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April 30, 2004

A Mayor's Musing

Toronto's insanely myopic Mayor, David Miller, is in a wee spot of trouble this morning. In a private conversation with the Lord Mayor of London (not to be confused with the Mayor of London - they have one of those... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 08:44 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics

April 27, 2004

WHO do they think they are?

A World Health Organization spokesperson says that China's new bout of SARS is a wake-up call for Toronto health officials. (Toronto Sun) I beg your pardon? Last time I checked: China was in the midst of its third SARS outbreak.... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 04:15 PM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / World

April 24, 2004

Dalton, this isn't leadership

The Ontario Premier says he's going to "assume a leadership role in Confederation." To do this, he is going to cut bilateral deals with the federal government on issues like health care, labour and immigration. This is a fundamental shift... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:46 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

April 23, 2004

Guité backtracks

This morning, defender of the public purse, Chuck Guité backtracked on his allegations that Paul Martin tried to influence the selection process for advertising firms. Today's weasle words will come as little comfort to the Prime Minister who now has... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 11:42 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

April 22, 2004

Les Idées de Guité

Chuck Guité has been testifying about AdScam today. What have we learned? He believes he has done nothing wrong. He has made wild accusations about other witnesses and has attacked the integrity of the Auditor-General. He says the government got... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 03:27 PM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

April 21, 2004

McGuinty backs down

Well, after a couple of weeks of flailing about on the Coffee Tax, Dalton McGuinty finally saw what was plain to the rest of us. You can't make a rock float on its own. The Preem stuck to his nonsensical... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 03:14 PM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

April 20, 2004

I hate to break it to you...

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Dalton McGuinty lied to you. He forecast that the cancellation Private Schools Tax Credit save the government $500-million a year (or $425-million by 2006 - depending on the pamphlet you... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 09:43 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

April 17, 2004

A bad week for the Pooh crew

I hasn't been all honey and carrots for the gang from the Hundred Acre Woods. First, it was the shocking allegations that Tigger has been groping women at the Disney theme park in Florida. Now we hear that Disney is... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:27 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Strange Stuff

April 16, 2004

Hotels for the homeless

Toronto City Council estimates it costs $156 per person per night to porvide shelter spaces for the city's homeless. Councillor Rob Ford says that for that price, the city could put people up in downtown hotels. The Toronto Sun did... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 06:03 PM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

April 15, 2004

Is he kidding?

The Liberal Government at Queen's Park is now using some revsisionist history to explain why it's okay to impose the Coffee Tax. You might recall Liberal Leader (and now Premier) Dalton McGuinty saying he wouldn't raise taxes during last Fall's... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:16 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

April 14, 2004

McGuinty's Secret Plan II

The Preem sent his Finance Minister out to talk to the hordes of ravenous media today. He wanted Greg Sorbarra to put an end to the continued speculation around the proposed "Coffee Tax" (see yesterday's mewsing). [Liberal spin doctors are... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 03:44 PM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

April 13, 2004

McGuinty's Secret Plan

A leak out of the McGuinty Liberal Government at Queen's Park has the Province extending the PST to cover "Fast Food" meals. Currently, meals under $4 are not subject to PST but are subject to federal GST. A quick survey... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 11:51 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Ontario

April 11, 2004

Woman of Influence

The National Geographic Society, best known for its self-titled magazine, has finally given Canada credit for having more than cold weather. In the Almanac of World History, the NGS includes a Canadian PM as one of the 50 most important... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:28 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

April 9, 2004

Eye on the ball

Conservative MPs in Ottawa have been positively giddy this week. They were told, at this week's caucus meeting, that internal party polls put them in a statistical dead heat with the Paul Martin Liberals outside of Quebec. MPs could barely... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 07:18 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

April 8, 2004

A red letter day

It is a red letter day. I agree with Dalton McGuinty on something. Yesterday, the Ontario Premier (and notorious promise-breaker) expressed his support for the Ottawa Senators in their first round playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs. As a... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 11:59 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Sports

April 7, 2004

Mess in the Middle East

Dubya's spent the last two weeks on the defensive over his pre 9/11 policy on terrorism. His team has just made a major political climb-down and decided to let the National Security Advisor to testify in public hearings. Just when... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:52 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / World

April 4, 2004

Brittney Fears

This weekend, some parents in Toronto are complaining about the sexual content of Brittney Spears' Saturday night concert. Some parents took their kids home early saying that they didn't expect the suggestive dancing and lyrics. One question to the parent... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:33 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Strange Stuff

April 2, 2004

AdScam Yawn

While warming myself in front of the television this afternoon, I was rudely awakened by frantic politicians waving around their copies of "secret testimony" from former AdScam 'crat Chuck Guité. Media outlets were busy pouring over every word to find... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 08:20 PM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: Politics / Canada

April 1, 2004

April Squirrels?

Could this be The Star's April fools day joke? According to The Star, joggers running too quickly disturb the mating of Black Squirrels. So cops across the GTA are setting up speed traps to catch joggers running faster than 10km/h.... More...

Posted by maxthecat at 10:41 AM | Printer-friendly version
Filed in: The Media