City
Morning Brew: Bullets Rain on Party, Toxic Fumes Wilt Moms' Flowers, Hamilton Coyotes or Thrashers?
Photo: "Treetop living" by asianz, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):
Tamil protesters are now off the Gardiner and Liberal leader Micheal Ignatieff has vowed to bring up the issue at the next caucus meeting. After having stormed the highway and forced its closure for much of the evening yesterday, demonstration organizers are saying that more, similar action isn't being ruled out. For the first time since the protesting has been going on, physical aggression against police and significant public endangerment was observed, which isn't going to further their cause, in my opinion. But if an international news outlet like CNN is picking up the story [CNN], perhaps the strategy is sound. Torontoist bloggers Miles Storey and Nick Kozak have some of the best photos [TOist] of the incident.
6 people were taken to hospital with bullet wounds after a house party on the West Mall in Etobicoke was stormed by armed men who fired dozens of shots [City, video]. Police are fearing that a drug war is in the making [Star].
$193 million in funding for Toronto's waterfront revitalization is in jeopardy [Star] due to chronic red tape and delays. A report states that collectively, the three levels of government are turning "800 hectares of environmental contamination into a bureaucratic wasteland."
--
A North York neighbourhood had to be evacuated after a suicidal woman created a chemical cocktail and released toxic fumes. Sadly, the woman succeeded in ending her own life, and making it a Mother's Day to remember (for the wrong reasons) for nearby residents [NP].
Hamilton's mayor is reportedly only really entertaining the idea of bringing the troubled Phoenix Coyotes to their city, via RIM head Balsillie. But it would appear that another group is also talking about bringing the struggling Atlanta Thrashers to Steeltown [G&M] (although this latest bid may not be much more than a idea that'll quickly fizzle).
Discussion
47 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
Let's remember that the Black tigers started aggression with suicide bombings. Right now I see the Sri Lankan government defending itself against this continuing threat. Of course there is calls for a ceasefire, they are loosing the war they started.
It's a sad situation and I don't want our country to be dragged in due to interior terror pressure. Once closing the roads becomes common place and not visible enough will our local tamils step things up to get attention ?
Next time a tamil tiger flag is seen there should be arrests, after all it's recognized here as a terrorist organization.
"Do as I tell you or I shut the city down" is threatening action to accomplish a goal. Right now it's non violent, but it's certainly economically expensive for the city. Would you have a beef with it if they blocked access to your house until their demands were met ?
Kudos to all involved for staging a peaceful, effective demonstration.
This time the protesters attacked police. They endangered themselves and their children, whom they dragged in front of moving vehicles. And all the while they waved LTTE flags showing their support for terrorists.
If Toronto's opinion was split before, this recent debacle has turned the city against the Tamil cause.
Now we're starting to ask why these same Tamils who are demanding a ceasefire were AGAINST a ceasefire when the Tamil Tigers were the only ones doing the shooting and bombing.
So it's ok to shut down streets and break laws at will if there is way around it. ? Drive on the sidewalks, people can walk on the other side.
As for facebook user. If you read my first comment, i won't pressure the government into doing any action against a foreign sovereign government that has been under terrorist suicide bombing attacks for the last 20 years.
I think this is great that this is a country where people can run away to. But we are not the world police.
"Holding the city hostage is a form of terror."Do as I tell you or I shut the city down" "
Hey, doesn't the TTC do that?
Why are we called the world's peace keepers? Why are we in Afghanistan? Why do we unconditionally support Israel?
And: Yay.. Morning Brew is back.
Also except for Afghanistan most of our peace keeping is done through the UN. Canada is not exactly a strong country when it comes to military power.
ANYWHO, they should protest on the Island and piss off the Island Residents then you'll hear about it...
The Tamils got Iggy's pledge to help which is what their directive was, not winning the hearts and minds of armchair quarterback Torontonians. Now Iggy hasn't done anything yet leading the Liberal party so we'll see if he delivers, but this was intent the Tamils sought for and congratulations to them for getting a real government response, not useless PR.
The Tigers are the ones that initiated violent conflict. They have caused this, there was no ceasefire option for the Sri Lankans. They got sick of it and started fighting back. People tend to escalate things.
I had a scumbag approach me on the street once asking for money. When I tried to leave he punched me. I made sure he wasn't able to get up after that. I was a victim that fought back and made sure that I won't get attacked again. I'm sure the guy had his reason, he was poor and had a tough life. He took the animal kingdom road of fighting for survival so i responded in kind, i was just better at it. I'm left wing liberal and i am against violence. But i won't be victimized.
And whether or not civilians are "targeted" largely depends on whether or not one side is using those civilians as human shields.
I know a family of victim of a Black Tiger bombing against an 'economic' target.
I'll say again it's sad that this is happening, but remember there is two sides to the story.
When you are getting mugged the next time, make sure to turn the other cheek and give your bank accounts over as well.
Or are you just an armchair politician?
No you're worse, shouting and crying until they listen. Blocking roads until they listen.
If we try to be constructive in making a difference and not on the streets in your face we don't care?
They're all aiding and abetting crimes against humanity and have now declared war against the government of Canada. Remove them from this country.
The Tamils are protesting over 2 months. Since the government parliamentarians refuse to even listen to the protesters, Tamils had to escalate the protest. No MPs spoke to the protesters when Tamils protested at Ottawa for continues 15 days [& night 24 hrs]. No MP spoke to protesters when Tamils protested infront of US Consulate [again day & night] for over a week. No one is listening, so Tamils escalated, now everybody is talking.
In my opinion, any news is good news. At least we made the people talk about it.
Not in my backyard!! Not on my watch they don't!!
The only solution has always been for the LTTE to surrender and to have internationally mediated peace talks between the government of Sri Lanka and the Ltte.
The LTTE is at least as resposible for the thousands of deaths as is the Sri Lankin government.
Would you help me persecute the Falung Gong if I screamed at you, blocked your driveway, shouted outside your house?
STOP MAKING US LOOK LIKE RETARDS! Hijacking a highway and pushing babies and women to the front is cowardly and stupid, just like the LTTE terrorist organization you so clearly support.
How would you handle it if your white Caucasian brothers and sisters were being indiscriminately bombed, murdered, raped and/or denied access to food or medical services in what is a pretty clear act of genocide by their government?
The conflict in Sri Lanka has been going on since 1983 - why are the world powers (America, the EU, the UN, etc) only starting to doing anything about it now?