Little Italy bar in Toronto closed after gang rape

CBC is reporting that "College Street Bar will remain closed until May and the two men accused of forcibly confining and sexually assaulting a woman there are banned from the premises, the city says. Toronto police said a 24-year-old woman was allegedly held inside the bar from the evening of Dec. 14 until the early morning hours of Dec. 15 and sexually assaulted. The shocking case prompted one councillor to ask the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario to revoke the bar's liquor license."

"Gavin MacMillan, who owns the bar, and Enzo De Jesus Carrasco, the bar's manager, are not permitted to be at or immediately next to the establishment, the city says. MacMillan, 41, is facing charges of forcible confinement, trafficking in schedule substance, failure to comply with recognizance, and four counts of gang sexual assault. Carrasco, 31, is facing charges of forcible confinement, trafficking in schedule substance, four counts of gang sexual assault, and three counts of sexual assault. Both men have been released on bail."

So it's the owner of the bar and an employee that have been charged. Now Toronto is reporting that both men have been charged with drug trafficking in addition to gang rape and forcible confinement.

Man Fatally Stabbed on Stanley Park Seawall in Vancouver

1130 News is reporting that "Vancouver Police say a 61-year-old man stabbed on the Stanley Park seawall last night died at the scene. A person of interest is in custody and police are trying to figure out if that person played a role in the man’s death. The VPD also says it’s too early in the investigation to know whether the killing was random or targeted." CBC is reporting that the body was found between 2nd and 3rd beach.

Sudan Refugees - Update

Turns out that Trumps travel ban affects some NBA players from Sudan. What on earth has he got against Sudan? Netflix has a movie called the Lost Boys of Sudan describing some of the hardhsips many young kids faced fleeing war torn Sudan and coming to America as refugees.

Obviously the Americans can ban whoever they want from visiting their country. I will simply say that is not the type of society I want to live in and that is not the type of society the US Constitution was designed to create. This is why many voters rather have a criminal in office than a lunatic.

I'm going to share a real life story about a family of refugees from Sudan my kids grew up with in Surrey. When my kids were very young we moved back to Surrey for them to start elementary school. The school had a big buddy program where they would pair up an older kid with a younger kid just starting out. They would meet during class time and form a friendship so the younger kid wouldn't feel so scared and had someone older to look out for them on the playground.

My son's big buddie was named Mamoosh. His family were refugees from Sudan and lived in the same complex we did so they continued that friendship after school. Mamoosh had a sister named Mimi who was friends with my daughter. The father was a hard working professional.

Then the day came for Mamoosh and his family to move. My son was heartbroken. When he heard the news I saw the shock on his face. He quickly went home and went to his room to be alone. I noticed the urgency and followed him to see what he was doing. He was sitting in his room weeping. He was very young. He wasn't being a drama queen. He just wanted to be alone and grieve in private the loss of a dear friend. That is how much that friendship meant to him.

I'm not going to entertain conversations that promote hate and intolerance. Like I said, the Americans can ban whoever they want from visiting their country. That is not the type of society I want to live in and that is not the type of society the US Constitution was designed to create.



Update: Turns out Mamoosh's family was from Ethiopia not Sudan but the point remains valid. Diversity makes us strong. "I've seen too much hate to want to hate and every time I see it I say to myself that hate is too great a burden to bear." Martin Luther King

Former Norway PM Detained At Dulles Airport over travel ban

The Huffington Post is reporting that "A stunned former prime minister of Norway complained that he was caught up in the maw of Donald Trump’s controversial executive order and detained this week by border agents at Washington’s Dulles International Airport because he visited Iran in 2014. Kjell Magne Bondevik said that after he landed at Dulles on Tuesday he was herded into a room with a group of travelers from the Middle East and Africa. He was ordered to wait for 40 minutes, then questioned for another 20 after officials spotted a travel stamp on his passport revealing that he had flown to Iran three years ago, reported WJLA-TV. The passport also clearly identified him as a former prime minister of Norway, he said."

Angelina Jolie Comments On Recent Immigrant Ban

The Daily Mail is reporting that Angelina Jolie has written an article in the New York Times about Donald Trump's immigration ban. "'Refugees are men, women and children caught in the fury of war, or the cross hairs of persecution. 'Far from being terrorists, they are often the victims of terrorism themselves', she wrote.

'It is simply not true that our borders are overrun or that refugees are admitted to the United States without close scrutiny. 'Refugees are in fact subject to the highest level of screening of any category of traveler to the United States. 'Targeting the weakest does not show strength'.

