Posts Tagged ‘toronto’
Untitled by Martinho on Flickr
Things have gotten interesting over at the Occupy Toronto camp in the last day or so– really interesting, in fact – especially for a political nerd like me. I love politics and law, and I especially love everything about constitutional law – I took a bunch of law-related classes in my undergrad (and actually had, for all purposes, intended to go to law school – I sort of “fell” into multimedia, journalism, and communications before writing the LSAT) and I took a few constitutional law classes as well.
I even have a t-shirt from my Political Science department that has a sports-jersey style to it:
NOTWITHSTANDING
33
Hilarious, right? If you got that, you’re as big of a nerd as I am.
Anyway, like I said – things are getting interesting. Specifically, in relation to legal developments surrounding the Occupy Toronto movement – and I’ll be watching the court system over the coming days very, very closely.
Untitled by -- brian cameron -- on Flickr
Yesterday morning, Mayor Rob Ford and the City of Toronto delivered eviction notices to the Occupy Toronto protesters (who have set up a tent city and have been camping in St. James Park downtown for the past 31 days) – basically saying “vacate the park by 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, please and thank you”. Well, that didn’t sit too well with the protesters – who thus planned a party (I wish I was kidding) and said “well, we’re not listening to the law, and we’re not leaving”. I’ve heard they’ve since removed (and burned) all eviction notices and have replaced them with signs reading something to the effect of, “The Charter is our permit!”
Now, I believe in the right to assemble and protest as much as the next person – but setting up a camp in public space does not sit well with me. The city wants the Occupy Toronto protest out for a number of reasons – bylaw violations, disrupting the neighbourhood residents enjoyment of the park, the effect on local businesses in the area… you get the idea.
Technically, the Occupy Toronto protest has been violating a number of city (park-related) by-laws since the occupation of St. James Park began over 30 days ago, including 608-3 conduct, 608-7 encroachment, 608-9 access, 608-10 campfires and barbecues, 608-13 camping and lodging, and 608-14 tents and structures.
To expand a list of the specific bylaws they’re violating (according to my interpretation) click here.
Basically, what happened next was this: while most protesters were planning a party (I wish I was kidding) and meeting to discuss “what now?”, a small group went to the courts to get an injunction – based on a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms challenge – and succeeded.
The occupiers are arguing that evicting them from St. James Park (and other occupy movements across Canada from their respective locations) is a violation of our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which outlines our fundamental freedoms as Canadian citizens in section two:
2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
(a) freedom of conscience and religion;
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
(d) freedom of association.
Justice David Brown granted them a stay of eviction, meaning a) the City and police may not forcibly remove the protesters, tents, or other structures, and b) the protesters may not grow their operations by adding more bodies, tents, or structures.
The hearing is scheduled for Friday, when the Occupy Toronto lawyer and city lawyer will present their cases to the courts, and the Justice Brown has promised a decision by suppertime Saturday.
So, the question remains: is there really a valid Charter challenge here? And whose rights supersede whose? Do bylaws trump the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, or does the Charter trump the law?
Personally, I don’t think there’s a real Charter challenge, nor do I think the Charter trumps these particular bylaws.
Section one of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is very clear:
1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.
And, in my opinion – the bylaws outlined above are such reasonable limits. No one is telling the Occupy Toronto protesters they may not protest, and no one is saying they may not protest IN St. James Park – they are simply being told they can’t LIVE in the park.
As a sidebar, in other cities, there’s been issues with protesters overdosing on drugs (in fact, there was a non-fatal incident of a similar nature in Toronto) and in Vancouver, someone actually died at the protest. With the harsh Canadian winter fast approaching, it’s no wonder people are concerned about the well-being of the protesters on top of the other aforementioned issues.
But, on the flip side – it seems in Vancouver a group of homeless activitists won the right to sleep/camp in parks in 2008, though I’m unclear as to whether or not that is still the case.
Also, in terms of the American protests and their evictions – I’ve seen numerous tent cities set up in the USA, particularly across from the White House, and they’ve been there for decades (presumably) without issue. So, do they have some sort of special consideration, or permit – or does the government turn a blind eye? Or are they arrested, and then return to continue the protest? If anyone has any insight into this, I’d love to hear it.
Untitled by Martinho on Flickr
What makes me nervous about this is the fact it’s a challenge to the Charter – while I agree it’s time the protesters stop camping in St. James Park and look at other options, I also don’t like the fact it’s come this far. A successful Charter challenge by Occupy Toronto would open a whole other can of worms in terms of bylaws, citizen rights, and whether laws of the Charter – in other similar and non similar instances – supersede City laws.
