Words From Eastern Toronto

Dear Ward 24 Residents,

Thai Pongal Valthukkal!

The following information is taken from the Society For The Confluence of Festivals in India http://www.pongalfestival.org/pongal-festival.html :

Pongal is a four-days-long harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. For as long as people have been planting and gathering food, there has been some form of harvest festival. Pongal, one of the most important popular Hindu festivals of the year. This four-day festival of thanksgiving to nature takes its name from the Tamil word meaning “to boil” and is held in the month of Thai (January-February) during the season when rice and other cereals, sugar-cane, and turmeric (an essential ingredient in Tamil cooking) are harvested.

Mid-January is an important time in the Tamil calendar. The harvest festival, Pongal, falls typically on the 14th or the 15th of January and is the quintessential ‘Tamil Festival’. Pongal is a harvest festival, a traditional occasion for giving thanks to nature, for celebrating the life cycles that give us grain. Tamilians say ‘Thai pirandhaal vazhi pirakkum’, and believe that knotty family problems will be solved with the advent of the Tamil month Thai that begins on Pongal day. This is traditionally the month of weddings. This is not a surprise in a largely agricultural community – the riches gained from a good harvest form the economic basis for expensive family occasions like weddings.

The First Day

This first day is celebrated as Bhogi festival in honor of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. Homage is paid to Lord Indra for the abundance of harvest, thereby bringing plenty and prosperity to the land. Another ritual observed on this day is Bhogi Mantalu, when useless household articles are thrown into a fire made of wood and cow-dung cakes. Girls dance around the bonfire, singing songs in praise of the gods, the spring and the harvest. The significance of the bonfire, in which is burnt the agricultural wastes and firewood is to keep warm during the last lap of winter.

The Second Day

On the second day of Pongal, the puja or act of ceremonial worship is performed when rice is boiled in milk outdoors in an earthenware pot and is then symbolically offered to the sun-god along with other oblations. All people wear traditional dress and markings, and there is an interesting ritual where husband and wife dispose of elegant ritual utensils especially used for the puja. In the village, the Pongal ceremony is carried out more simply but with the same devotion. In accordance with the appointed ritual, a turmeric plant is tied around the pot in which the rice will be boiled. The offerings include the two sticks of sugar-cane in background and coconut and bananas in the dish. A common feature of the puja, in addition to the offerings, is the kolam, the auspicious design which is traditionally traced in white lime powder before the house in the early morning after bathing.

The Third Day

The third day is known as Mattu Pongal, the day of Pongal for cows. Multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn and flower garlands are tied around the neck of the cattle and they are worshiped. They are fed with Pongal and taken to the village centers. The resounding of their bells attract the villagers as the young men race each other’s cattle. The entire atmosphere becomes festive and full of fun and revelry. Arati is performed on them, so as to ward off the evil eye. According to a legend, once Shiva asked his bull, Basava, to go to the earth and ask the mortals to have an oil massage and bath every day and to eat once a month. Inadvertently, Basava announced that everyone should eat daily and have an oil bath once a month. This mistake enraged Shiva who then cursed Basava, banishing him to live on the earth forever. He would have to plow the fields and help people produce more food. Thus the association of this day with cattle.

The Fourth Day

The Fourth day is known as Knau or Kannum Pongal day. On this day, a turmeric leaf is washed and is then placed on the ground. On this leaf are placed, the leftovers of sweet Pongal and Venn Pongal, ordinary rice as well as rice colored red and yellow, betel leaves, betel nuts, two pieces of sugarcane, turmeric leaves, and plantains. In Tamil Nadu, women perform this ritual before bathing in the morning. All the women, young and old, of the house assembled in the courtyard. The rice is placed in the center of the leaf, while the women ask that the house and family of their brothers should prosper. Arati is performed for the brothers with turmeric water, limestone and rice, and this water is sprinkled on the kolam in front of the house.

Thai Pongal Valthukkal!

 

All my Best,

Paul

Dear Ward 24 Neighbours,

Toronto City Councillor are given the option at the beginning of  every term to sit on the Board of Directors of a vast array of Agencies, Boards, and Commissions.

While there are lots of choice…..and sometimes some fighting to get on your preferred choices…..  I try to sit on those which will have a direct impact on the people and Ward which I was elected to represent.

One of those is the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority or as it’s commonly referred to The TRCA.

The TRCA is one of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario. The TRCA was created in 1957 after Hurricane Hazel devastated many parts of Ontario.  The TRCA manages more than 40,000 acres of land in the Greater Toronto area. It employs close to 500 full-time employees and utilizes the talents of close to 5,000 volunteers every year. TRCA’s area of jurisdiction is watershed-based, and includes 3,467 square kilometres: 2,506 on land and 961 water-based in Lake Ontario. This area comprises nine watersheds from west to east: Etobicoke Creek, Mimico Creek, Humber River, Don River, Highland Creek, Petticoat Creek, Rouge River, Duffins Creek, Carruthers Creek.

The lands TRCA administers are used for flood control, recreation, education, and watershed preservation activities, including drinking water source protection. On several sites, TRCA operates conservation areas open to the public for recreational use, as well as The Black Creek Pioneer Village. This wonderful heritage site preserves numerous 1800s-era buildings in a pioneer setting……including a brewery! But its lots of fun for the entire family! Several municipal parks inside and outside Toronto are located on TRCA lands, such as the Toronto Zoo, Humber Bay Park and Milne Park. Within Ward 24 which I represent, it includes the Guild Park & Gardens, along with The Scarborough Waterfront Trail.

The TRCA operates five dams for flood water control, which helps maintains land security.

The key here is water……

Water, is one of the key resources every living being on our planet depends to live. We often take it for granted, but water is critical for transportation, recreation, industry, agriculture, energy, domestic and personal use. Most importantly we depend on it as a source for safe, clean, drinking water.  Drinking water source protection is probably one of the TRCA’s most important goals. It is the first step in a multi-barrier approach to protecting our sources of drinking water before it can become contaminated. In Ontario, municipalities manage water treatment processes which removes many potential contaminants that can result in illness and even death; however preventing contamination is a much more effective way of ensuring clean drinking water and avoiding serious health issues. Before municipalities can have access to water, its source must be protected.  This goes across municipal boundaries.

The majority of people affected most seriously by water related illnesses are very young children and the elderly. Water related illnesses can include: Cholera, E coli, and Cryptosporidiosis. And one of my Life Rules is always be really afraid of any disease which ends in “is’!!!

Any time there is a conversation in political circles about privatizing municipal water assets I think back to a horrible week in May 2000. It was when I started hearing news about the death of seven people and illness of 2,300 others in Walkerton. This scenario set in motion events which would change the way not only people in Ontario, but right across Canada viewed the right to safe, clean drinking water.

There was a provincial inquiry led by Justice Dennis O’Connor, into water supply systems across the province of Ontario. The inquiry resulted in two reports with 121 recommendations. Foremost was the recommendation by Justice O’Connor to see a multi-barrier approach created for preventing the contamination of drinking water.  Drinking water source protection planning is the first barrier in the multi-barrier approach which includes: water treatment systems, distribution, testing and drinking water.

What do I worry about now as a Toronto City Councillor? Pretty much what the current provincial government will do to the sanctity of our water supply…….I’m sure I will be writing more about this in the future.

All my Best,

Paul

Dear Ward 24 Residents,

With a number of things happening on our roads this week I thought it might be a good idea to review what exactly is meant by the concept of “Vision Zero”.

First and foremost is the City of Toronto had its first pedestrian fatality, when a 65 year old man who was driving a motorized scooter died from his injuries sustained after being hit by a car.  https://globalnews.ca/news/4835507/man-in-wheelchair-hit-by-car-dies/

Last year we saw more pedestrians and cyclists killed on the streets of Toronto than in 2017:  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/38-pedestrians-killed-in-2018-1.4933237

The province of Ontario has put new laws in place which increases fines for distracted driving. Being found guilty of a first offence comes with a $1,000 fine and the lose of three demerit points:  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/distracted-driving-texting-ontario-penalties-1.4939223

Mayor John Tory announced a crack-down on distracted drivers in the downtown core  for next week: https://www.cp24.com/news/police-to-launch-another-rush-hour-blitz-on-vehicles-in-curb-lanes-1.4244776

Vision Zero was launched successfully throughout Sweden in 1997. Gradually, has it spread to other jurisdictions around the world. It differs from traditional road safety approaches in that it views all road fatalities and injuries as preventable. Vision Zero views the loss of life or injury as an unacceptable trade off for other transportation system benefits. Central to Vision Zero is the notion humans will make mistakes. As such, the fault for road fatalities or injuries lies with both road users and the design of the transportation system. Non-human actors such as road infrastructure, public policy, regulations, vehicle technology and how victims are cared for all share responsibility.

How people use our road networks has been undergoing a rapid change in just the past few years. The road infrastructure, emerging new vehicle technology, increasing active transportation, safety of vulnerable road users, and where Ontarians live have all been influential in this change.

In Canada, at the federal level, the Canadian Council of Motor Transportation Administrators (CCMTA) is the custodian of the Road Safety Strategy 2025 (RSS 2025). RSS 2025 encourages all road safety stakeholders to make Canada’s roads the safest in the world. RSS 2025 is a high-level strategy whose objective is to enable all jurisdictions in Canada to realize zero fatalities and serious injuries on roads nationwide.

 

British Columbia and Manitoba have developed Vision Zero plans. Other provinces and territories such as Alberta, Prince Edward Island, and the Northwest Territories have created road safety plans. However, these do not incorporate Vision Zero principles. None of the other provinces and territories have official road safety plans.

British Columbia released a ten-year road safety strategy in 2015. In 2016, this plan was revised to incorporate Vision Zero principles. The B.C. plan is predicated on the application of the safe systems approach. This approach recognizes the inevitability of human error, the limitations of the human body in withstanding force, and the responsibility of road and vehicle designers, policy makers and road users to maximize safety in all aspects of design and maintenance of a road network. Importantly, the B.C. strategy also embraces the need to engage and collaborate with road safety stakeholders continuously. As a result, the B.C. government created a Road Safety Strategy Safe Roads and Communities Working Committee.

In Manitoba, the Provincial Road Safety Committee developed a zero-fatality road safety plan which adopts a Safe System approach and aligns with RSS 2025. The Safe System approach focuses on designing infrastructure that is forgiving of mistakes and protects vulnerable road users. To do this, road authorities are required to ensure that speed limits are safe and managed so that other parts of the system work as intended.  Public education is a key plank of doing this.

At the local level, a handful of municipalities in Ontario have Vision Zero plans:

Here in Toronto, our municipal government adopted one of the most comprehensive Vision Zeros plans in Canada in 2017. The five-year action plan (2017-2021) has over 50 safety measures across six emphasis areas, and intends to prioritize the safety of the most vulnerable road users through a range of initiatives. The plan pledges to improve safety by using a data-driven and targeted approach, focusing on the locations where improvements are most needed.  Based on factors which contribute to serious injury and fatality crashes, the plan also focuses on aggressive and distracted driving, and safety for motorcyclists.

 In 2017, the City of London formally adopted the Vision Zero principles of: no loss of life is acceptable; traffic fatalities and serious injuries are preventable; all road users make mistakes and are physically vulnerable when involved in motor vehicle collisions; and the elimination of fatalities and serious injuries is a shared responsibility between road users and those who design and maintain roadways.

Other municipalities such as Kingston, Montreal, Mississauga, and Peel Region have pledged to adopt Vision Zero and are currently in the process of creating their plans.

In the United States, New York City remains the highest profile local government to have wholeheartedly embraced Vision Zero. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was elected in 2014, campaigned on Vision Zero. A plan was developed at the beginning of the Mayor’s first term and $1.6-billion was allocated to it. The effort aims to use legislation, enforcement, education, and engineering to change behavior and make streets safer. The city’s efforts have paid off. Pedestrian deaths have fallen by 44 per cent since 2014 and overall traffic fatalities are down by 27 per cent. The first half of 2018 has seen the fewest traffic-related fatalities in any six-month period ever measured.

Hopefully everyone can work together for safer street in Toronto during 2019!

Is it working?  I would love to hear everyone’s feedback!

All my Best,

Paul

Dear Ward 24 neighbours:

I am happy to kick off this new term and New Year sending many thanks to my family, friends, and staff and of course to all of you.

Being appointed Chair of the General Government and Licensing Committee I look forward to continuing my work with the addition of the Licencing portfolio. The committee joins the past Government Management Committee and Licencing Committee under one umbrella to focus on City government, assets and resources and business licensing. With a mandate to monitor and make recommendations on the administrative operations of the City and licensing of businesses.

Primarily I am motivated to work with the newly expanded Scarborough-Guildwood Ward neighbourhood and residents, many who I met during my canvass. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting new residents as I knocked on every door in the Ward.  I will be posting my upcoming monthly town hall meetings and hope to see a full house for a healthy discussion on how to improve communities and the City as a whole.   A number of mobile office dates in our high-rise communities have been set enabling residents to easily visit my constituency office.

Moreover, I hope to see as many of you at my New Year’s Levee this Saturday January 5, 2019 from 2pm to 4pm at the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre (225 Confederation Dr.).

This winter looks like it’s going to be another cold one. Check out the PlowTO map, a new Winter Road Maintenance and Salting Operations website that enables residents to see the location of plows, sidewalk plows and salt trucks and when their street was serviced by the City’s winter operations crews. See PlowTO map here.   

Although named the Holiday Wish List, donations are accepted year round to help the vulnerable and those experiencing homelessness this winter season. To help visit   to search agencies for information on volunteering, details on items needed, location and drop-off times.

Let’s make our community inclusive, safe and great.

All my best,

Paul W. Ainslie

City of Toronto Councillor

Ward 24, Scarborough-Guildwood

 

Dear Ward 24 Residents,

Over the Christmas Holidays I took “Revenge of the Methodist Bicycle Company” from the Toronto Public Library.  Chapter VI started with these words: As E.E. Sheppard once observed: “Always towards the end of the year people start to think about municipal reform, a readjustment of the Ward system, fewer alderman, more eminent men in Council.” But nothing ever seemed to happen. (I figured Doug Ford must have read the same chapter which lounging in a public library in Etobicoke!)

I think it’s pretty safe to assume there was absolutely no one in Toronto City Hall who saw this one coming down the tracks…..

Toronto City Council in one swiftly moved piece of Provincial government legislation went from 44 Councillors to 24 Councillors. There were no public meetings, no online consultations….but a Provincial led by Premier Doug Ford who wanted it done.

The City of Toronto had just completed a pretty extensive three years consultations of our residents which saw a general consensus there needed to be more City Councillors not fewer. The plan was to increase our numbers 47 with the average population to be about 65.000 people. (This number is actually derived from amalgamation documents in 1997 courtesy of Mike Harris when the current Toronto was formed)

We can save the topic of Doug Ford disagreeing politically with his politic mentor Mike Harris for another day…..for another blog posting….

Suffice to say there were no public meetings, no extensive consultations which I was ever invited to gauge my feelings.

My new Ward becomes Ward 24 Scarborough – Guildwood. The population swelled from roughly 62,000 to about 118,000 people. It also now mirrors the same named provincial and federal ridings. Five Neighbour Improvement Areas from three: Kingston/Galloway/Orton the (KGO), Morningside, Eglinton, Scarborough Village, Eglinton East. I had one small community centre, now three….. (Also a topic for another posting)

And most importantly for the coffee loving residents in Ward 24 I have opportunity to have 12 different Tim Horton locations to now get my caffeine fix!

All my Best,

Paul

Happy New Year to Everyone!!!

Every year it seems a few unlucky reporters get tasked with asking politicians what their New Year’s Resolutions are…….

When I worked as a staffer for different politicians I always dreaded this part of the Christmas holidays. You always tried to get the most creative resolutions so you boss got the most prominent spot in the list when it was published.

I went through a few years as a City Councillor doing the exact same thing. It was trying to get creative, some times with input from my staff. Some years I tried hard to keep them…..other times they were pretty quirky and quickly forgotten……and I can never recall a reporter every calling me in June and saying “Hey Councillor! What happened??”

As my Ward has gotten busier each year…..and 2018 was exceptional…..Thanks Doug Ford! (Bit of a growth spurt saw it doubling in size) the demands on my office never seemed to diminish during year. I now have five Neighbourhood Improvement Areas as opposed to the previous three.

The result is a few years ago I decided to stop making New Years Resolutions. It became a shift in attitude. i felt it was a better outlook on my year to continually strive to improve both myself and the Ward which I represent at City Hall.

Benchmarks are the norm for me. Projects myself and my staff looked after get tracked with what we consider to be achievable goals. 90 days is the norm I consider be the acceptable limit to get something done. i do the same for my personal projects.

It might sound a little boring but I find it’s a productive use of everyone’s time!

All my Best,

Paul

 

TORONTO – On May 2, 2018 Councillor Paul W. Ainslie, Chair of the Government Management Committee, along with the City’s Chief Information Officer, Rob Meikle, and City staff launched Toronto’s new Open Data Portal at the Toronto Reference Library. The opening of the Portal is a key component of the City of Toronto’s Open Data Master Plan and Roadmap.

“An open and transparent government is the hallmark of a modern and progressive city. The new Open Data Portal will benefit everyone, most importantly our thriving and evolving technology business community. Residents and business alike understand the value and tremendous potential of government open data. My goal is to drag the City of Toronto into the 21st Century.” Councillor Ainslie stated during his speech.

Councillor Ainslie has taken every opportunity to push the Open Data agenda to the forefront of the City of Toronto’s priorities….at City Council and at every Standing Committee. Releasing government data allows the City to become much more transparent, accountable, building trust and confidence with the public.

The new Open Data Portal is an easy to use tool which allows both technical and non-technical users to interact with and use City Data in a visual way making government data more accessible to the general public.

For example the data released daily by the City of Toronto on the shelter occupancy numbers helps us better understand the volume of vulnerable individuals and families who rely on access to shelters across the City. The information is important as everyone is now able to see the same supporting data on an issue used by policy makers to help form decisions and develop solutions.

– 30 –

Media inquiries contact
Councillor Paul W. Ainslie
City of Toronto
P: 416-392-4008
Councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca

Dear Residents of Ward 43,

With spring officially here I’d like to bring your attention to a number of events.

Firstly, the Open Data Team will be hold two events in early May, the New Open Data Portal and this year’s Toronto Open Government Celebration. The Open Data team is excited for their upcoming launch of the New Open data Portal. The launch will take place on the evening of Wednesday, May 2^nd at the Toronto Reference Library at 6:30 pm; there you will be joined by Toronto’s Chief Information officer, Rob Meikle, and myself! Bringing together Toronto’s open data community to celebrate and learn about new features of the tool. The following week, the Open Toronto Meetup Group will be hosting the 2^nd Toronto Open Grovernment Celebration on Wednesday, May 9^th at the Toronto Reference Library at 5:30 pm.

To attend either event please register online at the following websites:

New Open Data Portal Launch:

2^nd Toronto Open Government Celebration:

It might as well be that time of the year again, the Guild Alive with Culture Arts Festival is just around the corner! The annual outdoor arts festival is back again this year featuring many of our loyal returning artists as well as plenty of new artists. You can check out the growing line up at www.guildalivewithculture.ca. If you’re a student in the community or know of a student in need of volunteer hours this festival is a great opportunity for you; for more information fill out this form.

Finally, as you may already know on April 23^rd an attack occurred in Toronto in the area of Yonge and Finch which left the City ravaged mourning the loss of 10 lives and now supporting the 16 individuals injured. In response of this atrocity the City of Toronto, in partnership with Toronto Foundation, has established the #TorontoStrong Fund. Donations will go to supporting victims and their families, first responders and those affected by trauma. The #TorontoStrong Fund will be working with supporting organizations, including Victim Services Toronto, who provides emotional support and practical assistance to cover the cost of emergency expenses for survivors, their families, families of the victims and witnesses and their families. To learn more about the #TorontoStrong Fund and to make a contribution please visit:

This was a very tragic event that inflicted pain on our city and our residents but also revealed our community’s strength and compassion. Please be aware of your surroundings everyone.

All my best,

Paul

Dear Residents of Ward 43,

Spring and March Break are right around the corner with students excited to have some time off.

If you’re looking for something to do during March Break the City of Toronto offers free and affordable activities for every age all week long, starting on Monday, March 12 to Friday, March 16. You can have your last skate of the winter at a number of skating rinks across the city or head out for your first swim of the season at one of the City’s public pools.  Activities and programs at Toronto’s parks, museums, and the Toronto Public Zoo are ready for you to visit. Check out this news release: for more activities offered this March Break!

Youth employment opportunities available.  Spring job fairs to connect young people with job opportunities have been launched across the city. The Scarborough Civic Centre will host an event on May 9^th, from 10am-4pm as part of the City’s ongoing programs. For more information check out this link:

The City will be conducting its fourth homeless count and Street Needs Assessment (SNA) survey on April 26. Volunteers and members of community agencies and city staff will head out to survey people experiencing homelessness about the services they need to achieve permanent housing. The information gathered will help the City shape improvements in current programs to plan for future service delivery.

#TacklePovertyTO is a series of free panel discussions being held to generate public input on the next phase of the City’s poverty reduction strategy. The #TacklePovertyTO panels are scheduled for five Monday evenings from 6-9pm at Toronto City Hall, From Monday, March 12 to Monday, April 23.  For more information please view: .

Don’t forget, my office along with the Guild Renaissance Group will be hosting The Guild Alive with Culture Arts Festival on the Guild Park and Gardens grounds this coming July 28^th and 29^th

Visit the festival page often for updates at www.guildalivewithculture.ca!

 

All My Best,

Paul

Dear Torontonians,

Often I am asked “What can Open Data do to make our lives (my life) better in the City of Toronto? Well here is a short story I borrowed from New York City. There, they created an Open Data By-Law!!

Here is the link: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/home/downloads/pdf/reports/2015/NYC-Open-Data-Plan-2015.pdf

And here is your story! I read it out loud at the end of the last Executive Committee…I called it everyone’s bed-time story since it was close to 11AM!

“You’re walking down the street when it starts to rain, so you duck into a bus shelter. Near the bus shelter is a coffee shop. The owner of the coffee shop decided on its location after using free market research information on neighbourhood demographics and localized business conditions.

When the owner’s bank wanted foot traffic numbers to support her loan application, her niece, a master’s student at a local university, made blocklevel estimates of pedestrian volume.

Inside the coffee shop, a group of high school students is hard at work on a paper for their environmental science class. They’re analyzing the effects of climate change on different tree species. The data they’re using isn’t comparing far-off conditions – it’s from trees planted in their neighborhood. If their paper is the best in the class, they’ll meet with City agencies to put their recommendations into action.

Construction is going on in the park across the street. Community members used data on the neighborhood to decide where they wanted to spend a discretionary grant. The construction company saw the bid through an app that uses machine learning and City data to suggest business opportunities specifically matched to the size and expertise of the company. The company is small, and had never considered working with the City – now it’s planning on bidding on two more contracts next year.

Two City inspectors enter a building further down the street. They have just spent the morning inspecting buildings to make sure that they are safely up to code. In order to increase the effectiveness of their inspection process, they use a predictive model developed by their agency’s analytics team.

It continues to rain. Operational centres for different agencies use 311 service requests for street and building flooding to deploy immediate resources. They’ll also overlay this rainstorm’s data against past storm information to find hot spots to target infrastructure repairs and additional investment for long-term resiliency.

 

Sweet Dreams!!”

…..And this is what Open Data does in New York City……and it can do this and much more  for the City of Toronto and its residents!

All my Best,

Paul