ww The East York BLASTING OFF WITH LEGO n A boy and his Ninja storm-ship OBSERVER Page 3 Serving our community since 1972 Vol. 44, No. 5 www.torontoobserver.ca Friday, April 3, 2015 n POLITICS Liberals kick off election campaign By DANIEL GOLDSMITH The Observer The federal election is still more than six months off, but you wouldn’t have known it from the rally that took place last Sunday, March 29, at the Ted Reeve Community Arena just outside East York’s southeast corner. About 100 Liberals from the Beach- es-East York riding gathered to help their candidate for this fall’s federal election officially kick off his cam- paign. He’s Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, and he told the crowd that “public transpor- tation and infrastructure spending” are the biggest issues facing Canada in the build-up to this October’s election. Beaches-East York MPP Arthur Potts and former Ajax-Pickering MP Mark Sanjeev Wignarajah /// The Observer Holland both gave speeches in support Flipped out of Erskine-Smith, with the former labeling him as an “idea man” and “the A multiple-vehicle collision on Wednesday morning at Broadview and Danforth avenues left a dump truck progressive alternative” to the Conser- flipped on its side. Police said the cause of the collision is unknown and no one was hurt. vatives. Erskine-Smith will be going up n COMMUNITY against the NDP’s incumbent MP Matthew Kellway and Conservative nominee Bill Burrows for the seat in the House of Commons from Beaches-East Greek spirit good despite bad economy York. This is Erskine-Smith’s first run at ‘It’s freedom day. We’re have endured, I think they are go- public office. He touched on a num- ing to be fine. They need a little bit ber of issues in his speech, and in a strong nation,’ says of patience and time.” an impromptu Q-and-A session with Since 2010, Greece has received supporters, he took time to snipe at Greektown resident two large aid packages from the the Harper government while also By JONATHAN COSTA International Monetary Fund, a addressing immigration, education and The Observer group of 188 countries working the environment. to secure financial stability in the “Our politics should be about ideas, The parade was beginning to world’s different economies. not just winning elections. We are so take shape, as thousands lined up Newly elected Prime Minister divorced from an idealistic political along the Danforth to clap and Alexis Tsipras has clashed with system…. I struggle to come up with wave Greek flags. the European Union, stating that a single issue that the Harper adminis- Greektown resident John Galak- massive bailout debts need to be tration has really addressed in the last topolous was among them — com- restructured, because “without in- nine years,” Erskine-Smith said, going ing out to celebrate his heritage tervention they are impossible to on to call for “major investment into last Sunday, March 29. pay.” infrastructure and education.” “It’s freedom day,” he said. Nevertheless, on a day of cel- In a post-speech interview with the “That’s what it’s all about. We are Jonathan Costa /// The Observer ebration, Greektown residents Observer, Erskine Smith listed trans- a strong nation.” More than 15,000 people attended this year’s Greek watching the parade along Dan- portation and infrastructure spending More than 15,000 people lined Independence Day parade along the Danforth. forth Avenue were optimistic as “the most important issues that the the Danforth, between Jones and about their homeland. federal government can address.” Chester avenues, to watch the and Ward 29 Councillor Mary is more than 300 billion euros in “We need to pull our socks up “Municipal governments are overbur- Greek Independence Day parade. Fragedakis. debt. Overall unemployment there and work our way out of it. We dened by the cost of public transporta- It commemorates the Greek rev- Despite the fact that the day is estimated between 20 and 25 per need to give the youth a chance,” tion,” he said. olution, which freed Greece from acknowledges Greek strength in cent, and youth unemployment is John Galaktopolous said. “In our “The least the federal government the Ottoman Empire to become a winning independence, Greek- estimated between 60 and 65 per time we had better opportunities. can do is provide them a stable third of nation in 1832. town residents such as Vasilios cent. This next generation is going to support.” The parade included Toronto Daskalakis realize that modern “It’s bad,” Daskalakis said, “but have a real hard time. Things are dignitaries such as Mayor John Greece faces another battle: the knowing Greeks and what they difficult, but we need to keep push- n See LIBERALS, page 8 Tory, Premier Kathleen Wynne severe governmental debt. Greece have come out of, and what they ing on.” 2 NEWS The East York Observer /// Friday, April 3, 2015 POLICE & WHAT’S FIRE UP IN E.Y. Pair sought after Get your game violent robbery on at the library Police are looking Young people for two men in aged 11-18 are in- connection with vited to challenge a violent assault their friends and and robbery themselves at an that occurred on afternoon of gam- March 17 near ing through video the corner of games or board Greenwood and games. The event Danforth ave- will be held at the nues. Police say S. Walter Stewart two men stabbed library branch, an unidentified 170 Memorial victim who made Park Ave., on Mon- several attempts day, April 13 from to escape from 11:45 a.m.-12:30 the altercation. p.m. For more The pair also stole information, call personal property 416-396-3975. from the victim. They’re now want- ed for robbery, forcible confine- Observer file photo Planting a talk ment, possession Donna-Lynn McCallum shared a laugh with former East York mayor Michael Prue (right) after re- The Leaside Gar- of property ob- ceiving an East York Bulldog Award in 2010. den Society’s tained by crime, April meeting will theft of under feature a special $5,000, assault, speaker on native assault with a Selfless citizen honoured plants and the weapon and popularity of them threatening death. Woman recognized building she had a role in sav- East York and the city of To- omous “Metro Toronto” mu- in Toronto. Paul Police are look- ing. On March 24, a shadow ronto.” nicipalities into the ‘megacity’ LaPorte is a GTA ing for Darrin posthumously for box full of mementos from The two became friends of Toronto that the provincial Greenbelt resident Wickens, 29, and McCallum’s life was unveiled over their mutual love of the government of Mike Harris and the past pres- Taso Antipas, 45, her volunteer work in conjunction with the Agnes East York community. forced in 1998. ident of the North both residents of American Native By CHRIS DeMELO Macphail Award ceremony. “I’ll confess to you today — In fact, her home was still Toronto. Anyone Plant Society. His The Observer “Donna was a very proac- I probably wouldn’t confess carrying a sign saying ‘Say No with information tive, a very loud, but a very this in 1998-99 when I was on the MegaCity’ at the time presentation is is asked to call Donna-Lynn McCallum is respectful voice — by con- still in high school,” VanDette of her death. at 7:15 p.m. this police at 416-808- remembered for the remark- veying and making her case said. “I was skipping school McCallum wasn’t just an coming Thursday, 5500. ably selfless life she lived. known. The East York Civic to go to those meetings. I was activist and volunteer, but also April 9, at the The ever-dedicated resident Centre was a very important just very fascinated by the an avid photographer. Some Leaside public li- of East York was recognized piece of land to the commu- government debates and pub- of her photos are still retained brary branch, 165 Teen stabbed in posthumously last week for a nity,” said Justin VanDette, a lic issues.” by the NDP caucus at Queen’s McRae Dr. Thorncliffe Park lifetime of giving to her com- friend of McCallum. McCallum was a staunch Park. munity. “I met Donna-Lynn Mc- opponent of amalgamation Donna-Lynn McCallum died ~ Sanjeev Police are looking The event took place at Callum in 1997-98 during the — the merger of East York at the age of 69 on May 29, Wagnarajah for an assailant the East York Civic Centre, a amalgamation debate between and the other formerly auton- 2013. after a 15-year-old male was stabbed twice in his torso at around 11 a.m. Pedestrian safety campaign raises awareness on March 23 in a parking lot off By NICOLE DAWE older. He said the older the population, Overlea Boule- The Observer the greater the risk of fatality. vard. According to “It takes them more time to react Det. Jeremy Gray, David was in such a hurry to get to to protect themselves and it’s harder the victim fled to work that he almost didn’t make it. for them to recover from an injury be- a nearby Popeye’s “All I was thinking was how angry cause their bodies are more frail,” he chicken restau- my boss would be if I was late for my said. rant, in the Thorn- shift,” said David, who asked that his Marlena Lee-Katinov, walking on cliffe Park Plaza. last name be withheld, in a recent in- Danforth Avenue recently, said she He was taken to terview.