Morning Brew: July 25th, 2008
Photo: "Love Birds" by chewie007, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
Your Toronto morning news roundup for Friday July 25th, 2008:
The Spadina subway extension to York University is finally in sight. Two full years after the plan was unveiled, the federal government has at last announced that they're ready to pay their $700million share. Expect Harper to put on a yellow construction hat, hold a shovel, and talk about how Toronto, even though it's not gushing with oil, is also important to the financial success of the nation.
The iconic and historic CHUM building on Yonge St. near St.Clair is the latest site to be scooped up for development, and within a short time will likely be another swanky condominium. Demand dictates development, so this must be the Toronto the people want, right?
Workers at several Toronto cemeteries are on strike and picketing because the city-wide ban of pesticides doesn't apply to their work place. While workers are exposed to death on a daily basis, they don't want to be exposed to harmful chemicals that could lead to their own deaths. Striking workers are being respectful by vowing to not interfere with funerals, and we won't hear anyone chanting "hell no, we won't go!" just yet.
The OPP has stated that they've exercised their powers to do emergency wiretapping without judicial clearance only three times since 2002. Outside of the First Nations protests last year, it isn't clear what the other two instances are, but we're open to the taking of serious and comical guesses in the comments today.
Soccer fans in Toronto, who packed BMO Field for yesterday's MLS All-Star game, brought their loudest booing voices with them, and let out a stunning and embarrassing group booing during the American national anthem. Is this supposed to demonstrate our love for Canada, our disdain for the USA, or that one of the side-effects of Beckham Fever is spontaneous impoliteness?
And a Toronto police officer has been charged after he allegedly tried to have an illegal gun barrel shipped here via an Internet purchase. Kudos to the Canadian border guard for the find.
Comments (53)
Oh, now you are going to get it - don't you know that the TFC and their fans can do no wrong? They will be here to tell you that it is no big deal and you should stop whining quite soon I'm sure.
Yah poor form.
I am assuming that when the american anthem came on first they jumped to a conclusion that the CDN one wasn't going to be played,
oh well
perhaps it had something to do with the organizers not bringing a Canada flag on the field during the opening ceremonies and not making any announcement on whether or not O Canada was going to be sung.
Americans deserve to be booed for voting for that schmuck fucktard dumbass 2 times, at least until Obama wins.
It annoys me when kids act silly like this, but it's truly embarassing when adults do this. Imagine the uproar if this was done during the Canadian anthem at an American game.
god we can be so self righteous so times...
Apetimberlake: I'm not the Dave who commented above nor have I attended any TFC games.
Hey scatterbrain, they have a right to elect whomever they wish. Not everyone voted for Bush so why are you lumping them all together.
Maybe we should blame you for voting Harper?
And don't think that Obama is some kind of saviour - what's he done that's important? What makes him so much better than everyone else (oh, he wrote a book... about himself...). Meh, all politicians are alike, Obama's almost more dangerous because he believes he's a messiah, and the media almost never questions him.
@ scatterbrain:
Americans DIDN'T vote for that "schmuck f*cktard dumbass" 2 times, as the world knows...
Doesn't matter anyway. Booing a national anthem at a sporting event is low-class. Doesn't matter which crazy country's anthem it is.
Scatterbrain/Dave - I'm a TFC supporter, and there's no argument that Bush is a monkey boy (that argument is long dead). Regardless of politics, especially during a sporting event, booing an anthem is shameful and completely disrespectful.
Anyone who booed the American anthem should be ashamed, and is not a sports fan.
Check out the Edmonton Oilers home games from the 2006 Stanley Cup run. Not only did many fans sing along with the American anthem out of respect, but they cheered afterwards. Of course, when the Canadian anthem came on, it makes you speechless.
Be shamed, Toronto FC "fans."
there's is no arguement on this. It happend, and it was ridiculous for people to boo but as I said it had more to do with the fact that that there was no annoucement about our anthem and that our canada flag wasn't on the field as you see in this photo... http://www.hazardgallery.com/images/AllStars/OCanada2.jpg
oh and the Canadian anthem is booed all the time in the U.S. and please don't turn this into a politcal thing!!!
@another one..
they do have the right to elect who they want. and I have the right not to have respect for them. it goes both ways.
600,000 are dead in Iraq for an unjustified war and who's paying for that? the American tax payers, most of whome agreed with that numb nut president and voted for him.
Obama is nothing special either, but at least we can have some hope that he wont be as bad as the last one. that you can't deny.
and this argument is not long dead, he is still in office and could start a war on Iran before January.
get the facts straight chumps:
they weren't booing the American anthem.. they were booing the fact that they weren't going to do the Canadian anthem at a Canadian allstar game. If you were there, you'd realize that during the second half of the American anthem fans started singing the Canadian anthem over top of it.
Then the league scrambled out a Canadian flag and the Canadian soldier came out to sing Oh Canada finally.
Bad planning decision by the team.
Scatterbrain: Sports and Politics. Two mutually exclusive things, my friend. You start mixing the two, and you're just like W.
@binlazer
I know, I wouldn't join them in booing the Americans at a sport event, but all I'm saying is that I understand why they would do such a thing. they are not very liked around the world at the moment, and that is for a reason.
@scatterbrain: dude, of course!! I understand why they booed. But we're not debating US foreign policy here man. It's common respect at a sporting event. Take those opinions (which I share) and utilize them more constructively ie. protest at a political rally, write a letter, take Bush out with a rifle, etc. But leave that sentiment at home when you go to a game, that's all.
I love all these typical T.O comments - "today I am ashamed to be a Canadian" "how embarrasing" "this is schocking" - GET A LIFE.
The soccer fans at BMO last night were booing because THEY were pissed that the Canadian flag and anthem were not played/brought out.
Typically at each TFC game both the American and Canadian flags are brought out together AND TFC fans actually sing the American anthem really loud. Last night the British and U.S flags were brought out but no Canadian flag. It wouldn't be a long shot to think that a flag gaf was in the works - recall the 1992 World Series. With no Canadian anthem being played either - TFC fans decided to do the right thing by taking the initiative and representing their country like MLS should have. Someone screwed up but it wasn't the soccer fans at BMO. After all this is our house!
Nice comment Seretonin - "Be shamed, Toronto FC "fans."
Are you a 90 year old granmother or something? Major League Soccer and ESPN should "be shamed" for causing this situation in the first place. The Canadian flag wasn't brought out until later so that ESPN could customize their broadcast. You can't blame the fans for feeling shafted when their own flag is not present in their own stadium.
@Hans - just because there was a planning problem with the opening, doesn't give you the right a be self righteous asshole.
Scatterbrain and Duthie are right. What if they hadn't played O Canada as the fans initially suspected? Would there still be such criticism?
The Star-Spangled Banner is played at EVERY MLS game at BMO Field without the reaction it got last night. The booing was aimed at the MLS, not the US.
But they did play it. And everyone there looked like an idiot afterwards. Again, regardless of the planning of the event, the anthem, the country, whatever - it's a low blow to the nuts to boo during an anthem.
They played it after they realized what had happend. As I said before you weren't there, quit being a sensationalist and trying to stir the pot. It's rather ironic and ammusing aswell that you've called someone else self righteous. If the organizer's had better judgement no of this would of happend and you wouldn't even care.
@ Duthie
So you believe that they were not going to play the Canadian anthem, but then decided to because the crowd was booing the US one? Are you on crack? Of course they were going to play our anthem....if they had waited before booing they would have seen that and not looked like idiots. TFC fans seem amazingly insecure and freak out over any criticism.
@Duthie: I care when my city makes itself look like an ignorant backwoods chump ass. I didn't have to be there. Try explaining the ignorant attitude displayed last night to the international soccer community, event organizers and so on.
there MUST have been more to the booing, as the american national anthem always receives very polite applause (and nothing less) at regular TFC games.
@Dave
Then please explain to me how they decied to play God Save the Queen and the U.S. Anthem, then have the P.A. announcer go on to announce the reserves for the All Stars before they ran out with the Canadian flag and play the anthem. Again you weren't there.
I cannot believe that the iconic CHUM radio building has been sold to developers.
When is this darn city going to learn? Not everything needs to torn down and built over with a shiny condo.
@binlazer
it's been explained already, people were displeased with the MLS organizers not the U.S. Anthem itself. The U.S. Anthem is played at every TFC game is welcomed with a warm reception. Might I also add that TFC fans that travelled to Chicago a few weeks ago sang the Anthem louder then anyone else in attendence at that game.
"I didn't have to be there. Try explaining the ignorant attitude displayed last night to the international soccer community, event organizers and so on."
Posted by: binlazer at July 25, 2008 11:20 AM
Something tells me that the International soccer folks have dealt with much bigger problems - try hooligans killing each other with baseball bats and knives.
@ Duthie
From the linked story - "Pte. Scott Newlands, of the Queen's Own Rifles, who sang an amazing O Canada". You believe that they just grabbed him as you were booing and said "Hey, we screwed up - can you go out there and sing the anthem for us?" Right, that makes sense.
@Dave
When the ceremony commenced and you see only the Union Jack and the U.S. flag. come on the field and the P.A. Announcer ask everyone to rise for the singing's of the anthems with no mention of the Canadian anthem at all you would see why people reacted the way they did.
@dulthie
It's been explained already that booing during an anthem is an embarrassment. Fair enough, MLS screwed up. Give them a call and tell them. Don't make us look like idiots and convey your disdain when the US anthem is being played.
Give me a break - they weren't going to play the Canadian anthem? It's not like the game was being played in Iraq or something.
@ Duthie
I see that they reacted like insecure children, and that booing a visitors anthem is classless no matter what the provocation.
@binlazer
I'll make sure and go back in time and let everyone know the proper way of going about this. we'll get 20,000 to chant something negative in unision towards the MLS.
And as I pointed out to Dave, by the way the ceremony was done and announced you could see why people resorted to what happend.
@Dave
that's right Dave, but as I said in my 9:47 post it was ridiculous. I'm not defending the booing, i'm pointing out the reasoning of it for those who are stirring the pot.
@duthie
See Dave's last comment and my countless last ones. You don't need to go back in time. So you were a victim of circumstance then. Cry me a river, man. Still doesn't take away from the fact that you guys were classless ass clowns.
DAMN! I loved that building! When you're riding your bike up Yonge Street that sign is there for you to help you up the top of the hill... When you stand on the Beltline Bridge over Yonge St., the sign is there... And now it's going to be another soulless ugly condo in its place! *FUCK!*
Sorry but I'm not going on about this anymore. when you guys start resorting to name calling like in your last postings it clearly shows how you two are just stirring the pot. self righteous?http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mfl/lowres/mfln130l.jpg
the event in question and how it went about has been explained to show why it happend, which's is what I intended to do.
Sorry duthie! http://www.thevirtualunderground.net/torrim/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/pwned.jpg
Just goes to show that rationalizing classless behaviour is a pointless endeavor.
I lied, one more comment. Another article that points out what I had written a few times before.
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080724.wsptflags24/GSStory/GlobeSportsSoccer/home
Like I said before, think about what your reaction would be if they HADN'T acknowledged Canada as they did the US and England. When I thought initially they wouldn't play O Canada I wasn't all that surprised and no, I wasn't one of those booing. The fans added to the All-Star game just as they do every game.
They should have brought out all three flags at the same time. MLS to blame, not the US and that was the reaction. Criticize the fans all you wish (not that they don't deserve some) but what would TFC be without them?
Wow, I didn't know Toronto FC fans could read, let alone type comments on a blog!
good on yah!
I never understood the idea of singing national anthems at sporting events. between the overpriced athletes scratching themselves, elbowing each other, injecting this, swallowing that, or in the special case of soccer: catching the vapours and flailing on the field if an opponent even whiffs by them; getting patriotic for a minute doesn't work.
and before you go telling me how I never played on a team or been to a stadium, I've always been an athlete and I've competed with and against some of the best and I never felt the need to have to have an anthem get me amped.
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