This story was broadcasted on the Global News Jan. 27, 2010.

The Toronto Star posted an article on Jan. 27, 2010.

www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/756558

In celebration of this week’s blitz to increase awareness of

pedestrian safety, Toronto police handed out nearly 100

fines to jay-walkers yesterday.

14 people have been killed in past few weeks for carelessly

crossing busy downtown streets.

 Police officers patrolled Young St and Eglington Ave,

issuing tickets for impeding traffic and not using designated

cross walks.  Tickets ranged from $18 to $100.

Why should I care?

This story reminds Ontario residents that jay-walking is illegal. 

Citizens need to realize that motorists can’t always slow down

their vehicles.  If the possibility of getting run over doesn’t

deter someone from walking out into the middle of the street

then maybe a stiff fine will do the trick. 

I was shocked to see so many tickets being given out to people

for jay-walking.  I found myself asking the TV; didn’t your parents

teach you to look both ways before crossing the street?

When the reporter said 14 people have been killed in the past

few weeks from j-walking, I was horrified.  People must be

driving so fast they can’t slow down.  Why are people not

using crosswalks? 

 It wouldn’t surprise me if I-pods and cell phones had something

to do with people getting killed.  Everywhere you look, people

are listening to I-tunes while texting friends and still trying to

function in a society where you need your eyes and ears.

We live in a technology based era where safety and

multitasking are a balancing act performed by all.

It’s now illegal for drivers to use handheld devices

while operating a motor vehicle because they’ve proved

it causes accidents.  Will they make it illegal for pedestrians

to cross the street while being distracted by handheld devices

as well?   

When I lived in Toronto, I never crossed the street expect at

the crosswalks.  Some of the craziest drivers are in Toronto. 

You would have to be insane to walk in the middle of traffic on

Young St or Eglington Ave.  There are always heavy amounts

of traffic downtown and drivers don’t stop for anyone unless

they absolutely have to.

Drivers in Toronto are always in a hurry, constantly honking

their horns at each other and at pedestrians.  Someone is bound

to get hurt when there is this constant struggle to save time

and get on with your life quicker than everyone else.  Toronto

taxi drivers are the worst for driving fast in and out of traffic

and not wanting to stop for people to cross the street. They

act like they own the road, making u-turns where ever they please.

 I think the moral of this story is common sense.  People should

know better than to walk out into the middle of traffic.  Cars are

bigger, faster and hit a lot harder.

There were a lot of mixed attitudes about the presence of

police officers on the downtown streets.  We have to

remember that they are here for our safety.

$18 to $100 is a small price to pay when compared to

getting run over by a Toronto motorist.

www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2272296

Posted on Jan. 22, 2010

 Belleville’s Blueprint is up for review.  Belleville’s city council

met on Thursday and Friday, to review their accomplishments

and matter of unfinished business.

 Mayor Neil Ellis promised the meetings would address

maintaining and improving the city’s infrastructure.

 Among the topics listed for discussion, new fire and police

department buildings.

 The present council has started and completed most of their

goals with federal and provincial funding.  Such as water

main extensions, building a bridge over the Moria River,

hiring doctors and upgrading pumping stations.

 In May 2009, Luc Bégin, partner with Dillon Consulting,

informed the city council they should invest approximately

$24 million on maintenance a year.  It currently spends

almost $800,000.

Why should I care?

 This story is important because it tells us the Belleville

council is holding meetings to decide whether or not they

are leading the City of Belleville in the direction they initially

intended.

We vote for government officials based on the trust they

will do what they promise once they are voted into office.

 The city council’s decision to improve its infrastructure

affects everyone who lives, works or goes to school in

Belleville.  As a voter and taxpayer, I care about the

quality of our roads, the quality of our drinking water,

and the quality of the buildings I shop in.

I agree with the author’s main point in his editorial. 

The city needs a better plan to deal with its infrastructure. 

It’s unacceptable the city council isn’t investing enough of

taxpayer’s money in maintaining and improving the city’s

foundation.  Government officials wait until roads and sewer

systems break down before fixing them.  They need to act

quicker instead of procrastinating. 

The success of future generations depends on good schools,

strong power grids and stable communities. 

Our government leaders are responsible for providing

services that support economic growth.  When the mayor

invests in our infrastructure he increases the productivity

of labour and capital thereby eliminating the costs of

production and raising profitability, production, incomes

and employment.  Everyone wins, even mayor Ellis because

he will be popular with the public. 

 I think mayor Ellis needs to commit more money to fixing

up the roads in Belleville, especially the heavy traffic

areas.  It’s unsafe to drive over potholes and cracks in

the roads.   

I think the idea to build new police and fire department

buildings it’s a great for two reasons; the old ones are small

and ancient and two it will create more local construction

jobs. 

While I’m on the topic of job creation, the doctor recruitment

program was an excellent idea.  There are a lot of Belleville

residents who visit the hospital’s emergency room weekly

because they don’t have a family doctor.  I hope more medical

school graduates decide to practice family medicine in

Belleville upon completion of their studies. 

This article left me with some unanswered questions. 

Who is going to pay for all of the proposed improvements? 

Does Mayor Ellis think he will receive more funding for his

strategic planning from the federal and provincial governments? 

I hope Belleville’s city council proves their critics wrong and

uses their time to make wise decisions about the city’s future.

The original article ‘No new sales tax on fast food’ was written by Robert Benzie, and was published in the Toronto Star on November 12th, 2009. (Original)

The Ontario government is offering a kickback from the new HST implementation, in the hopes to take away some of the rage Ontario residents are feeling at the moment over this new tax. No new sales tax on any fast food or value meals under $4. This includes coffee and newspapers as well.

Overlooking the fact that this is a slap in the face to any Canadian who has to pay more than $4 for a bag of milk, this has other negative backlashes which may not be obvious at first. According the World Health Organization, from 1995 to 2005, diabetes went up 70% in Canada alone.

Now, while it’s difficult to just point the finger at fast food outlets, it is not beyond recognition that diabetes is caused by an unhealthy diet.

In 2002, Time Magazine published an article named ‘A Food Fight Against McDonald’s’. The article followed the story of two children named Ashley Pelman, and 14, Jazlyn Bradley, 19, who suffered from obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure as well as many other health problems. The two had been eating McDonalds on almost a daily basis since they were both young. While nothing can be proved, the evidence is clear, the two had eaten nothing but fast food for most of their lives.

Now the government is offering a rebate on foods that are high in sugar, high in fat, and extremely unhealthy to our diet. The question is why? Well, it’s entirely possible that the government recognizes the amount of business being filtered into this industry everyday. Tim Horton’s alone can more than likely report record business on a daily basis, and it’s rare to find a Tim Horton’s drive thru that isn’t gridlocked with caffeine lusting consumers.

Whatever the reason, while probably easing the tensions of most value-added Canadians, the government is not really providing us with a true kickback. Why not provide Canadians with less tax on groceries, or clothing, things that many Canadians find themselves having trouble purchasing due to cutbacks and layoffs.

While HST may benefit our country in the long run, what may benefit our people is an ease on the charge of everyday necessities that some Canadians may find themselves start to go without. Tax reduced coffee doesn’t help a poverty stricken Canadian keep their family clothed and fed. That’s as certain as diabetes and taxes.

The original article ‘Health Canada may add anti-cancer drug to junk food’ was written by the CTV news staff and published on CTV.ca on Dec.22. 2009. (Original)

Health Canada has proposed an unusual new side to fast foods most Canadians buy everyday. It’s an additive called asparaginase. It’s a leukemia-fighter, and Health Canada is asking Canadians to comment on how they feel about this additive.

Over the years different health organizations have begun to recognize a toxin known as acrylamide, which is created during the frying process in most fries, potato chips, cereals, cookies, coffee and other packaged and fast foods. Acrylamide has been proven in lab mice tests to cause cancer, but scientists are unsure if it is carcinogenic in humans as well. Although, they’re not taking any chances this time.

Asparaginase has also been tested in lab mice, and has been proven to fight the cancer caused by acrylamide, although again, scientists are unsure how it will react in the human body.

There’s a problem with this equation. Additives that were supposed to be good for food and the consumer have been proposed and added before, with negative results. Trans fats is a major candidate in this category, which became the leading cause of heart disease. Introduced in the early 1900’s trans fats was a way to keep food longer if it were to be refrigerated. This additive stayed active in foods until early 2000, and can still be found in some fast foods today.

So now here we are again, a new product being proposed to be added to our everyday meals. There’s another problem that arises. If Health Canada is so concerned with the possibility of these foods causing cancer, enough to add a cancer fighting additive, why is the government allowing these products to currently be sold with nothing to fight the possibility of a carcinogenic toxin. Also, what happens if most Canadians say no to this additive, what is the next step? Will Health Canada do what should have been done in the first place and force companies to come up with a new way to produce their packaged products?

There are two key differences to this new additive. First of all, it’s being made public and it’s meant to help the consumer rather than the company. Second of all, Health Canada is giving Canadians a chance to voice their opinions on how they feel about having this product added to their food. This may be something you’re feeding your family everyday. It’s important for Canadians to do their homework first before making any decisions, and research the facts on both asparaginase and acrylamide.

You can add your comments to Health Canada about this proposed additive here, the government is leaving this opinion forum open until February 21st. If you have something to say, don’t stand by, get involved.

