TORONTO – The prime minister is less and less “prime” and if he remains a (prime) minister it is only thanks to the Liberal-NDP trust agreement because if we went to vote now he would probably be soundly defeated. →
We have entered the last stages of the Mayoralty bye-election in Toronto. To suggest that it has become an election like no other states the obvious. It also teases one to ask if there is a disconnect between perceptions of purpose and mechanisms for delivery on vision. In sum, are we being asked to vote for “something not on the table”?
TORONTO – All schools in the Niagara Catholic District School Board (NCDSB) are under a hold-and-secure order following an undisclosed threat. In a tweet posted at 12:13 pm., the Niagara Regional Police Service advised parents and guardians that an “unidentified individual contacted the Board with a threat to an unidentified Niagara catholic school”.
“The health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff are our top priority. Out of an abundance of caution, the Board placed all schools in hold and secure while police investigate,” the board wrote (here below is the tweet by @niagaracatholic).
Parents are being asked to not pick up their children from school. In the NCDSB schools there are about 20 thousand students. Any updates will be provided through School Messenger, NCDSB said.
TORONTO – Congratulations to CP-24 for convincing their viewers to hang around for two- and one-half hours of “debate”. They should fire the “experts” they claim to have used in structuring the debate format.
TORONTO – Almost noone wants them, practically all the candidates for mayor promise to wipe them out, but the City of Toronto continues to build new ones: we are talking about the bike lanes, which have “invaded” the city in recent years, throwing it into chaos and which, brace yourselves, will increase. →
MILAN – Silvio Berlusconi’s coffin traveled the 33 kilometers that separate Villa San Martino in Arcore and Piazza Duomo in Milan between two wings of the crowd that welcomed the passage of “The Knight” as one does with cycling champions, with applause and placards. In the central square of Milan, there were at least ten thousand people waiting for him, half of those estimated due to the restrictions decided at the last moment for security reasons. →
TORONTO – It is hard to believe they were once teen-agers. Sure, as in the picture below the article, we are now referring to “older men” whose life stories suggest a maturity not imagined in the first day of Grade Nine, so many years ago. But after a few minutes, the picture of those “freshmen” – kids, really – came back into focus.
MILAN – The last farewell to Silvio Berlusconi, ex prime minister, leader of Forza Italia as well as the most successful Italian entrepreneur, will be one of those reserved only for great personalities, with a funeral organized like a rock star concert. 2,000 people inside the Milan Cathedral, 20,000 outside and giant screens to allow the square to follow the funeral of “The Knight”, whose State funeral will be held tomorrow at 3 pm (Italian time), in a day of national mourning. The celebration will be presided over by Monsignor Mario Delpini, Archbishop of the city. →
TORONTO – David Johnston’s resignation pushes Canada’s political class on their heels and disrupts both the government and the opposition. The decision by the former Governor General of Canada to relinquish the post of independent Special Rapporteur in the controversial story of Chinese interference has created a sort of short circuit in Ottawa. The Prime Minister will be forced to indicate the next steps to untangle this complicated mess.
TORONTO – It took a couple of weeks for me to finally connect with Abuna Fr. Mario Cornioli. He leads the Saint [Mar] Youssef Christian Community Centre in Amman Jordan. We finally succeeded in overcoming the technological obstacles (and my incompetencies in the new means of communication) but, Inshalla, I finally reached Fr. Mario, just days after the Royal Wedding of the Crown Prince.
TORONTO – Hundreds of fires, many of them out of control, and smoke everywhere. Canada is in full emergency and the alarm does not spare the GTA, where air quality will not improve at least until tomorrow. →
TORONTO – You couldn’t get more Italian than this. The Italian National Day organized by the Consulate General of Italy in Toronto – on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the birth of the Republic and the 75th anniversary of its Constitution – was under the banner of the most genuine Italian spirit, thanks to the masterful direction of General Consul Luca Zelioli who has been able to recreate, at the Liberty Grand at the Exhibition Place, a perfect “Italian” atmosphere, thanks to a skilful mix of art, music, culture, hospitality and, of course, excellent cuisine.
TORONTO – David Johnston, the “special rapporteur” appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to verify whether or not to open a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada (Chinese in particular), defines the allegations as revolving around his objectivity ” simply false” and, after having “advised against” the public inquiry, reiterated that he intends to continue his work, launching a series of public hearings next month. No public inquiry, however, contrary to what has been repeatedly requested by the entire parliament, excluding the Liberals. →
TORONTO – An unprecedented emergency. Canada could see a “record” level of burnt area this year: nine provinces and territories are already currently battling wildfires that have forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 people across the country since early May, government officials said today, showing wildfire risks are set to rise this month and remain “unusually high” throughout the summer in Canada. →
