CANADA: Gay Talk Show Host Christopher Hyndman Found Dead In Toronto Alley

CBC News reports:

The body of Christopher Hyndman, co-host of the afternoon talk show Steven & Chris on CBC-TV, was found in an alleyway in Toronto's east end Monday night, police confirm. "It is with profound sadness that we share the news Christopher Hyndman died," said the public broadcaster in a memo distributed to staff Tuesday afternoon. "We extend our deepest sympathies to Steven [Sabados], family, friends and colleagues; our thoughts are with them all." Toronto police told CBC News on Tuesday that Hyndman, 49, was found without vital signs in an alleyway near the intersection of Queen Street and Broadview Avenue shortly after 11 p.m. ET Monday. CBC arts reporter Eli Glasner said the scene was near the apartment where Hyndman lived with Sabados, his off-screen partner and television co-host. Toronto police Det. Terry Wray said the investigation remains "completely open." He added that police would not comment further until completing interviews.

More from the Toronto Star:

Hyndman was co-host of the show with Steven Sabados, who was also his real-life partner. They were co-stars of the original Designer Guys show in 2001 as well as Design Rivals (2003) and So Chic with Steven and Chris (2005) before launching their afternoon talk show. The pair formed the Sabados Group Inc. in 1992, specializing in event planning, product launches and set design, his CBC biography says. A 2013 profile of Hyndman and Sabados by Xtra, then Toronto’s gay newsmagazine, called them “Canada’s gay-lifestyle TV guru couple” whose show Steven and Chris was “a bona fide hit for CBC” and aired in more than 70 per cent of the market on ABC’s Live Well Network. The couple told Maclean’s magazine the same year that they had met in a bar in 1988 when they both were working at CityTV.

Reruns of Steven & Chris have been pulled off the air. Below is the most recent clip posted to the show's YouTube channel.

(Tipped by JMG reader Edward)

TORONTO: Religious Groups Stage Anti-LGBT March Against Sex Education

Telesur reports:

Furious over what they say are radical changes to sex education curriculum, protesters direct their anger towards openly gay Premier Kathleen Wynne. Demonstrators in Toronto chanted “Kathleen, loser, lesbian loser!,” as they protested on Sunday against the revised sexual education curriculum in Canada's largest city. Comprised mainly of concerned parents and federal conservative activists, this growing anti-sex education movement strongly opposes the inclusion of topics such as consent, gender identity and sexual orientation in the province's public education system. Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne has accredited the movement's offensive tone to her own sexual identity as a lesbian and her involvement in the curriculum amendments. In defense of the revisions, which are the first since 1998, she stated that they are grounded in pedagogical research and diverse consultations with parent representatives.

The video is really something.


(Tipped by JMG reader Chaz)

CANADA: Toronto Cop Dyes Hair Pink In Support Of Anti-Bullying Campaign

Via Yahoo:

The Toronto Police force is taking a stand against bullying, but it’s not in the way you might expect. Their unconventional approach involves hot pink hair and Twitter—and kids are paying attention. It all started when Toronto police officers Ryan Willmer and Luke Watson were trying to raise awareness for the Day of Pink on April 8 in Canada, a celebration of diversity and anti-bullying. Two straight students in Nova Scotia started the Day of Pink when they saw a gay student wearing a pink shirt being bullied. They intervened and then rallied the entire school to wear pink in solidarity. To garner more attention for the event, Officer Willmer went on Twitter and promised that his beefy, tattooed colleague would dye his hair pink if the post got 500 retweets with the hashtag #stopbullyingnow and #dayofpink. “He did it without my knowing,” Watson tells Yahoo Beauty. By the time Watson got into the station there were 560 retweets. Thankfully, he was down for the cause.

Follow Office Wilmer on Twitter.

