A meeting with Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Justin Trudeau gives Joe Biden a shot to show that he’s not Donald Trump—but U.S. protectionism has been cranking up. The Three Amigos summit coincides with Ottawa dropping the PCR test requirement for cross-border trips lasting under 72 hours, as the COVID-19 vaccinations come for kids.
Attack of the donor plaques
Claims of schoolhouse building projects credited to multiple donors due to calculated overfunding are being denied by We to the CBC—although The Fifth Estate report expands on something that previously came up amidst other controversies. The charity is pinning additional blame on Canadaland, the target of a new motherly defamation suit.
Pride Toronto banks on real parades being welcome again in June 2022. New plans include scaling back the number of corporate floats while banning gas-powered vehicles and flatbed trucks. As for Toronto’s Santa Claus Parade, it’ll be closed off to the public for the second year, but still filmed for broadcast at Canada’s Wonderland.
A space saved by Hollywood
Sidewalk Labs walked away from its controversial “smart city” plans for Toronto’s Port Lands, which evidently helped clear the way for a different development supported by the city. Basin Media Hub has funding from two California firms bullish on production prospects. The plan includes a public promenade, with less surveillance:
“Rogers CEO Joe Natale’s demands rejected by board, leading to his exit.” More clarity on how he ended up replaced by former CFO Tony Staffieri, ahead of the acquisition of Shaw Communications, is provided by the Globe and Mail. Meanwhile, at Bell, the media division appears to be undergoing its annual November layoffs.
Finally, too flagrant for Massey
Andrew Schulz, a comedian best known from Netflix and podcasts (including one with Charlemange Tha God), claims that his plan to perform in Toronto at Massey Hall was scuttled. According to Schulz, the venue objected to “inappropriate jokes.” But he was welcome at nearby Meridian Hall, where he sold out two nights, and then booked a third:
