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April 2011
SPECIAL SECTION
Who you voted as Midtown’s best in...everything! Liberals ask Sarah Thomson to run in fall
‘Somebody out there knows who committed those murders’ Police and families are still waiting for answers — after 27 years
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How to bring a little green into your world
On the cover: Midtown Toronto’s troubling cold case files: Erin Gilmour and Susan Tice, victims of the same unknown killer
The makings of an important story
A
pet peeve of mine is listening to someone wax theatrical about the “curse” of his or her advancing age. For reasons probably rooted in the squirrelly way our culture developed, women are more often than men guilty of that social infraction, but the contrived shtick of feigned embarrassment about advancing age is an equal-opportunity bore. I knew too many good people who didn’t make it as far along life’s path as I have to insult them with nattering about what amounts to ... well ... still being alive. Especially when I consider that none of them died “fairly.” Life — not a fair proposition anyway — was taken from them through mishaps and circumstances, and neither of them was afforded the option of saying, “Oh, bother — look how old I am!” You can imagine how offensive it sounds to those who’ve had a loved one snatched from them not only through senselessness but by wilful acts of violence. I find myself in this sober head space now as a result of immersion in two stories we are carrying in this issue: one a newsworthy celebration of a fulfilled centenarian, the other of two innocent women who also made the papers — only not by way of being afforded the opportunity to sit down with a reporter at the end of the day and recount with glee a lifetime of experiences. On Page 9 you will meet Minnie McCurdy. I’m sure you will enjoy, as reporter Kelly Gadzala did, the spunk that still fires her engine after 104 years of living. Enjoy the tales as she recalls the music that formed the score for her many adventures. But save it for later. Its fun and frivolity will bring a smile to your face, for sure, but I suggest you visit (or revisit) the story of Erin Gilmour and Susan Tice first. Doing so won’t diminish any of the glory of Minnie’s story. To the contrary, it will give you a heightened appreciation for what it is to truly live, and a sobered perspective on what was lost to a murderous hand so many years ago. Erin Gilmour and Susan Tice are the two women you see on our cover — staring back from faded photos in the files of a cold case detective. Separate cases, though linked to a single killer, theirs have stumped cops for almost 30 years. Like Minnie, those two midtown Toronto women had lives and loves, hopes and dreams, and plans for tomorrow too. It was not celebration, but its opposite, that first
Dan Hoddinott Managing Editor brought them to other front pages back when. Reporter Joshua Freeman brings them to ours this month as he recounts the story and police efforts to find their killer. Thus made aware again, why shouldn’t we give them a moment of this day — one they could not have because of the actions of someone they perhaps didn’t even know? As fellow travellers through life, we might have expected it of them, had the roles been reversed. The story that Freeman tells here is a good read, for all the reasons journalists revisit unsolved crime stories, and that readers are drawn to them. But it isn’t as simple or as shallow as that. This being the last story he would turn in for Toronto Today, Freeman wanted it to be an important story. And I can attest to the dedication, the tenderness and compassion that went into not only the interviews and crafting of his story, but the respect with which Erin Gilmour’s and Susan Tice’s names were invoked. A story becomes important when it has an impact on, and makes a difference in, the community a publication serves. “Important” means different things to different people. Freeman’s story is at least memorable as it is. What would make it truly important would be if it in some way triggers a dormant memory, or piques an awareness that contributes to the killer being identified. It would come as a welcome relief to the agonized families, a satisfying conclusion for a police unit that continues to track down every new lead, and a fitting last hurrah for a dedicated reporter (the allure of greener pastures notwithstanding) and a really good person. APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY
News&Opinion
Cops still hunt killer Four months before Erin Gilmour’s slaying, Susan Tice, a mother of four, was found murdered in her apartment on Grace Street.
S
By Joshua Freeman
ean McCowan still remembers the December evening Those hours would stay with him and his family almost three decades ago when his sister died. forever. It was five days before Christmas, a year and a half “It’s an absolutely earth-shattering event. It was a after Erin Gilmour had moved from home on Oriole Park- tough day, a tough week, a tough month. It was a tough way to a Yorkville apartment. year. And it’s still there.” The Bishop Strachan School graduate had studied He is still surprised his family, especially his mother, fashion at Ryerson and was taking her first steps towards a career in that field, working in a nearby boutique. “It was a snowy evening,” McCowan recalls. “My mom and my stepfather had gone out for the evening. Erin had been at my mom’s house that day and she was heading out that evening for some Christmas-related function. “I had stayed at her apartment the day before. I was supposed to see her the next day as well.” But McCowan, 13 then, never would see his sister again. Nor would the beautiful, 22-year-old reach the Christmas event she planned to attend with a male friend. Shortly after she closed up shop at the Yorkville boutique where she worked, somebody raped and murdered Erin Gilmour and then vanished. Just 35 minutes or so after she closed up Robin’s Knits, her friend arrived at her Hazelton Avenue apartment to find the door ajar. Inside he discovered her body. McCowan didn’t find out he’d lost his sister until the next morning. “I woke up the following day, on the 21st, and had a massive crowd of people in my room and Shortly aft er closing had the news broken to me,” up shop a murdered t a Yorkvill . e boutiqu McCowan recalls. e,
TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
Erin Gilmo ur was ra ped and
was able to get through the ordeal. “To this day, I’m not sure where she found the strength to guide us through it. The fact myself and my brother — he’s two years younger than I am — made it through without any real, real issues is a testament to my mom.” Yet the unknown killer has remained a shadow throughout his life. Although 27 years have passed and McCowan now has a family of his own, does charitable work and is employed as an equity trader, the circumstances of his sister’s death remain an unsolved puzzle in the back of his mind. “You don’t officially ever move on. It’s always a bit out of focus.” Despite their efforts, Toronto police were never able to identify the culprit. Although Gilmour’s murder is considered a cold case, officers continue to investigate. “The biggest challenge in the work is to find that new evidence,” says Detective Sergeant Steve Ryan, head of the cold case unit. “Cold cases go cold for a reason, so the challenge is to find new tips, new witnesses.” Sometimes new technology helps the six-member unit move things forward. That happened a decade ago when it came to light that whoever killed Erin Gilmour wasn’t a novice murderer. In 2000, police used newly available DNA testing to link another murder to the Gilmour case. Just four months before, 45-year-old Susan Tice had been discovered in her apartment at 341 Grace St., a 10-minute drive from Gilmour’s apartment. The mother of four had recently moved to Toronto from Calgary after separating from her husband. After failing to make contact with her for several days, a relative became concerned and went to check on her, only to find her dead with several stab wounds. The connection to Gilmour’s murderspurred investigators, who saw it as a major step forward in a case gone cold. But nothing else turned up. Then, in 2008, they launched a new homicide website and announced a $50,000 reward for further information in the cases. Had anyone seen anything and not reported it? Did anyone remember having a wild suspicion at the time about who might have done it? All police needed was a name. With DNA evidence in hand, they would be able to conclusively test whether the person had committed the crimes. They even set about testing old suspects and persons of interest. “We go out and every person that was named in those two investigations, every per-
son who lived in the area who may not have been so law abiding, we try to track them down and get consensual DNA samples from them,” Ryan says. “And that’s what we’ve been doing the last few years now.” But they still haven’t turned up a match. It’s a predicament that frustrates Ryan. “We have DNA at both crime scenes,” he says. “It doesn’t get any better than that. But you need a person to match that DNA. And every person we’ve investigated thus far — none of them match.” Continued Page 6
DNA testing linked Tice slaying to Gilmour’s
joshua freeman/toronto today
Detective Sergeant Steve Ryan heads up investigation.
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Cont. from Page 5
The task may get more difficult with passing years, Ryan concedes. “The longer time goes on, you run into witnesses who may have passed away or left the country,” he says. “That can be a challenge. It’s something we haven’t run into yet.” It’s also possible, Ryan says, that whoever killed Tice and Gilmour is dead himself, in prison for another crime, or far away now. To that point, he notes, it’s strange there was never another crime linked to the two murders through DNA evidence. Still, he remains confident in the existence of the information he needs to lead him to the person whose DNA would match that found at the two crime scenes: the killer. “Somebody out there knows who committed those two murders and that’s who we’re looking for,” Ryan says. “Twenty-five years have passed — they’ve gone on with their lives and they just don’t want to get involved.” He’s hopeful someone who didn’t report a suspicion years ago, for whatever reason, will have a change of heart. “What I like to say in cases like this is, I ask people to take their mind back 27 years ago to the water cooler or dinner table, to when those two murders happened,” he says. “In a conversation perhaps someone might have said, ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if person X had done it, or my creepy uncle, or so-and-so.’ That’s what we’re looking for: just a name.” McCowan, who stays in touch with Ryan, shares that belief and has a message for anyone who might know something that could help police find the person who took his sister Erin away. “It is something that’s been haunting our family for 27 years now,” he says, adding that finding the killer “would bring closure, not just to my immediate family, but to friends, relatives, friends of Erin’s — my mom most importantly. “It would be a life-changing event, as the original crime was.” TT
Kris Scheuer
Mayor loves to privatize M
‘Take your mind back 27 years,’ cop says
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ayor Rob Ford has been in office for more than 100 days now and one trend that’s emerging quite vividly is his preference for privatization and partnering with the private sector. Exhibit A: the mayor campaigned on contracting out garbage in an effort to save money and avoid strikes. On Feb. 7, the city announced it had given CUPE Local 416 a 90-day notice that it plans to privatize all recycling collection in city parks, half of the city’s litter collection, plus garbage pickup in 165,000 residential homes west of Yonge Street to the Etobicoke border. City staff will report back on the issue in April and go to council for a vote in May. So far, the city estimates it can save $8 million if this move succeeds. Interestingly, right-wing think tank C.D. Howe Institute and U of T released a report before the municipal election outlining how Toronto could save $49 million by privatizing garbage citywide. The Ontario Waste Management Association, made up mainly of reps from private sector waste haulers, gave $50,000 toward that study. I’d like to see the upcoming city staff report explain potential savings in further detail, given some full-time city workers have a “jobs for life” provision in their contract that guarantees them city work if their positions are contracted out. And while the mayor is moving in this direction to avoid strikes, like the 39-day episode in the summer of 2009, there’s no guarantee a private sector contract will mean no strikes. Exhibit B: Ford has also touted the private sector to help the city finance his plan to build a Sheppard subway. The province has promised just over $8 billion, although deferred half of it to later years, to build light rapid transit for Eglinton, Sheppard, Finch and the Scarborough RT. Ford campaigned on expanding the Sheppard subway line so it connects to Downsview subway station and the Scarborough RT, and turning the Scarborough RT itself into a subway. He also wants to turn the Eglinton streetcar plan into a fully underground light rail route.
