Lower taxes are good for Toronto!!

While lower taxes are good for Toronto, the fact that lower taxes can only follow through planned reductions in public spending should come as no surprise. To taxpayer's chagrin however, the few remaining 'left-leaning Miller Gang' councillors responsible for pillaging the city treasury for the last seven years have made clear they have no intention of carrying out their mandate and are reduced to 'grandstanding' to deflect public ridicule. They are refusing to otherwise balance the books as ravaging services thus reducing debt seems to be anathema to these folks!

While there is certainly enough blame to go around, to expect the taxpayer to accept an onerous tax increase is hypocritical! Despite Naomi Klein's attack on nearly everybody in her 'War on Activism' tirade, Canadians, specifically Torontonians have certainly not earned the moniker 'draconian' when you consider that we are generous by nature. But when ballooning debt service costs are the number 3 item on the list of expenditures and poised to oust Police as the number one item, this cannot continue and something has to be done!

But getting back to Miss Klein's sanctimonious and disingenuous insult, to earn 'draconian', consider how Wikipedia describes Draco, an Athenian legislator, who codified the laws around 600 BC, the first time the Athenian laws were put down in writing. Although details of his legislation are now unknown, the laws which treated rich and poor alike for the first time were notoriously harsh (hence the adjective ‘Draconian’) with nearly all offenses; including idleness, I might add punishable by death.

Of course, those who hurl around the 'draconian' charge probably do not know that Draco's laws were considered 'just' at the time. For the first time in Athenian law, the codes were written down so folks would know what was legal and what was illegal, thus they could avoid inadvertently breaking the law. Also, it is said, the government finally took responsibility for enforcing punishment for crimes, thus ending the need for vendettas.

When asked why he decreed death as the penalty for most offenses, it is said that Draco commented that small offenses deserved death and he knew of no punishment more severe for great ones and now more than 2,600 years later, the adjectival form of his name 'draconian' is still tossed around in Toronto anytime someone decries injustice.

Alas, Ford's election pledge to Stop the Gravy Train does not include a death sentence for those who still want to spend more than they bring in so no one can get away with hurling the charge of 'draconian deficit cut', either. On the other hand, considering the unconscionable level of recidivism practiced in Toronto during Miller's reign, 'draconian' punishment might have a  certain appeal in some quarters. Lamentably, capital punishment is not on the table for discussion, only non-criminal matters of spending less taxpayer's money.

What should be condemned though is the current 'draconian deficit' in Toronto; $4.4 billion dollars in net debt that constitutes a death sentence on our kid’s and their kid's future prosperity, not a 'draconian deficit cut'. Metaphorically speaking, when the ship started sinking, one would have thought that these 'left-leaning' folks would consider actually pumping out more water than rushed in. One is left to wonder if they even knew how to 'stabilize' a 'draconian deficit' that ballooned on their watch!







.....................30............

B.C. does what we can't,

by: Jonathan Jenkins, Toronto Sun,

 

August 27, 2011,

 

With BC taxpayer's rejecting an onerous HST; despite Premier Clark's warnings of dire consequences, has the moribund McGuinty campaign been dealt a terminal setback? Ontario Finance Minister, Dwight Duncan's assertion now that Ontario voters approve of his HST, even though McGuinty originally campaigned against it may prove to be another in a long list of bad decisions and may just spell the end for the McGuinty Liberals.

With B.C. residents performing their democratic right, should Ontarians be given the same opportunity? True blame for this mess rests only with the Liberals; BC and Ontario. They made their beds and now they get to lie in them!

 

--------------------------------------30-------------------------------------------

Rights dispute exposes deep rifts at OFL,

by: Tony Van Alpen, Toronto Star,

 

August 25, 2011,

 

A combined union revolt against OFL President Sid Ryan has clearly served to silence the voice of organized labour in this province with five unions cutting their per capita payments to the OFL in half that forced staff cuts; weakening effectiveness!

 

While support for Ryan was strong in January 2010 when he took over at the OFL, it is suspected that his slide began in earnest when he lead the disastrous G20 Riot Parade that June. Is it possible that his antics provided a needless boost to the election campaigns of Rob Ford and Stephen Harper?

 

It can't be discounted that Ryan has become an embarrassment to organized labour so will the unions forgive Ryan or has the time come for new leadership? We will all know at the OFL leadership vote this November.

 

Tar sands anger spills,

by: Reuters, Toronto Sun,

August 22, 2011,

While a small group of environmental doomsayers gather outside the White House, President Obama is faced with a momentous decision! Should he abandon the very people who brought him victory or will he change course and protect America's future energy needs by minimizing dependence on foreign oil? Developing the Keystone XL Canadian/American pipeline will no doubt generate enormous economic activity, creating more than 100,000 American jobs; high-paying construction jobs in the short and long term as well as generate over $5 billion in new property tax revenue for bankrupt states but if the President does not grant approval, then we will no doubt start selling our oil to China, India, and other countries that will bring no environmental benefit to the United States, bring further misery to American workers and to make matters worse, further increase U.S. energy dependence on oil produced by tyrannical regimes. President Obama has some severe soul-searching to do in the fall!

 

 

Ford begs for provincial cash,

by: Jonathan Jenkins and Antonella Artuso, Queen's Park Bureau, Toronto Sun,

Thursday, August 18, 2011,

 

Without a doubt, Mayor Rob Ford's prospects for success in eliminating or at least reducing the outrageous debt left by the Miller Gang are dim unless Premier McGuinty agrees to reject the Rand Formula, like four other provinces have done! Otherwise, labour peace when negotiating fair wages for city employees may be at risk! Archaic regulations forcing private and public employers to deduct a portion of the salaries of all employees within a bargaining unit, union members or not, to be paid to the union as union dues treats all worker's as hostages and is not fair to those workers who do not want to join a union! Over 600 city workers crossed the picket line during last summer's garbage strike despite former Mayor Miller's policy of union appeasement by not providing replacement workers to clean up his mess. Has the time come to respect worker's rights? Mayor Ford's promise to 'stop the gravy train' needs this onerous legislation repealed or certainly, tense days loom on the labour front for city employees.

 

Prisoners fed lunch for $1.29,

by: Ian Robertson, Toronto Sun,

August 17, 2011,

While some may lament that a sandwich with 25 grams of protein is an embarrassment to our criminal justice system, the fact remains that jails smell, can be a dangerous place and sometimes have little furry things scurrying around but, if conditions are so bad, why do people keep coming back?

We have a systemic problem, especially with three-for-one time credits now considered an entitlement by criminal defense attorneys that will not be resolved until we change our methods for dealing with criminals as 'turnstile' justice got us here and it's time to change direction.

Ford set to ask premier for cash,

by: David Rider, Urban Affairs Bureau Chief, Toronto Star,

August 17, 2011,

Without a doubt, Rob Ford's prospects for success in his meeting on Wednesday are dim unless Premier McGuinty agrees to reject the Rand Formula, like four other provinces have done! Otherwise, labour peace when negotiating fair wages for city employees may be at risk! Archaic regulations forcing private and public employers to deduct a portion of the salaries of all employees within a bargaining unit, union members or not, to be paid to the union as union dues treats all worker's as hostages and is not fair to those who do not want to join a union! Over 600 city workers crossed the picket line during last summer's garbage strike despite former Mayor Miller's policy of union appeasement by not providing replacement workers to clean up his mess. Has the time come to respect worker's rights? Mayor Ford's promise to 'stop the gravy train' needs this onerous legislation repealed or certainly, tense days loom on the labour front for city employees.

