling station, voters are advised to bring their Voter Information Card (VIC) and government identification which clearly shows their name and Toronto

address.

Types of acceptable identification are available on the Toronto Elections webpage. This process is to help officials easily con firm voter eligibility.

The VIC provides information about when and where to vote during both advance vote period and on Election Day. The card on its own cannot be used as identification at the polling station.

For more information on how you can vote in Toronto’s municipal election this month, please go to www.toronto.ca/city-govern ment/elections/voter-information/ Amarachi Amadike is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for Beach Metro Com munity News. His reporting is funded by the Government of Canada through its Local Journalism Initiative.

Arts

Openings photo exhibit presented by f8 Collective

THE LOCALLY based f8 Photography Collective (‘f8’) celebrates its 14th year of creating contemporary pho tography, with an exhibition in Toronto’s West Queen West area.

The show, Openings, will take place at Artscape Youngplace, 180 Shaw St., from Oct. 18 to 31.

f8 members Maureen Lit tlewood, Catherine MacKin non, Rod Trider, John Wal lace are participating with guest artists Lily Markovic, Colleen Pollack, Anthony Schatzky and Jonathan Ward.

The members are look ing forward to the in-person Openings exhibition. The name Openings suggests

transition between environ ments and states.

Each of the eight photog raphers taking part has a unique perspective so visi tors will see images with a diverse interpretation, sub ject matter, or representa tion.

Images could be architec tural. They could be from nature – a flower unfurling, a break in the clouds, a crack in the ice, the beak of a bird call. They could show how we emerge from pandemic lockdown to enjoy a street scene or recreation, and how our lives may have changed.

Everyone is invited to the F8 exhibit which take place in the second-floor hallway gallery at Artscape Young

place.

Exhibit hours are Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Visiting hours will be extended when the artists are in attendance. The art ists will be present Oct 21, from 5 to 8 p.m.; Oct 22, from 2 to 5 p.m.; Oct 28, from 5 to 8 p.m.; and Oct 29, from 2 to 5 p.m.

For further details on the Openings exhibit, please contact John Wallace at zig gydoodle9815@gmail.com

The f8 Photography Col lective can also be accessed on Facebook at www.face book.com/f8photographycol lective or on the website at www.f8photographycollec tive.com

Kingston Road Village Concert series begins Oct. 21

THE KINGSTON Road

Village Concert Series for 2022/2023 begins this month.

All of the concerts will take place at Kingston Road United Church, 975 Kingston Rd.

Concerts scheduled for this season are Welcome to the Cabaret on Friday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m.; Sultans of String Christmas Caravan on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 7 p.m.; Side by Side - Winter Bach #1 on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023; and Side by Side - Winter Bach #2 on Saturday, March 4, at 7:30 p.m.

Advance tickets for all con certs are $35, and they are $40 at the door.

Children under 12 are ad mitted free.

Those attending concerts should know that food bank donations are always grate fully accepted.

The season opening con cert, Welcome to the Caba ret, features Reilly Nelson, mezzo soprano, Kevin Ahfat, piano/organ and John Lett ieri, accordion.

Drinks will be served and those attending (who are of legal age) can relax with a cocktail while Reilly of fers songs made famous by Vera Lynn and Molly Drake, subversive refrains by Kurt Weill, the contemporary wit of William Bolcom and some ever-popular Neapolitan airs.

In December, the Kingston Road Village Concert Series is thrilled to welcome back the Sultans of String Christ mas Caravan.

The Sultans of String pre formed a memorable 2019 Christmas concert at Kings ton Road United.

“If you are planning just

Dr.

one Christmas concert for this year’s holiday, then this is the one,” said the organiz ers.

The Side by Side - Winter Bach #1 concert in January features Toronto Symphony musicians performing sideby-side with their University of Toronto music students.

TSO principal cellist Joe Johnson plays the C.P.E. Bach concerto in A minor and violin soloist Mark Few er leads the orchestra in J.S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite no. 3.

The Side by Side - Winter Bach #2 concert in March features the Double Violin Concerto of J.S. Bach per formed by extraordinary vio linist Fewer, and J.S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite no. 1.

To order tickets or for more information, please go to www.kruc.ca/concertseries

Romano-Dwyer

for Trustee for

15, 16, 17,

served as trustee in 1997-2000

intense

renewed sense of

Toronto

is running for mental health and wellness, clean air, and modernized

buildings.

A look back to Queen and Lee in 1995

By David Van Dyke

Upcoming Scarborough Music Theatre production to celebrate 40 years at Scarborough Village Theatre

DURING THE time that things were shut down due to COVID-19, Scarborough Music Theatre quietly cel ebrated its 60th anniversary season.

Now that they are back with their first full subscrip tion season since then they plan to be louder about cel ebrating having spent the past 40 years performing at Scarborough Village Theatre at Kingston and Markham roads.

Scarborough Village The atre, part of the Scarborough Village Recreation Centre, officially opened on Sept. 23, 1982 with the opening night

of Scarborough Theatre Guild’s production of A Flea In Her Ear.

Prior to the opening of the new theatre both Scar borough Theatre Guild and Scarborough Music Theatre were performing at Play house 66, a converted church at 66 Denton Ave, in the Pharmacy and Danforth av enues area. The two groups were joined in the new Scar borough Village Theatre by Scarborough Players and all three groups worked to gether under the banner of Playhouse 66, later changing the name to Theatre Scar borough. Scarborough Music

Theatre’s first show in the new theatre, West Side Story, opened on Nov. 4, 1982. This season’s production of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, will open on the 40th anni versary of that date, Nov. 4, 2022. The opening night au dience can look forward to celebrating with cake and other surprises. Anniver sary events will also include free workshops offered by all three of the Theatre Scarbor ough groups.

To buy tickets to upcom ing shows and for more information on Theatre Scarborough, go to www. TheatreScarborough.com

PHOTO: RAYMOND MONTANA

PHOTO: DAVID VAN DYKE

Open Doors: Spiritual Matters

Welcome to the Cabaret

Friday, Oct. 21 • 7:30 pm

Nelson mezzo soprano

piano/organ

Concert Series

Drinks will be

offers songs made famous by

Lynn and

by

Sultans of String Christmas Caravan

Wednesday, Dec. 21 • 7:00 pm.

We are thrilled to welcome them back to our concert series after their wildly successful 2019 Christmas Concert.

If you are planning just one Christmas concert for this year's holiday, then this is the one!

National Day of Truth and Reconciliation honours the Hosts of the Land

September 30 marked the National Day of Truth and Reconcilia tion known as Orange Shirt Day. Although it is declared as a statutory holiday by the federal government, the day cannot be treated as another day off from work to enjoy a long weekend.

Orange Shirt Day carries dark memories from our past that has crept into our present realities. It is a day of reflection, a day of intro spection, and a day of sin cere admission that we have failed the owners of this land Turtle Island.

The discovery of the mass graves of Indigenous chil dren made the stories we read in the books very real. We don’t need another mass grave to be unearthed to rec ognize the trauma the Indig enous community face every day.

It is a generational trau ma. The repercussion of the systemic oppression and the cultural genocide still continues as social inequi ties. Data on incarcerations, poverty levels, suicide rates, homelessness, education at tainment, etc., shows how Indigenous communities are failed by the people who they welcomed with open hands to their lands.

The inequities will take generations to fix. We can’t expect the state alone to heal the wounds. We as faith communities have a moral responsibility to build au thentic allyship with Indig enous communities that are neither performatory nor transactional nor self-pro motional.

