January 2 by The York Guardian

g omin e upc h t t k ou our Chec vents in ar!/5 e alend C y t i un Comm

Serving WESTON, MOUNT DENNIS, OAKWOOD VILLAGE, EGLINTON WEST and CALEDONIA-FAIRBANK

ary

Janu

2014 inside David Nickle on Rob Ford’s ice storm presence / 12

thurs jan 2, 2014

www.yorkguardian.com ®

Man’s death ruled a homicide

tourney action

Transit in Focus: a look at 2014 / 6

photos Weston Minor Hockey gets ready to hit the ice / 3

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chasing the puck: Warren Park’s Nolan Sinclair, left, attempts to break away from George Bell’s Lucas Texeira during North Toronto Tournament minor novice hockey action at St. Michael’s Arena Saturday afternoon.

Police said Saturday they are treating the body of a man discovered on Ettrick Crescent on Christmas Day as a homicide. Police were called to 35 Ettrick Cres., in the Hwys. 400 and 401 area, around 6 p.m. and discovered the body of a man without vital signs. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Vito Gironda A post-mortem determined the death to be a homicide. The victim has been identified as Vito Gironda, 59, of Toronto. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Sgt. Peter Trimble at 416-808-7400, ext. 77394, Det. Sheila Ogg at ext. 77418 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.

MP Sullivan to host meeting on veterans’ rights York South-Weston MP Mike Sullivan is hosting a town hall meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14 where he will be discussing what can be done to protect

veterans. Critiquing the Conservative government’s new Veteran Charter, Sullivan is inviting residents to stand

up for veterans and their families. NDP MP and Veterans Affairs Critic Peter Stoffer is also scheduled to attend the

meeting, to be held at Mount Dennis Legion, 1050 Weston Rd. For more information, call Sullivan at 416-656-2526.

35 Ettrick Crescent

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014 |

community

road work

New Adventures in Sound At at Artscape Wychwood Barns New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA) presents the annual Art’s Birthday event at Artscape Wychwood Barns from Friday, Jan. 17 to Sunday, Jan. 19. The three-day free event will include performances, hands-on activities and fun for the whole family.

“Art is not just a practice or a discipline but a way of perceiving the world, examining problems, and discovering possibilities. NAISA’s Art’s Birthday events will provide many such opportunities for one and all to not only experience art, but to tap into

FEATURED THIS WEEK: Every Thursday, yorkguardian.com introduces an image or group of images of historical significance to the York community. This image, taken May 23, 1912, shows St. Clair Avenue looking east to Bathurst Street. The two locomotives are filling in a hollow east of Bathurst.

their creative side as well,” said Darren Copeland, New Adventures in Sound Art artistic director, in a statement.

The Barns is located at 601 Christie St. For more information, visit http:// naisa.ca

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SUN, JAN. 5TH 11AM-6PM Personal shopping only. Savings offers do not include Parts & Service or Sundry Merchandise, Items with #195XXX & Sears ‘Value’ Programs with prices ending in .97. All merchandise sold “as is” and all sales final. No exchanges, returns or adjustments on previously purchased merchandise; savings offers cannot be combined. No dealers; we reserve the right to limit quantities. Prices do not include home delivery. Although we strive for accuracy, unintentional errors may occur. We reserve the right to correct any error. ‘Reg.’, ‘Was’ and ‘Sears selling price’ refer to the Sears Catalogue or Retail store price current at time of merchandise receipt. Offers valid at Sears Rexdale Outlet Store. ©2014 Sears Canada Inc. †Sears Financial™ MasterCard®, Sears Financial™ Voyage™ MasterCard® or Sears Card offers are on approved credit. Sears® and VoyageTM are a registered Trademarks of Sears, licensed for use in Canada. ®/ TM - MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated Sale priced merchandise may not be exactly as illustrated

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3 | YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014

community

holiday house league hockey

Photos/Peter C. McCusker

atom action: Top, Visioneering Green Kings’ netminder Melissa Correia makes the stop on a sprawling Mike Sullivan Flyer during atom houseleague hockey action at Weston Lions Arena Saturday morning. Above, Visioneering Green Kings’ Matthew Indovino tries to flip the puck over Mike Sullivan Flyers’ goalie Jessica Demitre. In photo at right, The Laura

Albanese Senators’ Leif Evanson, left, battles the Trophy Solutions Sharks’ Matthew Chiaramonte for possession of the puck during atom houseleague hockey action For more photos of other York events, visit at Weston Lions Arena recently. The Senators went on to win the bit.ly/york_galleries game 5-3. Action kicks off again this Saturday.

Martial arts instructor earns seventh-degree black belt Self defense instructor Richard Verlaan recently returned from a trip to Japan after earning his seventh-degree black belt. Verlaan, 47, successfully tested for the belt in Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate at the Jundokan in Naha, Okinawa. Two weeks before his trip to Japan, Verlaan was awarded a bachelor of philosphy degree from the University of Waterloo following 20 years of parttime distance studies. Verlaan, who is entering his 30th year of training, is a martial arts instructor at the York Academy of Martial Arts on Dufferin Street near Eglinton Avenue.

tai chi and karate WORKSHOPs wFREE January is open house month at the York Academy of Martial Arts and you are invited to try a free introductory workshop. Every Saturday morning this month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. instructors will welcome children who wish to try out a free introductory workshop on the ancient Okinawan art of karate. Learn the stretches, exercises, basic moves and activities that help practitioners live so well for so long. Call to reserve your place in advance, arrive 15 minutes before class, and wear comfortable clothes.