Union leader urges teachers to get political,

Louise Brown, Education Reporter, Toronto Star,

Tuesday, August 16, 2011,

Doesn't Sam Hammond, head of Canada's largest teacher's union realize that the days of heavy-handed union bullying are over! Or worse, doesn't he realize he just gave the Ontario opposition leader a boost? By not inviting Conservative leader Tim Hudak to speak at the annual meeting of the Elementary Teacher's Federation of Ontario meeting, once again, we have a union leader dictating just who and who not his members can listen to! His teachers are smart people who can make up their own minds! With union leadership like this, is it any wonder why union membership continues it's steep decline?  Should Sam do what Ann Dembinski, head of CUPE local 79 just did and simply get out of the kitchen?

The secrecy inside the EMS,

The secrecy inside the EMS,

by: Michele Henry, Staff Reporter, Toronto Star,

August 14, 2011,

Before the Star attacks the very people who are sent to respond to medical emergencies, perhaps it would be wise to get the facts straight. Like hospitals, Toronto EMS are not perfect, but they were on the scene within 23 minutes after they were dispatched, according to Michele's article. 911 made the decision not to forward the initial call to EMS, based upon the subject's instructions and messed up the second call with inaccurate information! Is an apology to our Paramedics at Toronto EMS in order?

Aggression during G20 rally ‘perpetrated by police,’ judge rules,

by: Chloé Fedio, Staff Reporter, Toronto Star,

August 12, 2011,

For an Ontario Justice to rule that “adrenalized” police officers acted as aggressors during last year’s G20 riots deserves a close look by the Ontario Judicial Council. The fact remains that a violent mob set fire to police cars and damaged public and private property and our combined police forces where charged with the responsibility of regaining control of the situation. Haven't these so-called “peaceful” protesters given dissent enough of a black eye and proven to be not “vital” in maintaining a “viable democracy?"

Saving the U.S. from it's decline,

Saving the U.S. from it's decline,

by: Thomas L. Friedman, NY Times, Toronto Star,

Monday, August 8, 2011,

While few would disagree with Thomas as he admonishes his countrymen for mistakenly forgetting what made them successful, his government is fooling no one as they feign surprise when the credit rating agencies have the temerity to call a spade a spade when a so called 'bipartisan' agreement to raise the debt ceiling while curtailing unnecessary spending fell far short of what the market required as the American federal budget spins out of control when 40 cents of every dollar spent is borrowed.

But that’s what’s happens when you mask the problem and simply infuse gimmicks to pump liquidity into the economy, like a third round of quantitative easing, buying stocks and real estate for the Fed’s own account, dropping bank reserve requirements all the way down to zero and cattle-prodding the nation’s banks into making loans by charging them interest for their own reserves as  gold goes through the roof. This is not the time to run away but to get the economy rolling again but until politicians realize that by walking away from our 'pillars of growth, like our manufacturing sector, we will not create jobs in the numbers required. By government largesse, we have become dependent upon others for our daily needs.

So, how do we stop the spread of this malady in Ontario? Once the economic engine of Canada, Ontario now is saddled with a mind-boggling $16.7-billion budget deficit and became an official have-not province in 2009 collecting a government cheque for the first time in our history! Shameful! But with the province’s long-term debt rating at a AA downgrade; just like America resulting in a raising of Ontario’s cost of financing and reducing its credibility in global markets, has the 'proverbial horse already left the barn'?

Thirsty for change,

by: Chris Doucette, Toronto Sun,

Thursday, July 28, 2011,

Wouldn't this be an ideal opportunity for Tim Hudak to offer to put Ontario craft beer and Ontario Wines into convenience stores? Not only would he be responding to the wishes of 2 in 3 Ontarians, he would be responding to the needs of Ontario's fine Wineries and Craft Beer producers! Premier McGuinty is missing the boat again when he says making Beer and Wine available in convenience stores, 'is not something he's looking at'!

'I want to win the future for Ontarians'

by: Rob Ferguson and Robert Benzie, Toronto Star,

Sunday, July 24, 2011,


I must agree with Paul Ferreira; the NDP candidate hoping to win York South-Weston back from Liberal MPP Laura Albanese when he says the McGuinty Liberals are "getting desperate.”

