An editorial cartoon by Michael De Adder on the cover of the November 18th issue of the Metro has got the head of the Toronto transit workers union all hot and bothered. According to Bob Kinnear, the cartoon, which depicts a streetcar operator picking the pocket of a pedestrian bystander, places the blame for the recently announced fare increase on front line TTC workers rather than the commission's management or insufficient government funding.

Kinnear is thus worried that it threatens the safety of his local 113 members, who already suffer increased instances of physical abuse in the wake of fare hike announcements. "It will provoke active animosity in some unbalanced passengers and lead to more assaults. We've been down this road too many times before to let this pass," he reasons.

But is it really that bad? And does it actually lay the blame for the fare increase on the TTC's streetcar operators and other highly visible staff?

Gord Smith was at the top of the Canadian art world in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. A Montreal-born sculptor who originally learned to weld with a torch his older brother used to rebuild old cars, Smith's rise to prominence was a rapid one. By the time he reached his early thirties, he had already built up an impressive list of public and private commissions, collaborated with architects like Arthur Erickson, and exhibited with such international heavyweights as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.

Of the many sculptures Smith produced during this period, the most significant was surely the Canada Screen, which was commissioned by the Canadian government for its pavilion at Expo '67. A $65 000 project at the time, the finished product was a massive 110'x12' Cor-Ten steel sculpture that weighed approximately 13 tons.

By the late 1970s, however, Smith's life and work was in ruins. The Canada Screen lay in pieces in a gravel pit outside of Montreal -- removed from the Expo grounds by the same government that commissioned it -- and its creator was in the process of drinking himself to death.

The 2009 edition of the Leonids meteor shower is set to grace the overnight sky, and if predications are accurate, those willing to escape the light pollution of downtown Toronto should be in for a pretty good show.

Meteor activity will be visible between midnight and dawn on November 17th and in a diminished capacity early tomorrow evening. Of these times, the best bet for increased activity is around 4 a.m. EST. With ideal viewing conditions expected, between 20 and 30 meteors an hour may light up North American skies.

But where exactly should you look?

Photo: "loss" by yourhandinmine, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

Both the Star and the Globe have prominent features on upcoming mayoral candidate George Smitherman. It's interesting to note the different approaches the writers take in alternately describing Smitherman as a "big bully" and a "tamer, gentler George." Despite these differences, they both paint the man as confident and hard working. It looks like it's going to be one hell of a battle between him and John Tory in next year's election.

University students might just get a break on their transportation costs. Of the proposals to be tabled at the TTC's next meeting, one that's getting some traction is the expansion of the student metropass to apply to university level students in addition to current high school users. Amen. I've thought they should do this for years. After all, it's really only by university that a large number of students are actually paying for their pass anyway.

The next phase of H1N1 vaccinations are set to go for Monday, as Toronto's top medical officer, Dr. Arlene King, reports that school-age children and Seniors are now on the priority list for the flu-shot. That's good news, but I wonder why it's only being made available at vaccination clinics and doctor's offices. Wouldn't it make sense to have nurses administer the vaccine at schools, thereby saving parents loads of time and hassle?

Despite an overall lack of density, Toronto is nevertheless a city of apartment buildings. Scattered throughout the city, these concrete slabs are a throwback to both the architecture and planning of the 1960s and 70s. Monumental, use-oriented, and almost invariably ugly, they don't tend to inspire aesthetic reflection.

But, strangely, I've always been fascinated by them. Perhaps it's the convergence of so many lives in one place, the grid-like patterns formed by the balconies, or the warm light that emanates from the many windows at dusk, but when looked at from a particular perspective, these structures often reveal a beauty that belies their Brutalist roots.

Located just east of College and Lansdowne, Industtrees operates on the time worn premise that quality should be privileged over quantity. The tiny, white-washed gallery space is also home to a retail shop, which offers an intriguing selection of unique and hard-to-find items.

Read my review of Industtrees in the gallery section.