Parents need to sign a waiver. The dates are Jan. 4, 11, 18 and 25. • Also offered is a free tai chi workshop for beginners Every Monday evening from 8 to 9 p.m. adults can try out a free introductory workshop on the low impact Chinese art . Space will be limited so call to reserve your place in advance. Wear comfortable clothing and bring non-marking indoor shoes if you are uncomfortable in your bare feet. Tai chi workshops run Jan. 6, 13, 20 and 27. • Adults interested in trying their hand at karate

can check out a beginners workshop offered on Wednesday eveningd from 7:45 to 9 p.m. According to the York Academy of Martial Arts, karate is a safe and fun way to stay healthy and energized – and it’s not just for kids. Adult karate workships are offered Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29. Call to reserve your place in advance. Wear comfortable clothing. To sign up or for more information, contact Richard Verlaan by emsil at info@yorkama.com or call 416-256-7463. The York Academy of Martial Arts is at 2081 Dufferin St., north of Rogers Road.

Photo/Jan Normandale

Richard Verlaan.

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014 |

opinion

The York Guardian is published every Thursday at 175 Gordon Baker Rd., Toronto, ON, M2H 0A2, by Metroland Media Toronto, a Division of Metroland Media Group Ltd.

Ian Proudfoot Marg Middleton Peter Haggert Paul Futhey Warren Elder Alison Fauquier Debra Weller Mike Banville

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York Guardian City of Toronto

The Guardian is a member of the Ontario Press Council. Visit ontpress.com Proudly serving the communities of Briar Hill-Belgravia • BeechboroughGreenbrook • Caledonia-Fairbank Forest Hill North • Humewood-Cedarvale Keelesdale-Eglinton West Mount Dennis • Oakwood Village Rockcliffe-Smythe • Weston Weston-Pellam Park

Let’s showcase city’s best in 2014

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new year dawns on our city and many people are considering their goals for 2014. In the spirit of reflection and resolution, we think there are a few goals the City of Toronto and its citizens, as a collective, should work toward. Let’s continue to be a place people want to live, work and play. Based on world ranking surveys in 2013, our city is already sitting comfortably at the top: we were named the most youthful city by the Youthful Cities index; the second most reputable city by the Reputation Institute; and second in the Overall North American Cities of the Future for business investment. Maintaining that high standard requires ongoing commitment by our elected officials, our business and community leaders. So here’s a wish for 2014: to see effective, accountable and dignified leadership from our mayor and city council. When we make our view headlines internationally, it should be for positive reasons help strengthen our reputaWork together that tion – not tarnish it. If the illto realize conceived behaviour of any proves a detriment to the opportunities person effectiveness of this city, then they need to answer for it. We also hope 2014 is the year Toronto breaks out of its downward spiral on transit planning. No more flip-flopping, cancelled plans, lost investment and wasted time. We need vital transit upgrades and a concrete commitment from all levels of government to find a way to pay for it. Another wish: that this year Toronto gets an engaging municipal election – one where candidates focus on critical issues mentioned here, and one that gets residents invested in municipal affairs and gets them out to the polls. Lastly, we hope to continue to see evidence of the goodwill of the people of Toronto. Whether it’s offering refuge from a power outage after an ice storm, local police engaged in community building, or school children initiating charity drives for typhoon victims on the other side of the world – that spirit of compassion is our most defining feature. There’s much to celebrate this year, with the World Cup set to spark excitement in our communities only possible in a city as diverse as ours, and the ongoing preparation of hosting the Pan/Parapan Am Games in 2015. This is our chance to showcase our city on the world stage. Let’s work together and make the most of that opportunity.

The York Guardian welcomes letters of 400 words or less. All submissions must include name, address and a daytime telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Copyright in letters remains with the author but the publisher and affiliates may freely reproduce them in print, electronic or other forms. Letters can be sent to letters@insidetoronto.com, or mailed to The York Guardian, 175 Gordon Baker Rd., Toronto, ON, M2H 0A2.

column

Some Fearless predictions for 2014

uch to my delight, I bumped into one of the world’s foremost psychics in the mall over the holidays, the incomparable Frederico Fearless. He was there promoting his best-selling new book, I’m Delighted To Say I Told you So. This guy is good, folks. He was a perfect 100 for 100 last year. What’s more, he was kind enough to give me a signed, laminated copy of his 100 predictions for 2014 and permitted me to reproduce this unsigned, un-laminated portion. 1. By the end of the year it will be possible to lose an argument to your phablet over which movie you should watch on it, after which the phablet will be able to put YOU on pause while it goes out to dinner and a show with another phablet. 7. Due to the escalating saturation and resultant inflation of social media, 15 minutes of fame will be officially reduced to 15 seconds

jamie wayne BUT SERIOUSLY of fame. 19. In 2013 as I predicted there would be an app created for everything but the kitchen sink. In 2014, there will finally be an app for the kitchen sink, too. 25. While the relentless Twitterazzi will be dogging the Twitterati more than ever, the perplexed paparazzi will be obsessed with finding out why there’s no paparati to follow, seeing as how they’ve been around a heck of a lot longer. 38. The Country Music Song of the Year will include the following phrases: 1. “Talking ’bout my pick-up truck.” 2. “A country road.” 3. “A hot summer night.” 4. “A little whiskey.” 5. “And just you and me baby.” 6. “Oh, yeah.” It will be titled, “Talking ’Bout My Pick-Up Truck, A Country Road, A Hot Summer Night, A Little Whiskey And Just You And

