Toronto class divide

By Kris Scheuer
(Column written Oct 16.08 for Town Crier.)

 

Toronto the Good is not perfect.

The Toronto Community Foundation’s Oct. 7 report Toronto’s Vital Signs paints a mixed picture of how our city is faring 10 years after amalgamation.

Sure we are producing less waste, consuming less water, our beaches are cleaner, transit usage is up, arts

are doing well, but some disturbing trends muddy this rosy picture.

For example food bank use is up and wait times for subsidized daycare and housing are on the rise. Our

city’s debt load is also increasing.

But two of the most disturbing aspects of the report are 40 percent of residents don’t feel a sense of

belonging in this city. And there’s an increasing gap between rich and poor, especially for new

immigrants.

So this begs the question — Just how livable is our city?

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Politics and homosexuality

Public, family acceptance for gay & lesbian politicians 
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Feb 2/2004)

Kathleen Wynne is a politician who happens to be a lesbian.
However during the last provincial election campaign, “I was told, ‘You can’t win because you are a lesbian. You can’t run uptown because your lifestyle is too alternative,’ ” says the Liberal MPP for Don Valley West . “But I don’t live downtown. I grew up in the suburbs. I am an uptown person. Why transplant myself, then the only thing about me becomes that I’m a lesbian!

Free lunch on the city

By Kris Scheuer

Almost 100,000 students will be getting free meals thanks to the city.
City hall already kicks in $2.79 million annually to feed over 90,000 students in 365 schools as part of a student nutrition program, said Toronto Public Health’s Jann Houston.
As part of the recently approved $8.7 billion operating budget, it approved an additional $400,000 to fund an additional 44 programs to help another 8,791 youth and children, Houston said.
From Budget Chief Shelley Carroll’s perspective the service is needed even more during current economic climes.

Welcome!

I hope you will enjoy my views of the city and articles on the people that live and work in Toronto. I welcome your comments and feedback. Kris