By NATHANIEL ERSKINE-SMITH In these uncertain times, the federal budget was modest and measured. It laid the groundwork for meaningful cooperation in this parliament. And it made a series of down payments to address major national and global challenges, including housing affordability, climate action, better healthcare, and military capacity. In advance of the budget, the […]
By ALAN SHACKLETON BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS EDITOR First in today’s column I would like to thank everyone who is supporting Beach Metro Community News in its 50th anniversary fundraising campaign. The response in the first two weeks has been so wonderful to see. People have been coming to the counter at the office on […]
By ALAN SHACKLETON BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS EDITOR I am extremely honoured to be in the editor’s chair for the 50th anniversary edition of Beach Metro Community News. I have been working at community newspapers for most of my journalism career, which started in the summer of 1985. This is my third major milestone celebration […]
By GEORGE ELLIOTT CLARKE Founded in 1926 to honour the birthdays of the ‘Great Emancipator’ President Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (Feb. 14), the intent of Negro History Week was to try to dispel the 500 years of anti-Black propaganda used to justify the enslavement of Africans and the colonization of Africa […]
By NATHANIEL ERSKINE-SMITH Our continued failure to vaccinate the world will cost lives, damage our economic recovery, and enable new variants to emerge. We can and must do better. Late last year, G20 leaders committed to vaccinate 70 per cent of the world by September. Yet without additional action, we will not only fail to […]
By GEORGE ELLIOTT CLARKE Annually, when February rolls around again, with its bevy of snow and Wiarton Willie and Family Day and Saint Valentine’s disciples blessing love with candy and flowers, some may ask, why do—why should—Canadians set aside this month—short and cold and dreary—for focussing on the achievements and historical presence of citizens of […]
By ALAN SHACKLETON BEACH METRO COMMUNITY NEWS EDITOR Last year on Jan. 1 of 2021, I wrote a New Year’s Day column for Beach Metro Community News in which I said of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that the coming January was going to be a very tough month but there were better times ahead. For […]
By PAULA FLETCHER, COUNCILLOR, WARD 14 TORONTO-DANFORTH It’s been another year of the pandemic and we’ve been getting more used to all of the big changes made in 2020. It feels like we’re in a new “normal,” but I know 2021 has still been tough for many. Along with the difficulties we’ve faced, there have […]
By CARL PRATT Happy Holidays, everyone! I’m Carl, a 13-year resident of the Beach and the owner of Beaches Brewing Company. I’d like to talk about your local shops, some of my pandemic experiences, and the coming months. Winter in the Beach can be difficult for businesses during the best of times, and I think […]
By BRAD BRADFORD COUNCILLOR, WARD 19 BEACHES-EAST YORK I’m writing this column after a long second day of what has grown into a three-day city council meeting that started on Nov. 9. While proceedings were to continue after Remembrance Day, council already made three significant decisions propelling Toronto forward. Those decisions were introducing a new […]
