I agree. Come on down in the summer, July especially is great. I think it's great here, so much to do and there's a lot of great hidden gems if you know who to ask.

PLUS Ketto and I are here!! That'll be even more fun!

Everyone hold your breath and close your eyes, its budget day…this might hurt a little!

on another note, today is Family Literacy Day in Canada! i don't know if any of you hear Metro Morning on CBC radio 1, but this morning they spoke to my all time favourite and Canadian icon Robert Muncsh! I had no idea he had a stroke about 6 months ago! apparently it left him unable to read and write, although he is recovering that ablility, he said he still cannot work on creative story telling. sad, because i always hoped i could get him to write a story about me...
i think we will have to read "Mortimer" at bedtime tonight!

Oh Christine, that is such sad news about Robert Muncsh!!! His stories were definitely a part of my childhood and now as an adult, I often give the collections of his stories to family and friends with young children. I always envision children's bedrooms rooms filled with lots of books and reading materials, but as of late I feel that that is somewhat becoming a thing of the past given technology/television/computers etc.

On a brighter note....yay for receiving sunshine in Toronto today . It has been so dreary lately that today feels like such a treat and I actually feel like being out and about.

Sooooo, how about the Federal Budget...

Coalition, already.

This budget is a joke. I agree ChaCha, coalition already! C'mon Iggy!

The budget is a tough topic to discuss I think. Although I may not agree with Harper and the ideals that he represents, I also feel very torn about the idea of forming a coalition government right now. I am very afraid that another election at the present moment would generate immense debt that we don't really need right now as a country, and in turn, the price of political instability for all Canadians, especially those who are at risk for losing their jobs or who have already lost their jobs, could be very high. In my opinion, I say wait until you the liberal party rebuilds and gets some more momentum and then go for it.

It seems like we have a lose/lose/lose situation on our hands. Harper’s budget (as expected) sucks. Provides excessive and useless tax cuts to middle class and corporations, offers pathetic tokens to marginalized groups and the poor.

An election now would create serious voter fatigue and widespread frustration. It’s a big waste of money. And winter elections traditionally have low turnouts. There’s democracy in action!

Personally, I favour the coalition as a means of representing the majority of Canadian votes, and MAYBE (hopefully, although I realize I might be dreaming) an opportunity to see some real progress via partnership instead of partisanship. I can’t deny though that the Coalition is a widely unpopular idea and may only disenfranchise people further.

I need to stop reading budget coverage. It’s depressing. Can someone PLEASE show me something positive here?


edit: and now Iggy is saying the Liberals will support the budget if the Conservatives will agree to "accountability" measures. hey - we don't want them to be accountable for their promises! their promises suck!

Wow! A budget prepared by Mike Harris' former Goon Squad, full of "promises" that are basically "pork" for special interests, the wealthy and the corporations, who don't pay tax anyway. Now working for Harper! With absolutely no changes since they destroyed Toronto all those years ago--still yammering about Keeping Their Promises. When keeping your promises really means you line your pockets and keep your end of the bribe deal, where is the character and effort in that?

I never thought much of Ignatieff (who supported Bush on the war anyway, that's what I'll remember him for) but now that he's completely aligned the liberals with the Conservatives, I think much less of him than I did before. The jackass had an opportunity not only to govern, but to govern well when it was necessary for good government to be created. Instead, he's asking for accountability for the most cynical budget I've yet to see. "A single mom earning $80K per year will get a tax break"... is he kidding?

Accountability my eye.

I never thought an election would be of any value, we've got a very clear majority in the house against Harper, what kills me is that the Governor General should have put a stop to this and asked the majority to take over the house as soon as Harper called that premature election he swore he wouldn't call last year. She failed then, she failed again by proroguing parliament...I hope to god she's sleeping with Harper, and that he's an incredible lay, because I cannot for the life of me see any justification for giving him as much of a pass as she's given him.

It bugs the hell out of me that we're now watching Obama move very quickly in the US to do what has to be done, as fast as the movement of a pen on paper...but here in Canada we're going to have another wasteful, expensive, and fascist bunch of bullies who will stamp their feet because they can't get their way, and do nothing while people lose their jobs all over the country.

I’m with you chachaheels! I already held Ignatieff in low-esteem, and this budget crap has not improved my opinion. I can’t believe I’m envying the American political situation!

On another note: I’ve seen/heard more and more press about the Polytechnique movie that is coming out. I’m curious about reactions/thoughts on this. Dec 6 is always a big event day for me, I have participated in many vigils, and always remember it as an opportunity to expose the realities of femicide in Canada (and elsewhere) and write to my MP about women’s issues. I think I will go see it. The impression I have so far is that it has been made to be insightful, and with sensitivity to the victims and their families. It doesn’t reek of sensationalism like that offensive travesty that was Karla.

Is this movie just another opportunity to act as voyeurs on the tragedy of other peoples lives, or is it an important reminder of a significant event in Canadian history, and our perspectives on feminism, gun violence, mental health among other issues?

I just saw a promotional spot for the film, I'm curious about it too. It's shot in such a glowless manner, it doesn't look like it's a glorification of the violence in any way (I'm just visually comparing it to a film with similar subject matter, Elephant, by Gus Van Sant...lots of sun lit scenes in that film; in this it's perpetual winter slush grey, indoors).

If it's done well, it can definitely make the point about violence against women felt. But honestly, it's so commonplace in film no one thinks twice about it. I remember watching TV many years ago with a boyfriend and his buddies, we were watching a sequel of an Eddie Murphy Beverly Hills Cop franchise. The villain in the movie is a woman (yeah, naturally) and in the end of the film we're all supposed to cheer on the police department as they shoot at her until she's dead. "Women!" says the police officer with the Dead Eye, the line that provides the comic relief to the tension of the scene. My response (cause I talk back to the TV, I admit it) was, "Yeah, that's what Mark Lepine said too".

Will this crappy weather ever end?!? I've been stuck outside of Wpg for 2 days now, stupid highway closed because of stupid freezing rain... and by the looks of it I'm going to be stuck again tomorrow, this time because of snow...

Funny though, feels like I'm back in NB...

It's crazy juls. I wonder if the river skating trail is finished. It's supposed to be open until March 1st but they said if there's too much water run off from the bridges over the trail that'll be it. There were some big wide open spots when I drove to work this morning. There were pictures in the paper from Monday showing people ice skating down highway 3 - they said it was the smoothest skate they've had all year.

On Monday and Tuesday I couldn't even make it up my driveway and into the garage. I live on a side street and it was pure ice. Now it's just dirty and slushy.

Are there any busties who are interested in having a Toronto meetup? I just thought it would be fun for any of us who are actually in the area.

For shizzle yo.

I would think that spring or summer would be good. People have more free time and it's nice to be out in the good weather.

i'm in!

Sounds like fun

Does anyone know of any way to actually get involved with feminism/activism in Toronto? I mean, it's a big city, there's got to be something going on. I just don't know where to look.

A couple suggestions candycanegirl:

Toronto Rape Crisis Centre
They take volunteers, and also host/participate in a lot of action events, such as Take Back the Night. They are an inclusive, grassroots kinda place, which i like! about as hardcore feminist as you will find.

METRAC
Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children.

In case this is not quite what you were looking for, I will PM you the email address of one of my former professors who sends out a weekly list of activist and social justice events around the city. She's is profiled here. If you don't see anything of interest on her lists, then you are out of luck, cause she keeps up on EVERYTHING!

Thanks so much! I just really want to get involved with the community.

I know I haven't been here in a while - but I'd totally be in for a Toronto meet-up!

I can't wait for the weather to get nicer. Every morning I wake up and it's all sunny and beautiful - then i step outside and it's freezing cold! (Still better than it was, say a month ago though.) It's just the deceptiveness of the whole thing that gets me..

Some posts in the Looks like we've got a Reader thread inspired me. Would anyone be interested in starting a reading club? I was thinking Toronto and area, but I don't think there are very many Toronto busties. Maybe we could start a Canadian reading club right here through this thread? What do you guys think?

So sad that we got snowed again here in Winnipeg. Time to sign up for some sand-bagging shifts.

It was soooooo nice last week. I've seen at least 5 or 6 accidents in the last two days with the slush on our streets.

Speaking of reading, did anyone pick up the Canada reads book this year? I was going to but haven't yet. They voted on "The Book of Negroes". I listened to the week long series while they voted though. It was interesting, and I love Sarah Slean and Nicholas Campbell.

Yeah, lananans was talking about that in the Reading thread. I listened to that program too - the best was Avi Lewis flogging himself with wet noodles over his mis-vote near to the end - everyone seemed to get really invested.
I haven't read it, (or any of the selections) either, but I'm looking at Mercy Among The Children and Fruit.

I'd definitely be interested in a reading club! I read an average of two books a week - usually just random selections here and there, but I'm up for reading just about anything.

I didn't follow the Canada Reads - but I read Book of Negroes because I found it in a used book store of all places. Pretty good.

ketto - sucks that you got snow! We just got a bunch of rain here, although not really too bad.

I'm reading a lot to, but I keep starting new books without finishing the old ones, and the chance to chat about them would be really nice. A reading circle would keep me "on topic" till the last page.

Me too - I usually have about three or four books on the go at one time.

i read a LOT but i don't think i could commit to any sort of schedule. i'm waiting to borrow Book of Negros from my mum when she finishes it.

how are the Manitobans faring? haven't heard any flood news in the past couple of days.

It's snowing here. Again.

The city is making more dykes, and there is still a call for volunteers. The ice jamb north of the city is still there, but it's moving.

From my walks at the park, I can see the river is still rising.

yikes culture -- did the river stabilize??

It's not snowing here, but my I talked to my dad, who says that where my family lives, just 50 minutes north of Toronto, there was 15cm of snow. It's APRIL for goodness sakes! I want spring!

The crest of the river is expected Thursday as ice jams be damned, they are opening the locks, which could potentiall do damge to bridges, but nothing that can't be fixed I suppose.

Opening up the locks means that the water in the South end of the city (where I am) will rise. BUT volunteers have been sandbagging galore. Less myself, I've been in a horrible, horrible mind set where I can't see the forest for the trees. I am a shit head, I am aware of this.

Canada: A solution in search of a problem.

This from the BBC web-site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/st...pared_awar.html

If I can't ride my bike when I get back to Winnipeg next week, I'm going to cry and maybe even throw stuff.

You'll totally be able to ride your bike. It's supposed to be 17 tomorrow!

I have washed my hands of the upcoming BC elections. I never thought I'd ever be saying something like that, but honestly, the NDP is hooped. Totally fucking hooped. And I don't even have enough faith in them as people anymore.

I've barely read a newspaper for months. It's part of my new personal mental health guidelines. So the other day Soulman and I were driving to the music store, and I saw that Terry Lake, our former Kamloops mayor, is running in my riding for the BC Liberals. And I KNEW it was all over. The NDP doesn't have a hope in hell.

wooooooo! thanks CH.

Its not even that warm inthe UK right now! I'm pumped.

Just popping in to say..Oh my god winnipeg is gorgeous today!

Here too. But it snowed yesterday, and is going to snow again this weekend *sob*

Doodlebug - you should come over here. you can talk until you're blue in the face, and everyone will agree with you that the government is ruining our province, and piss and moan about it for 4 years... but when election day comes, they all go out and vote PC. again. for decades. It's so depressing.

Hey, now that the weather's nice, what do Toronto busties say to some drinks on a patio sometime soon?

Sounds great. You know what would be really nice is doing it down by the lakeshore/harbourfront or on the Toronto Islands. If on the Islands I wouldn't mind bringing a bottle of white. Someone else would have to do the red and the soda.

Yes, it's finally nice out! Personally I'm a fan of going down to the beaches but I'm sure we could all vote on it.

The Beaches is a bit far for me Candycane girl. Alternatively I wouldn't mind having you guys at my house since it looks like there's less than a handful of us. If it gets too stuffy, there's two patios per block in Little Italy on College Street.

As long as I can get there on my bike, I'm happy to go anywhere!

I want to take a minute to big up Toronto's burlesque scene. Entertaining, subversive, I was blown away at last week's Burlesque à la Carte at the Revival. If anyone else is interested in the upcoming Burlesque festival in July let me know!

Hello Canucks!

We're moving from S. Ont to possibly Cobourg in the next couple months so TO shows are not entirely out of the question in the near future. I certainly would like to see some good burlesque for a change! I've been subject to enough mediocre to downright terrible for quite some time now. Shame, that.
Anyone know anything about Cobourg and area? I've been lots of times to visit my pops but haven't spent any chunks of time checking things out. Hope there's some art and culture!

I just read Bad Girl Creek by Jo-ann Mapson and Wild Life by Molly Gloss, both excellent reads. Now I'm working on Strange Wine by Harlan Ellison who still has the power to totally freak me out even after all these years *shudder*.

Things are great in this neck of the woods, hope all of you are well, happy, healthy and busy w good things!

Hey Pepper it's nice to see you posting again.
I'm one of those Toronto people everyone in Canada hates. I'm ignorant of anything east of Yonge Street and North of St Clair Ave. Sorry. What's the draw for you guys in Cobourg?
I've seen some disappointing Burlesque shows too - The beauty of that last show was that it was impossible to go wrong. It was the cream of a whole bunch of diverse Toronto acts so there was something for everyone.

The craft thread misses you, lady!

Governor General eats raw seal heart to support hunters
I was pretty sure this was a parody, but..

Hi ladies. girl_logic, I'm still interested in having a TO meetup but I'm going to be out of town for the next few weeks. Would you all be interested in meeting at a patio or something and having drinks?