Toronto Council’s thought police jump on Meghan Murphy issue

Proving everything that controversial feminist Meghan Murphy said Tuesday night about being “brainwashed” and intolerant, council refused to put to bed the issue of her Toronto Public Library appearance Wednesday.

Led by the chief of council’s thought police — Kristyn Wong-Tam — they voted 22-1 to conduct a review of the city’s policies around the use of community spaces to ensure any such use does not violate the city’s access and equity, human rights and anti-harassment/discrimination policies.

That review will include consultation with LGBTQ stakeholders.

Only Cllr. Stephen Holyday had the guts to vote against this virtue-signaling nonsense.


Both Paul Ainslie and Gord Perks — library board members — voted for the review, which suggests to me they are quite prepared to throw Chief Librarian Vickery Bowles under the bus for her brave decision to allow Murphy to speak at Palmerston Library Tuesday night, despite the pressure leveled at her to silence free speech.

Wong-Tam told her colleagues that she’s personally heard from friends who are “very hurt” and they need to be mindful of that.

”Trans and non-binary people feel especially hurt,” she said, without a trace of embarrassment.

“They felt their beloved Toronto Library didn’t back them when they needed to.”

Wong-Tam’s motion was somewhat tweaked from her original motion, which had the Chief People Officer Omo Atinkan involved in the review.

She said the mayor’s office had worked with her to make the changes.

Earlier this year, Atinkan had declared that the annual anti-Israel hatefest, the Al Quds rally — which involved a march up University Ave. without a permit and accompanied by a phalanx of police officers — did not violate the city’s human rights or anti-hate policies.

Wong-Tam insisted she was not “casting aspersions” on anyone, but council needs to ensure the city “strengthens” its policies.

She added that the city has a “long way to go” to repair its relationship with “non binary and trans groups.

”This will be Yeoman’s work … we have to find a way to come together to fix that,” she said.

Ask me how much I believe that Wong-Tam isn’t trying to toss Bowles under the bus? She must think we’re all stupid.

And why are we giving what will likely be the same LGBTQ radicals who tried to ruin Pride any say whatsoever?

I say let them retreat to their safe spaces and deal with their little temper tantrum on their own.

For what I saw Tuesday night before and after Murphy’s speech from the rent-a-mob — several hundred shrieking intolerant, childish, petulant, intimidating and definitely angry radicals — was nothing short of obscene.

They tried to bully attendees who simply wanted to hear Murphy speak, and shouted repeatedly “shame, shame” at those of us in the media who came to cover the event.

As Murphy said in her 45-minute talk, most of them had no clue what exactly her views are because they haven’t bothered to find  out.

That includes Wong-Tam, who I would guarantee has never taken the time to actually speak with Murphy.

My efforts to obtain a comment from Wong-Tam’s office were ignored yet again.

Repeatedly — since I first revealed a lease signed for a shelter in her ward in early October — her office has refused to acknowledge my requests for comment.

That being said, Wong-Tam has her “regressive ideology”  — to echo Murphy’s words — and that won’t change.

However, are Toronto council and Mayor John Tory so weak that they’d go along with this ridiculous, time-wasting review — and put brave Bowles in the spotlight?

Tory already made a fool of himself by trying to pressure the library to ban an event that was anything but hateful.

Had he or any Councillor attended, they might have learned something.

But unlike the people who attended Murphy’s speech Tuesday, our politicians have caved, yet again, to the angry mob.
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Toronto cops investigate 'suspicious incident' at Yeshiva Darchei Torah school

Toronto police are investigating a “suspicious incident” after two men tried to enter a North York Jewish school on Tuesday.

The men, dressed as repairmen in yellow vests, went to the Yeshiva Darchei Torah school on Champlain Blvd. claiming to be Rogers Communications employees but couldn’t provide identification and were sent away.

“We responded to a call for a suspicious incident (at the school) reporting two suspicious men entered the school posing as Rogers employees,” said Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook.

“Our unit attended and investigated. There is no other information other than the fact that the men entered the school. We continue to investigate.”

The school sent a letter home to parents to make them aware of the incident.

“This morning there was a “security incident” at the Yeshiva. During Shacharis  ( morning prayers), two unidentified men — clearly of foreign background — tried to enter the building representing themselves as Rogers repairmen. All the doors were locked in accordance with our procedures,” the letter said.

“They were forced to come to the front door and use the intercom/bell to gain entry. (A) Rabbi responded to the call and asked for identification — also in accordance with our procedures,” said the letter. “The two men were unable to produce I.D. and were sent away. We were able to confirm with Rogers that no servicemen were sent to the area and there were no service outages in the general area of the Yeshiva.”

The school declined to comment.
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Triggermen 'targeted' five North York teens for death at 79 Clearview Heights Rd

The coroner sat this one out.

Two triggermen had tried to add a quintet of fresh corpses to the city’s 2019 roster of the dead but happily, their aim was lousy.

According to cops, five teens were cut down in a “targeted” shooting at an apartment complex at 79 Clearview Heights Rd. in North York around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night.

They were doing what teens do: Hanging around shooting the breeze, smoking cigarettes.

The conversations would end in a gasp. And screams.

A trio of males arrived in a black sedan and slipped into the 1950s era apartment building through a side door cops said.

When they spotted their quarry, they opened fire.

Two triggermen unleashed at least 20 bullets in the stairwell of the apartment building if the shell casings collected by detectives are any indication.

Surveillance video tells the chilling tale.

Two young triggermen are captured in their parkas blasting away in the stairwells of the three-storey brick apartment. Casings are flying everywhere.

Like kids blasting each other with water guns on a glorious summer day. That blase. That banal. That cold.

And the victims were young: Two females, 16 and 17, and three males — all between 16 and 18.

Thankfully, all are expected to survive.

Cops, politicians, community activists and social workers will again be warbling the classic blockbuster: Someone should do something.

On Thursday, the street was quiet. The cops were gone now and residents were again left to their own devices.

Strands of yellow police tape were the only evidence that death came calling and had been denied.

“This has been going on a lot lately,” said Gary, a neighbour who didn’t want his last name used.

“It’s not shocking. There have been three shootings over the past year.”

He has lived in the area for the past two years. Despite the murderous proximity, he doesn’t worry, after all, the shootings tend to be targeted.

“It’s just childish stuff, someone steps on someone’s shoes … and it’s BOOM!,” Gary said.

“It’s kids shooting kids.”

Asked if they shouldn’t be playing baseball, hoops or road hockey, Gary laughs sourly: “They weren’t taught that way.”

Next door to the shooting scene is Coronation Park. There are a lot of younger kids in the area.

“That’s what really scares me. What if a little kid gets hit by a stray bullet? That’s what bothers me.”

Cops say the shooters were males, probably in their late teens or early 20s. They wore dark-coloured clothing. And hoodies. Natch.

At the crime scene Wednesday night, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders appealed to the public for help in nabbing the thugs responsible.

“We’re making this appeal with the hopes that we can apprehend these people before any future gun violence happens in our city,” he said.

Too late.

Not far away at 9:30 a.m. Thursday there was another shooting in the Jane St.-Trethewey Dr. area.

Three men approached a parked car and opened fire. Cops say a 29-year-old man went to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

But make no mistake, the coroner is on the bench. And waiting.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
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Five men charged in GTA break and enter cases

York Regional Police have charged five men – four of them Colombians – in a residential break and enter investigation across the GTA.

Although four of the five suspects charged are Colombians, police stopped short saying it was a case of criminal tourism.

An undercover officer, who has asked not to be named and is working on targeting South American thieves, says “crime tourism” started at the end of 2016.

That is when Mexicans no longer required visas to enter Canada and crime cells in South America started using Mexico documents to enter Canada.

The cop says once in Canada, these foreign crooks target and steal millions from high-end homes.

In August, the Canadian Border Services Agency and police in York, Simcoe, Barrie, Peel, Halton and Toronto, and the OPP started gathering evidence. On Oct. 17, five suspects were arrested.

As part of the investigation search warrants were executed on the suspects vehicles and residences.

Evidence was seized that linked the suspects to the break-ins along with watches, jewelry and collectible items.

The owners of the stolen goods haven’t been identified. Victims of break-ins over the period can view photos at https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHWrFjF.

Angelo Eduardo Durango Rincon, 41, Carlos Orlando Albaeeacin Sanches, 38, Jhony Sid Oyola Sanabria, 33, and Jafre Alexander Salinas Angel, 33, all of Colombia, have been charged with break and enter, having break and enter instruments and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

The fifth man charged was Jerson Sanches, 22, of Toronto.

The five are facing a total of 45 charges.

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7232 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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Ali Nassir Showbeg, 38 allegedly with gun in cop car dealt drugs in prison: sources

A man accused of having a firearm in cop cruiser has convictions for dealing drugs while serving a prison sentence for earlier crimes, the Sun has learned.

Sources told the Sun that Ali Nassir Showbeg, 38, was wearing multiple layers of clothing and perhaps strapped the Ruger handgun underneath his genitalia when he was busted for impaired driving on the weekend.

A videotape of him producing the concealed handgun from clothing while handcuffed in the back of a Toronto police cruiser made headlines earlier this week.

Showbeg’s criminal past reveals he concealed contraband drugs while serving time in penitentiaries for earlier narcotics and weapons convictions.

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said the incident is being investigated to determine whether “it is a training or disciplinary matter.”

Showbeg was sentenced to six months on top of six months of pre-trial custody in June 2003 for possessing a prohibited weapon.

He later got two years in jail plus a two-year-less-two-days conditional sentence for possession of a firearm with tampered serial numbers in 2006, as well as a lifetime weapons ban.

He wasn’t convicted of the attempted murder charge stemming from a Feb. 13, 2005 shooting outside of a Rexdale grocery store.

Later, he got a three year and seven month sentence for a drug dealing conviction.

While serving this sentence at Millhaven in 2007, Showberg was convicted of conspiracy to sell drugs in jail and received an additional 18-month consecutive sentence.

The next year, at Collins Bay Penitentiary, he was convicted of two counts of possessing drugs.

Veteran criminal defence lawyer Daniel Brown said strip searches “can’t be conducted by police as a matter of routine for all arrested individuals.

“Our laws permit police officers to do a thorough frisk search as part of any arrest to ensure the safety of the public or the officers,” said Brown.

“If a frisk search reveals a possible weapon or other circumstances raise the risk that a weapon may be concealed on the detainee, a strip search to locate the weapon will be completely justified.”

A quarter of Brown’s clients are charged with drunk driving offences.

“Police will even be permitted to conduct a strip search at the roadside if there are urgent circumstances requiring the search to take place before arriving at the police station,” explained Brown.

“You don’t always find weapons on a pat-down search, especially if they are hidden in the rectum or under their testicles,” a source told the Sun.

“It’s perfectly feasible if the gun was hidden under the scrotum, perhaps in compression underwear, and the suspect wore multiple layers of clothing, it could be missed by a pat-down search.”

Concealing firearms in underwear is a frequent occurrence.

In January, military man Randy Jackson was sentenced to eight years in prison for smuggling 67 handguns — including three stashed in his compression underwear while driving across the border from his native Michigan into Ontario’s black market.

Jackson, 35 and a first-time offender, previously pleaded guilty to importing three handguns in his underwear and illegally transferring four other firearms in 2017.

He brought 67 handguns across the border in 2017, 52 of which remain in the hands of criminals who may use them and “harm entirely innocent persons,” court heard.
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Torstar Corp. reports $40.9M Q3 loss, suspends quarterly dividend

TORONTO — Torstar Corp. suspended its quarterly dividend as it reported a $40.9-million loss attributable to shareholders in its latest quarter.

The publisher of the Toronto Star newspaper says it suspended the regular payment to shareholders of 2.5 cents per share as part of its plan to preserve its cash and strengthen its financial position.

The board of directors plans to review the dividend policy again in the fourth quarter of 2020, the company says.

The decision came as Torstar reported a loss of 50 cents per share for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared with a loss attributable to shareholders of $18.8 million or 23 cents per share in the same quarter last year. Operating revenue fell to $111.8 million compared with $126.4 million.

On an adjusted basis, Torstar says it lost 21 cents per share in its most recent quarter compared with an adjusted loss of 22 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

Analysts on average had expected $112 million of revenue and an adjusted loss of 15 cents per share, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2019.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TS.B)

Torstar holds an investment in The Canadian Press as part of a joint agreement with subsidiaries of The Globe and Mail and Montreal's La Presse.

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Husam Alsoufi and Shahnaz Alsoufi plan to reopen their restaurant Soufis in Toronto

A Syrian restaurant in downtown Toronto that closed after its owners said they received hate messages and death threats is set to reopen Friday following an outpouring of support from community members and other businesses.

The Alsoufi family said its initial decision to shut down the popular restaurant Soufi’s on Queen St. W. came from “a place of fear” and a desire to put an end to the controversy surrounding the eatery.

But the family reconsidered after seeing how people responded to the closure, Husam Alsoufi told a news conference Thursday.

“The aftermath and public reaction to our decision was beyond what we imagined. We received hundreds of heartfelt messages from people all over Canada offering their support and solidarity,” he said.

“We do not wish to set a tragic example for future immigrants and refugee business owners as the business that gave in to hate. We want to foster hope and resilience in the face of intimidation and hostility.”

The Alsoufis will be taking a break from running the restaurant, however, leaving it under new management provided by the Middle Eastern chain Paramount Fine Foods “until our family feels healthy and safe again,” he said.

Paramount’s CEO said the Alsoufi family will remain the owners and continue to receive all the profits from the restaurant. All of the staff who lost their jobs when the restaurant was abruptly shuttered this week will also be rehired, Mohamad Fakih said.

Fakih said he hoped there would be no more threats, but that police would be called if necessary. He also did not rule out hiring security as a last resort.

Meanwhile, Toronto police are investigating a complaint filed by the Alsoufi family, who said they have turned over hundreds of hate messages to the force.

The family has said the threats stemmed from a September event featuring People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier, which media reports said the family’s eldest son had attended.

The event became a lightning rod for criticism when video footage surfaced showing masked protesters blocking an elderly woman with a walker from entering the Sept. 29 event at Hamilton’s Mohawk College.

Hamilton police said they are investigating but have not laid any charges.

Alsoufi declined to discuss the details of the rally on Thursday but said his son had participated in demonstrations “trying to support marginalized people” and had made mistakes, for which he learned his lesson “the hard way.”

He also said he had spoken to the elderly woman’s son and invited the family to the restaurant in an effort to make amends.

Prior to this, Soufi’s had become popular and was profiled in the New York Times as a success story related to Canada’s acceptance of Syrian refugees.
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Toronto police warned to watch for violent MS-13 gang members

The federal government has warned Canadian police services “violent” gangs known for cutting off the heads of victims are attempting to sneak across U.S.-Canada border points to avoid President Donald Trump’s changing immigration policy, The Toronto Sun has learned.

The classified “Alert” from Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC) warns “violence linked to the MS-13 is often described as brutal, from senseless beatings to dismemberment.”

Toronto has seen this gang before — even arresting members who threatened a Toronto justice official. MS-13 stands for Mara Salvatrucha which CISC calls a “Latin American street gang known for its violent activities and that exploits migration patterns to set up new cells.”

It calls MS-13 “one of the largest and most violent organized crime groups in the world” with 70,000 members in “half a dozen countries.”

And it’s not just men. The Washington Post did a story this week describing MS-13 female members luring victims to into being slashed to death.

CISC stated in a two-page document obtained by the Toronto Sun that “the Canadian law enforcement community should be aware of the group’s modus operandi” which includes “the use of extreme violence to exert power and ensure cohesion among its members.”

It also suggested “influx of Salvadoran migrants is expected throughout 2018 and 2019 requesting asylum in response to the removal of their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States.”

It tells cops and border security people “MS-13 members will likely exploit the migration of Salvadorians to Canada to set up new cells, most likely in the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal and Vancouver.”

The memo talks of potential dangers to residents since “MS-13 maintains a propensity for public and indiscriminate acts of violence, suggesting an enhanced public safety threat in the communities it inhabits.”

It’s not new. After the arrest of 17 alleged gang members in 2008, then-Toronto Police chief Bill Blair said investigators discovered MS-13 had placed a target on someone in the justice system. “Within the judicial process there are police officers, there are correction officers, there are court officers, there are members of the bar and members of the bench. This investigation involves someone within that process,” said Blair.

Toronto Police on Wednesday re-iterated they are on top of such issues.

“We work around the clock with law enforcement and intelligence colleagues locally, provincially, nationally and globally to get the latest and most accurate information about anything that might affect public safety in Toronto,” said TPS spokesman Mark Pugash. “Our contingency plans are reviewed and updated whenever necessary.”

CISC describes itself as supporting “the effort to reduce the harm caused by organized crime through the delivery of criminal intelligence products and services” by informing “partners, government and other stakeholders about criminal markets in Canada and assists law enforcement leaders in making decisions regarding organized crime enforcement priorities.”

The RCMP says it will comment on the situation with MS-13 in the coming days.

In meantime the lookout is on for MS-13.

Time to retweet

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent out a tweet. Now the Parti Quebecois wants a retweet.

Jan. 28, 2017, Trudeau posted: “to those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.”

Law enforcement sources say it was an “advertisement for illegals” to come to the border which they have done in droves — sometimes even having police carry their bags into Canada where many have become refugees.

“The problem is some are in gangs or have nefarious backgrounds,” said a justice source.

Now the PQ’s Catherine Fournier and Carole Poirier are urging Trudeau to tweet there are no “free passes into Canada.”

One copper said while it’s a good idea, it might be too late.
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Bill Blair proven wrong on safe storage, AR-15s and violence, then quickly ends interview

Gun rights activists Rod Giltaca and Tracey Wilson recently interviewed the Liberal Party “pointman on gun control” Bill Blair,  so let's take a look at a few highlights from their interview with the former Toronto Police Chief so we can add more refutations to the fire.

Giltaca and Wilson are part of the Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights and as part of their #IntegrityTour, stopped by the office of MP Bill Blair, the Liberal incumbent for Scarborough Southwest. Of course, Blair lives in another riding entirely.

The CCFR had knowledge of the law and crime statistics on their side, but it turns out that Blair — the Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction — was lacking.

Let's go through his poor arguments now.

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Matthew Dreaver 16-year-old victim of deadly East York hit-and-run identified

The city’s 55th homicide victim, intentionally run down overnight Monday in East York, has been identified.

Police say 16-year-old Matthew Dreaver was struck and killed just after 2 a.m. along Cedarvale Ave. near Woodbine and O’Connor.

The killing, said Det. Leslie Dunkley, appears to have stemmed from a dispute that took place behind the Shopper’s Drug Mart at 1500 Woodbine Ave.

“They became involved with two occupants of a motor vehicle that was parked,” he said at a news conference late Tuesday afternoon.

The victim and a 14-year-old friend then left the area on foot, but were confronted again by the suspects on Cosburn near Bracebridge Ave.

“The passenger of the motor vehicle exited, and began to chase the victim and his friend.”

The three ran towards the East York Memorial Arena, where the suspect vehicle drove over a grass boulevard and sidewalk to strike Dreaver from behind.

The vehicle fled west along Bracebridge Ave. before speeding north on Woodbine.

Dreaver was found without vital signs by emergency crews, who rushed him to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Both the driver and passenger are  described as white males, 20 to 35 years old with round faces, between 5-foot-10 and 5-foot-11 in height with short to balding hair.

The passenger fits a similar description.

Police say they were in a small, black and clean four-door SUV of unknown make or model.

The vehicle will have front-end damage, Dunkley said.

While video of the suspect vehicle was released by police, Dunkley said investigators have obtained footage showing Dreaver being run down by the SUV — images the homicide investigators described as ‘graphic’ but clearly establish intent by the driver to intentionally hit the victim.

“We know the suspect vehicle patrolled the area for 15 minutes, and they interacted with some members of the community,” Dunkley said.

The victim’s friend was unhurt, and stayed by Dreaver’s side after the attack.

“He witnessed his friend dying on the ground,” Dunkley said.

He issued an appeal to GTA body shops to let investigators know if a vehicle matching that description comes in for repairs.

Dunkley is also asking anybody who spoke with the suspects, or those with surveillance cameras, to contact police at 416-808-7400, or Crime Stoppers.
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School board speaks to fatal stabbing of Devan Selvey 14, at Sir Winston Churchill school

Staff and students at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School are trying to come to grips with Monday’s fatal stabbing.

Hamilton Police have arrested four teens in connection with the death of a male student outside of the school on Monday afternoon. Two have already appeared in court on first-degree murder charges.


Police identified the victim as Devan Selvey, 14, a Grade 9 student at Sir Winston Churchill.

A crisis response intervention team was on hand at the school on Tuesday, as well as social workers, wellness counsellors and extra staff support for teachers and administrators.

Speaking on Global News Radio 900 CHML’s Bill Kelly Show, Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board director Manny Figuerido said he was at the school on Tuesday morning, speaking with students, teachers, and parents.

“The common theme I’ve been messaging is that we need to talk,” said Figuerido. “And I know there’s a range of feelings on social media, from ‘Could the school have done something more?’ to ‘We love our school, we can’t believe this happened’.




It remains unclear what exactly led to the assault, and Figuerido said he doesn’t want to speculate, adding that there is already a lot of speculation swirling on social media.

The victim’s sister, Karissa Selvey, has organized a GoFundMe for her brother and specifically mentioned that Devan struggled with bullying.

“Devan tried to get help with the bullying he was experiencing,” she wrote on the page. “He was a great kid; shy, quiet and always helped his family and friends.”

When asked if bullying could have been a factor, Figuerido said the school administration works “tirelessly” to create a positive environment to discourage bullying, but said it’s difficult to keep it from happening at all.

“We know what the research says, that the most effective strategy is ‘how do we help bystanders intervene?’ Because most acts of bullying occur – whether it’s in the physical world or in the digital world – where there’s less adult supervision.”

“We have to continue to work with our students around positive and safe ways for bystanders to intervene earlier. And that’s where we encourage our students – I know it’s difficult – to reach out to adults earlier so we can provide support.”

He said students are encouraged to reach out to adults in the school if they’re being bullied, whether it’s to a teacher, guidance counsellor, or athletics coach.

Speaking to media on Tuesday afternoon, Hamilton Police Det. Sgt. Steve Berezuik could not confirm whether or not bullying was a factor in the assault.

“We have a pretty good picture as to what went on,” Berezuik said, “but again, we have two people in custody right now that we’re looking forward to speaking with, to try to again, find out more of the truth. And we’ll see what that shows.”

Police have obtained some video footage of the assault and have asked any students who may also have cell phone footage to contact them.

Figuerido said there are security cameras on school property and they have provided police with that footage, but added that the assault took place on the sidewalk beside the school, which is an area not covered by the cameras.

As for whether or not students were being supervised, he said secondary school students have lunch breaks at different times and are allowed to leave school property, which means that teachers who are on supervision duty cannot monitor everywhere students might be.

“I think the most important strategy – no matter how many videos or cameras you have in school – the relationship piece with the adults is the number one way to have people feel safe.”
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Syrian refugee restaurant Soufi's closes due to 'hate messages'

A Syrian restaurant in Toronto that made international headlines as a template for tolerance and refugee integration announced on Tuesday that it will be permanently closing after receiving a flood of “hate messages and death threats.”

In a message posted to its Instagram account, Soufi’s at 676 Queen Street W., said the decision to close was prompted by numerous threats received over the past week.

“Our decision is made with a heavy heart in effort to maintain our family and staff’s safety,” the message states. “We would like to thank our lovely customers and Queen Street neighbours for their wonderful support over the past two years.”

