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Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Scarborough-Rouge Park to pick next councillor in Sept. 29 byelection
City announced nominations for Ward 25 byelection open June 23, close Aug. 15 Morning City Council session in Council Chambers at City Hall in Toronto, Ont., on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk / Toronto Sun Voters in Scarborough-Rouge Park will choose their next city councillor in a byelection on Sept. 29, which falls on a Monday. 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 City of Toronto announced Wednesday that nominations for the byelection open June 23 and close Aug. 15. Advance voting will take place Sept. 20 and 21 and it's anticipated mail-in voting will be available, so long as Canada Post's labour issues don't interfere, the city said in a news release. The city has set up a web page with details for voters and candidates. City council voted 19-1 at this month's meeting to hold a byelection to fill the spot left by Jennifer McKelvie, who is now a Liberal MP representing the Ajax riding. While council could've opted to fill the vacancy with an appointment to council, Mayor Olivia Chow said it would be 'difficult' to ask that of Torontonians in Ward 25 with roughly a year and a half to go before the next municipal election. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I'm recommending we decide to hold the byelection because I think it's important to respect local democracy and let the residents of Scarborough-Rouge Park decide who will represent them at City Hall,' Chow said at the council meeting. RECOMMENDED VIDEO The byelection comes at a cost of $550,000, according to a city report. It hasn't even been a year since the last municipal byelection. In November 2024, Rachel Chernos Lin was elected to represent Ward 15 (Don Valley West). Chow was the winner of this term's most significant byelection, the special mayoral vote held in June 2023. Chow formally thanked McKelvie at the council meeting for her 'many years of service,' adding 'she stepped in and did an enormous amount of work' this council term as Toronto's temporary mayor after the sudden resignation of John Tory. While nominations don't open for nearly a month, one potential candidate has already surfaced. Parthi Kandavel, the councillor for Scarborough Southwest, declared a conflict of interest before council's byelection vote as his wife, Anu Sriskandarajah, is considering a run for the vacant seat. jholmes@ Read More Toronto & GTA Canada Canada Tennis Music
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
WARMINGTON: A near pro-Hamas riot at Casa Loma results in charges
This was not Toronto the Good but Toronto the Ugly as Jewish people were accosted while going into a peaceful event Get the latest from Joe Warmington straight to your inbox When Jewish Torontonians are forced to face Nazi salutes and antisemitic taunts, the city has fallen to Hamas sympathizers. (Supplied photo) When Jewish Torontonians are forced to face Nazi salutes and antisemitic taunts, the city takes on the appearance of having fallen prey to Hamas sympathizers. 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 What happened outside of Casa Loma, at Davenport and Spadina Rds., Tuesday night was ugly and leaves a stench on Toronto. There were Heil Hitler arm gestures at this event. Suggestions to Jews from protesters that by attending, they were Nazis. There were assaults, threats, insults and disrespect shown toward the police and the occasional middle finger offered. There was a temporary takeover of the street that police quickly took back. And Toronto Police made arrests. PHOTO CREDIT: Caryma Sa'd Kerry Gauer, 46, of Toronto, was charged with 'mischief Interfere with property, assault with a weapon, assault and wearing a disguise with intent.' Police alleged 'the accused approached the first victim and interfered with their ability to enter a venue, before assaulting them with a large plastic object' and 'the accused was then involved in an altercation with a second victim, a youth' in which 'during the altercation, the accused grabbed the second victim' and was allegedly 'wearing a face covering during both incidents.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Protesters surge onto the road outside Casa Loma despite police objections. One lady creeps up behind my videographer to yank down his pants, exposing him to the crowd. The public assault was deliberate and humiliating. A police report has been filed.#cdnpoli #Toronto… — Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) May 28, 2025 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. Meanwhile, Toronto Police also reported Vincent Tourangeau, 50, of Toronto, was charged with 'assaulting a peace officer,' with police claiming 'the accused pushed and struck a police officer in the lawful execution of their duties.' In both cases, the allegations have not been tested in court. Recommended video It's clear things are nasty out there now. Almost every day. But this was an indicator of how low things can go. 'B'nai Brith Canada condemns the shameful protest outside Casa Loma, where a mob attempted to disrupt a peaceful event focused on dialogue and human rights,' said Austin Parcels, manager of research and advocacy for B'nai B'rith Canada. 'Events promoting coexistence and the combating of antisemitism should be celebrated, not hostility confronted.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But this pure anti-Jewish bullying – even impeding and intimidating innocent people as they were walking into the event. Sometimes getting in their way and pushing them. This was not in Gaza. But the emotion and behaviour were as if it was. An organizer wraps up the protest outside Casa Loma with a Braveheart-style rallying speech:'We disrupted the Zionists from hosting a war criminal… Next time we will come back with a thousand more!' With that, protesters begin marching backwards down the hill.#cdnpoli… — Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) May 28, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hateful, mean, profane and violent. It was an evening to mark the Abraham Global Peace Initiative event at Casa Loma, featuring former Israeli United Nations ambassador Gilad Erdan, who many feel could one day become Israel's prime minister. What was on display outside the entrance of Casa Loma was a battle in Toronto's race and religious war — between those supporting Hamas and those backing Israel. No one was hurt. This time. The previous battle was at the Walk With Israel Sunday which had the same vitriol and harsh words used and murder symbolism as well. No one was hurt. That time. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But when a police officer, pro-Palestine protester or Israeli backer is hurt or killed, Toronto will be marred forever – the way it was by the Danforth shooting spree, the Yonge St. van attack or the death of far too many cops. These constant showdowns are a tinderbox requiring only a spark to set things off at a level that no amount of law enforcement will be able to stop. It's just a matter of time. PHOTO CREDIT: Caryma Sa'd 'What we saw at Casa Loma was not a peaceful protest but rather part of a disturbing trend of increasingly aggressive, violent demonstrations targeting the Jewish community,' said Josh Landau, spokesperson for the Ontario Chapter of Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. 'We thank Toronto Police for taking action, and we urge law enforcement to continue using the full force of the law to hold offenders accountable. We continue to call on all levels of government to take seriously the erosion of public safety that affects all Canadians .' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When is the next Casa Loma-type incident going to take place? And will that be the one that becomes the final straw? It would be better if the political leaders supported police by creating rules that ensure protesters can't take over any street they want and that they can't operate in full disguise. PHOTO CREDIT: Caryma Sa'd 'That this gathering was targeted by individuals echoing the talking points of a listed terror organization is a disturbing sign of how deeply extremism, intimidation and depravity have taken root in Canadian society,' said B'nai Brith's Parcels. But this time police made some arrests. It's the only way to keep order. If demonstrators think they can harass people while masked, they will push things as far as they can. What happened at Casa Loma was an example of things going way too far. Protesters block two young women on the sidewalk to confront them about the fundraiser at Casa Loma featuring a controversial Israeli fact, they just came to take photos in front of the historic landmark. 📸 May 27, 2025#cdnpoli #Toronto #ProtestMania — Caryma Sa'd - Lawyer + Political Satirist (@CarymaRules) May 28, 2025 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More Canada Canada Money News Tennis Music
Canada Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Canada Standard
Tens of thousands march in support of Israel in Toronto
TORONTO, Canada - Tens of thousands of people from across Canada have marched in support of Israel in a massive turnout in Toronto. The annual Walk with Israel organized by the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto comes in the face of rising calls for an end to the war in Gaza and return of the remaining hostages. Toronto Police put the numbers in attendance of the 56th annual event on Sunday at 56,000. "This was a significant day for our community," Ken Tanenbaum, chair of the UJA Feeration said Monday. "The strong turnout reflects our shared commitment to Israel and the strength of our diverse community here in Toronto," he said. Funds raised on the day will be sent to Israel to assist with humanitarian aid and for the communities most affected by the horrific Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023. "The Walk with Israel by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and Toronto's Jewish community powerfully expresses Canadian Jewry's unwavering commitment to the State of Israel," William Kleinbaum, Managing Director, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, said Monday. "As the largest Jewish community in Canada, Toronto plays a central role in preserving Jewish identity and strengthening the unbreakable bond with Israel. In these challenging times in Israel and Canada, the walk sends a clear message of solidarity, hope, and resilience," Kleinbaum added. "What we witnessed today was more than a mass gathering; it was a declaration," Adam Minsky, president and CEO of the UJA Federation said Monday. "Thousands of Jewish Torontonians and allies came together to stand for democracy, peace, and the right of Jews to live safely in Israel and here, in Canada," Minsky continued. The UJA of Greater Toronto paid tribute to the attendees with a post on Facebook. " What a day! Thank you to the thousands who showed up to Walk with Israel, your energy, pride, and community spirit made this year's event unforgettable," the post said. "A special thank you to the Toronto Police, our security teams, and the incredible volunteers whose hard work and diligence ensured a safe and joyful day for all. Your dedication behind the scenes made it all possible." "To our community: we're so grateful. You walked, you danced, you celebrated, and most importantly, you showed up for Israel and each other," the UJA Facebook post said.
Toronto Star
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Toronto Star
There's a hidden pattern behind Toronto's awful congestion problem. We need to find it before we can fix it
Torontonians waste an average of 142 hours annually sitting in traffic, costing the region an estimated $6 billion in lost productivity each year. Beyond the economic impact, this congestion contributes significantly to our carbon footprint and diminishes our quality of life. Will building new lanes above and below Highway 401 solve our traffic congestion problems? Is now the right time to close a lane on the Gardiner Expressway for construction? Should we build more bike lanes or remove the ones already installed? When the Eglinton Crosstown LRT finally opens, and the Ontario Line after that, will congestion improve? Is congestion charging the answer? Is building a tunnel under Highway 401 the best way to help reduce traffic congestion? R.J. Johnston Toronto Star To answer these questions, we must first recognize that transportation data is inherently spatial — it is geographical information about where and when movement occurs. Traditional data analysis struggles with these kinds of questions because it treats this rich spatial data as entries in a spreadsheet, stripping away critical real-world context. The solution is clear: we need a geographic approach, a way of understanding and solving real-world problems by making sense of data through the lens of location. This approach is enabled by geographic information system (GIS) technology. For example, Santa Clara County, which is just south of San Francisco, used GIS to analyze millions of vehicles turning movements per day and optimize signal timing, eliminating 18,000 unnecessary stops per day. GIS technology has already been widely adopted in more than 20 industries and numerous government departments, from emergency services to urban planning. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW While GIS has been successfully applied to many municipal issues, its full potential for addressing traffic congestion, specifically, is a significant opportunity for many cities, including Toronto. Traffic congestion is fundamentally a supply and demand problem: too many vehicles competing for limited road space. Building more roads seems logical, but induced demand complicates this approach. There are countless residents who don't currently drive but would choose to if roads were less congested. How many people? What is the ideal number of new roads to build? Traditional analyses have failed to provide clear answers. GIS reveals otherwise invisible patterns by visualizing layers of data as maps, allowing planners to see, analyze and determine true correlations between cause and effect. For example, GIS analysis in Barcelona revealed that 60 per cent of congestion occurred at just 15 per cent of intersections, leading to targeted improvements rather than broad, expensive solutions. Toronto's transportation planners, city council and provincial authorities are already making significant strides through the recently updated Toronto Congestion Management Plan and various technology innovation pilots. These forward-thinking initiatives demonstrate the city's commitment to addressing traffic challenges, but their impact remains uncertain. By further incorporating geographical approaches into transportation planning, the city can complement these existing efforts with additional evidence-driven insights. GIS-based analysis would work alongside current programs to provide deeper spatial understanding of traffic patterns, helping to optimize infrastructure investments and enhance data-backed strategies. Without precise spatial analysis, we're essentially guessing.
Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Some protests in Toronto are crossing lines. We shouldn't let city staff decide where those lines are
Many Torontonians are sick of anti-Israel protests that have gone too far. Some have been peaceful, but others have blockaded major intersections or blared hateful chants. Some have targeted Jews. Recently, a protester appeared to direct a smoke bomb towards diners at Jewish-owned Café Landwer. Toronto police took the unusual step of charging the suspect with mischief. The incident was a reminder that police already have the laws they need to end the disorder when protests cross a line. There is simply no need for the new 'bubble zone' bylaw that the City of Toronto council passed on Thursday in a 16-9 vote. The bylaw, which has been debated at council for more than a year, is a response to protests in Toronto outside places of worship, religious schools and daycare centres after rallies targeted the Jewish and also Hindu communities in the Greater Toronto Area. The bylaw will ban disfavoured political speech within 50 metres of eligible centres that request to be placed inside a protest-free zone. That may sound appealing to those fed up with the chaos, but bubble zones are unacceptable limits on the Charter right to freedom of expression. A better option: just enforce the laws we already have, like mischief and intimidation, when protesters go too far. The main problem with the bubble zones bylaw is they are content -based restrictions. They silence people on the basis of their message. The bylaw will allow city staff, upon request, to create an 'access zone' outside of a school, child care centre or places of worship (so-called Social Infrastructure), inside of which no person would be allowed to '(1) perform or attempt to perform an act of disapproval concerning a person's attendance (at the school, place of worship or daycare) … (2) persistently request that a person refrain from accessing … (3) obstruct, hinder or interfere or attempt to obstruct, hinder or interfere with another person's access … or '(4) express an objection or disapproval towards any person based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion/creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability or the receipt of public assistance by any means, including graphic, verbal, or written means.' While the law states that its purpose is to protect 'access,' only subsection (3) addresses access, and it's redundant: obstructing, hindering and interfering is mischief under the Criminal Code. Just ask the Ottawa Freedom Convoy protesters recently convicted for their street blockades. Subsections (1), (2), and (3) are content-based restrictions because they would give city staff the power to ban speakers based on their message within 50 metres of more than 3,000 locations across the city. Think about how broad that power is. The bylaw could be used to block someone from protesting sales of land in the West Bank that take place inside a synagogue. It could be used to block protests outside high schools against transgender women competing in women's sports — and counterprotests in favour of trans rights. It could be used, as Coun. Alejandra Bravo pointed out, to ban protests outside Catholic churches by residential school survivors. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Content-based restrictions are hard to justify because they undermine the very purpose of free speech, which is to allow individuals, rather than the state, to decide what messages they wish to express. People need this freedom to express even the most unpopular ideas because often the received wisdom turns out to be wrong. You can't do that when the state can act as a censor. The good news is that laws that aim at the physical consequences of speech, rather than content, tend to be constitutionally sound. In addition to laying mischief or intimidation charges for protesters who block sidewalks and streets, police can enforce noise bylaws and the Highway Traffic Act when people disturb the peace with loudspeakers in pickup trucks. Council should reconsider this bylaw. Rather than infringing rights, we should just use the laws we already have.
