ww The East York SHORT FILM, BIG FUTURE n Student film optioned OBSERVER for the big screen Page 4 Serving our community since 1972 www.torontoobserver.ca Friday, March 30, 2018 n MACPHAIL AWARD Remember your roots, says award recipient By BRANDON WONG The Observer As the 25th recipient of the Agnes Macphail Award, Carol Burtin Fripp is fully aware of the ceremony’s significance. “If you don’t have ceremonies like this, then people forget,” Burtin Fripp told the audience March 24 at the East York Civic Centre. “It’s important to com- memorate and recognize what the roots are for where we are now. If you forget your roots, then you don’t re- n BURTIN ally know who you are.” FRIPP Along with Premier Kath- leen Wynne, MP Rob Oli- phant and Beaches-East York Councillor Janet Davis, the audience included past recipients who have made outstanding contributions to their community. Among them were Lorna Krawchuk, a volunteer reader at VoicePrint; Sheila Lacroix, who focused her efforts on cyber-bullying; and George Hurst, who volunteered at Touchstone Youth Centre to help young people in crisis. “It’s nice to be among the people who have already won it and continue to do great work for East York,” Burtin Fripp said. “I was pleased that so many came to the event.” Agnes Macphail was an activist who fought for the rights of women, seniors and the under- Erik Twight/The Observer privileged. She was the first woman elected to On the Danforth, then and now the House of Commons, in 1921. Macphail’s contributions include reforming the prison sys- On a walking tour of Toronto’s Greek community, a volunteer carries a photo of Danforth Avenue from days gone by. tem and fighting for gender equality and the The free stroll began at Pape Library and made its way to Broadview north of Danforth on Sunday, March 25. For a story n See MACPHAIL’S, page 5 about the walk, turn to page 2. n POLITICS Kathleen Wynne promises free prescription drugs for seniors After throwing a rock or two “If we don’t make these investments now, we ability. will pay a price down the road,” Wynne told re- “Affordability when you’re on a fixed income at the Leaside Curling Club, porters. “Our parents, our grandparents — peo- can be an issue,” Dipika said in an interview. “We ple who built Ontario — have told us they want don’t want seniors to ever have to worry that they premier says OHIP+ will cover to live independently for as long as possible.... may have to choose or ration their medications.” Ontarians aged 65 and older That’s something we need to support.” Cathy Windross, 65, called Wynne’s promise Wynne said the plan will remove the current a good thing. deductibles and co-payments under the Ontario “There’s a need,” she said. “I went through By BOBBY HRISTOVA Drug Benefit program while maintaining access it with my mother, and we could’ve had more The Observer to all 4,400-plus drugs. help.” The expansion will save people an average of But Andrew D. Gall, CEO of the Ontario Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne chose the Lea- $240 per year. The province will invest $575 mil- Pharmacists Association, wonders why seniors side Curling Club to make a special announce- lion in the program by 2020-21. are being forced to wait. ment affecting all Ontario seniors. To pay for this, Wynne plans to operate on a “Why do we have to wait 18 months? Why After curling with Leaside seniors on March “modest deficit, less than one per cent of GDP.” can’t we make this sooner? It’s teasing people,” Bobby Hristova/The Observer 20, she announced that anyone aged 65 and older Dipika Damerla, the Minister of Seniors Af- Gall said. Premier Kathleen Wynne recently will receive free prescription medicine starting fairs, said although people consider healthcare dropped by the Leaside Curling Club. August 2019 as an extension to OHIP+. when thinking of seniors, they dismiss afford- n See WYNNE, page 4 2 NEWS Friday,The EastMarch York 30, Observer2018 The Friday, East YorkFebruary Observer 9, 2018 ‘our POLICE & WHAT’S FIRE UP IN E.Y. Man, 22, faces Bulgarian Art charges after Festival on at male stabbed Todmorden Mills in East York The Papermill Gallery at Todmor- A 22-year-old den Mills will be man has been the setting for the charged in a eighth annual Bul- Danforth Avenue garian Art Festival and Greenwood on April 1 from Avenue stabbing. 12 noon to 4:30 Toronto Police say p.m. The works of on March 14 the Igor Bounikov will accused stabbed be featured. The a male victim sev- Claire Floody/The Observer gallery is located eral times before at 67 Pottery Rd. fleeing. Police (Right to left) Panelists Margaret Arnason, Devi Ekanand and Kadon Douglas speak with host Carlene Daley arrested a man at the event, ‘Whose Body is it, Really?’ on March 17. The victim was rushed Celebrating to the trauma our caregivers centre in critical Panel asks, ‘Whose body is it?’ condition. “The The Heart of Home Care Awards crime rate these By CLAIRE FLOODY “It won’t help anyone to be segregated For example, panelist Douglas, originally will be present- days is growing The Observer or divided,” Adileh said. from Grenada, spoke of her experiences ed April 3 from because of these Nicholas Kwok, a performing arts fun- celebrating Caribana dressed in the tradi- 2-3:30 p.m. at The youth,” said a Amid all of the sexual-assault allega- damentals student, asked the panelists tional Mas wear and having people from Forth, 629 Dan- local resident who tions and “Me Too” stories surfacing in about resources and help for “reformed” other cultures oversexualize and even ha- forth Ave. Family saw police at the today’s media, is there space for men in men — those who have admitted to past rass her. caregivers will be scene. Adam Bry- this conversation, too? offences of sexual harassment or abuse However, Sibongo thought the chal- celebrated with an James MacDou- Margaret Arnason, research and out- but are committed to changing for the lenges that face LGBT women or women stories and live gall of Toronto has reach co-ordinator for Toronto’s Assault- better. with disabilities were merely mentioned music. To RSVP, go been charged with ed Women’s Helpline, believes there has Kadon Douglas, one of the panelists or skimmed over. to http://bit.ly/ attempted murder. to be. and a communications and engagement Devi Ekanand, the final panelist and hohcinvite2018 “We can’t progress as a population un- manager at Women in Film & Television a member of the Coalition Music fami- less we have the support and help of the - Toronto, says she is open to having these ly for 20 years, explained her company’s Thorncliffe Park other half,” she said. “This is no longer types of conversations with men, and ac- “50/50 initiative.” The goal is to work to- Pay a visit to residents launch just a woman’s issue.” tually welcomes it. wards an equal ratio of men and women She encouraged the young men in the She believes there should be more in leadership positions. Robot Land at protest after audience to hold one another to a higher spaces to facilitate this. Sibongo also challenged this. “Even standard and call out unacceptable be- Another important matter raised was that 50/50 goal implies that half of our the library water shutdown haviour. how sexual abuse affects each woman population identifies as male and the oth- Terri Favro, the au- Arnason and two other panelists spoke uniquely. Women from different cultures, er half female,” she said. thor of Generation Residents of 49 at “Whose Body is it, Really?,” an event women with physical disabilities and “What about people who identify as Robot: A Century Thorncliffe Park held to discuss the female perspective and LGBT women face unique prejudice and non-binary or transgender? Where do of Science Fiction, Dr. protested a wa- experience of the entertainment indus- biases that other women do not. they fit in?” Fact and Spec- ter shut-off after try. It took place at Centennial College’s Lindi Sibongo is a performing arts fun- The panelists also recommended safe ulation, will talk a corroded pipe East York campus on March 23 in front damentals student and was mostly inter- resources and organizations in Toronto about the process burst. Toronto of an audience of both male and female ested in the event to see how intersection- for women experiencing abuse, such as of researching and Police responded students. al it would be. the Assaulted Women’s Helpline and Dr. writing the book. to a call about the Although much of the discussion was “I wanted to see how much of the con- Roz’s Healing Place, a centre and safe The event will take protest on March focused on women supporting women, versation here today would be about queer space for women and children of vio- place April 5 at 22, but no charges one of the most poignant questions of the women, racialized women or women with lence. the S. Walter Stew- were laid. Water day was: Where do men fit in? disabilities,” Sibongo said. “I feel like “The more we continue to have this art Library , 170 was restored to Mahmoud Amin Adileh, a 3D-anima- they are often forgotten about in this con- conversation and the more we start see- Memorial Park the building on tion student, attended the event because versation.” ing women in decision-making positions Ave., from 6:30- March 23.