TORONTO: The Ford Era Has Ended

Via the Associated Press:

Toronto's next mayor will be a straight-laced, button down moderate conservative — almost the polar opposite of current Mayor Rob Ford, whose term was plagued by scandals involving public drinking and illegal drug use. John Tory won Monday's election with 40 percent of the vote, compared to 33 percent for Doug Ford, brother of the outgoing mayor. Left-leaning Olivia Chow was third with nearly 23 percent, with 100 percent of polling stations reporting. "Torontonians want to see an end to the division that has paralyzed city hall for the past four years, and to all that I say, 'Toronto, I hear you. I hear you loud and clear,'" Tory told cheering supporters, vowing to restore Toronto's reputation on the international stage. Rob Ford's four-year tenure as mayor of Canada's largest city was marred by his drinking and crack cocaine use. He announced last month that he wouldn't seek re-election as he battles a rare form of cancer. His brother, a city councilor, ran in his place. "Hallelujah!" Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said upon learning the election results while on a trade mission in China.

More from the National Post:

Earlier in the day, Doug Ford had joined hundreds of volunteers pulling out the vote across suburban Toronto, where the brothers’ support remains strong. “I’ll be your voice, but we got to get elected,” he said urgently to anyone he met at a Toronto Community Housing building on Ellesmere. “If I don’t get elected, you’ve got no voice.” At an after-party at the Woodbine Banquet Hall that was much smaller than the 2010 victory romp, supporters had swarmed Rob Ford, who won his seat back in Ward 2. They demanded a “recount” on the mayoral race and yelled “In Ford we Trust.” “Ford Nation is alive and well,” Doug Ford confirmed after he gave a concession speech in which he congratulated John Tory on his victory. “We’ve changed the landscape of politics across the country and I’m proud of it.”

Voter turnout was pegged at just under one million, the highest in many years. Rob Ford won his brother's city council seat with 59% of the vote. His term as mayor ends on December 1st.

Toronto Faces Used Ford Trade-In

Alvvays - Marry Me, Archie

"Blissed-out pop" from Toronto. Like a crunchier early Blondie.

TORONTO: LGBT Activists Attacked By Rob Ford Supporters At "Ford Fest 2014"

Via CBC News:

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's annual Ford Fest drew more than a thousand supporters to a park in the city's east end, but the event was marred by some tense moments as LGBT activists were jeered at and told to go home by some supporters. Ford drew heat from the LGBT community again recently after he remained seated while city council gave a standing ovation to organizers of Toronto's World Pride festival. He did not answer questions from reporters about why he didn't stand along with fellow councillors, but said he's not homophobic. "He's a disgrace," said protester Kevin Speight. "He's embarrassing our city." The mayor's supporters, however, weren't pleased with the anti-Ford sentiment, with a number of individuals getting into verbal confrontations with the protesters. At one point, a few Ford fans grabbed the signs being held by the protesters, tore them up, and threw them on the ground, stamping on them in the process. "Go home," they yelled. "This is Ford Nation!"

No arrests were made but police are investigating. Watch below as Ford supporters tear up the signs of the LGBT activists.

(Tipped by JMG reader Brett)

REPORT: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Was Kicked Out Of Rehab For Being Disruptive

According to a report published by the Toronto Star, embattled Mayor Rob Ford's claims of a successful stint in crack rehab are untrue.

Mayor Rob Ford pushed and scuffled with fellow rehab residents and was so verbally abusive that he was kicked out of his group therapy program, according to people who have knowledge of his two month stay at GreeneStone. These accounts of what one person referred to as “destructive behaviour” stands in stark contrast to Ford’s recent public statements that he had a healthy experience and takes his recovery seriously. “Ford broke things, got into fights with other residents,” said one source with knowledge of the mayor’s time in rehab at the resort-turned-drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in Muskoka. “Ford stopped people from sharing their stories, which is key to a successful rehab experience,” said another source. “Other residents felt intimidated. They felt he was a bully. He was always saying he did not belong there.” Management was concerned Ford continued to use drugs or alcohol during his time in rehab.

RELATED: Yesterday the Toronto City Council delivered a standing ovation to WorldPride organizers and the openly gay councilwoman considered to have been key in creating the most successful event in its history. Ford pointedly remained seated and did not applaud. He also refused the councilwoman's plea to lift his hold on an item that would authorize a study to create a homeless shelter for LGBT youth.