Once the economic engine of Canada when Bill Davis was Premier and after only 6 years of Dalton McGuinty's leadership, no less, Ontario became an official have-not province in 2009 collecting a government cheque for the first time in our history! Shameful!!

With little to show since and notwithstanding taxpayer encouragement, is it possible that Dwight Duncan's meager attempt at finally reigning in his uncontrolled spending habits could be just a long overdue attempt to forestall a bond holder haircut resulting from Ontario's mind-boggling $16.7-billion budget deficit?

Rating agencies, in a clear declaration of skepticism regarding the province’s capacity to rein in its deficit have already expressed their concern that this government will be challenged in implementing a multiyear financial plan, with the intention of restoring a balanced budget by 2018. Meeting that target would require ongoing expenditure restraint in divergence from historical growth trends while achieving forecast revenue targets through projected tax increases.

With the province’s long-term debt rating at a AA downgrade; resulting in a raising of Ontario’s cost of financing and reducing its credibility in global markets, has the 'proverbial horse already left the barn'?

Another downgrade, with others to follow as we roll down the other side of this mountain is frustrating for those who see the folly of onerous public debt as new bondholders will doubtless demand double-digit yields; but they'll be taking a greater risk and expect to earn a greater reward for buying those bonds, should they ever get paid out! But with off-shore interest payments threatening to become our largest expenditure; as Greeks and Americans are finding out, this can't go on much longer!

But the way things are in Ontario, that risk is being masked by an insidious fairy tale that any government bond somehow comes with a repayment guarantee and the unfortunate victims of this fairy tale are young Ontarian's tied to the debt run up by an older generation.

Attracted by unprecedented yields, will high-risk betters bail before the inevitable bondholder haircut leaving the hapless to pick up the pieces anyway? Just like the credit squeeze in the run up to the Great Depression, ignoring the reality that bills have to be paid and instead choosing endless bandaids only feeds a deep moral abyss creating an even deeper hole for the younger generation. Some fault lies with the Peterson Administration, doubtless more with the Rae Administration, but some fault lies with the bondholders, and they should pay too!

As unpleasant as it may sound, to default and restructure remains the method of last resort for loans that should never have been made in the first place. The reality is that governments do default; it has happened before and will happen again! But that lesson is being ignored in an over-borrowed Queen's Park as if it doesn't fit with someone's economic fantasy. But all of this may be a moot point if, and when the bondholder's say, enough is enough, as France and Germany have done to the Greeks and China has done to the Americans! The only question is...should young Ontarian's wait or pull the plug now?

Despite plenty of complicating factors, not the least of which is the viability of myopic banks who are now treading water with debt tied to stagnant CDO's and who no doubt regret pouring as much as they already have into this deep hole, don't young Ontarian's deserve a new beginning? So, perhaps a bondholder haircut would not be such a disaster after all!

Will West Coast social media invade Toronto?

Will West Coast social media invade Toronto?



With the first anniversary of the G20 riots in our rear-view mirror, could Torontonians have done more to help? A prime example of help is the fine work done by Vancouverites who are to be commended for taking so many images of their Stanley Cup rioters! Which begs the question, could we have taken more images here during the G20 riot? While civil libertarians may wail, 'there’s nothing illegal about being in the streets', it's just not the same when you are trying to set a Police cruiser on fire! Seeing what Vancouver just witnessed, should it really surprise when it reminds taxpayers of alleged peaceful G20 protesters with various weapons our combined Police forces confiscated.

G20 violence left riot organizers here with a black eye with taxpayers clamoring for a means to make themselves heard; to provide a visible reminder to hooligans that they will be held accountable for their actions after a poll told us that 3 of 4 Torontonians and 2 of 3 Canadians believe police treatment of protesters during the summit was justified; and while a few notables where arrested, precedent offers little comfort to outraged citizens. Of the more than 1,100 people held over the Toronto G20 weekend last summer, only 317 were ever charged. And of those, 58 per cent had their charges withdrawn, stayed or dismissed. The rioters who took part in Vancouver’s violent anti-Olympic protest last year have all, meanwhile, escaped criminal punishment.
In the wake of Vancouver’s Stanley Cup riots, B.C.’s new Premier Christy Clark, sounding more like an Old West sheriff was quick to read the public pulse. “We will hold you responsible,” she said the morning after the riot. “You will not be able to hide behind your hoodie or your bandana.” A special team of experienced prosecutors are scheduled to work with Vancouver Police to ensure swift, severe punishments for rioters, including jail time. The Stanley Cup riots touched a raw nerve in Vancouver, where 19 of every 20 residents want the troublemakers prosecuted to the full extent of the law, according to a new poll by Angus Reid.

But what makes Vancouver's Stanley Cup riot unique is citizen response! According to local news reports, Vancouver police are presently combing through more than one million photos and 1,000 hours of video submitted as evidence following the riot in downtown Vancouver as hundreds of people tore through downtown streets breaking windows, looting stores and setting cars on fire following a huge street gathering that had been watching the Canucks' Stanley Cup loss. In addition, Vancouver police are saying that thousands of images and hours of videos shot during the riot are being circulated on websites specifically designed to get people to turn in any of the rioters they recognize. Some of the arrests have come out of rioters being identified by friends and family members through social media and more are expected. In fact, it was reported that the day after the riot, the Vancouver police department’s web server crashed as up to 2,000 videos, photos and tips poured in.

While this volume of information has been helpful, it is becoming clear that social media, including Twitter and Facebook have been instrumental in bringing Vancouver rioters to justice. Since the Stanley Cup riot, numerous pages such as Facebook riot pics have posted photos of people smashing windows, tipping over urinals and brawling with police. There has also been a move for identification of people who were shown taking part in the riot. There are many public Facebook pages devoted to rioter's actions where thousands of Facebook users, ranging from senior citizens to high school students, have left messages on these pages. While there may be some who think an oppressive Big Brother eye is watching us, the fact remains that social media users give out the minutiae of their lives for free on Twitter and Facebook. Photographs and video footage posted by the public; and too often by the perpetrators themselves have been instrumental in bringing the Vancouver perpetrators to justice. The trend of people on Twitter and Facebook calling on the public to identify criminals in the Vancouver riot is simply an attempt by the community of West Coast social media enthusiasts to embrace a new role in citizen journalism, with the explicit intention of identifying people to create a sense of public safety. Still, some Vancouver rioters are receiving punishment far worse than anything the courts might dole out for their crimes. Outed by their own postings, their friends and even their parents, the young men involved in Vancouver’s Stanley Cup riot are finding it necessary to turn themselves in to police. As the number of rioters being identified by social media grows, so does the number of arrests and charges being made by Vancouver police. At last reports, at least six rioters have turned themselves in to the police, including one 17-year-old brought in by his mother. The father of another 17-year-old, a water polo player, has also said his son will cooperate with authorities after images posted on websites show a young man using a rag to set a police car on fire.

Given how social media is integrated into people's lives, many of the individuals identified during the Vancouver riots will not have the option of simply erasing their Facebook and Twitter accounts in order to avoid public disclosure. These tools are so much a part of daily life now that people can no longer separate their private lives from their public lives online. Increasingly, for the younger generation, not having a life online is akin to not having a social life. Over the last decade, notions of privacy have been eroded through social media, and the Vancouver riots show the effects of living in a social media world.

Although Vancouver's Stanley Cup riot may well be the world’s most photographed, some of the hundreds of thousands of images submitted anonymously to Police may not be admissible as evidence. In court, the defense or crown may want to call a witness who took the image to testify. The image of the so-called “kissing couple” offers a perfect example of how deceptive a picture can be without video evidence or witness testimony. Was it staged? What were they doing? Journalists were all over this story until the couple was identified. Further, we may be putting too much faith in facial-recognition software, designed for well-lit, frontal, ID-quality images, not dark, grainy cellphone photos. The young fellow bragging about his alleged exploits on Facebook; apparently admitting to burning a police car and assaulting an officer, may become an example of someone who gets off, unless credible witnesses come forward to testify. Thankfully, Police were able to regain control of these riots before someone was seriously injured or killed but it was a disgusting scene that unfolded for all to see in Vancouver, and for Toronto, too.

Did West Coast social media evolve to create community in response to Toronto's G20 riot! Regardless, the future is here! Is it only a matter of time until Torontonians mimic Vancouverites with large volume image taking using social media as an additional defense when next faced with a gang of hooligans, the likes of which invaded sleepy Toronto during G20?

Prayer in our schools,

Prayer in our schools,

by: Kristin Rushowy and Louise Brown, Education Reporters, Toronto Star,

Saturday, July 9, 2011,


Why does Chris Spense continue to defend an activity that unequivocally subjugates females and judging by recent condemnation within the Muslim community, does not represent Islam? It is clear that the TDSB director of education is mistaken when he says that so-called Islamic midday prayer sessions in our public schools trumps our education rules when our Charter of Rights clearly states that you cannot accommodate prayers or religious studies in taxpayer-funded public schools!

 

Mail could resume within days as back to work bill for Canada Post passes

 

by: Andrew Vaughan, THE CANADIAN PRESS, Toronto Star,

Sunday, June 26, 2011,


Will the NDP compensate the postal workers who are now out an additional 58 hours pay, just because Jack doesn't know what he's doing? The NDP had no choice but to abandon their misguided filibuster after recent polls said that 3 of 4 Canadians do not support the postal strike! With union membership in freefall, is it any wonder whatever Jack says just doesn't matter any more?

Chief won’t resign over G20,

 by: Brendan Kennedy and Jennifer Yang, Staff Reporters, Toronto Star,


Friday, June 24, 2011, 
 

 

With G20 thugs refusing to apologise after sentencing, should it really surprise anyone when the union miscreant who led the Black Bloc parade now calls for Chief Blair's resignation?  Even Adam Vaughan calls it a disgrace for people to blame Chief Blair for the G20 riot!!

 

And why are the other G20 riot organizers who exhorted the crowd to violence on that fateful Saturday morning in Allan Gardens one year ago remaining unrepentant? Do they not share responsibility? As vandals face their justice, too many G20 riot leaders remain conspicuous by their absence!

While Vancouver's Police Chief, Jim Chu certainly could have prepared as well as the RCMP did here, Vancouverites are to be commended for taking their images to separate the innocent bystander from the rioter for there is nothing illegal about being in the streets but not when you are trying to set police cruisers on fire!

 

Chief 'should step down',

Chief 'should step down',

By: Terry Davidson, Toronto Sun,

 

Saturday, June 25, 2011, 
 

 

With G20 thugs refusing to apologise after sentencing, should it really surprise anyone when the union miscreant who led the Black Bloc parade now calls for Chief Blair's resignation?  

 

And why are the other G20 riot organizers who exhorted the crowd to violence on that fateful Saturday morning in Allan Gardens one year ago remaining unrepentant? Do they not share responsibility? As vandals face their justice, too many G20 riot leaders remain conspicuous by their absence!

While Vancouver's Police Chief, Jim Chu certainly could have prepared as well as the RCMP did here, Vancouverites are to be commended for taking their images to separate the innocent bystander from the rioter for there’s nothing illegal about being in the streets but not when you are trying to set police cruisers on fire!

MPs keep working till postal bill passes,

MPs keep working till postal bill passes,


by: Bruac Campion-Smith, Toronto Star,

June 24, 2011,

 

Even though the lunatics don't run the asylum, should we be surprised when the NDP refuse to allow the postal workers to go back to work; demanded by so many?

 

With union membership in freefall, it's clear that CUPW union leadership WARTS, 'Working Against Responsible Taxpayers' are in obvious disarray as job protecting Right-to-Work legislation creeps ever northward.

 

Is it any wonder what union's say just doesn't matter any more?

Back-to-work legislation imposes lower wages than Canada Post’s last offer,

By: Vanessa Lu, Business Reporter, Toronto Star,

 

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

After our government introduced back-to-work legislation to get our postal workers back to work, why would the NDP promise to hold up the bill?  As Ontarians found out the hard way, the NDP are simply shills for special interest groups, like unions and are incapable of governing!

‘I am truly ashamed,' says teen involved in Vancouver riot,

by: Amy Dempsey, Staff Reporter, Toronto Star,

Sunday, June 19, 2011,

 

While Nathan Kotylaka, once-rising star on Canada’s junior water polo team who was caught on camera as he appeared to hold a lighter to a rag stuffed into the gas tank of a Vancouver police car in the violent aftermath of the Canucks’ Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins made an emotional public apology over the weekend for his role in the Vancouver Stanley Cup chaos, one is left to wonder why the G20 riot organizers who exhorted the crowd to violence on that fateful Saturday morning in Allan Gardens one year ago remain unrepentant? Do they not share responsibility? As vandals face their justice, G20 riot leaders remain conspicuous by their absence!

While Vancouver's Police Chief may not have prepared as well as Chief Bill Blair did, Vancouverites are to be commended for taking their images that separate the innocent bystander from the rioter for there’s nothing illegal about being in the streets but not when you are trying to set taxpayer property on fire!

 

Ottawa moves to end postal strike,

By: Bruce Campion-Smith and Vanessa Lu, Staff reporters, Toronto Star, 

Tuesday,  June 21, 2011,



Thankfully, Stepehen Harper has put an end to this unnecessary postal strike so that our postal workers could get back to work which makes us wonder if our postal workers need protection from union miscreants?

With mail volumes already cut drastically, a disaster was unfolding that may not be reversible and our postal workers would be the only people suffering in the end!

'Embarrassing' to be a Toronto Cop,

 

By: Chris Doucette, Toronto Sun

 

Monday, June 20, 2011

Considering that a post-riot poll told us that 3 of 4 Torontonians and 2 of 3 Canadians believe police treatment of alleged peaceful demonstrators during the G20 summit was justified, is it really possible that police morale is at an all-time low? Seeing what Vancouver just witnessed brought scenes of G20 rioters to mind with their water urine, manure, plastic pipes, baseball bats, molotov cocktails, golf balls, shields, hammers, axes, crowbars and body armour. The list goes on and on of what our combined Police forces confiscated from those attempting to bring Toronto to it's knees!

While Vancouver's Police Chief may not have prepared as well as Chief Bill Blair did, Vancouverites are to be commended for taking their images that separate the innocent bystander from the rioter for there’s nothing illegal about being in the streets but not when you are trying to set police cruisers on fire!

Slain son left like 'dead dog',

By Tracey McLaughlin, Toronto Sun,

Saturday, June 11, 2011,
 

An admitted murderer has his charge reduced to manslaughter and a convicted G20 riot leader won't be called as a witness in other G20 riot prosecutions. Has the time come for Attorney General Chris Bentley to disallow sweetheart deals cooked up by his staff?

Teacher Truancy 'insane',

Teacher Truancy 'insane',

by: Moira MacDonald,Toronto Sun,

Wednesday,  June 8, 2011,

Teacher John Palmer is not the only person incensed by teacher union insanity! Has the time come for Tim Hudak to offer a solution to our provincial teachers by introducing 'right to teach' legislation as part of his platform? Obviously, our teachers need protection from union miscreants for their feeble attempt to hijack our looming election!

Mail volume down by half as Postal workers ponders next move,

by: Vanessa Lu, Business Reporter, Toronto Star,

Wednesday,  June 8, 2011,



Do our postal workers need protection from union miscreants as they trod down the primrose path? With mail volume already cut in half, a disaster is unfolding that may not be reversible and our postal workers will be the only people suffering in the end! Has the time come for Stephen Harper to introduce 'right to work' legislation to rescue Canada Post before they lose the other half?

Citizens urge review judge to get to bottom of G20,

by: Brendan Kennedy, Toronto Star, Staff Reporter,

Wednesday,  June 1, 2011,



Will John Morden, the retired judge leading the Toronto Police Services Board’s independent civilian review investigate the actions of the G20 riot leaders? We've been waiting almost a year and they continue to walk the streets with impunity, no doubt waiting for their next opportunity to vandalize and victimize taxpayers?

Cop layoffs eyed as costs soar,

Cop layoffs eyed as costs soar,

by: Robyn Doolittle, Toronto Star,

Tuesday, May 31, 2011,

How can city hall seriously contemplate laying off 500 trained officers while G20 riot leaders continue to walk the streets with impunity, no doubt waiting for their next opportunity to vandalize and victimize taxpayers!

Postal workers threaten strike,

By: Vanessa Lu, Toronto Star, Business Reporter

Monday, May 30, 2011,

Considering that postal workers haven't been told the details of the offer nor were they given the option of accepting or rejecting it, is it not time for Right to Work legislation to protect postal workers rights? Canada Post employees were put in a position of doing a strike mandate vote by Denis Lemelin, National President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Union prior to knowing about the company's offer. Now they are the ones along with the public who will pay the price!

Hudak would put inmates to work picking up garbage, cleaning graffiti

by: Richard J. Brennan, Toronto Star, National Affairs Writer,

Thursday, May 26, 2011,

If Tim Hudak intends to put prisoners to work, they may not want to return to jail once they're released! Could this be a solution to over-crowded jails and exorbitant judicial expense?

Liberal election debacle was years in the making,

Liberal election debacle was years in the making, 

 

by: Patrick Gossage, Toronto Star,

Wednesday, May 25, 2011,
 

 

Clearly, Patrick sees the historic Liberal collapse as an opportunity to reignite the grass roots but what if Canadians see the election of the new party leader as simply rewarding an infiltrator? 

 

After presenting an astute Stephen Harper with a gift of the centre, is it possible that the Liberals have collectively self-destructed in their attempt to curry favour with socialists when the country is clearly moving in the other direction?

Apps dooms Grits,

Apps dooms Grits,

 

by: Mark Dunn, Senior National Reporter, Toronto Sun,

Tuesday, May 17, 2011,
 

Clearly, Mark blames the Toronto Gang for the historic Liberal collapse but in all fairness, there are too many with blood on their hands standing over this corpse! One cannot overlook the fact that their fate was sealed when they collectively walked away in their head-long pursuit of the Left presenting an astute Stephen Harper with a gift of the centre. Is it any wonder that Stephen got the majority he craved! If the party's Council of Presidents are serious about rediscovering and reclaiming their roots, then trying to mimic the NDP has to come to an end as this is not the direction the country is headed.

G20 hearings should answer these questions,

G20 hearings should answer these questions,

by: Joe Warmington ,Toronto Sun, 

Thursday, May 12, 2011,

We are told that we'll get an opportunity to share our views and opinions on the role that civilian oversight should play 'with respect to the policing of major events' when the G20 Summit holds three hearings in Toronto on June 1, 6, and 13, 2011. But what about justice for the riot organizers who exhorted the crowd to violence on that fateful Saturday morning in Allan Gardens? 

As the vandals face their justice, riot leaders are not to be found. Do they not share in the responsibility? It wouldn't surprise me if riot leaders have become irrelevant in the eyes of their followers by their absence as G20 violence left riot organizers with a black eye after a poll told us that 3 of 4 Torontonians and 2 of 3 Canadians believe police treatment of protesters during the summit was justified and doubtless led to Toronto electing Mayor Ford and gave Stephen Harper the majority he so desperately craved!