Me, Baby. Oh Yeah.” 46. William Shatner will shoot down industry rumours there is going to be a sequel to Star Trek 247. The former Captain Kirk will instead gleefully announce that there is, in fact, going be a triloquel to 247, taking the popular Star Trek franchise all the way to an even 250. But who’s counting, right? 55. Every Tuesday at that well-known restaurant chain, The One With The Three-Letter Acronym, somebody in line waiting to be served will ask the person standing next to them why it’s called Toonie Tuesday when the special of the day costs more than a Threenie. 62. Er Shun, the Toronto Zoo’s female giant panda, will have a molar pop out after munching on some bamboo, leave it under her pillow and be visited by the Tooth Fairy. Ironically, the Tooth Fairy will trip over a pile of bamboo while delivering Er Shun her cash and dislodge an incisor in the

process, only to discover, alas, that there is no Tooth Fairy for Tooth Fairies.. 78. The top-selling fastfood item will be inspired by the recently released second Hobbit movie, the Desolation of Smaug. It will be called the Benedict Cucumberbatch – and you can take it home in a recyclable Bilbo Baggins. 87. Miley Cyrus will sing a song on a music awards show in which she is fully clothed and not exhibiting any suggestive behaviour. (Just kidding. I wanted to see if you were still paying attention.) 100. Jamie will wrap this up by wishing all his readers a Happy New Year. “Happy New Year, everyone.” Wow. I told you Fearless was good. I had no idea I was going to end it that way. Jamie Wayne is a lifelong columnist, who takes writing very seriously. The topics? Not so much. His column appears every Thursday. Contact him at jamie.wayne@sympatico.ca

newsroom ph: 416-493-4400 fax: 416-774-2070 | circulation ph: 416-493-4400 fax: 416-675-3470 | distribution ph: 416-493-4400 fax: 416-675-3066 | display advertising ph: 416-493-4400 fax: 416-774-2067 | classifieds ph: 416-798-7284 | administration ph: 416-493-4400

◗ Thursday, Jan. 2

Ready, Set, Go! WHEN: 2 to 3 p.m. WHERE: Weston Library, 2 King St. CONTACT: 416394-1016, westaff@torontopubliclibrary.ca COST: Free Get a fast start to the new year by making and racing your very own pop bottle race car. Drop-in.

◗ Friday, Jan. 3

Weekly Barbecue WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. WHERE: Mount Dennis Legion, 1050 Weston Rd. CONTACT: 416-767-0231, legionbr31@yahoo.com Enjoy food at reasonable prices. Meet some new friends. Find out what Legion membership is all about. All 19 years and older are welcome.

◗ Friday, Jan. 10

Circle of Conversation WHEN: 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. WHERE: York West Active Living Centre, 1901 Weston Rd. CONTACT: Joselen, 416-245-4395, ext. 233, www.yorkwestactivelivingcentre.ca, joselen@ ywalc.ca COST: Free A program designed for people 55 years of age and older who want to improve their English language skills,

volunteers

Weston Rd. CONTACT: 416-7670231, www.facebook.com/mountdennislegion, legionbr31@yahoo. com COST: $5 Board bus in legion parking lot at 8:15 a.m. for 8:30 a.m. departure. Ticket includes a $10 credit on your Rama Players Card. Cards available for first timers upon arrival at casino. Purchase tickets in advance at clubroom bar.

Interested In Volunteering? WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. WHERE: York West Active Living Centre, 1901 Weston Rd. CONTACT: Joselen, 416 245 4395, ext. 233, joselen@ywalc.ca COST: Free Help older adults to improve their lives and learn new skills. No need to sign up for long term commitments. Positions include volunteer driver, reception, kitchen server, special events, gardening, and more.

◗ Saturday, Jan. 18

CHECK OUT OUR complete online community calendar by visiting www. yorkguardian.com. Read weeks of listings from your York neighbourhoods as well as events from across Toronto. meet new friends, and get information about social and community services in their community. Community Connections Cafe WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. WHERE: UrbanArts, 5 Bartonville Ave. E. CONTACT: 416-241-5124, joan@ urbanartstoronto.org COST: Free Enjoy some free food and connect with your community on issues that concern you. Talk about housing, jobs, scholarships, community safety and more. Everyone is welcome. There will be activities for kids.

Karaoke WHEN: 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. WHERE: Mount Dennis Legion, 1050 Weston Rd. CONTACT: 416-767-0231, www. facebook.com/mountdennislegion, legionbr31@yahoo.com COST: food available at reasonable prices Join us for our weekly barbecue starting at 6 p.m. Karaoke begins at 9 p.m. Cash bar. All 19 and older are welcome.

◗ Wednesday, Jan. 15

Casino Rama Day Trip WHEN: 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. WHERE: Mount Dennis Legion, 1050

Robbie Burns Supper and Dance WHEN: 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. WHERE: Mount Dennis Legion, 1050 Weston Rd. CONTACT: 416-767-0231, www. facebook.com/mountdennislegion, legionbr31@yahoo.com COST: $25 Enjoy a traditional Scottish supper with optional haggis. There will be a piper, Highland deadline dancers and a pipes and drum band performance, followed by music with DJ Rob Best. Cash bar. Tickets must be purchased by Jan. 11.

JAN

YORK HAPPENING IN

it’s happening

◗ Sunday, Jan. 19

Giant Open Cribbage Tournament WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. WHERE: Mount Dennis Legion, 1050 Weston Rd. CONTACT: 416767-0231, www.facebook.com/

mountdennislegion, legionbr31@ yahoo.com COST: $25 per two person team Early registration by Jan. 10 guarantees ‘sitting’ team placement. Registration on tournament day from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Play begins at 12:30 p.m. Email for entry form or more information.

◗ Tuesday, Feb. 4

Look Before You Leap: An Intro to Consumer & Debtor Rights WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. WHERE: Maria A. Shchuka Library, 1745 Eglinton Ave. W. CONTACT: 416-394-1000 COST: Free Lawyer Victor Kasowski will talk about basic legal rights of consumers and debtors. The emphasis will be on providing information that can be applied to everyday life. Call to register.

get listed! The York Guardian wants your community listings. Sign up online at insidetoronto.com to submit your events (click the Sign Up link in the top right corner of the page). We run non-profit, local events in print weekly in The Guardian.

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| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014

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YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014 |

transit

Funding the focus for transit advocates in 2014 Municipal, and possible provincial, elections present opportunity to pressure politicians RAHUL GUPTA rgupta@insidetoronto.com

he year 2013 did not go down in history as a particularly noteworthy one for transit in the City of Toronto. There was some progress in improving transit, such as the introduction of articulated buses, completed subway station renovations as well as an emphasis on better customer service on the part of the TTC. Meanwhile, Metrolinx introduced all-day trips on GO train lines and proceeded on extensive renovation work at Union Station. Real progress was also made in June of 2013 on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, with tunnel excavations commencing far below Eglinton Avenue. Also, in the fall Toronto Council voted to extend the Bloor-Danforth subway line to Sheppard Avenue and McCowan Road in Scarborough, to ultimately replace the aging Scarborough RT. By-and-large, however, transit in 2013 was characterized by the endless bickering between politicians about funding, subways, LRTs and revenue tools, even as record levels of transit riders dealt with higher levels of congestion, creakier service, higher fares and plenty of delays. It’s too soon to say whether 2014 will be any different, but the likelihood of two elections, provincially and municipally, make for an obvious and

useful coincidence for transit supporters seeking to drum up support for transit funding, such as TTC CEO Andy Byford. “I’m hoping politicians will recognize we have to continue to expand the network, so I’m looking for a serious, mature debate that will lead to decent and adequate funding,” said Byford of his hopes for 2014.

“

I’m hoping politicians will recognize we have to continue to expand the network, so I’m looking for a serious, mature debate. – TTC CEO Andy Byford

In the new year, Byford will be part of a delegation of city officials which includes mayoral candidate Karen Stintz set to travel to Queen’s Park and Ottawa in search of better transit funding. He said the TTC couldn’t continue to function without better funding, with annual fare increases no longer acceptable to riders frustrated by higher prices and a declining level of service. “We’ve got to be imaginative in the sources of funding, which is one of the reasons we’ve formed this task force,” he said. “We are doing our damnedest to make the service more reliable, but there comes a point you have to invest.”

The Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance will also call for better transit funding in 2014, said a spokesperson for the advocacy group. L i n d a We i c h e l s a i d CivicAction, which bills itself as a non-partisan regional organization, will resume efforts to convince elected officials to sign its pledge for better transit funding. But as in the past, the group and its council of transportation “champions” will refrain from offering specific recommendations for funding or endorsements of pro-transit politicians. “From day one, we created a council with a great variety of interests from business to labour to social service agencies,” said Weichel, a vice president with CivicAction who was responsible for leading the group’s Your32 transit awareness campaign. “What everyone agreed on was we need investment.” CivicAction also had to deal with the impromptu departure of its CEO Mitzie Hunter in 2013, who left the group to run for the provincial Liberals in a Scarborough-Guildwood byelection which she won. “I had not anticipated her decision to run for office, and I understood eventually she would run, but that was down the road,” said Weichel who was part of an interim executive committee running the agency upon Hunter’s departure. “But I think she and we didn’t expect that moment

Staff file photo/RAHUL GUPTA

The TTC showed off one of its new articulating buses at its Hillcrest facility in October. The 60-foot vehicles will provide 45 per cent more capacity than the regular bus fleet. They began running along Bathurst Street last month.

would come so soon.” Sevaun Palvetzian, a longtime civil servant, will officially replace Hunter as CEO of CivicAction as of Jan. 6, but the agency could also face another high-profile departure in 2014 if chair John Tory enters the Toronto mayoral race. Tory has not publicly announced whether he will run against announced candidates Stintz, David Soknacki and current mayor Rob Ford. Weichel said CivicAction would focus more on getting residents to endorse the idea of better funding. “The biggest obstacle is the question of trust,” she said. “It’s very clear people want to see something done to deliver a better network and offer more transportation

choices, but it’s really a question of whether there’s trust in governments spending that money wisely. There is more work to be done there.” According to Martin Collier, transportation issues will likely be front and centre in both the municipal elections (set for Oct. 27) and a possible provincial election, though historically that’s not often the case. “It’s funny but transportation seems to be more of an issue between elections than on elections, that’s been my experience,” said Collier, director of Healthy Transport Consulting which organizes a series of seminars entitled Transport Futures. “But this year, it could be totally different.”

In the case of the provincial election, he said it would be up to the minority Liberal government of Premier Kathleen Wynne to make the case for transit. But he thought the idea of paying more in taxes and fees could become a “wedge issue” and one provincial candidates would try to avoid during an election campaign. He hopes future debates on what project to build next, and how to fund them, come from places of reason rather than emotion. “We do have to make sure we’re making the right choices based on facts and evidence,” he said.

Transit reporter Rahul Gupta can be reached on Twitter: @ TOinTRANSIT

Staff file photo/DAN PEARCE

File photo/JAMES MACDONALD

Staff file photo/RAHUL GUPTA

The boring machine at the official launch of the first tunnel for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT was unveiled during a ceremony in June at Keelesdale Park.

Work by Metrolinx continued during the fall on the renovation of Union Station.

Completed rails tracks inside subway tunnels below the Downsview Park Station construction site in North York are shown during a tour of the line to Vaughan.

Deputy mayor: The year that was, the year that will be David Nickle dnickle@insidetoronto.com Going into 2014, Toronto’s Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly has a stack of books he wants to get to: a biography of Chairman Mao, another book on the new science of persuasion, a third looking at the fraternity of former U.S. presidents. But although he is wellknown as a voracious reader, Kelly hasn’t made much progress on these books and doesn’t expect to in the coming year. After a year of scandal, embarrassment and demagoguery coming out of the office of the Mayor of Toronto, the councillor from ScarboroughAgincourt who has now taken on many of the powers and responsibilities of the mayor, has his hands full. Not that he’s complaining. “It’s been very busy and the adjustment has been more comfortable than I guess I anticipated – but again, I didn’t know what to anticipate,” said Kelly, sitting down for a year-

end interview. “I’ve been blessed with a terrific team of people helping me. As a councillor, you have to select a certain number of issues to focus on, but as a mayor it has to be wider. In this position, you’re looking at a spectrum – you’ve got to be looking at everything,” he said.

