08/17/2018

The family of Aretha Franklin confirmed Thursday that the 18-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter best known for hits like "Respect," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and "Spanish Harlem," died of pancreatic cancer. She was 76 years old. Pancreatic cancer has the lowest five-year survival rate of any major cancer in the United States at only 9 percent. In 2018, more than 55,000 people will be diagnosed and approximately 44,000 will die from the disease. Franklin died from a

08/17/2018

The food recall warning issued on August 3, 2018 has been updated to include additional product information. This additional information was identified during the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) food safety investigation. Randsland Farms Inc. is recalling Randsland brand Broccoli Slaw from the marketplace due to Listeria monocytogenes. Consumers should not consume the recalled product described below. The following product has been sold in Nova Scotia. Recalled product Randsland

08/17/2018

People traffic will replace car traffic this Sunday, as the streets become "paved parks" where people of all ages, abilities, and social, economic and ethnic backgrounds can get active and connect with their community and each other. Open Streets TO Presented By CentreCourt, the country's largest free recreation program, is back and Torontonians are invited to come together with their friends, neighbours and community leaders for a wide range of exciting and interactive stations and activities,

08/17/2018

With Premier Ford's announcement yesterday to upload the TTC to the province, ATU Canada is demanding that the continued gerrymandering decisions of the Progressive Conservative Government must cease immediately. ATU Canada fully agrees and supports Major John Tory's statement that before any decisions are made, a robust conciliation must take place between the provincial government, the City of Toronto, TTC management, its employees and the taxpayers. Just like the Premier's platform - which

08/17/2018

Left without options, Noe Barrientos-Benitez decided to flee the Surrey, BC farm where he had been working since May 2018. In front of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada in downtown Vancouver, Noe denounced the abuses that led him to this drastic decision. "I heard that coming to Canada is a great opportunity, and that—unlike in Mexico—my work would be well paid, I would have safe and healthy work and living conditions, and that Canadian employers would respect the law" said a shaken

08/17/2018

Ontario's Government for the People is investing over $182 million to replace aging police facilities' infrastructure with nine new Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachments so communities can continue to receive modern, cost-efficient and high-quality police services essential to public safety. The new detachments will be located in Moosonee, Fort Frances, Hawkesbury, Huron County, West Parry Sound, Manitoulin Island, Port Credit (Mississauga), Marathon and Orillia and will replace

08/17/2018

Last month I posted a story with pictures about meeting 92-year old dancer Ola Skanks at the opening of an exhibition about the history of the Black community and Canadian dance. The show, Dancing Black in Canada, 1900 to 1970. “ was hung at the Ignite Gallery in Toronto’s Kensington Market. Ola Skanks, told me she hadn’t danced in public for twenty-years, but, there was no way that she was going to miss the opening of the show. Besides, she had contributed a number of photographs and

08/17/2018

On August 14, 2018, the Bill 5, the Better Local Government Act, 2018, was passed by the Government of Ontario and received Royal Assent. The Act reduces the number of Toronto wards from 47 to 25, and extends the nomination period for councillor and school board trustee nominations. Mayoral nominations were not extended; the nomination deadline for the office of mayor was July 27. The new 25 ward boundaries align with the current federal and provincial electoral ridings, with minor adjustment to

08/16/2018

Ontario's Government for the People delivered on its promise to Ontarians and took decisive action to address urgent issues during its summer session. "In the last election we ran on our Plan for the People. And since being sworn into office on June 29 we have hit the ground running as a government for the people," said Todd Smith, Government House Leader and Minister of Government and Consumer Services. "Since July, we have delivered key initiatives that will help lower gas prices and reduce