On Feb. 17, the mayor held a reluctant three-minute-and-21-second media scrum where he squeezed in three topics: his recent bout with painful kidney stones, his brother Doug’s comment that the mayor should get veto power at council, and the mayor’s request that provincial agency Metrolinx allow the city to pursue a Sheppard subway with private sector funding. While the mayor was short on details, the city would be looking for about $4 billion in private sector cash to build the new Sheppard subway, if provincial money is tied up in paying for a more expensive Eglinton LRT. Exhibit C: Toronto Community Housing was embroiled in a scandal Feb. 25 after city auditor general Jeff Griffiths released two scathing reports detailing more than $100,000 in questionable employee expenses and how the city agency could have saved between $4 million and $10 million by sending out contracts for tender rather than awarding solesource deals. Since then, Ford made comments on a radio talk show that he’d consider privatizing TCHC. This is another complicated idea, as the province mandates the city provide the current level of social housing, so it’s unclear what is involved in the city having a third-party-run public housing agency. Rest assured, this is not the last time Ford touts privatization as the answer to all the city’s woes, especially given that Toronto faces a $774-million budget shortfall to balance the 2012 budget. One of the ideas being touted by city staff is selling off city assets, including the money-making Toronto Parking Authority. Is privatization the answer to reducing expenses, running departments more efficiently and avoiding problems such as spending scandals? I’d like to know what you think. You can write to me at kscheuer@ mytowncrier.ca. TT
Selling off city assets is being considered
Thomson to run as Liberal
S
By Kris Scheuer
giordano ciampini
FORMER MAYORAL CANDIDATE Sarah Thomson sets sights on provincial seat.
arah Thomson has accepted an invitation from the Liberal party to be their candidate in Trinity-Spadina in the Oct. 6 provincial election. She made the announcement March 9 in a Facebook post. “I’ve said I want to run in a nomination,� she said hours later, in confirming the report for Toronto Today. At press time, no date had been set for a nomination meeting. Thomson said it is up to the riding association to decide if more than one name would be put forward for candidacy. Calls and email requests to the riding association were not returned. “I investigated both the Ontario Liberal Party and the Ontario PC Party to find which party today best represents my core values,� Thomson stated in her Facebook announcement. Thomson, a midtown Toronto resident who once lived in the Annex, is a successful businesswoman who is best known as publisher of Women’s Post magazine. She ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Toronto in last year’s municipal race, dropping out before election day and throwing her support behind second-place finisher George Smitherman. “There are politicians who critique others but never actually initiate anything — they run because they want a job or news headlines,� she wrote on her Facebook page. “And there are politicians who stick their neck out and do
what they believe is right — they run because they want to contribute to building a better world.� If nominated, Thomson will be taking on incumbent NDPer Rosario Marchese who has been the elected rep in Trinity-Spadina consistently since 1990. “We don’t have someone who is a doer,� Thomson told Toronto Today. “(The riding) is getting poor representation in the legislature. “(Marchese) has been there for 21 years. What has he done?� Marchese, who was part of the Bob Rae government and has been in opposition to both the PCs and Liberals, defended his record. “I’ve been a strong advocate for education,� he said. He said the Liberals have decreased funding for special education and parents have raised $600 million to supplement school needs, creating a two-tier education system for poor and richer communities. He’s also put forward three private member’s bills in the past four years to make amendments to the condo act that the Liberals have rebuffed. If Thomson is serious about reforms, Rosario said, she’ll have to defend the Liberals’ non-action on issues of housing, education and healthcare. “I’m hard pressed to see what Sarah thinks she will accomplish as a backbencher or minister, assuming this government gets re-elected,� he said. TT
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By John Miller / Special to Toronto Today
C
anadian multiculturalism: Is it a blueprint for harmony that the rest of the world can learn from, or are we in danger of failing miserably at it like much of Western Europe? Toronto Star columnist Haroon Siddiqui argues that 40 years of official multiculturalism have given Canada a record of cultural accommodation that is closely studied and envied by other countries. Even the Aga Khan has chosen Ottawa as the site of a new multicultural research centre because “he thinks the world needs more Canada.” Historian Jack Granatstein, on the other hand, thinks we need to heed the lessons of Europe and draft new rules to prevent the abuses of multiculturalism, which he said include ethnic ghettos, lack of common Canadian values and the importation of foreign disputes. He asks: “Why didn’t we make Canadians of the newcomers?” The two Order of Canada recipients squared off in a debate on Feb. 22 at the Royal Ontario Museum’s History Wars series. The topic they were debating was “Multiculturalism has put Canada on the wrong course”. A show of hands before the debate showed that half the audience of 300 was undecided about the value of multiculturalism, but there was a 4-1 margin against the proposition that it put the country on the wrong course. After the debate the moderator, historian Michael Bliss, declared the undecideds had shrunk to about 15 percent. While 50 percent still opposed the proposition, those in favour had jumped to 35 percent, swayed by Granatstein’s arguments. The historian, author of more than 60 books, including Who Killed Canadian History, cited recent statements by British prime minister David Cameron and German chancellor Angela Merkel that multiculturalism had failed in their countries. He called for a royal commission to determine the rights and obligations of holding Canadian citizenship. “Why do we assume that immigrants raised under dictatorships will instantly understand our democracy?” he asked. He said, “Canada is ours,” with
Judeo-Christian values, and multiculturalism is a relatively new and troublesome concept. No federal money should be given to organizations to preserve languages or heritage other than English or French. He said employment equity on the basis of race should be abolished because it amounts to “quotas”, and we should stop apologizing for past abuses like the Chinese head tax or internment of Japanese or Ukrainian citizens during war time. “Such apologies are for political purposes ... In many cases they have nothing to do with the truth.” Siddiqui countered that multiculturalism is rooted in Canadian history, starting with the Aboriginal concept of acceptance and accommodation, and “our Canadian response (to what’s happening in Europe) should be that they’re abandoning what they never had.” He challenged Granatstein’s idea that all immigrants should adopt socalled Canadian attributes. “Shall we write a list? We must eat at Tim Hortons, we must watch hockey, we must drink beer? That’s ridiculous.” Immigrants, he said, “do not develop instant amnesia.” “If they did, we would not have so much trouble with the English and French,” he said. Granatstein made clear that he supports “practical multiculturalism”, which he said includes the diversity of our population and such practices as inter-marriage and great food, but thinks “political multiculturalism” is intent on “pulling us apart.” He said the Canadian Forces is currently aiming to recruit 28 percent French, 28 percent women, 25 percent visible minorities and three percent Aboriginals. “That means 84 percent of recruits are not supposed to be white Canadians,” he said. “That’s simply ridiculous. “Quotas breed resentment. The purpose of an army is to fight, not to engage in sociological experiments.” Siddiqui said it’s ironic that those most outspoken about multiculturalism are those saying free speech is being trampled on. “They have a megaphone and they’re complaining?” TT
To the good times: All 104 years
Y
By Kelly Gadzala
ou can’t help but love Minnie on sight. So much so that calling the petite lady by her full name, Minnie McCurdy, sounds too formal, so at odds with the almost impish character who spends two hours laughing and talking about her life. Sitting sipping a martini — gin and vermouth, with three olives — in her charming eighth-level suite at The Dunfield Retirement Residence, and with longtime friend Steven Bickerstaffe looking on, Minnie isn’t what you’d expect of one who’s just celebrated her 104th birthday, either. With a face smoother than those of most women half her age and a ladylike yet sprightly spirit, Minnie is a living testament to the fact that you’re only as old as you act and feel. Though she says she doesn’t see what’s so interesting about her life, she regales her audience with her story. Her pluck is almost infectious. The first resident at The Dunfield in October, 2009 — they literally rolled out the red carpet for her as she arrived — Minnie says she never intended to come to a retirement home, but Bickerstaffe “tricked� her into attending a BBQ at the residence. On the way home from the event, she made him turn the car around so she could put down a deposit on a suite. “I said to myself, ‘Gee whiz, this is different.’� The oldest resident at The Dunfield, Minnie’s clearly a star around the place. The story goes that residents half her age look up to her as a role model. And who wouldn’t? That propensity towards stardom came early. Born in Fredericton, N.B., Minnie started playing the piano at age seven, and by the time she was 17 had moved to Halifax to attend the Halifax Conservatory of Music — not because she was especially interested in the program there, mind, but because she says she was madly in love with a lawyer who lived there. It didn’t work out with the lawyer, but Minnie stayed on with the conservatory for two years, earning her Licentiate of Music diploma from Dalhousie, the HCM’s partner school. She put her foot down when it came to studying for two more years to get a Bachelor’s degree because in order to graduate she had to write a fugue, a style of music she says she hates. A funny musical interlude that best shows her determined bent happened one summer in Truro, N.S., where she played the piano to accompany silent movies in the theatre. She says she’ll never forget the time when she was playing several different styles of music to match the shift-
kelly gadzala/toronto today
TOAST TO LIFE: Minnie McCurdy continues to celebrate her eventful life.
ing moods of the movie — and her sheet music kept falling down. “Hells bells and firecrackers!â€? she yelled at one point. That was the equivalent of swear words back then, she says, the kind of phrase they’d be fined for at the conservatory. “The whole audience cracked up,â€? she says. “Meanwhile, the guy (in the movie) was dying.â€? The adventures kept rolling in. One summer, she sailed overseas to see her fiancĂŠ in Scotland — but not before being wooed by a well-off gentleman passenger on the way over (she won’t admit the gentleman may have had ulterior motives) and playing in the ship captain’s fundraiser performance. Once she got to Scotland, she found her chaperones were on vacation and she had no choice but to elope with her husband. Even if you were engaged, Continued Page 24
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10 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
Dining
Global fare just around the corner Liz Campbell
T
he sign outside proclaims the ethos at Globe Earth: Think global, eat local. And the menu is changed seasonally to reflect this. Chef Kevin McKenna makes the best of seasonal ingredients and carefully lists their local provenance on the menu. We study it over a glass of Bonny Doon Sangiovese ($11) for me (chosen from an extensive list of wines by the glass) and a draft brew from Granite Brewery ($5.95) for my guest. To accompany these, we nibble buttermilk and thyme scones, which are the chef’s light and flaky alternative to bread rolls. I start with the soup of the day — a creamy celeriac puree topped with a crumbling of Stilton ($6). The tang of the blue cheese makes a nice contrast with the delicate flavour of celeriac. And, hurray, the soup is really hot! My guest opts for plump P.E.I. mussels in a hearty broth of Granite beer with pieces of pancetta ($6). I usually prefer my mussels in a wine/shallot broth, but I have to confess, this is so good I just have to double check with a couple more tastes. Yup, this is definitely delicious. My guest’s Prince Edward County lamb shank ($24) is served with lentils and what I can only describe as rutabaga cloves (picture this root vegetable cut into ovals the size of elephant garlic cloves). “I’ve never had rutabaga done this way, but it’s so good I could have done with another half dozen!” my guest laughs. And he comments on the mildness of local lamb: “I think I’m usually served Australian lamb, which seems to have a stronger flavour. This really is a beautiful meat.” The lamb — and there’s generous servings of it — is so tender it forks off the bone. The skin on my black cod ($25) has been crisped and the flesh is cooked to perfection: it hasn’t had a second more on the flame than required. But the brandade (a mash of salt cod and potatoes) that accompanies it, although tasty with pieces of green onion, is too salty for my taste. As is the fried kale on which the cod is served. The three sweet potato discs make a nice contrast to the saltiness — and perhaps that’s the idea — but it proves too much for my palate. It’s the only false note all evening. For dessert, I simply can’t resist homemade ice cream ($7) with caramel and bacon. Yes, you read that correctly. Its creamy texture and sweetness are deceptive: every so often a little bit of salty bacon gives the taste buds a surprise. It comes with a chocolate chip cookie so laden that it’s half melted chocolate and half chewy cookie in equal proportions.
My guest’s pumpkin pot de crème ($7) tastes like pumpkin pie without the pastry. Rich and silky, it’s topped with crème fraîche and three little caramelized pumpkin seeds. He begins with the words, “I’m so full, I doubt I’ll be able to eat all this,” and ends with a clean bowl. Then he polishes off the little pepper shortbread fingers that accompany the dish. Now these really are a surprise: they start off smooth and buttery and finish with the bite of black pepper. I love the way this chef gives the ordinary a unique twist, awakening the palate with an unexpected sensation. Two really good cups of coffee are the final bonus ($2.50). It’s noteworthy that the water in Globe bottles is tap water. A pet peeve of the chef’s is the myth that tap water is somehow bad, says the waitress. It’s also bad for the environment, she might have added, but I note that real bottled water is served at the next table. Also noteworthy, the cheese menu actually names the four Canadian cheeses available by the ounce, and gives the characteristics of each. Bravo! A gorgeous interior in the prevailing espresso and cappuccino colour scheme is lifted with stone and reclaimed barn boards. Some interesting light fixtures and plenty of candles create a warm ambience. This spot is a wonderful find. Globe Earth (sister to Globe Bistro), 1055 Yonge St. 416-551-9890. www.globeearth.ca. TT
APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 11
How très Canadian
C
By Liz Campbell
an you name a typically Canadian dish? Because of our immigrant history, it might be anything from roast beef to chow mein! After all, from 1788, when the first Chinese workers came to Canada, every small Canadian town had its local Chinese restaurant and chow mein was as ubiquitous as burgers. But there is one dish that is distinctly Canadian and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s found nowhere else. Tourtière is a French Canadian pie of ground meat encased in a rich pastry crust. It dates to the earliest French settlers and uses some or all of the four spices â&#x20AC;&#x201D; cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice â&#x20AC;&#x201D;in common use in France at the time. In a true Quebec tourtière, the hint of some of these spices lurks in the background, giving the dish a unique flavour compared to other meat pies. It should be noted, however, that there are as many recipes for tourtière as there are French cooks making it. In Saguenay-Lac St. Jean, the dish takes on a whole different aspect. Here the meat, which often includes game meat, isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ground but chopped, and the dish may contain potatoes. It is generally made as a vast, deep pie, able to serve a dozen people. In fact, Quebecois distinguish between tourtière and tourtière du Lac-Saint-Jean. There is considerable evidence that early settlers used passenger pigeons to make tourtière. These rather stupid birds were easily trapped simply by tossing some food on the grass and throwing a net over them. Unfortunately, they are now extinct, so we will never know how that particular form of tourtière tasted. These days, the meat is generally pork or a blend of pork and beef or veal. Traditionally served at Christmas or at New Year, tourtière is now served almost anytime. Indeed, the French Canadian dish of today is rich, meaty and robust; it makes an ideal winter dinner. TT
Tourtière My original recipe came from the Canadiana Cookbook of the quintessential QuĂŠbĂŠcoise chef, Mme Jehane Benoit. But I have doctored it slightly, using other Quebec sources. I think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll like the result.
in the same manner. Cool and pour into a pastry-lined pie pan. Cover with top crust. Bake at 400 F until golden brown. Serve hot. A cooked tourtière can be frozen 4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;5 months. It does not have to be thawed out before reheating.
1 lb ground pork/beef combination 1 small onion, chopped 1 small garlic clove, minced 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp celery salt 1/4 tsp ground cloves A grating of fresh nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon allspice 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup oatmeal Pastry dough of your choice
Pastry Use your favourite pastry recipe, but with gluten intolerance a major issue these days I thought I would offer a gluten-free alternative for making pastry. The tourtière in the photo was made with this gluten-free flour mix. But using gluten-free flour means the consistency of the dough is wetter. So chill it for 20 minutes and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper. When ready, roll it onto the rolling pin, then unroll it onto the pie plate.
Place all the ingredients except the oatmeal and pastry in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 20 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and add a few spoonfuls of oatmeal. Let stand for 10 minutes. If the fat is sufficiently absorbed by the oatmeal, do not add more. If not, continue
Multi-blend gluten-free flour 3 cups brown rice flour (requires refrigeration) 1/4 cup potato starch (not potato flour) 2/3 cup tapioca starch/flour 1/3 cup cornstarch or potato starch
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By Joshua Freeman
dam Till has picked up a kind of life philosophy in his 36 years. “Whatever you do, have a great story to tell about how you got there,” he says. It’s advice he seems to have followed on his own eclectic career path from lawyer to TV producer and educator. While Till would eventually go on to co-create Billable Hours, a successful Showtime comedy about the antics at a law firm, he didn’t start off as a writer. Nursing a coffee at Bagel Plus on Avenue Road, Till, who lives near Mount Pleasant Road and Lawrence Avenue, recalls his turn away from a legal career. After acquiring an economics degree at York University and then enlisting in an LLB/MBA program at Osgoode, he went on to article at a Toronto firm before realizing he was on the wrong track. “It seemed like a pretty clear path: Law-MBA, got a job at Goodman’s (LLP), looked like I was good,” he says. “But I wasn’t.” He found himself working long, monotonous hours poring over papers. Feeling his creative talents were going to waste, he decided to call it quits at the firm after being called to the bar. But he didn’t leave empty-handed. Having used his last free summer to do some creative writing, he had some good ideas down on paper. Together with actor pal Fabrizio Filippo, he refined a pitch for a show about a quirky law office. Through networking and some chance meetings, including one with Atom Egoyan, the pair landed at Showtime, where the show eventually got the go-ahead. Working at one another’s house, they managed to craft what became the highest rated original series in Showtime’s history. “It was amazing,” Till says, satisfaction evident.
However, the show’s initial success met a snag the next season: A team of writers were brought on board to work with the pair, and Till and Filippo were forced to cede creative control. Although the second season still managed to score a Gemini award for Best Writing in a Comedy Series, ratings dropped and the third season in 2008 was the last. “I’m not angry, looking back,” Till says. “This is just how these things happen. “I know now, moving forward I’ve got to try and own my projects. I can’t let other people produce them.” Since Billable, Till’s been hard at work. Together with Filippo, he formed a production company and wrote a movie for Lifetime called Too Late To Say Goodbye. The film, starring Rob Lowe and Lauren Holly, aired last winter. Currently, the creative duo is developing a new show for Global about a loveable loser who moves into a retirement residence with his father. Still in its early stages, Till describes the project as a “post-slacker” show that will speak to financial and cultural realities. If all goes well, the project will get a pilot episode this spring. He’s maintaining his creative energy by teaching screenwriting and media law at Ryerson. He’s also at work designing a curriculum for a screenwriting program at the Toronto Film School. “It’s a very cool opportunity,” he says with an impressed smile. “They’re letting me fulfil my vision for how this sort of writing should be taught.” In between it all, the writer finds time for his wife and two small kids, and a bit of TV. “What I always loved about TV was going into someone else’s little world,” he remarks. “It was a great escape — almost like going into someone else’s brain. “It’s scary, but I almost think in sitcom.” TT
Reputation is for time;
Character is for eternity Men of Character from Boys of Promise
crescentschool.org APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 13
F
Arts&Entertainment
An escape artist’s tale
Business
‘McSheep’ makes hay in Yorkville By DANNY GALLAGHER
W
francis crescia/toronto today
ON TAP: Martin McSkimming’s proven to be more than just a survivor running a Yorkville hot spot.
Ask the experts Please write to our experts: If you would like to take advantage of their years of experience, send your questions to “Ask the Experts” and they will be happy to reply to you in this space. By E-mail: adsales@towncrieronline.ca, by Fax: 416488-3671 or write: Ask the Experts, c/o Town Crier, 101 Wingold Ave., Toronto, ON, M6B 1P8. Marc Linett, a partner in the personal injury law firm of Linett & Timmis, has been practicing accident and insurance litigation in Toronto for over 35 years. His firm has established a solid reputation representing thousands of injured victims and their families throughout Ontario.
Marc Linett
Linett & Timmis Personal Injury Lawyers 1867 Yonge St., Suite 1004, Toronto
416-366-5100 1-800-363-5100 www.linett-timmis.com mlinett@linett-timmis.com
Q
: I had a bad fall on my way to the subway the other day. The sidewalk was very icy and slippery in front of someone’s house. They hadn’t bothered to shovel or put down salt. I hurt my back and the doctor is sending me for an MRI and physiotherapy. Can anyone be held responsible for the dangerous condition of the sidewalk where I fell?
A
: In Toronto and other municipalities in Ontario, the local by-laws delegate the responsibility for clearing public sidewalks to the adjacent homeowners. However, the municipality remains responsible to people who are injured if the homeowner has failed in his obligation. In cases involving falls on snow and ice, the injured victim must establish gross negligence on the part of the municipality. This can often be done by examining the city’s inspection policies and procedures to determine whether they have been properly followed. There is a requirement that the city be notified in writing of the claim including details of the accident and its location within 10 days. Failure to give this notice may be fatal to your chances of success. Accordingly, even if you are not sure whether you have a good case, you should immediately notify the municipality to preserve your rights. You should seek legal advice promptly to understand your rights in this complicated area of personal injury law.
14 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
ith no offence to anyone, you could call him The King of Yorkville. He’s a New Zealand expat in a 20 year old ponytail harnessing a shock of milky hair. He assumes the nickname McSheep, an appropriate moniker given his birthland. For 30 years now, despite some pitfalls along the way, Martin McSkimming has been the owner of Hemingways, a restaurant and bar at the heart of Yorkville playfulness at 142 Cumberland St. It’s a Toronto institution that’s host to students, condo-construction workers, Bay Street executives, Down Unders, tourists, celebrities and plain regulars from their 20s to their 70s. Amidst the glitz and glam of tony shops and pricy restaurants that encompass Cumberland, Avenue, Bay, Bloor, Bellair, Hazelton and Old York Lane, Hemingways is a simplistic, inexpensive and ultra-popular venue 365 days a year. The Stanley Cup has been there a few times. Actor Russell Crowe was there while filming Cinderella Man. Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins and Mike Myers are among other film stars who have wandered over from nearby hotels. This story dates back to 1970 when McSkimming decided to leave his homeland and come to the Americas on the Greek liner Ellinis. He arrived in Toronto with his then-wife on what he called a “working holiday”. He thought he might stay for two years, but he’s still here. A chartered accountant by trade, he was the controller for eight years for magazine distributor Gordon and Gotch. But he “didn’t want to be an accountant … wanted to be my own boss.” “You follow your dream,’’ he says. McSkimming says when he and original partner, John Vaughn, bought the place and named it Hemingways he didn’t realize the connection between the name and storied author Ernest Hemingway, who had once written for the Toronto Star. Unlike the famed author, the restaurant’s prospect of success looked grim. “Word on the street was that we’d last three months, because it was a tough business,’’
McSkimming said. “It was after the hippie era and I had no experience in costing booze and food.’’ McSkimming and Hemingways proved the doubting Thomases wrong. Starting with two lines of draught beer, Hemingways was a healthy operation, and remained so until the early 1990s, when it began to see red ink. Around that time, McSkimming decided to purchase the building itself, for $2-million, a move that made financial matters trickier. He also had a stake in Scalliwags, a bar at Yonge and St. Clair that was enduring its own financial problems. “We went through some tough times — we were close to bankruptcy,’’ McSkimming admits. “We were over-leveraged with a lot of debt. “We sat down for days with the banks. We could have been pushed over. There were a lot of sleepless nights.’’ McSkimming got his financial woes straightened out and, as they say, the rest is history. “Martin went through tough times,” says his long-time friend, Bob Cowan, the original owner of the Bellair Café in Yorkville. “When he struggled it was a real struggle: interest rates were up and the banks were on him.” Licensed to serve only 80 people in 1980, Hemingways has raised that to 500 and now serves 24 lines of draught. Chicken fingers, breaded chicken, calamari and clam chowder are hits. There are seven seating areas, including a second-floor patio, open year round, with heating in winter and misting in the summer. McSkimming, 66, is there each and every day, keeping employees on their toes and chatting up customers, even late at night when he could be up the street at home with his feet up. “A lot of places in Yorkville have been so trendy that they have short lives, but not Hemingways,’’ Cowan said. “Hemingways was never pretentious.” “Martin is a very reasonable, accessible person, very honest with a great personality,’’ says Dominica native Augustus Antoine, who has been with him for those 30 years, first as a sous chef before working up to head chef. TT
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SILVER AWARD
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Complete Kitchens
Stickley
DOOR/WINDOWS
TOWN A
BRONZE AWARD
Modular Home Additions The Robinson Group
FLOORING ELTE FURNITURE
N
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SILVER AWARD
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2010
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2010
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2010
Thank You for voting us the Best Greek Restaurant in Town! 2048 Avenue Road
(just north of Dunblaine Avenue)
Tel: 416-483-3846 www.karbouzi.com
Take-Out / Dine-In / Catering
Best FOR SHOPPING
Latitude 44 Gallery
Bronze Winner
Art Interiors
Petroff Galleries
LINGERIE
2010
Stonefox Designs Originals
Evymama
Secret From Your Sister
The Source
Korry’s Clothier
The Coop Ink
WOMEN’S CLOTHING
Mode Suzan
Want Boutique
Poor Little Rich Girl
CHILDREN’S CLOTHING
Bean Sprout
Oink Oink
Little Lola
Getoutside
Corso Shoes
Labiri Designs
Sporting Life
Merchant of Tennis
Spokes & Sports
Mastermind Toys
Treasure Island
Toytown
Mable’s Fables
The Flying Dragon
Ella Minnow
Midge
Write Impressions
Jacaranda Tree
Act Two
Second Nature Boutique
Extoggery
Vanderfleet Flowers
Midge
Van Ness Flowers Ltd.
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TOWN A
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Fantasy Lingerie
MEN’S CLOTHING
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JEWELLERY Bell Jewellers Linda Penwarden
N
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BEST I
ART GALLERY
Gold Winner
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Category
BRONZE AWARD 2010
GIFT STORE FLOWER SHOP
featuring...you
• customized facial treatments • microdermabrasion • hydradermie lift facial treatments • body treatments • aromatherapy • lash perming • lash tinting • brow shaping • brow tinting • pedicures • specialized foot treatments • nail extensions • manicures • specialized hand treatments • waxing • laser hair removal • airbrush tanning • botox & injectables • makeup lessons • makeovers • hair cuts • hair colour • hi-lites • spa day packages • gift certificates • 1106 EGLINTON AVENUE WEST 416 783 7793 fyi@featuringyouspa.com www.featuringyouspa.com
BEST I
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CONSIGNMENT SHOP
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CHILDREN’S BOOK STORE
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SILVER AWARD
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TOY STORE
2010
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SPORTING GOODS
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SHOE STORES
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BEST I
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2010
Indian Restaurant & Wine Bar
‘The Fine Art of Indian Cuisine’
spa & salon since 1984
TOWN A
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Thank You For Voting Us Best Health Spa in Town!
2010
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BEST I
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2010
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2009
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BEST I
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2010
We would like to thank all of our readers for voting us Best Indian Food in Town for the third year in a row.
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416-544-9829 v www.hollywoodgelato.ca
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1640 Bayview Ave
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Thank You for Voting Us BEST Ice Cream In Town
2008
FOR RESERVATIONS: 416.489.4899 1522 BAYVIEW AVE. (SOUTH OF EGLINTON) www.kamasutrarestaurant.ca APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 17
Best FOR business Category
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Gold Winner
Silver Winner
Bronze Winner
2010
MAID SERVICES
TOWN A ARD W
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SILVER AWARD
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BRONZE AWARD
FUNERAL HOME
2010
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HAIR SALON
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SILVER AWARD
A ARD W
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BRONZE AWARD 2010
TOWN A ARD W
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Mt. Pleasant Davisville Veterinary Hospital
Royal York Animal Hospital Trull Funeral Home
Carlson Wagonlit
Belair Travel
Cruise Holidays
Mad Factory
FLOKA
Blowdry Lounge
BARBER SHOP Tony’s Barber Shop Forest Hill Barber Shop
2010
TOWN
Molly Maid
Humphrey Funeral Home Bedford Morley Murray Newbigging Funeral Home Funeral Services
TRAVEL AGENCY
2010
N
Toronto Maid & Janitorial Services
VET CLINIC Leaside Animal Clinic
2010
N
Merry Maids
RETIREMENT CENTRE Chartwell
Leaside Retirement Amica
Fellowship Towers
IN HOME SENIOR CARE
Premier Homecare
Take It Easy Home Care
Mosaic Home Care Services
WN A TO
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BEST IN
2010
Cabbagetown Barber Shop
2010
Thank You for Voting us Best Children’s Shop!
565 Mount Pleasant Rd. Toronto, ON M4S 2M5
BEST I
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SILVER AWARD 2010
Dr. Janet Tamo & Staff
We would like to thank you for voting for us in the Best Of Town 2010. We always knew we had the best patients in town! You make going to work a pleasure!
Dr. Ted Margel of would like to extend a special Thank You to all of my patients who voted me the
1881 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario M4S 3C4 Appointments: 416-488-1881 www.drtamo.ca
18 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
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We strive to deliver the highest quality dental care in the most efficient and friendly manner possible.
416-932-3727 www.beansprout.ca
2010
BEST DENTIST IN TOWN!
Dr. Ted Margel and his team provide progressive family dentistry specializing in preventive care, general treatments and cosmetic dentistry. NEW PATIENTS WELCOME Emergencies seen immediately • Open Saturdays and evenings
St. Clair Dental Associates
65 St. Clair Ave. East, Suite 100 Toronto, ON M4T 2Y3 416.920.8800 • www.stclairdentist.ca
Best FOR health/professional services Silver Winner
Bronze Winner
N
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BEST I
Gold Winner
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Category
2010
Dr. Ted Margel Dr. Janet Tamo (St. Clair Dental)
Noah’s Natural Foods
Peaches & Green
The Big Carrot
ICI Pairs Skin Care Clinic & Spa
Pure + Simple Healing Hands Family Chiropractic & Massage Centre
Madison Nails
www.tabule.ca
N
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SILVER AWARD 2010
TOWN A
BRONZE AWARD 2010
N
TOWN A
Anna Pretty Nails
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Mt. Pleasant Nails
TOWN A
2010
N
MASSAGE THERAPY HealthWinds The Neighbourhood Clinic MANICURE/PEDICURE
N
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SKINCARE Absolute Beauty
Visual Appeal
2010
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HEALTH FOOD STORE
Hakim Optical Spectacle
TOWN A
N
BRONZE AWARD
BEST I
OPTICAL Eyedentity Eye Styles
Dr. Sydney Reyes (Northshore Dental)
2010
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DENTIST
Steven Caplan (Healing Hands)
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CHIROPRACTOR Bayview Chiropractic Back In Motion
BEST I
Body Busters
TOWN A
BEST I
Curves on Avenue Road
N
SILVER AWARD
BEST I
Booty Camp Fitness
Humbertown Village Spa
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FITNESS CLUB
HealthWinds
BEST I
Featuring....You Spa & Salon
BEST I
HEALTH SPA
2010
Middle Eastern Cuisine
THANK YOU FOR VOTING US THE BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT IN TOWN!
for Voting us #1 Best Family Restaurant in 2011
Telephone: (416) 487-6468 Takeout: (416) 480-9273
535 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto M4S 2M5
www.thelongestyardrestaurant.com
BEST I
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Thank You for Voting us #1
Outside Catering TOWN A N Takeout/Delivery Book your private Parties/Functions 2010 Vegetarian Friendly Fully Licensed Or Bring Your Own Wine No Corkage Monday or Tuesday Belly Dancing Saturday Nights
Located in the heart of Midtown, Tabülè Restaurant is known as one of the city’s finest Middle Eastern Eateries. Experience the exotic flavors, exceptional service and cozy ambience at this intimate hotspot.
2009 Yonge St • 416-483-3747
Monday – Thursday 11:30am –10:30pm Friday 11:30am –11pm Saturday Noon-11pm, Sunday Noon-10pm
Thank you for voting us Best Thai food in Town!
the purple OniOn
416.440.0679
2009
N
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BEST I
BEST I
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1570 Bayview Ave.
TOWN A
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2008
N
2010
2003 Avenue Rd.
416.488.5153
www.satayontheroad.com
•casual dining•take out•catering•delivery
BEST BREAKFASTS IN TOWN
IN
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BEST
Steakhouse and Grill
We would like to thank our many patrons for voting us one of the
SILVER AWARD 20
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We Specialize in Our WOrld claSS SteakS & BreakfaStS
cOme and experience the BeSt in tOWn! We are conveniently located at 2998 Dundas St. W., Toronto, ON M6P 1Z3 Open Daily from 8:30am - 11:00pm Tel: 416-760-8208 • www.purpleonion.ca APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 19
Best FOR FOOD & DRINK
N
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2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
2010
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SILVER AWARD
BRONZE AWARD
2010
2010
“Best Sushi In Town” Come join us and enjoy our Chef’s Appetizer on us.
N
TOWN A
We look forward to your next visit.
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416.787.3211 Open daily from 5:00 pm www.lobstertrap.ca
TOWN A
for voting us
This coupon is valid for a complimentary Nasu Dengaku per table of 2. Please present this coupon to your server before ordering. Valid every evening from March 15th, 2011 to April 15th, 2011. Not Valid with any other certificate, promotion or pre-fixe menu. 1 coupon per table of 2. Not valid for take-out or delivery. Beverages, taxes and gratuity are not included. This promotion is valid only at 484 Eglinton Ave. West location.
5 blocks south of Hwy. 401
N
Thank You to our customers reservations@edosushi.com phone: 416.322.3033 484 Eglinton Ave. West www.edosushi.com
ONLY ONE LOCATION 1962 Avenue Road
TOWN A
BRONZE AWARD
BEST I
N
BEST I
TOWN A
SILVER AWARD
BEST I
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BEST I
TOWN A
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2010
Clip this Ad or mention Town Crier
• Lobsters ranging from 1lb to 4 lbs in our tanks • Children’s Menu
ARD W
• Live Lobsters flown in fresh from the Maritimes • Casual & lively atmosphere • Menu also includes other High Quality Seafood Filet Mignon & Rack of Lamb
Thank you for voting us the Best Seafood Restaurants in Town! BEST I
RESTAURANT
TOWN A
BEST I
Serving the best seafood in Toronto for over 40 years!
2010
N
BRONZE AWARD
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Lobster Trap Restaurant
TOWN A
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The One & Only
N
SILVER AWARD
ARD W
2010
TOWN A
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2010
N
BEST I
TOWN A
ARD W
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BRONZE AWARD
BEST I
TOWN A
ARD W
2010
N
SILVER AWARD
BEST I
TOWN A
ARD W
2010
N
BEST I
TOWN A
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2010
N
BRONZE AWARD
BEST I
TOWN A
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2010
N
SILVER AWARD
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2010
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BEST I
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2010
N
BRONZE AWARD
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2010
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SILVER AWARD
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BEST I
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Town Crier
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re would like to Lawrence Park Garden Ca rs who voted us thank all of our custome mpany the BEST Landscaping Co in the City of Toronto. rt. We appreciate your suppo
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(Family Owned Business)
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E.W. SMITH ROOFING est 1979
SILVER AWARD 2010
• Shingles • Flat Roofs • Eavestrough • Skylights • Roof Repairs • Fully Insured & Reliable • Work Guaranteed • Job Clean & Neat
3960 Chesswood Dr Toronto, ON M3J 2W6 P. 416.481.1888 • F. 416.416.631.0200 • www.lawrenceparkgardencare.com 20 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
TOWN A
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Landscape Maintenance Landscape Design & Installation Custom Designed Seasonal Container Displays
SILVER AWARD 2010
Thank you Town Crier readers for voting us one of the best Roofing Companies in Toronto
Call 416-467-7663
Now is the time for ROOF INSPECTION
Best FOR FOOD & DRINK
Category
Gold Winner
Silver Winner
FAMILY RESTAURANT The Longest Yard Ten Feet Tall BAKERY
Cobs Bread Jules Café Patisserie
Thobors
BUTCHER Cumbrae’s White House Meats BREAKFAST The Homeway
Bronze Winner Leonard’s Family Restaurant Flaky Tart Meat on the Beach Bruno’s
Bread & Butter The Purple Onion
BOOM
LUNCH
Chai On Bayview Green Eggplant
Café Pleiade
Jawny Bakers
THAI
Satay on the Road Lemongrass
Riz
Green Mango
China House
C’est Bon
South China
CHINESE INDIAN ITALIAN
Kamasutra Indian Restaurant Amaya & Wine Bar
Jaipur Grill
Florentia Camerini
Il Sogno
Il Fornello
GREEK
Karbouzi Greece On Mt. Pleasant
Palace on Pape
Mezes
STEAK
The Keg
Morton’s Of Chicago
Simple Bistro
FRENCH
Mogette Bistro
Celestin
Coquine
JAPANESE
EDO Oysi Oyster
Fukui Sushi
Omi
Tabule
Jerusalem Restaurant
Mashu Mashu
MIDDLE EASTERN
SEAFOOD Lobster Trap Zee Grill
De La Mer - Fresh Fish Market Seaport Merchants
BURGER
Bamburger
Burger Shack
Bronto Burger
PIZZA
Magic Oven
Bigman’s Pizza
Casa Di Giorgio Ristorante
Yitz’s Deli
Hillside Café & Bakery
Absolute Fine Foods
LOCAL PUB
Aristotle & McGregor’s
The Granite Brewery
Allan’s
CHOCOLATE SHOP
Chocolate Messenger
Le Feuvre’s Chocolatiers
Swiss Master Chocolatier
The Mad Italian Il Gelatiere
Ed’s Real Scoop
Pusateri’s Fine Foods
Culinarium
Pimenton
A Jug Of Wine
Cellar Door
Fermentations/Danforth
Duff’s Famous Wings
The Chicken Deli
Bistro On Avenue
The Olde Yorke Fish & Chips Black Cat Fish & Chips
Kingsway Fish & Chips
Decadent Catering
Ma Maison
DELI
ICE CREAM Hollywood Gelato FOOD SHOP MAKE YOUR OWN WINE CHICKEN WINGS
FISH & CHIPS Penrose Fish & Chips BEST CATERER
The Chef Upstairs
APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 21
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We did it again!
Modular Home Additions Ltd., would like to extend a warm “Thank You” to all of our customers who voted us “best in Town” in 2008, 2009 and 2010. At Modular Home Additions Ltd., we strive to constantly keep the needs and concerns of our clients at the focuspoint throughout the whole renovation process. Our professional client and result oriented approach to construction, precise and affordable pricing has paid off. Our clients have realized their dreams and brought us the recognition in the fact that we have made the greatest effort to achieve and obtain this award in the past and for years to come.
As a token of our appreciation we would like to offer a $5000.00 discount on all addition and renovation sign ups over $100,000.00 until May 1st, 2011
Modular Home Additions Ltd. 416 900-4556 - 416 900-3351 - www.modular.ca - www.additiononline.ca 22 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
Fashion
Easy bohemian glam
H
By Kelly Gadzala
it the mall and you’ll see the bohemian look continues to dominate the female fashion scene this spring. But if you’re finding the maxi dresses gracing the racks this season too revealing, or the peasant blouses that will be billowing in the soon-to-be balmy breezes a tad too adolescent, you can rest assured you needn’t look like you’re trying to resurrect your wardrobe from 30 years ago to look on trend this spring. Thanks to Canadian fashion company Spanner (www.spannerstyle.com), there’s a way to do bohemian in an age-appropriate and functional way. Known for its stylish, yet approachable, fashions for women 30 and above, Spanner takes its style cue for its spring collection from the 1960s and ’70s, presenting a series of 10 mini collections that are available in full at the Shops at Don Mills or in part at such midtown shops as Mode Suzan and The Trend Shoppe on Bayview Avenue. Skirt flirt Who says only short skirts have all the fun? This season the maxi skirt makes a comeback, revisiting the casual glam style of the 1970s. Whether floor grazing or swooshy, the long skirt incorporates details like draping, gathering or goring to produce various styles, ranging from the chic handkerchief skirt (Studio 54, anyone?) to long prairie-style skirts. Pair the long skirt with a fitted, belted tee on top to create a lean yet flirty silhouette, or throw on an oversize crochet sweater to max out on the boho appeal. Shape drape If long skirts aren’t your bag, you can still bag a bit of boho glam by shifting the emphasis to what you wear on top. From dolman-sleeved cardis and tunics to handkerchief-shaped tank tops and jackets, this season’s top tops have a definite shape, ranging from full and flowy to more structured jackets with soft touches, like ruffles. Go with the flow but remember that bohemian glam entails a certain amount of restraint: Wear the shapely top with slim jeans or capris to balance out the shape on top and create a leaner silhouette on the bottom. Pretty details The bohemian look of yore has been much maligned for its overuse of embroidery, lace and other embellishments, but Spanner’s take on the details this season is girly, yet restrained. A lace or crochet trim on a skirt here; a shirred or gathered sleeve there; a beaded neckline there — feminine needn’t mean monotone milquetoast nor outrageously overdone. To avoid a cluttered look, avoid pairing too many pieces with details together and keep your accessories sparse in style. Colour chameleon Forget the burnt oranges and blah browns of the shag carpet era. This season’s neutrals are best accompanied by jolts of bright Popsicle hues. Think of the fuchsia pinks and
acid greens that Italian designer Emilio Pucci made so famous in the 1960s, and toss in some electric royal blue, scarlet red, and coral for good measure. Patterns matter Think post-modern Pucci this spring, as prints are back with a twist. Everything from tie-dye batiks, geometric graphics and crisp stripes are on the style roster. Of course, boho can’t be had without a bit of flower power: Spanner’s “Savanna” collection proves that florals can be soft and pretty and still hold their own in the style department, while the bold yellow and poppy red petals in its “Hot House” capsule bring the punchy flower prints of the 1960s into a sleek contemporary context. Don’t be afraid to don your prints with simple solids or mix them up with complementary designs. TT
TOWN CRIER Your Community
www.MyTownCrier.ca
Division of MulticomMedia services
Like to shop in your neighbourhood?! Harness that knowledge to build a career in advertising sales. The Town Crier, a division of Multicom Media Services, is looking for sales representatives. Explore the midtown neighborhoods to develop new accounts while managing the existing accounts. Selling experience is required and a background in advertising sales an asset. Knowledge of the Central Toronto communities preferred.
Email: hr@multimedianova.com
APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 23
Coolstuff
Now that’s cool!
E
By Liz Campbell
very so often, someone comes up with a really clever idea, or perhaps just a really good idea. Good for the planet, that is. Here are a few we’ve come across recently: Green time You’ll never miss your wake-up call, even in a power failure, because this clock isn’t plugged in. The Bedol Water Clock comes in several different shapes, including a water droplet, and runs on water! It features a transparent, PVC-free water reservoir for the visually intriguing ionharvesting mechanism that powers the digital clock. Remarkably, it really runs on water (no batteries) and goes for about four months between changes of water. It comes in plain charcoal as well as funky green, pink, blue and purple. It also has an alarm. It’s $30 at Grassroots Environmental and Bergo Designs in Toronto. Check www.bedolwhatsnext.com for other outlets.
Hot seat How often have you frozen your posterior at a concert or sporting event because the weather was unseasonably cool? Kyle Smith decided to do something about it, so he invented the Chaheati All-Season Heated Chair. It looks like a standard collapsible canvas chair, but cordless carbon fibre, non-wire heating elements throughout keep you toasty warm, with four temperature settings ranging from 98° to 145°F. Safe, low-voltage heating technology has digital circuit protection and a high efficiency, lithium-ion rechargeable battery provides up to six hours of heat per charge. The fabric is rugged yet comfortable and is designed to be fire- and water-resistant. The seat is oversized, accommodating up to 280 lbs. And it will last for more than 500 uses. That’s a lot of games! $89.99 at www.chaheati.com. (An AC car adapter charger is also sold separately.) Wear beads In a real fashion statement, glitterati like Randy Jackson, Marcia Cross and President Obama’s envoy to Sudan, Scott Gration, are swapping diamond bracelets for beads. Relief Beads is a grassroots campaign raising Cont. from Page 9
money and awareness for Relief International’s humanitarian efforts to combat epidemic levels of child malnutrition in Darfur and southern Sudan. Malnutrition rates for children in the region are higher than the World Health Organization’s 15 percent “emergency threshold”. And the United Nations has reported that roughly one out of three children under five is underweight. Relief Beads are handmade African bracelets, crafted in Ghana and Darfur, that support the livelihoods of many people. One Relief Beads bracelet feeds a malnourished child for one week, and five can bring a malnourished child back to good health. The mission is to build a therapeutic feeding centre for malnourished children and to fund an entire nutrition team for one year. Previously, Relief Beads supported the only Women’s Development Centre in Darfur and employed women refugees to make Relief Beads bracelets. Relief Beads cost $10, and are available at www.reliefbeads.org. They are also available in stores. TT
girls didn’t stay overnight back then, she says. The couple settled in Victoria, but her husband died young, at 37. It was 1944 and times were tough. Minnie sold her beautiful home for $9,000, way under market value at the time. Only six years later the house would sell for a quarter of a million dollars. She moved to Toronto after that. “I had to make a living.” Once here she studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music with renowned Canadian composer and pianist Ernest Joseph Seitz, who wrote the famous wartime song, “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise”. Between studying and teaching voice lessons at the conservatory, Minnie took whatever piano gigs she could find. One, at a Yorkville bar called the Gaslight, saw her replacing London-born pianist Rex Battle when he was unable to play. It paid $20 a night, and that money went a long way, she says. Seven bucks could keep her in lunch money for a week. Minnie taught piano and voice at the conservatory until she was 89. Though she doesn’t play the piano anymore — she can’t read the music because of macular degeneration — the Mason and Hamlin Grand piano she bought in 1936 has been residing at Bickerstaffe’s house since she moved to The Dunfield, and is currently being restored. He vows to learn how to play it. Minnie and Bickerstaffe met as neighbours more thn 30 years ago. They see each other frequently, attending performances at the Canadian Opera Company and other venues twice a week. “Thank goodness I found him,” Minnie says of her friend. “I couldn’t manage without him.” Minnie says she can’t comment on the secret of her longevity, but Bickerstaffe has a theory: “It’s all to do with attitude with Minnie,” he says, citing the fact that she’s already renewed her subscription for next year’s season at the COC. Sheer determination must account for something, but so too must a sense of humour. Minnie tells of a recent outing watching a production of Puccini’s Tosca: Tosca had thrown herself off the parapet at the end of the opera and it was all very dramatic, she says. People were standing and clapping and cheering, and she and Bickerstaffe did the same. But then she felt a draft. She soon discovered the long skirt she was wearing with an elastic waistband was around her feet. Even in the midst of an embarrassing situation, Minnie says her black nylonclad legs looked pretty good.. TT 24 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
Home&Garden
Plan now for garden photo courtesy trillium associates
SPRING IS THE PERFECT TIME to talk to a landscape designer about getting your garden ready.
