Morning Brew: Shooting shakes Kensington Market, the graffiti-removal business is booming, police officers raked in the dough for the G8/G20 summits, Woofstock kicks off, and it's easier for Ontario kids to buy booze than cigarettes
The triple shooting in Kensington Market early Sunday morning has understandably shaken the peace-loving neighbourhood. Around 4:30 a.m. gunshots rang outside La Rosa's Bakery on Augusta Avenue resulting in three men being shot in in the arm, leg, and stomach. Police say the victims had attended the Rainbow Palace, a subterranean after-hours club. The event's promoter said people ate vegan food and listened to music, and that no alcohol was sold, although some patrons brought their own. The victims are expected to live.
Thanks to Mayor Rob Ford, the graffiti-removal business is thriving now. According to a piece in the Globe and Mail, removal firms are taking advantage of the mayor's crackdown on the vandalism and charge anywhere from $50 to several thousand dollars depending on the size of the canvas and how difficult it is to clean. There are about 30 to 40 GTA businesses who are scrambling to do the city's dirty work, though the more established players seem to have a problem with the newbies who just use a power washer. Apparently there's an art to removing art.
New documents reveal that last year's G8 and G20 summits were very lucrative for police officers who were brought in from outside the GTA.The CBC obtained copies of RCMP contracts showing that the majority of those officers were paid at premium rates of 1½ or two times an officer's usual wages, totaling $7 million. The most expensive police force? Montreal's...whose work totaled over $3 million. Apparently the officers were on vacation so the RCMP had no choice but to pay them premium rates.
The fashion show at the King Edward Hotel yesterday went to the dogs, literally. The event featuring pooches dressed up as Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Michael Jackson kicked off the city's annual Woofstock dog festival. The festival runs June 11-12 and is expected to draw more 260,000 people and their dogs.
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