Seattle judge blocks Trump immigration order

Reuters is reporting that A federal judge on Friday put a nationwide block on U.S. President Donald Trump's week-old executive order temporarily barring refugees and nationals from seven countries from entering the United States. The White House said late on Friday it believed the ban to be "lawful and appropriate" and said the U.S. Department of Justice would file an emergency motion to stop the judge's order taking effect.

The Seattle judge's ruling takes effect because it considered the broad constitutionality of Trump's order. Robart also explicitly made his ruling apply across the country, while other judges facing similar cases have so far issued orders concerning only specific individuals. Washington Governor Jay Inslee celebrated the decision as a victory for the state, adding: "no person - not even the president - is above the law."

Shooting at a Mosque in Quebec

Notwithstanding the seriousness of the tragedy, I am hesitant to even mention the Mosque shooting in Quebec because I am of the opinion most of these mass shootings are indeed orchestrated. Nevertheless it did happen. Some wack job wing nut went into a mosque in Quebec City Sunday night and started shooting random people. 6 people dead 19 injured. A complete tragedy with no real motive. Guess what, he wasn't a refugee.

Justin Trudeau asked Fox News to take down their false tweet about the Quebec City mosque shooter which claimed one of the shooters was a Moroccan-born Quebecer. Turns out the Moroccan-born Quebecer was a witness not a suspect.

Quebec's premier admitted that the Mosque shooting shows Quebec has its demons. "Xenophobia, racism and exclusion are present here." This is true but is rather baffling. The French Revolution was all about Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. Some have cited that historic pledge in light of the hypocritical quest to ban hijabs in France. Police making a woman remove her Burkini on the beach is obscene.



One blog reader recently sent me a very offensive video of a white Nazi railing on Islam. A woman wearing a hijab started to heckle him and he shouted out You're wearing a hijab in the United States of America. What's wrong with you? At that point I shut the video off. There is nothing wrong with her. That is her right. He is the one with the problem because he doesn't understand or support the US Constitution. That is the real problem.

Kamloops raid turn up empty handed

The Vancouver Province is reporting that Police will return items seized earlier this month during a high-profile raid of a North Shore gym - a search described by the lawyer for the business owner as “egregious” and “unlawful.” Heavily armed Kamloops Mounties and RCMP tactical officers descended on Heavy Metal Gym on Jan. 13. According to City of Kamloops licensing documents, the gym is owned by Konaam Shirzad - described in the past as a co-founder of the Red Scorpions gang. Jeremy Jensen, Shirzad’s lawyer, said police found nothing incriminating at the gym and alleged cops were specifically forbidden from seizing what they did. Jensen said investigators made off with computers and other office equipment.

Shirzad said his gym continues to operate at 145 Briar Ave. “The gym has been open the whole time,” he said. “It was never closed. It is not closed. People should feel free to come here. The only thing to fear is the police and their over-reaction.” Shirzad said police did not find anything illegal in his gym, because he is no longer part of the lifestyle that landed him behind bars in the last decade. “My past got brought up, but I’ve been doing a lot of good lately,” Shirzad said.

The traffic stop and drug seizure that led to the high profile public raid with freaking stun grenades wasn't the owner of the gym it was someone else. I guess I called it.

Surrey drug dealer fatally stabbed at Richmond Hospital

The Peace arch News reported that RCMP are looking for witnesses after a 24-year-old Surrey man died of stab wounds Friday night at Richmond General Hospital. Francis Le was found in the hospital parking lot just after 11:30 p.m. He was being treated when Richmond police arrived, but succumbed to his injuries. Other media outlets referred to him as a Surrey drug dealer.

Kim Bolan reported that "Last April, Le was sentenced to 10 months in jail in Surrey Provincial Court for possession for the purpose of trafficking and one day in jail for extortion with a firearm. His arrest was announced by Surrey RCMP in March 2015, after a 21-month investigation that also netted Sophon Sek."

B.C. fentanyl dealer sentenced to 14 years in prison

CBC is reporting that "A man accused of bearing "personal significant responsibility for hundreds of fentanyl-detected deaths in British Columbia has been given 14 years in prison, in the first major fentanyl-related sentencing in British Columbia since the opioid crisis began."

"Walter James McCormick was sentenced Monday, after an extended trial that centred around the government's desire to create a new sentencing range for fentanyl trafficking, a case in which the Crown was asking for an unprecedented 18-year prison term."

Will Surrey arrest the fentanyl dealers on the Surrey strip now or will they simply use this single scapegoat as a pretense for addressing the problem?

Michelle Obama and Abraham Lincoln

What a freaking mess. Abraham Lincoln used to say stand with any man as long as he stands right but part with him when they go wrong. This is where Donald Trump and I part ways. When the women's marches were protesting the election of Donald Trump it was rather silly because Trump hadn't made any specific policy they were protesting, they were simply protesting the results of a democratic election. Now people are protesting a policy and well they should.

I do not support Donald Trumps executive order on immigration. Period. That's all there is to it. It reminds of that discourse on slavery the brother from Boston wrote called F*ck the South. He recounted the American civl war and said who would want a union with anyone who would fight for the right to have slaves? I have to agree. Likewise, I do not want a union with anyone who practices religious discrimination and opposes a free republic. That's all there is to it. I'm not going to dwell on it. I will simply record my dissent and talk about other things.

I did like Barack Obama. Like Justin Trudeau, he was a nice guy. He was educated and well spoken. My concern with Obama was his misuse of executive privilege to hide Hillary Clinton's arms dealing and drug trafficking in Operation Fast and Furious. That was a criminal act and his misuse of executive privilege made him criminally culpable.

Likewise, while Obama was president Hillary Clinton's arms dealing went wild. She personally profited from selling Russian weapons grade Uranium. She also personally profited from selling ams to ISIS. This is a historical fact.

My concern now is that even some truthers have fallen to the hate and intolerance false flag attacks are designed to create. 911 was an inside job. Someone had to have gone in ahead of time and plant bombs on the load bearing beams so that all three towers would collapse into their own blueprint at freefall speed. That is what the experts in the field of controlled demolition declare. Operation Northwoods was real.

Even Alex Jones who fully understands that President Johnson recalled the air support for the USS Liberty when it was under attack, has fallen to the hate. I have not nor will I.

We were discussing the current conundrum at work and someone mentioned the thought of Michelle Obama becoming president. That is a great idea. Get Hillary to retire and run Michelle. That is a woman I could support. In the mean time, F*ck the South. We will take the high road because that is the type of society that I want to live in. Theirs is not. It really is that simple.

Another Brick in the Wall

I am somewhat concerned about the manufactured emergency Donald Trump's recent executive order on immigration has created banning American residents from returning home mid air. When we were kids they used to run commercials on TV about the Constitution and the process behind how a bill becomes a law. This whole executive order thing sounds very Star Wars to me. In our day we need to shun extremism. Recklessness is not prudent.

Time Magazine recently ran and article citing the hypocrisy of Donald Trumps executive order in relation to the poem inscribed on the Statue of Liberty which reads: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

America was built on immigration. Unless we are First Nations, we are all immigrants. The Pilgrims came here on the Mayflower to escape religious persecution. That is why the constitution was framed. To protect the freedom of religion. Religious discrimination is against the law. It violates the constitution and a free republic.

In our day the Constitution is under attack like never before. I do not support Hillary Clinton at all. She is an arms dealing, money laundering drug dealing criminal. Nor do I support Donald Trump's recent executive order simply because it is illegal. When a newly elected president starts whipping out executive orders at the drop of a hat, that becomes concerning for everyone. That does not represent due process. It just sounds like the man who would be king.

Finian's Dream is the same as Martin Luther King's Dream. Martin Luther King dreamed of the day when the US Constitution would be more than a nice piece of paper hanging on the wall. He dreamed of the day when the constitution would actually be implemented creating a free republic for everyone regardless of race, color or creed. He dreamed of the day when black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing Free at Last, Free at Last, Thank God Almighty, we are Free at Last! That includes Muslims.



If you are going to change something you need to give people notice. Crazy sweeping changes while people are mid air is insane and cruel. Building a brick wall around the Statue of Liberty is counter productive. When you fence people out, you also fence people in.

Canada offers temporary home to those stranded by Trump order

Woman set for deportation attempts suicide at JFK

God Bless Federal judge Ann Donnelly.

Update: The Vancouver Province is reporting that Trump asked Rudy Giuliani for a ‘Muslim ban’ and ordered a commission to do it ‘legally’. Only religious discrimination is against the law. It violates the US Constitution and a free republic.



Rabbi Dan Moskovitz of Temple Shalom speaks as the Concerned Canadian Clergy for Refugees call upon the Canadian Government and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to immediately extend Transit Visas for individuals who have American visa in hand. "In rare unity, Orthodox and liberal denominations are critical of Trumps refugee ban."

Syria Refugees in Surrey

Speaking of the dark side of Donald Trump, this is a tasty treat our Syrian refugee neighbours just sent over. They are wonderful. Welcome to Canada. Diversity makes us strong.

It's like a facebook slogan during the last election. "I don't hate my neighbours. They make me samosas." There is a large Indo Canadian population in Surrey but where I live its totally diverse. Syrian, Asian, Polish and us - British, Scotch Irish. They are all wonderful neighbours.