One thing is for sure – like I said earlier – I’ll be watching very closely as this unfolds in the coming days.
Click “read more” below to see the Toronto Municipal Code Parks by-law as it pertains to this protest.
Read more »
This morning, an anonymous letter from a cyclist who took a nasty spill is making the rounds in Toronto media.
The letter is directed to a jogger, who, according to the cyclist, literally steeped over him/her to continue jogging, instead of asking if assistance was needed or if they were alright.
My first thought was “how terrible!”
I mean, how could someone – literally – walk OVER someone injured instead of seeing if they need a hand?
Apparently, many Torontonians – or, at least, National Post commentators – don’t agree with me, as many think the letter is “whiny”, accuses the cyclist of riding in a prohibited area or cutting the jogger off, and telling the “limping cyclist” to toughen up.
Okay, maybe the fall wasn’t major, maybe the jogger was “in the zone”, but really – is that any excuse for not asking if the biker was okay?
I mean, when I see someone fall, I help them up or ask if they need assistance.
Recently, I actually went OUTSIDE MY HOUSE when I heard someone yelling – a teen had taken a spill off his bike, was in pain, and his younger brother was yelling and crying. If I can leave my house to see if someone needs help, is it really too much to ask someone to stop for a minute?
Apparently so.
Here’s another story: I tripped in the mall a few years back, on the steps near an exit and busted up my knee really good. The edge of the stair went straight in between my kneecap and leg bone, there was a crunching noise, and it took me a good few seconds to get up after being stunned and shouting “OW!”
TONS of people were around.
Most kept walking, looked the other way, or ignored me all together. A group of teenagers – probably about 17 or 18, so not much older than I was at the time (21) LAUGHED at me instead of offering to help. I limped out in pain and tears – people looked, but there was still no offer for help.
My fall was so bad I went to get my knee x-rayed at the hospital, ended up on crutches for 3 weeks, had an MRI later, and was in physiotherapy for one and a half years. Thankfully, although my knee is still weaker than my other one, it’s mostly healed (except when it’s humid it acts up) and I was lucky enough not to break anything or do any serious cartilage damage.
This avoidance-of-helping isn’t a new phenomenon, either. Too many people “don’t want to get involved” in various situations. In 1964, Kitty Genovese was famously stabbed to death on the street in NYC. 38 people witnessed or heard the struggle, yet no one did anything. Everyone assumed someone else would do it.
Now, while I am not necessary saying you should get directly involved in something so violent – would it kill you to call the police? To throw something from your window down that way, to try and scare the perp?
Unlikely.
And, by that same token – would it kill you to ask someone who’s fallen off a bike, tripped in the mall, if they need help?
I doubt it.
So why don’t we do those things? Why do we look the other way, ignore the situation, or think “someone else will pull over, someone else will call 911″.
I honestly think it’s a big city syndrome. I once pulled over in Timmins, on the side of the country highway, to take a picture of a pretty double rainbow spanning the forest. Within minutes, a car stopped to ask if I needed help. Five minutes later, a second stopped.
I tripped downtown once in Timmins too – didn’t even fall, simply lost my balance, but caught myself in time. A man standing near by smoking asked if I was okay, and when I said I was, said “You have to be careful on these bricks, they can be loose!”
Yet, in places like Toronto, in New York – it seems people can’t be bothered to stop and help.
Next time you see someone fall, drop something, or do something that otherwise catches your attention – I challenge you to actually stop and do something about it.
If we all paid a little more attention – and were a little nicer to each other – I think Toronto would be a much more pleasant place to live… as opposed to so cold.
And I don’t mean “cold” in a winter snow kind of way.
This blog post is long overdue – considering the CNE (aka the Ex!) ended weeks ago – but hey, I’m doing pretty good considering I still haven’t blogged about my, er, Feburary/March trip to Europe. Oops.
I haven’t been to the Ex now in a few years – actually I think the last time I went was when I was still a student… so at least 2 years ago, if not longer.
I’m going to be completely honest: there was one main reason why I begged The Boy to go with me – despite the fact he, uh, was spending 5 nights a week working the overnight shift as a poker dealer at the Ex Casino – and that was DEEP. FRIED. EVERYTHING.
The CNE is pretty well known for a number of things:
- The (sketchy) midway rides (of which I always ride the giant Ferris Wheel)
- extraordinarily expensive parking costs ($20 – unless your boyfriend has an employee parking pass, ha!)
