Courtesy of chrisdavies.ca

Are you a tenant in Toronto who has just had it with taxes? According to the Federation of Metro Tenants, Toronto’s high property tax rates are pushing apartment renters past the poverty line. Toronto home owners are always complaining about their property taxes but the truth is that Toronto tenants are taxed at almost three times as much as residential homeowners. The reason for this is that apartment landlords are taxed as businesses and they in turn recoup the money from their tenants. This becomes a double whammy for tenants because they can’t deduct their rent from their income in spite of the fact that the rent that they pay in turn pays for the services – transit, fire, police - that their landlords are deducting. The Federation of Metro Tenants reports that tenants occupy approximately 9% of Toronto and pay 19% of the taxes. Where is the justice in that?

To add insult to injury as of July 1, 2010 people across Ontario will have to pay the 8% provincial sales tax (PST) when the province applies a harmonized sales tax on utilities among other things. This means that landlords will be paying 8% tax on electrical, plumbing, painting, landscaping, snow removal, etc. in addition to electricity and heating oil. Currently 20% of tenants pay their own utilities however in the buildings where landlords are paying the utilities you can be sure that they will be going after the tenants seeking increases in compensation.

What can you do? Contact your Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament.

Courtesy of pawlingcycle.com

Are you tired of bicycles not stopping at stop signs and red lights, going the wrong way on one-way streets, not signaling when turning, and riding on the sidewalk? If so you are not alone. Many cyclists seem to be under the mistaken impression that they can ride how ever and where ever the mood or the traffic takes them and pedestrians are paying the price. Just last Thursday a pedestrian passed away after a collision with a cyclist on a sidewalk. According to Ontario Highway Traffic Act (HTA) a bicycle is a vehicle and a cyclist has the same rights and responsibilities as a motorist.

The Toronto Highway Traffic Act has a very detailed list of bicycle violations and fines. Here are the ones that stand out for me.

• HTA 144/136 -Traffic signals and signs - stop for red lights and stop signs and comply with all other signs.
• HTA 153 - One ways streets - ride in the designated direction on one-way streets.
• HTA 142 - Signalling a turn - before turning, look behind you and signal your turn. Cyclists can use their right arm to signal a right turn.
• HTA 140/144(29) - Crosswalks - stop for pedestrians at crosswalks and walk your bike when crossing at a crosswalk.
• HTA 130 Careless driving.
• HTA 140 (1) (a) Fail to yield to pedestrian.
• HTA Improper right turn 141 (2)
• HTA Improper left turn 141 (6)

Should we blame cyclists or law enforcement? These violations and fines are on the books, so why aren’t they enforced? When as a society are we going to start treating bicycles like the vehicles that they are and hold the cyclists responsible for their safe operation? Perhaps we should have licensing criteria along the same lines as we do for cars and motorcycles.

Courtesy of tysonwilliams.com

The Canadian National Exhibition is known by several nicknames – the CNE and the EX – but by what ever name you call it, Torontonians come out in record numbers each and every year to attend the Grand Dame of attractions. The Ex has been around for over 130 years. In that time it has become the largest annual fair in Canada and the fourth largest in North America. Last year over 1.3 million attended. Once again the CNE returns to Exhibition Place, located at 100 Princes’ Boulevard, from August 21^st – September 7^th, marking the end of summer and Labour Day.

This year the Ex is featuring over 500 attractions, a large carnival midway, international entertainment, shopping, great food, and agricultural exhibits. The main attractions are just spectacular:

• Celebrate the Olympic Spirit: A Tribute to the Winter Games
• Movie Magic: Aerial Acrobatics & Ice Skating Show starring Elvis Stojko
• E - Evolution…Emergence…Energy: Nighttime Light Show
• Canadian International Air Show
• FLOWRIDER Mobile Wave
• Daily CNE Mardi Gras Parade
• President’s Choice SuperDogs Show
• The Original Wheel of Thrills

If you buy your tickets by August 21^st you can save up to 31%. You can purchase tickets online however you must have access to a printer to print out your barcoded ticket.

Leave the car at home and take the TTC or GO Transit. Take the subway to Union Station and then the #509 steetcar westbound to Exhibition Place. Or, take the subway to Dufferin Station and then the #29 bus south to Dufferin Gates. Or, take the subway to the Dundas West Station and then #193 Exhbition Rocket. Or take the Lakeshore GO Train to Exhibition Station.

Courtesy of www.twisia.com/mtp/pictures/Tall%20Busker.jpg

Come out and celebrate the 10^th birthday of Buskerfest from August 27^th – August 30^th. Not only is this a one of a kind event with over 100 of the best street performers in the world – aerialists, stilt walkers, comedians, contortionists, magicians, mimes, sword swallowers, human statues, silent comedy and slapstick, puppets, high wire acts, acrobats, clowns, and more – but Buskerfest raises awareness for Epilepsy. Instead of charging admission for this fabulous it is requested that you make a donation to Epilepsy Toronto in any amount that is comfortable for you. Last year Buskerfest raised $165,000 for Epilepsy Toronto.

Buskerfest is one of the highlights of the summer season in Toronto and last year over 1 million people attended. It is the largest festival of its kind in North America and the largest Epilepsy awareness raising event in the world. Buskerfest is a terrific family-friendly event with special treats for the small fry like face painting and balloon sculptures. For the second year in a row Buskerfest been named as one of the Top 100 Festivals in Ontario by Festival and Events Ontario. In addition it has been chosen as an event to support by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and awarded a Celebrate Ontario Grant.

Where can you find Buskerfest? Buskerfest is a street festival that takes place in the St. Lawrence Market area including Market Lane, Market Square, Berczy Park, Front Street East, and Jarvis/Church. Take the subway to Union Station and take a short walk east along Front Street and you’ll be in the heart of the action.

Courtesy of dcfud.smorgasblog.com

Check your refrigerators for Hygrade, Shopsy’s and Maple Leaf hot dogs. On August 3^rd the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning not to eat hot dogs made in the Maple Leaf plant in Hamilton. They may be contaminated with listeria.

Below is a list of products that may be contaminated. As yet no illnesses have been reported as a result of consuming these products. If you do have any of these products in your fridge or freezer, throw them out immediately, even though they look perfectly good. It is best to err on the side of caution. Listeria can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, nausea, and it some cases it can be deadly. The people at the most risk are seniors, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems.

If you have questions or concerns call the CFIA from Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM at 1-800-442-2342 or if you are hearing impaired call 1-800-465-7735.

Courtesy of www.shootsoft.ca/clearsoft/images/handguns.jpg

Shootings in the U.S. are as commonplace as fast food restaurants, but in Canada we liked to think that we are a much less violent society. Perhaps so, but it is getting harder to believe if you read the news. Perhaps Dick Wolf should start a “Law & Order” Canadian edition to add to his string of hit television shows.

The latest victims of violent handgun crimes were two men that were shot from behind at the Howard Johnson’s Hotel on Avenue Road in the very chic enclave of Yorkville. Many were shocked to read this news but we have got to wake up to the fact that gun crime is not restricted to Jane & Finch. The two men, a 22 year old from Montreal who has not yet been identified, and 25 year old Wesler Fabian from Ottawa, were in town for Caribana. All that is known at the moment is that they returned to the Howard Johnson’s Hotel at 4:30 AM after a night of partying. After they exited their car a man walked up, shot them from behind, and fled the scene. Mr. Fabian died from his injuries and the unidentified man remains in hospital. As of yet no motive for the crime has been established.

In a separate and unrelated incident this weekend a 17 year old boy, Nerio Valdez, was chased by two men in a car and shot and killed near Steeles and Martin Grove Road. The lifeless body of Nerio Valdez was found in brush. There are no descriptions of the killers nor are police even certain if there were two or four men involved. There were some witnesses, but it is uncertain as to what they saw or if there recollections can be considered reliable. Nerio Valdez’s shooting death is Toronto’s 33^rd homicide of the year. Is that a lot for a city the size of Toronto? One shooting death is too many, but what measures can we take to ensure that the homicide numbers go down and not up?

Courtesy of thevitaminm.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/beer

Celebrate one of the world’s most beloved libations at the Toronto Festival of Beer from Thursday, August 6^th– Sunday, August 9^th – rain or shine!

Toronto Beer Festival location: Bandshell Park, Exhibition Place located at 200 Princes’ Boulevard.

Festival Hours: Thursday, August 6^th from 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Friday, August 7^th from 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Saturday, August 8^th from 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Sunday, August 9^th from 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM

It’s all about the beer! The Festival of Beer will give you the opportunity to sample over 250 brands, from lagers and stouts, to wheat beers and pale ales. If you are interested in Ontario beer this festival is for you with over 95% of Ontario brands represented. In addition you can expect great food, live music, and over 100 vendors on site.

Toronto’s Festival of Beer is a great party for adults only. No one under the age of 19 will be admitted. No pets are allowed either, although I can’t imagine why anyone would want to bring their pet. Tickets can be purchased online.

Please don’t drink and drive! Use the TTC instead. There are many options.

• From the Dufferin Subway Station take the #29 bus south to Exhibition Place.
• From the Bathurst Subway Station take the #511 streetcar south to Exhibition Place.
• From Union Station take the #509 streetcar west to Exhibition Place.
• Exhibition Place also has a GO Station located right on our grounds. The station name is EXHIBITION.

The outrage about the settling of the recent city workers’ strike will not be moving off the front pages any time soon and the fall out is just beginning. Torontonians were very passionate about the issue and many are now feeling an enormous sense of betrayal and are furious that after a strike that lasted over a month, the union got everything they asked for and in the end Mayor Miller supported the strikers instead of the people that he is sworn to serve. In record numbers the residents of Toronto reached out to their city councillors and expressed their opinions prior to the vote. Did your city councilor support the wishes of your riding? Here is the list of how they voted.

YES to the contract for CUPE Local 416
Mayor David Miller
Maria Augimeri (York Centre)
Sandra Bussin (Beaches East York)
Shelley Carroll (Don Valley East)
Raymond Cho (Scarborough Rouge River)
Janet Davis (Beaches East York)
Glenn De Baeremaeker (Scarborough Centre)
Frank Di Giorgio (York South Weston)
Paula Fletcher (Toronto Danforth)
Adam Giambrone (Davenport)
Mark Grimes (Etobicoke Lakeshore)
Suzan Hall (Etobicoke North)
Adrian Heaps (Scarborough Southwest)
Doug Holyday (Etobicoke Centre)
Pam McConnell (Toronto Centre Rosedale)
Joe Mihevc (St. Paul’s )
Joe Pantalone (Trinity Spadina)
Gord Perks (Parkdale High Park)
Anthony Perruzza (York West)
Bill Saundercook (Parkdale High Park)
Adam Vaughan (Trinity Spadina)

NO to the contract for CUPE Local 416
Paul Ainslie (Scarborough East)
Brian Ashton (Scarborough Southwest)
Mike Del Grande (Scarborough Agincourt)
Mike Feldman (York Centre)
Rob Ford (Etobicoke North)
Cliff Jenkins (Don Valley West)
Norm Kelly (Scarborough Agincourt)
Chin Lee (Scarborough Rouge River)
Peter Milczyn (Etobicoke Lakeshore)
Denzil Minnan-Wong (Don Valley East)
Ron Moeser (Scarborough East)
Frances Nunziata (York South Weston)
Case Ootes (Toronto Danforth)
John Parker (Don Valley West)
Karen Stintz (Eglinton Lawrence)
Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre)
Michael Walker (St. Paul’s)

Abstentions for conflict of interest:
Howard Moscoe (Eglinton Lawrence)
David Shiner (Willowdale)

Did not vote:
John Filion (Willowdale)
Gloria Lindsay Luby (Etobicoke Centre)
Giorgio Mammoliti (York West)
Cesar Palacio (Davenport)
Kyle Rae (Toronto Centre Rosedale)

Will you be voting for your city councillor or for Mayor Miller again?