Townhall Meeting at Yorkwoods Library (1785 Finch Avenue West)
By Anthony Perruzza 
If you have an opinion on what Toronto’s priorities should be, now is your time to voice it.City Council will be meeting on March 10th and 11th to debate Toronto’s 2015 Capital and Operating Budget. The City Budget is the financial blueprint that funds City activities including community centre programming, paving roads, fixing sewers, and much more.I am inviting residents to take an active role in shaping Toronto’s budget by attending a town-hallmeeting I will be hosting on Tuesday, February 24 at 7 pm, at York Woods Library Theatre, 1785 Finch Avenue West.Toronto Financial Planning staff will be present to describe the Mayor’s budget, listen to your views, and help answer your questions. We will also have plenty of City information on different and exciting local projects, including the subway extension through our community.Your opinion matters and you can make a difference. In 2011, programs and facilities in our very own community were at risk of closure based on the direction of the budget. At the town-hallI hosted in 2011, a packed audience joined the fight to help me stop this from happening.You can find a link to a summary of Toronto’s 2015 Budget on my website www.anthonyperruzza.com It is important that I hear from you directly so if you cannot make it on February 24, make sure to send me an e-mail at: councillor_perruzza@toronto.ca or call me at: 416-338-5335, and let me know what you think the City’s priorities should be.
Proposed Developments Will Add Strain to Downsview
By David Ros
Over the past decade or so, the Downsview neighbourhood has undergone significant changes and arguably, it will go through its biggest change to date if the Downsview Secondary Plan goes ahead as planned.According to the developers, one of the guiding principles of the plan is to “civilize” Allen Rd., by re-zoning the area to create a mix of high and low density housing, parks and recreational lands, as well as commercial and retail units on previously undeveloped land south of Sheppard Ave. W.“I find the proposal is unreasonable for the area,” said Councillor James Pasternak (Ward 10, York Centre.) “It’s going to disturb stable neighbourhoods, create undue congestion and traffic, and put added pressure on infrastructure.“While I have nothing against reasonable building and building new neighbourhoods and communities, it has to be done with total respect for the current residents that are there.”The proposal seeks to create developments on lands owned by Build Toronto and Canada Lands Company on both the east and west sides of Allen Rd., affecting Wards 9 and 10. According to the plan, an arterial road will be created going south from Sheppard Ave. W., on the east side of Allen Rd., dividing Banting Park from the proposed developments before turning west to connect with Allen Rd. The plan also calls for Transit Rd., on the west side of Allen Rd., to be extended north to connect with Sheppard Ave. W., in addition, a series of small “local roads” will be created on both sides where the residential units will be located.If the Downsview Secondary Plan is to be approved, it will significantly add to the density of the neighbourhood. Currently, the neighbourhoods adjoining the proposed plan largely consist of low density residential dwellings. Adding the proposed mix of high and low density residences would dramatically increase the population of the area, as well as, the amount of traffic along the already congested main arterial roads.As the main routes in and out of the proposed developments are through Allen Rd., or Sheppard Ave. W., which are busy even at the best of times, it would leave the adjoining quiet residential streets as the only alternate routes to avoid traffic. As a result, in addition to increased strain along Allen Rd., and Sheppard Ave. W., residents of currently existing low density neighbourhoods can also expect a likely increase in traffic along their residential streets.Pasternak said that while the Yonge-University-Spadina subway extension to Vaughan will be open in 2016, there needs to be a solid transit plan in place in order to accommodate this kind of development. “The real important thing is that we build the subway from Downsview Station to Yonge and Sheppard,” Pasternak said. “This project is very much a non-starter until that is constructed.”Pasternak said that because of covenant issues, the developments will not go ahead anytime soon, providing the public with an opportunity to make their views known. “While I’m really concerned about the proposal and it has a long way to go, we really need to hear what the public has to say,” he said.According to Pasternak, the Downsview Secondary Plan is currently a precinct plan, which means that it is only a “rough sketch” of what the developers would like to do with the area. He said that what is currently up for approval at North York Community Council is to seek public consultation for the plan.Stay tuned to the Downsview Advocate for more information, and timelines related to the Downsview Secondary Plan.
With the School Board in Trouble School Closures may be on the Horizon
By Matias de Dovitiis
The Toronto District School Board is in the news yet again, and again it is for the wrong reasons. At issue is a very critical report by the Province (who runs the school boards) that slams the TDSB, and gives them a few weeks to solve some of their major problems.There are four major problems the province wants addressed. The first complaint is that Trustees micromanage school affairs, preventing staff from doing their jobs. The second issue is that a senior staff person got a raise that was not allowable, and then tried covering it up. The third is the Trustee budget; the province wants to limit spending by taking away their offices, getting rid of their part-time assistants, and limiting their ability to send newsletters and communications to parents.Finally, the province is calling for the sale of public schools, dozens of them.For all the noise that the government is trying to make on the Trustees and their misbehaviour, the real issue here is how the money is being spent in our public system. The trustees here are the tail wagging the dog.If we follow the money, the real consideration of the report that the Province is pushing is to get rid of the ability of local government to harness public dissent and coordination. If the elected Trustees have no office, no newsletters, and no assistants who will stand up for children, parents, and community members who disagree with the sale of our schools?The primary purpose of the report is to push for the sale of our public schools to pay for the maintenance of the public assets that will remain.Although, schools and education may not be a priority for everyone, we all care about our local green spaces, and nobody wants their local school to be turned into a gas station or a condo.In short, the Province’s report, prepared by Queen’s Park Beaurocrats, and the recommendations they’ve made will not make the situation better for Ontarians.If the province’s demands are met, what will you do if there is an issue with your local school? Who would you call under the new changes? Now we have Trustees, but if we get rid of them altogether, who is made responsible? The answer may be a bureaucrat in Queen’s Park, but we really don’t know, and that is a problem.
Black History
By Natasha BurfordEach February, our nation takes a moment to recognize the important contributions of many Black people in our country. However, the history of Black people is much more rich and diverse than just slavery and celebrated heroes and heroines.Recognizing the ancestry of Black people means speaking of the deep, and sometimes overlooked connection to Africa, and how those roots have impacted who we are as a people.Whether we are first or second generation Canadians, we have a tapestry of traditions rising from all over the world: the Caribbean, South or Central America, even Europe that all trace back to the beautiful continent of Africa.Let us tell the stories of the Kings and Queens of that great continent, and not just of the dark times of our history. Let us tell the tales of the brave settlers of Canada, who worked hard to make Canada their home, and made Canada the safe place that we enjoy today.Let us celebrate Black heritage, recognizing that we are inventors, builders, and politicians who contribute to the magnificent country that we celebrate today.We are multicultural...We are Canadian.
Duck Dinner for Two
Recipe by Vincent Polsinelli
(Serves 2 people)This delicious meal consists of pan seared duck breast, napa cabbage salad and roasted carrots and parsnips. This tasty and easy to prepare meal is the perfect dinner to serve for a significant other, a family member, or a friend during the cold winter months. IngredientsDuck Breast2 duck breastsNapa Cabbage Salad1 head of Napa Cabbage1 medium carrot1 medium daikon1 bunch of green onions10 ml honey30 ml of white wine vinegar80 ml of olive oilRoasted Carrots and Parsnips2 medium carrots2 medium parsnips100 ml of olive oilDuck Breast1) Preheat your oven to375 °F, and heat a pan on the stove until hot.2) Score the skin of the duck four times for each breast. (Enough to cut the skin but not the flesh)3) Season both sides of the breasts with salt and pepper and place them on the hot pan skin side down.4) Cook them on the stove, skin side down until they are a dark, golden brown.5) Then turn them over and place the breasts in a pan, and bake them in the oven for 10 -15 minutes (time varies depending on the size of the breast)6) Remove the breasts from the oven when they are medium rare or the internal temperature is 140 °F.7) Let them rest for 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve them on a plate.Napa Cabbage Salad1) Peel both the carrots and daikon.2) De-rib your Napa cabbage by cutting out the white stalk.3) Cut the carrots, daikon and cabbage into very thin strips.4) Cut the green onions on a bias and combine the vegetables together.Vinagrette 5) In a separate bowl mix the honey and white wine vinegar thoroughly.6) Once mixed slowly whisk in the olive oil.7) With the now complete vinaigrette, dress the salad and add salt to taste.Roasted Carrots and Parsnips1) Peel your carrots and parsnips and cut them into sticks. (1cm x 1cm x 8cm)2) In a bowl cover them in olive oil, salt and pepper. (add Rosemary if desired)3) Add these vegetables to a pan and cook them until they lightly caramelize.4) Then put the caramelized vegetables into the same pre-heated oven (375 °F) for 10-15 minutes.5) When the vegetables have reached the desired texture remove them from the oven and add salt to taste.
Why Aren’t People in Downsview Voting?
By Morag Humphrey After witnessing two general elections in the year 2014, one thing is clear: Downsview residents are not voting. Some may blame this on things such as ineligibility, apathy, or disengagement, but the reality is most people in the Downsview area are not voting for one reason: accessibility.With a population of just over 100,000 spread out along 30 kilometers, York West represents one of the biggest provincial ridings in Toronto. The number of polling stations per capita is small in comparison to other, more affluent ridings such as that of Toronto Centre, where polling stations are in abundance for the just over 130,000 residents spread across 13 kilometers.The number and location of polling stations in a particular riding or ward makes a big difference for a number of reasons. If a polling station is not in a voter’s immediate surrounding area, the likelihood of voting decreases by great margins.Despite having polling stations in their lobbies for the municipal election, buildings such as those on Tobermory Dr and Finch Ave., or Weston Rd. and Finch Ave., did not have such a luxury in the provincial election.The voting percentages between these two elections are astounding. In the provincial election, where Tobermory residents had to make the 10 minute walk to Driftwood Public School to cast their ballot, only 21% did, while in the municipal election a few months later 44% made the trip to their lobby to cast their ballot.This trend continues when comparing the results of voters living in the Weston Rd. and Finch Ave apartment buildings. In the municipal election, close to 50% of eligible voters cast their ballots when they could do so comfortably in the lobby of their building, while only four months earlier only 21% of voters made the trip to Emery Collegiate to participate in the election.Voting accessibility is important for other reasons as well. Politicians go to where they can predict that residents will vote.If living in an apartment building without a lobby polling station makes residents less likely to vote, politicians will strategically avoid said locations. Other than leading to voter apathy and disengagement, this phenomenon means that these tenants’ voices are not heard.To have our voices heard in Downsview, we need to fix this accessibility problem. We need polling stations in tenant-dense buildings as 10 San Romanoway, 15 Tobermory and 3390 Weston Rd.Voting percentages from last year’s provincial and municipal elections teach us that eligible voters want to participate in the democratic process; but we need to make voting more accessible to help them do so.
Early Toronto Airfields in the Downsview Neighbourhood
By Howard Moscoe
An important spin off from the First World War was the growth of civil aviation in Downsview. One of the first Toronto airports was Delesseps, established in 1910 onTrethewy Drive in Weston. By the 1920s there were a number of private airfields scattered throughout the area north-west of Toronto. It was an area of large farms that were close enough to the city to be easily accessible.In 1927, Barker’s field (named after Canadian flying ace Billy Barker) opened on Dufferin Street (presently the site of Katz’s Deli). This was followed by the Toronto Flying Club in 1931 (Wilson subway station and TTC yards). The Toronto Flying Club was the principle customs entry point for out of country aircrafts until Malton Airport opened in 1939.Delesseps airport was the site of de Havilland Aircraft (UK) where a factory was established in 1928 to build airplanes. The plant moved to a 70 acre site on the south side of Sheppard Avenue between Dufferin and Keele Streets in August of 1929, Downsview Airport.During World War II, the plant was expanded with factory and test flight buildings built along the railway tracks and Sheppard Avenue. The Railway line was an important part of the Aircraft industry. ManyDeHavilland workers settled north of Toronto around Bradford and commuted daily to a station near the plant.Ironically, today that commuter function is being revived.
A commuter rail station is being constructed next to the new Downsview Park Subway Station Just South of Chesswood. It will allow GO commuters to transfer onto the Yonge-University subway line and take thousands of York Region cars off the streets.During WWII, Downsview airport was so busy that a set of traffic signals were installed on Wilson Heights Boulevard so that North/South automobile traffic would stop to allow planes to land on the East-West runway.Downsview owes a lot of its history to the air industry. In celebration of that, when the Downsview Subway Station was constructed it was designed around an aircraft. A design with the station’s bus terminal shaped as an aircraft wing that projects over the exterior bus bays.Even though the airbase has been closed the airport remains a major influence. The runway is essential to the operation of the Bombardier plant which continues to be a major job generator for Toronto. That runway’s flight contours dictate the height and design of buildings in the area. For example, nothing can be built on the Yorkdale Shopping centre sight higher than 45 feet which is the exact height of the office building on the east side of the mall.The Aircraft industry has not only dominated Downsview’s past but it also has a firm hold on its future.
Dante’s Story: Coincidence or Miracle?
By Tom RakocevicIn this month’s “My Story” column, I interview Mr. Dante Lerra who has lived in our community since buying a house here in 1966. Dante Lerra’s story will be familiar to many: the challenge of arriving in a new country, and the small miracles that can happen along the way. His success is a testament to the courage of many Downsview residents.
Life in Italy right after the Second World War wasn’t easy. With few good jobs at hand, many young Italians were leaving their country in search of a better future.Dante was one of them.In 1953, and at the young age of 20, Dante was no stranger to travel having left his home to work in Switzerland and France. Unfortunately, the small jobs he found in other European countries were nothing to build a life around so he returned to work on his brother’s farm in Molise, Italy.Unsatisfied and restless, Dante began to consider a future outside of Europe. That same year and against the wishes of his family, he packed a small suitcase and crossed the ocean to try his luck in far away Brazil.The 19 day boat journey took Dante to a place that felt a million miles away.In the port of Santos, Dante learned that it would take 40 days for his papers to be cleared in order for him to find work. This was terrible news since he had only enough money for a week’s food and rent. Returning home wasn’t an option either because he couldn’t afford the ticket.“I’ll never forget that day.” Dante says in his kitchen here in our community. “I thought I had made the biggest mistake of my life. I had trouble even buying food - nobody could understand me!”As the sun was setting on that first day in Brazil, Dante sat there on his suitcase by the edge of the road. Feeling desperate and completely alone, he was lost in his thoughts and praying for an answer.As he was wiping tears from his eyes, he felt a hand on his shoulder, “Hey, Paisano! Come va?” Dante turned to see an older Italian man smiling at him.Today, Dante still feels the relief of meeting that man. “He cheered me up and took me out for a drink. He told me about an aluminum factory in another town where I could work without papers.”But it was a risk – what if the friendly stranger was wrong? Journeying deeper in this strange country could leave him even worse off.When Dante finally arrived at the factory, it was more of the same confusion. The secretary couldn’t understand him, but left her desk to find someone who could. “I waited for about half an hour and when she came back I had the shock of my life.” Dante smiled. “She came back with the General Manager, and I knew him! His name was Gabriele and we were friends in France many years ago when I worked there.”So Dante got the job, and started his new life. After four months, Dante found a better job in a road reconstruction company as a mechanic’s helper. Dante enjoyed his new job and gave it his all. After a year, Dante was called in to see the owner of the company. “I was really nervous,” says Dante, “I kept thinking, ‘what did I do?’”“Dante, I like you. You work hard, you never complain. Let me get right to it: I want you to go to school and become a full mechanic.” said the owner.Dante hesitated, “But sir, I don’t think you know my situation. I can’t afford to go to school, even if it’s free. I am here alone and I have no family to support me if I’m not working. I’m sorry, but I have to refuse your generous offer.”The owner looked at Dante for a long time, “Listen, Dante. I will pay you your full salary while you educate yourself. You come in and help out here and there until you finish, but you focus on your studies. When you are finished, you will come back and work for me as a diesel technician. You will travel from town to town where we are building roads and you will make sure the machines are working. So what do you say now?”Dante was speechless.
Dante’s hard work and dedication was rewarded. He completed his education and got a huge promotion. As the company’s lead diesel technician he was well paid and lived an exciting life, travelling throughout Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Venezuela and always making sure the big machines were running smoothly.Hearing Dante’s story about his time in Brazil, I cannot help but wonder what would have happened if that friendly stranger hadn’t found him by the road that day. A little compassion at the right moment can bring great hope and even change a person’s life.So how did Dante come to Canada? Well, that is another story altogether; one you’llhave to ask Dante yourself if you have the pleasure of meeting him one day.
How to Handle Workplace Sexual Assault and Harrassment
By Kevin MarshallB.A., M.Div., LL.B.In recent months, the media has presented numerous workplace sexual assault headlines, reminding us that this unfortunate reality is very present in our society, and is an injustice that often remains unaddressed. Because of the recent media coverage on this issue two questions are on many people’s minds: What is to be done about women or men, often showing great courage, who come forward with disturbing allegations? And what can be done about those accused of committing these abuses?Some have stated that the answer is obvious: If a woman has the courage to come forward, particularly on matters of an intimate or highly personal nature, surely this, in itself, is enough to justify quick and decisive action to protect her. The example of Jian Ghomeshi is often used to support this view: CBC management apparently overlooked mounting evidence of wrongdoing in favour of protecting its popular broadcaster. But what about those two accused Liberal Members of Parliament? Even before an investigation was launched, Justin Trudeau, Liberal leader, promptly and publicly suspended them following allegations of wrongdoing. Shortly after, a fellow Member of Parliament who accused one of the men acknowledged that she had sexual relations with him, but that she had not provided her expressed consent.While the circumstances are different, both matters must be treated in a similar manner. By doing this, the complainant is protected, and an appropriate legal process can be followed. How? By having the employer exercise both wisdom and compassion throughout the complaint process.In my law practice, employees or employers typically contact my office after the employee has been fired. When unsavoury allegations are involved, an extended and bitter legal battle often follows. The battle is often lost when the media or courts get involved.The wiser approach is to proactively prepare a sexual assault, and sexual harassment protocol and communicate it to all employees. If a complaint takes place, it should be treated immediately with compassion and understanding. Firstly, the person who has been accused of wrongdoing should be separated from the complainant. This can be done by re-assigning the alleged perpetrator, or, if necessary, suspending him or her with pay - and without publicity. It is critical to conduct a thorough and proper investigation from day one that seeks to determine the extent of wrongdoing, if any, rather than hiding any evidence. Upon completion of the investigation, the appropriate actions must be taken to punish a wrongdoer.Downsview employees, managers, and business owners, speak up! Take positive action when you experience, observe or receive reports of workplace abuse or harassment - anticipate the same. These matters are best settled compassionately, wisely, and internally. If you require any legal assistance related to workplace sexual assault or harassment call me at 416-383-0550 or email me at: kevin.marshall@kmlawyer.ca