- The casino, of course – I’ve heard Rama & Port Perry are EMPTY during the 6 weeks this one is operative
- The Labour Day weekend Air Show (which I was supposed to go to, but skipped due to impending rain that never actually arrived)
- The crazy sculptures – made from rocks, sand, butter… yeah, butter!
- And (in my family, at least) the fact I always come home with a collection of overpriced, unneeded, midway game stuffed animals.
But beyond all that, the Ex is ALSO known for their overly oleaginous, caloricly careless – but disgustingly delicious – deep friend food. Mac and Cheese! Pickles! Mars Bars! Oreos! Ice Cream! Pop Tarts! Cola! You name it, they probably deep fry it.
Doughnut burgers being made - gained 5lbs just by looking. ;)
The CNE made headlines earlier this year when they announced they’d be carrying the famed Krispy Kreme doughnut burger. I didn’t try it – the line was horrendously long, and hey, I didn’t want to subject myself to 1,500 calories in one burger (and that’s without the bacon!). I would have split with the boy – but he didn’t want to end up eating most of it if I didn’t like it or “got full”. I don’t blame him. That happens a lot to us.
I did, however, try a few other deep-friend goodies (which probably added up to more than 1,500 calories, ha – but we shared ;)
The Deep Fried Pickle
Delicious. I don’t have another word to describe this. It was super juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and had a super tasty flavor. It also came on a stick, which won me over immediately. I ask you – who doesn’t love food on a stick?
The Deep Fried Mac n’ Cheese
Sold out. As in, I had to settly for deep fried mac n’ cheese curds, which I was assured was “the same only cheesier” – “hell yes, I’m in!” I said. I regretted that about 15 seconds later when I actually tried them. The dish was dry, lacked flavour, and honestly I couldn’t find cheese. Seriously. It was like deep fried mac. Really disappointing. I heard from a friend that the mac n’ cheese was much better – kicking myself for settling for the curds. I must admit they were substantially better once we made the discovery that leftover ranch dip from pickle + deep friend mac n’ curds = om nom.
The Deep Fried Pop Tart
OMG DELICIOUS! I do have to admit, I was deeply disappointed they didn’t have a chocolate pop-tart, and asked for a deep-fried s’more instead – but they were sold out. So I decided to “settle” for a raspberry pop-tart (I really wanted the sprinkley strawberry one, but The Boy doesn’t like strawberry all that much). Much to my delight, it ALSO came on a stick (again, food tastes better on a stick! ;) and drowned in icing sugar and chocolate sauce. Cardiac arrest? Possibly, but at least you’ll die with happy taste buds. I loved it so much. I am immensely glad I don’t have a deep-frier at home or I’d be eating these for breakfast every day (and weigh like 700 lbs). And probably deep frying everything else in my kitchen too – deep frying is kind of fun to do.
'Deep-fried Cola 3' by alanosaur on Flickr
The Deep Fried Coke
Didn’t eat it. Why? We searched, and searched, and FINALLY found it and were going to give it a whirl (even with the line) but… it looked disgusting. Like worms. Deep fried worms.
And we were stuffed. From eating everything else.
It was worth it, though – especially that Pop Tart.
Maybe next year.
I believe in the sand beneath my toes,
the beach gives a feeling, an earthy feeling.
I believe in the faith that grows,
and the four right chords could make me cry,
When I’m with you I feel like I could die,
and that would be all right,
All right.
I want something else,
to get me through this
Semi charmed kinda life.
I love Third Eye Blind – they were (and actually, still are) one of my all-time favourite bands from the late 90′s. So, when I heard that Ontario Place’s Echo Beach was holding a free Third Eye Blind concert as part of their Through The Decades concert series, how could I NOT go?
I’ve never been to the Echo Beach concert venue before – it just opened in April of this year – but was pleasantly surprised by the brightly coloured umbrellas, funky lights, sandy beach, volleyball net, and fun atmosphere. Those who know me well know I will ONLY buy lawn seats at the Molsen Amphitheater - not because of price (cheap), but because I love the idea of chilling on the grass at an outdoor concert… so of course, I LOVED the idea of chilling on a beach.
So, already thrilled with the atmosphere (although slightly frustrated at security/guest services over the confusion on whether or not I was allowed to take my DSLR in – I was supposed to be attending as media, and was supposed to be OK to bring it in sans-zoom lens according to two people at guest services… security day-of told me otherwise) I settled in to watch one of my favourite bands live for the first time.