When more than 75 Cana dian Imams read out a state ment in the summer of 2021 in the aftermath of the un earthing of the mass graves, I, as an imam at the Danforth Islamic Centre, too read the statement to my congrega

tion. The last paragraph of that statement confronted me. “Our pledge to you as Relatives: We will stand and work with you to bring heal ing, justice and peace with Truth and Reconciliation.”

It questioned my integrity and bare laid in front me to the bitter truth: “Can I truly stand by this statement?”

I’m a Muslim settler on the Turtle Island. My duty towards Indigenous com munities is mandated by the religion. We are reminded in our tradition of the first Muslim migrants who, flee ing oppression in Makkah, came to Abyssinia (present day Ethiopia) and then on to Medina. The example of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) was to acknowledge and honour the hosts and leaders of the lands wher ever they went.

In fact, when the first refu gees visited Abyssinia, they recounted the story of Jesus and Mary in the Qur’an as a way of honouring and ac cepting the Christian tradi tions of the reigning King. These traditions magnified the sense of guilt I had of not doing enough to acknowl edge the Indigenous peoples and traditions of this land.

That self-reflection led me to start my own contribution to the National Truth and Reconciliation effort and be gin my journey as an ally to the Indigenous brethren. It gave birth to the “MuslimIndigenous Connection” pro gram.

As Muslims we follow the Prophets of God in terms of their actions and the mod el that they stood for. All prophets from Abraham to Noah to Moses to Jesus to Muhammad stood against injustice and advocated for the marginalized and the op pressed. They were sources of light, love, and reconcilia tion when the world was en gulfed in darkness.

The Muslim-Indigenous Connection (MIC) program

is a small candle lit in the hopes of achieving great out comes. Running in its second year, the program trains 25 Muslim youth to embark on the journey of reconcilia tion by providing them with multiple opportunities to learn from Indigenous elders about native spirituality, val ues, beliefs and struggles.

MIC participants also get to do a site visit to an Indig enous reserve to internal ize what they learned. They also engage as small groups to implement micro projects in consultation and partner ship with local Indigenous organizations to bring about a change in the community.

It is apparent that the legacy of residential schools caused Indigenous brethren to lose trust in faith institu tions. The young partici pants in the Muslim-Indig enous Connection program attempt to rebuild that trust through authentic engage ment and relationship.

Because MIC believes, at its core, trust building takes time, sometime generations, and cannot be achieved by participating in advocacy and relief activities only when the challenges faced by the Indigenous commu nity hit the headlines.

Hence, the premise of our program is “planning for seven generations” which is a sacred concept among the Indigenous peoples. It urges current generations to live and work for the benefit of the seventh generation into the future. This is akin to the Islamic concept of account ability, sustainability, and stewardship.

The reconciliation work I started last year attempts to get everyone in the Mus lim community involved in this moral responsibility. I’m hopeful the vibrant Muslim youth will set the stage and inspire others to join hands.

Imam Irshad Osman is with the Danforth Islamic Centre.

Side by Side

Winter Bach #1

Sunday, January 22 • 2 pm.

Toronto Symphony musicians perform side-by-side with their University of Toronto music students.

TSO principal cellist Joe Johnson plays the C.P.E. Bach concerto in A minor and violin soloist Mark Fewer leads the orchestra in J.S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite no. 3.

BachSideBySide1.eventbrite.com

Advance tickets $35, $40 at the

*Food Bank donations gratefully accepted

all concerts

SultansChristmasCaravan.eventbrite.com

Advance tickets $35, $40 at the door

Side by Side

Winter Bach #2

Saturday, March 4 • 7:30 pm.

Enjoy the Double Violin Concerto of J.S. Bach performed by extraordinary violinist Mark Fewer. Witness Toronto Symphony musicians and their University of Toronto students perform side by side in a C.P.E. Bach String Symphony and J.S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite no. 1.

BachSideBySide2.eventbrite.com

Advance tickets $35, $40 at the door

iMan irshad OsMan Danforth Islamic Centre

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

The Danforth Islamic Centre has formed the Muslim-Indigenous Connection (MIC) program as part of Truth and Reconciliation efforts

Councillor candidate profiles for Ward 19 Beaches-East York

Steven Thompson

The Beaches-East York community has always been home to me, and I am devoted to the community. I live by Balmy Beach with my wife raising our five-year-old daughter. Improving the community is my motivation to run.

I pledge to work hard for Beaches-East York and to treat every one fairly and with respect. To serve our community, I will use my skills in team building and interpersonal relations to build a dedi cated team that engages proactively and responds to the needs of our community. We will ensure that everyone in our community feels not only heard, but also respected.

The environment, our safety and wellbeing, and housing will be my top priorities at City Hall while always checking in with the constituents to make their voices heard. I will make sure to work with a team of experts and reach out to get many different perspectives to ensure full consideration when new initiatives are put forth.

I want a community that works for everyone. I will prioritise safety for non-motorized ve hicles and pedestrians while also looking to improve traffic flow in and out of our communi ties. Updating lane use to ensure better traffic flow and improving timing on the traffic lights will reduce needless idling and help the environment. We need more exits off the northbound DVP before Bloor and to prioritize more Lakeshore lanes from Carlaw to downtown sooner.

We need to increase support for those who suffer from addiction and mental health strug gles. Too many families in this community have been dealing with these issues and I will work for those families to get them the support they need. I believe that if we increase our support for addiction and mental heath programs, it will have a beneficial impact on the whole community. Vote Steve Thompson for Councillor.

Jennie Worden

Hello neighbours! My name is Jennie Worden, I am the Execu tive Director of Orchestra Toronto, and I am also an activist, com munity builder, singer, and avid cyclist.

I am a born and raised Torontonian with a deeply rooted love for this city, and I have called Beaches-East York home for over a decade. In that time, I have seen the city I love become dirtier, more challenging, and less safe for everyone. I am running to be the next Councillor for Beaches-East York to change that.

I was a member of the Women in Toronto Politics steering com mittee, and am currently an advocate for tenants’ rights, a proud member of Toronto ACORN, and a founding member of East Enders Against Racism. My key priorities for my first term on city council are informed directly by my work in these capacities.

If I am elected to City Council, I will prioritize developing truly affordable rent-geared-toincome housing and ending exclusionary zoning policies. I will prioritize a robust funding strategy to improve and revitalize our wards’ parks, parkettes, and public spaces and work to retrofit and/or install accessible winterized washroom facilities.

I will actively support arts funding and programming to support local artists and bolster our East End artistic community. I will prioritize developing vibrant, safe, and complete streets that uplift small businesses and foster 15-minute walkable neighbourhoods. I will work towards expanding the SafeTO program into our ward to provide our neighbours with non-police and trauma-informed responses to community issues.

I believe that I can be the Councillor that we deserve: A Councillor who is passionate about the position they hold, and who is accessible and accountable. A Councillor who is free from corporate influence and unbeholden to existing power structures.

I am relentless in my commitment to trying every option, with everything I have, to make the Toronto that we want and need.

KINGSTON ROAD VILLAGE

Welcome

Cabaret

Reilly Nelson mezzo soprano

Lettieri

See

Beacher Finn Harding starts first season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Mississauga Steelheads

BEACH RESIDENT Finn Harding has signed with the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

Harding, 17, was selected by the Steelheads in the eighth round of the OHL Draft in 2021 (151st overall).

He most recently played for the Toronto Junior Ca nadiens prior to joining the Steelheads.

He began his hockey jour ney with skating lessons at the outdoor rink in Green wood Park, and then with the late Bob Acton at Ted Reeve Arena.

Harding played many sports growing up including soccer, lacrosse, tennis, soft ball, golf, sailing, and ball hockey.

He attended Adam Beck Junior Public School, Glen Ames Senior Public School, and Malvern Collegiate In stitute. While at Malvern he won the Hockey Award and Athlete of the Year honours.

