Of course one can’t forget the the food! There will be specials and anniversary features to sample so don’t miss it. All the more reason to check out the St Lawrence Market.

St. Lawrence Market 205th Anniversary
Friday, November 6, 6 p.m., and Saturday November 7, 2009, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jane’s Walk
May 2nd and May 3rd
(Various Locations)

http://janeswalk.net/participating_cities/toronto

Canada is stronger together, perhaps a coalition government might actually work together toward rebuilding Canada during these trying times. I think that we are in for more concrete action than the Conservatives are willing to admit since ALL opposition parties have committed to unite until June 30, 2011! (The Bloc are supportive of this coalition for 18 months and can extend support after that time since they are not formally part of the coalition). The economy and the environment are front and centre. The coalition will pursue prudent policies to stimulate the economy through investments in infrastructure, boosts to struggling economic sectors as well as home construction and retrofit (low income housing? green tax breaks?). Most important, long term deficits are not in the interest of the coalition.

“Today we respectfully inform the Governor General that, as soon as the appropriate opportunity arises, she should call on the Leader of the Official Opposition to form a new government, supported as set out in the accompanying accords by all three of our parties.

- from the agreement signed by Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe, NDP Leader Jack Layton and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, on Monday Dec. 1, 2008

It will be interesting to see how the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada reacts.

There were special Remembrance Day events Queen’s Park and at Old City Hall today. The TTC gave pause to honour our veterans this morning too. If you have not already seen it, tonight until dawn the last 10,000 names of the 68,000 lost will be shown as part of the 1914 – 1918 Vigil. Coincidental or not Mayor Miller noted earlier today, about 10,000 of the 68,000 who perished in that war made Toronto their home. Lest we forget…

The Urban Water Cycle Pools Together Near Trinity Bellwoods

Glad I had a chance to check out this year’s Human River – Urban Water Cycle on Sunday. It was a brilliant idea to try the event as a bicycle adventure through the streets of Toronto. Of course it helped that the ride was downhill (basically the path of Garrison Creek toward the lake).

A big bonus were the speakers and stops along the route which brought new insight into Toronto, past and present. L.E.A.F. , Toronto Public Spacing Committee, Human River, Lost Rivers, The Toronto Green Community, River Sides, Coach House Books and the many volunteers should be proud of their efforts. A job well done on improving on what was already such a great event! Four years strong, here’s to four more!

So if you are not too much of a ZOMBIE Sunday morning dress up in blue and join the Human River!

Human River – Urban Water Cycle
October 19th starting at 1pm
Free (Donations are Welcome)

Non-cyclists are encouraged to join in the fun at Fork York or at other Water Cycle stops (Bickford Park or Trinity Bellwoods).

You may have seen the trademark signs, a frosty green ear with a phone number and reference number, all around the city. The signs are markers for story locations.  You can call and listen to a personal story about that physical spot or neighbourhood.  In the age of cell phones this can be an interesting experience.  Someone recounts their story of your particular landscape to your mind’s eye while you stand “on location”.  Of course you can “cheat” and hear many [murmur] stories are on the [murmur] website but the real fun is discovering these stories where they happened.

Today there are close 600 stories, 250 signs up in 8 cities in 5 countries around the world. The project is organic of course and still growing.  The community are encouraged to participate and contribute.  If you would like to share a story you simply need to contact [murmur].

[murmur] is 5!  Definitely something to celebrate.

Murmur 5th Anniversary Party
Thursday July 17th
The Canadian Corps Hall
201 Niagara
(just south of King St. West)
FREE (no cover)

It was all for nothing in the end.  John Diefenbaker, the Conservative PM from the west, decided that despite AVRO being the the third largest corporation in Canada, employing some 41,000 people, that the Arrow project should be cancelled.  Many conspiracy theories exist as to why Canada’s National Defence and soveriegnty were trumped in this case.  (RL Whitcomb has an opinion as do many others)  Was it PM Diefenbaker’s way of improving American relations after to committing to NORAD?  Was the project costing Canadian taxpayers too much for what was delivered?  We may never know.

It will be interesting to see if MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd, MDA,  is sold off in the coming days or weeks.  So far opponents have delayed the sale. Considering that the US and now Russia are limiting foreign ownership of key industries why can’t we do the same?  Have concerns about sovereignty and protecting the North really changed?  If the Conservatives allow the maker of the Canadarm and the recently launched Radarsat-2 satellite to be sold off they may be following the footsteps of Diefenbaker’s Conservatives.  After all renting (or have a contract to use) our locally developed technology is not the same as owning it.

Halifax Eurekas 1906 of the CHL – Coloured Hockey League

In keepinmg intouch with my Canadian Black History research I can across some information about the the game of Hockey and it’s early years. Pretty interesting stuff. I also came across George and Darril Fosty’s book Black Ice which I am currently in the hunt for so I can read it in full.

Here is a post from the Black Athlete Sports Wire:

CELEBRATING OUR BLACK SPORTS HEROES- HOCKEY STYLE!

February is Black History Month.It is also “Hockey is for Everyone Month.” Since 2003, the National Hockey League has set aside the month of February to honor the contributions of blacks to the sport of hockey. To those of you who don’t follow the sport because it’s perceived as only a sport that “white people with no teeth play” are saying to yourselves, “what contributions?”

You may know of current players such as Anson Carter and Jerome Iginla. You may even know of such black hockey pioneers like Willie O’Ree and Grant Fuhr. But that’s as far as it goes. But there is a lot more that blacks have given to the sport of hockey that even an avid hockey fan like myself didn’t even know about.

If you watched the Skills competition in the NHL All Star game, which is in my opinion a lot more entertaining than the game itself, one competition called the “fastest skater” didn’t just originate in the NHL as we know it today. Or what about the “Slap Shot?” Those tradition was passed down from black hockey teams in Canada.

What about the hockey term, “stand up goaltender?” (A little Hockey 101 here. What that means is the goaltender doesn’t crouch to stop the puck from going into the net. He or she stands upright.) Goaltenders on black hockey teams were standing up in the net as early as the 1900’s.

What about the black hockey teams themselves? Just who were they and where did most of them come from?
The Canadian province of Nova Scotia is no bigger than the state of Ohio. One might call Nova Scotia the birthplace of black hockey in Canada because that’s where a lot of the original black hockey players came from. Before there was even an NHL, Blacks were playing hockey in Canada as early as 1895.

Like most Canadian children, white and black, the founding fathers of black hockey played on frozen ponds. Not only in Nova Scotia, but all over Canada.The sport is so engrained in the country, that it didn’t matter that teams like the Halifax Eurekas, Dartmouth Jubilees or Truro Victorias were composed mostly of black players. Canadians love their hockey no matter who played it. Attendance for the outdoor games attracted 1200 people, most of them white Canadians.

We all know or have heard of Willie O’Ree,from the Canadian province of New Brunswick, who is called, “the Jackie Robinson of hockey.” But there were other black hockey players from the other Canadian provinces who were either ahead or contemporaries of O’Ree.

No hockey fan, black or white if they happen to go to Toronto, should miss making a stop at the Hockey Hall of Fame. Black children, who think only white people play hockey would be surprised to find information on the St. Catherine’s(Ontario) Orioles, which was Canada’s first all Black hockey team.

There were other pioneers as well. “The Black Aces”, which was a hockey line composed of Manny McIntyre and brothers herb and Ossie Carnegie who played their hockey in the tough Quebec league.

Hockey fans in the early 1940’s and 1950’s claim that they were one of the greatest lines ever to play hockey in Canada. Black hockey players in Canada didn’t face the vicious racist attacks that Jackie Robinson faced from teammates and opposing players alike here in the United States. In the words of former Edmonton Oilers and Hall of Fame goaltender, Grant Fuhr, which speaks for the feelings of black hockey players, or at least the ones from Canada,”my color wasn’t an issue until I played in the United States.” This is not to say that racism didn’t play some part of why we don’t know more about these black hockey pioneers. If it didn’t, more of them would have played hockey in the NHL rather than Canada or in the hockey minor leagues.

Black history shouldn’t just be celebrated just one month out of 12, nor should recognizing black sports heroes in sports other than baseball, basketball or football.

Now here’s a quote from Black Ice:

The Truth Shall Set Us Free.

Today there are no monuments to the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes. There is no reference to the league in any but a few books on hockey. There is no reference to Henry Sylvester Williams, James Johnston, James Kinney or the scores of players who wore the Colored League uniforms. There is no reference in the Hockey Hall of Fame of the impact that Blacks had in the development of the modern game of hockey. No reference to the Black origin of the slap shot. There is no reference to the Black origin of the offensive style of goal play exhibited by Franklyn. There is no reference to the Black origin of goalies going down on ice in order to stop the puck. There is no reference to the Black practice of entertaining the crowds with a half-time show. It is as if the league had never existed. For hockey is today a sport Whiter in history than a Canadian winter. Page 195 – 196

Wow… why is this?

To kick start Black History month her on MB Toronto I thought I would post some info on Toronto’s most popular black politician William Hubbard.

William Peyton Hubbard, (1842 – 1935), was first person of African descent, on Toronto’s City Council. He was first elected in 1894 and served on it for 15 years. Hubbard was born in Toronto to former American slaves, who had escaped via the Underground Railroad. A baker by trade, he was well-known for his strong political opinions, his sharp wit, his convincing oratory and for his strong sense of public duty. His eloquence was such that his fellow politicians dubbed him “Old Cicero.”

George Brown supported him after he had rescued Brown from drowning in the Don River. The horses pulling Brown’s carriage bolted and he was tossed into the river. Brown recognize Hubbard’s political astuteness and encouraged his political ambitions. Not only was he Toronto’s first African Canadian Councillor, he was also Toronto’s first Canadian deputy mayor of African lineage.

He made a name for himself as a champion of little man, protecting the rights of Chinese laundry owners in the city. He also was a supporter of Adam Beck, founder of Toronto Hydro, in his efforts to keep power public.

Losing an election in 1915, Hubbard retired to the Riverdale area of the city, building a home 660 Broadview Ave., now part of Montcrest School, .that he would spend his remaining days in until he died at the age of 93. There is a plaque commemorating this house in the northeast corner of Riverdale Park, just south of Montcrest.

He maintained he had never experienced racism in political office because he ran on his knowledge of real estate, rather than as a “Negro politician,” and said, “I have always felt that I am a representative of a race hitherto despised, but if given a fair opportunity would be able to command esteem.”