They opened with my two FAVOURITE songs of theirs – “Motorcycle Drive By” and “Faster” (it was actually almost a bit of a disappointment both were first, as I wouldn’t be anticipating them the whole concert!) and were AMAZING. It was a total blast from the past, and really nice to finally see them live in concert.
And, mid-way through the concert lead singer Stephan Jenkins announced he was preforming for the first time since coming out of the hospital with cracked ribs:
I need your help to rock out tonight! Backstage I have a gigantic bottle of Vicodin, but unlike most bands (laugh) I can’t plat on drugs. I just can’t do it. What I’m trying to say is… my cracked ribs hurt like a motherf*%$^r right now. I might be jumping up and down but in my mind I’m screaming so you have to do it for me. Don’t let me down!
You gotta admire the guy for still playing – and yes, jumping around on stage a bit – with CRACKED RIBS. Lemme tell you, if I had cracked ribs I’d be doped on on pain killers at home in bed, not rocking out on the guitar and microphone at a concert.
The band is actually not on tour right now (this was a special booking for the 4oth Anniversary Celebrations at Ontario Place), as they’re in San Fransico working on a new album:
We actually just finished a song last night, and then flew straight here. We really should get together more often.
Yes, yes, you should. The band has replaced a guitarist and bassist since the 90s, but still sound just as good (if not better!). Interestingly, Jenkins mentioned they want to presently add Irish guitarist Kryz Reid to the band but are having issues getting him an American Visa (boo, America!)
Hopefully they get it sorted out, because Reid is a great guitarist and, y’know, sounds good with the band.
I can’t wait until their new album comes out… hopefully sometime next year.
More photos:
Look Ma, I'm in the Circus!
Fun fact about me: I’ve had a secret dream to run away and join the circus since I was little. Something about wearing bright colours while swinging around on a trapeze, sticking my head in a lion’s mouth, and riding around on an elephant just seems so cool.
And let me tell you, it’s a good thing I never found out the Toronto School of Circus Arts existed before the age of 8 or my childhood (and teen years!) might have been much different… or just would have involved copious amounts of whining at my parents to send me there, instead of the copious amounts of whining to send me to private school. (Yeah, I whined at them for YEARS to send me to the local girls-only private school: in my defense, I was like 8 and it’s in a castle, ok? ;)
Very recently, Jukari Fit to Fly launched at Kingwest Fitness in Toronto. It hit 12 cities world-wide in 2009, but it took a few years to come to Toronto (the first Canadian city to get the program was Montreal).
Jukari is a new workout regime developed by Cirque du Soleil and Reebok that promises a tough, intense – but still fun – hour long workout. You spin, jump, dance, run, stretch, and swing your way through the class using the FlySet; which is basically ropes that swivel a 360-degrees and are suspended from the ceiling, a 4.5 lb steel bar you can hook into said ropes, and foot straps that also can clip onto the ropes. It’s like a low level trapeze that gives you a cardio, flexibility, strength, and core workout.
But simply describing it doesn’t really do it justice. So, check out this promotional video for the program to see what a Jukari workout looks like, while I try not to move in fear of making my abs hurt more than they already do:
It looks fun, right?
And easy!
Yeah, my instructor made it look easy too.
Most of the class went a little something like this:
The best part was when we put on the foot straps midway through, because we got to lie down for about 30 seconds while listening to the next move… which was a nice, easy plank.
Well, “easy” (I use that word loosely!) if it was a normal plank.
You see, in a Jukari plank your arms are fully extended; and your legs are stuck through a bungee loop attached to the ropes hanging from the ceiling.
Dear lord, my arms.
I have to admit though, despite how incredibly impossible some of the moves seemed, and how tired I was just 25 minutes in – it was an AMAZING workout, and so much fun! I got a really intense workout in just an hour, and the time flew by because of the great music, high energy instructor, and good company (I took the class with two of my girl friends). It’s no secret I loathe going to the gym, and easily get bored on the elliptical, weight machines, and bikes.
Today, my body feels like I did my normal 1.5-2 hour workout at the gym (actually, probably worse than that!) but it only felt like I was at Kingwest for a little bit of time.
I have 4 more classes left (I bought a 5 class trial pass through Teambuy last month), and even after that’s done I can see myself going back for drop in Jukari sessions from time to time.
If it’s in your area, give it a go! You won’t be disappointed… just sore.