“

We are the most important city in the region and the country, and we’ve tended to back away from that leadership role, and I would like to see if we can reassert ourselves. – Norm Kelly

Kelly has been working as Toronto’s de facto mayor for about a month, since Toronto City Council voted to strip Mayor Rob Ford of most of his powers and bestow them on Kelly. It’s a unique position in Canadian municipal politics: Kelly was anointed deputy mayor in the summer by Ford,

after former deputy Doug Holyday left city hall to sit on the Progressive Conservative benches in Queen’s Park. Kelly took over as scandal, a police investigation and an admission of illegal drug use put Ford, and Toronto, on the world stage. In the interview, Kelly assesses the damage done to the city. “The executive function was beginning to erode in the last few days of the Ford administration,” said Kelly. “That has been cauterized. I think we’re well on our way, I hope, to regaining the respect of Torontonians, and maybe by extension the international media as well.” Kelly will be leading council into an election year – in an election that Ford promised would be bloody, as he set about to run for re-election. Kelly said he hoped it wouldn’t be too great a distraction to Toronto council. “I think that there’s a genuine willingness by most members of council to focus on the business of the city,” he said,

Staff photo/David Nickle

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly.

“the most important of which is the budget, and I think that people are hoping that there won’t be any further personal issues that will erupt on the sidelines. I have a sense that councillors are getting down to business and will maintain that frame of mind going for-

ward.” Kelly said that he anticipated much of the work of council in 2014 will focus on the budget, which will be approved in late January and implemented through the year. “The budget’s going to take

you well into the new year and the Billy Bishop airport issue is going to occupy almost the same territory,” said Kelly. “After that will be... the task of implementing the budget you decided on. And then you come into a smooth landing in July, and everybody gets off the plane and hits the streets at election time.” Beyond that, Kelly is hoping Toronto can regain a sense of leadership in the Greater Toronto Area that he believes it’s lost over the Ford years. “We are the most important city in the region and the country, and we’ve tended to back away from that leadership role, and I would like to see if we can reassert ourselves,” he said. One thing Kelly insists is that he will not seek election as mayor in 2014. “I’m very proud to represent the communities of Scarborough-Agincourt. I’ll be standing for that office, and that honour.”

Follow City Hall reporter David Nickle on Twitter: @DavidNickle

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Solid Brick Home With Lots Of Space, Charm & Unique Features. 3 Generously Sized Bdrms, Hardwood Flrs Thruout, Massive 2 Car Garage, Private Drive, Beautiful Roof Top Patio Overlooking Back Yard. High Ceiling Bsmnt With In-law Suite & Sep. Entrance. This Gem Sits On A Dazzling Quiet Crescent Close To Amenities, Shops & Transportation. Be The One To Own This Masterpiece! 416-654-7653

ABOVE ASKING

111%

SOLD $659,900

Attn All Investors!! Own A Beautiful Property In Most Desirable Area. Huge 6 Bdrm Home, Fully Detached. Great To Live & Rent Or Own As Investment. Reno’d Top To Bottom. Spacious Rms. 3 Kitchens & 3 Baths, W/O To Big Backyard. New Roof, 200 Amp Serv. Steps To All Major TTC Routes & So Much More. Must See It To Believe It. 416-654-7653

98%

| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014

city news

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014 |

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| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014

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YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014 |

community

Library adds 20,000 e-book titles Another 20,000 titles have been added to the list of e-books from which Toronto library patrons can choose. Some of the new e-book titles available include Dust, Mirage, Just One Evil Act, Dark Witch, The Signature of All Things, Husband’s Secret, Thankless in Death as well as materials useful for students, business people and ESL

learners. Canadian content will be available soon. About 15,000 of the titles come from Penguin Group while the other 5,000 are from McGraw-Hill. Many of the titles include this year’s best sellers and popular science, business and learning materials. Other publishers who make a growing number of e-books available to the Toronto Public Library

beary merry campaign

include Random House Canada, HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan and many Canadian independent publishers. Library patrons have downloaded more than two million e-titles in 2013. Of all materials borrowed from the library in the last year, six per cent were e-titles. For information, visit www.tpl.ca/downloads

Photo/Peter C. McCusker

hospital visit: Metroland Media Toronto’s Lisa Roberts, right, Monica Augustyniak and Nirav Ashra bring some holiday cheer and gifts to Alyssa Buchanan, left, her sister Nya and brother Jahki at the Humber River Hospital-Finch site recenly as part of Metroland’s annual Beary Merry Christmas fundraising campaign. Metroland Media Toronto is publisher of The York Guardian.

high school roundup

yorkguardian.com

food Gluten-free brie bites and a bunch of other brunch recipes to enjoy

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pets Talking about spiders Jumping spiders can leap 20 times their body length

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GETTING READY TO RETURN FROM BREAK: Action for Toronto District School Board sports is set to resume Jan. 7. In pre-holiday break action, (above, staff photo Dan Pearce) a Monarch Park Collegiate player gets tripped up by an Oakwood Collegiate player during high school boys’ hockey action at Ted Reeve Arena. Oakwood went on to win the game 3-2. Top right (photo Peter C. McCusker) George Harvey Collegiate’s Roshane Richards, left, gets to the hoop past Richview Collegiate’s Romas Simkus during high school senior boys’ basketball action at George Harvey. The home team went on to win the game 58-35. At bottom right (photo Peter C. McCusker), York Memorial Collegiate’s Elise Eagar, left, and Judy Ta attempt to block an Etobicoke School of the Arts spike For more photos of these and other during high school west region senior girls’ Tier 1 volleyball action York events, visit bit.ly/york_galleries at York Memorial. Etobicoke went on to win the match 2-1.

