Morning Brew: Does Rob Ford intend to make the TTC an essential service?, Rogers in talks to buy MLSE, SIU reopens the Nobody case, province to announce 1700 green energy jobs, Grinder Coffee adds TTC info screen
Today is Rob Ford's first official day as mayor, and according to one city councillor, his upcoming inaugural council meeting has added another controversial item: urging the province to ban strikes on the TTC. "Their information to me was that they intend to put making the TTC an essential service on the agenda at the Dec. 16 meeting," said outgoing TTC vice-chair Joe Mihevc, who met Tuesday with Mark Towhey, one of Mr. Ford's senior policy advisers. Just when you thought Rob Ford's first day as Toronto's mayor couldn't become anymore combative, he surprises again. He really likes doing that, doesn't he?
Rogers is in talks to buy the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal worth more than $1 billion, which would be the biggest transaction in Canadian sports history. The sale would include the Raptors, Toronto FC soccer club and the Marlies, transforming Rogers, which already owns the Toronto Blue Jays, into one of the most powerful sports enterprises in North America. Guess that unique "who has the biggest maple leaf" PR work paid off.
The SIU is to reopen Adam Nobody's case amid mounting controversy over Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair's response to the accusations of excessive force used at the G20 summit. As reported yesterday, Blair said the YouTube video that shows Nobody being tackled by police had clearly "been tampered with." A day later, after receiving a sworn three-page affidavit from John Bridge, who filmed and posted the video to YouTube, which denied Blair's claims, the SIU responded by reopening its probe into Mr. Nobody's case.
The Ontario government is going green. Kind of. According to Queen's Park sources, as many as 1700 new green energy jobs are to be announced this week. The new jobs located in Southwestern Ontario are coming as a result of three projects, including manufacturing factories for both wind turbine blades and towers. I guess the Liberals are feeling a little guilty with those sky-high electricity bills. First the "rebate," now the jobs...I wonder if they'll spring for my mom's cost-efficient toaster.
You know when you're standing in line for coffee and you're wondering if you have time before the next streetcar comes to spring for the non-fat-triple-cappuccino-with-extra-foam or just a simple cup of joe? Well, wonder no more at Grinder Coffee, on Gerrard St. E. near Jones Ave. The cafe features a wall-mounted screen displaying real-time info on the arrival of the next four to six 506 Carleton streetcars, which stop just outside the door. "That is absolutely the kind of thing we would like to see happen, third parties developing applications to help TTC customers navigate the system," said TTC spokesman Brad Ross. As long as they're not footing the bill.
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Photo by ronnie.yip in the blogTO Flickr pool.
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