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Friday • March 27 • 2009 PUBLISHED BY CENTENNIAL COLLEGE JOURNALISM STUDENTS AND SERVING EAST YORK Volume 39 • No. 4 East York turns out the lights By MIKE CRISOLAGO A gentle warning to all East Yorkers: don’t say that you have nothing to do on Saturday night. Stretch, pray, meditate, explore the sky, burn some beeswax and join a march on city hall. Or, just sit in the dark. Tomorrow (March 28), one billion people around the world will celebrate Earth Hour. The event, organized by the World Wildlife Fund, challenges people Observer, Brittany Prince to turn off all of their lights for EAST YORKERS PAY RESPECTS: On Monday, people gathered with Canadian flags in hand on the Spanbridge Road overpass one hour, between 8:30 and 9:30 overlooking the Don Valley Parkway in Flemingdon Park — to show respect for four soldiers killed in Afghanistan on March 20. The p.m., in a show of solidarity in motorcade travelled from CFB Trenton along the Highway of Heroes to the Toronto coroner’s office. More photos, page 2. the fight against global warming and climate change. And some East Yorkers are rallying the community to get Crown seeks adult sentence behind the cause. “I think that everybody By MEGHAN HOUSLEY was opposed to “psychiatrist should try and do their part,” A judge has ordered the shopping.” said Joanne Lowe, owner of teen convicted of the murder “I feel others are better- The Big Stretch Yoga Centre on of Stefanie Rengel to undergo suited,” Sack responded. “It’s Bayview Avenue. psychiatric assessment. not a question of shopping for “Even if it gets people to start The 17-year-old, identified psychiatrists.” thinking (about conserving only as M.T. under the Youth Nordheimer stated that he energy), they might start to use Criminal Justice Act, is waiting would like both sides to agree on less power instead of taking it while Superior Court Justice a mental health professional, but for granted.” Ian Nordheimer decides if she is in the end, he agreed to let the Lowe’s centre offers yoga by to be sentenced as a youth or as defence find its own psychiatrist candlelight during Earth Hour, an adult. in addition to Klassen. while raising money for the A jury found her guilty last The Crown is seeking an World Wildlife Fund. Friday of murder in the first adult sentence for M.T. despite “I think people enjoyed doing degree for her part in the death her being only 15 at the time something for the environment of 14-year-old Stefanie Rengel of of Stefanie’s murder. An and for our planet and East York. adult sentence would lift the generating awareness,” Lowe At a pre-sentencing hearing publication ban on her name said of the previous year’s on Tuesday morning, the Crown and give her life in prison, with Observer, Meghan Housley event. and defence counsel offered eligibility for parole after five to JUSTICE FOR STEFANIE : Patricia Hung, Stefanie Rengel’s Jeffrey Caulfield agrees. Last different choices as to who seven years. mother, leaves the courthouse with her husband, James Hung, year the 53-year-old organized would be best-suited to perform Flumerfelt made a statement on March 20, after the verdict was read. an Earth Hour block party in a mental health evaluation of outside the courthouse last the driveway of his home near the convicted killer. Friday on behalf of Stefanie’s custody and another four to be withhold sex if he didn’t. Main and Danforth. This year, Nordheimer said the family after the guilty verdict served in the community. The boyfriend, who can only he plans to take it one step Centre for Addiction and was announced. M.T. did not stab Stefanie. But be identified as D.B., goes on further by leading a march of Mental Health (CAMH) is the “We hope that at sentencing as her initial interrogator, Sgt. trial this fall. East Yorkers to celebrate at appropriate organization to do there is some justice for Steve Ryan, said, without M.T. Stefanie died of six stab City Hall. the assessment. Stefanie,” he said, “and (we there would have been no crime. wounds on New Year’s Day, “Maybe if you can feel the Crown attorney Robin hope there is a) clear message She never met the victim, but 2008. She was mere steps from wave of something bigger than Flumerfelt suggested Dr. sent that murder at any age has perceived Stefanie as a rival for her home, near the corner of yourself, you can’t help getting Phil Klassen of CAMH for serious consequences.” the affections of her boyfriend. Denvale Road and Northdale caught up in it,” Caulfield said, the assessment, while M.T.’s Sack is asking for his client to So, in reams of Internet text Boulevard. “not just sitting in your own attorney, Marshall Sack, would be sentenced as a youth, in which messages introduced as evidence, Counsel is aiming for an April home by yourself going, ‘It’s so prefer to look at other options. case she would receive 10 years, she pestered her boyfriend to 21 sentencing hearing to decide See EAST YORK, But Flumerfelt said he with a maximum of six years in kill Stefanie and threatened to M.T.’s fate. page 8 Macphail winner gives back to her community By FARRAH COLE the riding then known as York “I admire the dedication and Tireless, fearless and relent- East in the Ontario legislature the effort she puts in, and I less are just some of the adjec- in 1943. Macphail had a long really respect what she’s been tives used to describe the recipi- career as an activist, particularly able to achieve.” ent of the 16th annual Agnes in the area of human rights. She Sahota said Moore’s daily Macphail Award: community died in 1954. achievements include educating advocate Patricia Moore. Satinder Sahota nominated tenants about their rights, Moore was honoured at the Moore for the award after starting co-ops in buildings in East York Civic Centre on meeting her working on a the community and establishing Tuesday night. The Macphail political campaign three years tenant associations, including award is East York’s top civic ago — and said she couldn’t one within Moore’s own building award — presented each year think of anyone more deserving at 38 Thorncliffe Park Dr. to a person who has made an of the honour. Fellow resident Elaine outstanding contribution to “All I’ve seen her do is Feldman can attest to the community life. give back to the community, relentless nature of Moore’s The award is named after whether it’s housing, youth advocacy. East Yorker Agnes Macphail, issues, ...corrections or political “She’s helped everybody in the Observer, Farrah Cole the first woman in the House of activity. I just constantly see her community. If there’s a problem PASSING THE TORCH: Last year’s Agnes Macphail Award Commons when she was elected giving back to the community,” in your building, call for Pat recipient, Geoff Kettel, presents 2009 winner Patricia Moore with in 1921. She also represented Sahota said. See AWARD, page 8 her medal. Page 2 — East York’s Observer, March 27, 2009 Police beat Honouring fallen heroes Lost purse contains meds A public alert has been issued following the loss of a purse containing prescription drugs at Danforth and Victoria Park avenues on Sunday, March 22. Police said the medication included Clarazepam and 20 syringes of Fragmin blood thinners. They could be harmful if touched or ingested. If found, contact police or Crime Stoppers at 416-222- TIPS. Three charged in shooting Three men have been charged following a shooting in the Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue area that left one man in hospital with a bullet wound to the stomach. The victim was taken to hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Police say several men entered an apartment on St. Dennis Drive on Tuesday, March 17 at 10:30 p.m. and shot the victim in a robbery attempt. They fled the scene but arrests were made a short time later. Police recovered a loaded handgun at the time of the arrests. Kush Walker-King, 20, Christopher Abbott, 33, and Lanri Watson, 25, all of Toronto, have been charged with attempted Observer, Brittany Prince murder, robbery and possession of a dangerous weapon, among 32 FALLEN, NOT FORGOTTEN: East Yorkers turned out on Monday afternoon to show their respect charges in all. for Canada’s latest casualities in the Afghanistan war. Four hearses, accompanied by limousines for families and a police escort, made the now-familiar trek over the East York stretch of the Don Break and enter in Leaside Valley Parkway on their way from CFB Trenton to the downtown Toronto coroner’s office. The A burglary was reported at a home on Leaside Park Drive on soldiers killed last Friday were: Master Corporal Scott Francis Vernelli, Corporal Tyler Crooks, Saturday, March 14. A door to the home was forced open between Trooper Corey Joseph Hayes and Trooper Jack Bouthillier. That brings the total so far to 116. 6 and 9 p.m. Police say cash, jewelry, a cellphone and keys were stolen, among other items. —VICTORIA WELLS Students’ old-school debate What’s on celebrates city’s 175th year By MARIEL GOMEZ “History and time was a mat- that’s more important than just Better business workshops There was name-calling, fist- ter of learning about things having a script and following pounding and even some wig- and places and people that it.” The Woodgreen East York Employment Resource Centre is throwing. Add that to an en- have long since passed away,” Although students rehearsed hosting a series of free workshops. The first, which runs on Monday, thusiastic crowd and some well- Webster said. “This makes it their lines, Wang said that March 30, from 9:30 a.m. until noon, will teach participants how versed arguments and you’ve come alive.” some things — like the shouting to create their own business cards and will send them home with got the makings of a good, old- And come alive it did. match between him and a Tory 20 free printed cards. A basic understanding of MS Word 2007 is a fashioned council meeting. Shouting, laughter and the from Cosburn Middle School — prerequisite. But this was no regular de- stomping of feet filled the gal - weren’t planned. A second workshop, Transitions to Employment, will also be held bate. lery as students tackled issues “Actually, most of the stuff on Monday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. A group session, it will help job- As part of Toronto’s 175th like the mayor’s salary, raising was very improvised,” he said. seekers tap into services to help with the transition to work. anniversary celebrations this taxes and replacing city side- The people who packed the The third workshop, on starting a small business, is aimed at month, students from grades 7 walks. gallery watched the debate, anyone who has ever thought about becoming an entrepreneur. It and 8 at Gordon A. Brown and Jeremy Wang, a 13-year-old along with some of Toronto’s will be held on Tuesday, 1:30 to 4 p.m. To sign up for a workshop, Cosburn middle schools in East student from Gordon A. Brown current councillors, such as visit Woodgreen at 1450 O’Connor Dr., Unit 4 (at Victoria Park), or York took their seats at Toronto Middle School, played Reformer Adam Vaughan, Joe Pantalone call 416-615-1515, ext. 0. city hall council chambers as Thomas D. Morrison. He said he and East York’s Janet Davis. “councillors” and “aldermen.” and his classmates worked hard Taking part in the debate was Dressed for their roles in in preparation for the event. an interesting experience for Explore East York’s history vests and top hats, they re- “(We) did a lot of research on Wang, who said he’s consider- How does East York history fit into Toronto’s 175 th -year enacted the first Toronto city finding out about our roles, find - ing a future in politics. celebrations? Find out by attending a talk by Richard Finnes- council meeting from 1834. ing information about what to “I think I might,” he said. Clinton of Muddy York Tours on Tuesday, March 31. Playing the part of Toronto’s say and all of that,” Wang said. Webster said the students Presented by the East York Historical Society, the event will first mayor, William Lyon Webster said he was im- were enthusiastic and did a fan- feature a slide show illustrating what Toronto was like before Mackenzie, was actor Eric pressed by the students’ knowl- tastic job. incorporation in 1834 — and highlights of the years since. Peterson. Town crier John edge of Toronto’s first politi - “You know, (people) say that Refreshments will be served at 7 p.m. and the presentation will Webster introduced him. cians. there’s an energy crisis and follow at 7:30 p.m. Webster believes participat- “They understood what was what’s the world coming to,” The free talk will be held at the S. Walter Stewart library, ing in this type of event helps going on and they jumped right he said. “But they should have 170 Memorial Park Ave. (at Durant). For more information, call young people better understand into it,” he said. “But they were been here to see these young Margaret McRae at 416-429-7821 or go to www.eastyork.org.eyhs. the city’s past. talking about our history, and people.” html. College art on display Students in the fine arts studio program at Centennial College’s East York campus are showcasing their work at two exhibits. The show XIV presents the work of 14 first-year students and is running now until April 18 at Wallace Studios, 258 Wallace Ave. (Lansdowne and Bloor). The exhibition is open to everyone Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — and weekends by appointment. The second show, Sui Generis, will display the work of graduating students and run from Tuesday, March 31, until April 4 at Hang Man Gallery, 756 Queen St. E. (at Broadview). The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. For more information, contact David McClyment at 416-289-5000, ext. 8500, or [email protected]. Plants in a whole new light Learn how lights can change the night-time look of plants and increase your enjoyment of your garden at the April 9 meeting of the Leaside Garden Society. Bob Tubby from Moonstruck Lighting will present his expertise on the increasingly popular topic of “Lighting Design In Your Garden.” Gardeners of all skill levels are welcome to attend and refreshments will be served after the meeting. It will be held at the Leaside library branch, 165 McCrae Dr. Observer, Mariel Gomez (at Millwood), from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Meetings are free to first-time GETTING POLITICAL: The argument gets heated between a “Reformer” and a “Tory” at Toronto visitors; afterward, membership is $25 each or $30 per family. For city hall council chambers. Students from Gordon A. Brown and Cosburn middle schools were there more information, call Nora Mular-Richards at 416-421-4184. to re-enact the first Toronto city council meeting. The debate was one of many events celebrating —MERI PERRA the city’s 175 th birthday this month. East York’s Observer, March 27, 2009 — Page 3 $37 million means reduced wait times for cancer patients By SEAN SILLERS The hospital’s new minimally Toronto East General Hospi- invasive surgery program, which tal’s fundraising drive, which be- is also part of the overhaul, will gan last September, has raised provide “shorter waiting times $37 million in private funds to- for small surgeries,” Van Dette ward its $55-million goal. said, adding that the new facility Among the improvements will “attract new, highly trained completed are the expansion of surgeons to East General.” the oncology wing, which will A donor to the fundraiser, reduce waiting times for cancer William Waters, has set up a treatment by doubling available matching grant challenge where spaces, according to Justin Van he will match private donations Dette, manager of corporate and made to the minimally invasive community relations at the hos- surgery program. pital. Van Dette said TEGH current- Other improvements include ly performs 4,300 surgical pro- enhanced cardiology services cedures and 5,000 day-patient through the establishment of the surgeries annually. Stonehouse Cardiac Diagnostic Other improvements planned Photo by Alex Pylyshyn Centre. The implementation of a include the construction of a GOLD STANDARD: Thorncliffe Park Public School vice-principal Arif Nathoo (far right) has digital echocardiography system multi-storey building to accom- two head coach awards under his belt, winning this year after leading the York Lions womens’ is also now complete. modate 280 new medical and volleyball team to victory at the Ontario University Athletics championship. A significant expansion of the surgical beds in units designed emergency department is under- to respond to stricter infection way and is expected to be com- control practices. pleted shortly. TEGH’s emer- The construction of a two-sto- East York teacher served gency department is one of the rey podium to consolidate ambu- busiest in the province, serving latory service at the hospital is 66,000 people annually. also planned. second coaching award Farming workshop sows By CONOR O’BRIEN Nathoo insists on sharing the “In my opinion, Arif has It’s the end of the school day accolade with his team. worked tirelessly to provide and the main office of Thorncliffe “The award is nice, but it’s York University’s women’s vol- ideas for buying organic Park Public School is packed. the team award that matters leyball program with these es- Vice-principal Arif Nathoo most,” he said. “Ask any coach sential qualities, and the result By SABA TAYE sources by buying their fruits weaves his way through stu- and they would trade it in for a of our 18-1 season speaks for Organic food could become and vegetables from these dents and teachers, stopping championship.” itself.” a worldwide core food supply, small-scale farmers. briefly to wipe chocolate from a Team captain and York Uni- Frawley also speaks out according to the executive di- One way of doing this, she student’s face. versity student Angela Frawley against the idea that it is unfair rector of the Unitarian Service said, involves using small-scale Despite his hectic professional applauds coach Nathoo’s tal- for someone to win the award Committee of Canada, who farmers and crop protection pace, Nathoo finds the time to ent. more than once. adds that with resilient farm- through integration, a method coach the York Lions women’s “A successful coaching career “I n my competitive opinion, ing practices, organic food can of farming where two or more volleyball team. is based on many areas includ- fairness is based on merit. If be as sustainable and reliable different crops are planted adja- In the 2008-2009 season, he ing recruiting, the development someone deserves an accolade, as biotech crops. cently to control pest problems led them to the Ontario Univer- of talent and the analysis of op- then by all means they should Director Susan Walsh ex- such as insects and weeds. sity Athletics (OUA) gold medal ponents,” she said. “These are receive it,” she said. plained how to farm organically “Marigolds help to deal with at the Canadian Interuniversity the… expectations of the job of “If a coach does his or her job to and effectively during a Food insects because they don’t like Sport Championship. The team a coaching staff.” the best of their ability and the Farming and Climate Chaos the smell,” Walsh said. beat the McMaster Marauders Frawley said she believes result is a successful program, workshop held at Grassroots on “It could be planted beside 3-0. the right decision was made in then he or she should most defi - Danforth Avenue. another crop to protect it from The team’s success has now choosing Nathoo as head coach, nitely be rewarded.” Walsh said 40 per cent of the bugs. That kind of intercrop- prompted the OUA to name because he worked exception- Nathoo won the same title in world still lives on farms and ping is a part of being able to Nathoo the east division Head ally hard to lead the Lions to the 1999-2000 season, coaching she believes communities can sustainably manage things Coach of the Year. victory. the Ryerson Rams. build vibrant, sustainable food without using chemicals.” Ice hockey program scores with students By JASON WONG Ross Rideout, the school’s Students at George Webster gym teacher, was quite sur- Public School on Cedarcrest prised at the generosity in- Boulevard are getting a lesson volved, and also credits the in one of Canada’s most be- community with making the loved traditions: hockey. program possible. Many of the students come “When this was first men - from immigrant families, and tioned to me, I said to myself, the school’s principal decided ‘It’s going to be really, really a new sports program would be expensive.’ So then, the Boy’s a good way to let her students and Girl’s Breakfast Club have fun, learn new skills and stepped up and donated the ice raise their self-esteem. time,” he said. Nicknamed “head coach” by For Rideout, the best part of his colleagues, special educa- the program involves watching tion teacher Jason James was the improvement in the chil- an integral part of getting the dren he coaches. program started. “The kids that we have out, He convinced his contacts at none of them have played the Air Canada Centre to do- hockey before. Most of them nate approximately 25 sets of are from immigrant families, children’s hockey equipment, and some of them couldn’t even enough for two teams. skate,” Rideout said. “Sometime before Christ- “The improvement has just mas, Nancy (Steinhauer, the been amazing. Some of them school principal) approached can now skate backwards.” me about this project, so I, over Hassib, in Grade 4, got in- the break, called the Toronto volved in the program immedi- Maple Leafs hockey organiza- ately after a teacher announced Observer, Laura Godfrey tion,” James said. “We worked it. THE NEXT GENERATION: Jared Freeman (left), an Art and Design Foundations student at it out and got close to 25 sets “My friend encouraged me to of hockey equipment, 50 hock- watch hockey, and I got really Centennial College’s East York campus, was one of the volunteers who welcomed interested ey sticks and about 60 hockey interested,” he said. “Learning applicants and family members to a campus open house on Sunday. Celia Gibb (right), who pucks.” to play on ice was a lot of fun.” attended the event with parents Lynn and Bill Gibb, has applied for the advertising program. Page 4 — East York’s Observer, March 27, 2009 East York MPPs fall short in election

By RAHUL GUPTA even people who weren’t at the Political conventions, like war, Hamilton Convention Centre. are marked by long stretches of Votes came in from across inactivity punctuated by short Ontario by phone. Individual bursts of excitement. support counted for 75 per cent That was the case during of the total vote, with union the provincial NDP leadership votes counting for 25 per cent. convention March 6 to 8. Much Some 24 hours into the of the weekend passed without convention, the preliminary fanfare, but when a victorious results were in and the first Andrea Horwath took the casualty was Prue. podium late Saturday evening Bisson made his exit in the after three ballots of voting, the second round and for the first Hamilton Convention Centre time all day, there was real turned into a raucous sea of drama. Bisson could back either orange. Horwath or Tabuns and he had Horwath, 46, defeated East enough delegates that his York’s Peter Tabuns in the choice would decide the heir- final round of voting to become apparent. the party’s first female leader He didn’t waste time making after Gilles Bisson, eliminated his decision. in the second ballot, pledged As cameras clicked and his delegates’ support to her. screams of jubilation rang out, Another East York contender, Bisson crossed the convention Michael Prue, was eliminated floor and embraced Horwath. after the first ballot and opted to The last to enter the race, back Bisson. Horwath became the last Earlier in the day, party contender standing. delegates, union reps, advocacy But there was one last vote for groups and curious onlookers delegates, even if the results were gathered in Hamilton to already a foregone conclusion. determine which contender For another 40 minutes, the would lead the NDP into the presumptive leader passed the next provincial election. Observer, Rahul Gupta and Sean Sillers time doing television interviews With the vote scheduled to FIRST OUT... AND LAST: Beaches-East York MPP Michael Prue (left) was the first candidate to be and receiving congratulations. begin late in the afternoon, party eliminated from the running during the NDP leadership convention on March 7 in Hamilton. Peter Finally, party president delegates were faced with hours Tabuns, MPP for Toronto-Danforth, survived the first... and second ballot. But Andrea Horwath of Sandra Clifford walked on stage of waiting. To fill the downtime, and made it official. In the final Hamilton Centre went on to win the third ballot, with over 60 per cent of the delegates’ votes. they perused merchandise ballot, Horwath’s 6,713 votes booths, smoked cigarettes in premier, Dalton McGuinty. Toronto-Danforth, sat with his my dad had a well-playing job in were more than the required 50 the rain or gathered in the “What’s McGuinty’s economic supporters at the rear of the the auto sector,” Horwath said. per cent vote total. cafeteria. With nothing to report, vision for the future?” he asked. convention; Timmins-James Bay Each candidate’s speech was Horwath’s win came one day journalists sat together in the “Only the NDP will answer MPP Bisson consulted with his accompanied by loud music after provincial Conservative convention centre auditorium real questions about what’s campaign advisors; hometown and visceral shows of support Leader John Tory resigned his passing the time with jokes. going to happen to the people of hero Horwath radiated from their delegates. But it was post following his failure to win “I hope that our careers are Ontario.” confidence. Horwath who stole the show. a byelection for the Haliburton- going better, so when we meet Prior to the vote, candidates After lunch, the main event She crossed the convention Kawartha Lakes-Brock seat. again, it won’t be for another could be seen walking the finally kicked off. floor accompanied by a conga With the Tories in disarray, NDP convention,” one reporter aisles of the convention floor Bisson, 52, reminded the line of drum-playing, whistle- New Democrats are eyeing the said to a colleague. receiving good wishes from audience of his fundraising tooting devotees. The spectacle benches of the opposition at Howard Hampton’s farewell their orange-clad supporters, prowess; Prue promised to attract made Prue’s thunder-stick- Queen’s Park — and hoping speech after nearly 13 years signing autographs and posing new voters to the party; Tabuns toting loyalists look quaint by that Horwath will lead them as party leader was one of the for pictures. warned of a dire manufacturing comparison. there, kick-starting the NDP’s interesting moments in the Prue, the 60-year-old former future for Ontario and stressed When the smoke dissipated, government aspirations. hours leading up to the vote. mayor of the borough of East the necessity of cultivating delegates at last lined up to vote. At any rate, the NDP’s long The MPP for Kenora-Rainy York — and now MPP for the green technologies; Horwath But they weren’t the only ones wait for a leader is over. And River thanked the party faithful provincial riding of Beaches- paid tribute to her father’s union choosing the leader. For the there may be more exciting days for their support, and took one East York — smiled without background. first time in the party’s history, to come if Horwath can boost last shot at Ontario’s Liberal pause; Tabuns, the MPP for “I went to university because every member had one vote — her party’s fortunes. Student-produced magazine springs to the Danforth By CIARAN THOMPSON we exercise some guidance to Inside the Myth Restaurant them in how the money flows.” and Lounge on Danforth Avenue, Besides selling ad space, stu- students, teachers, family and dents begin the process of creat- friends have gathered together ing the magazine in October of to welcome spring — and sum- each year. mer. “First of all, they come up with The weather outside isn’t quite what they want the overarching conducive, but the front cover of theme of the magazine to be,” the new spring and summer is- Schon said. “Then they come up sues of On the Danforth maga- with stories within that theme, zine reflect change and new be - they write all the stories, they ginnings. edit all the stories, they do all “Spring was about how young the design and they sell all the people and old people work to- advertising.” gether in this neighbourhood The amount of time producing in a really interesting way,” the magazine and the effort put publisher Stan Byrne said. forth by the students is some- “(Summer) has kind of like an thing similar to what will be ex- entrepreneurial spirit of the pected of them after graduation. Danforth — people coming to “It can demonstrate they have the Danforth, like artists and had experience,” Schon said. new businesses.” “They just have to go out and Observer, CiaránThompson On the Danforth magazine show the magazine to a prospec- UNVEILED AT LAST: Publisher Stan Byrne (centre) stands between editors-in-chief Nicole Chaplin is biannually produced by the tive employer and it’s a very im- (left) and Jason Rhyno at the 2009 launch celebration of On the Danforth magazine, held at Myth book and magazine publishing pressive calling card.” Restaurant and Lounge on March 18. students at Centennial College’s Applying for the various edi- East York campus. torial and staff positions within putting yourself forward and it — just trying to write some- cess of the project. The magazine, now in its sixth the magazine helps give stu- learning something and wasn’t thing that people would find in - “I’m really happy with how it year, allows students from the dents a chance to see how a real supposed to be about taking the teresting.” turned out,” Byrne said. “We are program to create, design and magazine works. easy route.” Benjamin, who wrote a story only here for a year and we just sell their own magazine with Hesitant at first, Byrne chose Fellow student Lindsay about the history of the Bloor get to do it once, so in some ways little or no faculty involvement. to be the publisher for both is- Benjamin felt the uneasiness Street Viaduct for the spring is- it kind of reinvents itself each Denise Schon is the co-ordina- sues. that comes with writing for a sue, enjoyed seeing her story in year.” tor for the one-year post-gradu- “When I first got into the pro - different kind of audience. the magazine — and now on the Copies of On the Danforth are ate program. gram, I thought I would take “It was kind of overwhelming street. distributed free to some house- “The faculty is barely involved a small role in the magazine,” for me at first,” Benjamin said. Now that the magazine has holds in the East York area at all,” Schon said. “We try to Byrne said. “After...I realized “Once I got past the intimidation been released, the publisher and at the annual Taste of the keep students out of trouble and that it was supposed to be about factor I guess that was probably said she is pleased with the suc- Danforth food festival. East York’s Observer, March 27, 2009 — Page 5 Recommendation by board may sink local school pools By BRAD PRITCHARD have banded into a group called A study group is recommend- Let’s Make Waves. The group ing the closure of one school has received hundreds of tes- swimming pool in East York timonials from members of the and questioning the viability of community who value the im- another. portance of the pools. The group names pools at Amanda Ironside grew up in Earl Grey Sr. Public School on East York and taught synchro- Strathcona Avenue and Dan- nized swimming in the area. forth Collegiate and Technical She says swimming programs Institute on Greenwood Av- “cater to East York’s health, enue. swimming skills, and commu- Headed by former Toronto nity.” mayor David Crombie, the “Where would people have Aquatic Working Group, was to go to be a part of these pro- created by the Toronto District grams?” Ironside asked. School Board (TDSB) to find so - “Shutting down the pools is lutions to keep 39 pools across not a solution to money issues the board operational. and will hurt many aspects of The group has put those 39 many lives for future genera- into three different categories: tions.” those that should be closed; Dandy said the TDSB has to ones that can be salvaged; and meet certain physical education those that can be maintained. standards and that “swimming Danforth Tech has landed in helps the TDSB meet that man- the first group — among those date.” recommended for closure. The For a fee, parents can enrol pool at Earl Grey is in the mid- their kids in swimming classes dle — potentially salvageable. run by the city at other loca- Cathy Dandy, TDSB trustee tions, but Ironside doesn’t think for Ward 15/Toronto-Danforth, this is an accessible option. says closing either pool would “Not every family has the directly affect East Yorkers. ability to put their kids in “These pools serve a lot of swimming lessons and if the high school students,” she said. pools are closed many won’t “In the broader community, ever learn, which is tragic and there are a lot of immigrant dangerous,” Ironside said. families who have never for- The Aquatic Working mally learned to swim. They Group is expected to announce Observer, Lara Willis (the pools) help establish basic more conclusive findings in CHERRY BLOSSOM DANCER: Ayaka Tazumi, 5, performs a traditional children’s dance at the water survival skills.” April, but Dandy said she Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre on March 8. Tazumi and other members of the Sakura Kai Torontonians upset about the suspects they may take more performed as part of the Japanese Spring Festival, Haru Matsuri. prospect of losing these pools time. ‘Visual petition’ launched to help stop sealers By LAURA GODFREY products, including pelts, meat directly to real parliamentar- unnecessary, and so the Euro- plain wrong.” East Yorkers united on the and oil – a vote that could seri- ians, saying ‘I’m a Canadian, pean politicians should listen to Protestors of the seal hunt, weekend of March 14-15 hoping ously dent the sealing industry’s I’m opposed to the seal hunt, the Canadians and stop the seal including the AAC’s White, have to put an end to the controver- market. and I want you to do everything hunt.” said the profit from the seal sial Canadian seal hunt. Filming for the DVD took in your power to stop it,’” White Meanwhile, Canadian politi- hunt is marginal and not worth They converged on the head- place at the AAC office at 221 said. cians, including federal Fisher- the slaughter of animals. But quarters of the Animal Alliance Broadview Ave. The organiza- Penny Parmenter of Rich- ies Minister Gail Shea, have according to Jenkins, sealing is of Canada — on Broadview Av - tion invited anyone protesting mond Hill visited the AAC office been meeting with members of a “well-managed, professional enue at East York’s southeast the hunt to sit in front of a cam- on March 15 to be one of the 500 the European Parliament to fight hunt” and a vital source of in- corner — to participate in a “vi - era and make a statement ap- Canadians. She said that the the proposed ban on imported come for fishermen in coastal sual save the seals petition,” de- pealing to the European Parlia- killing of the animals is inhu- seal products. The department communities. signed to convince the European ment. Supporters were also free mane and unnecessary. of fisheries says the Atlantic Ca - “It seems that the real mea- Parliament to approve a ban to send in their own short videos “So many people cry out that nadian seal hunt is a humane sure of whether it’s worth it is on the import of Canadian seal online. Liz White, co-director of these are necessary jobs for the industry and information given to ask a sealer,” Jenkins said. products. The resulting DVD, the AAC, said she thinks this seal killers…. That seems to be by animal rights groups is often “Because sealers are fisherman; called 500 Canadians, is being video could push the vote over an outcry these days: ‘You’re exaggerated. they’re independent business- sent by the AAC to European of- the edge in their favour. taking away jobs!’” Parmenter Phil Jenkins, a spokesperson people. If an activity’s not worth ficials in advance of an April 2 “The idea of a visual petition said. “But for these creatures for the ministry, said a lot of doing, they’re not going to do vote on banning imported seal is having real Canadians talk to be tortured in such a way is anti-sealing information is “just it.” Plant expert touts hard-to-find veggies for gardens By VICTORIA WELLS lettuce, which is slow to go to East York Garden Club pres- Gardeners in East York seed in the summer heat; and ident Veronica Callinan said should grow unusual vegetables amaranth, a vegetable that she grows vegetables in her this year as a way to add colour tastes like spinach, but contains garden and finds the experi- and new flavours to their yards more calcium and iron. ence easy and rewarding. She and salad plates. “The Green amaranth is very recommends using containers That was the message of pretty with a burgundy colour for vegetables to prevent slug horticulturist Inge Poot at the and gets very tall,” she said. “It damage and for other ben- March 19 meeting of the East makes a wonderful centerpiece efits. York Garden Club, held at the in the raised vegetable garden. “I’m a lazy gardener,” she Stan Wadlow Clubhouse. It’s very attractive.” said. “(In containers) the toma- Poot is a consultant with Poot recommends all vegeta- toes shield the lettuce and keeps Richters, a well-known nursery bles be planted in raised beds it from bolting in the heat.” in Goodwood, Ont. specializing and not sown directly at ground Callinan said vegetable gar- in herbs and hard-to-find veg - level. dening is very popular among etables. “Make raised beds, and you’ll garden club members. It’s a sat- In her talk, she said garden- find that when you don’t have isfying process because garden- ers should look beyond the usu- to stomp through the mud to do ers can eat what they grow. al varieties of beets, lettuce and your weeding, you will do more And for Poot, that’s why veg- spinach. weeding,” she said, “and some etable growing makes so much Among her recommendations vegetables need to be weeded or sense. were the Chioggia beet, which else they’ll whither away. Some “Now is the time to grow veg- Observer, Victoria Wells contains white and red rings can’t take any competition at etables with the down-turning EXCITED FOR SPRING: Horticulturist Inge Poot says East York when sliced open; Butterhead all.” economy,” she said. gardeners should not be afraid to grow unusual vegetables. Page 6 — East York’s Observer, March 27, 2009 The East Toronto Everything is bigger in Texas, Serving OBSERVER East York www.torontoobserver.ca except the hospital wait times Centennial College • East York campus P.O. Box 631, Station A, Scarborough, ON M1K 5E9 Once upon a time, Toronto Even if he’d seen a triage declared a crisis in emergency nurse, he still would have wait- THE EDITORIAL BOARD Lara Managing Editor: Meghan Housley departments, as people were ed hours to see a doctor, and Assignment Editor: Alyshia Collins lying on stretchers in hospital even longer for an X-ray. Copy Editors: Ciarán Thompson, Tim Burden hallways waiting for beds and, Initiatives over the past dec- Photo Editor: Matthew Cohen Willis Production Editor: Brad Pritchard in some cases, dying for them. ade have focused on the flow of Faculty Editors: Lindy Oughtred, Stephen Cogan, Louie Five-year-old Kyle Martyn patients through the hospital. Piacentini, Dave Johnny was one such victim. In the The Ministry of Health and Journalism Program Co-ordinator: Stephen Cogan wake of his death in February happened 3,000 miles away Long-Term Care has previously 1998, the province of Ontario from his then-East York home, increased funding to accommo- COMMENT instituted new measures to pre- in a small Midwest-Texas town. date long-term care patients The Observer is a member of the Ontario vent such a tragedy from hap- He’d been there for less than who spend needless time in Community Newspapers Association pening again. a week when the illness first acute care hospitals because One of the significant changes struck. As an older adult in his there is nowhere else for them was the introduction of the tri- 60s, his symptoms differed from to go. age nurse – a registered nurse the usual signs of appendicitis Telehealth Ontario provides Tabuns’, Prue’s whose sole responsibility is to — an ailment that generally oc- medical advice over the phone assess every patient within 15 curs before people reach their and nurse practitioners have minutes of their arrival. 40s. been given expanding roles in losses: our gains For my family, news stor- “I was sick for a day or two,” health care. ies of Martyn — and several my father recalled. “I thought The most recent initiative is Earlier this month, it looked like East York could have had other victims of hospital wait I ate some bad pizza or some- Health Care Connect — a re- a lock on party leadership in both Ottawa and at Queen’s Park. times — are a reminder of my thing.” ferral service and directory of With four contenders campaigning for the leadership of Ontario’s father’s own brush with death. After spending a week re- family health providers that New Democrats, the fact that Michael Prue and Peter Tabuns, two The same year Martyn died of covering from surgery, he was strives to find a family doctor East York MPPs, were in the running for the job raised the hopeful a streptococcus infection in the released from the hospital. for more than half a million On- spectre that this community could take centre-stage in Canadian waiting room at Mississauga’s Travel insurance paid the hefty tarians who don’t have one. politics, considering that we already have the federal NDP leader, Credit Valley Hospital, my dad’s $25,000 hospital bill. And there are local initia- Toronto-Danforth MP Jack Layton. appendix ruptured. He was Changes to prevent deaths tives, like the fundraising to Layton’s success in influencing the Paul Martin Liberals’ last rushed to his local emergency from occurring in Ontario’s hos- expand and improve facilities federal budget and more recently, the prospect of a cabinet post for department and, within 45 min- pital waiting rooms probably at Toronto East General Hospi- Layton in an anti-Conservative coalition government, made East utes of his arrival, was wheeled wouldn’t have made a differ- tal — including its emergency Yorkers feel like they have a bigger voice through a party leader. into the operating room where ence. room, which sees 66,000 people Sadly, this simply isn’t the case. It shows a misunderstanding of the surgeons removed the infected He experienced no classic every year. job of party leader — no matter the party or level of government. organ and saved his life. symptoms of appendicitis and All of these strategies have A party leader must, out of political necessity, put the interests “If I’d been in Canada, there’s even the emergency room doc- the same goal in mind: to re- of his or her party as a whole at the forefront and try to stand for no question I’d be dead now,” he tor initially thought it was a duce hospital wait-times. While all Canadians of all regions of the country. A leader must consider mused. “I’d have been slumped mild case of food poisoning. A many are hopeful that these the interests of the constituents of every riding. That is how parties over the emergency room. I’d diagnosis wasn’t made until X- measures will improve health grow support and eventually win elections. have been front-page news.” rays showed the infection in his care in this province, we remain Inevitably, the immediate interests of the constituents of the The near-death experience abdomen. skeptical. leader’s riding can, and often do, become de-prioritized. But this is not necessarily the failing of the leader. In fact, a good test of one’s leadership of a party may well be the extent to which he or she successfully prioritizes the party’s interests over those of his or her Mom-and-Pop type shops constituents when these two things come into conflict. So for those East Yorkers who rejoiced at the prospect of Peter Tabuns or Michael Prue helming the Ontario NDP, your enthusiasm and expectations may have been misplaced. And to those East might make a comeback Yorkers who were disappointed that their MPPs lost to Hamilton’s Andrea Horwath, take comfort: with somebody else assuming When my laptop abruptly Anything harder I take to a the mantle of leadership, East York still has two MPPs who are refused to function during a Stephen guy named Thor, who runs a one- dedicated primarily to serving their constituents. recent visit to my mother, I man shop out of his apartment. —Geoff Small couldn’t just take it to some I tell him the problem, he tells guy in town. My warranty Humphrey me the solution. agreement with a brand-name In short, he provides the kind dealer forced me to go through of in-person, hands-on service A new medium’s company channels. scale” in defence of buyouts, that mega-companies make you A scared-sounding youngster monopolies and other strains of feel childish to expect. at the company’s call centre corporate gigantism. Lately, I’ve wondered advised me to wait for couriers Capitalist thinker Adam whether the much-discussed dirty little secret to deliver a shipping box. Smith first proposed that economic downturn will I would then use it to mail bigger operations would spend inspire a return of the corner Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, “The medium is the my computer to some distant, less on each unit produced, repair shop and a decline in message,” four decades ago. Obscure, yes. And still debated. unheard-of facility to languish allowing them to better serve strange, dysfunctional service Consider the trial of M.T., the teenaged girl now convicted of for weeks. consumers. agreements and just-replace-it, first-degree murder in the stabbing death of her perceived romantic I can deal with arm’s-length, Since Smith’s status is close disposable products. rival, Stefanie Rengel of East York. (Yes, we still have to identify impersonal service if things at to biblical in business circles, As finances shrink, maybe the young murderess and her alleged “hitboy” by initials.) The court found that M.T. procured the murder of Stefanie least get done. But for three arguments using his vocabulary people will seek professionals almost solely via text messages. weeks, I saw no trace of a tend to win. close at hand to repair things M.T.’s defence counsel argued that the comments she wrote to shipping box. But while I’m sure the makers they can’t afford to replace. her boyfriend, D.B., should not have been taken literally. During that time I dealt with of my computer are pleased Maybe folks who are short on Well, no, they shouldn’t have. They should have been taken zombie-like staffers who were with the great deals they work and good with tools will virtually — but that is often even more persuasive than in person. apparently not gifted enough to get on Chinese tungsten and start repairing things on spec. Think about sexual predators luring children over the Internet correct my address, which they silicon wafers, you won’t catch Maybe a renewed cottage to meet them… or people falling in love with each other simply had screwed up since the day I me smiling at their automated industry of fixers will force through e-mail or messenger chats. The power of the virtual world first ordered my machine. answering service, which big companies to rethink can be stronger than the physical world. The box finally arrived and off mainly proposes options to pay sluggish, indifferent service There is certainly something to be said about the boost of courage went my laptop to some place up-front, along with a choice agreements. people tend to get when chatting online, rather than in person. An in Newmarket. I pray the unit of ways to spend the next 30- Maybe, while politicians awkward, lonely-looking man in a crowded bar sticks out like a sore thumb, while online he could be Mr. Smooth, his confidence makes it back. 60 minutes on hold downtown. and analysts debate increased in the privacy of his home. I cringe when business I can do simple repairs and how to fix the economy, people Could this have been the case with M.T. and her drive to have pundits go on about the virtues upgrades myself, like installing can get actual stuff fixed for Stefanie Rengel murdered? Would she have had the guts to demand of so-called “economies of a CD-ROM drive. once. Stefanie’s death so bluntly and persistently if she had been face- to-face with D.B.? We wonder. Clearly, this is a depraved individual. But we wonder if a 15-year-old girl would have found it so easy to launch We welcome your input something so utterly horrendous in person — if she would have had the nerve to tell her boyfriend face-to-face to kill another young girl. Fortunately, few people could bring themselves to utter those The Observer is published by Centennial College journalism students under facul- words under any circumstances. But does the virtual world make ty supervision. Our offices are in Room 149 of the Centre for Creative Communica - it easier for a wretched minority? tions, 951 Carlaw Ave., East York. Please address correspondence to the Observer, Does this mean that online chatting and a decline of face-to- face interaction is breeding generations with faux-confidence? Is Centennial College, East York campus, P.O. Box 631, Station A, Scarborough, ON their means of communication a go-ahead to be creepy — or worse? M1K 5E9. Telephone 416-289-5107, fax 416-289-5111, e-mail c/o scogan@centen - Does the phrase, “The medium is the message,” translate into a nialcollege.ca. Opinions in the Observer do not necessarily reflect the views of the dangerous disregard for basic decency among some communicating on the World Wide Web? college. Our companion website, the Toronto Observer, is at www.torontoobserver.ca. Evidently so. —Kinga Jakab East York’s Observer, March 27, 2009 — Page 7 COMMENT The jump from paper to pixels still a challenge for newspapers Try as hard as you might — do in the good old print monop- make the most leak-proof con- oly days. tainers, use the strongest pumps Tim The next business strategy to — you will not create a perfect rear its ugly head during my re- vacuum. Something, anything, Burden cent readings was the old “you will rush in to fill the void. It’s can’t link to me without my per - a result of fundamental physi- mission” argument, in which a cal laws and the structure of the news organization tries to con- universe. selves by ganging up on the rest trol how others link to its stories. When ancient Greek philoso- of us with pay walls. Under his GateHouse Media, which runs pher Aristotle said nature ab- plan, you will have to pay sub- several Boston-area local news hors a vacuum, he might just as scription fees to read the news sites, is suing the New York well have been talking about the on any newspaper website. Times Co. because some local World Wide Web. It has a funda - If this reminds you of protec - NYT-run sites have audaciously mental structure, too. tion rackets run by thugs, it linked to stories on GateHouse “The WWW world consists should. He wants publishers to sites. The latter objected, com- Observer, Luke Champion of documents and links,” wrote go to the U.S. Justice Depart- plaining NYT is making money HOMECOMING: Toronto Maple Leaf Jamal Mayers presents a web inventor Tim Berners-Lee ment and ask for “an antitrust on the back of GateHouse-con- jersey to Mrs. Owen, the secretary at Holy Name Catholic School. in 1992. Documents are linked exemption that would allow trolled content. together into a web by hyper- publishers to collaborate on a That is an awful and laugh- links. Links are the essence of decision to begin charging for ably obtuse misinterpretation of the thing, the feature without their websites.” what the web is about. It should Leaf scores big which the web would not be a This won’t work. Not just be - be obvious by now: if you dis- web. cause it’s a knuckle-dragging, courage linking — and suing Any activity — or policy or club-’em-on-the-head solution, someone for linking must cer- habit or standard or behaviour nor because it’s old and tired, tainly be seen as a discourage- with fans at his —which discourages linking is nor even because there’s em - ment — then you’re creating a abhorrent in such a universe, vacuum, which will leak, burst just as vacuums are abhorrent and be filled by someone else. in our physical universe. Any ‘There may come a Look at the next example in former school activity that has the effect of our litany of backward strate- discouraging or reducing the time when the web gies for the web. Dan Jacob- By LUKE CHAMPION high-pitched roar. The children, number of links on the web is, is all there is and we son, the publisher and owner of It was a trip down memory decked out in Maple Leaf attire, by definition, anti-web. And it will try to adapt... the triCityNews in Monmouth lane for one Toronto Maple waved flags and held up ban - is my thesis that any business County, N.J., claims that by Leaf. ners dedicated to their favour- model built on hostility toward and if we don’t, keeping his newspaper off the Rightwinger Jamal Mayers ite team. linking is bound to fail. well, hey, we had web altogether, he is saving his returned to his former elemen- Once the hysteria dissipated, Yet newspaper companies a great run.’ business. tary school, Holy Name Catholic Mayers and Van Ryn fielded and their owners, managers and —Dan Jacobson But Jacobson is leaving his School at Carlaw and Danforth, questions. These ranged from website developers continue to business on the table for some- on March 11. Along with team- queries about the players’ fa - Publisher, triCityNews espouse and implement strate- one else to take. He says, “There mate Mike Van Ryn, the two vourite foods (Italian) to their gies that cut against the grain of may come a time when the were in the neighbourhood on a favourite school subjects. what the web is all about. And web is all there is and we will mission of Maple Leaf goodwill Van Ryn’s favourite subject that’s not good, because the fu - pirical evidence it won’t work. try to adapt…” (But they will through the Leafs@School pro- was art and he initially went ture of journalism is at stake and The reason is both simpler and not adapt, because they will be gram. to Michigan for an arts degree with it, the traditional watchdog deeper: pay walls, because they steamrolled by web-savvy com- The initiative is an online — while sharpening his hockey function of journalists. discourage linking, arebad busi- panies ready for when the web is educational tool that helps teach skills. As more and more readers ness strategy for the web. Like all there is.) “…And if we don’t, kids about everything from re- Mayers, who spent most of his abandon print newspapers in fa- a business based on a perpetual well, hey, we had a great run.” sponsibility and nutrition to career playing for St. Louis, re- vour of news websites, newspa- motion machine, it cannot work, Which means: ‘I am a short- mathematics — and allows the turned to Toronto — the team per companies are losing their even in principle. term thinker in a privately held schools an opportunity to win a he worshipped as a child — last traditional source of revenue, These publishers would col- company and I obviously an - visit from a Toronto Maple Leaf. season. print advertising. If news or - lude to create an information swer to no one. Ride with me “I like coming back and seeing “Growing up, it was always ganizations can’t reach readers vacuum on the web. And the as I guide my company through the kids,” Mayers said. “It helps a dream to play for the Leafs,” where the readers are, then it’s first little leak — such as an short-term profits; walk away them believe that anything is he said. “(After) playing for St. hard to see how quality journal- entrepreneur deciding to put with me after I’ve squeezed it possible.” Louis for 12 years, it was a shock ism will be funded. advertising-supported news on dry.’ Mayers attended Holy Name to be traded, but coming home is I recently read three more the web for free — will blow I wish for progress in online in Grades 1 and 2 before moving really special.” examples of how newspaper that vacuum wide open. It will newspaper strategies in 2009. out of the area. This is the first Mayers presented the school companies fail to “get” the web. instantly destroy the consortium I hope that news websites will opportunity he’s had to come with a signed jersey to com- These anti-web modes of thought and its business plan. learn to venerate the humble back to the school and reflect. memorate his history with Holy keep popping up and keep refus- All this would be self-evident link to quality, original journal- “It looks a lot smaller than I Name, as well as his success as ing to die. to a company that “got” the web. ism on competing sites; culti - remember it. It’s definitely dif - a player. First up: the tired old pay wall But newspapers don’t — and nei - vate and encourage incoming ferent,” he said. “It’s changed, The Leafs@School program debate. Stanford University ther, apparently, do their aca- links and play the web game as but not that much.” is available online at www.leaf- journalism professor Joel Brin- demic elites represented here by hard as they can, experiment- The event began with an en- satschool.ca and educators can kley suggested in a San Francis- Brinkley — because what works ing, tinkering and innovating trance by Leafs mascot Carleton participate for an opportunity co Chronicle opinion piece that on the web is the complete oppo- to find the winning combina - the Bear. His arrival prompted to have a player come visit their newspapers can save them- site of what newspapers used to tion. the gymnasium to erupt in a school. Thieves beware as fraud prevention month wraps up By JASON WONG bounced,” she said. tributes this to the way her com- shopping online. Union. Also, you want to look at March is Fraud Prevention According to Lupo, the woman pany does business. “If you don’t know the seller, or the price point; many scam art - Month. But even without a spe- calls the store continually. Each “Customers pay through cash the reputation of the seller, just ists try to attract attention by cial month, some East York-area time she offers a new excuse and or credit card and we only buy don’t buy anything from them,” selling something ridiculously shopkeepers are already well a promise to pay up for materi- from suppliers we know. All of White said. “Many companies cheap,” White said. “If it’s too aware of the impact that dis- als and labour. our stock is bought from people are verified by Visa, so if you get good to be true, don’t buy it.” honesty can have on a business’s “After the cheque bounced, we’ve done business with for burned on a purchase, the credit According to the detective, balance sheet. she came back, apologized, and years,” she said. card company will compensate people continue to be duped by a Debbie Lupo, an employee at bought a $100 pair of throw pil- At home, Landers has one sim- you for your loss if you have few old schemes. Princess Perfect Furniture on lows, but the cheque for that ple method for avoiding scams. been defrauded.” “The Nigerian lottery scam Pape Avenue, knows first-hand bounced too. If she ever does “I have a good spam filter. When purchasing something is still around. So is the ‘secret about fraud. Even Fraud Pre- pay, we might forgive her,” Lupo That pretty much takes care of online, there are ways to reduce shopper’ ploy,” he said. “Usually vention Month has brought its said. everything,” she said. the risk to yourself and your these are spread through mass share of scammers. But Audrey Landers, who Sgt. John White, a detective bank account. e-mails and newspaper adver- “We had one woman who wrote works just up the street at Bill’s with the Toronto Fraud Squad, “Credit card companies are a tisements. I’ve seen everything a $1,200 cheque to have a couch Garden Centre, says her store is handles Internet fraud cases little more secure than simply from tractor-trailers to livestock upholstered and the cheque secure from con artists and at- daily. He has a few tips for those sending money through Western to Corvettes being advertised.” Page 8 — East York’s Observer, March 27, 2009 Award-winner plans to tackle race issues Cont’d. from page 1 trait that has served her well to help figure out (a solution),” in confronting so many social Feldman said. “She’s very issues,” Physick said, “whether effective.” it’s housing, safety, crime, But Sahota and Feldman peace, human rights, healthy aren’t the only ones singing communities or any other issue Moore’s praises. Brook Physick, in which she immerses herself.” a lawyer with Flemingdon Moore said she has decided Community Legal Services, that the next issue she will met Moore almost 20 years ago tackle in her community is thanks to a mutual interest in the elimination of racism and housing issues. He said Moore’s violence — something she wants inability to say no when it comes done by the year 2010. to serving the community is one She said her ability to help of the reasons she deserves the people is based on the beliefs award. her mother instilled in her. “I’m not sure if people here “When I see, or when I help realize that Pat Moore is people, I don’t look at (their employed on a full-time basis,” skin) colour,” Moore said. “My Observer, Meri Perra Physick said. “She’s someone mother brought us up to accept HELP’S IN THE