Where are all the women interested in Women’s Rights?

Last month I challenged you with an experiment as to who makes the best Juror for a female victim’s sexual assault trial.  The result was interesting.  Only men responded.  I know I have a fair readership. It’s a reasonable inference that there are a few women readers out there.

I was surprised by their lack of response. There are three possibilities. Women are too shy to express an opinion. I cannot believe that. My wife, like many women, readily shares a variety of opinions ranging from the business pages, Indigenous grievances to my neatness and picking up my sock

Embarrassment is not an option. I destroy all names and won’t use them in any articles to cause concern unless you ask otherwise. Also, remember I am retired so I have no powers of contempt for defiance or ability to over-rule a disagreement.  I want to debate ideas. Your opinions are important. I encourage suggestions for topics. Write and list topics for future discussions. The last possibility here and the most frightening is where women don’t see these issues as significant. Please don’t disappoint my belief in the feminist movement.

I have two young grand-daughters. I feel if more women were in power, compromise over tribalism would prevail.  As a result, I will postpone my results one more month hoping some women will take up my challenge before I explain the experiment.

While on the topic of Women Power, let’s talk about the ’Me Too’ movement. I feel it is too limited when seen purely as feminist issue. Do not get me wrong, the matter is extremely important but has a wider scope  related to power abuse – a person of  power taking advantage of someone with less power who cannot protest.  It is  seen as a significant women’s issue because in the workplace women still hold most of the inferior positions  lacking equality.

This issue of power abuse, too a much lesser extent than sexual abuse, was personal in my career as I moved from lawyer to Queens Counsel to the lead of the Criminal Law Department, while surrounded by some superiors telling me stupid Polish Jokes, like “Newfie” jokes, which ridiculed a whole population including me.  I could either stand up to the unfairness of the topic or ignore them.  To call out the comments I would identify myself as an ‘Outsider’ and hurt my chance of advancement. By being quiet and being part of the group, I would be confirming a false assumption about a group of individuals and adding to a bias.  People with power must understand their position and use it wisely.

The concept of a power imbalance is also important when we teach our children about sexual relations. We need to understand this idea of abuse of power. Parents who say sex education belongs solely to the family would be surprised at the number of persons charged or victims of sexual assaults who were never given any training on the subject.  Very few parents teach their children on this matter. It’s an “icky subject” for a parent and even more so for the child yet it is extremely important. Remember, knowledge is power.  You want your children to have the power of control.

I bet you would find it hard to explain the nature of consent to your son or daughter. In assessing ‘consent’ it must be clear to both parties that each have made an informed and free consent as equals to the relationship.  That means no power imbalance such as age, experience, alcohol, drugs, age or experience, position or even lies creating a power imbalance between two people by diminishing the power of one to give  free and informed consent. To simply assume there was consent is dangerous.

“Informed” means you understand all the consequences of your actions. That means there can be no abuse of power.  Some believe that teaching sex will advance promiscuity so they tend to keep the female ill-informed of the physical nature of sex.  In reality it encourages the tradition of male power over the female.  Actually, promiscuity is reduced by correct understanding of the topic. It amazed me as to the number of victims, some over thirty, who had difficulty in testifying didn’t even know the technical name for body parts.

For these reasons I endorse sex education and the understanding of relationships in our schools for both boys and girls if you want to generate equality and reduce power imbalances. Sex education leaves the morality to the parents and the physical sciences to the school.  How many of you agree or disagree – write me and challenge the idea.

Judge Lloyd Budzinski retired after 28 years and was a former Crown Attorney, Defence Counsel and Ontario’s Assistant Deputy Minister of Criminal Law. He was Chief Prosecutor in the trial of ex-RCMP officer Patrick Michael Kelly, found guilty of murder for throwing his wife from a 17th floor balcony in March 1981.

He can be reached at lbudzinski@talkjustice.info

If you are still searching for a COVID-vaccination, there will be a mobile vaccination unit on October 18 at Lakeshore Collegiate Institute. Right at your doorstep. And, on October 21 check out a virtual Humber Wellness Talks with keynote speaker Larissa Crawford at Humber College. There are so many other things to do at this time of the year in the community.

