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. (more…)
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 – From my perspective, this is a trilogy that shapes, and more often than not, guides and governs our behaviour. Our social, cultural and economic practices are its manifestation.
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. (more…)
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. (more…)
TORONTO – The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) decision to uphold its longstanding policy regarding flags and procedures for changing Board policies, prompted a series of responses in the Golden Horseshoe and beyond.
TORONTO – Barely one in four Canadians trust the credibility and impartiality of former Governor General David Johnston as special rapporteur on foreign interference, according to a new poll by Léger for the National Post, conducted using an online panel of 1,531 eligible Canadian voters, May 26-29. In fact, only 27 percent of respondents said they believed Johnston’s recent report advocating against a public inquiry into foreign interference was based on “rigorous, unbiased work” or “foreign policy expertise”. In fact, three out of four Canadians don’t trust him. (more…)
TORONTO – I love Canada. There is simple underlying ethic to which, as Canadians, we all seem to subscribe: respect the Law; earn your bread; open doors to others; respect the lawful aspirations of fellow citizens; do not pull the ladder up behind you; leave the space you occupy in a better condition than you found it.
TORONTO – The “political theater” on foreign interference continues on the stage of the Canadian House of Commons. Main interpreters, the leader of the NDP Jagmeet Singh and the special rapporteur David Johnston commissioned by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (director) to evaluate whether or not it was the case to open a public inquiry into the pressure that China would have exerted on some Canadian politicians to influence the country’s politics.
TORONTO – Italian, historical perspective classifies these people as “squadristi” – disrupters who move in gangs for self-protection and intimidation. A less genteel word, now used as a derogatory descriptor for political compulsion, is “fascistic”.
TORONTO – The NDP leader Jagmeet Singh keeps two things going at the same time: on the one hand, he presents a motion to invite David Johnston (special rapporteur on foreign interference in Canada, appointed by Justin Trudeau) to step aside, and to ask for a public inquiry (denied first by Trudeau and then by Johnston himself); on the other, he reiterated his unconditional support for the minority government of the Liberals. “Before sending Canadians to the polls, their confidence in the electoral process must be restored”, is Singh’s justification. (more…)
TORONTO – There is a limit to it: Jagmeet Singh, leader of the NDP and “crutch” of the minority government led by Justin Trudeau, must have thought that when he decided to present a motion inviting the special rapporteur on Chinese interference, David Johnston, a trusted man of the Prime Minister, to “step aside” after the decision not to recommend the opening of a public inquiry into Beijing’s influence on Canadian politics. (more…)
TORONTO – The York Catholic District School Board administration against trustees and families: the YCDSB invited all mainstream media to this evening meeting, to cover a vote that – as our newspaper has already written in previous articles – is not legitimate, about flying the Pride flag at schools in the region in June. In advance of tonight’s meeting, the Board is warning/threating anyone planning to attend that “there will be increased security and the police will be present to assist if needed”. In the last three months they didn’t inform anybody, they just did it. Perhaps they are trying to discourage those with contrary views from attending.
TORONTO – Many will remember the summer wave of temporary closures of emergency rooms: well, in the smallest and most rural communities of Ontario, the emergency is never over. And while understaffing led hospitals to close their emergency departments for hours or days during the summer of 2022, the closures didn’t really stop at the end of the summer season. (more…)
TORONTO – In theory, the provincial government, through its Minister of Education (currently Stephen Lecce) drives the Education agenda. It proposes enabling legislation, and, through its departmental officials, structures the Regulations.
TORONTO – A parent revolt is swelling. “They bend to the wishes of the lobbyists for promoters of sexualized identities, but they refuse to meet with delegations of parents with children in the schools. We have had enough. We have had enough of their distortions of the curriculum that damage our family values. Let our kids be kids!”.
TORONTO – If you are a parent in the York Catholic District School Board (50,000 + students, according to its website), you are about to be kicked to the curbside. You will have company: the Catholic Church will have been “booted” to the same sideline when it comes to institutions entrusted with the education of your children.
TORONTO – “Toronto is at a turning point that must not be a breaking point. People tell me they are worried that the city they love is on the brink of serious decline. “I want to lead Toronto’s revival. I have a plan to do exactly that”: candidate Mitzie Hunter (in the pic above, from a video on her Instagram page), running for Mayor, introduced today her 71-page plan titled “Fix the Six” and based on a general six-per-cent property tax increase – $216 per year for an average home – that will be reduced to three per cent – a $108-per-year increase – for households with income under $80,000. Hunter’s plan also provides additional protections for moderate and lower income seniors, which will allow more than half of all seniors to pay no property tax at all. (more…)
TORONTO – The City wants to cash in: due to a budget deficit totaling nearly $1 billion, Toronto has in fact invited residents and businesses to urge the Canadian government to “pay back previous funding commitments for the City”. (more…)
Today, Corriere Canadese is publishing another interview on the contending candidates seeking election as Mayor of Toronto. 102 individuals have registered with the Elections Office at City Hall, and the Italian newspaper will not be able to give all of them the coverage they might like, so it proposes, but will not be limited to, interviewing interested candidates whom “the polls” suggest may garner at least 4% of the votes.
TORONTO – A smart city, with simple solutions for big problems. But, first of all, no Torontonians’ money anymore to the Province: “With me as a Mayor, the 2.2 billion dollars we give yearly to the Province will stay here, in Toronto. I’m not giving all that money to the Province anymore”.
Today, Corriere Canadese is publishing another interview on the contending candidates seeking election as Mayor of Toronto. 102 individuals have registered with the Elections Office at City Hall, and the Italian newspaper will not be able to give all of them the coverage they might like, so it proposes, but will not be limited to, interviewing interested candidates whom “the polls” suggest may garner at least 4% of the votes.
TORONTO – “Facts, not words”. Brad Bradford’s commitment is captured in this motto. An urban planner, he has represented Ward 19 Beaches – East York at City Hall since 2018. He has been Chair of the Planning and Housing committee since last year. Mr. Bradford is aiming for the mayor’s seat in the belief that streamlining bureaucracy and having promises follow through on actions quickly is the direction to take for a Toronto that works. And, in his platform, there is a plan to increase public safety in the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC); a new agency to respond to mental health crises; a commissioner for the reduction of traffic congestion in the city; a plan to fight crime and to build affordable housing. Bradford, interviewed by the editorial staff of Corriere Canadese, outlined his program’s priorities. (more…)
TORONTO – The Prime Minister’s foray into international politics (the annual G-7 meeting of heads of governments of the “magnificent seven” manufacturing Western giants) this past weekend, has had mixed reviews.
TORONTO – On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2023, an event dedicated to the ethnic press in Canada was held on Friday evening in the Toronto City Hall.
TORONTO – “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray”. It happens that on occasion, those projects do not go as planned; someone hits a snag. For Italians, to be oblivious to the necessity of preparing for all eventualities, irrespective of the outcome, is akin to inviting condemnation. It happened in an exchange between two Prime Ministers: Trudeau and Meloni.
TORONTO – If the 102 candidates for the mayor’s chair in Toronto signifies anything, it may be that we are prepared to overlook the obvious until the dam bursts. Then everyone heads for the lifejackets.
TORONTO – Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is refusing to meet with the government’s special rapporteur on foreign interference in Canada, David Johnston, because his is a “fake job” entrusted to someone who is not impartial. The leaders of the NDP and the Bloc Québécois have already met with the special rapporteur called to determine whether or not the federal government should launch a public inquiry into the interference: only Poilievre, therefore, has refused the meeting. (more…)
Today, Corriere Canadese is publishing the third interview on the contending candidates seeking election as Mayor of Toronto. 102 individuals have registered with the Elections Office at City Hall. The Italian daily newspaper will not be able to give all of them the coverage they might like and proposes, but will not be limited to, interviewing interested candidates whom “the polls” suggest may garner at least 4% of the votes. (more…)
TORONTO – New legislation aimed at repressing violent repeat offenders who obtain bail is ready: the legislative reform “package” comes after months of study of Canada’s bail system and calls on the federal government to implement stricter laws, dealing with a number of high-profile cases of violent crimes committed by individuals who were out on bail. (more…)
TORONTO – Justin Trudeau’s first official visit to South Korea: the prime minister left Canada today for a week-long trip to Asia, where he will participate in the G7 leaders’ summit in Japan but, first, he will stop in Seoul, where he will reciprocate South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visit to Ottawa last fall. Since then, both countries have agreed on their Indo-Pacific strategies, plans that aim “to counterbalance Chinese influence by increasing economic and military ties in the region”. (more…)
TORONTO – Not true, really. No; I am not pouring salt on the wounds of Maple Leafs hockey fans. Like many pre-teen and teen-age boys my age, at the time, I lived at the local outdoor, city-run, ice hockey arena.