A
By Mary Fran McQuade
ny day now it will really begin to feel like spring. Who cares if winter still has a temper tantrum or two? It’s on the way out. The sun says so, and he’s the boss of the seasons. As of March 20, the days have been longer than the nights, and we’ve turned the corner toward warmer weather. More proof: The sap is rising in the sugar maples and we’ve seen the traditional maple syrup festivals spring up throughout Ontario. And then we had Canada Blooms (www.canadablooms.com), followed by Success with Gardening, March 31–April 3 (www.home-show.net/successfulgardening). So … hint, hint … this is the perfect time to talk to a landscape designer about your garden. Don’t worry that it’s coated with snow and maybe even ice. I spoke to several designers, and they all told me the same thing: the earlier, the better. If you wait, you’re going to have to get in line. Which means your garden may not get attention until August, and what fun is that? “It’s a creative process,” says GTA landscape designer Ron Swentiski, “and creativity needs time to be done well.” Why use a designer? So why involve a landscape pro? See if anything on this checklist sounds familiar: • Your garden last summer was a disaster and you don’t know why. • You want to get more use and pleasure out of your garden. • You want to be able have both an attractive garden and a place for the kids to play. • The kids are older now and you no longer need a mini-soccer field in the backyard. • You want a nice garden, but don’t want to have to work so hard at it. • You don’t know the first thing about gardening and don’t have time to learn. • You have problem areas — ugly views, standing water, too much/too little shade — and you don’t know what to do about them. Experienced landscape designers know how to get in there and fix things like this. “The whole point of design is to remedy problems,” Ron says. If you’re starting with a blank slate, a good designer can help you avoid problems in the first place. Of course, if you enjoy gardening, you can always do it yourself. But dedicated amateur gardeners know that gardening involves hard work, careful research, frustration and occasional heartbreak (a little bit like the Olympics, in fact.) You do get the thrill of victory when the perfect peony blooms, but if that doesn’t turn your crank, then leave gardening to the pros. Finding a good match The idea of dealing with a landscape designer can be a little intimidating, but the real thing Continued Page 26
We are pleased to announce that the winner of Cabico’s Design or the Month Contest for March 2011 is: Amanda Rose Davenport Kitchens 592 Mount Pleasant Rd Toronto, ON M4S 2B8 phone:416-544-1103 www.davenportkitchens.com
Light and Dark This traditional kitchen highlights the beauty of contrasting colors. The island is cherry finished in Venice and the perimeter is maple with an off white custom color. The large island highlights the kitchen and offsets the wide refrigerator. WWW.CABICO.COM
APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 25
ANY MP O C DR
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shouldn’t be. It’s your garden, after all, and a good designer will adapt to your wishes (assuming they’re within reason!). If he or she doesn’t pay attention to what you say at your first meeting, find someone else. You should be comfortable talking with your design professional and be honest about your expectations. “We’ll work with your needs, wishes, aspirations,” says Ron. And don’t feel you have to have a ginormous property with room for waterfalls and gazebos, either. Designers do enjoy that kind of thing, but many are happy to work on smaller family gardens. Another comforting thing to remember is that you don’t have to do everything at once. Nearly all designers are happy to develop an overall garden design for you that you can build on over time. Flower and veggie beds first, for example, followed by patio, then water feature, and so on. “An experienced designer will ask questions and help you make a wish list,” Ron says. He or she should also help you face reality. If you have limited space, you probably shouldn’t set your heart on planting a row of oak trees along the property line. (Those things get big, you know!) If you want to do some of the grunt work yourself, that should be okay with your designer, too. “We can provide a starting point and a direction,” says Ron, pointing out that sometimes all a homeowner needs is a new perspective. The designer develops an overall design, along with a plant list and detailed planting plan showing what goes where. You and your family can take it from there. Fun homework to do If you’re thinking of calling in a landscape designer, get a head start by collecting some ideas of your own. It’s not hard, and it’s actually fun to do. • Look through gardening magazines and make notes/copies of gardens you like. • Get plant catalogues and picture books and mark the plants that catch your eye. • Collect brochures, photos, etc., of man-made things like trellises, gates, benches and other garden accessories that appeal to you. TT
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www.wcmeekdesignandconstruction.com 26 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
WWI was our coming of age
C
By David J. Bercuson
anada was not even an independent nation when it fought its costliest war ever, WWI, which for Canada began on Aug. 4, 1914. When the war ended on Nov. 11, 1918, Canada’s soldiers — indeed Canada’s entire war effort — gained a vital step on the road to full nationhood. When Britain declared war on the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires, the Dominion of Canada was a colony of Britain. Canada had no power over its own foreign affairs. Thus Canada, with its population of 7.8 million, was automatically at war too. The country had no air force, a very small navy, and a tiny army of about 3,000 officers and men. There were some 60,000 reservists, or part-time soldiers, across Canada. Most were poorly trained and badly equipped. The war pitted the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary against Britain, France, Russia and soon Italy. The Conservative prime minister, Sir Robert Laird Borden, strongly supported Britain and by the end of 1915 wanted a large (for Canada) army of 500,000 men. This was a major challenge for a country with such a small population. Yet in 1914 a very large part of the English-speaking population of Canada was either British-born or one or two generations removed from Britain. For many young men, therefore, the call to war was a call to defend the Empire. The economy was also in deep recession and many men joined the army because they had no jobs. The first group of soldiers sailed for Britain in early October 1914. Their first major battle was at Ypres in Belgium in April 1915. They defended the lines north of the city against heavy German attacks, including the first use of poison gas in the war. The Canadians were forced to withdraw but helped to set up new defences, and the Canadian First Division suffered more than 6,000 casualties in just a few days. The Canadian Army in Belgium and France grew to four divisions — about 100,000 fighting men. After Ypres, it fought costly battles with little success at places such as Festubert and St. Eloi in 1915 and the Somme in 1916. In early 1917 Borden sailed for England to attend the Imperial War Conference and
pledged to continue Canada’s strong war effort. He realized that high casualties at the front and dropping numbers of volunteers at home were shrinking the army. On his return to Canada at the end of April 1917 he announced conscription or compulsory service. This became law on Aug. 29, 1917 over the bitter opposition of former Liberal prime minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier and much of Quebec. Borden then formed a Union government with pro-conscription Liberals and won a major victory in the federal election of Dec. 17, 1917. Canada made a very small contribution to the Allied war effort at sea, but in the air many Canadian airmen played an important part in the war. Flying with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service, Canadians such as W.A. “Billy” Bishop, Raymond Collishaw and William Barker achieved fame as leading aces, shooting down hundreds of enemy planes. At the front, the Canadian Corps — as the four division army was called — won a smashing victory at Vimy Ridge in France at Easter 1917. Using close cooperation between artillery and infantry, very good planning and exceptional preparation, the Canadians captured the Ridge in a four day battle. The Canadians had become very good soldiers, and in June 1917 a Canadian — Lieutenant General Sir Arthur Currie — was named to command the Canadian Corps. Currie led the Corps in the grinding and very costly battle of Passchendaele in October 1917 and the Battle of Amiens that began Aug. 8, 1918. Amiens was a major attack by British Empire forces. Led by the Australian and Canadian Corps, it punched huge holes in the German defences. One prominent German general called it “the black day of the German army”. One hundred days of very heavy fighting followed, with many more casualties for the British, Australian and Canadian forces but many victories also. The German army began to collapse. In Berlin, a new government took power and sued for peace. A ceasefire went into effect on Nov. 11, 1918 and negotiations began with the Central Powers that led to the Treaty of Versailles ending the war on June 28, 1919.
Canada achieved the beginnings of full independence as a result of its immense contribution to the war. More than 619,000 Canadians served, almost 10 percent of the entire population. Borden gained the right to sign the Versailles Treaty on behalf of Canada, and Canada gained a seat in the newly created League of Nations. In Imperial Conferences in the 1920s Canada and the other selfgoverning dominions (Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) won complete independence, mainly as a result of their contribution to the victory over the Central Powers. But the cost was high. The nation split over conscription and 60,000
men were killed in action and 172,000 wounded out of those who served. Next Instalment: Canada in Afghanistan
The Canadian Experience is a 52week history series designed to tell the story of our country to all Canadians. Sponsored by Multimedia Nova Corporation and Diversity Media Services partners, the series features articles by our country’s foremost historians on a wide range of topics. Past articles and author bios are available at http://www.cdnexperience.ca. The Canadian Experience is copyright © 2010-2011 Multimedia Nova Corporation.
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APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 27
Thingstodo
4 M
ecoideas
By SUE WAKEFIELD
arch is out like a lamb and Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s showers are here! Everywhere you look things are turning green: spring bulbs are poking through the ground, the trees are filling in and Torontonians are starting to plant their gardens. There are lots of ways to sprinkle a little green into your world this month, whether you want to incorporate some eco-friendly products into your life, help to beautify your city or just get out into our blossoming surroundings. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a time for renewal and all this green canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but make you feel fresh! Help make Toronto clean and green Join the 20-minute Toronto Make-over at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 15, or Mayor Rob Fordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Clean-up Day on Saturday, April 16 and help beautify the city you love. Get your kids, their friends, your friends, your neighbours and anyone else you can think of, and make it a party! Be sure to register for either event by April 8. You can pick up free gloves and garbage bags at Toronto community centres, civic centres, select Toronto Works yards or participating Pizza Pizza locations after March 25. Then take a stroll and enjoy your communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face lift! Printable posters are available online to help promote your group clean-up. Register and get more information at www.Toronto.ca/litter. Hit the park for a stroll and some natural Easter fun Let your kids take the lead on a leisurely walk
through High Park. From the winding wooded trails to the kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; playground, to the paths lined with blossoming trees and a stop by the pond, there is lots of green to explore and enjoy. If you are there on April 9-10, 16 or 23-24, stop by Colborne Lodge and learn about 19th-century Easter traditions. After a free tour of the museum, kids can dye eggs using natural dyes. On April 17, the Colborne Lodge grounds and building will be host to the annual Spring Egg Fun event with egg races, egg dying and, of course, an Easter egg hunt. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $2 plus some activity fees. (11 Colborne Lodge Drive, South End of High Park, 416-3926916, www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/featuredevents.htm). Explore the latest eco friendly innovations and take some home The Green Living Show is Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest consumer show dedicated to all things green and will run at the Direct Energy Centre April 15-17. Have a seat in one of the latest efficient vehicles, taste some delicious eco foods, shop for a variety of green products at special show prices and learn from some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ecological leaders. Last year Colin Firth was there to receive an award for his green efforts opening an eco retail store! All products and services are rigorously screened and must meet strict environmental performance
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Get some 60-second eco inspiration Celebrate Earth Day with The Everyday Heroes Festival, a nine-day event that will feature one-minute eco documentaries by filmmakers of all ages and experience levels. These micro movies showcase Canadian stories of eco heroism in exactly one minute and without any sound. To check them out, head on down to any TTC subway platform between April 15 and 24, and look up at the Onestop screens. (Yes, those screens with the weather and time!) The easy-to-absorb flicks are perfect for kids and the creative eco-ideas they showcase are sure to spark some fun conversations. While the idea of turning the subway platform into a movie theatre may be appealing, you can also enjoy the festival in the comfort of your own home by visiting www. Everydayheroesfestival.com. TT
Find inner peace
AND
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standards. Get a free admission ticket by turning in a piece of electronic waste, such as an old cell phone, MP3 player, camera, monitor or laptop. Start your green experience at home and take the TTC. The 509 Harbourfront streetcar from Union Station or 511 streetcar from Bathurst station can get you there. Or ride your bike and enjoy free valet bike parking service, courtesy of the Toronto Cyclists Union. (100 Princess Blvd., www.greenlivingshow.ca).