 

Luca Torresan and Mike Sikora have been teaching South Etobicoke children to remain active and be healthy by playing organized ball hockey.

Ball hockey has picked up in popularity as parents last season signed up their children for inexpensive outdoor activity. Many of the experienced players have now shifted to ice hockey as ball hockey wound down.

Torresan is the president of the Etobicoke Minor Ball Hockey League (EMBHL), which runs camps for 480 children, aged four to 14, to teach them the skills of playing the game and having fun.

Sikora is the vice-president of ball hockey operations.

“The first weeks are the best because the kids want to come out and play,” Torresan said in an interview recently. “The kids and their parents want to be outside and be with other kids.’

The EMBHL has been in operation for about seven years and is made up of about 30 teams from the area of all age groups. There are about 36 leagues across the province.

“Ball hockey is always among the top sports,” he said. “It does not cost as much as other sports and you don’t need a lot of expensive equipment.”

The sport is very popular with children in Etobicoke who may not have much funds for expensive hockey gear or want to keep in shape for ice hockey.

“It is the most cost effective sport now,” Torresan explained. “You do not require a lot of money to play this sport.”

He said there are mixed leagues where boys can play with girls.  “We had a great girls’ team this year,” Torresan noted. “The girls are very good.”

A player named Logan, 10, said “it was real fun to play ball hockey and to have a good time with my friends.”

“This sport satisfies my need for ice hockey in the summer,” observed Charlie, 11. “It is a great sport to keep in shape.”

The ball hockey community is pushing for their sport to be played in the Olympics to obtain more exposure and motivate more children to play the sport.

“Our main goal is to have ball hockey become an Olympic sport,” Torresan said. “We have been lobbying for the sport to be played in the Olympics and eventually

It costs about $150 for kids to take part in 10 weeks of competitive, organized play in the EMBHL. The games  take place at the Sir Adam Beck Drypad in Alderwood.

For more information visit www.embhl.ca

 

 

Its that time of the year when you can get a free tree from the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association. Register for your tree on October 8 at Colonel Samuel Smith Park, and pick them up on October 23. Its a Tree for Free. Here are some other free activities also taking place in our community.

 

 

 

 

 

Police Const. Alexander Yuanidis is really Toronto’s top cop for now.

Yuanidis was named winner of the 54 Annual Police Officer of the Year Award on September 29 for rescuing two people trapped in a home during a three-alarm blaze in Scarborough.

The 16-year veteran, who is based in 43 Division, was called to a fire call in May 2020 where residents were trapped inside a home. He saw a ‘fireball explode” on the north side of the home when he arrived.

“He went to the rear of the house where he found two people trapped on the elevated rear deck,” police said. “He took immediate action, locating a ladder from a neighbour and placed it on the raised deck.”

“He then reached over the railing and brought one of the people down the ladder,” according to police. “The older resident was unable to climb over the railing so Constable Yuanidis broke through the railing with his fists and helped the resident escape to safety.”

“He also recognized the risk to neighbouring homes and worked to evacuate all nearby residents from their homes,” said Master of Ceremony Catherine McDonald, of Global News.

Yuanidis was awarded for taking a calculated risk, acting decisively and bravely, while putting his personal safety at risk in order to save others.

“I think that night was a set of very fortunate circumstances, that I was so close, I knew the area, but anyone in my situation would have done the same thing,” he told a police appreciation dinner.

“It’s a huge honour,” said Yuanidis, who was quick to point out his fellow officers perform acts of heroism on a daily basis in the city.

“Our family owes Officer Alex a great debt because he saved the patriarch of the family with three children, their partners and eight grandchildren,” said a family member who was part of the fire ordeal.

Created in 1967, the purpose of the event is to recognize officers of the Toronto Police Service who have made significant contributions to making Toronto one of the safest big cities in the world. An average of 12 officers, or a group of officers, are selected for the Police Officer Excellence Awards, based on the criteria of bravery, humanitarianism, superior investigative work and outstanding police skills.

The Police Officer of the Year Award is selected from these groups.

Mimico artist Fernando Ferreira has more than 400 beautiful pieces of art that he painted to enlighten hard-hit seniors sitting in stacks in his apartment.

He is having a hard time obtaining help from area politicians to help distribute his abstract artworks to the more than 700 homes for seniors in Ontario.

The former 30-year TTC driver is still out in his lakeside studio on most days trying to complete 1,001 pieces of art for the 721 long term homes in Ontario.

The art is painted on two feet square boards, is original and contains a heart and love. They come in bright, upbeat colours that helps people celebrate. He hopes to be finished by next June.

“This is a project of love to help lift our seniors,” Ferreira said. “All the paintings are bright, upbeat and are meant to help them in these challenging times.”

He has not received replies for requests for help from most area politicians, except for the office of PC Christine Hogarth.

“I still have a couple more hundred pieces to create for the seniors,” Ferreira said. “Every long care home will have one.”

He is receiving support from the community and requests to sell some of his works has been refused. The artist estimates it has cost him about $1,000 so far on wood, paints and other materials.

“This art is meant to brighten the lives of our seniors. It is free and not to be sold to anyone,” he vowed.

He hopes to have the pieces of art hanging proudly in all seniors’ residences, many which have been hit hard with COVID-19.

The artist has four stacks of his works in his one bedroom Mimico Estates apartment and needs a hand to get them into long term care homes across Ontario.

His work is described as “simple and upbeat.”

“Every painting has a heart and they contain so much love,” according to reviews.

Ferreira, who is from the Azores, loves painting and artwork. His father was a noted paint chemist and at home “is where I learned to mix paints.”

In the 1960s when he first arrived in Canada he sold similar paintings to people in Toronto’s upscale Yorkville area and was able to save $5,000 in three years to make a deposit on a house.

He has been living in Mimico for about 17 years and moved here for the lake, fresh air and beautiful trip by TTC to downtown Toronto.

Ferreira can be reached for artwork or donations at 647-855-0721.

 

 

More than 1,000 nature lovers have signed a petition to save 12 trees on Dwight Avenue from being chopped down to install a new sidewalk.

City crews have been kept busy by complaints from area residents about the trees.

The trees slated to be axed run along the fence of Second Street Junior Middle School and provide shade, exposure to nature, and separation from a busy street to the young children who play there, according to residents and an online petition.

“The city has made these plans without consultation with the school, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) or local residents,” according to the petition. We ‘call upon the city to narrow Dwight Avenue to achieve this goal, rather than remove twelve trees.”

An outraged Christina Murie, whose tree in front her historic Birmingham Business Centre was initially slated for removal, wants the city to come up with a plan to save the mature trees.

“There is no need to chop down the Dwight Street trees for a new sidewalk,” Murie explained. “Tree roots are deep and sidewalk excavation is shallow.”

She and others believe Dwight Avenue is being “widened for left turn lane and an anticipated 4,000 vehicles a day for the new occupant of the Campbell’s Soup property, rumoured to be Amazon.”

The community believes a 24-hour Amazon distribution centre is being developed with warehouses and extra road space for trucks at the former Campbell’s site.

“Local parents are upset that the trees are being cut down for Amazon,” Murie said. “Who can believe that healthy trees are getting chopped for more trucks?”

City staff told residents at a September 23 virtual information session narrowing Dwight would be costly and complicated; a left-turn lane onto Birmingham Street is half the block and catch basins would need relocated.

City crews said they receive their orders from Councillor Mark Grimes, who has declared a conflict of interest since he has property in the area.

Grimes said school parents requested the sidewalk several years ago. A large infrastructure project reconstructing and surfacing roads, replacing water mains and installing missing sidewalks presented the opportunity, he said.

Students and adults looking for work are invited to a virtual job fair taking place on September 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Some 15 companies will be at the fair searching for new hires. The fair is open for those aged from 16 to 29.

Pre-registration is required and there is an option to download your resume.

 

A plaque of Etobicoke war hero and Victoria Cross recipient George Topham stood for many years outside the former Etobicoke Civic Centre.

Corporal Topham, 27, was a Medical Orderly in the Canadian Army’s 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion from 1942 to 1945 during the Second World War when he watched two colleagues shot to death by enemy fire while saving a man in the battlefield. He promptly jumped in to save the soldiers.

Topham’s battalion gained the distinction of being the only Canadian Army unit to fight in the battle. During Operation Varsity, the Western Allies’ attempted to cross the River Rhine on March 24, 1945, and encountered heavy enemy fire as they took casualties.

“Corporal Topham went forward through intense fire to replace the orderlies who had been killed before his eyes,” according to military records. “As he worked on the wounded man, he was himself shot through the nose.”

Despite ‘severe bleeding and intense pain, he never faltered in his task,” the military wrote. “He carried the wounded man steadily and slowly back through continuous fire.”

As if that was not enough. While returning to his company, he saved three men by rescuing them from a burning carrier that was in danger of exploding.

The carrier had taken a direct hit and enemy mortar bombs were still dropping. The vehicle was burning fiercely and its own mortar ammunition was exploding. An experienced officer on the spot had warned all not to approach the carrier.

Topham went out alone in spite of the blasting ammunition and enemy fire, and rescued the three occupants of the carrier. One man died. He brought them back and arranged for their evacuation.

For six hours Topham refused medical help for his wound and worked hard to bring in wounded, showing complete disregard for the heavy and accurate enemy fire. It was only when all casualties had been cleared that he consented to his own wound being treated.

For his exceptional and courageous deeds, Topham was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for valor in the British Commonwealth.

“This N.C.O. showed sustained gallantry of the highest order,” according to the Victoria Cross. “For six hours, most of the time in great pain, he performed a series of acts of outstanding bravery and his magnificent and selfless courage inspired all those who witnessed it.”

Topham’s heroism was celebrated with a parade and civic reception in Toronto on August 8, 1945; one hundred members of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion served as a guard of honour.

After the war in November 10, 1945, the war hero laid the cornerstone of the new Sunnybrook Memorial Hospital for Veterans. He served briefly as a Constable with the Toronto Police Department before a career with Toronto Hydro.

He died on May 31, 1974 from a heart attack, and is buried at Etobicoke’s Sanctuary Park Cemetery.

The Ontario Heritage Foundation erected a plaque at the Civic Centre in 1980 commemorating Corporal Topham, V.C. This plaque has since been erected outside Runnymede College Institute.

A park near St. Clair Avenue East and O’Connor Drive was named for Topham. It features three ball diamonds, two lit tennis courts, a wading pool, a children’s playground and the Topham Park Community Centre and Clubhouse.

Family and friends mourning the death of New Toronto man Adrian Hurley now have a little more closure in their search for answers.

Toronto Police on September 24 arrested Zachary Barton, 36, who has been charged with first-degree murder in the gun killing.

Hurley was found with no vital signs on August 27 in the Thirty Ninth Street and James Street area, of Long Branch.

More than $8,000 has been raised to help his grieving family, who describe him as the ‘best brother, loving father and beloved son.’

Hurley, 23, who grew up in New Toronto, was remembered as an ‘adoring boyfriend and precious grandson,” in a Go Fund Me post that was created on August 28.

“Anyone who knew him knew he had the best spirit, he was always smiling no matter what was going on,” Chantelle wrote “He was the strongest person we knew.”

She said “Adrian just recently had a son who he adored more than anything I’ve ever seen.”

He would help anyone he could without hesitation because his heart was just that big, Chantelle wrote.

“We are heartbroken that we couldn’t help him when he needed us most,” she said.

The funds raised will go to help pay his funeral expenses and to help his son.

He was well-liked and touched many people in the community, residents said.

“My deepest condolences to you and your family,” wrote Dynonz Hermiz on social media.  “My heart goes out to you. Sending you strength, love and peace during this hard time.”

Krista Langille wrote “rest in paradise Adrian, your smile and spirit will always live on.”