The presumptive next Ontario Liberal leader’s swimming pool scandal couldn’t sink two replacement candidates for Ottawa MPPs, which now brings the party count to eight. Two byelections also meant that Canada’s most famous fringe candidates didn’t need to run against one other: as a result, 32 people voted for John Turmel, and 95 ballots were cast for Above Znoneofthe.
A truly Formica table summit
Doug Ford wouldn’t be Ontario’s premier today without the fall of Patrick Brown. Even though they went more than a year in their current roles without a meeting, Brampton’s mayor now boasts of a budding buddy relationship. This diner sit-down found Brown bringing up his city’s growing gang activity, and its want for a new university.
RCMP admit that Clearview AI was used in 15 cases and helped rescue two kids. The admission by the Mounties that the controversial facial-recognition software played a role in sexual-exploitation investigations was followed by the privacy commissioner’s office announcing that it was launching an investigation into its use.
What the CBC seems useful for
Two journalism professors have written a book called The End of the CBC?, which former CBC news editor-in-chief Tony Burman has expounded upon for his Toronto Star column—and so round and round the doom prophecies go. But its platforms come in handy for whatever requires spinning when management changes are announced:
The revolting McMonstrosity of Postmedia Place. Toronto Sun reporter Bryan Passifiume tweeted about the “extra cream cheese” bagel debacle on Tuesday, it started making all the global clickbait website rounds on Wednesday, and McDonald’s tried making amends on Thursday. The journey ends with a Sun story about the viral bite.
Finally, some big ego inflation
Cameo remains very good to Kevin O’Leary: the price of short video selfies from “Mr. Wonderful” rose from $499 to $1,200 within a year—no doubt aided by his willingness to seemingly shoot shout-outs to any business. The service also acts as an obsession for the Vancouver podcast Blocked Party, which can’t get enough of deconstructing it:
