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Until the recent provincial elections, Toronto Centre was considered one of the safest Liberal strongholds in the province. This all changed with the historic election of NDP candidate, Suze Morrison. Morrison was comfortably elected with 23,537 votes. Liberal candidate David Morris came second with 11,934 votes, and Progressive Conservative candidate Meredith Cartwright finished last with 6,194 votes. Morrison is a resident of Regent Park, and she is recognized for her work on healthcare, indigenous issues, inclusion and diversity. Her passion is inextricably linked with her personal experience of growing up in poverty and witnessing gender-based violence. Morrison has held communications and engagement roles in both the health sector and the indigenous non-profit sector, and she feels she can bring an indigenous policy and anti-poverty lens to Queens Park: “Something that's been absent from our governance for a very long time,” said the elected candidate. Morrison feels t...

Looking for a delicious vegetarian restaurant in the east side of the city? Well, look no further. Located in the heart of Regent Park, Toronto, at the corner of Sackville and Dundas, is the Paintbox Bistro Restaurant. Founded in 2012, the Paintbox Bistro and Catering Restaurant offers an array of unique and fresh vegetarian dishes including green curry tofu, collard green enchiladas, forest mushroom pappardelle, “meat-free” burgers, and a Caesar-style kale salad with coconut “bacon”. For those that are quick to brush off the Paintbox as another example of the area’s gentrification, it is important to note that the Paintbox Bistro is a proud Certified B Corporation. Certified B Corporations are businesses that strive to meet verifiable social and environment objectives to help fight poverty and climate change. The Paintbox was the first caterer in Canada to receive the designation in 2013; it was also recently named “Best for the World” in 2016, landing in the top 10...

In May of 2018, residents of Regent Park were informed for the first time about the possibility of a new developer moving into the area after years of building a relationship with the Daniels Corporation. Many reacted angrily, “We don’t want to start over again” residents stated repeatedly. Development Manager of TCHC, Kelly Skeith, sparked resident anger with the May 4, 2018, community announcement that Toronto Community Housing will be inviting developers to send proposals for the next four and five phases of the Regent Park Revitalization. “ We are proud and thrilled that Daniels has worked so closely with us, but we have a certain procurement policy, we have a certain way that we must sell land because we are a public agency,” explained Skeith. However, many residents are now asking why this critical information was withheld from the community? In a follow up residents’ meeting on May 15, 2018, organized by the newly formed Regent Park Neighbourhood Association (...

Community-based policing is a proactive law enforcement strategy that focuses on building ties and working closely with a community’s members to create partnerships and plans for preventing and reducing crime. While community policing will look differently depending on the community it serves, a central feature is that the same officer patrols and works in the same area on a permanent basis. Currently there are 17 community-based police programs in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), but what most people don’t know is that Toronto’s community policing started in Regent Park in May of 2017. We know this because the original officers involved in setting up the Regent Park community policing program continue to work here today. The officers are PC Mircea Biga, PC Farzad Ghotbi, and PC Edward Parks; the newest officer assigned to the Regent Park community is PC Nigel Thomas (who is replacing PC Melissa Huntley while she is on maternity leave). Symptomatic of the increasing diversity...

I am a Hijabi I am a Hijabi My Hijabi is apart of me It is weaved into my skin So don’t even try pulling it off of me I am a Hijabi Highly sophisticated I am not to be taken as a joke So don’t even try to play with me I am a Hijabi I know what is right I am a believer So don’t even try to say I’m wrong I am a Hijabi So speak about oppression all you want It’s my choice and my choice only Don’t open your mount around me because I will not hear it I am a Hijabi Stop with the profanity, nonsense and false Koran verses It wound go through the thick cotton because my Hijabi only lets words with meaning reach me My Hijabi is my protector My Hijabi is my love My Hijabi is my life It’s simply everything and so much more I am a Hijabi A Hijabi bearing women There’s nothing you and do about it So don’t try me Written by: Hudda Haggi Photography by: The Divas Media Group

In recent years western perceptions of Islamic practices such as forced marriage, extremism, sexism, terrorism, and most recently, 'honour' killing, have riled up quite a bit of controversy in Western media critics. For example, one of the most recent topics that have surfaced as problematic has been the niqab. A niqab is a veil that Muslim women use to cover their faces in order to be seen as who they are and not what they look like. To some, the niqab represents the Muslim population exercising their right to follow their religion, some individuals believe it is a security issue, and to others it signifies the Muslim minorities failing to integrate with Western society. Although the niqab is perceived by the many to be a practice that is oppressive to women wearing the niqab, but the woman wearing the niqab may think differently. Not only do many perceive the niqab as oppressive without even asking the woman directly, the person practicing her right to wear niqab has her ow...

Listen I don't know how to say this but it's not going to be easy it sure ain't going to be hard I have one question that just about to start... What Is Family? Is it the blood that makes you related or even the friends that came from the same. Or together you've been raised? See its not just one question but these certainly rattle your minds because people of today are currently family blind. See you might feel as if no ones there friends won't always care so family may be all you got. Not everyone will listen they're just kind of mild, you can be in a huge family and still feel like the only child. Reliability is issues when trust has already been broken pick yourself up don't listen to what these people have spoken, learn to look after yourself before you have anyone else snack because you still carry your bag on yours. Yeah its great to help them but don't fall into their dirty chores, take your own advice it can really help you. No one knows you li...

I am a Muslim Girl Modesty is my middle name “Terrorist” and “dangerous” are carved in my blood While side looks and shameless whispers get pierced to my earlobe Though sincerity is written in my fingertips No man shall ever see The humanity hidden in my palms Or the respect I carry within myself I am a Muslim Girl As innocent as can be What have I ever done? That only Allah can see Do not judge me for who you think I am You’re nowhere close to right Quit harming the harmless And watch me put up a fight I am a warrior, built out of clay I am a Muslim Girl And will always be ‘till the last day By: Sadia Islam

María Camila Navarro Daniel McGee Pre Degree III The Infinite Power of Guns “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not feed, those who are cold and are not clothed”(Eisenhower). Nowadays the society is looking for joy but most of the times in the wrong way, where things are more important than people and people turned into tools for making things work. Those things are called guns and those people are called humans. Legalization of weapons in The United stated goes more than protection or power; it goes against people lives, safety, and armistice. In the 21 century in the United States the use of guns is legal, every citizen of the USA according to the constitution has the right to own and bear an arm because it is part of their liberty and part of their culture; that is the main reason why guns can’t be banned and won’t be banned, according to them. The “right to keep and bear an arm” is a law crea...

Some of the divas opinions about the Anti-Gay laws in Russia: “I think that it is stupid! If someone wants to be gay they should be allowed to but like they shouldn’t be like thrown out of the country or put in jail for it. Maybe yeah it makes people uncomfortable when they see gay people outside but they should deal with it. Like if you’re that uncomfortable they why don’t you throw your self outta there. Who even made the anti-gay law? Was it the president or something? If it was, then like are they insecure or something that they go around throwing certain people out of the country. Also it’s stupid because if it’s just like your sister or something that you’re holding hands with then they should make sure before trying to throw you out.” -Samreen “First of all what kind of name is Puttin? I think this is an interesting topic. I think it’s an unfair choice because we are all human inside and outside. If they want to be homosexual, then let them be! Everyone has a right to sp...