OSPCA #Toronto Walk for Animals

Hundreds of dogs brought their owners to Coronation Park for the first annual Ontario SPCA's Toronto Friends for Life! walk-a-thon presented by IAMS. The dogs came in all sizes and ages for Toronto's largest walk for animals. The event even had a Spokes-animal; a German Shepherd named General who was rescued from an abusive situation and adopted to a loving family.

Tanya Kim and her dog Miss Louise

eTalk anchor Tanya Kim was the Honorary Chair of the walk-a-thon and she cut the ribbon to start the 3km walk along Martin Goodman Trail. She brought along her dog Miss Louise and joined in the walk along the lakefront path. "It's fantastic to see so many people and their pets come together for the Ontario SPCA and take action against animal cruelty. Animals bring so much joy, laughter and love to our lives. I don't know what I'd do without my Miss Louise. She makes me a better person!" said Tanya Kim.

Team Lizzie

Dogs, owners and friends gathered together in the animal friendly event, listening to a live band play some tunes while a lot of butt sniffing dogs got to know each other.

The Friends for Life! walk-a-thon helps to raises funds to support the Ontario SPCA and it's fight against animal cruelty and for the promotion of animal welfare.

A Pug in a wheelchair joins the walk-a-thon

See more of the dogs after the jump.

Exposure Photo Show

The Exposure Photo and Video Imaging Show is currently underway at the Toronto International Centre and runs until Sunday May 27, 2012. For a photographer the toys are hard to resist and as a bonus there are models to test your photo skills. Bring your camera or buy one at the show.

 See more photos of the photo show after the jump.

Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Strike 2012

Members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference #TeamstersRail local 295 were wearing strike signs outside of #Toronto Union Station. The strike against Canadian Pacific (CP) seems to be against the attacks against their pensions.

"Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) president Rex Beatty is 100% behind the 4,800 CP workers who have been off the job since 0001 a.m. Wednesday. "The battle these workers are waging is of utmost importance,” said Mr. Beatty. “CP is trying to drastically cut pensions, but we’re going to do our best not to let them do it.”

GO Transit issued a press release on May 21 noting the possibility of the strike and the impact to only the Milton corridor and the Hamilton train station - all other lines would be unaffected by the CP Rail strike. The Union said that the government wanted to continue negotiations to resolve the issues and no impact to GO Transit has occurred at this time. Which is great because beside the disruption to commuter traffic on the public transit system would be an enormous hindrance to people trying to get to work, many might not even have cars available should the train be unavailable.

Thanks Teamsters!

Big Bike in #Toronto

A big city like #Toronto needs big wheels and those wheels can be found on the Heart and Stroke Foundations Big Bike.

Teams of up to 29 can sign up to ride the big red, multi-seat contraption to raise money to support heart disease and stroke research. The driver is provided by the charity.

"A vital fundraiser with impressive results, Heart&Stroke Big Bike continues to engage Canadians across the country. Last year, over 40,000 riders, in over 200 communities, helped raise over $7 million for research! This is helping us achieve even greater results that change the lives of not only heart and stroke patients, but for all Canadians."

#TorontoEMS: Emergency Medical Services Week

#Toronto Emergency Medical Services Week ran from May 21 to May 25, 2012 and on Friday there were several ambulance and paramedic crews set up in Bell Trinity Square (behind the Eaton Centre). Visitors could get their blood pressure checked by EMS staff (see photo at top), meet the medical responders and dispatchers, check out the ambulance and pick up a paper model of an ambulance.

The EMS Week is celebrated throughout Canada and this year's them is "EMS: More than a job....a calling!"  It has to be a calling when you consider that they respond to over 315,000 requests for medical attention per year.

"Toronto Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provides emergency ambulance service to the City of Toronto. When somebody calls 911 for a medical emergency, Toronto EMS paramedics assess, treat, and transport the patient to a hospital emergency department. Toronto EMS is the largest municipal land ambulance service in Canada, and the sole emergency ambulance service in Toronto."

Toronto EMS Safe City Program

Score: Bud Light Lime Mojito on Yonge Street

To what did my eyes behold but the sight of Bud Light Lime Mojito free samples being given out on Yonge St in #Toronto. The team was in white and green and they were outside the Eaton Centre on Yonge Street with their shiny white Bud Light Lime Mojito branded SUV, checking IDs and offering a double pack of the nectar of the gods, and if not the gods, maybe the Kraken. When you release the Kraken you will need more than a two pack though, and the taste of lime makes the Kraken kind of scrunch his face.

The team was out at a few locations around Toronto giving out samples at King at Brant and Yonge at Queen. It was funny because the location on Yonge Street was just a few streets north of Temperance Street. Remember to drink responsibly.

Expedia says sand and thongs popular

That's right, Expedia has surveyed Canadians and they are hot for vacations on the beach. You don't have to convince #Toronto of this fact - we live along Lake Ontario and enjoy many beautiful beaches. We even have HTO and Sugar urban beaches, which only have sand and umbrellas, and the Toronto Island beaches with our one and only clothing optional Hanlan's Point beach. The survey was done as part of Expedia's 2012  thong Flip Flop report which included countries across five continents.

In summer we like to bake on the beach (don't forget your sunscreen) and enjoy swimming, sports like volleyball and kayaking, and just relaxing away from the hectic pace of the city. Then in winter we want to forget about the cold so we vacation somewhere warm and sandy. Expedia notes that almost half of Canadians want a beach vacation which exceeds the global average of 33 percent. The most popular beach vacation destination is the Caribbean. We used Expedia to book our vacation in San Francisco and will have no problem using the on line full-service travel service again. The City by the Bay did have great sand and beaches but was a little cooler than the Caribbean.

See some of the results of Canada's preferences in the Expedia Flip Flop Report after the jump.

#CanadianTire Jumpstart #GoCleantweets

Summer is back in #Toronto so that means barbecues, cutting the grass and washing the car. Canadian Tire in the lead up to Jumpstart Day on Saturday May 26, brought in their One Million Red Ball charity, along with GoClean, to Yonge-Dundas Square to get you started on washing your car – the green way! Just at the busy corner you could stop for a hot dog so the only thing that it is hard to do in the downtown core now is to cut your grass. 

Robert Herjavec wearing his Ferrari t-shirt

The GoClean waterless carwash solution uses no harmful chemicals to allow for washing, waxing and polishing in one application, without the use of (or waste of) hundreds of gallons of water. They were putting the cleaner to the test on a pair of dirty subcompact cars in the middle of the square. GoClean was featured in an episode of Dragons’ Den and Dragon Robert Herjavec not only invested, he dropped by the square on Thursday, May 24, 2012 for a celebrity car wash. He was joined by GoClean President Sunny Yashpal who had made the successful pitch to the Dragons. In the photo at the top of this post Robert looks on at left while Sunny, centre, is interviewed by CityTV.

Canadian Tire Jumpstart (http://jumpstart.canadiantire.ca/) is a program to help the local children where there parents can’t afford organized sports (1 in 3 Canadian families). 100% of the donations go to those children in financial need which helps them get active in the community

TYSFF: Toronto Youth Shorts Film Festival

Dramatic category banner, photo supplied

#Toronto Youth Shorts provides talented young filmmakers a showcase for their creations during the June 2 to 3, 2012 4th annual film festival. The ability to get short films in production and before a juried audience is a chance to improve their craft and continue making films until one day they get into TIFF, release a blockbuster or maybe do both. It's there chance to get in the spotlight.

The works, which range over a variety of subjects such as drama, animation and documentary, are shown in three segments: Young at heart, Our zany adventures and A different perspective. The awards gala happens June 3 at the Granite Brewery.

See the press release which notes some of the best films of the festival after the jump.

#rimmellondoncan Scandal Eyes: Busted for being too beautiful

London Bobbies surrounded a cage full of women (or birds as the English say) at Yonge-Dundas Square today in #Toronto. The British police must have been leftover from the Prince Charles and Camilla (Duchess of Cornwall) tour of our fair city and they arrested the girls and threw them in the clink for being too beautiful, although some of the ladies were out in their orange jumpsuits as part of some hot chain gang.

It was a MASSIVE SCANDAL as they were guilty of dangerously big lashes, received at the end of the large orange wand of Scandal Eyes mascara from Rimmel (Get the London Look). I was trying to post bail for the poor, poor women but the authorities wouldn’t release them into my custody. Now that is scandalous.

Molson M Liquid Art #Molsonm_art

Cold brew is the sunshine liquid of summer. A large mural is being painted to suggest that Molson Coors microcarbonated beverage called 'M' is in fact liquid art that flows from the billboard onto the wall behind.

As artists paint the main artwork a separate artist is adding the names of twitter users that have tweeted using the hashtag #Molsonm_art. The beer maker will also donate a dollar for each twitter user to the Canadian Art Foundation during the four week campaign. See more of the artists at work after the jump.

Ned Hanlan: Jacked up, tires stolen

The mighty tugboat Ned Hanlan has been put up on blocks and I think someone took it's the damn tires. Car jackers seem to be starting to move into the boat business.

On sober second thought I found out that the Ned Hanlan is being moved from it's recent hole in the ground in Exhibiton place - and it never had tires! Laurie McCulloch Building Moving has put the stout little ship onto a large, multi-wheeled trailer for it's planned relocation to Hanlan's Point on the Islands. Update: Here it sits in its new home - photos Feb 2, 2013.

Planned redevelopment of the land around the former Marine Museum into a 26-storey, 320 romm hotel requires the steel boat to take a hike.  See more of the ship after the jump - and now with photos on the Toronto Islands.

Madagascar 3: Rainbow wigs

Alex the lion from the Madagascar movies was a hit at #Toronto harbourfront as he hugged and posed with children. The fuzzy character was in town to promote the upcoming release of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. A a colourful platoon of billboard and rainbow wig wearing promoters had his back as they faced onto Queens Quay and waved at motorists and bicyclists that passed by.

The movies' catch phrase is "Getting home will be a circus" which went well with the Toronto International Circus Festival at Harbourfront Centre. I must admit I loved the bright variety of colours of the wigs highlighted by the sun.

See more of the promotion after the jump.

Prince Charles and Camilla Firework prep

Visiting Canada to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee Prince Charles and Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall touched down in #Toronto on Monday May 21, 2012. The Royal Pair came from New Brunswick and planned to meet with Olympic Athletes, Ryerson Students, Community Service Award winners and several Canadian Armed Forces groups at Moss Park and Fort York Amouries. At night the tour will watch Victoria Day fireworks at Ashbridges Bay - with a water based view.

Coast Guard, RCMP and Fire Department Boats docked at Queens Quay

To prepare for the nights explosions of fireworks the inner harbour had a large contingent of police marine units from the RCMP, the OPP and the Toronto Police Service. I had a chance to see the swat guys in black outfits working on the waterfront making sure that Charles and Camilla remain safe.

Black inflatable boats filled with tactical crews pass by the pier

See more of the naval operations after the jump.

Toronto International Circus Festival

Thousands of visitors filled Harbourfront Centre for the FREE #Toronto International Circus Festival during the Victoria Day 2012 holiday long weekend. The event was created by Zero Gravity Circus (ZGC).

"Experience eye-popping acrobatics, side-splitting comedy and mind-bending daredevil stunts - featuring lunatic unicyclists, world-class acrobats, unflinching fire eaters, sky-scraping stilt walkers, brazen chain saw jugglers, genius balloon sculptors and harebrained clowns & characters everywhere!"

Fire Eater

Sitting on shoulders to get a view of the juggler

 See more photos after the jump.

IndyCar drivers in #Toronto May 21, 2012

@HondaIndy brings (l-r, above) Jean Alesi, Alex Tagliani and Simon Pagenaud to Toronto after the Indy 500 Bump Day to meet the media and visit with fans on Monday May 21, 2012. Joining the drivers will be Charlie Johnstone, VP and GM of Honda Indy Toronto. You can see them at Wayne Gretzky's at 99 Blue Jays Way from 3:00-4:00 pm and get autographs, enjoy a Q & A session and have a chance to win prizes.

Media surround the drivers

The drivers and their teams are: Alex Tagliani, Team Barracuda - BHA, Simon Pagenaud, Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports and Jean Alesi, Lotus – FP Journe-Fan Force United.

Alex Tagliani: Known as Tag, born in Lachenaie, Quebec the driver started at the tender age of 10 in karting. Stints in several race series including Champ Car and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series before joining IZOD IndyCar in 2008, with a full time ride in 2010. Signing with Team Barracuda - BHA in 2012 he will sit in row 4 qualifying 11th in the 96th edition of the Indy 500. The photo above shows Alex after he followed me on twitter!

Following problems with the new Lotus engines (his first three engines blew - he didn't even make it 50 feet in the last race) he has moved back to Honda engines and feels that his season now starts fresh with the 2012 Indy 500. He really enjoys the variety between street course and ovals. He is still getting used to the new chassis and notes that several kit cars will be coming into the game in a couple years.

In regards to sponsorship he told us of working with a Quebec company to develop Tag on the go line of products that are nut and peanut free (to which he is severely allergic). During the week leading up to the 2012 Honda Indy Toronto Alex will drop by the Maple Leaf Garden Loblaws on the Thursday to launch his new cookie in Toronto. I asked him if he had a razor sponsor because of his precision goatee, he is just perfect for Schick in Canada.

We also talked about the support he gets from his wife Bronte who is found in pit row during practices and qualifying periods. Bronte also does a lot of work for CARA Charities.

Simon Pagenaud: Born in Poitiers, France started with IndyCar in 2007 and became full time with Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports in 2012. He has qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 sitting in the row 8 at number 23. Also competed in Champ Car, World Series and European Formula by Renault.

Jean Alesi: Born in Avignon, France started in karting before moving to several series like the French Formula 3, Le Mans 24 Hours, Speedcar stock car, Canadian Grand Prix and Formula One. Decorated with Frances' L'Ordre National de la Legion d'Honneur in 2006.

It was great to meet the IndyCar drivers at this event and I look forward to more of the 2012 race season. Reps for Torchia Communications, the PR and marketing firm for Honda Indy Toronto, pointed out that the Toronto street course layout will start next Monday May 28 at 6am by Jim Tario, Director of Operations.