Cabinet Shuffle Dealt to E.Y. Mpps
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The East York BOO! n Enjoy our Halloween photo gallery of East OBSERVER York fun. Page 8 Vol. 40, No. 9 Friday, October 28, 2011 www.torontoobserver.ca Serving our community since 1972 n POLITICS Cabinet shuffle dealt to E.Y. MPPs By KRISTIN ANNABLE By JOSH SHMENGE and LLOYD QUANSAH [email protected] The Observer All of East York’s incumbents retained their seats when the electoral dust settled after the Oct. 6 provincial vote. But that doesn’t mean they retained their Queen’s Park portfolios. Cabinet minister Kathleen Wynne was shuffled again by Premier Dalton McGuinty last week, and on Wednesday, NDP leader Andrea Horwath gave MPPs Michael Prue and Peter Tabuns new responsibilities as well. Wynne, who rep- resents Don Valley West, was provincial @ education minister from 2006 until just last year, O when McGuinty moved l For more on this her to the transporta- story, check tion portfolio. Now us out she’ll serve as minister online at toronto of Aboriginal Affairs observer.ca as well as minister of Octavian Lacatusu /// Observer Municipal Affairs and Housing. She says she’s Jack... and Jills undaunted by the prospect of cabinet ESL students at D.A. Morrison Middle School in East York were recently introduced to the art of carving pumpkins. multitasking. Gulalay Noor (left) and Serene Guragain cheer after becoming the first ones in the class to finish creating their “I think that that’s the challenge and jack-o’-lanterns. I’m excited to take it on,” Wynne said. “I think that I have a good working knowledge of municipalities around the province because I’ve dealt with all of them on transportation issues,” she said. “When I was the minister of education… Parker defends community housing sale I spent a fair bit of time working with people in the aboriginal community… city still has to approve the idea, offered for sale “into a satisfac- the agency is facing. and so I look forward to broadening that Agency planning to along with the province. tory state is double the cost of Koroneos said that the houses relationship.” sell 706 units, some The properties are scattered the repair required for our other will be sold in a slow and steady Even though she just received the throughout Toronto — and the East units” — meaning that the money process, and Parker agreed. ministries last week, she already has of them in East York York area. That includes homes on from selling the homes at market For tenants living in the units, ideas for them. She has been on commit- Aldergrove, Barrington, Brown- value would be invested in multi- Parker said, “We are going to see tees and advisory boards on economic ing, Oakcrest, Queensdale, West unit buildings, which are cheaper to it that our residents’ concerns development for aboriginal people and By ALISSA RANDALL Lynn and Woodward avenues, as to maintain. So these sales would are respected and their sensitivities education. Her current goals in mu- The Observer well as Ellerbeck Street, Milverton help pay for a $650-million repair are accommodated. We don’t want nicipal affairs are to “consolidate and Boulevard and others. backlog. to be disruptive towards our ten- improve the working relationships with East York’s councillors are split According to John Parker, coun- “We have thousands of apart- ants, but at the same time we can’t municipalities.” on the wisdom of selling more cillor for Ward 26/Don Valley ment units, dwellings of various leave our overall housing stock in She said her strong listening and than 700 homes owned by Toronto West and a member of the TCHC kinds, most of which are in an un- the state that it’s in.” learning skills will benefit her new Community Housing located in board allied with Mayor Rob Ford, satisfactory state of repair – some Most of the tenants living in the ministries. their wards and across the rest of the sale is a good idea because of which are in a completely unac- 706 units would be relocated to “Both these portfolios have a lot to the city. Toronto Community Housing has ceptable state,” Parker said. apartment buildings. At the Oct. 21 do with building relationships. It’s very The TCHC board voted on Oct. many properties in the city that are TCHC interim CEO Len Ko- meeting approving the sale of the important to have that skill of listening 21 to sell the dwellings, mostly in a poor state of repair. roneos has been quoted as saying homes, tenants and housing activ- single-family homes, with pro- He contended that the cost of that he hopes to raise $336 million ists argued against the idea, and the n See EAST YORK, page 5 ceeds going to upgrade and repair bringing the single-family dwell- from the sales that would be put to- the agency’s other buildings. The ings and the other units he wants ward that $650-million repair bill n See PROCESS, page 2 2 NEWS The East York Observer /// Friday, Oct. 28, 2011 n COMMUNITY FIRE & CRIME It’s time to disconnect, East York Man, 19, dies after shooting Downspouts must flow during storms and better Police are appealing to the public for more protect the environment. information about the fatal shooting of a be separated soon “It is the easiest and best teen at 90 Eastdale Ave. on Oct. 14. way to reduce the overflow,” The victim, Bradley Matheson, 19, was from sewer system he said. “With these down- found in the sixth-floor stairwell of the spouts, rainwater and sew- apartment building near Main Street and By KRISTIN ANNABLE age water combine together. Danforth Avenue shortly before 3:30 p.m., The Observer When there is overflow, this police report. They say Matheson was pro- results in polluted water go- nounced dead at the scene. On Nov. 20, some residents ing directly into the rivers of Anyone with information is asked to con- of East York may be finding the city.” tact police at 416-808-7400 or anonymously themselves either on the tele- By disconnecting these through Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS. phone with a local contractor downspouts and attaching a or rolling up their sleeves and “diverter,” storm water will Two suspects sought in mugging preparing to do a little handi- instead flow into the ground. work. Plumber Fred Caprara Two men are wanted in connection with the Toronto Water has reminded agreed that this is beneficial mugging of a 15-year-old boy in the area of homeowners that by this date, for homes and the environ- Halsey Avenue and Dawes Road on Oct. 18. all residents in high-priority ment. The victim was in an apartment building at areas of Toronto (which in- “They don’t have to treat approximately 4 p.m., police say, when the cludes all of East York) must rainwater the same way that muggers followed him into an elevator. Once have their residential down- sewage water has to be treat- inside, they demanded that the boy empty spouts disconnected from the ed,” he said. “Therefore it is Beth Ford /// Observer his pockets. Police report that the victim municipal sewer system. beneficial to have the storm City staff have been providing residents with refused to comply and was punched in the Richard Noehammer, the water go right back into the information on how to properly disconnect their face by one of the men. They took an iPod director of business operations ground where it will eventu- downspouts. This presentation took place at the from the boy’s pocket and fled the scene in for Toronto Water, explained ally make its back into a res- Home Depot at Gerrard Square. an unknown direction. that a downspout is the pipe ervoir.” The first suspect is described as black that carries rainwater from the “By no longer having rain and lakes during big storms. $1,000. and of thin build. He has brown eyes and is roof of a house through the and sewage water going in The disconnection can be Low-income senior cit- 6 -to 6-2 tall. The second accused is black, eavestrough and ultimately the same place, it will prevent done by hiring a contractor. izens and persons with dis- muscular, 5-10 to 6-foot tall and weighing into city sewage drainage sys- overflow,” he added, “which Noehammer said those who abilities will have a chance to approximately 150 pounds. tems. can, in turn, prevent flooding are a little handy can do it apply for a $500 credit toward Most houses in Toronto of basements.” themselves with a trip to a the disconnection, Noeham- Armed man robs pharmacy have that final connection – Caprara also said that this well-stocked hardware store mer said. but not for long. will prevent overworked sew- and about $50. n For more information A man is wanted in connection with a rob- Noehammer said that the age treatment plants from The Toronto Water website on how to disconnect your bery at Hurst Pharmacy at 419 Donlands reasons for the cutoff are to cut opening up the floodgates and quotes the cost to homeowners downspout, go to http:// Ave. on Oct. 17. down on sewage system over- letting raw sewage into rivers as anywhere from $100 to www.toronto.ca At approximately 5:45 p.m., the robber entered the building wearing a disguise and approached the counter, police say. They report that he produced a handgun and de- manded he be given narcotics. A 37-year-old Process ‘unacceptable,’ Davis says woman and 49-year-old male, employees of Hurst Pharmacy, handed over the drugs as Cont’d.