Standing as six-foot,

Beacher Finn Harding is starting his first season with the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League. He recorded his first point, an assist, in his first regular season game on Sept. 29.

one-inch, and weighing 182 pounds, Harding is a rightshooting defenceman on the Steelheads’ blueline.

The Steelheads hosted their regular season home opener on Oct. 2 against the

Sudbury Wolves. The game ended after Beach Metro Community News press deadline. However, in the opening game of the regular season on Thursday, Sept. 29, in Niagara Falls against the

Ice Dogs, Harding notched the first point of his OHL career when he assisted on a goal by James Hardie. Mis sissauga won the game 4-3.

Beaches Recreation Centre holds 50th anniversary celebration

The Beaches Recreation Centre held an open house to celebrate its 50th anniversary on Sat urday, Sept. 24. Photo above, Sarah Hender shot points to a photo of herself taking part in the very first Spring Sprint to raise funds for the Beaches Recreation Centre that took place in 1987. With her at the open house was her daughter Emery Hynes, 8. Photo at left, Rowan, 4, enjoys the obstacle course set up outside the Beaches Recreation Centre during the open house celebrations.

inspired by courage of her parents

With her newly acquired skills Kita was ready to open her own beauty studio. “I ran my new studio as a single mom and still worked a few part-time jobs.

“In 2018, my relationship with my (new) partner who lives in Toronto became more serious. I felt that I had done all I could do in Win nipeg, I was ready for some where bigger; so, I started looking to bring my business here,” said Kita.

When I asked Kita what brought her business to the Beach, she said it turned out to be luck. “I saw the space online and asked my partner to go look at it. He said the area was great, but we really didn’t have a clue!”

Suoy Suoy opened Sep tember 2019, and it wasn’t an easy start, especially with

the onset of the pandemic around the corner.

But, through her social media presence and sheer determination, Kita has built her business a solid founda tion. Suoy Suoy provides a wide range of beauty and health related services, but what Kita shared with me most was her free spirit and confidence.

Kita closed our interview with this: “My parents influ enced me to go for more in life. They inspire me every day by their courage to leave their home country and start over. It is ingrained in my culture to take care of fam ily and now that I’m older, that’s something I strive for as well.”

Mimi Liliefeldt is a Beach resident and business owner.

She can be reached at mimi@ missfit.ca

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Toronto Catholic District School Board Trustee candidate profiles for Ward 11 (Toronto-Danforth and Beaches-East York)

Angela Kennedy- Ward 11

My name is Angela Kennedy, and I care deeply about kids: their lives and their education today, and the world they will live in to morrow.

Thank you for allowing me the privilege of serving as your Catholic school trustee in Ward 11 for the last four years.

I bring to the job my experience in raising seven boys, and now grandparenting ten fantastic kids. I want for your children the same important things I have always wanted for my own: safety, community, excellent education and opportunity.

I bring to the job my leadership experience: as an RN who was president of Union Local for ten years, I demonstrated leadership in founding a childcare centre which is still going strong 30 years later. At Michael Garron Hospital, I designed and delivered a dia betes education program that is currently used Province-wide.

At TCDSB, I have advocated for important new school capital funds; boundary reviews; admission to schools; bus stop changes; bicycle racks; and enhanced safety measures during Covid. I have taken on the responsibilities of Chair of the Board, Chair of Audit, member of Special Education Advisory Committee,member of the inaugural LGBTQ 2SLCommittee. I sat on the Suspension Appeal Committee, to ensure every child gets a fair chance.

My commitment to you is that I will continue to listen, to make thoughtful decisions, and to be present and willing to serve wherever I am needed. I will continue to protect Catholic Education. I am dedicated to our students’ education, and their wellbeing. I work tirelessly to find ways to make the educational experience better for our students, staff and our parents.

I hope that you will vote for me so I can continue to make a difference in the lives of our students.

Anton Perera- Ward 11

My name is Anton Perera, and I am a Canadian citizen since 2012. I migrated to Canada from Sri Lanka as a skilled migrant in 2008. I am an International Medical graduate and I graduated from the North Colombo Medical Faculty which is affiliated to the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka in 2001. I have completed all my Canadian licensing exams in 2012 and I am currently working as an Ophthalmic assistant with an eye surgeon.

I have been baptized as a Roman Catholic in my infancy. Both my parents were Roman Catholics and they have been instrumen tal in developing a deep respect and devotion to my faith. I stud ied at a private Catholic school in Negombo Sri Lanka called the Marist Stella College. It is a school administered by the famous Marist Brothers founded by Saint Marcelin Champagnat. My school molded me into becom ing an ardent follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. I have volunteered and served as an altar servant and have been a member of the college choir during and after my school years. I have been a lector at the Sunday mass. I have also been the president of the government doctors union at the Eye Hospital Colombo.

I have two teenage children and I am quite engaged in their studies. Over the last decade I have noticed the Toronto Catholic school system has been facing many challenges. The moral and spiritual degradation of the society we live in has been quite alarming. I seek your hum ble support in my election campaign to be the next Catholic school board trustee for Ward 11. I promise to work together with teachers, parents, and students to bring about the necessary changes to our Catholic education so that we can aim for a future where we all thrive in a soci ety both multi-cultural and multi religious in keeping with the fundamental values preached by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lisa Romano-Dwyer- Ward 11

Dr. Lisa Romano-Dwyer is running for Trustee in Ward 11 with the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

Lisa served as trustee in 1997-2000 during very intense years in education. The Education Reform Act changed how schools in Toronto were funded and removed the power of Trustees to levy taxes at local levels. There has been a lot of change in education across the province over the past 25 years.

Lisa brings a renewed sense of passion to protect excellence in Toronto schools. She has 27 years of professional experiences as school social worker and Trustee. She understands about the needs of students with exceptional learning challenges, student and staff mental health, and caring responses to life post-COVID. Lisa retired from her role as school social worker in August 2021.

Dr. Romano-Dwyer currently runs a private mental health and wellness practice in the Beaches. She worked very hard providing mental health services to adults during lockdown. She is a graduate of TCDSB schools in Toronto as well as St. Michael’s College at the Uni versity of Toronto. Lisa has two advanced degrees at the Master and Doctorate level mostly funded by academic scholarship. She has recently returned to teach in the Master of Social Work program at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. Her adult children are graduates of the TCDSB as well. She and her husband hope that her grandchildren will have the same option.

Lisa believes that she has what it takes to protect Excellence in Education. She is running for mental health and wellness, clean air, and modernized safe school buildings equipped to deal with climate change and air quality. Vote Lisa to protect the good in TCDSB schools and reclaim Toronto-the-good.

Kandavel

PERFECT TENANT

Brown continues tradition of opening heart and wallet to enhance community

a mature, dependable, female,

type

space to call home. It doesn’t have to be fancy but clean,

the

who is looking for a

and rent for no more than $1200./mo.

be truly ideal

the

other

year’s recipient, Barbara Myrvold, in her introduction of Brown. Some of those rea sons included his long-time social activism, affordable housing initiatives, firstresponder and veteran ap preciation, fundraising, and his work done to support his fellow local businesses throughout the pandemic.

tenant

“David continues the tra dition and example for oth ers to open their hearts, time, wallets, and businesses to enhance the community,” said Myrvold.

She pointed out during her introduction that stories of Brown’s activism have been heard far beyond the Beach community as examples of how “one business, no mat ter how small or local, can demonstrate leadership in maintaining Canada as an inclusive society.”

Upon being presented the award by Myrvold, Brown

expressed his gratitude to those who nominated him, voters, his family, customers and staff of Fearless Meat, the government representa tives in attendance, and his now fellow Citizens of the Year and their legacies of community work.