Tom Yum soup and other dishes at Khmer Thai

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| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014

community

city hall

Ford front and centre during storm

ay one thing about Mayor Rob Ford’s work ethic: it seemed to have grown two sizes over the Christmas holidays. When the power went out for a third of the city, leaving families freezing in the dark, there he was: front and centre. It’s unclear whether the mayor did so out of a sense of civic duty or a fear that if he didn’t step up, Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly and councillors like public works and infrastructure committee chair Denzil Minnan-Wong might soak up all of the credit for helping out during the ice storm. The fact that the mayor refused to declare a state of emergency, turning powers over to the deputy mayor and also perhaps increasing the amount of inter-governmental aid the city could expect, tends to support the latter interpretation. But never mind that. Despite having been

david nickle the city stripped of his powers after having debased the office of mayor like none before him, the mayor took to podiums and neighbourhoods with great zeal – inserting himself as the reassuring voice of the public service in calamitous times. Doing so is a political calculus – if he is to stand a chance in the mayor’s race later this year, Ford must be seen to be doing something beyond brushing off reporters, dreaming of football and returning a handful of constituents’ phone calls. And he must not be seen to be absent during public emergencies, particularly when his other duties and powers as mayor have been so effectively curtailed. Now, it will take a lot of public emergencies over the next 10 months for Torontonians to forgive his

appalling behaviour over the past couple of years. This is the guy who admitted to smoking crack while in office, who consorts with gang members and alleged drug dealers, makes lewd remarks related to his wife to deny allegations of making even more lewd remarks about former employees. As much as polls indicate that Ford’s base is remaining loyal, the majority of Torontonians are looking elsewhere for their next mayor. And Ford risks giving the impression that his newly found municipal engagement is nothing but a cynical grab for photoops, as sincere as a deathbed conversion. Still, give him this: Rob Ford is finally doing the job he was elected to do. And whatever that does for his re-election chances, Ford seems to be doing the right thing now.

David Nickle is the Guardian’s city hall reporter. His column appears every Thursday.

Contracting out of garbage collection east of Yonge put off until after election DAVID NICKLE dnickle@insidetoronto.com

last time.” Earlier in the term, the city contracted out about a Toronto Council has agreed quarter of the city’s garbage to put off the question of collection to Green For Life, and got changes to the colcontracting out garbage lective agreements with city east of Yonge Street until after this year’s municipal outside workers that allow election – siding with Mayor the city to contract out the Rob Ford, in a clash with rest of garbage collection. public works and infrastrucBut Ford had held off ture committee chair Denzil on moving ahead with full Minnan-Wong. contracted out garbage until Ford asked council at its after the election. Dec. 18 meeting to request a Minnan-Wong, who is report on the pros and cons openly considering a run of contracting out garbage for mayor himself, made collection in the east end it clear he’d like to see if of the city, to be it can go ahead Be a part of the delivered to the m o re q u i c k l y. discussion. Visit public works and He moved to this story on our infrastructure have the entire committee in website and share matter referred to 2015. your thoughts in the committee he “I find that we’ve chairs. the comments had huge success “I believe that section. contracting out we should look at garbage collection  bit.ly/1cBYz1x options, but the in Etobicoke, then appropriate place finally got everything going for that to go is to commitwest of Yonge Street. The tee,” he said. proof is in the pudding. I’ll Councillors voted down be shocked if it comes back Minnan-Wong’s referral, and that it’s cheaper to do it in supported Ford’s, despite house,” said Ford. the fact that some councillors criticized the political “This is not anti-union. I encourage unions to commaneuvering behind the pete and vote, and if people move. disagree this will be a great “It’s the worst kind of election issue, just like it was politics,” said Parkdale-

comment

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014 |

High Park Councillor Gord Perks. “It exemplifies all the problems we’ve had in the last year in this chamber. We don’t need to waste valuable time engaging in electoral politics when we should be engaging in public service. In this case it means retaining a public role in the maintaining of waste management services.” Mayor Ford’s brother, Councillor Doug Ford, said it made sense to debate the issue in the context of an election. “Every single campaign... there’s issues,” he said. “Every person campaigned on issues before they were elected and Councillor Perks, you’re no different. You come up with ideas good or bad and you campaign on them. This is the democratic process that we live in. Each and every one of you have the opportunity to tell your constituents, you’re against contracting out garbage or for it.” Council finally voted to send it back to committee after the election.

To see the council minutes from this meeting, visit http://bit.ly/19BkMM3

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Toronto councillors back hikes in water and garbage rates Water rate hikes to pay for upgrades to aging system DAVID NICKLE dnickle@insidetoronto.com It will cost more to turn on a tap and toss out trash in 2014 as Toronto Council finalized the ratesupported budgets for next year. Council voted Dec. 18, to support a nine per cent water rate increase for 2014, with hikes of eight per cent a year for the following three years. And it has approved a three per cent increase to the cost of throwing out garbage in its solid waste

budget. For the typical water user, that will add $73 a year to their water bill, with money going to the ongoing upgrade of the city’s aging water system. The garbage fee increase will mean a small garbage bin will cost $230.72, up from the current $224, a medium will now cost $280.09 (up from $271.93) and a large will cost $380.39 (increased from $369.31). Charitable organizations and churches, currently exempt from garbage collection fees, will start paying for garbage collection in 2015. Council considered altering that, as Trinity-Spadina Councillor Mike Layton moved to simply exempt the organizations from the fees, and public works and infrastructure committee

chair Denzil Minnan-Wong moved to start charging the fees in 2014. charities ‘crippled’ Layton argued the fees would be crippling to charities such as Goodwill, that receives donations of furniture and other large objects which sometimes must be disposed of. “Goodwill estimates the full cost could be $600,000,” said Layton. “That’s going to result in them having to close down some community stores and restrict some of the services they deliver.” Layton said the city should be supporting charities that do valuable work in the community, and the fee amounts to a “clawback.” Minnan-Wong, mean-

while, argued the city needs to move on it immediately. “You’re either for waste diversion or you’re not for waste diversion,” said Minnan-Wong. “I never thought I’d have to give Layton a lesson in environmental stewardship or responsibility...The right thing to do is to say we want you to be part of the waste diversion system. That’s the principle behind this program and that is why we need to support the program. That’s why this is a perfect system of carrot and stick.” But council wouldn’t go either way, voting down Minnan-Wong’s motion 20-14, and Layton’s motion 17-16.