(Tipped by JMG reader Simeon)

TORONTO: Shirtless Jogger Inspires More Shirtless Protests Of Mayor Rob Ford

Via the National Post:

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was greeted by about a dozen shirtless protesters as he entered a Toronto radio station for an interview Friday morning. The protest was an act of defiance inspired by a Toronto teacher’s anti-Ford rant after encountering the mayor at a parade while the teacher was out for a shirtless jog. The protestors, holding up signs with slogans such as “Clown time is over” and “It’s not racist to demand answers” began gathering at about 9 a.m. on Richmond Street to meet the mayor as he arrived at Newstalk 1010. “The people have had enough,” said one of the protestors. “Answer the questions, Robby.” The #shirtlesshorde, as the group is known, is emulating Joe Killoran, the jogger who ran up to Mayor Ford during an East York parade on Canada Day, yelling questions at the mayor as he tried to move through a crowd.

TORONTO: Shirtless Bear Jogger Confronts "Homophobe" Mayor Rob Ford

Embattled Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was met with jeers and insults when he marched in his city's Canada Day Parade this afternoon. One passerby in particular captured the media's attention when he repeatedly called Ford a racist and a homophobe Via CBC News:

Ford was at one point confronted by local resident Joe Killoran — a Toronto-area teacher who was apparently out for a jog when he crossed paths with the mayor's entourage. Killoran hurled questions and accusations at Ford while the mayor's staff attempted to intercede. "Answer one of the million questions people have for you," Killoran said. "People have a million questions about your lying and your corruption." Ford did not respond to Killoran. Someone in the crowd asked if he was working for one of Ford's political rivals. "Do I look like I'm with a campaign?" Killoran, who was shirtless at the time, responded. "I'm an East York guy out for a jog."

(Tipped by JMG reader Aaron)

UPDATE: A couple minutes of Google-stalking reveal that Killoran is a high school teacher who has written at least a few newspaper op-eds on educational issues. In 2011 the Toronto Star published his essay on the rights of LGBT students in Catholic schools. An excerpt:

Catholic apologists argue that church doctrine does not discriminate against gays but teaches adherents to “hate the sin, not the sinner.” This is the same position taken by the church toward pedophiles, rapists, murderers and war criminals. Does anyone seriously believe that classing gays with the most hated members of society will encourage heterosexual students to accept and befriend them? Proponents of public Catholic education point out that it is constitutionally protected. The fact that gay students enjoy equal constitutional protection to be free from discrimination is seldom mentioned. Eventually a choice will have to be made between the rights of the publicly funded Catholic school boards and the rights of its vulnerable gay students.

Yeah, we like this guy.

Toronto Sees WorldPride Rainbow

Top photo by JMG reader Tyler. Bottom photo tipped by JMG reader Rob. Source.

WorldPride Kicks Off In Toronto

TORONTO: Mayor Rob Ford Takes Rehab Leave As New Crack Video Surfaces

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford announced yesterday that he is taking a leave from his duties and will seek help after the Globe & Mail revealed that its reporters had viewed a new video which allegedly shows Ford smoking crack.

The footage comes to light weeks after Mr. Ford embarked on a re-election campaign styled on the importance of second chances and forgiving mistakes. Nearly a year ago, the mayor thrust himself into worldwide infamy when another drug dealer, Mohamed Siad, tried to sell another video of the mayor allegedly smoking crack to media outlets in Canada and the United States. At the time, the mayor denied using the drug, only to later admit that he had smoked crack cocaine in a “drunken stupor” and said that he was not an addict. Since then Mr. Ford has been filmed numerous times in public appearing erratic and acting impaired. In each instance, the mayor has admitted to drinking, but never to using drugs. A few weeks ago when asked directly if he was continuing to use drugs, Mr. Ford said: “You guys ask stupid questions.”

The drug dealer that showed the clip to reporters has reportedly offered to sell his video for six figures.

The drug dealer who approached The Globe said that the audio on the three clips was not available because the speaker on his phone was broken when he recorded the footage. The dealer said he supplied the crack that was smoked that night and that he had decided to sell the footage to “make money.” He supplied an alias to The Globe and urged the paper to publish his nickname because: “I want someone to come to me.” The Globe is not publishing that nickname because of concerns about the drug dealer’s intentions. The Globe cannot confirm the substance inside the pipe.

Screengrabs from the video are here.

TORONTO: Crackhead Mayor Rob Ford Wants City Hall Rainbow Flag Removed

Toronto's crackhead Mayor Rob Ford is furious that his town's city hall today raised a rainbow flag in solidarity with Russia's LGBT people.

“It’s not about someone’s sexual preference,” he told reporters as he left his office to go outside and inspect the Canadian flag he had just put up in his office window. “No, I do not agree with putting up the rainbow flag. We should put our Canadian flag up.” After going out onto the square to look at his office window at lunchtime, Mr. Ford rushed back to his office surrounded by reporters. “This is the Olympics. This is about being patriotic to your country. This is not about sexual preference.” Mr. Ford said he has asked the city manager to take the flag down. The Mayor’s outburst came after the rainbow flag was raised in place of the City of Toronto flag on the ceremonial flagpole on City Hall’s green roof. The pole is often used to recognize special days and the rainbow flag flies there each year during Pride Week. Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly said the raising of the flag, along with other municipalities, is a sign of solidarity. “This is an expression of Canadianism,” he said.

Earlier this week Ford declared that he would once again boycott this year's Toronto Pride events.

Rob Ford Turns Jamaican

Via the Telegraph:

Another video of scandal plagued Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has appeared online, in which he appears to be inebriated. The mayor slurs and swears at staff, while apparently trying to imitate a Jamaican accent. The person who uploaded the video to YouTube wrote that it was shot at a fast-food restaurant in Rexdale in the northwest area of Toronto on Monday. Confronted by reporters, Mr Ford acknowledged the footage was shot late on Monday and admitted he had been drinking. "A little bit, yeah," he said.

Canada's National Post has a translation of the Jamaican terms. They note: "This is the first time Mr. Ford has ever been seen to inject his public speech with Jamaican expressions, or even exhibit any knowledge of Jamaican English."

Rob Ford Files For Re-Election

Toronto's crack-smoking mayor today filed for re-election and already the local papers have busted him for lying.

Ford then went on to declare himself the "best mayor" Toronto has ever had before rattling off a list of his alleged accomplishments, some of which in the words of the Star "were exaggerations or simply untrue." The most obvious errors of fact were his dubious claims that he saved the city "a billion dollars" (an overstatement by at least hundreds of millions of dollars by the paper's count) and that he had the best attendance record of anyone on Toronto's city council (he is, unsurprisingly, below average in that respect).

The election is in October.

Rob Ford Knocks Down City Councilor

By accident! Via Washington Post:

Toronto’s City Council voted Monday to strip scandal-plagued Mayor Rob Ford of many of his powers following a heated debate in which he knocked over a female councilor. Council members voted overwhelming to cut the 44-year-old Ford’s office budget by 60 percent and allow mayoral staff to join the deputy mayor. Ford now effectively has no legislative power as he would no longer chair the executive committee. Toronto’s City Council voted Monday to strip scandal-plagued Mayor Rob Ford of many of his powers following a heated debate in which he knocked over a female councilor. Council members voted overwhelming to cut the 44-year-old Ford’s office budget by 60 percent and allow mayoral staff to join the deputy mayor. Ford now effectively has no legislative power as he would no longer chair the executive committee.

PFLAG Wants To Meet With Rob Ford

Rob Ford: I'm Running For Re-Election

Crack and cunnilingus for everybody!

Rob Ford: The Opera

Clip recap: "No longer do you have to imagine what a Rob Ford opera would sound like. CBC Radio's Day 6 recorded a Rob Ford aria, arranged and written by Topher Mokrzewski, resident conductor with the Calgary Opera. Alex Beley and Tyler Fitzgerald sing as the Ford Nation Chorus."

(Via JMG reader Azgaard)

UPDATE: Rob Ford is getting a reality show.

The show is a continuation of the brothers’ radio talk show, “The City,” which aired on Newstalk 1010 until last week. “Rob is like Howard Stern or Rush Limbaugh,” says Doug Ford. “You just never know what he is going to say.” Apparently, according to Sun News Network vice president Kory Teneycke, “We are in the age of reality TV and it doesn’t get more real than the Fords.” The show, named “Ford Nation,” will air Mondays at 8 p.m. on Sun News Network, beginning Nov. 18.