MB Toronto
Morning Brew: prisoners accidentally released, Bombardier Q400 planes inspected, tough steak leads to domestic violence, G20 charges dropped, TTC transit museum moves ahead, Bautista chasing home run record
All organizations are susceptible to administrative errors now and then, but knowing that several convicted prisoners have been accidentally released from Ontario prisons seem like a major problem worthy of serious scrutiny. In addition to being rather tight-lipped about the number of incidents (after an 16-month wait on a freedom of information request, we now know that the number is 143 over a period of 8 years), the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services is still withholding information about the nature of the crimes involved, the number that are still at large, and more. Aren't you curious? Is community safety at risk?
Earlier this year, Bombardier discovered an issue with cracking of an engine cover on their model Q400 planes - a problem which in turn required inspection of over 90% of the total fleet. Porter Airlines, operating out of Toronto island, uses the Q400 exclusively, and has stated that they've already done the inspection on their planes and found no problems. This issue appears to be mostly resolved, and won't likely be fuel for the anti-island-airport fire.
A Barrie man is in custody and charged with assault after he allegedly struck his girlfriend with a metal pipe and threw her purse out into the rain. Perhaps more disturbing though is that the violent domestic dispute started after his steak came off the grill and wasn't cooked to order. Yikes!
Several of the 303 people charged during the G20 weekend had their day in the circus court yesterday. Many saw charges dropped outright, others paid $50 to charity to have their charges diverted (with no need for admission of guilt), and others facing more serious accusations had their cases pushed to October. Among those who saw all charges dropped were an accredited National Post photographer (who still hasn't had his camera and photos returned by Toronto police), and Natalie Gray (who was allegedly shot with rubber bullets).
The timing couldn't have been more inopportune. On the same day that a scathing report on customer service within the TTC was released, the commission pushed forward on its plans to build a $5-million transit museum, creating a stir amongst critics and mayoral hopefuls. While most agreed that a museum would be kinda cool to build, they also feel that priorities need to be kept in check.
And Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista knocked two out of the park last night in a 3-2 win over the Yankees. He now leads the majors with 40 dingers, and just might surpass the most ever hit in a season by a Jay. The record he's chasing is 47, set by George Bell in 1987.
Photo: "Bautista Blast" by sjgardiner, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.
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Had everyone been smarter and done a silent protest and not show up, their point would have been proven.
C*nty driver (as people get on) THIS IS A DUNDAS STREETCAR GOING EAST ALONG DUNDAS (repeats 4 or 5 times)
Tons of people shuffle on only via the front door (back doors closed)
Outside, a passenger bangs on back doors: OPEN THE F'ING DOORS!
TTC driver shrugs to her TTC uniformed buddy sitting in the front seat. She opens the back doors.
Passenger gets on, as do a bunch of others via the back door.
Passenger up at the front who just got on: Excuse me - does this go to the Ex?
C*nty driver: THIS IS A DUNDAS STREETCAR GOING EAST ALONG DUNDAS
Passenger: I asked if this goes to the Ex
C*nty driver: THIS IS A DUNDAS STREETCAR GOING EAST ALONG DUNDAS
Passenger turns to TTC uniformed guy sitting in front seat: Does this go to the Ex?
Uniformed TTC guy gets up, yells to car: I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT: I AM NOT DRIVING THIS STREETCAR. I AM NOT ON DUTY RIGHT NOW. I CANNOT ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ROUTES. THANK YOU
Sits back down.
Fed up passenger further back in the car: NO THIS DOES NOT GO TO THE EX IT GOES ALONG DUNDAS
Bunch of people who got on via the back door all groan and want to get off
More calamity ensues.
The end.
So we have a c*nty driver, a lazy unhelpful TTC employee, a rude passenger who bangs on the doors, and a whole bunch of stupid passengers who don't bother to read the DUNDAS sign on the streetcar.
ONCE AGAIN, A GREAT TTC EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
If you don't like it, don't read it and get on with your awesome life
This was earlier in the day at King and Spadina, before the crowd started really forming (and before the more famous penning in and mass arrests)
At this point in time there was no real reason to think that intersection should be avoided, and while walking back home from the store he stopped for a few minutes to watch the gathering crowd.
Without any warning an officer grabs him from behind, and picks him up off the ground (not an easy feat given my friend is 6'4"). He thought he was being mugged and couldn't see who grabbed him so he tried to get away. So another officer jumped in to help (at which point he realized what was going on) and they tossed him in the back of an awaiting police van.
To suggest that he should have known better for stopping in the area would be silly. This was hours before the mass arrests in the area and far away from the violence the day before. There were only a few protesters and a few police. The main reason he seemed to be targeted was because he wasn't part of the protest group that was forming. The few people standing around were easier to arrest than it would have been to wade into the group and arrest people. Most of the other people arrested with him just happened to be in the area. None of them were protesters. One was literally just walking by when they were grabbed by police.
Someone had suggested that they were merely being used to show the small, but growing crowd that they were willing to arrest people.
They were all brought to the detention centre, processed, but then very quickly released with all charges dropped.
Does this sound like something reasonable to happen in Canadian society?
Would it have killed the driver to say, "No, I'm sorry, I don't go to the Ex". Perhaps even made the announcement. Simple enough. No feelings hurt, nobody grumpy.
Sometimes the front sign has not been adjusted so you need to ask, sometimes you JUST DON'T KNOW! Not everyone in this freakin' city has every route memorized and not all stops have a map (if the maps made any sense & have streets listed on them). Really is it that painful to help out and create calm? The TTC is a pathetic joke that no one gets.
Re: G20 - done like dinner. Move along.
Ok, I'm going to go open a tall can of beer and sit on my porch until my hangover goes away and then I am going to wash my North Stars because they smell like dog poop. I also need a nap.
Guess he's gonna be traded soon.
As for everyone who makes snotty comments about "contacting the TTC to be productive" - y'all, been there, done that, they ignore everything you say. At least you can vent on the internet and collectively throw a spotlight on it, because if you listened to the TTC, everything's going swimmingly, they're as modern and organized as a system could possibly be, and all problems lie with the riders.
@ daniel - I agree that long discussions slow things down, but a simple "Is this going to the Ex" can and should be expected to receive a "No, look for a streetcar that displays ____." No need for all the passive aggressive drama and snottiness.
And here's the thing about a silent protest: no one hears it.
Let's revisit your moronic comment in a few years if someone is foolish enough to reproduce with you.
Can't wait to hear him ban gym bags and groceries because they take up too much space and impede him from getting to whatever Dooshbag Association meeting he's the headline speaker at.
so are overweight people that take up two seats and only pay one fare. But nothing you can do about that, its their right.
But telling people with families that they can't use transit is ignorant and plain stupid. Not everyone can afford a car these days and the only way they can get around is the transit, but it sounds like you are out of touch with reality.