Seeing the trees beyond a forest of vaccines
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Justin Trudeau’s promise to Greta Thunberg that two billion trees would be planted if the Liberals were re-elected was delayed for over a year, but following up with a plan forecasts a return to normalcy. In the meantime, stories abound about Christmas tree shortages due to demand for those symbols of hope whilst stuck at home.
Meat still wrapped in red tape
Toronto lifted its order that closed Adamson Barbecue’s lockdown protest locale, but it has to get a valid business licence—while owner Adam Skelly uses email to argue his case. Meanwhile, as other businesses were charged for allegedly violating the Reopening Ontario Act, so were two young adults at a gathering inside a Niagara Falls hotel.
“Get the facts: No, CBC/Radio-Canada’s president does not live in the United States.” An official statement concerning Catherine Tait’s places of residence challenged the Canadaland report that she’s been working from home in Brooklyn, as CBC directors are required to reside in Canada.
The musical pen flip on 2020
The ability of Dave Hodge to keep score on current sounds at age 75 is something to behold, as reflected in his annual top 100 songs playlist. The list was unveiled on the Toronto Mike’d podcast, along with tributes to Hockey Night in Canada colleague Howie Meeker and Alex Trebek—who almost got that hosting job in 1971 instead of Hodge:
Smokey Robinson couldn’t really get a hold on Hanukkah. Vancouver speaking agent Jeff Jacobson paid $350 for a holiday Cameo greeting for his mother, who grew up on the same Detroit street as the R&B legend. But the video went viral due to Robinson’s confused reading of “Chanukah,” prompting him to promise a do-over video.
Finally, whipped cream dreams
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party was the creation of future real estate developer Harry Stinson, whose deranged Toronto operations earned a memorable oral history in The Grid nine years ago. A documentary production is pursuing further stories of the children’s party place, which began with Stinson himself once again donning the mad hat:
