We'll find out this morning if Rob Ford has flipped his last pancake as mayor. At 10, lawyers on both sides of the mayor's conflict-of-interest trial will send an email containing Justice Charles Hackland's decision. If found in breach of provincial rules, Ford could be thrown from office and banned from seeking re-election for seven years.
If Ford is terminated deputy mayor Doug Holyday would temporarily become leader. According to The Star, instead of appointing a new mayor from within Holyday would prefer to hold a fresh election. It's also possible the judge could find Ford breached the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act but leave him in office. Whatever happens, it's about to get interesting. We'll have more as soon as it happens.
It was about time Toronto had something to cheer about. Last night the Argonauts defeated the Calgary Stampeders 35-22 to win the 100th Grey Cup at the Rogers Centre. As a result, Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi is now obliged to wear an Argos jersey at his next council meeting. A victory parade is scheduled for Tuesday, "Argonauts Day." There's also a commemorative stamp in the works.
Before the match, Ford appeared with Nenshi for some photo-friendly trash-talking. It's fair to say Nenshi seemed decidedly cooler in front of the media, perhaps because he's not facing a potentially career-ending court ruling. The Cowtown media were never the less happy to knock Ford; the Calgary Herald called the match-up an "East-West battle won." I think we can all agree on that.
Toronto police have arrested a man over a fatal hit-and-run on a cyclist on Friday. 22-year-old Miguel Oliveira briefly appeared in court charged with failing to remain at the scene of an accident, causing death. Tom Samson, a teacher, was struck at Davenport Road and Lansdowne Avenue.
Demolition was halted this weekend on a Victoria Street property over fears radioactive particles in the walls could be released into the air. Number 258, near Yonge-Dundas Square, used to manufacture radium-plated, glow-in-the-dark watch faces. Ideally, glowing faces will remain a thing of the past in that neighbourhood.
21 mistletoe-clad kissing stations on Bloor Street between Spadina and Bathurst haven't exactly been rousing festive cheer, according to The Star. According to the story, most of the marked areas are used only by inebriated overspill from bars and clubs. And they say romance is dead.
Finally, GO Transit's last remaining proof-of-payment machines are headed for the garbage over the next few months. The 350 metal devices, many of them over 15 years old, are now largely obsolete with the Presto system.
IN OTHER NEWS:
- Four attacks at York University in one week [The Star]
- Former Argonauts cheerleader injured abroad recovering in Toronto [The Star]
- Salvation Army toy theft: Toronto police recover donated items in warehouse [The Star]
FROM THE WEEKEND:
- Nik Powell imparts wisdom on Toronto film community
- 6 Toronto buildings with LEED Platinum certification
- A brief history of the Ford Hotel's fall from grace
- Medieval Times offers new show, same tournament
- Where to drink and dance near Queen and Dovercourt
- Mysteriously Yours serves up murder with dinner
- New gym combines ballet, yoga and a barre
- Sunday Supplement: Grey Cup, diesel trains, and 1940s highway mania
- The history of the Grey Cup in Toronto
- This Week in Theatre
- This Week In Comedy
Chris Bateman is a writer for blogTO. Follow him on Twitter at @chrisbateman.
Photo: "180:365 - My Playground" by KatGatti in the blogTO Flickr pool.