Latest news with #Gasparro
Toronto Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Liberal MP, city councillor express concern as pro-Palestinian subway protest threatens commute
A pro-Palestinian group's planned "Danforth takeover" Tuesday near eight TTC subway stations is a "threat to critical city infrastructure," a Toronto city councillor said. Photo by eastendacts / Instagram A Liberal MP has added his voice to those concerned about a pro-Palestinian protest planned for subway stations and major intersections along the Bloor-Danforth line. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The anti-Israel protesters had planned city-wide rallies at subway stations and main intersections from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. 'The planned 'Occupy Danforth' demonstrations (Tuesday) threaten to shutdown access to transportation infrastructure while widening divisions between our communities,' said Liberal MP Vince Gasparro, who represents the riding of Eglinton-Lawrence, in a tweet posted on his X account. 'I am ready to facilitate any federal support the city may need to protect our infrastructure while combatting crime and antisemitism.' Gasparro also shared an Aug. 12 letter of concern he sent to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and to 'offer assistance of my office in combatting rise of hate crimes, particularly targeting the Jewish community. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Many Jewish constituents in my riding of Eglinton-Lawrence have expressed their growing fear and anxiety,' Gasparro wrote in the letter to Chow. 'No Canadian community should ever be held responsible for a foreign conflict or the decisions of a foreign government. International conflicts must not create divisions that play out in our streets. The current situation is untenable. More must be done.' Recommended video On Monday, Toronto Councillor James Pasternak cautioned the pro-Palestinian group's planned 'Danforth takeover' Tuesday night was a 'threat to critical city infrastructure.' Pasternak called on Toronto Police and the TTC to 'ensure safe public access to all subway stations and City of Toronto infrastructure.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The protest, aimed at Canada's involvement with Israel amid its war with Hamas, is planned at the peak of rush hour. Pasternak said he was worried the protest could 'significantly impact' the commute of hundreds of thousands of people.' Toronto Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer said in a statement to the Toronto Sun on Monday that officers will be in attendance to 'monitor the situation and respond to any issues that may arise.' TTC spokesperson Stuart Green told the Sun on Monday that transit officials are 'ready to respond accordingly' to ensure the safety of passengers and that service continues without disruption. Toronto Blue Jays Canada Toronto Blue Jays Sunshine Girls World
Vancouver Sun
05-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Liberals' downtown Toronto sweep offers Mark Carney potential new blood for cabinet
Article content The Liberals swept downtown Toronto in last week's federal election, giving Prime Minister Mark Carney some potential fresh faces from Canada's biggest city with which to craft a new-look cabinet. Article content Alongside stalwarts like Chrystia Freeland and Bill Blair, Carney has a few prominent names to consider if he's looking to differentiate his team from the former Trudeau government when he unveils his new cabinet on May 12. Article content Article content Gasparro held off a surging Conservative candidate, well-regarded former city councillor Karen Stintz, winning by about 900 votes in Eglinton—Lawrence, a riding that is disproportionately Jewish, a community Carney might see a need to shore up support with. Article content This is the most consequential election of our lifetime. Please get out and vote! #eglaw #cdnpoli #CanadaStrong — Vince Gasparro (@vgasparro) April 28, 2025 Article content Article content Gasparro was previously special assistant to then-prime minister Paul Martin and principal secretary to former Toronto mayor John Tory. More recently, he was head of sustainable finance at Roynat Capital and Vancity and served on the boards of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, Postmedia, World Wildlife Fund and Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Article content Thank you, Toronto Centre! It is the honour of my lifetime to have the privilege to serve as your MP in Ottawa. I will fight hard everyday to deliver real solutions for you and your family. — Evan Solomon (@EvanLSolomon) April 29, 2025
Calgary Herald
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Liberals' downtown Toronto sweep offers Mark Carney potential new blood for cabinet
Article content The Liberals swept downtown Toronto in last week's federal election, giving Prime Minister Mark Carney some potential fresh faces from Canada's biggest city with which to craft a new-look cabinet. Article content Alongside stalwarts like Chrystia Freeland and Bill Blair, Carney has a few prominent names to consider if he's looking to differentiate his team from the former Trudeau government when he unveils his new cabinet on May 12. Article content Gasparro held off a surging Conservative candidate, well-regarded former city councillor Karen Stintz, winning by about 900 votes in Eglinton—Lawrence, a riding that is disproportionately Jewish, a community Carney might see a need to shore up support with. Article content This is the most consequential election of our lifetime. Please get out and vote! #eglaw #cdnpoli #CanadaStrong — Vince Gasparro (@vgasparro) April 28, 2025 Article content Article content Gasparro was previously special assistant to then-prime minister Paul Martin and principal secretary to former Toronto mayor John Tory. More recently, he was head of sustainable finance at Roynat Capital and Vancity and served on the boards of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, Postmedia, World Wildlife Fund and Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Article content Solomon, who easily won one of the country's safest Liberal seats, Toronto Centre, hosted high-profile political shows on CTV and CBC and was more recently the publisher of GZERO Media and an executive at Eurasia Group. Article content Thank you, Toronto Centre! It is the honour of my lifetime to have the privilege to serve as your MP in Ottawa. I will fight hard everyday to deliver real solutions for you and your family. — Evan Solomon (@EvanLSolomon) April 29, 2025
