More on Bryant leaving ...

McGuinty to take on economic portfolio following Bryant's departure


TORONTO - Premier Dalton McGuinty says he will take over as Ontario's economic development minister once Michael Bryant steps down from the post.

McGuinty says Bryant told him Friday that he will be leaving politics to become CEO of the new Invest Toronto corporation, chaired by Mayor David Miller.

Bryant, 43, says his last day in cabinet will be Monday and that he will resign from his seat in the legislature in the coming weeks.

The City's gain ...

Michael Bryant, a top contender to eventually succeed Premier Dalton McGuinty as Liberal leader, is quitting politics, the Toronto Star has learned.

Bryant, 43, who is also MPP for the riding of St. Paul's, is leaving to become CEO of the new Invest Toronto corporation chaired by Mayor David Miller.

City sources say Miller is delighted by his hiring coup.

Bryant is expected to remain in cabinet until the Legislature rises on June 4. International Trade Minister Sandra Pupatello will then likely assume his duties.

Tori's case may not be cut and dry

The body of Tori Stafford is still missing and news emerges that the accused 'helping' to find the body went to the police out of anger -- why?

Because her boyfriend was seeing another woman.

Hmmmn, I am beginning to wonder a bit here. Who took Tori? The angry accused. What evidence is there against the boyfriend accused? The angry accused's word.

Let's hold off on final judgment for a little bit longer shall we?
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

A fine poem by Alistair Cockburn: Floating - drifting

floating - drifting
on a cloud
timeless - rising
sinking - rocking
rising -
holding still
tingling through my toes
the warmth
floats
through the arms
exhale - and sink
I feel my chest - my stomach
lifting - drifting
peace through every pore
liquid sunlight soaking
through my eyelids
warming hair
caressing - touching
hands out reaching
feeling
peace
in every wave

Alistair Cockburn

North American Muslims left in a quandary -- Tarek Fatah asks "what is to be done"?

What should be done?

To answer this question requires that we first agree that this is a battle of ideas and values before it becomes a war of weapons and terror. To fight the ideology of jihad and Islamism, we need to challenge it as a medieval construct and expose Islamism and its supporters as a threat to the separation of religion and state, which has been a corner stone of Western democracy and liberalism and for which countless people have toiled for nearly 400 years.

http://www.averroespress.com/AverroesPress/Main_Page/Entries/2009/5/22_Four_African_American_Muslim_converts_arrested_in_New_York_terror_plot.html

Thornhill Event

Help for You!!!

A Community Event



Real Tips for Your Job Search in this New Economy



Three Speakers including:

John McCallum M.P.,

Representative from JVS Toronto and

Representative from Costi York Region



Followed by a Q and A



Topics include:

Organizing your Job Search,

Networking,

Managing stress and

Public services available to help you



Where: Fireside Loung

Thornhill Community Centre

7755 Bayview , northeast corner Bayview and John



Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.



When: Sunday, May 31, 2009



Open to the Public



Sponsored by the Thornhill Federal Liberal Association



For further information, please contact Charles Cooke, charlescooke@sympatico.ca



Please pass this on and hope to see you there

Mulroney's legal fee and tax deal

I agree with the Star Editorial below. It is legitimate, and proper, for witnesses at public inquiries to have counsel and for those counsel to be paid. I'll admit that the fee of $2,000,000 seems pretty rich, especially for a little over a week of testimoney -- at my rate that's nearly three full years of billing full time to Mulroney's file and nothing else -- but the concept is legitimate.

I am more troubled at the tax deal where the former Prime Minister admitted to having significant cash income and was taxed on just half that amount. The reason for such deals is that most cash deals are never discovered so to encourage people to come forward and admit the money there is a significant incentive given. But it feels wrong -- perhaps I expected too much from Mr. Mulroney?


Star OpEd here: http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/638410


The fuss over the federal government's payment of former prime minister Brian Mulroney's $2 million in legal fees arising from the Oliphant inquiry is misplaced.

A public inquiry is a massive undertaking. A judge presides over it, but under him or her is a wide array of lawyers and researchers digging into files and conducting tough cross-examinations of the subjects of the inquiry, who are often former senior office holders like Mulroney. Furthermore, it is not a trial (Mulroney stands accused of no crime) but a search for information. The conclusions drawn from the inquiry are generally political (whom to blame) or policy-oriented (how to avoid a reoccurrence). It is only right, then, that the government pay the legal expenses of the subjects of the inquiry, both to protect their interests and to assist in the fact-finding.

TTC Approach beats Montreal's

The TTC approach to handrails on the subway beats the Montreal approach "hands down". Sensible signage and encouragement is the way to go. See the poster, on the right, from the TTC:

Laval police are the ones who should get a grip
The Gazette

When a Laval police officer first suggested to Bela Kosoian - who was on an escalator headed down into Montmorency métro station - that she should hold onto the handrail for her own safety, it seemed to be done in a spirit of friendly concern.

Not that that's how she understood it. The words of advice came at her in French, not her first language or, it turns out, the police officer's. She was further handicapped, comprehension-wise, by having been absorbed in looking in her backpack for métro fare.

The police officer told Kosoian, 38, a second time to grab hold of the handrail. She refused, saying, "I don't have three hands."

The third time he issued his directive, she crossed her arms. That's when he went into full police mode: He demanded her identification, which she refused to provide on the grounds she had done nothing wrong, handcuffed her, and detained her in a small holding room at the station.

There, she was issued with a $100 ticket for failing to hold the handrail, along with a second $320 ticket for obstructing police.

This is ridiculous. In Montreal, no one is ticketed for failing to hold the handrail. In Laval, tickets are a rarity.

A matter not pleaded cannot form the basis for a judgment

Once again the Court of Appeal has made clear that pleadings are very important and where a matter is not pleaded it cannot for the basis for a judgment.  Garfin v. Mirkopoulos, 2009 ONCA 421 provides:

[16]          No doubt an important reason for the lack of evidence on the agreement is that the issue was not pleaded or argued.  The statement of claim advances the following claims against Mirkopoulos:

·        Mirkopoulos intentionally interfered with the contractual relationship that existed between Crossen and Garfin (para. 2(a))

·        Mirkopoulos colluded with Crossen to deprive Garfin of her fees (para. 16)

·        Mirkopoulos and Crossen are jointly and severally liable for breach of contract, fraud and conspiracy (para. 18).

[17]          While the claim states in a conclusory manner that Mirkopoulos is liable for breach of contract, it does not plead facts that are capable of explaining how or why Mirkopoulos is liable for any contractual breach and there is certainly no allegation of an agreement to pay the account made in the statement of claim. 

…

 

[20]          It has been repeatedly held was held that it is inappropriate for a case to be decided on an issue not identified by the parties in the pleadings and dealt with at trial: see e.g. TSP-INTL Ltd. v. Mills (2006), 81 O.R. (3d) 266 (C.A.), at para. 35:

The difficulty here is that the parties did not frame their lawsuit or conduct the trial on these bases.  In the context of the case, the defendants were effectively deprived of knowing the case they had to meet, and of any opportunity to meet that case throughout the trial.

 

 

A photograph by my Grandfather -- the internet is amazing!

My grandfather, Harold Morton, was a keen amatuer photographer in Liverpool. He took a vast number of photographs from the late 1930's until his death. To my surprise this one popped up on the web as part of an exhibit about pop music in 1960's England.

And what could be more 1960s than the mini? – here is my grandfather's image of one being loaded onto the Aer Lingus aeroplane at Speke Airport.

No French?

On the subway this morning I saw a notice for community based mental health services in Toronto. A very good and noble cause, and my note is not an attack on the group.

The notice mentioned there were free mental health guides available in English and then it listed seven other languages -- but not French.

I have no statistics but my sense is that the presence of French in Toronto has lessened over the last decade. The use of French is unusual enough that I notice it -- pick many other languages, say Soomaali, and their use on the subway is so common as to be invisible.

Why is this? I don't know. Certainly French language training is available and there is no lack of people learning French (as me -- I continue my painful process). But something has changed. The two languages of Canada are not moving together in use, at least not in Toronto.

No need for death penalty but ...

We do need to address gangs.

The work done by the Ontario and British Columbia governments ('guns & gangs') is a good start but it's just a start.

A key is to go after the finances -- and here the civil remedies legislation, recently upheld by the Supreme Court, is very helpful.

Tragedies like the one below are totally avoidable. We can deal with gangs using lawful means.

(On a slightly different note, I heard a nasty racial comment regarding gangs today. I responded by pointing out that gangs tend to do well in all immigrant groups -- it's not race; it's being new in Canada that makes youth susceptible to being in gangs. So, historically, there have been Irish, Jewish and Italian street gangs. Today the concept of, for example, a serious Jewish gang problem is beyond absurd -- given time the same will happen to the most recent immigrant communities. We have to respond to bigotry immediately upon it raising its head; and respond firmly but with facts).

Girl, 5, hit in shooting
Ron Nurwisah, National Post

A five-year-old girl has been taken to hospital after she was shot in her apartment at 5 Bellevue Crescent, near Jane St. and Weston Rd.

She was shot twice in the back and rushed by family to the nearby Humber Church Hospital. She was then transferred to Sick Kids hospital. Humber hospital officials alerted the police at 7:47 p.m.

According to reports a man opened fire on a group sitting on an apartment patio. A bullet pierced a window and hit the girl.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Thoughtful bear

More on the death penalty

Further to my post regarding the death penalty in Canada:

Opponents of the death penalty looking to exonerate wrongly accused prisoners say their efforts have been hobbled by the dwindling size of America's newsrooms

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/business/media/21innocent.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

A private moment

Standing in the great banking hall in Toronto's ScotiaBank main branch I noticed the fine old clock in the middle of the hall.



I thought, gosh, that's something to photograph for my blog.



Oh dear, no sooner than I took the picture I was accosted by a (polite) security guard who insisted I delete the photograph. Which I did. He said the banking hall was private. He said it is forbidden to photograph the clock. (I assume they feared I was 'casing the joint')(with a Blackberry???).



Now, one might wonder how private such a hall, designed to impress the common mob wandering across it's wide floor, might be. One also might wonder what the guard could, would, do if I refused.



But then I thought, if there is a holy of holies in the bank and if I by accident photographed that sacred thing and if the notoriously superstitious tribe of bankers don't want it photographed, then who am I to upset them and their shy god ... .

Peel Courthouse Delays

Today's unreported decision by Hill J. regarding "An inquiry into delays in the delivery of prisoners to the Peel courthouse" deals in detail with the illegal work to rule campaign of correctional officers at Maplehurst and Vanier.

The decision makes clear the work to rule campaign was illegal and led to a violation of the constitutional rights of prisoners. The decision, which will likely be reported within a few days, is worth close reading.

While the Court held it had the power to make injunctive rulings and deal with a prima facie criminal contempt, the Court declined so to order because the OLRB had already ordered the strike to cease.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

  L'ironie des paroles de M. Harper, qui a passé une bonne partie de sa carrière publique à dénigrer le Québec et les Québécois, n'échappe à personne.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Death penalty debate

The tragic end to the Tori Stafford hunt has brought calls to bring back the death penalty to Canada.

Ignoring the moral arguments -- because those are really matters of personal views -- the real question must be one of "does it work"? That is, will having the death penalty reduce crime or even save money (that last point seems callous but I have heard the argument that "why spend money to keep killers alive").

The answer to both questions -- crime reduction and cost savings -- is that the death penalty is unhelpful.

There is no evidence, none, that the death penalty reduces crime.

And as for cost, the American experience (which would likely be found in Canada) is that the death penalty is far more expensive than life imprisonment.

Add to this the danger of false convictions (and remember Guy Paul Morin -- convicted of sexual abuse and murder of a child -- and he was not guilty) and the case for the death penalty is weakened still more.

I would oppose the death penalty even if it did work -- but that's from an ethical standpoint -- seeing as it is expensive and useless, well, we should not revisit the issue.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

"He is blessed over all mortals who loses no moment of the passing life in remembering the past."

-Thoreau

New York terror plot

What's curious about these alleged attacks is the focus on Jewish centres in New York. Blaming Israel for the war in Afghanistan is a stretch; but blaming New York Jews for the war is delusional. Unfortunately, such delusions seem widespread. Israel is to blame for all the wrongs in the world, Israel = Jews, hence, Jews ought to be blown up - QED.


New York terror sting detailed

Four men have been arrested shortly after allegedly planting mock [n.b. they thought the bombs were real -- they had been given dummies by the police] explosive devices and bombs outside a Jewish temple and community centre in New York, US authorities say.

They are also accused of planning to shoot down US military planes using surface-to-air missiles in a simultaneous attack.

The arrests followed an investigation carried out with the help of an informer and detailed in an affidavit from an FBI special agent, which was obtained by the New York Times.

The first meeting recorded between the informer and the suspect who is mentioned most often in the FBI account, James Cromitie, took place in June 2008 in a mosque in Newburgh, New York state.

The suspect said his parents were of Afghan origin and he was upset about the war there, according to the affidavit. He said that if he were to die a martyr, he would go to paradise, and spoke of wanting to do "something to America".

Some subsequent meetings involving the suspects and the informer were held in a Newburgh house that the FBI had bugged.

In November the informer and James Cromitie discussed possible targets in New York as they travelled to a meeting of a Muslim group in Philadelphia, the affidavit says. The suspect said that "the best target [the World Trade Centre] was hit already".

Shortly afterwards, at the Newburgh house, he asked the informer to supply him with surface-to-air missiles and explosive devices.

Relaxing in the sun ...

Shmata???

One comment on my politicians and corruption post asked what is a shmata salesman?

It is a clothing salesman; shmata is a yiddish word, literally meaning rag but often used to refer to clothing.

Shmata (SHMAH-tah): Literally meaning a rag or cloth, such as a kitchen towel. Often used derisively to refer to clothing: “Go out now? In this shmata?”

One of the trades open to Jews in the early 19th Century was ragpicker -- and Disraeli, in his early campaigns, was often followed by hecklers who would yell out "shmata" or "old rags". He took that as a mark of distinction -- canny politician he was -- and adopted the nickname of "old rags".

Spring in Toronto

Attack ads

Liberal Party Leader launched his response to the recent Conservative attack ads against him. Please take a moment to watch his response at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGifqWMeZIA

James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Limits on right to counsel

The right to consult with counsel is fundamental. The Constitution protects the right to consult with counsel.

Recent Court decisions, however, have clarified the boundaries of this right.

It seems that the right is limited (see today's decision in R. v. Connelly, 2009 ONCA 416) and if an accused, who for these purposes seems to be assumed to be sophisticated as to legal rights, seeks to consult counsel for one purpose (here bail) there may be a waiver of the right to consult for other purposes.

Accordingly, an accused needs to be very clear they want to consult with counsel for general purposes or they will risk losing the right.

The Court held:

[15]          In this case, the appellant asked to speak to a particular lawyer.  As I understand her reasons, the trial judge found as a fact that the appellant wanted to speak to his lawyer, not to obtain advice before speaking to the police, but to ensure that she would be available for advice prior to his bail hearing the following day.  I have not been persuaded that this finding of fact is unreasonable.  In light of those findings, despite the very able submissions of duty counsel, Mr. Di Luca, who assisted the appellant, in my view, the appellant's right to counsel was not violated. 


James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Tori Stafford murder charges

Precious little information here. One assumes the police got a break somehow -- there's no body yet so the location being searched has to come from someone saying something. A tragedy -- but the full story is to come.

Hopes that Tori Stafford would be found safe dashed with murder charge By Allison Jones, The Canadian Press

WOODSTOCK, Ont. - Hopes that Victoria Stafford would be found safe and returned to her family were dashed Wednesday with a man charged with the Grade 3 student's murder and a woman charged with being an accessory. Michael Thomas Rafferty, 28, and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 18, were arraigned on the charges and abduction charges in a Woodstock, Ont., court. Documents suggest the murder took place on or around April 8, the day the eight-year-old girl known as Tori went missing from outside her school. The developments were clearly devastating to Tori's father Rodney Stafford, who said he was awaiting more details from police. "I don't know where to go from here," said Stafford, who was wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Tori that read "Daddy's Little Girl." McClintic, a stocky brunette whose hair was tied in cornrows, also faces charges of helping Rafferty elude authorities. Rafferty pulled his shirt over his head to cover his face as he was led into the courthouse. He cried during the proceeding, while McClintic was more stoic.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Visiting a hospital

Today I saw an old friend who is in rough shape. He has lived as full a life as can be imagined -- fuller indeed than could ever have been anticipated from his humble roots. But still, seeing someone once so full of vigor and health brought to a bed in hospital makes you think. Life is short -- live now for tomorrow may never come.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Bail for Black?

The fact that the US SC is hearing the case at all suggests Black has a decent shot.


Black expected to seek bail

Paul Waldie and Sinclair Stewart

Globe and Mail TORONTO, NEW YORK — Conrad Black is expected to ask to be released from jail while the U.S. Supreme Court reviews his conviction for fraud and obstruction of justice.

Legal experts say Lord Black is entitled to apply for bail now that the Supreme Court has agreed to review the case and it is understood that one of his co-defendants, John Boultbee, has already begun the process.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

I don't understand this -- when I get assessed it's for the full amount!

Mulroney only paid tax on half of Schreiber's $225K

Brian Mulroney only paid taxes on half of the $225,000 Karlheinz Schreiber paid him to act as a high-profile pitchman for an armoured vehicles project, a public inquiry has heard.

According to an agreement with the Quebec tax authorities, Mulroney paid income tax on $112,500 as part of a procedure called voluntary disclosure.

Corruption and politics

I was startled to listen this morning to a radio program devoted to discussing whether politics corrupts politicians or if politicians are inherently corrupt. (And I was listening to a legitimate national broadcaster -- not a crazy talk show).

Now, granted, I am a political junkie and so see politicians with rosy glasses but the program assumed politicians were, as a group, corrupt.

And that's just wrong.

There are crooked politicians -- just as there are crooked lawyers, doctors and shmata salesmen -- but as a group politicians are not notably bent. Indeed, despite the awful revelations from the UK, it is surprising how little corruption there is considering the mixture of power, money and (in truth) low pay that is seen in politics. The fact is you can't buy a Canadian politician -- or if you can it's like a black swan, something so rare as to be almost impossible.

I have worked with dozens of politicians. Some were real jerks. A couple were so partisan as to be embarrassing. Many were not always as astute as they might be. But none were corrupt.

People go into politics because they are engaged in the process and care about policy.

And that's true across all Party lines.

Stephen Harper is doing his job because he has a vision of Canada; not because he wants to get big time cash payoffs. He may be wrong but he is acting, in good faith, for the benefit of Canada. The same is true of all the other leaders. And indeed, of the MPs and MPPs and MLAs and MNAs across Canada.

It may be that we need a new politics in Canada -- and I believe we need a new government federally -- but that's not because of corruption -- it's because of policy.
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Corina and Wilbaer

Duty of an attorney

In the very recent Court of Appeal decision in  Richardson Estate v. Mew, 2009 ONCA 403 an argument was made that an attorney, acting under a power of attorney, could have made a change in an insurance designation to benefit the attorney.  The Court made short work of that argument pointing out that an attorney must, in general, act for the interests of the donor.

 

Presumably, the Court’s ruling does not impact on powers of attorney, say securities transfer documents, granted for consideration, that are clearly for the benefit of the attorney.  That issue, however, is for another day.

 

The Court held:

 

[46]          Section 32(1) sets out the duties and standard of care of a guardian of property.  It provides that:

 

A guardian of property is a fiduciary whose powers and duties shall be exercised and performed diligently, with honesty and integrity and in good faith, for the incapable person’s benefit.

 

[47]          Section 32(1) did not change the common law. Rather, it codified the obligations and the standard of care of an attorney at common law: Banton v. Banton (1998), 164 D.L.R. (4th) 176 ( Ont. S.C.), at p. 241. 

 

[48]          In Banton, Cullity J. held that while an attorney acting under a continuing power of attorney is always a fiduciary, the scope of the attorney’s fiduciary duties depends on whether the donor of the power is incapable at the time of the transaction.  If the donor is mentally incapable, the attorney’s position approaches that of a trustee.  If not, the relationship between donor and attorney is similar to one of agency.  At p. 239 of Banton, Cullity J. explains:

 

An attorney for a donor who has mental capacity to deal with property is merely an agent and, notwithstanding the fact that the power may be conferred in general terms, the attorney's primary responsibility in such a case is to carry out the instructions of the donor as principal. As an agent, such an attorney owes fiduciary duties to the donor but these are pale in comparison with those of an attorney holding a continuing power when the donor has lost capacity to manage property. … The attorney [for an incapacitated donor] must make decisions on behalf of the donor and, pursuant to sections 32 and 38 of the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, he or she is a "... fiduciary whose powers and duties shall be exercised and performed diligently, with honesty and integrity and in good faith, for the incapable person's benefit". The status of such an attorney is much closer to that of a trustee than an agent of the donor.

 

[49]          As a fiduciary, Ms. Ferguson was obliged to act only for the benefit of Mr. Richardson, putting her own interests aside: see Ermineskin Indian Band and Nation v. Canada, 2009 SCC 9, at para. 125.  In Elgi (Committee of) v. Elgi (2004), 28 B.C.L.R. (4th) 375 (S.C.), aff’d (2005), 262 D.L.R. (4th) 208 (B.C.C.A.), Garson J. described the prohibition against using a power for the attorney’s profit, benefit or advantage at para. 82 in the following way:

 

It is the attorney’s duty to use the power only for the benefit of the donor and not for the attorney’s own profit, benefit or advantage. The attorney can only use the power for his or her own benefit when it is done with the full knowledge and consent of the donor. I am not aware of any authority that detracts from this principle in circumstances where the benefit is conferred on family members. [Citations omitted.]

Smells of an election???

Nasty politicking sidelines issues critical to Canada

The StarPhoenixMay 19, 2009


If one even accidentally tuned into the parliamentary channel last week, it was hard to mistake the smell of an election.

The daily question period, which is rarely an exercise in intelligent debate, has sunk to the level of visceral attacks to which it had sunk before Parliament broke for the summer a year ago.

At that time, things were so bad that, before calling Parliament back into session, Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared the dysfunctional atmosphere forced him to call an election. That was an unnecessary, $300-million exercise to bring civility to an unruly institution that was made even more so by the very actions of the man who claimed to be seeking functionality.

Passing of David G. Humphrey

HONOURABLE DAVID G. HUMPHREY, Q.C. (Merciful Dave)

 

Died in his sleep on Sunday, May 17, 2009, at age 83. Predeceased by his beloved Lorraine and Hilda. Survived by his loving girlfriend Joan Wylie. Proud father of Barbara (Dr. Mark Rykiss), Susan (Glenn Hainey), Nancy (Dr. Timothy Deakon), David M. Humphrey (Susan), Mary Humphrey (Mark Colebourn) and Stacey (Bradley Emerson). Adored grandfather of David and Sarah Marantz, David, Laura and Michael Hainey, Alex and Katie Deakon, Heather and Jake David Humphrey, Scott and Riley Emerson. Dear brother of Anthony (Mary). Much loved by his many nieces, nephews and step-grandchildren. Dave lived life to the fullest, without regrets. He was a Veteran of the American Navy, a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, an Assistant Crown Attorney, preeminent defence counsel, a Justice of the Superior Court of Ontario, and proud recipient of the Criminal Lawyers' Association G. Arthur Martin Criminal Justice Medal. In 2005, Dave was honoured to be recognized by The Advocates' Society, in the book Learned Friends, as one of fifty of the finest advocates practising in Ontario from 1950 to 2000. He was an enthusiastic golfer, motorcyclist, sailor, photographer and traveller. Most of all, he enjoyed the company of his countless friends and the love of his family. In characteristic candour and humour, Dave wanted it known that he was enjoying his government pension and that he "reluctantly gave up the ghost". Friends may call at the Turner and Porter Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor St. W., at Windermere, east of the Jane subway, on Friday from 7-9 p.m. and Saturday afternoon from 1-4 p.m. A celebration of Dave's life will be arranged for next week. Details to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations would be gratefully accepted by the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.

 

 

Swimming bear

Flocke needs her beauty sleep (or is it beauty swim)???

Wow. Maybe he will be victorious? They never agree to hear cases!

And I was wrong. I said it was over -- shows what I know!!!

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court said on Monday it would hear an appeal by former media baron Conrad Black and two ex-colleagues seeking to overturn their convictions for defrauding shareholders of one-time newspaper publishing giant Hollinger International Inc.

Bear in the woods

This is a picture from Wilbaer's new home at the Orsa Bear Park in Grönklitt, Sweden. It is northern Europe's largest bear park.

Toronto Star and National Post -- purely politics?

One of the comments on an earlier post took me to task for suggesting the Star might not be a "Liberal Shill". Granted, the Star has been pretty anti-Conservative but I'm not sure it's just a Liberal paper. If you look at the last month or so, the Star has not been very helpful to the Liberal Party, especially in its reporting of the situation with Ruby Dhalla. Now that's not a criticism of the Star -- the job of newspapers is to find newsworthy information. My point isn't that the Star was wrong to publish the stories it did, but rather that in so publishing the Star showed an interest in the news and not a "big P" political slant.

I'd go further and say the National Post is not always totally pro-Conservative. Yes, they are, expressly, a paper on the Right, but they often publish pieces that are not good for the Conservatives and sometimes print stuff, even OpEd's that help the Liberals.

Perhaps the best way to look at it is to remember the Star is broadly put liberal and the Post conservative -- but that doesn't always mean the Star is Liberal and the Post is Conservative.

Happy Victoria Day!!!

Happy Victoria Day!!!

The start of the summer -- well, unofficially -- is Victoria Day. So, Happy Victoria Day! (And, although it's not really her birthday, we celebrate it as Queen Elizabeth's birthday so Happy Birthday Your Majesty!!!)

Victoria Day (in French: Fête de la Reine) is a Canadian statutory holiday celebrated on the last Monday before or on 24 May, in honour of both Queen Victoria's birthday and the current reigning Canadian sovereign's official birthday. It has been marked since before Canada was formed, originally falling on the sovereign's actual birthday, and continues to be celebrated across the country on a fixed date.

Victoria Day is generally not celebrated in Quebec and Nunavut. Since 1960s, Quebecers correlated its establishment with the so-called "Dollard's Holiday" (French: la fête du Dollard) in commemoration of Adam Dollard des Ormeaux. Since this wasn't recognized by the Canadian Parliament, the province voted for the creation of National Patriots' Day, in 2003

End of Fighting in Sri Lanka

Statement from Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff on the reported end of fighting in Sri Lanka

The reported end of fighting between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Government of Sri Lanka are events to which the Government of Canada must respond, as we have long called for, with increased humanitarian aid and support for reconciliation. The government should also accelerate processing of visas and refugee claims for people seeking to flee the fighting and establish a new life in Canada.Over the course of this long conflict, thousands have died and many others have been left injured or ill without the necessary food and medical care.

The world needs to respond quickly and effectively to this continuing humanitarian crisis. It is important that the International Red Cross and other aid organizations be granted full access to the area. A humanitarian corridor must be created as quickly as possible to ensure treatment of the injured. We must also meet the essential needs of civilians and those who have surrendered.Finally, along with aid must come determined efforts of reconciliation. The underlying grievances which have been at the heart of this terrible conflict must now be addressed in a manner that brings not only peace, but justice.

Our hearts go out to those who are grieving for loved ones lost.

President Obama's Notre Dame speech

Here's a transcript of the speech:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/chi-barack-obama-notre-dame-speech,0,2951798.story
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Strong language from the Star

Granted the Star is not seen as pro-Conservative, but it hasn't been very Liberal friendly for the last little while either. Perhaps it's evenhanded???

Harper spins EI fiction
The Toronto Star
Section: Editorial
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Page: A18

Stephen Harper is welcome to tell the 350,000 workers who have lost their jobs since October that Canada has a "very generous employment insurance system." He is free to claim, "the system we have in place meets the needs of the market."

But when the Prime Minister resorts to fabrication to deflect demands for EI reform, he crosses the line.

Last week in the House of Commons, Harper did that repeatedly.

He accused the Liberals, who have proposed a temporary relaxation of the eligibility rules for jobless benefits, of peddling a plan "to raise payroll taxes to the roof in perpetuity for all workers and small businesses."

That is simply false. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff has made it clear that his proposal is a short-term recession-relief measure. It would not require an increase in payroll taxes. They would remain frozen under the Liberal plan.

The Conservatives used this tactic themselves in January. They included an extra five weeks of EI benefits in their budget. They didn't raise payroll taxes. They included the cost in their economic stimulus package. That is what the Liberals intend to do.

Harper told Parliament the Liberal plan "would do nothing for the economy or the recession."

Actually, it would do quite a lot. It would make roughly 150,000 jobless Canadians eligible for EI benefits. They would use the money on food, rent, transportation and household necessities, providing direct stimulus to the economy.

This would work much faster than the government's $12 billion infrastructure program, which is mired in red tape. Four months after the budget, only a handful of projects have been approved. Most of the cash is still sitting in Ottawa.

Harper said more than 80 per cent of Canadians who pay into the EI fund are receiving benefits.

Not according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency's EI coverage survey, released in January, showed that 58.6 per cent of EI contributors collect benefits. What is more, millions of Canadians can't pay into the government- administered fund because they're self-employed or work on contract.

Ignatieff intends to introduce a formal motion next month calling on the government to set a uniform national standard of 360 hours of paid work to qualify for employment insurance. (The current threshold varies from 420 hours to 910 hours, depending on a worker's location and employment history.) It would stay in place for the duration of the recession.

He says he is willing to fight an election on the issue.

If Harper chooses to defend the status quo while thousands of Canadians lose their jobs, that is his business. If he chooses to mislead the public, he can expect strenuous, factual resistance.

James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Polar bear dances

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQV1-UYvC94

Conservative attack ads being attacked in the Sun newspaper chain

Interesting piece in the Vancouver Sun -- worth a read. Here's part of it:

"It's one thing to attack Ignatieff's policy positions. It's entirely another thing to question his integrity because his academic career took him off to study and teach in other countries. A host of Canadians has had career opportunities lead them to Europe, the United States, Asia and Africa -- why is it acceptable for a petroleum engineer to work overseas but not a university professor? And why is scholarship a less worthy profession for a future politician than business or law?"

Full story here:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Tories+looking+like+narrow+minded+bigots/1603731/story.html
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4

416 225 2777

Barak says Netanyahu will endorse possible two state solution

So as to be clear, I support a two state solution -- I see no other viable alternative. (I'm not sure two states will work but it might):

"I think and believe that Netanyahu will tell Obama this government is prepared to go for a political process that will result in two peoples living side by side in peace and mutual respect," Barak told Israel's Chanel 2 TV.

Tigers concede defeat

Perhaps this act of sanity will save the lives of what civilians are left alive.

Tamil Tigers concede defeat, offer to lay down weapons

The Tamil Tigers conceded defeat in Sri Lanka's 25-year civil war Sunday and said they will lay down their weapons.

Selvarasa Pathmanathan, a senior member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said the group has no option left to protect the civilians in the area but to stop fighting.