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OTTAWA—Exactly one month since Prime Minister Stephen Harper was forced to accept the resignation of his chief of staff in the Senate expenses scandal, the effects of Nigel Wright’s loss are becoming evident within the Conservative government. Before Wright wrote a cheque to cover the repayment of ineligible expenses that Senator Mike Duffy claimed, the Bay St. business veteran was praised for bringing a level of quiet professionalism to the prime minister’s operations. Since Wright’s resignation on May 19, however, the Prime Minister’s Office has been veering toward overt stunts and hyper-partisanship in a bid to deflect attention from the ongoing controversies over the Senate and other troubles for the Conservatives. Some examples from the past four  weeks: The PMO openly orchestrated a campaign over the last few days to “leak” information about Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s speaking engagements, including an apparent bid to recruit some Conservatives into complaining about the fees charged to a New Brunswick charity.Rather than let the Conservative party office do the partisan job of attacking Trudeau, the PMO itself has taken the lead, offering up quotes to reporters or MPs made available for comment. On Tuesday, Harper deflected questions about how his staff was handling the Trudeau-spending fracas and whether the PMO should have been involved in smear-opponent tactics. “As someone who is paid by the public, I get good remuneration from the taxpayers of Canada,” he said at the close of G8 meeting in Northern Ireland. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to then take money from charity. I give money to charity, I don’t take money from charity.”In the past, PMOs have stayed at arm’s length from more base partisanship, since the PMO, technically at least, is supposed to speak for all Canadians.Even more clumsily, the PMO circulated to the media Monday more documents on the Trudeau speaking fees, but this time demanding to be simply described as a “source.” One newspaper, the Barrie Advance, “outed” the odd, highly partisan effort by the highest political office in the land, and other news outlets, including the Star subsequently revealed the effort, too. In the Commons last week, cabinet ministers carried “Stop Mulcair” prop signs into the chamber to poke fun at NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair’s driving incident on Parliament Hill (in which he failed to stop for security and ran through several stop signs). At a Trudeau news conference on Parliament Hill, which was organized to call for more openness in MPs’ budgets and expenses, young Conservatives staged a disruptive protest, with handmade placards and chants. Though they described themselves as students, some were recognized as Conservative staffers on the Hill. When Conservative MP Brent Rathgeber recently quit the caucus to protest against how the PMO had gutted a bill on public-sector transparency, PMO officials past and present took to Twitter to demand that Rathgeber run in a byelection. Problem: This was not the position that Harper’s government had taken in the past, when Liberal defectors such as David Emerson, Wajid Khan and Joe Comuzzi joined the Conservatives. A failure to co-operate with Elections Canada has resulted in the unusual request for MPs James Bezan and Shelly Glover to be suspended from their seats in the Commons — a request that has now had to be bounced to a Commons committee after a Speaker’s ruling Tuesday. In yet another dispute with Elections Canada and the ongoing “robocalls” saga from the 2011 election, a federal court judge ruled on May 23 that the Conservatives had treated the trial as “trench warfare” and that their database was probably used in a widespread scheme to suppress votes in the last election. The

Hats off to Leafs goaltender Ben Scrivens, who once again is in the news for serving his community.  This latest venture is to join the march in the upcoming Pride parade. A couple weeks ago, Scrivens was a part of a Special Olympics fundraiser. Prior to this year, former GM Brian Burke marched in the

Seven days, one thousand artists, sixty venues across the city... FILTER headed out to Toronto for the 19th year of NXNE to experience all the bands, brews and bons moments we could fit into a 24-hour day, and we weren't disppointed. Below, dive in with managing editor Breanna Murphy's Thursday report of NXNE and stay tuned throughout the week for the rest of the festival recaps. Continue reading at FILTERmagazine.com

Trustees are expected to vote Wednesday night on cuts to the number of music instructors it employs, among other items, as they grapple with a nearly $30-million deficit

George Christopoulos, Mayor Rob Ford’s spokesman who resigned in the wake of the ongoing video scandal, has quickly landed on his feet.The Building Industry and Land Development Association has hired Christopoulos in the newly created position of vice-president of communications and media relations, BILD announced Tuesday.“Before joining the mayor’s office, he was an integral part of the Toronto Police Service’s communications team for nearly a decade,” BILD, which has more than 1,400 members, said of Christopoulos. He starts July 2.“He is a strategic thinker, a relationship-builder and an award-winning writer.”For 16 months, the former Toronto Sun reporter was at Ford’s side, helping guide his daily communications and through various gaffes and scandals.But on May 28 Christopoulos and Isaac Ransom, a special assistant for communications, quietly slipped out of City Hall. They were among an exodus of six staffers in Ford’s office, including chief of staff Mark Towhey who was fired.Sources told the Star Christopoulos and Ranson quit on principle because they felt they could not continue in good conscience after Ford said: “I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine. As for a video, I cannot comment on a video that I have never seen or does not exist.”In mid-May, two Star reporters wrote a drug dealer had shown them a video that appeared to show Ford smoking a crack pipe. Ford has since said such a video does not exist, but refuses to answer further questions about it.

Mayor Rob Ford shrugged off the prospect of the conflict of interest case against him going to the Supreme Court of Canada.

More than 200 mourners, paramedics, police and ORNGE representatives gathered at a memorial service on Tuesday for two pilots and two paramedics killed late last month in an air ambulance crash. Capt. Don Filliter, First Officer Jacques Dupuy, and flight paramedics Dustin Dagenais and Chris Snowball died when an ORNGE helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff from Moosonee, Ont.The memorial service was attended by Premier Kathleen Wynne and Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews at the Toronto Police College, where the helmets of the four victims were placed in front of their portraits as a tribute.Wynne said that the victims did not consider their work with ORNGE just as jobs, but as “an extension of who they were.”“Their friends and families, I know, and communities have suffered a great loss and I want you to know that Ontario has suffered that loss with you,” she said.“I’m here because I want to tell you that the work of these men is not lost on the people of Ontario. We thank them all. And as we gather today to mark their sacrifice, we reflect on what their lives can tell us about ourselves and our province.”George Duncan, the grandfather of Snowball, spoke outside of the memorial and said that being a paramedic was something his grandson had “always wanted to do.”“He was actually filling in for somebody else,” Duncan said, adding that he was having an especially hard time coming to terms with that fact. “He was supposed to be back home.”Duncan also said that Snowball perished in the crash just four days before his 39th birthday.Dr. Andrew McCallum, president and CEO of ORNGE, thanked the people of Moosonee on behalf of Ornge’s 600 employees for coming out in the cold and rain shortly after the crash to pay tribute to the victims.“These past few weeks have been tremendously difficult for the ORNGE family, as we cope with the tragic loss of our friends and colleagues,” he said.“ORNGE may have appeared to be different things to different people in recent years, but like the men we honour today you have never lost sight of our true mission,” he said in remarks directed to ONGE staff at the memorial.ORNGE helicopters circled over the memorial service as a bagpiper led a procession of family and friends to an ORNGE ambulance that they then covered in flowers.The helicopter carrying the four men had just left its base at the Moosonee airport to pick up a patient in the remote Attawapiskat First Nation when it crashed early on May 31.Transportation Safety Board officers investigating the crash have said mechanical failure did not appear to be the cause.

A bid to keep Parkdale from becoming a de facto club district by capping the number of restaurants on Queen Street West has captured the attention of other downtown councillors looking to control how their neighbourhoods change. In the past five years, 34 eating establishments have opened their doors on the strip between Dufferin Street and Roncesvalles Avenue. Some morph into bars at night, drawing revellers already a few drinks in who careen along the sidewalk, get into fistfights and leave vomit behind in backyards. “I’ve had people have feces on their front stoop. It’s a bit out of control,” said Councillor Gord Perks, who is championing a change to the zoning bylaw for this Queen Street stretch that would limit the number of restaurants to 25% of storefronts. Last year, the city imposed a moratorium on new restaurants to try to get a handle on the boom. The influx has driven rents up, according to Mr. Perks, and pushed other retailers out, so the restriction is also meant to keep a mix of businesses along the main drag. It was unanimously approved on Tuesday by the Toronto East York Community Council, drawing praise from a number of its members. Tyler Anderson / National PostCouncillor Adam Vaughan wants to see whether a similar threshold could be applied to Kensington Market, which he said is becoming less "market" and more "entertainment district." Councillor Adam Vaughan wants to see whether a similar threshold could be applied to Kensington Market, which he said is becoming less “market” and more “entertainment district.” Councillor Ana Bailao, who represents a burgeoning stretch of Dundas Street West, said she too is “watching very closely” the Parkdale developments, while Councillor Paula Fletcher sought to have the approach considered as part of a Queen Street East planning study. “It’s about how we build a community,” Ms. Bailao said. The 25% experiment in Parkdale must still be approved by city council — and it has its share of critics. “I’m a capitalist, as you know,” Mayor Rob Ford said when asked about his views on the plans. “I believe in free enterprise. If people want to open up restaurants, all the power to them. It creates jobs, it’s fantastic for the economy.” The proposed changes divide the Parkdale strip into four quadrants. One particularly unruly stretch, from Dufferin to Brock Avenue, already has restaurants representing 33% of businesses. All those businesses would remain, and if a tenant moved out, the property owner would get to hold on to his or her restaurant privilege. One other section is at the 25% cap, and the other two are slightly below it. It’s not clear what, if any, effect the scarcity of new restaurant opportunities in the area would have on the value of properties that currently house eateries. “The question would be, is 25% the perfect number?” asked Anna Bartula, executive director of the Parkdale Village Business Improvement Area. In addition, the city is unable to distinguish between licensed and unlicensed premises. The restaurant cap would, for example, apply to coffee shops. “The net that we cast is probably a little broad,” said Gregg Lintern, a director of community planning at the city. That’s why, if approved, the municipality would report back on the impact in three years. Mr. Lintern emphasized the importance of maintaining “diversity” on main streets so that residents can walk to meet their day-to-day needs. “The notion of having to drive to get a light bulb is extremely offensive to me,” Councillor Vaughan said. Sam Grosso, owner of the Cadillac Lounge on Queen Street West, agreed it is important to strike a balance. He said the area does not need any more nightclubs. “The city has to think about the residents, they have to think about people filtering up and down the street,” Mr. Gros

