After a July that was full of flying, Justin Trudeau and his family are in Costa Rica for a two-week vacation. In his absence comes the revelation that there was no scientific basis for banning unvaccinated Canadians from travel. Abacus Data polling is showing a nation less content with Trudeau, but maybe he’s already received enough portraits of himself.
The challenges facing a mayor
Toronto’s integrity commissioner will probe John Tory’s ties to Rogers, sparked by how Blue Jays complaints about road closures were followed by the mayor leading a vote to end the ActiveTO waterfront program. Meanwhile, as urbanist Gil Penalosa campaigns against Tory, city council can count on at least seven new faces this fall due to incumbent exits.
Vice Media is discussing a sale to the Greece-based Antenna Group. The company founded in Montreal was valued at $5.7 billion five years ago, but the times have changed. Antenna is 30% owned by the Saudi Arabia-based MBC Group; earlier this year, Vice’s marketing division was exposed for organizing a $20-million Saudi government festival.
Creeping rebate up to $8.58
Canada’s privacy commissioner finding Tim Hortons flagrantly broke the law by collecting location data was responded to with a proposed settlement involving a hot beverage and baked good to affected users. The fine print notes a fancy bagel can cost up to $2.39, but the claim that a drink can be worth $6.19 involves a more complicated concoction:
Mike Filey dead at 81. A onetime publicist for the Canadian National Exhibition and Canada’s Wonderland, he became better known as Toronto’s foremost local historian. Filey’s columns on “The Way We Were” from the Toronto Sun spun off into a series of books along with ones on the history of streetcars and about the construction of SkyDome.
Finally, the northern touch redux
Drake had to postpone the final headlining night of his OVO Fest in Toronto due to testing positive for COVID-19. While it meant delaying the reunion with others in the stable of Young Money Entertainment, he pulled off the History nightclub show with stars of Canadian hip-hop and R&B, including the rap national anthem: