A bittersweet tribute: Jack Layton has been chosen as Canada's Newsmaker of the Year by the country's editors and news directors in a landslide. Layton received 90 per cent of the votes in the annual survey by the Canadian Press — one of the widest margins in the CP's polling history. Runner-up? Prime Minister Stephen Harper with only 5 per cent of the vote.

Rob Ford is making it awfully difficult for The Star and The Globe and Mail to obtain his itinerary. Ford, who unlike many other mayors in major North American cities doesn't release a basic daily schedule, has yet to release the names of the business people with whom he has met since this information was separated from his general itinerary earlier this year after freedom of information request were filed by the Star and Globe earlier this year.

In other encouraging news about Ford's commitment to transparent governance, his office has destroyed documents related to the purchase of business cards from his family company, Deco Labels and Tags. The records were deemed "transitory" — i.e. insignificant — but given that Ford reimbursed the City for the purchase, it's probably impossible to avoid the appearance of some impropriety here.

Living in a church doesn't mean you're uber-religious anymore, now that church condos are the new trend to hit the city. The refurbished houses of worship aren't popular so much for their vaulted ceilings and cool architecture, but for their necessity: seems like Toronto's warehouses are mostly taken up.

The Raptors are back and they're making a statement (and not by losing last night's game either). The team will be the first NBA team to wear a camouflage jersey (with a Canadian flag on the back neckline). The new uniform is to honour the Canadian Armed Forces and the team will their new 'look' four times during the regular season, the first being March 21 against the Chicago Bulls on Canadian Forces night.

IN BRIEF:

• Raptors lose to Celtics
• A guide to Toronto's bank-robbing bandits
• Mayor's office destroys record of business card purchase
• No more hot dog vendors on Mink Mile

Photo by Sebastian Zdyb in the blogTO Flickr pool