TORONTO - Le Comité olympique canadien (COC) est résolu à assurer le meilleur encadrement possible à ses athlètes aux Jeux olympiques de Sotchi. Et il a pris une décision en ce sens en nommant France St-Louis comme chef de mission adjointe, un rôle qu'elle partagera avec Jean-Luc Brassard.Steve Podborski sera à la tête de la délégation canadienne à titre de chef de mission.Le Canada nourrit de grandes ambitions pour Sotchi. L'objectif est de terminer au premier rang pour le nombre de médailles récoltées à ces Jeux.St-Louis est enchantée de reprendre du service sur la scène olympique.«Cette nomination se veut une occasion extraordinaire pour moi! a-t-elle mentionné dans un communiqué. C’est un honneur d’avoir la chance de travailler aux côtés de deux personnes aussi remarquables que Steve et Jean-Luc.«Je suis extrêmement emballée et touchée d’avoir l’occasion d’apporter ma contribution à l’équipe olympique canadienne à Sotchi. Je sais à quel point il est important que nos athlètes soient bien préparés physiquement et mentalement pour réaliser leurs objectifs, et c’est exactement l’aide que je compte leur apporter.»Le président du COC, Marcel Aubut, a vanté la vaste expérience de St-Louis, qui s'avérera précieuse pour les athlètes canadiens.«Si nous voulons que le Canada soit la plus grande nation olympique au monde, il nous faut réunir les Canadiens les plus qualifiés pour guider et soutenir nos athlètes et nos entraîneurs», a déclaré Aubut.«L’additition de France à notre équipe nous rapproche encore davantage de notre objectif qui consiste à terminer au premier rang pour le nombre de médailles récoltées aux prochains Jeux, a ajouté Podborski, médaillé de bronze aux Jeux de Lake Placid en 1980. Nos athlètes et nos entraîneurs bénéficieront grandement de l’expertise considérable et de la perspective d’une athlète qui sait exactement ce qu’il faut pour gagner.»Au fil de sa carrière sportive qui s’est étalée sur 20 ans, St-Louis s'est illustrée dans deux sports: la crosse et le hockey.Avec l'équipe canadienne de hockey féminin, elle a contribué à la conquête de cinq championnats du monde et obtenu une médaille d'argent aux Jeux olympiques de 1998. Elle a aussi mérité de nombreuses récompenses individuelles, y compris le Prix de la percée de l’Association canadienne pour l’avancement des femmes, du sport et de l’activité physique (ACAFS), en reconnaissance de son immense contribution au sport féminin, notamment au hockey.À Vancouver en 2010, le Canada a récolté 26 médailles, dont 14 en or ce qui lui avait permis d'améliorer le record du plus grand nombre de médailles d'or par une même nation à des Jeux d'hiver.More...

A lawyer for the woman accused of throwing a cup of juice at Rob Ford took a shot at the mayor Tuesday, saying it was “most unfortunate” he opted to discuss the case outside of court. Lawyer Marie Henein also said her client, Shannon Everett, would “vigorously defend” the assault charge laid after the weekend incident at a Little Italy street festival. “We are surprised by Mayor Ford’s decision to comment on the case repeatedly outside the judicial forum. This is most unfortunate,” Ms. Henein said. “The mayor should allow Ms. Everett to have her day in court, where we will vigorously defend the charge against her and a court of law will have the full opportunity to assess Mayor Ford’s credibility.” The alleged juice-throwing incident prompted the mayor to muse on his radio show about hiring a security detail, but he has since deflected questions on the topic. Ms. Everett, a yoga teacher and multimedia developer, has had no prior involvement with police, her lawyer said. Related‘You got a little shower’: Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford brushes off ‘unfortunate’ juice-throwing incidentToronto woman charged for allegedly throwing drink at Rob Ford