Anna Netrobko leads a Stunning Aida

Posted on October 6, 2018 by Edward Brain

The Metropolitan Opera (‘The Met’) opened their 2018-2019 Live in HD broadcast series with a performance of Guiseppe Verdi’s Aida.  The production has been in their repertoire for a number of years now, but is still visually stunning, and was well sung.

The cast was led by Anna Netrebko (Aida), Aleksandrs Antonenko (Radamès), Anita Rachvelishvili (Amneris), Ryan Speedo Green (The Egyptian King), Quinn Kelsey (Amonasro), and Dmitry Belosselskiy (Ramfis).  The Met’s Orchestra was led by Maestro Nicola Luisotti.  The production was originally directed by Sonja Frisell, with Stephen Pickover acting as revival director.  The sets were by Gianni Quaranta, with lighting by Gil Wechsler. Continue reading →

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Eugene Onegin Soars at the COC

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Edward Brain

The Four Seasons Centre.

I attended the second performance of the Canadian Opera Company’s (COC) production of Eugene Onegin at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on October 4th, 2018.  And it was worth every minute.

The production is new for the COC, although it debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1997.  The director is Robert Carsen, with sets and costumes by Michael Levine.  The COC Orchestra was conducted by Music Director Johannes Debus.

The performance starred Gordon Bintner (Eugene Onegin), Joyce El-Khoury (Tatiana), Varduhi Abrahamyan (Olga), Joseph Kaiser (Lensky), and Oleg Tsibulko (Prince Gremin). Continue reading →

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Ontario Government to Invoke Section 33 of the Constitution

Posted on September 10, 2018 by Edward Brain

On September 10th, 2018  the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, announced that he will be invoking the so-called ‘Notwithstanding clause’ in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Section 33.)

This decision is in response to a court decision that the Ontario Government cannot unilaterally step in and cut the size of the City of Toronto’s council from 47 members to 25. Continue reading →

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Human Rights Apply in Condominiums

Posted on August 26, 2018 by Edward Brain

Gerry Hyman has another article for the Toronto Star.  Let’s look at some of the questions:

The first question is:

QUESTION:  An owner in our condominium broke his wrist and needed help tying his shoes. Staff helped him, but when the property manager found out, they were forbidden from assisting the owner. Does the Human Rights Code apply to the condominium corporations in regard to discrimination against the disabled? Continue reading →

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97th Warriors’ Day Parade at the CNE

Posted on August 18, 2018 by Edward Brain

Today, August 18th 2018, the Canadian National Exhibition (C.N.E.) celebrated the 97th Warriors’ Day Parade.

The Parade started at 10:30 a.m. at the Princes’ Gate, at the east end of the CNE grounds, and continued past the Direct Energy Centre, before turning south just south BMO Field.

The parade also gave us a chance to thank our veterans and current members of the Canadian Forces.  Thank you for your dedication and service! Continue reading →

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John Diefenbaker, Canadian Prime Minister

Posted on August 16, 2018 by Edward Brain
English: John G. Diefenbaker, M.P., speaking i...

John G. Diefenbaker, M.P., speaking in the House of Commons, Ottawa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today is the 39th anniversary of the death of former Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

John George Diefenbaker was born September 18th, 1895 in Neustadt, Ontario to William Thomas Diefenbaker and his wife Mary Florence.  His father was of German descent, while his mother was of Scottish descent.  In 1903, his family moved to the Northwest Territories (NWT), to a portion of the territory that would become the province of Saskatchewan two years later.

He would earn a B.A. in 1915 and M.A. in 1916, both from the University of Saskatchewan. Continue reading →

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Happy Simcoe Day 2018

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Edward Brain
English: Sir John Graves Simcoe, first Lieuten...

Sir John Graves Simcoe. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As today is Sir John Graves Simcoe Day in Ontario, I would like to discuss the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1791 to 1796. Of course Upper Canada would later become the Province of Ontario.

Born in Cotterstock England in 1752, Simcoe would be educated at Eton and spent one year at Oxford. He joined the 35th Regiment of Foot, as an ensign, in 1770. He purchased a captaincy in the 40th Regiment of Foot and was injured in battle during the American Revolution. He was responsible for a successful battle in the battle of Crooked Billet.

He became Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada in 1791 when the British Government created the Province of Upper Canada out of land around the Great Lakes that stayed part of the British Empire after the American Revolution. Simcoe would see to the building of two major roads: Yonge Street (named after Sir George Yonge then the Minister of War), and Dundas Street (named after Henry Dundas, later the 1st Viscount Melville.) Originally built for defensive purposes, later both streets served to help settlement Upper Canada, and as trading routes. Continue reading →

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Leases in Condominiums have Limitations

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Edward Brain

Gerry Hyman has another article for the Toronto Star.  Let’s discuss the questions raised:

Two questions raised were about renting a unit in a condominium.  As such, I am going to post both of them first and then comment on them together:

QUESTION:  The property manager is asking me to provide a copy of my lease agreement with my tenant. I think this is a private matter. Is there any legal reason that I have to comply?

ANSWER:  Section 83 of the Condominium Act provides that within 30 days of leasing the owner’s unit, the owner must notify the corporation that it is leased. The owner must also provide the corporation with the lessee’s name, the owner’s address and a copy of the lease or the prescribed summary form of lease. The lessee must, in turn, be provided with copies of the declaration, bylaws and rules of the corporation.
Continue reading →

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Why Toronto Needs 47 Councillors

Posted on July 26, 2018 by Edward Brain

City Hall

It has been reported that the Provincial Government wishes to cut the number of councillors in Toronto from 47 to 25, and be made effective for the 2018 municipal election.  Not only is this a last minute decision right before the nomination period is set to close, but also creates input for the residents of Toronto. Continue reading →

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Proxies Abuse is Alive in Condominiums

Posted on July 15, 2018 by Edward Brain

Gerry Hyman has another article for the Toronto Star.  Let’s discuss the two questions raised:

QUESTION:  Myself and another candidate recently ran for election to the board against two incumbent directors. The incumbents won, and one of the scrutineers advised me that we would have won based on the votes of those present at the meeting. The incumbent directors won because many of the owners named a director as their proxy and the named director voted for the incumbent directors. The proxy forms sent out to the owners contained the printed name of a director as each owner’s choice of proxy. Was the proxy vote legitimate?

Continue reading →

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