LOCAL
A new report states that Toronto ended up with a $248-million surplus in 2012 due in part to the returns on the municipal land transfer tax that Ford wants to trim. It is also due partly to lower than expected winter maintenance costs, savings from positions that went unfilled, and other factors. [National Post]
After Ontario teachers lost their right to bank sick days until retirement, a record number of teachers are calling in sick near the school year’s end, especially on Mondays and Fridays. The need for substitutes is so high that the board has launched a hiring blitz for next fall. [Toronto Star]
Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday stated the Rob Ford crack video is losing credibility everyday it fails to surface. “Gawker claims to have raised the $200,000, and dope dealers kill each other for $500–how the heck could they walk away from $200,000?” he asked. [CBC]
NATIONAL
An E. coli breakout that sickened 18 people and caused the largest beef recall in Canadian history was caused in part by lax attitudes among plant staff and federal food inspectors. An independent panel’s review of the incident said they were unprepared for the outbreak since they had never rehearsed a recall on a scale that mirrored a real event. [Toronto Star]
Justin Trudeau announced today that Liberal MPs and members will be posting their travel and hospitality expenses starting this fall in an effort to make Ottawa more transparent. He acknowledged that this wouldn’t have prevented the Conservative’s Senate scandal. [Toronto Star]
The French-language CBC has announced plans to change its name, and Radio-Canada will lose both the words “radio” and “Canada.” Instead it will be called “ICI,” the French word for “here.” [Globe and Mail]
INTERNATIONAL
A Tel Aviv District Court judge has resigned after his comment that “some girls enjoy being raped” caused a public furor. He has since apologized and claimed the quote was taken out of context. [National Post]
Two levees broke in the southern German town of Deggendorf, causing a raging flood which forced residents to clamour to their rooftops to be evacuated by helicopter. Authorities have said at least sixteen people have died and four are still missing. [National Post]
In what has been termed a defining moment of the Syrian civil war, a crucial border town, Qusair, has fallen to Hezbollah after being vigilantly defended by Shia rebels during a three week-long siege. Rebel leaders said 15,000 civilians remain in their homes, compared to a pre-war population of 30,000. [The Guardian]
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