May 2021 - Issue 52
TREASURE HUNT RICH GET RICHER KNOW YOUR STREET ART THE REAL NDP Romanesque Revival
May PSN Advertisers
Thanks to all of our advertisers. When things open up (he said for the fifth straight issue), we will have a party for all of our contributors and advertisers. We will “kiss until the Goat comes home” because “a good goat does that”. too soon?? Advertising in our little paper is only a fraction of what local businesses are doing to support others in these trying times, and yes I hope they find the goat and did I mention this is the 52nd edition of the Parliament Street News? We have lots of interesting contributors: Kiwanis club...pg 5 Nick Rondinelli...pg 7 Pstreet News...pg 4 Andre Bermon..pg6 K Fisher...pg 8 Heather Wilbourforce...pg 9 Rachel Matthews... pg 11 Mike Hepburn...pg 11 Kathy Flaxman ...pg 13 Lenka Life ...pg 15 Tony Lafazanis ...pg 16 Duncan Fremlin...pg 15 Anita Bostok / Norm Hathaway...pg 12
We welcome opinions. Varied and opinionated articles are coming in, and we always need more. The neighbourhood and everything is about to explode in every way. Whatever you are passionate about is going to skyrocket in the months to come. Whatever has been an issue or of political concern will be ratcheted up to a new level. This era will be magic and could be tragic and we’d love to hear about it and share it. The street energy cut loose and fueled by warm hot weather will bring out the joy, but it will also bring reality spilling right onto the street. Welcome to a new era of energy and enthusiasm, so get your running shoes on and keep your head up. See you in August. Pete Lovering , Publisher, Parliament Street News
Ed Drass...pg 11 Samantha Peck ...pg 10
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- May 2021
Never before have small class sizes been so important.
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Montcrest School Don Gardiner Weenen General Contracting Cabbagetown Massage therapy Cabbagetown BIA Laird and Son Momentum Montessori Richard Silver Canary Dental Menagerie Double Take Fair Trade Jewellry Co Bostok Hathaway Annamie Paul Green Party Silver Birch Flooring Tony Lafazanis Law Haddad Hudson Law Offices Maple Leaf Cleaning Services Gallery Arcturus Epicure Shop Cabbagetown Arts & Crafts Buro Klaus Hepburn Landscaping Cabbagetown Carpentry Ron Reaman Heart 2 Heart CPR MHC Vintage Genuine Auto Imports Brando 416 Donald Gerrior
In the 2020 by-election, so many Toronto Centre residents took a leap of faith by voting Green. I asked them to “Be Daring” and to vote for the positive change they wanted to see — and so many did. I am going to repay that trust, and take the leap again — if you can be daring, so can I.
Time to Be Daring. Annamie Paul
Your candidate for Toronto Centre Leader · Green Party of Canada
→ annamiepaul.ca Connect with us 437-886-6275 annamie.paul@greenparty.ca @AnnamiePaulGreen @AnnamiePaul
You’ve got this.
Authorized by the Official Agent for Annamie Paul
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| Parliament Street News - Issue 52 -
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Romanesque Revival ON Winchester St There is a lot written about the dance theatre on Winchester Street. Many of us have been there for events, community meetings and taken our kids to dance classes. However, there is remarkably little about the building to be found on the web. As part of our new style, we will pick a location and feature it on the front cover. It seems the people in the area love their heritage.
• Round arches over windows and doorways • Rounded towers • Thick masonry walls and a brick or stone asymmetrical facade • Belt courses • Deep points of entry
The Winchester Street Theatre is a very historic building in Cabbagetown, Toronto. The former home of St. Enoch’s Presbyterian Church, this building dates back to 1891 and was created under the influence of architects Gordon & Helliwell. Today it represents one of the few bold examples of Romanesque Revival in the city and only one of its kind in the neighbourhood, making it an essential part of the Conservation District, both culturally and historically.
About the Architects
Romanesque Revival
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- May 2021
During the mid-19th century, Romanesque Revival architecture was a prominent style in churches, synagogues, universities, train stations, and government buildings in North America. The building Borrows many details from 11th and 12th-century Romanesque structures. The following characteristics can distinguish this style:
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Presently, the building is home to the Toronto Dance Theatre, one of the foremost modern dance companies in Canada.
Gordon & Helliwell was a startof-the-20th-century architectural firm based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Principals were Henry Bauld Gordon, RCA, (1854–1951) and Grant Helliwell (1855–1953). The architectural firm of Gordon & Helliwell, which practiced in Toronto from 1879 to 1931. Church commissions formed a large part of the firm’s work particularly for the Presbyterian church. Helliwell was active in promoting the architectural profession in 0ntario as he was a founding member of the Architectural Guild and served as treasurer of the Ontario Association of Architects in 1899 and later was its president in 1901. Grant Helliwell was born at Todmorden, York County, Ontario on November 3, 1855 to an old Toronto famiy and was educated at the Toronto Grammar School and Jarvis Street Collegiate. GORDON, Henry Bauld (1854-
1951), a prolific architect active in Toronto, Ont. for his entire career, and a partner in the successful firm of Gordon & Helliwell, Architects. He was born in Toronto on 30 September 1854 and was educated at the Normal School. He articled with Henry Langley from 1872 to 1875 and learned much about High Victorian ecclesiastical design from him. In 1876, at the young age of 22 years, Gordon opened an office in Toronto under his own name. Just two years later, in 1878, he formed a partnership
with Grant Helliwell, and for the next sixty years, their firm completed designs for nearly two hundred commercial, institutional, ecclesiastical and residential buildings, which were built in Ontario, Manitoba and as far west as British Columbia. Their collective skill as designers garnered them the First Premium of $200 in the competition for Queen’s College [now Queen’s University] in Kingston, Ont. in 1879, and the following year their impressive Gothic design for the new Ontario Parliament Build-
ing in Toronto submitted in a competition was awarded First Prize in 1880. Alas, this winning scheme was later shelved by the provincial government, and the commission was then awarded to Richard A. Waite, an American architect from Buffalo, N.Y. who, coincidentally, had served as one of the jurors for this 1880 competition.
Meet BGC Toronto Kiwanis! It’s official. Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Clubs has become BGC Toronto Kiwanis. Not to be trendy. Not because it’s shorter or catchier. But because Clubs across the country open their doors to all kids and teens and we believe our brand should reflect that. Removing gender from our name modernizes the BGC brand and echoes the inclusive practices we’re known for, without straying too far from our history and brand awareness. It also embraces the fact that we serve young people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. New brand, same legacy. 100 years of creating opportunities for thousands of kids and teens in the Regent Park and Trinity Bellwoods communities.
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If you want to share about your time at BGC Toronto Kiwanis or are interested in participating in our 100 Stories Campaign, please visit our website (www.bgctk.org) for more information. 100 years of service would not have been possible without the incredible support of our community and those we served. We can’t wait to hear from you!
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| Parliament Street News - Issue 52 -
Alumni, Past Staff, Current Staff, Current Members, Volunteers, whatever your role within our community - we want to know your story.
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health crisis consolidates global wealth Contributed by André Bermon, Publisher of The Bridge News
Behind the hysteria of Covid-19 cases and deaths, the wealth of the top percenters continues to grow. While the pandemic has upended the lives of millions of people around the world, large corporations are quietly amassing one of the largest consolidations of wealth in human history. Using data compiled by Forbes magazine, Americans for Tax Fairness and the Institute for Policy Studies reported that the 661 U.S. billionaires had collectively accumulated $1.3 Trillion (USD) between 18 March 2020 and 19 February 2021. A 44% increase – from $2.95trn to $4.25trn – in just 48 weeks. The biggest winners of the pandemic power grab were in the vaunted tech sector. Elon Musk, celebrity CEO and founder of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX, grew his wealth from $24.6 billion to an astonishing $182bn. Amazon Inc. founder Jeff Bezos gained $73bn and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg cashed in $41bn, while Microsoft’s Bill Gates got $26bn more. Earnings from these four men alone account for 24% of the $1.3trn extra collected by U.S. billionaires during the first 12 months of Covid-19 lockdowns. Meanwhile, the bottom 50% of Americans, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve, have a combined wealth of $2.4trn.
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- May 2021
Levels of inequality worsened by health restrictions Such a massive increase in the global elite’s wealth comes during record unemployment and small business closures, and unprecedented levels of government debt. In Canada, where many middle to low-income earners have suffered, individuals running large companies also saw bigtime gains.
According to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 6 the 47 listed billionaires in
Canada added $78 billion (CAD) to their overall fortunes since March 18, 2020. The total combined wealth of Canada’s billionaires is now $270bn. David Thompson, chairman of Thompson Reuters, one of the largest media conglomerates in the world, benefited the most with $14.4bn extra. Though wealth disparity in Canada is less severe than in the United States, numbers show a staggering amount of concentrated prosperity in the hands of the few. In a 2018 CCPA document entitled “Born to Win,” by David MacDonald, data compiled from Canadian Business magazine revealed that Canada’s wealthiest 87 families were on average 4,448 times richer than the average family. These top 87 families had a combined wealth equal to the bottom 12 million Canadians. Worsened levels of inequality caused by prolonged health restrictions have renewed calls for a tax on the rich. Legacy media articles suggest that a levy on wealth (the NDP proposes a 1% tax on those with $20 million in assets) could help pay for the billions of dollars going out via the federal stimulus program. But even if a wealth tax is imposed, industry-leading companies will continue to solidify their market share dominance. Since the beginning of 2020, the global economy has seen huge mergers and acquisitions in tech and telecommunication sectors. Trail-blazing to new heights was Nvidia Corp.’s move to buy Arm Ltd. from the Japanese holding company Softbank Group. The $40bn (USD) deal would make Nvidia one of the premier semiconductor companies at a time when demand for electronic chips is soaring. (Pandemic splurges for new laptops, screens and phones have led to a worldwide chip shortage).
In Canada, two of the largest telecom and cable providers, Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications, proposed a $20bn (CAD) buyout in April. This deal, and Sobeys parent company Empire acquiring a majority stake in Longo’s grocery store chain for $357 million, are examples of consumer-driven industries amalgamating to further monopolize and control society’s most essential services. These coalescing forces of wealth and power are manifesting before regions like Ontario have found a clear and concise way to emerge from the pandemic. For all the stringent social distancing requirements, intermittent lockdown measures and now the vaccine rollout, a timeline for a general reopening is still anyone’s guess. What is evident amidst the global health crisis is that the curtailing of people’s livelihoods has proven a boon to the super rich. The Bridge News is a great local downtown newspaper and can foun online at thebidgnews.ca
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As your local Cabbagetown realtors and neighbours, we’re here to help you create a plan that will fulfill your real estate dreams. The present market offers exciting opportunities in every segment. Perhaps you’re looking to buy an investment property or want to up-size, you can take advantage of historically low interest rates. For those looking to sell, this hot sellers’ market is breaking record-high prices. If you’re looking to invest in a condo, downtown condos are a specialty. The current high level of inventory has created a rare buying opportunity for the savvy investor. Whatever your dreams, our thirtyplus years of experience will help guide you toward the right move.
Peer Support Responder -
A community initiative by Heart2Heart CPR that provides FREE training and supplies to people likely to encounter opioid poisoning. Contributed by: Nick Rondinelli, Owner of Heart2Heart CPR. Heart to Heart First Aid CPR Services Inc., is proud to present a Johnston-Brais Initiative called “Peer Support Responder.” This new and FREE training program is our response to the current increase in preventable opioid-related fatalities. We recommend this training for those who are most likely to encounter, witness, or experience opioid poisoning. It may include people who use drugs and their peers. Our goal is to save lives by providing FREE overdose response training and FREE supplies/PPE to 100 peer responders in Downtown Toronto East starting June 1, 2021. With proper training, supplies and full PPE, Peer Support Responders can bring advanced life-saving knowledge and skills directly to populations most at risk. Each responder will receive a FREE Red Cross emergency response backpack that includes a Bag-Valve Mask with HEPA filter, hard-case pocket mask, mini-first aid kit and PPE (KN95 mask, gloves, gown, face shield, eye protection).
FORSYTHIA FESTIVAL
In the last Drug Alert issued by Toronto Drug Strategy (May 7th, 2021) it states:
As organizers, we have been blown away by the spirit and generosity of our neighbourhood and local businesses.
help make the festival “Experience Bags” extra special by donating “Golden Ticket” prizes, coupons and gift cards that were included in the bags.
This was a 50th Anniversary Festival like no other. Wishing you an amazing Spring season and remember to mark your calendars for the
Thanks to Parliament Street News and Doug Fisher for promotion and articles.
51st Annual Cabbagetown Forsythia Festival, May 1, 2022 #thinksping2022
Thank you to our generous financial donations from TD Canada Trust, RBC Private Wealth Management, York Search Group
We would like to thank the businesses who stepped up to
THANK YOU Steak and Chops Stout Famelia Epicure Spruce Salt and Tobacco Wonderkind.ca Buds and Blossoms NoFills
“Over the last five days, Toronto Paramedic Services have attended one of the worst clusters of suspected opioid overdose-related calls involving deaths since we began monitoring this data in 2017. Preliminary data show that from May 2 to 6, 2021, paramedics attended 13 fatal suspected opioid-related overdose calls, including five fatal calls on May 6th, which is the highest daily number of fatal calls on record since we began monitoring this data.” Our record-breaking opioid fatalities will continue to
plague our community and marginalized populations unless we can significantly change the trajectory for people using drugs to NOT use alone. Properly trained and equipped Peer Support Responders can monitor their peers (and each other) safely. In addition, they can provide emergency response care (with full PPE and protective equipment against aerosol generating procedures). This initiative is 100% sponsored by Heart to Heart First Aid CPR Services Inc through its social branch called the Johnston-Brain Initiative. It’s our way of giving back to our community that has given so much to us for 22 years. We are currently accepting 100 responders for this first round of training in Downtown Toronto East. We kindly request that you share this opportunity with any organization or person who you feel will benefit from our program. Visit the webpage below to watch a brief video about the program and learn about the positive results from our pilot course. You can also see our upcoming course dates and register online. Our first three courses are already sold out. This training course will fill up quickly as it is in high demand. We are an essential service, and our health and safety training can run during current lockdown restrictions. We practice strict COVID-19 safety precautions during all training courses. For more information, please visit www.heart2heartcpr. com/peersupport.
| Parliament Street News - Issue 52 -
WHAT’S YOUR NEXT MOVE?
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May the REAL NDP please stand up The Winds of Change have hit the current NDP. Contributed by K. Fisher Full disclosure, my vote usually flip-flops between Liberal and Conservative depending on the official mandate of the Party. In the 2020 Toronto Centre Byelection, it was apparent the Conservatives were not running a qualified candidate. So, what was a slightly right-of-center minded voter left to do? Vote for the most qualified person should always be the right thing to do. The most qualified was a chap named Paul Saguil. But the Liberals betrayed and punted him at the last minute in order to run Marci Ien. Mr. Saguil had even sent out post cards letting voters know he would be the Liberal candidate. Mr. Saguil is a very qualified first generation Canadian, and lawyer heading up the Anti-Money Laundering task force for a big five bank. Pretty impressive but the Liberals chose a media darling celebrity and kicked Saguil to the curb. A very successful tactic that the Federal Liberals used when they abandoned running highly educated/ qualified
leadership hopefuls in favour of a media darling. Perhaps an open minded voter could have looked at Annamie Paul of the Green Party and would have seen an impressive, highly educated (a Master’s from Princeton), highly accomplished (working in the International Criminal courts), etc. The right thing to do, for Toronto and our immediate community, should be to vote for the most qualified person in the Election! Regrettably, a tragic betrayal occurred when the NDP chose not to return a favour offered them two years ago. What favour is that you ask? Think back to when the talented Elizabeth May was the leader of the Green Party. The Stephane Dionne Liberals, out of respect for an Opposition leader, purposely did not run a candidate against the Green Party and paved the way for Elizabeth May to earn a seat in the Parliament.
