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Morning Brew: Ice Time for Girls, Kensington BIA Considered, Brawling Teens in Don Mills, One-Man Crime Spree, Apology Over Blackface Sought, TTC vs. Dundas West

Posted by Jerrold Litwinenko / November 12, 2009

20091112_kensingtonMB.jpgPhoto: "5753 KENSINGTON SKY" by Xander N'Dante, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

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

Gender equality should apply across the board - and on the ice. Girls hockey teams have been experiencing difficulties getting reasonable ice time, and all it took was a threat to launch a human-rights complaint and a flurry of media attention before the mayor stepped in and vowed to ensure that its existing equity policy is enforced.

Does Kensington Market need a BIA? City council will debate the merits of the creation of a Business Improvement Area for the old neighbourhood at the end of November, but store owners are already divided on the issue, some fearing that too much politicking will result in the lovable, chaotic nature of the area being lost.

Somewhere between 30 and 100 teens (possibly with ties to gangs) got into a brawl in the Don Mills & 401 area last night, and two people ended up in stable condition in hospital. One was shot in the back, and the other was stabbed in the back. Man-to-man, face-to-face fistfights are a thing of the past, apparently.

A number of residents in the city's east end neighbourhoods of Birch Cliff & Cliffside in Scarborough fell victim to a wild one-man wrecking ball last night. The suspect was involved in a hit and run, crashed into a number of additional vehicles as he fled, and then barged into a home to make a phone call and steal a jacket before disappearing into the bluffs (see embedded CityNews video below):

Some Halloween costumes this year were rather disgusting while others, including this blackface depiction of the Jamaican bobsled team in the film Cool Runnings, crossed racial lines. Student groups at U of T are demanding a public apology after the questionable costume concept was awarded a prize by an elected student representative.

And the TTC and the Dundas West BIA are arguing over numbers and the validity of studies used to make decisions about on-street parking. Comparing October 2006 data to October 2008 data shows no significant difference in public transit flow, while comparing March 2006 to March 2008 shows a big effect on TTC flow. Maybe all of this data should be opened up for all of us to see, on Toronto's open data project?

Discussion

12 Comments

Halloween The Most Offensive Day Of The Year / November 12, 2009 at 8:19 AM
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From now on I would like the following costumes banned:

1) Super Mario Bros - It's a stereotypical depiction of Italian Canadian/American people
2) Priest- Offensive to Christian People
3) "Sexy" Anything - Degrading and undermines women
4) Pocahontas - Perpetuates stereotypes of Aboriginal people
5) Any Disney Character - Nazi Symbolism
6) Any President or World Leader - Politically insensitive
7) Police Officer - Maybe misconstrued as a real law enforcement officer causing complications
8) Nerd - Could incite bullying


If anyone has any other costumes that they would like to add to the list so we can once and for all eliminate racism and sexism please feel free to add.

It All Starts With Halloween People
If We Win This Battle
Who Knows Maybe A Black Man Can Finally Become President

Jerk-o-lantern / November 12, 2009 at 8:41 AM
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I propose that the following costumes also be banned:

1) Devils - Insensitive to pagans

2) "Pimps", including those of the "seventies" variety. These costumes are insensitive to woman, sex-trade workers and legitimate hustlers

3) Mimes - insensitive to the French and the very pale

4) Horses or Cows (including two-person, two-part variety) - insensitive to vegans

Steven Harper / November 12, 2009 at 8:58 AM
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As your prime Minister i can make those costumes banned, but with those liberals holding the majority alias i can not. :(

W / November 12, 2009 at 9:08 AM
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Oh, totally! Next thing you know, people will be getting offended by Klan costumes!

Ryan L. / November 12, 2009 at 9:19 AM
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Re: wild one-man wrecking ball

I guess that explains why my bus was a half hour late last night

OhForPhucksSake / November 12, 2009 at 9:53 AM
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1. Blackface is most certainly offensive.

2. This bobsled team was not doing blackface.

Potato / November 12, 2009 at 10:01 AM
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Only a potato would paint his face black!

KKK took my baby away In replying to a comment from W / November 12, 2009 at 10:28 AM
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Hey atleast with the Klan costumes, you can always double as a Ghost!

MelS / November 12, 2009 at 11:52 AM
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I must say I like these comments far more than those over at Torontoist! BlogTo is champ! :D

Do Dat / November 12, 2009 at 12:41 PM
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Re: 30-100 Teens fighting

When will our youth learn the value of a life?
There are other ways to settle a dispute besides trying to take someone's life.

It's not until you truly appreciate your own life, that you will think twice before trying to take someone else's.

Do Dat
http://www.dodat.com

conscious / November 12, 2009 at 1:47 PM
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that's the worst john candy impression ever.

Morbo In replying to a comment from OhForPhucksSake / November 12, 2009 at 1:51 PM
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Amen.

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