The stalemate has yet to lift and we are nearly 2 weeks into the garbage strike. Many Canada Day celebrations were cancelled. We were lucky after 1 million people enjoyed the Pride Parade that it had its own private clean up crew to help clean up. We are still on the hook for the garbage we create during the strike that’s for sure.

I find it amazing that there has been little talk of conservation or limiting of our garbage. People want to continue business as usual and expect different results despite the lack of garbage service. In this “economic environment” it shouldn’t be difficult to cut out on take out or drive thru restaurants. Waste less and you’ll have more money in your pocket and less garbage to throw out.

Toronto’s efforts to reduce garbage going to landfill by 70% are valiant. Many municipalities have bragged of diversion rates of 60% over the last 5 years so this is not an unattainable goal. Mayor Miller has been reluctant to implement incineration and has focused more on reduction and recycling in an effort to limit garbage going to Michigan.

In this aim to reduce landfill Toronto has implemented a Green Bin program less strict than several Municipalities hoping for higher compliance rates. Toronto allows green waste to be placed in plastic bags, “disposable” diapers, and pet waste like kitty litter. This makes it harder to sort and turn our green waste into compost though. Shortcuts revealed by a Toronto Star shows that our service providers are skimping on their implementation of Toronto’s plan with much of the green waste still ending up in landfill or incinerated. As noted in today’s follow up article, city councillors are right to call for an audit of the services Toronto is paying for. If the city is paying a company to safely and efficiently deal with our garbage and green waste it should be accountable for it. The Ministry regulates these service providers and should wield a heavier hand.

At the end of the day it’s our tax dollars and our garbage. Reducing the amount of taxes need to clean up the mess and reducing the pile of waste starts at home not in Ottawa, Queen’s Park, or Mayor Miller’s office.

A would be bike thief strolls casually at about 6pm Sunday at College & Beverley wielding a handsome hacksaw and a brown windbreaker and yellow shirt.

Yes, the recession is hitting hard. Bad news is abounds but Spring has finally sprung. I’ve been trying to enjoy the extra hours of daylight and walking whenever possible. Cabin fever no more!

Still the winter chill and ominous market conditions have frozen hearts. I was in disbelief yesterday night on my stroll along College. I heard an odd sound and noticed a man wielding a huge hacksaw and making his way through a big U-lock. Umm, I’m I the only one noticing that someone is trying to liberate what looks to be a nice mountain bike from in front of U of T?

No… but no one cares. Not the people coming off the street car, the woman walking her dog. Weird. I didn’t have my SLR with me but I decided to “spook” the perpetrator by taking his picture (with my crappy cell phone). It worked the dude moved on an scurried up the street. Yeah, one less bike in Toronto stolen. The funny thing was that when I started heading South the local thief had doubled back. The guy was off to find his next bike and was again walking in front of me on the other side of the street. As before the dude paused and was about to try his luck on another bike. I lingered a bit and then took my own detour after he moved on from victim two. I didn’t want to be hacksaw victim three so I did some scurrying myself.

Not only amazed that people are “forced” to steal but how many people didn’t care to report or discourage the would be thief. These are hard times and now more than ever we need a cure for apathy. Well, if you parked your bike on the North side of College East of the Second Cup your U-Lock lasted long enough for one person to care that your bike wasn’t stolen.

The riding of Toronto Centre has been a turbulent one for the Conservatives. Mark Warner, an international trade lawyer, was rejected by the party as a candidate in 2007. Over the objections of the Toronto Centre riding association, Mr. Warner was removed by the Party’s National Campaign Manager, Doug Finley and Don Plett president of National Council of the Conservative Party. It appears that Mr. Warner’s support of local issues and those important to his constituients like education, affordable housing and HIV/AIDS issues were “off message”. Warner’s bid to fight for Bill Graham’s old seat came to a halt and Bob Rae easily won it.

Fast forward to today, Chris Reid was to be the Conservative party’s candidate in Toronto Centre, but has “voluntarily dropped out” of the election race today. Yesterday’s comments by a Liberal blog, BIGCITYLIB, could not have helped Chris Reid’s chances either way. BigCityLib pointed to Reid’s posts on “Political Thoughts From A Gay Conservative”. Reid criticized the passengers and bus driver of the Greyhound bus tragedy and Reid’s “answer” for their “inaction” was no handguns aboard. What?! Forget for a minute the bravery of those aboard that helped evacuate and then held the killer trapped inside the bus. How dangerous would a bus trip be if everyone had weapons? For Reid to say

“we need concealed-carry handgun legislation in this country, so we can defend one another and deter horrible events such as this” – from Chris Reid’s “Political Thoughts From A Gay Conservative” blog

is just plain ridiculous. Reid’s controversial blog is no longer available (but can be read in cache – the internet tends not to forget…)

Chris Reid - Conservative Blog

The Conservatives have reacted quickly, as they have with apologies to Jim Davis, related to jokes made by Gerry Ritz while working on the listeriosis crisis file, and to aboriginal peoples following comments to members of their community. So Chris Reid has been replaced, the new Conservative Candidate in Toronto is David Gentili. Gentili is reported to have worked recently in PM Harper’s office.

In Toronto Centre Riding your list of candidates (for NOW…)

Johan Boyden (Communist Party of Canada)
Philip Fernandez (Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada)
David Gentili (Conservative Party of Canada)
Ellen Michelson (Green Party of Canada)
Bob Rae (Liberal Party of Canada)
Liz White (Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada)