Toronto residents report attacks by red-winged black birds
Toronto Watch
Torontonians hoping to enjoy a walk or run this summer should prepare to be back on the defensive as dive-bombing attacks from the notoriously small but mighty red-winged blackbirds have reportedly returned. CTV's Sean Leathong has the latest.
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CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
The unexpected losses of my dad and stepdad taught me a lesson on loving my son
This First Person column is the experience of Kimberley Falk, who lives with her son and partner in Lyndhurst, Ont. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ. They found my father's body under his Calgary Stampede poster, partially lying in the bathtub. Always paranoid that someone was trying to get him, my father had barricaded his doors, forcing his landlord to break in through the window. I had seen my biological father only twice in almost two decades, including one awkward meeting at an A&W restaurant when my son was five. Standing in his home after his death, surrounded by his possessions, I was struck by how much and how little I knew him. When my sister and I flew to Alberta to sort through his belongings, his house still smelled like him — that mixture of diesel, beer, and sweet musk I remembered from childhood. While empty beer cans could be found scattered around the house, an unopened can sat on his coffee table, waiting for a return that never came. I was surprised to see a yellow legal pad taped to his wall listed every grandchild's name and birthday in his unmistakable capital letters. "Look at this," I called to my sister, pointing to a picture of my son printed from Facebook. "He was keeping track of us." His desk revealed a gradual decline; handwriting that deteriorated from clear script to shaky scrawls. Rescheduled medical appointments he'd never attended were meticulously recorded. My sister took the call from the medical examiner, who told her our dad stopped breathing, and the likely cause of death was liver failure. My stepfather Bob entered my life when I was four and brought an entirely different approach to fatherhood. Calling me "Princess" and reminding me to "remember who you are" whenever I left the house, Bob showed up for me every day. Early mornings in our house trailer meant Céline Dion playing through wood-panelled walls while Bob and I sat together before everyone else woke up. For my 13th birthday, Bob gave me a card with a hand-drawn smiley face. The message inside faded from memory, but to me, the card itself was evidence that I belonged to someone who cared. During tough times, I'd often look at that card as a reminder that Bob had loved me unconditionally. "I love you," Bob called out the last time I saw him conscious in the hospital. I was 19. Simple words I rarely heard from my biological father. I tell my son, now 13, I love him often, especially when he goes to see his father. We share custody, meeting halfway between our cities for exchanges. During these handoffs, I think about that card and other keepsakes that have since been left behind. I wished I had one of these tangible reminders of belonging to give him for the time he's away, connecting him to my father and stepfather. "Which grandfather am I most like?" my son sometimes asks, curious about these men he'll never know. I study his face, seeing echoes of both men. "You have qualities from both," I tell him. "And parts that are entirely yours." I explain that inheritance isn't destiny; we can acknowledge where we come from while deliberately choosing a different path. My son rolls his eyes when I play Céline Dion, a musical inheritance he'd happily disown. But Bob's other legacies — like showing up consistently and other small daily rituals of connection — I've preserved and passed along, even though they never met. I hope he feels my love for him. I like to think that I parent with Bob's ghost beside me, his lessons flowing through my approach. As parents, we all leave these clues. Some speak it aloud like Bob's final" I love you." Others track birthdays on yellow legal pads, yet never pick up the phone. I think about these clues as I watch my son navigate his relationship with his father and as I try to fill grandfather-shaped gaps with stories about them. I hope the clues I leave — both tangible and through words and actions — are clear enough that my son never questions whether he was loved. If he becomes a father someday, I want him to take the best from each man who shaped me, forging these qualities into something stronger than either managed alone. Most of all, I want him to leave clearer clues about his love; direct words and actions that leave no room for doubt, requiring no archeological excavation of meaning after he's gone.
Toronto Star
3 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Man arrested after woman seriously injured in Oshawa stabbing
A 38-year-old man has been arrested after a woman was stabbed and suffered serious in Oshawa early Saturday afternoon. There was a 'heavy police presence' as officers responded to the stabbing near Oxford Street and Wentworth Street West, Durham police said in a post on X around 12:20 p.m. The 21-year-old woman was listed in stable condition after being transported to a Toronto-area trauma centre, investigators said, adding the incident is believed to be isolated. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The man, from Oshawa, faces charges including aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of weapon, according to a news release from police. The man, who investigators said is the victim's boyfriend, initially fled from the scene before officers arrived. Police said he was later located and taken into custody. 'The identity of the accused is not being released to protect the identity of the victim,' the news release said.
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
Half of Ontario's new judges assigned to northern regions
The Ontario Courthouse at 361 University Avenue in Toronto is photographed on May 2, 2022. (Christopher Katsarov/THE CANADIAN PRESS) The Ontario government has appointed 10 new judges to the Ontario Court of Justice, with half assigned to northern regions in an effort to bolster judicial resources in underserved areas. The appointments take effect June 16. Chief Justice Sharon Nicklas announced the assignments, which will send five judges to northern Ontario – Dryden, Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout, and Kenora – while the remaining five will serve in southern jurisdictions, including Toronto, Brampton, Halton, and Newmarket. Northern appointees bring diverse expertise Justice Ghina Al-Sewaidi, assigned to Dryden, brings over three decades of legal experience, including work in immigration, family, and criminal law. Called to the Ontario bar in 1993, she has practiced at all levels of court, from the Ontario Court of Justice to the Court of Appeal. She has also held leadership roles at Legal Aid Ontario, including managing the Family Law Service Centre and acting as director of the Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, office. A community advocate, she has provided pro bono services to Arabic-speaking newcomers and serves on the Toronto Lawyers Association board. She holds law degrees from the University of Buckingham and the University of Ottawa, with postgraduate studies in petroleum law. Justice Christian Andrew Vanderhooft, heading to Kenora, brings extensive prosecution experience from Manitoba, where he handled high-profile gang and firearms cases. Called to the bar in 2000, he has argued before the Supreme Court of Canada and worked in remote fly-in court locations. He has also volunteered with soccer organizations and charities like CancerCare Manitoba and Special Olympics. Justice Sean Ellacott, assigned to Sioux Lookout, has practiced law since 2002, handling dangerous offender hearings, Federal Court judicial reviews, and appeals at multiple levels. He founded Ellacott Law Office in Kingston and has taught at Queen's University Faculty of Law. His volunteer work includes Legal Aid Ontario's Prison Law Advisory Committee and community initiatives like the Kevin Dunbar Memorial Scholarship Fund. Justice Emily Suzanne Beaton will serve in Thunder Bay after a career spanning criminal defence and Crown prosecution. Called to the bar in 2010, she spent three years as an associate at John Rosen and Associates before joining the Peel Crown Attorney's Office, where she specialized in mental health prosecutions and diversion programs. She has also worked with the Peel Children's Aid Society on complex child abuse cases and served as vice chair of a legal clinic aiding low-income residents. A graduate of Dalhousie University's Schulich School of Law, she is also a recreational hockey coach. Justice Joelle Malette, also assigned to Thunder Bay, specializes in dispute resolution and civil litigation, including motor vehicle accidents and institutional sexual assault cases. Called to the bar in 2005, she later founded her own bilingual mediation firm and teaches at the University of Ottawa. A Law Society of Ontario bencher, she has adjudicated for multiple tribunals and previously led the Artemis Youth Centre in Timmins. Southern assignments The remaining five judges will serve in southern Ontario, with: Justice Trehearne and Justice DiMuzio are both heading to Toronto , and are both heading to , Justice Robichaud will serve in Brampton , will serve in , Justice Maund has been assigned to Halton , and has been assigned to , and Justice Elias will head to Newmarket. The appointments aim to address caseload demands across the province, with a particular focus on improving access to justice in northern communities.
