evandyk said:
I heard that there's an infestation of more-than-usual swans this year. I did see them swimming at Sugar Beach a week or two ago, which is fairly rare. Is this something that's happening?
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That depends, in part, on which swans you're seeing. The native (Trumpeter) or the non-native (Mute)

Though both are increasing in numbers, the mute swan is likely increasing more quickly in Ontario and represents a threat to the fullsome reestablishment of Trumpeters.

Ontario is likely home to 3,000 Trumpeters

Mute Swans are probably a bit higher than that, I'm not sure what their growth rate is here now, but it was in the 10-15% a few years ago.

Telling them apart is quite easy, the native ones have a 100% black bill vs the mute swans significant orange.
 
Metrolinx has just posted an update on their work at the Lower Don Bridge. https://assets.metrolinx.com/image/...wer_Don_Bridge_east_abutment_construction.pdf

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March 22
I shot these before heading to the US and was planning to work on them as well uploaded them but left the USB drive at home. Shot the site on March 29 and no change to my March 23 shots other than a better day for shooting.

The one thing I am not sure of, the channel wider on the east side of the bridge compare to the west side? Regardless, a new breakwall will have to be built where the bridge as well on the east side where the breakwall is now to oprn the channel up to be wider there with better water flow in high river run off.

More up on my site for the March 22 and the March 29 will be up sometime next week.
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EX13.5 - New Island, New Beginnings: Furthering Reconciliation and an Indigenous Cultural Framework for the Port Lands​

Consideration Type: ACTION
Ward: 14 - Toronto - Danforth

Origin​

(March 22, 2024) Letter from Councillor Paula Fletcher

Recommendations​

It is recommended that:

1. City Council direct the Director, Waterfront Secretariat, and the Director, Indigenous Affairs Office to further engage with First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous communities, and report back to Executive Committee on October 1, 2024, with a permanent name for Villiers Island, as well as a framework for reconciliation projects that support Indigenous cultural revitalization in Villiers Island and the Port Lands.

Summary​

On March 29, 2023, MM5.3 – Place Names in the Port Lands was adopted by City Council. Since then, City staff have been working with an Indigenous engagement consultant and Elder to design the engagement related to this work. The process, which will include a place naming advisory circle, will result in a recommended Indigenous name for the Island and a list of proposed names for streets and parks, to be considered by City Council in the fall of 2024. A permanent name for the Island will be needed in the early fall as Waterfront Toronto is expected to complete their Port Lands Flood Protection project’s river excavation work. The park and street names will be required by the end of 2024.

In addition, this can provide future opportunities for the City to collaborate with Indigenous communities and use their leadership for a number of projects including affordable rental housing and economic development initiatives.

The neighbourhoods, parks and public realm that are taking shape in the Port Lands offer a unique moment to support Indigenous cultural revitalization and to integrate Indigenous knowledge systems, oral histories, protocols, and connections to the land into the waterfront revitalization process. This motion requests that staff report on a culturally informed framework that coordinates and communicates the many projects in line with the Reconciliation Action Plan in both the Island and the Port Lands.

Background Information​

(March 22, 2024) Letter from Councillor Paula Fletcher on New Island, New Beginnings: Furthering Reconciliation and an Indigenous Cultural Framework for the Port Lands
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-244536.pdf
 
Hope they take into consideration both quantatative and qualitative properties when coming up with the proposals. Keep them simple - nouns/adjectives vs. phrases
 
If the government actually cared about Indigenous communities, they would give them back their land and lease it from them. All these consultations and renamings are just for show.
 
mcbg1 said:
If the government actually cared about Indigenous communities, they would give them back their land and lease it from them.
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You'd force them to lease it to the colonists? What if they don't want to lease it, what if they just want to keep it for themselves cause it's theirs?
 
If we acknowledge it’s their land, it’s their land and they can do what they want with it. So let’s just issue superficial statements to look like we care and do what we want with stolen land instead.
 
mcbg1 said:
If we acknowledge it’s their land, it’s their land and they can do what they want with it. So let’s just issue superficial statements to look like we care and do what we want with stolen land instead.
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To be fair it's conquered land, not stolen. I think giving naming preference and land acknowledgements is over and above what usually happens in these cases. There is probably no unconquered land that exists if you go back far enough.
 
goreckm said:
To be fair it's conquered land, not stolen.
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Important point. And pretty much every square inch of land currently on earth has been fought over and conquered by one side or another. How would anyone go back and reassess who the rightful and wrongful parties were in each case? You'd have to redo thousands of years of history. It's literally impossible.

Indigineous people were also conquering land from each other so you'd have to figure that all out too.

Probably the much more practical and useful thing to is to make sure the conquered party is able to live their best life possible in this current world hundred of years later, rather than trying to re-write time itself.
 
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hawc said:
Important point. And pretty much every square inch of land currently on earth has been fought over and conquered by one side or another. How would anyone go back and reassess who the rightful and wrongful parties were in each case? You'd have to redo thousands of years of history. It's literally impossible.

Indigineous people were also conquering land from each other so you'd have to figure that all out too.

Probably the much more practical and useful thing to is to make sure the conquered party is able to live their best life possible in this current world hundred of years later, rather then trying to re-write time itself.
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That just about sums up every 'land dispute' on earth and certainly applies to Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Gaza-Jordan and Britain-Ireland (re Northern Ireland). It all depends on where you think 'the beginning' is !
 
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