National Post
05-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Liberals' downtown Toronto sweep offers Mark Carney potential new blood for cabinet
The Liberals swept downtown Toronto in last week's federal election, giving Prime Minister Mark Carney some potential fresh faces from Canada's biggest city with which to craft a new-look cabinet. Article content Alongside stalwarts like Chrystia Freeland and Bill Blair, Carney has a few prominent names to consider if he's looking to differentiate his team from the former Trudeau government when he unveils his new cabinet on May 12. Article content Article content Gasparro held off a surging Conservative candidate, well-regarded former city councillor Karen Stintz, winning by about 900 votes in Eglinton—Lawrence, a riding that is disproportionately Jewish, a community Carney might see a need to shore up support with. Article content This is the most consequential election of our lifetime. Please get out and vote! #eglaw #cdnpoli #CanadaStrong — Vince Gasparro (@vgasparro) April 28, 2025 Article content Article content Gasparro was previously special assistant to then-prime minister Paul Martin and principal secretary to former Toronto mayor John Tory. More recently, he was head of sustainable finance at Roynat Capital and Vancity and served on the boards of the Canada Infrastructure Bank, Postmedia, World Wildlife Fund and Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Article content Solomon, who easily won one of the country's safest Liberal seats, Toronto Centre, hosted high-profile political shows on CTV and CBC and was more recently the publisher of GZERO Media and an executive at Eurasia Group. Article content Thank you, Toronto Centre! It is the honour of my lifetime to have the privilege to serve as your MP in Ottawa. I will fight hard everyday to deliver real solutions for you and your family. — Evan Solomon (@EvanLSolomon) April 29, 2025
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gabby Petito's AI-faked voice in new Netflix documentary sparks viewer backlash
The Netflix docuseries 'American Murder: Gabby Petito' is facing backlash from some viewers who are questioning whether the filmmakers' decision to use artificial intelligence to recreate Petito's voice is ethical. Petito's disappearance and death made headlines in September 2021, with authorities launching a nationwide search for the 22-year-old after she'd documented a cross-country road trip with her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, on social media. Laundrie was considered a 'person of interest' before he disappeared. He later died by suicide, and a note was found in which he claimed responsibility, officials said. The three-part series, released this week, features interviews with Petito's loved ones, as well as photographs, video footage, maps and writing excerpts. A disclaimer in the first episode notes that Petito's journal entries and text messages were 'brought to life in this series in her own voice, using voice recreation technology.' While directors and executive producers Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro told Us Weekly that Petito's family gave their 'blessing' to recreate her voice in the film, viewers online expressed their distaste for the creative choice. Some X users called it 'unsettling,' 'deeply uncomfortable,' and 'wholly unnecessary.' One TikTok video, which has garnered nearly 500,000 views, described the decision as a 'step too far.' A representative for Gasparro and Nason did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. A spokesperson for Netflix also did not immediately respond. The use of AI technology like this in documentaries is not new. But audiences appear to remain conflicted about hearing recreations of the voices of people who have died. In 2021, after AI voice recreation was used to bring written notes to life in 'Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,' many fans of the food host, who died in 2018, had similar issues with director Morgan Neville's creative choice. The filmmaker used a software company to create an 'AI model' of Bourdain's voice. He told The New Yorker that viewers 'probably don't know' which lines are spoken by the AI model. In his statement to Us Weekly, Gasparro said the filmmakers "had so much material from her parents that we were able to get." "All of her journals since she was young and there was so much of her writing. She documented her trips and most of her life from a young age. We thought it was really important to bring that to life,' Gasparro told the publication. 'At the end of the day, we wanted to tell the story as much through Gabby as possible. It's her story.' Merve Hickok, president and policy director at the Center for AI and Digital Policy, a nonprofit research group, said the general use of voice recreation is not inherently unethical. Voice cloning to bring to life already public elements to amplify or make them more accessible is an 'OK use,' according to Hickok. But issues can arise when filmmakers share confidential content in a deeply personal way. 'The person made a decision to keep that private,' Hickok said. 'And it is not up to us. It's not up to any of us to make that decision on their behalf after they passed away.' "I think especially in a murder case, this person's voice is taken away against her will, so to come back and recreate that after her for commercial reasons is not ethical, regardless of whether there was a family approval or not,' Hickok added. Some of Petito's family members have since spoken to The Independent about the reaction to the voice recreation, reflecting on their decision to give filmmakers permission. 'I think it's weird and because we know her actual voice, [it] is a little off,' Nichole Schmidt, Petito's mom, told the publication. 'It's just hard to hear.' 'AI or her real voice, I still get upset hearing it knowing she's gone,' her stepfather, Jim Schmidt, added. In the future, Hickok, who is also the founder of does see the potential benefits of voice cloning for family to make 'pre-existing arrangements to use voice as a remembrance after a family member passes away.' But, she urged filmmakers to think of the 'negative risks,' adding that 'there aren't any regulations to put penalties around this.' 'I think the film industry has been around for a very long time, and they have very creative ways of creating that emotional reaction," Hickok said. 'So just because there's a new technology in town doesn't mean that it has to be used for such purposes.' This article was originally published on