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Automotive
Fun-time expeditions
S
By Mathieu Yuill
ports coupes are a funny category. While clearly served best to a market that doesn’t have to consider driving kids or anyone else around, they also have appeal as a good midlife crisis option. The Mitsubishi Eclipse makes a decent choice for both types of consumers. Priced starting at just a touch under $25,000, the Eclipse has an available big engine for the segment outputting 265-horsepower from a 3.8-litre V6, an unusually good warranty for both the standard fair basic version (five years or 100,000 kms) and a 10-year, 160,000 kms powertrain and some interesting features not often found at this price range. Most notable is the back-up camera, available as part of a package. This feature used to be
found only on luxury vehicles with price tags at $60,000 and higher, but the Eclipse has one on both trim levels. When putting the car in reverse, a screen appears on the left hand side of the rearview mirror giving the driver a wide-angle view of what’s behind the car. What should be standard on any sport coupe are big wheels, and the Eclipse delivers on this in spades. There were days that 15-inch wheels were the upgrade, but big and fat wheels are the norm here. Eighteen-inch, 10-spoke wheels with P235/45 tires come off the factory line. The base GS model has a few bells and whistles that were nice to find from a safety perspective. While the 162-horsepower on the entry level won’t blow the doors off of any barns, it is torquey. The traction control did a
fine job of keeping the car from going all screwy under spirited acceleration from a standstill. And because those wheels are so big the brakes come with big expectations. ABS is standard on both trims and kicks in when called upon. While driving along a particularly unkept road in the GTA, a passenger of mine “didn’t like the shocks on this vehicle.” It’s not surprising: the Eclipse is definitely sport-tuned and the suspension is set up to keep the car tight around some fun-time corner expeditions. The caveat is that jaunts to the corner store or to and from work can get a bit tiresome from feeling every bump along the way. TT
Big and fat wheels are the norm
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APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 29
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EMPLOYMENT NEWS
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Jobs Jobs Jobs 30 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
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• It’s Affordable • It’s Fast • It’s Easy • It’s Effective • One Bill Does It All • Northern Ontario $90 • Eastern Ontario $155 • Western Ontario $143 • Central Ontario $145 • All Ontario $449• National Packages Available! 32 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
Sports
Brian Baker
Rugby keeps on ruckin’ T
francis crescia/toronto today
THEY’RE A MOUTHFUL: Midtown students Evan Lee, Tre Eli and Andrej Sikic hang out with Raptor mascot and dancer.
E
Raptors go local
By Brian Baker
ntering through a yawning chasm, three high school cagers meandered their way through courtside seats and set foot on golden hardwood. Their eyes wide in awe, they scanned the rafters of the Air Canada Centre. They were at centre court. For Evan Lee of Northern SS, Tre Eli of York Mills CI and Forest Hill’s Andrej Sikic that was a moment never to be forgotten. Every young basketball player dreams of his or her moment under the Klieg lights, coaxed by the commentator’s praise and the cheers of thousands of fans. Uniting under one front is the life force that drives sports, is the way Lee puts it. “School spirit means togetherness and every student at a school loves to be there, and supports everything that is being done,” he said. Sikic flashes his true colours when sharing his Falcon pride. “School spirit is supporting and cheering on your school,” he said. “Representing your school by wearing school colours and supporting all of the clubs, athletic teams and inter-school activities.” Though it may not be overt, Toronto’s student body is fiercely loyal to its institutions. The halls of Forest Hill, York Mills or Northern are rife with grassroots pride, while the Raptors, denizens of the ACC, are the force that unites the city at the macro level. No better to talk about getting involved in Toronto neighbourhoods and boosting support than Kat Stefankiewicz, co-captain of the Raptors Dance Pak. She’s in charge of getting fans riled up for game night, whether it is through the Internet (via Raptorspace and Twitter) or on the basketball court. Still, it’s not widespread knowledge the Raptors are immersed in the community.
“People don’t realize it because it’s not really talked about,” she said. “We do more than a handful of community appearances throughout the season away from the games, whether it be at Dundas Square or charity events.” Immersion in the community comes naturally to Stefankiewicz, having graduated from the music theatre program at Sheridan College five years ago. Now 28, she is an ambassador for the Raptors to the community. A member of the Dance Pak since graduation — the past three as co-captain — Stefankiewicz identifies with the city’s young athletes. “I came from a very sports-involved high school (in Burlington),” she said. “My friends were always athletes; we would go out and play basketball on a Friday night.” Though being on the Dance Pak is a part-time gig, Stefankiewicz keeps pace with the city, working as a reporter for NBA TV Canada. Oh, and there’s social media, too. “I’m doing my Twitter, Facebook, all that getting the fans ready for the game at hand,” she said. Many of those fans end up courtside to catch games in the Raptors Tweetzone or the Raps Fanatics zone. “You know the diehards,” Stefankiewicz said. “They keep the place going.” What the Raptors do for Toronto is not lost on the city’s aspiring athletes. “Whether the Raptors are down big, or up big, the Dance Pak and Raptor are always up getting the crowd into the game,” Sikic said. Lee weaved in his thoughts about the team representing the fabric of the city. “The Toronto Raptors, as well as the Dance Pak, are a very multicultural team and show that people with all different backgrounds can get along with each other, do what they love and compete at a high level while having fun.” TT
he International Olympic Committee has sanctioned rugby sevens for Rio’s 2016 Summer Games. So one would think the sport is an easy line out for Don Mills CI coach Daniel Kunanec when he seeks approval at the TDSB’s AGM in June. But … “We’re hearing all kinds reasons why it might not get approved, as opposed to a lot of great reasons why it should be,” he said. “There’s a lot of resistance in our way.” Kunanec, a tireless volunteer, has massaged the sport into the TDSB’s psyche since 2003 with hopes it will be another option for students. “Let’s leave it up to the kids,” he said candidly. “Just like they can choose the courses they take, let them choose the sports they want to play.” Don Mills will be host to a TDSSAA tournament in October. The last bracket in 2010 saw 35 schools participate, with 75 teams in five divisions. That included a girls division. At final count, 1,091 students participated. Sure rugby sevens is recognized as an official sport by the TDSB, but it still has one more ruck to roll over. “The difference is we have the right to do our little tournaments but as a fully sanctioned sport we get full financial support,” he said. “It’s not a huge deal. “What it means is (the board) will pay for playoff referees and city championship medals and banners.” Aiding Kunanec from the humble origins of four schools, 12 teams in two divisions in 2003, are Daniel Gana of Northern and Leaside’s Alf Scharlach. Gana jokes that the trio are rugby sevens’ Three Musketeers, but considering their tournament design is the model for both provincial and national junior rugby, his valiant comparison is apropos. “Both Gana and I were at Rugby Canada’s senior mens team selection and conference … and they were referring to the TDSB model as the model in the country,” Kunanec said. Continued Page 34 APRIL 2011 TORONTO TODAY 33
Mixing it up a bit By Shawn Star 1
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you scratching your head. Toronto issues some 5,000 permits a year to movie companies and Merton Street is known to often have film trucks parked on its two-lane street, with lights and crew doing their jobs. But it isn’t the most commonly used street. In fact, it would be ranked only in the “average use” category. Why do film companies use Merton Street as one of their go-to places? The street offers a lot that they can use, from condominiums to businesses, and nearby Mount Pleasant Cemetery provides a great backdrop. In case you didn’t know, the recent film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was shot all around Toronto. TT
Cont. from Page 33
Rugby Ontario’s junior mens director Glenn Tarver lauds Kunanec’s efforts and model. “Rugby Ontario is hopeful that other Ontario athletic associations will follow the TDSB lead and develop similarly strong programs,” he said, adding it’s important to not get frustrated when facing lengthy processes. “Sometimes change happens slowly,” Tarver said. “It may take a while longer before reality impacts on perception.” Come AGM, three voting members from each of Toronto’s 86 public high schools will vote on whether amendments will be made to their constitution to include rugby sevens. Working as intermediary between
The last word is
yours
34 TORONTO TODAY APRIL 2011
Kunanec’s camp and the membership is the board’s North Regional athletic administrator Nick Rowe. He sees no barriers for rugby sevens, especially after Kunanec waited a year before submitting his proposal, allowing for larger numbers. “The sport has done very well as far as its growth,” Rowe said. “It’s played right across the city. “There are certain parts of the city that are definitely more represented than others.” Lagging behind would be the West Region. Still, if a vote goes nay on rugby sevens in June, not only will I be a tad disappointed, but more than 1,000 kids will be fuming. And that’s one scrum I wouldn’t want to be in. TT
Do you have so Do you have ph mething to say otos fr ? Send us your tho om Midtown? u ghts, lett photo dhoddin s for considera ers, ti ott@my torontoto on. day.com
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ACROSS 1. Virtual flyer 5. Feeling sad in Paris 8. Brooklyn Dodgers’ field 14. Singer Braxton 15. Past 16. Outwardly opposed (with against) 17. Fruit juices 18. Hair product 19. Word’s last syllable 20. Alternate name for a village during 2003’s blackout? 22. Yemeni city 23. MADD’s bane 24. Luminous 26. Homer Simpson claimed to be this kind of man “trapped in a fat man’s body” 31. Gain 33. Slander element #18? 35. Common brief response to “Parlez-vous francais?” 37. Less common Greek letter 38. Long times 39. Message to Romney from anti-development group? 42. Latin love 44. Prefix for a difficult bet at the track 45. Sault ___ Marie 46. Madrid home made of farming soil? 48. County in China 52. You probably also shouldn’t judge a book by this
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53. Alternate to the “buy” option 56. Hostess cream-filled dessert ___ Balls 57. Mason Williams’ popular instrumental Classical ___ 59. Haters’ suggestion for a self-descriptive anagram of Hogtown? 61. Bazin laid the groundwork for this theory 65. Now-defunct downtown venue The Big ___ 66. Dropping onomatopoeia 67. What you did before you woke 68. Pub quaff 69. Former Romanian President Constantinescu 70. Ballots 71. Alternate choice to nothing 72. Wall type
DOWN 1. Double-bladed handsaw 2. Lectern 3. Hemoglobin deficiency 4. Feature of many outdoor patios in summer 5. Sudanese district with a city of the same name 6. Real estate rep 7. “That’s pretty funny” in Internet slang 8. The allowance for extending the limits of the Jewish sabbath 9. Drago’s undoing
10. One end of a drill 11. Common Biblical name 12. For now; pro ___ 13. Protestant offshoot church, abbr. 21. Early stages 22. Midwest state 25. 2005 Buble album 27. French siblings 28. Ids’ counterparts 29. Daughter’s brother 30. 14th letters 32. When downward, it can be a staircase or a top-selling ‘90s album 34. Columns’ opposites 36. Golden Rule’s second word 39. Nearly all 40. Exam types 41. One agent in knockout gases 42. Part of a scene 43. ___ Tai 47. A peanut, for example 49. Like straits, but made of land 50. Tedium 51. Pasta portion 54. Coral reef island 55. NHLer Brent 58. Popular bachelor degree 60. California-based heavy metal band, named for its own singer 61. Commercials, briefly 62. Online address 63. Afternoon delight in England 64. Devour 65. Sheepish noise
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