BRB! jst gettn on D subway ttyl! TTC to Bring in Wireless Service on Subways Rachel Venturo As students living in a society driven by innovation, it is hard to come across places that are still untouched by the signals and frequencies of technology. However, the underground subway system of Toronto, which is travelled by commuters daily, forces riders to take a short reprieve from the constant activity of their cell phones. As Torontonians venture down those long escalators towards subway station platforms, cell phone coverage cuts out and they are offered a break from the world meters above them. Transit-users are divided by those who value their brief moments of freedom and those who stare restlessly at their devices waiting to resume their conversations. Yet no matter which type of commuter you are, one wireless provider will soon be cutting down the number of “BRB’s” Torontonians will send as they use the transit system. The Toronto Transit Commission is currently consulting with various firms to decide which one will complete the project of equipping subway stations with mobile coverage. TTC Director of Corporate Communications, Brad Ross, has indicated once a company has been awarded the contract in December, subway-takers will soon be able to change their Facebook profile pictures, respond to incoming e-mails and tweet the experiences of their
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morning commute while waiting for the train to pull up to the platform. So far there are three firms vying to sponsor the project: Bell Mobility, Extenet Systems, a Chicago-based company who will join with Telus, and Australia Limited who would be affiliated with Rogers. To the satisfaction of those who enjoy the quiet moments of their daily commute, the project’s start date and completion date are still unknown. Currently, there are not any plans to have cell service in the subway tunnels, meaning commuters will only have until they board the trains to continue cellular activities. It is also still unclear as to how construction will impact transit services once it begins. The TTC is not the only transit system trying to make commuting easier for its patrons. Six stations in Manhattan were given cell reception at the end of September, thirty-one will have it in the next year and eventually all two hundred and twenty-seven will be wireless in the next four years. However, only AT&T or T-Mobile users are currently able to enjoy the new cell phone service on Manhattan platforms. This raises concerns about how the wireless provider that wins the contract will be able to carry out the TTC’s project when connecting users from other communication firms.
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McGuinty's Hat Trick Annette Gagliano
Following the aftermath of the spring Federal election, on October 6 Ontarians headed to the polls for a second time this year to cast their ballots in the province’s 40th general election. The choice of for whom to vote was certainly a challenging one. Days before the election, there was not a particular candidate that seemed to rise over the others, and pollsters predicted varying results. Each party’s platform had its own advantages and limitations, but in the end, the party who succeeded in drawing in the greatest number of Ontarians was all that really mattered. The candidates of the four major political parties were the incumbent Dalton McGuinty from the Liberal Party, Tim Hudak representing the Progressive Conservatives, Andrea Horwath from the New Democratic Party, and Mike Schreiner leading the Green Party. The 2007 provincial election results led to a strong majority for
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the Liberal Party, accounting for 42.3 per cent of Ontarians votes. The Liberals claimed 71 seats, the Progressive Conservatives were given 26 seats, the New Democratic Party received 10 seats and the Green Party did not have a seat. Four years later, the results were quite different. According to the unofficial results from Elections Ontario, the Liberal Party lost popularity among Ontarians, and claimed 37.6 per cent of the votes. The Progressive Conservatives and the New Democratic Party both did exceptionally well, capturing 35.4 per cent and 22.7 per cent of the votes, respectively. However, the Green Party fell short in the election, losing nearly five per cent of the votes they claimed in the last provincial election in 2007. Out of the 107 seats in Ontario’s Legislative Assembly, each seat representing a different riding in the province, the Liberals won 53
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