TCDSB Acknowledges Pride Month and Flies the Pride Flag

June 15, 2021 Keith Andre Baybayon

Keith is the Student Trustee for all TCDSB students in Downsview. Photo credit: Google Images

On May 7th, 2021, the TCDSB Board of Trustees during a Student Achievement Meeting made a set of momentous decisions to promote inclusion and belonging for its 2SLGBTQ+ Students and Staff. They have voted in favour of three recommendations brought forth by their 2SLGBTQ+ Advisory Committee, to acknowledge June as Pride Month, fly the Pride Flag at the Catholic Education Center and fly the flag at all TCDSB Schools.

Jane Finch Community Groups Say: Enough Is Enough – Host Virtual Event Calling for Intersectional Equity

May 28, 2021 Ayesha Khan

Residents and activists gathered for the virtual town hall. Photo credit: Jane Finch Action Against Poverty

On Wednesday May 5, 2021, Jane Finch Action Against Poverty in conjunction with Black Creek Food Justice Network, Jane Finch Education Action Group and Jane Finch Housing Coalition hosted a virtual public event speaking out against various injustices they feel have been wrought against the community.

Hybrid Learning is Bad for Students

May 27, 2021 Matias de Doviitis

Sign the petition against hybrid learning: “School boards are using terms like the “Community Learning Model”, but the reality is that hybrid means there is one teacher for one class made up of online AND in-person students. It will not matter if your preference is that your child attend school in person or online - all students will be forced into some version of a virtual class and some version of an in-person environment.”Source: https://www.supportourschools.ca/ — Sign the petition against hybrid learning:
“School boards are using terms like the “Community Learning Model”, but the reality is that hybrid means there is one teacher for one class made up of online AND in-person students. It will not matter if your preference is that your child attend school in person or online - *all* students will be forced into some version of a virtual class *and* some version of an in-person environment.”
Source: https://www.supportourschools.ca/

Flashback to early 2020 and the Ford government was staring down the gun barrel of teacher strikes all over Ontario. Unrest with parents was tangible and his public support in polls was sinking. At issue were class sizes and the quality of education. Then COVID-19 pandemic started, and those issues were put aside as students were sent home after the March break. A long, grinding year of on-and-off homeschooling started. Now, once again, education is creating controversy and parents and teachers are re-organizing.

Block Boy: The Story of Jeremiah Ranger; Part Two: November 20, 2015

May 26, 2021 Pastor Bill Sunberg

November 20, 2015. You may remember that day because it was an eventful day in world news. Ten gunmen with grenades stormed a five-star Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, Mali. They took 170 hostages. 27 people were killed.

News on that day was less tragic back home in Toronto. On that day, the Toronto Christmas Market officially opened for the season in the Distillery District. For the first time, they would charge an admission fee on weekends to help reduce the size of the crowds.

Reconciling with Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day as a Descendent of Genocide Survivors

May 18, 2021 Vennila Mathialagan

Tamil students protesting in support of the victims of the Tamil Genocide. Photo credit: British Tamil Forums

When I was eight, I remember being angry that my parents cancelled my birthday party because of ethno-political conflict back in Sri Lanka. Several years later, I learned that the “conflict” my parents cancelled my birthday over, was a massacre of 40,000 innocent tamil civilians by Sri Lankan military forces

Jane and Finch has Been in Crisis for 40 Years

May 13, 2021 Michelle Dagnino

A message of hope for Jane and Finch, carried by a child. Photo courtesy of Jane Finch Community and Family Centre Staff

When the WHO declared the COVID pandemic on March 13, 2020, the lives of billions of people were impacted. The lives of most Canadians changed forever, plunging many people into crisis. For some Canadians there has been a silver lining – no more hours spent commuting, deeper connections with family, increased savings, and for many white collar professionals, they saw their business revenues and salaries increase.

Yet for the residents of Jane and Finch, like those in Malvern, or Agincourt, or Brampton East, the COVID-19 pandemic has been the culmination of 40 years of crisis.

Block Boy: The Story of Jeremiah Ranger; Part One: Somebodiness

May 12, 2021 Pastor Bill Sunberg

Jeremiah Ranger, who tragically lost his life to gun violence.

The difficult cases are the ones that need us the most. Jeremiah Ranger was a difficult case. I remember reading these words at his funeral, written by his Child Youth Worker from Oakdale Park Middle School: “Jeremiah was adorable and shy. He had eyes that showed pain and hope at the same time…He was kind, loving, fragile, protective, and family oriented…Through his anxiety was a loving boy.” Most of those who knew him the best would say the same thing. He had a big heart and a big smile. But he also had a darker side. Jeremiah Ranger was a difficult case.

Jane-Finch Community and Arts Hub One Step Closer to Reality - Community Celebrates

April 29, 2021 Ayesha Khan

A community design for the hub, made by the Community Action Planning Group (Photo credit: CAPG - York West Chapter)

The Jane and Finch community Hub and Centre for the Arts, a dream of so many in this community has just taken one important step closer to becoming a reality. On Monday April 26, the City of Toronto’s Government and Licensing Committee ratified a report ensuring that the city of Toronto will take possession of a parcel of land on Finch and Norfinch drive where the Jane and Finch Community Hub and Center for the Arts will be built.

This COVID Wave was a Preventable Tragedy

April 25, 2021 Matias de Doviitis

People line up at 15 Tobermory for a vaccination pop-up clinic organized by local groups like Black Creek Community Health Centre. (Photo credit: Matias de Dovitiis)

Earthquakes are beyond human control and so are hurricanes - but the third COVID-19 wave was not that. A series of self-inflicted choices caused the third wave of COVID-19 cases in Ontario. Ontario’s government opened in-person classes too soon and did not consider paid sick leave until it was too late for many. Doctors lined up to warn us in February that a wall of sick patients would hit us in ICUs if we did that, and the government chose not to listen.

The deep roots of racism right here in Canada

June 15, 2020 Janelle Brady

Not Another Black Life protest after the death of Regist Korchinski-Paquet (Photo credit: flickr/Jason Hargrove)

People across Canada, the US and around the world are protesting anti-Black racism and police brutality. The on-going and widespread protests are sparked by the callous killing of 46-year-old unarmed Black man, George Floyd, by police in Minneapolis.

Despite the fact it seems like everyone is speaking about racism, police brutality and anti-Black racism are not new.