“I want to thank all of you for your support, of me and of the restaurant,” said Brown. “I look forward to being an ambassador for the Beaches going forward and continuing this great Citizen of the Year tradition. Thank you all so much, and please,

be Fearless.” Brown’s restaurant on Kingston Road, Fearless Meat, has won numerous awards in Toronto, includ ing best burger, best cheap eats, best food-server, and second-most child friendly restaurant.

Scarborough Players’ Storm Warning opens Oct. 7

SCARBOROUGH PLAY

ERS’ production of Storm Warning opens Oct. 7 at Scarborough Village The atre, 3600 Kingston Rd.

Though on the surface Storm Warning is a roman tic comedy with opposites attracted to each other, it is also the story of two dam aged people thrown together by fate.

In this two-hander, Emma Currie (Alex Saul) makes her way to Cabin No. 3 in hopes that the solitude will help her complete the charts for the Teddy Marx Orchestra. The year is 1953 and Emma is navigating her way in a man’s world.

Upon her arrival, Emma is as surprised as Jack Forrest er (Holm Bradwell) the care

taker of the cabins, that they are not going to be alone for the weekend. The year 1953 was an exciting time, people were finally feeling the war was behind them, and they had hope. Foster has cap tured this spirit in the play.

However dark and seri ous some of the topics might be, the dialogue is typical Foster: funny, touching and always very human. There’s something for everyone to relate to.

That humanity is what at tracted director David Eden to the script: “Sure, with a Norm Foster play you will have witty dialogue and fun ny situations, that’s a given. But this is one of his plays that deals with serious top ics. Emma and Jack are in triguing characters: he Is the brooding soul haunted by his demons and she always looks on the bright side. She has her demons, too, and Jack tries to help her deal with them. Jack is haunted by his memories of the war and what took place, and this is something that also drew me to the play. My fa ther was also a soldier, like Jack, in WW2, and he also fought in Holland. When Jack finally opens up about his experience, it reminded me of my father and how he never liked to talk about his experiences.”

Bringing Jack to life is Thea Award nominated ac tor, Bradwell.

He will be known to Scar borough Players’ audiences as Harry Bailey in It’s a Won derful Life, Spike in Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike, Frederick Fellowes in Noises Off, Howie in Rabbit Hole, Mr. Wickham in Pride and

Prejudice and Mr. Darcy in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley

Emma is played by Thea Award winner Alex Saul. Audiences will know her as Sister James in Doubt: a parable, Becca in Rabbit Hole and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice

A talented team of vol unteers have created the Pigeon Lake Cottage Court including set designer/mas ter carpenter, Greg Nowlan, stage manager and sound de signer Bodene Corbitt with all the builders and painters who come in every Saturday – Mary Nowlan, Sean Slevin, Noula Kondovski, Ted and Sue Gordon, Tom Bakker and Kevin McDonnell. Scar borough Players welcome Kelly Booth as costumer cap turing the spirit of 1953 and seeking just the right look for each character.

Producer, Katherine Turner notes that one posi tive coming back from the pandemic and the need for safety allowed Scarborough Players’ to consider a small cast show.

Storm Warning runs from Oct. 7 to 22, 2022. To order tickets, or for more infor mation, please visit www. theatrescarborough.com/ scarboroughplayers or call 416-267-9292.

Tickets must be purchased in advance. Scarborough Vil lage Theatre is a 248-seat thrust stage facility located within the Scarborough Vil lage Recreation Centre.

Scarborough Players are part of Theatre Scarbor ough’s which also includes the Scarborough Music The atre and Scarborough The atre Guild.

PHOTO: ERIN HORROCKS-POPE

David Brown was presented with his 2022 Beach Citizen of the Year award during a ceremony on Saturday at the Millennium Garden in Woodbine Park.

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