The restaurant was run by Husam and Shahnaz Al-Soufi, who immigrated to Canada in October 2015 with their three children, Alaa, Jala and Ayham.

Soufi’s opened in 2017, and was profiled in the New York Times as an example of successful integration of Syrian refugees.

“We were inspired to open up Soufi’s by our love for our Syrian culture, music, and delicious home-made food,” the family wrote on its website.

CityNews profiled the restaurant in January, 2018. At the time, general manager Jala Al-Soufi, said the restaurant gave Syrian refugees in Toronto a comforting taste of home, not to mention job opportunities.

“A lot of Syrian refugees have immigrated here in the past few years so we wanted to be able to offer them a piece of home,” she said.

“My father insisted on employing mostly Syrian newcomers to be able to create job opportunities for them and also we understand how difficult it is to move here with limitations in language and experience.”


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Thomas Denney 62 of Toronto fatally stabbed near King and University, James Rushton, 38 charged

Toronto police have identified both the victim and suspect involved in a fatal stabbing Wednesday night near St. Andrew station.

Police were called to the area of University Avenue and King Street West just before 11 p.m. amid reports someone was stabbed during a confrontation. The victim was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries but later died.

He has been identified as 62-year-old Thomas Denney of Toronto.

Based on witness accounts at the scene, police were able to identify a suspect, chase him down and arrest him.

James Rushton, 38, of no fixed address has been charged with second degree murder.

Police said the suspect and the victim knew each other but would not elaborate further.

This was the 54th homicide of the year in Toronto.
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Delauntae Bryant, 24, and Eric Rowe, 20, have been identified as the city’s 52nd and 53rd murder victims of the year

A Niagara Falls man in town to celebrate his 24th birthday was among two victims killed as gunmen shot up the Jane-Finch corridor Tuesday night, says a family member of one of the dead men.
A teenage boy was in initially wounded when gunmen opened fire around 8:20 p.m. on Venetian Cres., just south of Jane St. and Finch Ave.

“The men then fired a number of rounds at a teenage boy,” Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu said Wednesday, explaining the boy suffered “multiple wounds before escaping.”

Then around 9:05 p.m., she said, the same armed men shot up homes at 2010 Sheppard Ave. W. — a townhouse complex just west of Jane St. No one was injured in that incident.

Officers were still investigating the first two shootings when another volley of gunshots rang out around 9:30 p.m. at 306 Grandravine Dr. — a government housing complex about 900 metres south of the first scene.

Cops responded to that scene and found two men gravely wounded in front of a townhouse that was riddled with bullet holes.

Sidhu said the two victims were in the complex’s courtyard “when the same men fired a number of rounds at them.”

The two men were rushed to hospital where they died.

Delauntae Bryant, 24, and Eric Rowe, 20, have been identified as the city’s 52nd and 53rd murder victims of the year.

A visibly distraught man at the townhouse complex Wednesday morning said Bryant was his older brother and he lived in Niagara Falls where he worked in construction. The man, who also lives in the Niagara Falls area but did not give his name, said his brother was in the city to celebrate his birthday and stopped by the complex to visit family because he was having car trouble.

“He was a good youth,” the man said of Bryant. “I think he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Shortly before the shooting, he said he spoke to his brother by phone and agreed to pick him up to take him out for his birthday. He arrived at the complex to find his brother and another male on the ground in the courtyard suffering from gunshot wounds and surrounded by cops.

“He was shot in the head,” the emotional man said. “But he was looking at me … and he scratched his nose.”

He was stunned to learn later that his brother, whose white Ford Escape was still parked in a nearby laneway Wednesday morning, didn’t survive.

A unit near where the victims were shot was hit by at least eight rounds — three of which pierced a window narrowly missing a man who was reportedly cooking in his kitchen.
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Former Vaughan mayor, longtime councillor Michael Di Biase facing corruption charge

Former mayor and longtime councillor of the City of Vaughan Michael Di Biase is facing a corruption charge, Ontario Provincial Police say.

In a news release Wednesday, OPP said the charge stems from an investigation that began in 2015 when officers received a referral from the integrity commissioner and a complaint from a citizen regarding allegations of corruption.

At the time, Di Biase was serving as a councillor.

Police said he is now facing one count each of municipal corruption and breach of trust.

OPP did not provide information on what the charge specifically relates to “in order to protect the integrity of the investigation and any ensuing court processes.”

Di Biase is now 71 years old and a resident of Woodbridge.

According to the City of Vaughan website, he first served as a councillor in Vaughan in 1985. He was the city’s mayor from 2002 to 2006.

In 2017, while serving as a councillor and deputy mayor, Di Biase resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

He is scheduled to appear in a Newmarket court on Oct. 30 to face the corruption charge.
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Toronto man dead after stabbing near St. Andrews subway station

Toronto police say a man is dead after a stabbing in the city’s financial district late Wednesday.

Duty Insp. Darren Alldrit said officers were called to the area of King Street and University Avenue at 10:40 p.m. for reports of a group of people fighting.

When officers arrived at the scene, police say they found a man in his 50s who had been stabbed. He was transported to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Alldrit said officers searched the area after the stabbing and arrested a suspect, but police are still looking for a third person who was reportedly last seen heading into St. Andrew subway station and may have witnessed the altercation.

“I don’t think there’s any concern for the public at this time for this specific incident because I am confident the person we have now may be the one responsible,” Alldrit told reporters at the scene, adding that there is no word on what may have led to the fight.

Police closed off part of the area around King Street and University Avenue for the investigation, but it was reopened by early Thursday morning.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
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31 year old Toronto man shot in buttocks and leg near Kipling Avenue and Mount Olive Drive

Investigators say a man they found injured in the city’s Rexdale neighbourhood on Wednesday night was attacked by two men who shot him in the legs and buttocks while his girlfriend looked on.

Toronto police at 23 Division say they were called to the corner of Kipling Avenue and Mount Olive Drive after 10 p.m. for a report of multiple gunshots heard.

They arrived to find a 31-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds.

Investigators say the man was in front of an apartment complex when he was approached by two black male suspects wearing hoodies.

Police allege the suspects drew guns and shot the man in his legs and buttocks while his girlfriend watched.

They then fled the scene.

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Toronto has world's second most overvalued properties: Report

The high price of Toronto’s real estate landed it a spot on the podium of the world’s most overvalued property markets.

Toronto is second ⁠— behind first-place Munich ⁠— on a list of seven bubble risk cities, warns a new report from United Bank of Switzerland AG.

The global real estate bubble index 2019, put out by UBS, is “designed to track the risk of property price bubbles in global cities,” the bank says.

Hong Kong ranked third, followed by Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Vancouver, and Paris.

UBS defines a bubble risk, in part, as one which indicates “a substantial and sustained mispricing of an asset.”

Enter the city of Toronto.

“Real Housing prices in the city almost tripled between 2000 and 2017,” the reports states.

The report speaks about a few of the measures taken to combat the city’s rising housing costs.

“As in Vancouver, local authorities introduced a foreign-buyers tax, rent controls and tighter mortgage standards to tackle worsening affordability.”

Referring to sixth-place Vancouver, the report stated: “Sky-high valuations and overstretched affordability have made the market vulnerable to even minor demand shifts.”

If you purchased residential property in Toronto during the last 40 years you will have enjoyed long-term capital gains, the report states.

Three reasons for this are a technology boom driving economic growth, an increased number of wealthy households and  benefits from a decline in real interest rates in the 1990s.
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Toronto Police investigate double homicide near Jane and Finch October 1, 2019

Toronto police are at the scene of a double homicide after shots rang out in the Jane and Finch area Monday night.

Emergency crews were called to the area just before 8:30 p.m. for reports of a different shooting. When police arrived on scene they found one suffering from minor injuries, as well as shell casings in the area.

While they were investigating, officers heard multiple gunshots nearby and raced over to Grandravine Drive where they found two males suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds in the courtyard of a housing complex.

Both males were rushed to hospital in critical condition and died of their injuries.

No suspect description has been released. Homicide detectives are expected to update the investigation later on this morning.

As for the first shooting that originally brought police to the area, a white SUV crossover was identified as a vehicle of interest and they are looking for at least two suspects. No descriptions have been made available.
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2 men dead after shooting at 306 Grandravine Dr near Jane and Finch

Police found victims suffering from gunshot wounds near Jane Street and Yorkwoods Gate Tuesday night.

Two men are dead after a shooting in northwest Toronto on Tuesday night.

The shooting happened in a courtyard outside 306 Grandravine Drive, in the area of Jane Street and Finch Avenue West.

Officers from 31 Division were at the scene of a non-fatal shooting on nearby Venetian Court when they heard gunshots shortly before 9:30 p.m.

"The officers were over on Venetian Court, when they heard those gunshots, they raced over here trying to save the lives of the two people that they found," Duty Insp. Mandeep Mann told reporters Tuesday night.

The officers found both men suffering from gunshot wounds.

Toronto paramedics took the victims to hospital. One man, who was without vital signs when transported, was pronounced dead in hospital, Mann said.

Police confirmed early Wednesday that the second man had also died.

Police have not released the men's ages. No suspect information was immediately available.

Police dogs from the K-9 unit were at the scene late Tuesday, as were numerous officers who canvassed the area for witnesses and surveillance footage. Anyone with information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.

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Dawit Ephrem, 39, of Toronto robbed, stabbed woman near Church and Adelaise Sts.

A woman asleep in her apartment early Tuesday awoke to the terrifying image of a man standing over her wielding a knife, Toronto Police say.

Police say the break and enter occurred at 1:30 a.m. in the Church and Adelaide Sts. area. The man demanded the 57-year-old victim give him money, then took her to a bank to withdraw more cash.