TORONTO – There is no doubt: Toronto voters will be spoiled for choice on June 26 when they’ll go to the polls to choose their city’s next mayor. The nominations for the extraordinary by-election to choose a new mayor, following the resignation of John Tory, officially closed at 2pm on Friday and according to the City’s website there are 102 registered candidates: current and former city councilors, former parliamentarians and deputies, civic activists, school administrators but also many ordinary people who probably just want to “see the effect” having their name on the ballot paper. A card that promises to be mileage, given the number of names it will contain. (more…)
Today, Corriere Canadese is publishing its second interview on the contending candidates seeking election as Mayor of Toronto. As yesterday, 80 individuals have registered with the Elections Office at City Hall. Qualified candidates needed to provide at a minimum: 1. Proof of Canadian citizenship 2. Proof of a residence or business in Toronto 3. Endorsement from at least 25 other fellow citizens 4. $200.00.
When the registration process closes on May 12, Corriere Canadese will publish a list of those who still allow their name to stand. In the meantime, the Italian newspaper proposes, but will not be limited to, interviewing interested candidates whom “the polls” suggest may garner at least 4% of the votes. In the last election, only 29% of eligible voters cast a ballot.
I admit to holding the concept that mankind (womankind, humankind, peoplekind) possesses two distinct characteristics: a body and soul – instinct and free will. The latter being the innate (if one is in a state of sound mental health) ability to make a deliberate choice when faced with an alternative, and to accept responsibility for it.
TORONTO – An Ontario Provincial Police officer died and two others were injured in a shooting in the village of Bourget, in the municipality of Clarence-Rockland, east of Ottawa. One person has been taken into custody by OPP. (more…)
TORONTO – HATE is “le mot du jour”. The vocabulary of the woke tars those in disagreement with “practitioners” of that nebulous ideology as haters. A recent province-wide election concerning the governance structure of more than 57,000 lawyers and 10,000 paralegals practicing in Ontario produced some interesting results.
TORONTO – The “mystery” of Chinese threats to conservative deputy Michael Chong, who was allegedly targeted by Beijing (him and his family) for anti-Chinese positions, is becoming more complicated. Now, after “the omelette is done” (the federal government expelled Chinese diplomat Zhao Wei on Monday, China reacted by expelling Canadian consul Jennifer Lynn Lalonde on Tuesday), all three national security advisers and intelligence officers who worked for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2021 told Global News they have no recollection of receiving a top-secret intelligence assessment prepared that year on Beijing targeting Conservative MP Michael Chong and his family in Hong Kong. (more…)
TORONTO – She said it before running as a candidate and reiterated it on Monday evening, during a meeting with NEPMCC, the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada: in the next few hours, Mitzie Hunter will resign as MPP of Ontario to being able to devote herself even more intensely to the electoral campaign that sees her engaged in the race for the office of Mayor of Toronto. (more…)
TORONTO – An average of 23,000 more dollars in the pockets of federal public employees by the end of the agreement (therefore by 2024) which ended the strike of over 155,000 workers in recent days: a clear victory for PSAC (Public Service Alliance of Canada), the union that cornered the federal government, wresting excellent contractual conditions from the Treasury Board and the Canada Revenue Agency for its members. (more…)
Corriere Canadese is beginning its series on the contending candidates seeking election as Mayor of Toronto. As of Sunday, seventy-three individuals have registered with the Elections Office at City Hall. Qualified candidates needed to provide at a minimum: 1. Proof of Canadian citizenship 2. Proof of a residence or business in Toronto 3. Endorsement from at least 25 other fellow citizens 4. $200.00.
When the registration process closes on May 12, Corriere Canadese will publish a list of those who still allow their name to stand. In the meantime, the newspaper propose, but will not be limited to, interviewing interested candidates whom “the polls” suggest may garner at least 4% of the votes. In the last election, only 29% of eligible voters cast a ballot.
TORONTO – His was a long career in the ranks of the Toronto Police. Thirty-seven years – of which the last five, from 2015 to 2020 – as Chief. Even before leading Toronto Law Enforcement Mark Saunders – born in 1962 in London, England, to Jamaican parents – held the position of Deputy Chief Officer Commanding Specialized Operations, held duties with professional standards, street gang units, Intelligence Division, Drug Squad, Community Safety Command, and Emergency Task Force, and served as homicide squad unit commander. After resigning as Chief last year, he ran for Don Valley West in the Conservative Party’s ranks in the provincial election in which he was defeated by Liberal candidate Stephanie Bowman. And now Saunders, who is a candidate for mayor of Toronto, has indicated that community safety is the focus of his campaign.
In an all-out interview granted to Corriere Canadese, Saunders illustrated the salient points of his ambitious electoral program ranging from financial stability to City Hall, transport safety, crime, traffic, housing emergency, mental health.
The city’s fiscal stability has notoriously not been in good shape over the past couple of years. The city needs help from the county, the federal government. How do you plan to tackle this problem going forward?
“Given that Toronto is the largest city in the country and the fourth largest on the continent and accounts for 20% of GDP, if Toronto is not in good health the rest of Canada is in trouble. Voter apathy stems from government not understanding what the community needs. First of all, we need to be accountable for the money we already have, see if it is being spent correctly and if needs are identified in the city of Toronto and the answer for me is no. First I need to see exactly where the money is being spent, I have no idea where the money has been spent. I can say that in suburban Toronto the feeling of residents is that homeowners are paying their share of taxes but are getting crumbs in return. The most important thing for the government is that the decisions taken represent the whole city and not just a part, not those who raise their voices but all communities. So I will look at the books very clearly. I know that the province also wants to take a look at the books. It is necessary to fully understand how money is used. Furthermore, we are in 2023 and we are still using old and antiquated systems: there is a way to be autonomous, more efficient and improve the quality of life, use digital platforms, give people the opportunity to have the information they need. Basically the responsibility of the city government is to keep the city safe because this brings business and offers opportunities for newcomers, and the arrival of new people is important. We have to create a proper infrastructure, otherwise the economy and business will decline.”
Bill 3 gives the mayor of Toronto new powers. The mayor can implement his own agenda with the approval of only 30% of the councillors. A couple of candidates said they won’t use those powers. Are you going to use those powers?
“I’m not afraid to be a leader, this city is hungry for leadership. I will work with consensus as I always have, but to make the city dynamic and prosperous, decisions have to be made. If I need to use those powers, I will. It’s about building a strong subway system, homes, opportunities and dreams, and I won’t let the government get in the way of that. Many want this, while others do not agree with the decisions that are being made”.
People are afraid to travel on TTC vehicles. What would you do to make the city’s transportation system safer?
“Crime and disorder should never be normalized, the city needs leadership that listens to all voices and prioritizes what matters most, and safety is by far the most important issue. I want the city to be safe, the subway is the lifeblood of our city, Toronto has the most robust public transit system in Canada. We should build stronger and more dynamic metro access, if we don’t we will fail, newcomers rely on the metro, as do businesses. The number of passengers decreased by 30% [in recent years]. My main responsibility is to create a culture of safety at the TTC, the first thing I will do is hand over safety to the Toronto Police who are experienced. I will use “special constables” and add more to get from 75 to 200. I want uniformed agents in the subways, their presence will act as a deterrent. Also video cameras on police uniforms, buttons and emergency call which will notify the TTC if there is a problem, plus lighting at stops to help people feel safer. We need to get people back on public transport, our economy will only benefit from it. Let us not forget, however, that we are dealing with disorder that manifests itself through crime. We are not dealing with criminals, we are dealing with people who need help.”
Many people in the city have difficulty paying the rent, the price of houses is skyrocketing, increasing day by day. What is your plan to fix the problem?
“Due to the housing problems present, in the ranking that takes into consideration the main Canadian cities, Toronto is last. Five years ago they promised to build 19,700 apartments with cheap rents, they only built 8%. Also four years ago, eleven council-owned sites, not used by the city, were identified to build council housing but not a single one was built. The builders, that need approval which takes 3 to 5 years to obtain, are leaving the city to build elsewhere. My pledge is that both the city and the developers are held accountable for this system, approvals should only take a year. We have to build, the newcomers are not in a good situation right now. We need to create proper incentives, ask the federal government to remove the HST tax for large affordable housing projects. We need to make sure the city is attractive to the workforce. If we eliminate the property tax, then people will want to come here. We need the provincial and federal governments to step in.”
You said ‘Crime is out of control’. How do you plan to deal with this growing problem in the city?
“It would take two hours to answer that question… Crime comes in many forms, burglaries, robberies, other petty crimes. Perpetrators of gun violence are street gangs. We have to understand that children don’t grow up thinking they want to be part of an armed gang, there are other issues that lead to this. Long-term solutions are needed, quality of life must be present in the neighbourhoods. There are other things we can do to bring down the crime rate. I have a good understanding of how it’s supposed to work, I have solutions for it. There are no candidates who can understand the security issue like me. Especially when it comes to mental health, it must be remembered that the problem does not end at 5 in the evening and then return at 8 in the morning. We need to do better and I know how to do it”.
In 2019, you did not support the idea of abolishing firearms. Why?
“There are law-abiding citizens who love firearms, we have the strictest rules when it comes to buying handguns and rifles. I worked in the largest homicide squad in the country, I can say the number of times a legal gun was stolen and used in a crime was zero. You can ban guns but today you can 3d print a gun. It’s no longer about a person shooting a person but a teenager shooting a teenager. What motivates teenagers to have guns is to protect themselves. First you need to understand why they have guns, then you need to find the right solutions. The gun ban seems to me more like a political discussion, unfair to the community.”
Traffic in Toronto is chaotic, with roadworks and bicycles. Do you have a plan to fix this situation?
“Yes, I have a plan to deal with traffic problems. I would put a moratorium on cycle lanes, we have built the two largest roads in the country and narrowed them down to one lane. We need to have more common sense, I am not anti cycle lanes, there are places for cycle lanes and these are the back roads. Montreal, for example, has perhaps the largest number of cycle paths in the country, 200 kilometers, but they use secondary roads. The shopkeepers are frustrated because there are no parking spaces and it makes no sense to damage their business”.
How do you plan to improve City Hall’s relations with the two levels of government?
“I am the only candidate who has a direct conversation with both other levels of government, I understand them better and I have a better starting point than the other candidates. Having key relationships is important, I represent the city’s best interest first and foremost, I applied because I want to listen to everyone, speak to communities and make better informed decisions for the city.”
In the pics above, Corriere Canadese’s editorial staff and the publisher Joe Volpe with the candidate Mark Saunders
(in collaboration with Francesco Veronesi and Marzio Pelù)
TORONTO – The Canadian federal government ignores Chinese threats and “stalls” so as not to compromise its – economic – interests with China. This, in summary, is the thought of Conservative MP Michael Chong, who denounced a Chinese campaign against him and his family in Hong Kong, urging the Canadian government to “take decisive action”, starting with the expulsion of the Chinese diplomat in Toronto who was allegedly involved in the plot. (more…)
TORONTO – The strike at the Canada Revenue Agency has also ended: a (provisional) agreement has been reached with the federal government for the 35,000 workers in the revenue sector. The announcement came after the government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) reached separate agreements that ended the strike by more than 120,000 federal civil servants.
TORONTO – The vast majority of PSAC federal civil servants have returned to work, but for some 35,000 unionized employees of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the mobilization continues: even today, workers remained on pickets (in the pic above, from Twitter – @Pattycoates), having not yet reached an agreement to the contract. The strike is leading to delays in processing tax and benefit returns, especially those submitted in paper format, as well as increased wait times at contact centres. (more…)
TORONTO – The success of the PSAC strike, which saw more than 120,000 federal civil servants of the Public Service Alliance of Canada mobilize for days until practically all the requests made to the federal government were granted, could have a “domino effect”. Now, unionized workers in other sectors may be making similar demands, experts say. (more…)
TORONTO – May I, the start of Mental health month. Last week – it seems like yesterday – the minister for Education held a “back to basics” and “meritocracy” press conference to tout the Ontario government’s “new priorities”. The “old ones” that overlooked accountability, performance and teaching as a vocation have a litany of verifiable failures.
TORONTO – “My daughter died on April 13: she had a rare congenital heart condition, she underwent a heart and lung transplant screening but she was too weak and did not survive: so, she donated her body to the hospital so that it can be studied to learn more about his rare condition and, in this way, help others live longer if possible”. Divina, mother of Lisa-Anne, tell us the story of her daughter.
TORONTO – In many countries of the world, today – May 1st – was the Day of Workers. Not in Canada, where it falls on the first Monday in September (Labour Day). But, ironically, an agreement was reached just today between the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) – whose over 120,000 workers had been on strike since last April 19 – and the Treasury Board. However, the 35,000 employees of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) remain on strike: unlike other federal civil servants, CRA’s workers have not yet reached an agreement with the government. (more…)
TORONTO – That may sound harsh. It is probably too complementary. With all due respect to the process and the individuals (54? and counting) offering to replace the retired, “self-disgraced” former mayor, and win the confidence of the public is never easy. Especially in an election with geographic boundaries overlapping twenty-five federal/provincial boundaries – without the galvanizing factors of Party, Leader, and Finances.
TORONTO – Another day, another protest, another public cost assumed for “protection” for knuckleheads who express contempt for parents, their children and the ethics-based school environment that is theirs by Constitutional fiat.
TORONTO – The solo show by Cindi Emond in Toronto, Canada as part of the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival, 2023, will be presented by the Donna Child Fine Art Gallery (365 Evans Avenue, Toronto), May 2 – 31, 2023. During the exhibition, there will also be a meeting with the artist on 11 May, at 6.30pm. (more…)
TORONTO – The strike action of the PSAC (Public Service Alliance of Canada), which mobilizes over 155,000 federal civil servants throughout the country, intensifies: today, the “feds” increased the presence of pickets, particularly in Ottawa, limiting access to federal buildings and temporarily halting traffic on an inter-provincial bridge. (more…)