For more news from North York and across Toronto, visit northyorkmirror.com

Sign up for kindergarten Both Toronto’s public and Catholic school boards will begin registration for kindergarten in the new year. The Toronto Catholic District School Board invites families with children born in 2010 to register for fullday kindergarten starting Jan. 8. Each of the 167 elementary schools will host an evening registration session sometime in January. Parents can phone their local Catholic school for specific dates and times. Starting on Jan. 8, parents will be able to complete their application online at http:// soar.tcdsb.org, and follow up with a visit to the school to present the following required documents: the child’s birth certificate or certificate of citizenship or landed immigrant status; the child’s Catholic baptismal certificate (or other proof of Catholicity); immunization record; and proof of residency in Toronto (such as a utility bill). For more information, call

416-222-8282, ext. 5314, or visit bit.ly/18ZzOLf. Registration for all Toronto District School Board (TDSB) kindergarten programs, meanwhile, will begin in February. All children who will be four by Dec. 31, 2014 are eligible to enroll in junior kindergarten come September 2014, while all those who will be five are eligible for senior kindergarten. To register, find your local school by going to www.tdsb. on.ca/FindYour/School.aspx and then visit that school, bringing the following documents: proof of child’s age (birth certificate or passport); proof of address (two pieces of identification that show your address, such as a phone bill); proof of immunization (the card that shows a list of needles your child has received); and verification of date of arrival, if your child was not born in Canada. For specific registration dates and times, parents are asked to contact their local school.

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community

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014 |

transit systems hit hard by ice storm wtransit December’s severe ice storm played havoc with transit operations across the city. Both TTC and GO Transit riders experienced major delays as the transit agencies struggled with power issues caused by the storm. At its height, service on all subway lines was affected as well as streetcar routes, plus the Scarborough RT. Several bus routes were also forced to cancel service or detour around areas where downed hydro wires or trees were reported. It wasn’t until midday on Christmas Eve – with the re-opening of the Sheppard subway – that service was fully restored. GO riders also had to deal with delays of 45 minutes per trip because of signal issues affecting the rail service in and out of Union Station. hikes in effect for TTC riders wFare

As of New Years Day, TTC riders were faced with another price increase, as the cashstrapped transit agency struggles to cover its 2014 operating budget.

rahul gupta TO in TRANSIT Hardest hit are Metropass holders who will now pay $5.25 more per month. A five-cent increase was also approved per token or ticket. With the fare hike, the TTC projects it will raise around $8 million, which still won’t be enough to balance the budget. In January city council will vote on whether to approve an annual operating subsidy for the transit commission. A fare hike for 2015 is also scheduled. bids for Eglinton LRT wContract

Metrolinx announced in December a pair of consortia pre-selected to bid on construction contracts for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. So m e 3 0 c o m p a n i e s make up Crosslinx Transit Solutions and Crosstown Transit Partners, including heavyweights like EllisDon and Aecon, which will have the opportunity to bid on over $2 billion worth of construction contracts, everything from

station design work to signal and communications system installations. Also available for bids are maintenance contracts to take effect following the Crosstown’s scheduled launch in 2020.

TTC chair blasts Presto fare system timeline

buses back on the street wArticulated

RAHUL GUPTA rgupta@insidetoronto.com

Rahul Gupta is The Guardian’s transit reporter. His column appears every Thursday. Reach him on Twitter: @TOinTRANSIT

A long-term plan to install the Presto fare system in TTC vehicles and stations is not acceptable, says the transit commission’s chair. The fare collection system is already in wide use on GO Transit and other GTA-area transit agencies with hundreds of thousands of transit riders tapping on daily. Presto is scheduled to be fully deployed by 2016 on the TTC, but that’s not nearly soon enough, according to TTC chair Karen Stintz, who wants to see “substantial completion” by the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games. At the Dec. 18 TTC board meeting, Stintz made a motion to direct staff to work with Metrolinx on a sped-up deployment schedule so that the smart fare card is in place in stations, new streetcars and

Elongated TTC buses are back on city streets following a re-launch of the vehicles last month. Articulated buses are characterized by a pivoting accordion joint separating passenger compartments, which increases capacity by 45 per cent compared to the regular fleet. The buses can hold a maximum of 112 riders. On Dec. 19 the T TC launched the first of 15 Novamanufactured “artics” along the 7 Bathurst route, which will be deployed mainly during peak travel periods. In 2014, the buses will be added to the 29 Dufferin, 36 Finch West, 63 Ossington, 6 Bay, 85 Sheppard East and 53 Steeles Express routes.

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$39 FOR 4 BOTTLES OF WINE PLUS A WINE TOUR, TASTING AND MEMBERSHIP PACKAGE FOR 4 PEOPLE AT ROCKWAY VINEYARDS �A $110 VALUE�

call: 1

Business Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Telephone Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Cash & Interac Transactions: 9 am - 5 pm

Careers

Looking for a Great Part-Time Job? BECOME A SCHOOL BUS DRIVER Free training provided!

Our part-time schedules work well for semi-retirees, the self-employed, or anyone who would like evenings, weekends, and summers off. Apply now; we have bus routes in every part of Toronto!

APPLY ONLINE: Under “Join Our Team” tab www.stocktransportation.com OR APPLY BY EMAIL: send your Resume to rachell@stocktransportation.com OR APPLY BY PHONE: (best time to reach us is between 10am to 1pm) ▪ Toronto West (West of Yonge Street) 416.244.5341 x61974 ▪ Toronto Central (Between Yonge & 404/DVP)

416.757.0565 x61924 ▪ Toronto East (East of Hwy404/DVP) 416.754.4949 x61415 Toll-free Recruiting Line: 1-877-233-4045

OR APPLY IN PERSON: Call for our address and then come by to meet us! Must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid A,B,C,D,E,F, or full G licence, and must be proficient in english

General Help

Articles for Sale

HELP WANTED! Make $1000 a week mailing brochures From Home! Helping Home Workers since 2001! Genuine Opportunity. NO experience required. Start immediately! www.themailinghub.com

Real Estate Misc./Services CANCEL YOUR TIMESHARE. NO RISK program. STOP Mortgage & Maintenance Payments Today. 100% Money Back Guarantee. FREE Consultation. Call us NOW. We can Help! 1-888-356-5248

Astrology/Psychics

HOT TUB (SPA) Covers Best Price, Best Quality. All shapes & Colours Available.

C a l l 1-866-652-6837. w w w. t h e c o v e r guy.com/sale

Building Equipment/ Materials STEEL BUILDINGS/METAL BUILDINGS UP TO 60% OFF! 30x40, 40x60, 50x80, 60x100, 80x100 sell for balance owed! Call: 1-800-457-2206 www.crownsteel buildings.ca

TRUE PSYCHICS For AnHome Renovations swers, CALL NOW 24/7 Toll FREE 1-877-342-3032 Mobile: BUILDER/ GENERAL CONTRACTORS #4486 RESIDENTIAL/ www.truepsychics.ca COMMERCIAL. Finished basements. Painting. Bathrooms. Ceramic Articles for Sale tiles. Flat roofs. Leaking basements. Brick/chimney repairs. House additions 905-764-6667, 416-823-5120 HOT TUB (SPA) COVERS. Best Price, Best Quality. All Shapes & Colors Available. Call 1-866-652-6837 www.thecoverguy.com/ newspaper

Check Out:

diversions

fax: 905

853 1765

Adjustments: Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of your ad. Please check your ad on the first insertion. For multiple insertions of the same ad, credit will be made only for the first insertion. Credit given for errors in connection with production on ads is limited to the printed space involved. Cancellations must be made by 2 p.m. one business day prior to publication date. Cancellations must be made by telephone. Do not fax or e-mail cancellations.

YOUR Weekly Crossword

CEILINGS repaired. Spray textures, plaster designs, stucco, drywall, paint. We fix them all! www.mrstucco.ca 416-242-8863

HOME IMPROVEMENT Directory

Waste Removal PETER’S DEPENDABLE JUNK REMOVAL From home or business, including furniture/ appliances, construction waste. Quick & careful!

CHIMNEYS

Bricks & Chimneys Repaired and rebuilt Bricks + mortar colour match

SERVICING ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS HOLIDAY SPECIAL

Tuckpointing Chris Jemmett Masonry 416-686-8095

416-677-3818 Rock Bottom Rates!

ELECTRICAL

Plumbing

25OFF

WITH THIS AD

EXTENDED UNTIL JANUARY 31ST

10% SENIORS DISCOUNT

416-427-0955 Metro Lic. #P20212 - Fully Insured

FREE ESTIMATES

24/7 No Extra Charges for Evenings, Weekends or Holidays

ALL TECH ELECTRIC Contact: Jason Sa

EMERGENCY? Clogged drain, camera inspection Leaky pipes Reasonable price, 25 years experience Licensed/ Insured credit card accepted Free estimate James Chen 647-519-9506

PLUMBING BaySprings Plumbing Ltd.

House-front, pillars, bricks repaired or replaced

Master Electrician

(416) 723-1169

Specializing in removal of Knob & Tube & Electrical upgrades.

ECRA/ESA Lic.#7006706

Flooring & Carpeting

HARDWOOD FLOOR sanding. Specializing in stain/ refinishing. Call for Handy Person Free Estimate! Reasonable rates. Paul HOME RENOVATIONS & 416-330-1340 pager. Repairs. From backyard clean-ups to trash removal, all your home needs and repairs. Call John: 647-467-9976, 416-906-5601

1-800-743-3353

Flooring & Carpeting

Tree/Stump Service

NESO FLOORING Carpet installation starting from $1.19/ sq.ft. Hardwood, laminate at low prices. 27 yrs experience. Free Estimates. Best Price! 647-400-8198

LUMBER-JACK’S Tree Service, Since 1980. Hedge trimming, tree pruning, tree/ stump removal. Free estimates. Fully insured. Call Jack (416)762-2400 www. treeservicetoronto.com

Appliance Repairs/ Installation

Sudoku (challenging)

Professional Repairs of all brands of: Refrigeration, Stoves, Dishwashers, Washers, Dryers, Air Conditioning, & Heating. Free Estimates. Warranty, Credit cards accepted. Seniors discount. 416-616-0388

Adult Personals LOCAL HOOKUPS BROWSE4FREE 1-888-628-6790 or #7878 Mobile HOT LOCAL CHAT 1-877-290-0553 Mobile: #5015 Find Your Favourite CALL NOW 1-866-732-0070 1-888-544-0199 18+

How to do it: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3 by 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

last week’s answers

Careers

800 743 3353

Want to get your business noticed? Call

1-800-743-3353

w See answers to this week’s

puzzles in next Thursday’s edition

to plan your advertising campaign today!

Now Hiring Call 1-800

743-3353 to plan your advertising campaign.

Find Your perfect spot! Check Out The Apartments For Rent Section!

| YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014

175 Gordon Baker Road, Toronto, Ontario M2H 0A2 www.insidetoronto.com | Circulation: 416 493 4400

YORK GUARDIAN | Thursday, January 2, 2014 |

75%

Bathurst St

Portland St

UP TO OFF ALL IN-STOCK ITEMS

King St West

Sale ends Sunday January 12, 2014 or while quantities last. Sale applicable only at King Street location only. Hours of Operation: M-F: 11AM-7PM | SAT: 10AM-6PM | SUN: 12PM-5PM

Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashionable lighting destination. 416-364-9099 | 624 King Street West (east of Bathurst) www.livinglightingonking.com kingstreet@livinglighting.com