BAG: Crystal Herdrie embarks on her third week of volunteer duty for the True who works full-time for the people for where they are and bank, is a full-time mother and what they are. We do not bleed Davidson Meals on Wheels shopping service. Herdrie, who has a two-year-old daughter of her does all this magnificent work black blood or red blood, we own, is also the daughter of project co-ordinator Teresa Sanderson. The program co-ordinates for the community in her spare bleed one blood. And we treat home delivery of groceries to seniors and people with disabilities. time. I think that in itself is everyone the same.” remarkable.” Moore received an Agnes He said her ability to commit Macphail Award medal for Keeping seniors independent to community issues is what her work, as well as a $2,000 makes her stand out. donation to the charity of her By MERI PERRA week, then some seniors are why not?” “I never cease to be amazed choice: the Canadian Diabetes Kay Bonner is a tall, slender really out.” The service now has funding by Pat’s boundless energy, a Association. woman with bright white hair Teresa Sanderson, the in place for three years. and an even brighter smile. service’s newly hired project One of the funding Living with increasing vision co-ordinator, said she is eager contingencies is that the East York schools observe loss in her senior years, she is to see the program expand and program be entirely volunteer- enthusiastic about East York acquire more clients. run by the end of the three-year and the services available to help “The shopping program is also period. many Earth Hour activities her maintain her independence. good for those who can get out, “(The co-ordinator’s) goal Cont’d. from page 1 If yoga and marching don’t “East York is a very caring but (have a hard time carrying) is to expand and promote the overwhelming, what can I do?’” appeal to your tastes, the Ontario community,” she said. “I think groceries,” she said, “especially program,” Quader said. “On Caulfield stresses the Science Centre has telescopes to they do more here than in other when you’re limited to what you the second year of the program, importance of getting kids take advantage of the darkness places I’ve lived.” can get if you have to carry it we would like to open for two involved in the activities too. by peering at everything from One of the services Bonner home.” days.” While many schools in the Saturn to the moon to the Little relies on is the True Davidson The service began in 2004, Bonner said the grocery- area are celebrating Earth Dipper. Advance observances Meals on Wheels shopping without any funding, after True delivery program is flexible. She Hour today, Caulfield believes of Earth Hour at schools today service. In partnership with Davidson recognized the need uses the service to fill in what that the community needs to include turning off the lights Valu-Mart, the program for a low-cost grocery delivery she needs between receiving better promote what he calls and enjoying activities such as arranges for seniors and people service in the community. The Meals on Wheels from True “the defining issue of our storytelling, candlelight vigils with disabilities to have groceries agency developed a partnership Davidson and dinners provided generation.” and outdoor games. delivered to their homes for a with Valu-Mart, sending at her seniors’ building. “If I can get them downtown So whether it’s marching, reduced cost of $4.99. volunteers there each week Without the services provided and they see a bit of the larger stargazing or a quiet night at The standard delivery charge with orders from clients. The by True Davidson, Bonner said picture, maybe they’ll come back home, many East Yorkers are at Valu-Mart is “anywhere from volunteers assemble and check her life would be very different. here and plant it,” Caulfield said expected to show their support $7.99 to $15.99, depending out the groceries and Valu-Mart “I’d be really handicapped,” of his Earth Hour mission. of Earth Hour. on the size of the order,” said delivers them. she said. “I no longer have any Hasina Quader, executive “We just started and the family living in Toronto. director of True Davidson. “Not program got going,” Quader “I’m lucky I’ve got several Earth Hour in East York all seniors are well off. If their said. “It was an additional task young friends, but they’ve got delivery charge is $40 a month for us, but we thought if we can their own lives. But anyway I Here are a few activities to consider when the lights go out: because they get delivery every meet the needs of the seniors, want to be independent.” Candlelight yoga at The Big Stretch Yoga Centre 1560 Bayview Ave. Call 416-486-4448 to reserve a spot (space is limited to 30 Group wants improvements for E.I. people) www.bigstretchyoga.ca By MATTHEW COHEN of proposed changes to the Insurance. He suggested 8:15 -9 :30 p.m. The Good Jobs For All Ontario Employment Standards lowering the qualifying period $15 admission (all proceeds go to the World Wildlife Fund) Coalition, in affiliation with Act regarding temporary to 360 hours in every part of the the Toronto and York Region employment agencies — is a country, which would cover 78 Earth Hour march to Nathan Phillips Square Labour Council, brought its step in the right direction, but per cent of the jobless in Ontario Contact Jeffre y Caulfield at [email protected] for series of town hall meetings stressed that in order for the bill currently ineligible for E.I. information or to join the walk to East York on Monday, to to be fully effective it still needs “The unemployment rate in discuss fixing the Employment further revision. Toronto now is 8.3 per cent The Ontario Science Centre has issued the following Insurance program, an equal She explained how Bill 139 fails and in the GTA it’s now at 9 itinerary: pay for equal work initiative, to properly address the issue of per cent,” Deutsch said. “These Star Party from 8 to 10 p.m. (lights out 8:30-9:30) and the protection of temporary termination and severance pay numbers give you the sense of the Observe the moon and stars through high-powered workers under Bill 139. for workers employed through magnitude of what’s happening telescopes The Workers’ Rights in agencies. Currently, there’s in the unemployment levels. In Enjoy storytelling, with Ojibway storyteller Aaron Bell Troubled Times meeting a 17-week waiting period for order to deal with the deficit and Contribute data to a North America-wide StarWatch was held at the Thorncliffe severance pay for full-time cuts to social programs some experiment on light pollution levels (www.redshiftnow.ca/ Neighborhood Office in East workers who lose their jobs. harsh measures were put into starwatch) York. Parkdale-High Park MPP For temp workers, the waiting effect. One of the things they did Participate in a drumming circle Cheri DiNovo was in attendance period is more than double. was raising the required amount Explore ways to reduce climate change through engaging and said her office, along with “Under Bill 139, a temp agency of hours… in order to secure demonstrations and activities the Workers Action Centre, is worker would have to wait 36 Employment Insurance.” bringing forth an amendment weeks before they’re eligible for According to Deutsch, Ottawa St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church asking for equal pay for equal termination and severance pay,” has done very little to deal with candlelight meditations work and a limit to temporary she said. “That would mean they this particular problem. “A service of reconciliation with the Earth through prayer, (work) assignment. would be out of work for nine “In this recent federal budget reflection and music” “If you’re working part-time months without finance before the only thing the feds did was 8:30-9:30 p.m. you should be getting the they receive any payment that increase the duration of benefits 1399 Bayview Ave. same hourly rate as someone every other worker (in Ontario) by only five weeks. There should 416-485-0329 working full-time… and if you’re is entitled to.” be an additional 13 weeks at the working for a year, you should Guest speaker Julius Deutsch, least,” he said. Grassroots Environmental Products be (employed) permanent executive assistant of the There have been 560,000 all beeswax candles 10 per cent off until the lights go out automatically,” said DiNovo. Toronto/York Region Labour recipients of E.I payments as 372 Danforth Ave. (just west of Chester Avenue) Karen Dick, community Council, said that under Ontario of January, and Ottawa has 416-466-2841 organizer for the Workers Action law, an applicant in Toronto announced $60 million to help Open until 8 p.m. Centre, concurred with DiNovo needs 665 hours to be considered streamline the application that Bill 139 — a package eligible for Employment process. —MIKE CRISOLAGO