But cops say when they were outside the apartment building, the woman “made a plea for help” and the man stabbed her before fleeing.

Officers located a suspect nearby and made an arrest.

Dawit Ephrem, 39, of Toronto, faces numerous charges including break and enter, aggravated assault and forcible confinement.

He was to appear in College Park courts on Tuesday morning.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5100 or Crime Stoppers.

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Toronto's new noise bylaw now in effect

A strengthened City of Toronto bylaw that cracks down on loud vehicles and other noise disturbances came into effect Tuesday.

The city even has a new ‘dedicated noise team’ — part of Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS) — to enforce the bylaw.

A statement issued by the city says two dozen bylaw enforcement officers will be available between 6 a.m. and 2 a.m. seven days a week to respond to noise complaints.

The team will be armed with special monitoring devices developed by sound engineering experts, the statement says.

Under the enhanced bylaw, vehicle noise cannot exceed 92 dB(A) from the exhaust outlet as measured at 50 cm.

Unnecessary horns, engine revving and tire squealing are also banned.

Mayor John Tory has called the loud sounds emitting from some vehicles “indefensible.”

The city’s noise bylaw does not permit amplified sound such as from bars and concerts, persistent noise from any animal including dog barking, construction noise between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays or at all on Sundays or statutory holidays, or any noise that’s deemed unreasonable and persistent.

Tory said the goal of the new anti-noise initiative was to set standards for noise and to redeploy city staff to ensure they are enforced.

“Before many of those complaints ended up in the hands of the police service,” Tory said. “Now it’s all in the hands of the city.”

Thousands of complaint calls a year are logged about excessive noise, he noted, adding complaint responses will be prioritized in part using software to identify the worst offences.

“We’re going to see after a few months how it’s going,” he said. “But the intention of changing the bylaw, which is done by and large every two years, and by redeploying these resources is to do better at something that in a big, growing city is going to be a nuisance for a lot of people, that keeps them awake at night, and we’re trying to minimize that.”

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Black man wanted for assault near Spadina and Dundas St, Toronto

Toronto Police need help identifying an alleged attacker wanted for a September assault investigators describe as “unprovoked.”

An 35-year-old man was hit on the head from behind on Sept. 13 at 10 a.m. in the Dundas St. W.-Spadina Ave.  area.

The alleged assailant –described as male, 6-foot, dark skinned with a medium build — fled along Spadina, leaving the injured victim behind, according to police.

Anybody with information should call 14 Division at 416-808-1400 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
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Amir Naraine 21 shot in a Kipling and Steeles Ave parking lot Toronto

Toronto police are investigating after a 21-year-old man was found dead of a gunshot wound inside his car on Sunday.

Investigators say someone reported seeing a man passed out in a vehicle in a plaza parking lot in the city's west end.

When paramedics arrived, police say they discovered the man had been shot and was already dead.

Officers believe someone shot Amir Naraine and left him in the car.

They believe someone else was in the vehicle with Naraine, and they're asking them to come forward.

They're also asking anyone who saw the vehicle before 7:30 p.m. on Sunday to reach out.
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Toronto Nearly 250 arrests in first 6 weeks of anti-gang project

Close to 250 arrests were made in the first six weeks of a project aimed at curbing gang activity in Toronto, police say, including 12 people who were taken into custody while on bail for firearms offences.

Police Chief Mark Saunders gave an update Monday on Project Community Space, which launched in August after the force received funding from all three levels of government.

He said the program has been “extremely effective” in increasing community safety, gathering intelligence and making arrests.

“Over the six weeks, shooting events have decreased 30 per cent compared to the six weeks prior to the start of this project,” Saunders told a news conference. “These results speak to the project being intelligence-led and that officers are in key areas and able to get to scenes quickly.”

Officers laid 525 charges as part of the project so far, Saunders said, with firearms-related offences accounting for more than a third. Violent offences, such as assault and sexual assault, made up 11 per cent of the charges, while the bulk of the remainder were related to outstanding warrants or failure to comply with bail conditions.

Officers conducted close to 900 compliance checks for those on bail, he said, adding that people reoffending while on release is a “big concern.”

“When all that work is done and an apprehension is made and that person is back out again in short order … the community, they feel like they are not being listened to and so they lose hope in the system,” he said.

The new program — which will use $1.5 million each from the federal, provincial and municipal governments — is set to run for 11 weeks in total.

Toronto Mayor John Tory requested the additional resources after a spate of violence in August that saw 17 people injured in 14 separate shooting incidents across the city.

Police said at the time the majority of those incidents were related to street gangs.

The city has been grappling with a surge in gun crime that has seen the number of shootings rise in the past five years: in 2014, police had recorded 111 shootings involving 139 victims, which included people hurt and killed, by mid-August; over the same time period 2019, police recorded 267 shooting incidents with 401 victims.
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