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Morning Brew: Buddy and Pedro might be expectant fathers, Book of Mormon coming to Toronto, plastic bag fee debate rages on, Leafs win again

Posted by Brianne Hogan / February 7, 2012

20 Comments

TorontoThe Toronto Zoo might have an announcement to make soon, according to the Star. A zoo official told the newspaper that eggs have been laid in the zoo's penguin palace, which happens to house same-sex penguin "friends" Buddy and Pedro, and their "mates," as well as a third penguin couple. The zoo will not confirm the news.

Singing Mormons are coming to town next year. Yesterday, David Mirvish announced the Tony Award-winning musical, "The Book of Mormon," by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, will be coming direct from Broadway for their 2012-2013 season.

And the plastic bag fee debate rages on. The Sun (of course) reports that Rob Ford's executive committee will hear a proposal from councillor Michelle Berardinetti next week about finding a way to encourage businesses to donate the nickel towards the city's emerald ash borer effort I have to admit, this proposal might make the most sense, but after this, can we just stop talking about it?

So now that Ontario Place has been shut down, the National Post asked nine local architects, urban planners and urban critics how they would spruce up the place. Some ideas: Turning it into an experimental community that serves as the origin of Toronto's farming revolution; making it as original as possible (meaning no casinos); make it the floating city it always wanted to be.

IN BRIEF:

Photo by Katrin Ray in the blogTO Flickr pool

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Donna / February 7, 2012 at 09:08 am
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Don't we have an experimental, communist society already over on Ward's Island?

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MrPotato / February 7, 2012 at 09:23 am
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There has to be a giant ferris wheel and monorail involved in the new Ontario place!
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Jildren / February 7, 2012 at 09:26 am
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So excited about book of Mormon!
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Jay / February 7, 2012 at 09:30 am
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I was not a fan of the "bag tax" when it was brought in, however, it is an optional tax. If you bring your bags you can opt out of paying this tax.

The issue I have with it is there is no over-site as to where the money goes. If people in Toronto are paying the tax, the City should be collecting it and putting that money into our recycling and waste management programs. I do not like the fact a company like Loblaws can collect the tax then use our money to donate to an organization and reap a tax write off.

If we are paying the tax the City should directly benefit. Since we are not, it was an ill-conceived tax from the start. Either fix it or get rid of it.
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Liz / February 7, 2012 at 09:48 am
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@Jay - the plastic bag by-law never *was* and isn't a TAX. A tax is something that citizens pay that goes back to the government for them to spend accordingly - which seems to be how you conceive of it, and that's why you think the money should be going directly to the city. But the fact is, that it is NOT a tax - it is a by-law that is meant to be an incentive for people to bring their own bags and stop using so much plastic. I personally have absolutely no problem with the fact that businesses have to donate it to a charity of their choice - what's wrong with that? who cares if they get a tax write-off for that? If they're donating the money to a charity, they're entitled to the tax write-off like anybody else! I think its great that businesses are being sort of forced to donate to charities. But I think people keep getting confused because they think of it as a tax and it isn't.
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howabout / February 7, 2012 at 10:04 am
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Something people tend to overlook is that businesses have to pay for these bags. Unless you're Metro or Loblaws, you're likely paying more than 5 cents per bag. Is it wrong for the retailer (specifically the smaller ones) to put those nickels towards buying the bags themselves?
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Alex replying to a comment from howabout / February 7, 2012 at 10:33 am
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The retailers were always buying the bags though, and it is reflected in the price of food at that store (one of the reasons No Frills could sell food cheaper).

I don't think the bag fee should have to go anywhere specifically. It's no different than the no-smoking bylaws in numerous parts of the city, it's just to make the city a cleaner place by reducing the number of plastic bags going into landfill and the street. If you make people put the money somewhere specifically then you have to pay to have people to enforce it. Better to just let the companies do what they want with it.
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Jay / February 7, 2012 at 11:09 am
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@ Liz - if a business wants a tax write-off by donating to charity they should use their own money - not mine. (and let's be clear, very few retailers have accounted for where this money has gone)

To me it's a tax any way it's spun. (fines, parking tickets, fees, taxes, revenue streams, by-law infractions). they all go into the city coffers; except this one. And as I noted, I have no issue with the bag fee because people can easily opt out of paying it and if it gets them to use less plastic then great. It's an incentive no different than a parking ticket that is given to get people not to park illegally.

The issue I have is the City implemented this and is not benefiting from the revenue. My suggestion is fix it so the City benefits the revenue. If not, get rid of it.

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Grid / February 7, 2012 at 11:13 am
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The reason that it is a by-law and not a tax is that the City has no authority to create a sales tax - that is the Province's area. The bag fee looked too much like a sales tax, so Council opted to go the by-law route. If Council can convince the Province to allow them to impose a sales tax, then the bag fee could go back to city coffers.
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Rob replying to a comment from Grid / February 7, 2012 at 11:26 am
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Under the City of Toronto Act, I'm pretty sure they have the ability to do so.
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Bob / February 7, 2012 at 11:37 am
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Ontario Place could have a St Lawrence Type market, Ice Rink Trail for the winter months, an outdoor movie theatre for the summer months, Venice Style Beach front restaurants/bars/lounges, Piazza waterpark for families with a fountain, wading pool etc,retail stores, gallery for unique/cool art by local artists, space telescope.
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Al replying to a comment from Rob / February 7, 2012 at 11:38 am
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No they don't. In fact, it is specifically prohibited.
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Rob replying to a comment from Al / February 7, 2012 at 12:05 pm
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Here's a link to it:
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_06c11_e.htm#BK352

In the list of places/things they cannot charges taxes on, it appears the City can in fact charge on goods and services produced and sold within city limits. There are just a ton of restrictions on what they cannot tax.
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Fob Rord / February 7, 2012 at 12:14 pm
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I did what the taxpayers want. They want plastic bags. That’s it. They don’t want their own cloth bags. I was out in Scarborough over the weekend. People came up to me and said they want plastic bags. That’s it. It’s the taxpayers. The taxpayers want, I was elected on plastic bags. They want plastic bags. I was out on Saturday, people want plastic bags. That’s it. It’s all plastic bags. It’s all about plastic bags. All about plastic bags. So, it’s the taxpayers that elected me to get the plastic bags in and that’s what we’re going to do. It’s like winning an election. So if they voted me in, that means I don’t win an election? It doesn’t make sense.
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Colon Oscopy replying to a comment from Fob Rord / February 7, 2012 at 12:29 pm
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I was there too. Nothing made sense except for the most intelligent anal polyp in the room. Coincidentally it was the same anal polyp elected as Mayor of Toronto.
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Ur a Commie / February 7, 2012 at 02:41 pm
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You take that back, Oscopy. The MAYOR doesn't need useless tools like you to complicate his life. Do you think it's easy dodging violent warrior princesses and junky brothers in law who might shoot your fat face off if you don't give them what they want? You sir are starting to make the MAYOR uncomfortable. Don't you have a vibrating mode that whistles Dixie while it works its way up to bar level and orders a triple bourbon and exlax? You KNOW how much Hizzoner wishes he could forever and a day float down the Swannee River on a raft made of beer kegs and giant pizza boxes.
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John / February 7, 2012 at 07:24 pm
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The government forces business to charge customers for something whether they want to or not. And they have to charge a minimum for it. That is a tax no matter how you try to spin it. Call it a by-law, fee, surcharge or whatever you want but it is still a tax.
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John / February 7, 2012 at 07:25 pm
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And there is nothing that says they have to donate any of the fee to charity. Some do to try and look good but there is nothing that says they are required to give any of the money they collect from the tax away.
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the lemur replying to a comment from John / February 7, 2012 at 09:10 pm
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It's not a tax if the revenue doesn't go to the city. The problem is that there is no control at all on where the money ends. And there are still - still! - places that give away bags, no charge, no questions asked.
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Mike / February 7, 2012 at 11:00 pm
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The city is forcing businesses to collect the money, it is a tax.
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