At the World Economic Forum here in Davos, Switzerland, former U.S. President Bill Clinton led a session on Haiti. The audience here at the annual WEF is made up of world leaders, philanthropists, chief executives, NGOs and others.

After Clinton's appearance on the mainstage, Clinton met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for about 30 minutes. They talked mostly about Haiti.

As they left their meeting, I asked Clinton ho"w he felt about Canada's response to the disaster. Here's what he said:

"It has been unbelievable. First, the Canadian people are so generous. I’ll bet you on a per capita basis, they’re number one in the world now in helping Haiti. Probably because of the Prime Minister’s matching grant program but for whatever reason, the Canadians have all given money and all want to support it. You should be very proud of that. There is a big Haitian diaspora in Canada but this goes way beyond that. I’m very grateful."

Clinton paused for a handshake photo-op with Harper and then actually sought out the Canadian media contingent among the throng of reporters trying to get a word from Clinton. Here's my transcript:

CLINTON: Who -- Where is the Canadian press?

REPORTERS: Right here! Right here! Over there!

CLINTON: (Turning to Harper) You want to say anything else about this?

PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER: As you know, Haiti is a big priority for us and we’re delighted with the work President Clinton is doing. And we talked about how we can partner even more as we go forward in the future. As the President has said, it’s day-to-day, week-to-week now but we’re starting to look at the long-term and that’s the focus we’re going to have going forward.

REPORTER: Are you guys concerned that, after the immediate rush to aid, that people are going to forget about Haiti and then in the years to come -- I know it’s a commitment 10 years you’re talking about Prime Minister -- but is there concern people will forget about Haiti in two years time?

HARPER: Well, for us, as you know, Haiti has been our number two foreign aid priority in the world, number one in the Americas. And that’s only going to get bigger in the future for us. I hope it’s true for everyone else.

CLINTON: I think it won’t happen -- the United States and Canada have the biggest Haitian diaspora, along with France. We won’t forget. And I think if we organize this properly so that both the people in Haiti and the donors, from those that give five dollars to those that give five million, see that progress is being made and see that it’s being done in a transparent, open, accountable way, I think that this earthquake and how people have seen how brave the Haitians have been and what they’ve learned about Haiti -- its culture, its history, its past -- have captured the imagination of the whole world. I think it’s really the question is those of us in the middle of this have to stand and deliver. We have to do this right and I think if we do it right and progress is made then that commitment will stay there.

Tags: Haiti  Bill clinton, stephen harper

The end of 'Buy American'?; Obama's big speech, and unhappy doctors: Listen to my four-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Thursday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

Paying off the Taliban; Harper tries to transform the G8; and a sex scandal rocks a B.C. murder investigation: Listen to my four-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Tuesday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below . . .

The PMO just released a list of confirmed Canadian participants who will be among the 2,500 political leaders, business leaders, intellectuals and others at the invite-only event in the ski resort-town of Davos:

Conservative MPs were unusually active Monday as well doing what government MPs do well: Hand out money.

Based on initial reports, some from independent sources, some from partisan sources, it would be difficult to call this day of rallies a failed test. In fact, thousands at events across the country have shown up.

"Their challenge in the coming days and weeks, as part of the multinational relief effort, amounts to nothing less than the rescue of a shattered society and the even larger task in the months and years that will follow is to rebuild Haiti, to transform its unimaginable grief into a sustained hope for the future."

Obama bashes Wall Street; billions for oil sands development; and B.C. gets the Olympic torch back : Listen to my four-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Friday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

Razing Port-au-Prince?; Day gets ready to cut; and some British Columbians are down on the Olympics : Listen to my three-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Tuesday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

You can also get these audio summaries automatically every day via podcast from iTunes or via an RSS feed by subscribing to my AudioBoo stream. Both the iTunes link and the RSS link are at my profile at AudioBoo.fm. Look under my picture on the left hand side of the page.

*Note: There appears to be a few audio glitches with this file -- something that looks to be at AudioBoo's end and, as a result, is beyond my ability to fix.

...he very villain of the anti-prorogation forces visited Toronto. Prime Minister Stephen Harper held two events there today, the location and timing of which was not a secret. Toronto, of course, is not just any city. It is the country's largest with more than 5.5 million living in its metropolitan ambit. It is also the last major stronghold for the Liberal Party of Canada...

Struggling to help Haiti; stressed out at hospitals; and a cabinet shuffle: Listen to my two-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Tuesday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

Canada will send 1,000 more troops to Haiti; issues about standardized testing in B.C.; and the need for pharmacists in St. John's: Listen to my two-minute audio roundup of what's on the front pages of the country's newspapers plus highlights from Monday's Parliamentary daybook by clicking on the link below.

Is it a sufficient defence to tell the judge that I was present and prepared to deposit a fee in the meter for time in the parking spot but the meter was defective and would not accept my payment?