In early February 2019, prior to the General Election, Jagmeet Singh was running in the Burnaby South bi-election. In that bi-election, the Green Party continued the cordial tradition, as originally offered to them, and did not run a candidate against Jagmeet Singh to give him a foot in the door. Jagmeet wins and goes to the House of Commons. Back to our 2020 bi-election in Toronto Centre triggered because Bill Morneau had joined the ranks of scorned senior Liberal Cabinet ministers and quit Trudeau in protest. It was not his involvement with WE Charity that did him in. Rather it was that he as the Finance Minister could not fathom the fiscally irresponsible budget, even by traditional Liberal standards, that he was asked to table. So we have a bi-election and there is a new leader of the Green Party running and that was Annamie Paul. An extremely strong, dare I say overwhelmingly qualified
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- May 2021
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candidate who was the new leader of the Green Party. We know what happened next. The NDP went against tradition and actually ran a candidate against Paul! The NDP did not return the favour to Annamie Paul that was extended to their own leader Jagmeet only a year and a half earlier. The NDP took 16% of the vote and the Green Party lost by 8% in Toronto Centre. Atrocious, shameful, hypocritical, Jack Layton rolling in his grave (RIP), petty, selfish, cowardly and pathetic are all descriptive words that come to mind. I think is shows the true stripes of the current NDP…and by extension the new ‘progressives’ in the party. I guess that’s politics. All I know is that the current NDP shocked me and showed itself to be selfserving frauds with no respect for building mutually beneficial working relationships or process. They seem completely disconnected from their
traditional founding roots. If they were interested in what was best for Canada and Canadian politics, they would have done the right thing, followed the honourable tradition that they gladly accepted for their own benefit. They should have allowed the best person to run and win and supported an Opposition party that could have helped them on my issues. They should have gotten out of the way. The candidate the NDP ran was nothing more than a 3rd tier underqualified seat warmer and Toronto could have had a truly powerful and accomplished leader, representing this ward in the House of Commons. That would have been a win for everyone in Toronto Centre including even the Conservatives. I voted for the best candidate and it felt good. Shame on the current desperate NDP. downtownconcernedcitizens.com
A Special Garden Sign Contributed by Heather Wilberforce, with Catherine Tammaro Have you ever wondered about the sign that stands inside the Winchester School Children’s Garden? It was designed with Green Thumbs Growing Kids by the amazing Wyandot artist, Catherine Tammaro; Spotted Turtle Clan (catherinetammaro. com) and painted by the youth working with Green Thumbs!
In the centre of Turtle’s back is one of the many medicine wheels representing the four sacred directions - or the “Allness of Everything” as Catherine said when we spoke. Tobacco, Sage, Sweetgrass, and Cedar all have spiritual and medicinal properties. These are the 4 sacred medicines. In the upper left is Elder Brother Sun who provides life and heat for all growing things and in the lower right is Grandmother Moon watching over all women identified people and the movement of the world’s
The Gentle Treasure Hunt #2 waters and behind it all, clouds, symbolising change. Below image: Catherine and helpers painting sign in 2018. And at the centre of the wheel is the feather representing Eagle’s clear vision, prayer, Indigenous Sovereignty and much more. Here, it is representing the individual, where everything is unified; clans, communities and lifeways. This sign watches over and protects the Children’s Garden and helps to guide our stewardship of this land. Green Thumbs Growing Kids (GTGK) is a local charity actively creating and managing
school food gardens in order to connect children to food and their environment. Gardens at Sprucecourt Jr. PS, Winchester Jr. & Sr. PS and Rose Avenue PS are managed by Green Thumbs and we support gardening projects at Nelson Mandela Park PS. No funding is received from the Toronto District School Board so GTGK depends on support from members of the community and friends of the gardens. Look us up and learn more about what we do. Please support our work by donating here. www.greenthumbsto.org
On the lookout for art that looks out on the street Article and images contributed be Ed Drass
Trapped between cabin fever and depressing distractions? Then tuck this paper into your vest and bolt out the front door. Go anywhere. Or, if you require a bit of a mission in order to get beyond your usual routes, embark on this gentle treasure hunt to find art that is intentionally being pointed outward onto our main streets. Not only is the Cabbagetown BIA helping bring artwork to underused windowfronts – that effort goes by the name A New Beginning -- but nearby galleries are shifting colour and creation from their indoor exhibit spaces to face where people can see them better. First landmark on our hunt is Akasha Art Projects along Carlton Street at Ontario Street, with its wide window overlooking the TTC stop. A framing shop during the day, the space becomes an all-hours gallery to uplift passersby or to comfort those awaiting the 506 streetcar after dark.
Depending on when you read this, the work hanging could be from a series of photographs of the architecture of Angkor Wat by co-owner Kelly Kyle – gentle yet compelling images that you may wish could fit in the window all at once. This is one of the aches of our time; being unable to enter spaces as freely as we once did. Myself, I am beyond fortunate to be able to do the rounds in the museum where I work; Gallery Arcturus on Gerrard Street near Church Street. There are seven exhibit spaces ready with artwork in place, well past waiting for the word to open up. Until we can, walk by to see what is beaming out over the sidewalk. There are two benches to permit sitting across from a friend; to allow you to bring your bubble outside and enjoy the sun with a sculpture or painting looking out on you. https://akashaart.com/ https://arcturus.ca/
| Parliament Street News - Issue 52 -
Let your eyes wander across the images on the sign. What do you see? Based on the world view of many Indigenous folk from different places on “Turtle Island” the Turtle at the centre here, symbolises Mother Earth and is a deeply regarded Indigenous symbol which can mean many things in Indigenous oral teachings.
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Haddad Hudson Law Office Barristers & Solicitors
Michael Peter Haddad michael@haddadhudsonlaw.ca
Anne Hudson
anne@haddadhudsonlaw.ca 548 Parliament Street t: 416-926-8151 f: 416-927-9005
The Transformational Power of Being Heard Contributed by Samantha Peck
RED CROSS FIRST AID & CPR TRAINING
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216 Carlton Street, lower level Toronto | PSTREETNEWS.COM -- May 2021
(Cabbagetown @ Carlton & Parliament)
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TOLL FREE: 1-866-260-2790 PHONE: 416.960.5319 EMAIL: register@heart2heartcpr.com
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We Save Lives, So Can you.
“A welcome reprieve from the harsh realities of life.” “A transformative experience.” “Life changing.” These are a few of the things I was told by the family caregivers who participated in expressive writing workshop sessions run by the Toronto Writers Collective.
seemed like an interesting opportunity to try something new has blossomed into new friendships, a renewed sense of confidence, and improved well-being. All because a group of strangers took a leap of faith and were brought together for a couple of hours per week to write.
In March 2020, long-term care was rocked by the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, with family caregivers traumatized by the impact of COVID in long-term care homes. As the Executive Director of Family Councils Ontario, I knew that we needed to do something new to help caregivers through the crisis, but I was at a loss for what exactly that was. Then, the Toronto Writers Collective reached out to chat with me about their work. And I thought, let’s try it! And I am so, so glad that we did.
Many of those workshop participants have chosen to take the next step to become Toronto Writers Collective facilitators and bring the life changing experience to other caregivers. If you want to join these incredible caregivers as expressive writing workshop facilitators, and live in Downtown Toronto, FCO and TWC are hosting a facilitator training June 4-6. The training is co-funded by the Rotary Club of Toronto, FCO and the TWC. To learn more and to apply, visit: www.torontowriterscollective. ca.
The expressive writing program is backed by evidence, so I didn’t doubt that it would have an impact on the caregivers I work with. Participating in the workshops has changed their lives and improved their ability to be effective caregivers as well as care for themselves. What
Samantha (Sam) and is passionate about helping people and groups achieve their goals. In her 13 years with Family Councils Ontario (formerly Family Councils’ Program) she has supported thousands of family members and long-term care home staff improve their work to achieve
the best possible outcomes and meaningful impacts. In her role as Executive Director, she focuses on building and maintaining relationships with funders, stakeholders, and interconnected organizations to carry out activities that support FCO’s mission & developing strategies that enable the organization to create positive change within the long-term care sector. Samantha holds an Honours B.A. from York University. A dedicated lifelong learner, she also holds Advanced Client-Directed Case Management and Volunteer Management post-graduate certificates from Humber College, Project Management Certificate from the University of Toronto, a Masters Certificate in Adult Training and Development from the Schulich Executive Education Centre, and is currently working on a Voluntary Sector Management Certificate from Ryerson University. In her spare time, Samantha is an avid athlete, reader, volunteer, and sci-fi fan. Fun fact: she has 3 cats!
La Carraia Ornamental Solcato 2016 Grasses Rachel Matthews, Brand Associate Rogers & Company www.rogcowines.com La Carraia is located in the rolling hills of Umbria. Founded in 1988, the winery combines the viticulture expertise of the Gialetti family, with powerhouse winemaker Riccardo Cotarella. Together, they have grown La Carraia into one of the top-quality estates of the region. Umbria is one of Italy’s oldest wine producing areas, dating back to Etruscan times. Also known as the ‘Green Heart of Italy’, landlocked Umbria is famous for unspoiled landscapes of medieval towns and dense forests. Sangiovese is the number one planted grape, and forms part of this red wine blend, along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The wine pours a vibrant, ruby red colour, with an aromatic nose of fresh blackberries, dried herbs and spice. Full bodied, the palate tastes of dark forest fruits, with a touch of cola. This is a robust wine, with just enough acidity to keep you going back for the next sip. ‘Solcato’ is a natural choice to serve with grilled foods, and would be particularly lovely with Italian sausages.
Contributed byMichael Hepburn, Hepburn Landscape and Design
Over my years in the Landscape/design build business I have found that ornamental grasses still seem to be underused in most gardens. Grasses available in small, medium and large varieties. They can be utilized in most locations, for the most part drought tolerant and require very little watering once established. As the sun becomes more intense grasses begin to show they truly are our “warm weather Friends” in the garden and growth progresses as we move into warmer soil and weather temperatures Grasses require very little maintenance creating interesting textures Used as borders or accent base plants. Most medium and large varieties I leave in my garden all winter long as I enjoy the seasonal interest. Once spring arrives a cut back is required to about 5 inches above ground to promote new growth and spread.
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Small grasses do not require this attention as they willl look after themselves. Varieties I find have the most interest: Japanese forest Northern Sea Oat Morning Light Carl Forester Happy Gardening.
STILL SETTING RECORDS. As a long time Cabbagetown Resident and your Local Neighbourhood Realtor, I am honoured to have helped so many of my wonderful neighbours and friends Buy and Sell their beautiful Cabbagetown homes over the years. It’s been an extraordinary year by any measure and Cabbagetown continues to attract increasing attention as one of the most sought after neighbourhoods in the city! The Spring Market got off to a blistering start with new records set for highest sale prices on record*. I live in Cabbagetown, I am passionate about our neighbourhood and I am always happy to help you achieve the very best results! Thinking about buying or selling in this very strong Real Estate market? CALL ME
*My Listing at 446 Wellesley St E was the Highest Price ever paid for a Semi-Detached Cabbagetown home.
RON REAMAN
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| Parliament Street News - Issue 52 -
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Cabbagetown is a neighbourhood of beauty, heritage, cultural diversity and inclusion. We are Anita Bostok and Norman Hathaway and we’re proud to contribute this regular feature where you get to know the people and businesses that make Cabbagetown so special. If you’d like to be featured or would like to nominate someone please get in touch.
Hilton In 1991, Hilton and his family moved to Toronto from South Africa. For twenty-five years, he’s managed the family business, Parliament Street Furniture at 465 Parliament St. Mom retired shortly before the Covid-19 shutdown, leaving Hilton, his brother Rowan, and a “good bunch of guys” to run the store. Because of the great value of the furniture, which includes free delivery and assembly, and by carrying lots of readily available Canadian products, the store has been able to weather the challenges of the pandemic. Hilton’s favourite part is speaking with customers and hearing their unique points of view from which there is always something he can learn. He believes in treating everyone with kindness and respect, saying “it doesn’t cost extra to be nice.” Jeanette To bring clients back to their heart centre, Jeanette created Kan Asana Yoga. Beyond yoga classes, Kan Asana Yoga has a Yin and Tonic shop that offers herbal teas, bath sachets, meditation malas, and pure artisanal cocoa. For the time being, the yoga classes are exclusively online, but outdoor classes will resume in the park as soon as restrictions are lifted. Jeanette wants to bring awareness to the importance of connecting with nature. She says, “We should look closely at nature because it is always talking to us.” Originally from St Catherine’s, Jeanette loves Cabbagetown and especially the splendor of neighbourhood gardens. She is also a student of herbal medicine. Look for her website: kanasanayoga.com.
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- May 2021
Lisa Taira Seven years ago, Lisa arrived in Toronto from Japan in search of a new adventure. She began as a Frame Maker employee, quickly learning the trade. Now in a partnership with Jorge Alexis Forti-Farias, Lisa and Jorge opened their third Frame Maker shop at 527 Parliament St. The pair deemed this location ideal due to excellent foot traffic. The shop was also set up with much of the necessary equipment. Lisa loves helping clients choose the right frame that highlights the artwork or photograph. Framing fits right in with her other passions of DIY custom furniture, shelving, and painting. She is very active, getting outside for a run whenever possible.doors to her dancers.
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Tom Lieu and Quynh Ha Kismet As proud residents of brought Tom and Quynh together during high school in their native Viet Nam. But conflicts in the homeland Cabbagetown, we have a fond made Tom’s family uproot, first to Hong Kong, then appreciation for our great as refugees to Canada. Settling in Toronto, the family took up the dry cleaning business. Meanwhile, Quynh neighbours and businesses that make it so special. left the chaos traveling to the US with 28 passengers on a tiny boat meant to carry only 10. Eventually, Tom We hope to get to know you. and Quynh reunited in Canada and were married. Feel free to drop us a line Tom started working at Parliament Cleaners, 346 Parliament St, to help save a failing business. He took over the shop in 2000. The couple is very if you have any questions appreciative of Cabbagetown where they always received tremendous support for their business. regarding Real Estate. They want to profoundly thank everyone in the community.
EXPECTING EVERYONE
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Advertiser BIO MHC VINTaGE MHC Vintage roots began on Rue Paul Bert at Porte de Clignancourt, officially called Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, Paris’s most famous flea market After a decade working in Paris, Mathew Cohen returns home in 2018 and opens a new incarnation of MHC Vintage in the heart of Cabbagetown. The shop’s unique selection showcases clothing that will work within anyones style and budget. Even though, MHC Vintage is based in Toronto, Mathew continues to maintain, trusted relationships abroad, so as to bring you, the best in vintage, while you shop locally. Our stock is continuously changing and is chosen for its
originality, quality, structure and materials. Every article of clothing at MHC Vintage has lived another life, so why not let it breath new life into yours. Let the Past be your Influencer to a Stylish Future FIND MHC VINTAGE AT 555 parliament street MHCvintage.com Insta: mhcvintage Email :info@mhcvintage.com
Blending the Seasons Indoors and Outdoors
Contibuted by Kathy Flaxman, Photo courtesy of Weenen General Contracting
Stepping through a sliding glass door or a French door expands the options. These not only provide access, they give us a view from the indoors of plants, flowers and grass. Which type of door depends on space, desire for a screen and personal taste. Often these lead directly onto a spacious patio or deck with seating for dining under the stars with subtle lighting and music too. Plants and flowers complete the ambience.
While some fascinating outdoor elements such as the creation of a pergola or sheltered structure aren’t options for this year due to the need for planning and permits, there are still ways to make the outdoors a seamless part of warm weather home life. One example is furniture: outdoor furnishings can look like indoor pieces, but be smaller if necessary and have upholstery that’s going to stand up to outdoor conditions. Finding it chilly on some occasions? Heaters, from electric ones to a fire pit can help. The right lighting can create an effect that works, whether the desired mood is festive, romantic or just bright enough to prevent stumbles!
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And don’t forget, spring is a great time to have any outdoor painting, staining or repairs taken care of, before you’re fully into your blended indoor/ outdoor lifestyle. Think outside the box here, if you dare. A bold bright colour for a fence can be an amazing back drop to plants, and who says you can’t incorporate art? An old window frame painted and hanging by a chain can add style. Now is a great time to start planning for next year too. Dreaming of a
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| Parliament Street News - Issue 52 -
It’s Spring! Time to peel off our down jackets and enjoy the outdoors – right at home. We may live in an unpredictable climate but there are ways we can expand our activities, blending outdoors with indoors and maximizing our pleasure.
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KNOW YOUR STREET ART
STARTING WITH THE PARKS Opinion contributed by Pete Lovering
| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- May 2021
Changing everything at once is impossible, no matter how well-intended you might be. Maybe the idea is to start in one place. Everybody has a preference for things they want to change in the City: homelessness, encampments, dogs parks, crime, thefts, traffic, litter, development, transit, bike lanes, safety etc., whatever your faction, it becomes too complicated to make everybody happy. We need to choose one thing and nail it. Do it right. But which one.
Choose everything, and nothing gets done. Choose one thing, and it is a start. If we had to choose one thing to fix and change, what would it be? What would be the City of Toronto’s Moon Landing? What is the one thing that touches every one of all shapes and sizes?
Let’s start with parks. The one thing we all use and take advantage of is our parks. We will enforce the rules of behaviour in all of our parks, keep them spotless, build them 14 up, promote them, activate
Inversion
by Artist: Garnet, Eldon - Date: 2011 Address: 582 Sherbourne Street, James Cooper Mansion Condo Originally Commissioned by: Tridel The multi-sited sculptural work, Inversion, is a comment about our current, local relationship with the age old Canadian and particularly urban interaction with nature. Simply put, nature has now been turned on its head. The threat has gone, the desire is not to fortify our existence against the wilderness which has been tamed to disappearance, but rather, it is now a nostalgic desire to embrace what no longer exists. Our current longing is to return a sense of nature to our environment, not to build walls against its presence, but rather to embrace nature.
them. Yes, that means tent encampments. Remember dealing with encampments, we will force the City to find solutions instead of turning a blind eye. You see how this works?
Parks is our moon landing Start with parks, garbage, encampments, clean washrooms, regular security, safety, events, great lighting, sports fields, easier permitting and activity. To be fair the City does a pretty great job on our parks, but if we focus on our downtown parks to make them the best and safest and cleanest they can be, it will benefit everyone. Parks are a naturally shared space for all levels of society to enjoy and should be revered. Parks will outlive each of us and they are not toilets or
campgrounds and free space for poor behaviour. I think they call it the broken window effect. Wikipedia describes the broken window effect as “visible signs of crime, anti-social behaviour, and civil disorder create an urban environment that encourages further crime and disorder, including serious crimes.” I am not sure if that is true in all parts of Toronto but it sure sounds familiar in downtown Toronto parks. By starting with parks, we create space for everyone to enjoy, and the sense of accomplishment and pride will spill into the next street and the next as people flock to them. Ask not what our parks can do for us but what we can do for our parks! This one thing done right and done well will benefit everyone, and then we can complete the next task at hand.
Site Specific
Artist: Eunson, Scott / Lovink, Marianne - Date: 2015 Address: Sumach Street and Eastern Ave Site Specific, by Toronto- and Philidelphia-based artist team Scott Eunson and Marianne Lovink, uses the 40 metre long linear site to portray, in abstract pattern and form, a deep history of human existence in the immediate area, with an expanded focus on the era of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn, whose home was on the site of the adjacent Inglenook Secondary School. The artists worked with historian Karolyn Smart Frost and the students of the school in the making of the artwork and a related student exhibition. Site Specific brings visual poetry about the human stories that make a place.
How to Dress Up A Hoodie Contributed bt Lenka, Lenkalifephotoes Photo credit Photo credit: RamosVisuals
Many of us have been working from home and wearing comfortable clothes such as hoodie with sweatpants. Have you ever thought of styling these to create a look that makes you stand out from the crowd? In this article I show you how to spice up a hoodie. All you need is a unique blazer such as mine faux leather one, shorts, statement sunglasses, and pair of 90s track heels. Dress-up the outfit even more with a classic bag and be ready to receive all the compliments on the street, or in the grocery store.
War vs Covid Contibuted by Duncan Fremlin
In the five years of the second war, which was fought somewhere else, over 45,000 Canadians died. Pretty much all of them were young men. The number suggests the vast majority of families in Canada did not lose a son. It’s even likely that most Canadians didn’t even know a family who lost a son. This pandemic couldn’t be more different, and will likely be more deadly. In a little over one year, more than 23,000 Canadians, from all age groups and walks of life, have died from COVID. This third wave has taught us that no age group is immune. These numbers suggest, if this continues, as the experts predict, many families will lose a close family member to COVID. My father was born in 1905 in rural Northern Ontario. By his 31st birthday, he had
learned how to deal with death. One of his brothers died when he was 5. His mom died giving birth to twins in 1918. Only one was strong enough to survive. In 1932 he buried his first wife of tubercular meningitis. In 1936 his second wife died of pulmonary tuberculosis. Dad’s entire generation lived through carnage the world had never seen before. The two wars, the depression and the flu killed many thousands. Few families from that era, if any, were untouched by this. Those of us (baby boomers) born after the war have pretty much escaped the immediacy of death. It’s something that “happens to other families”. We know of it mostly as a news story about somewhere else in the world. The Vietnam war happened to people we didn’t know. Our parents’ generation survived the war and were the recipients of an advanced and free health care system. They lived when their ancestors did not. For the first time, heart attacks, infection, pneumonia and so on were not death sentences. Their life span was the highest ever.
Even when someone we know does die, it’s seldom at home and more likely in a hospital. How many of us have actually seen a dead body that wasn’t in a casket? I’m pretty sure Dad saw a few by the time he buried his second wife. I lost my parents, one when I was 18 and the other when I was 37. They were older than the parents of my peers so it didn’t leave me traumatized for life. I don’t count watching Lee Harvey Oswald shoot Jack Ruby on TV after Sunday school in 1963. I was 13, so for me it was just another TV show. All that has changed. Our world today has been given a good whiff of smelling salts and we’ve awoken to a new everything. How adults will process this is a mystery - young people, not so mysterious. They are showing their true mettle, respectfully wearing masks, social distancing and generally getting on with it. The world is now officially theirs and it looks like it is in very good hands indeed.
| Parliament Street News - Issue 52 -
For the first time in our lives, death has not so quietly infiltrated our day-to-day consciousness. The daily news feed has become routine - “4724 new infections, 29 deaths”. The alarming part is, it’s actually happening to people we know.
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Should You Apply?
Should You Apply? For Both Long Term Disability (LTD) Benefits and Canadian Pension Plan Disability (CPPD) Benefits? YES! Contributed by: Tony Lafazanis – Personal Injury Lawyer www.TLLawCanHelp.com
The Parliament Street News, PSN depends on local contributors fo content. In return for sharing your content and ideas with the community, we can go to advertisers who are genuinely interested in targeting and having a presence in the community. And so it goes. We are now welcoming opinion pieces, Op-Ed if you will. We still have the same rule; you can’t say anything bad about anybody else. However, if you have issues with the local government or the way things work or are just passionate about a subject, we would love to publish it and share it with the community. In a day and age of so many tweets, insta-posts, snaps and online communities (we have those and are growing), the PSN is very well positioned to transcend the noisy online world. The cost of being local has never been more expensive, exclusive ,fleeting or time consuming than it is today. Our content and advertising are online; however, the anchor is the paper itself.
Which is why it works. The online world has bastardised the term community. A true community is most often created by physical boundaries, and within these boundaries, there lies a great deal of diversity of ideas and opinions. Sound familiar? If you have read this far, you get the point and understand that I am filling a space in the paper just before the deadline, but I do believe and hope you get the idea and don’t be afraid to submit content (and advertising) to Ye Olde PSN.
NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE AUGUST 15TH
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| PSTREETNEWS.COM -- May 2021
@cabbagetownnews
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Many people are confused about the differences between LTD benefits and CPPD benefits and how it applies to their particular situation. You may even be instructed by your LTD insurer to apply for CPPD and be left wondering whether you should, or must, apply. What are the Differences? LTD insurance is either provided to an employee in their group benefit plan or purchased privately by an individual. There is a 2 year time limit to sue the LTD insurer from the date benefits should have been paid. CPPD is the largest long term disability insurance program in Canada administered by the Federal Government. If your CPPD is denied, you can request a review. This must be done in writing within 90 days of receiving your decision letter. LTD and CPPD both are intended to protect or replace your earnings when a disability prevents you from working. A disability can be caused by anything. Included are an accident, illness,
sickness, physical or mental health symptoms. How Do CPPD and LTD Work Together? LTD insurers often require you to also apply for CPPD, to try to reduce or eliminate the amount they must pay out. This is because LTD providers generally create their contracts, such that an injured worker’s benefits are decreased by any amount paid by CPPD. For example, if your LTD claim is approved for $2,000 a month, and you are also approved for CPPD for $1,000 a month, you will not receive a total of $3,000. Your actual total monthly benefits will remain at $2,000 - your monthly LTD obligation amount would decrease according to a mathematical formula.
If your CPPD application is denied, an LTD provider cannot reduce the LTD benefit by an estimated CPPD because you did not receive it. To learn more about LTD and CPPD, check out the full article on our website. If you feel that you or a loved one has been wrongfully denied an LTD or CPPD claim, please contact Tony Lafazanis. Don’t take risks with the insurer or the Court system. Time limits apply. Let Tony fight for you! Hiring Tony Lafazanis is risk free. There is no legal bill to pay, if there is no settlement.