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Math Support for Students!

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New Investments will Help Improve Math Skills for a Better Tomorrow!

Ontario’s government is launching efforts to strengthen math skills for all students in Ontario – especially for students in under-served communities. This initiative will help students develop the math skills they need to succeed and find good jobs when they enter the workforce. These programs will help students retain and build on the math knowledge and skills they have learned throughout the academic year.

“We are listening to parents and educators. Ontario students need greater support to strengthen their math skills to achieve success in school and into their careers. This investment provides our young people with access to the skills they need to enter the workforce with confidence, and further underscores our government’s focus on STEM in the classroom,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education.

In response to consistently declining math scores in elementary school, our commitment is to help improve math scores by investing more than $6 million for summer initiatives throughout the province, including:

  • Math-focused three-week Summer Learning Programs offered by school boards for students in Kindergarten to Grade 5 who need more support to minimize summer learning loss, build confidence, increase skills, and have greater success during the regular school year.
  • Frontier College programs that support the development of foundational literacy and numeracy skills of high-priority students who live in under-served communities, including First Nations and remote communities. These programs also engage parents, volunteers, educators and community organizers to better prepare them in support of these students.
  • Math at Home, a virtual summer learning refresher for students and parents. The online resource will help support student learning, Continue reading “Math Support for Students!”
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Ontario Field Strawberries are the Perfect Summer Treat

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First fruits of the season are now available at stores and farmers’ markets across the province Ontario field strawberries are now ripe, with Ontario’s berry growers saying this year’s cool spring is resulting in an exceptional crop.

“For most of us, Ontario strawberries are one of the great tastes of summer. You can enjoy these healthy and delicious fruits fresh on their own, baked in a dessert or made into jam,” says Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “This Canada Day weekend, I encourage you to kick off your summer by choosing Ontario field strawberries and celebrate the good things that grow in Ontario.”

Whether you pick them up at your local grocery store and farmers’ market, or visit a pick-your-own farm, Ontario’s hardworking farmers have harvested the first fruits of the season for you to share today and throughout the summer.

“Ontario’s cool spring has done wonders for strawberry plants,” said Tom Heeman, Chairman of the Berry Growers of Ontario. “There really is no comparison to the taste and flavour of a true local Ontario strawberry, and this year they will be in great supply. Enjoy the taste of summer with the first fruits of the season!”

More than 1,900 acres of field strawberries are harvested in Ontario each year. Strawberries are high in antioxidants and vitamin C, and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Visit Foodland Ontario for recipes and suggestions for enjoying strawberries at every meal. For more than 40 years, Foodland Ontario has connected with families on how to recognize, prepare and enjoy locally grown foods. Continue reading “Ontario Field Strawberries are the Perfect Summer Treat”

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“This historic playoff run galvanized and united not only Toronto, but all of Canada”-Mayor John Tory

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Mayor Tory awards the Key to the City to the 2019 NBA Championship Toronto Raptors and unveils Raptors Way

Mayor John Tory presented the Key to the City today to the Toronto Raptors to honour the entire team for their 2019 season that culminated with winning the 2019 NBA Championship.

The Mayor presented the team with the Key to the City in Nathan Phillips Square as part of the Raptors Championship rally. Kawhi Leonard – the NBA Finals MVP – accepted the key on behalf of the entire Raptors organization.

To further recognize the Raptors’ first championship win, the Mayor also announced that Bremner Boulevard outside the Scotiabank Arena – from York St. to Lake Shore Blvd. W. – will receive a ceremonial street dedication as Raptors Way. The Mayor will be bringing a motion to City Council this week to proceed with the street dedication.

During his first term in office, Mayor Tory presented Keys to the City to His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, Paul Beeston, Rush, Aubrey Graham (Drake), Zanana Akande, Susan Gapka, Wilmot and Judy Matthews, Pat Moore, Peter Oundjian, and Fran Sonshine.

The Mayor awards the Key to the City to inspiring individuals from diverse backgrounds who embody the spirit and potential of Toronto and have contributed significantly to civic life. The Key to the City represents the highest honour that the City can confer on an individual or a group.

“We are so proud of our Toronto Raptors and their championship win. Presenting the entire organization with the City’s highest honour is our way of saying thank you on behalf of all Toronto residents. This historic playoff run galvanized and united not only Toronto, but all of Canada, bringing together fans from coast to coast to coast. The victory itself and the events surrounding it will inspire Torontonians, especially young people, for years to come.” said Mayor John Tory.

 

Continue reading ““This historic playoff run galvanized and united not only Toronto, but all of Canada”-Mayor John Tory”

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Madaari Mania Hits North America

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The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir – In Cinemas June 21

Madaari Mania is hitting fans from the across the world with millions of hits from people of all demographics and crossing all age barriers.  Sung by Vishal Dadlani and Nikhita Gandhi and music by Amit Trivedi, the Madaari song, that has everyone swinging and tapping their toes, is from the film The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir that will be released in cinemas in Canada June 21.

Renowned actor Dhanush stars as the lead in the international film co-produced by France, India and Belgium. Directed by Ken Scott, the film also features Berenice Bejo, Barkhad Abdi, Erin Moriarty and Abel Jafri as well as Gérard Jugnot, Ben Miller, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, and Stefano Cassetti.

Dhanush plays Ajatashatru Lavash Patel, a poor boy who grows up to be a street magician and embarks on an extraordinary voyage across Europe in search of his estranged father. During his trip, he finds love in a Swedish furniture store in Paris, but danger with Somalian migrants ensues and he ends up in London, then more threats follow the young man until he finds himself in Rome, where an unlikely threat shadows the hustler on to a hot-air balloon that rides across the Med.

The film has been adapted from Romain Puértolas’ best-selling novel The Extraordinary Journey Of The Fakir Who Got Caught In An Ikea Wardrobe.  The screenplay of the film was written by Puértolas and Luc Bossi who is also producing through his Paris-based company Brio Films. Other co-producers include Vamonos Films, Little Red Car Films, Scope Pictures, M! Capital Ventures, Impact Films and Golden Ratio Films.

The film has won many awards, distributed in Canada by A-Z films and will be in cinemas across Canada on June 21.

Dhanush speaks candidly to his fans and audiences about the film:

The screenplay

It had a fantastic message to send out to the world, combined with irresistible humor. It was also the promise of a journey I hadn’t yet dared to take in my career. You rarely get the chance of being offered a role like that. Continue reading “Madaari Mania Hits North America”

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We the Champs: Celebrate the Win!!

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GO TRANSIT GEARS UP FOR RAPTORS CHAMPIONSHIP PARADE

Raptors fans are still rejoicing their team’s historic win at the NBA championship. The celebrations continue on! All the GTA fans have  another chance to party on Monday during the official championship parade and rally.

Unprecedented crowds are expected to gather downtown on Monday to celebrate the Toronto Raptors’ historic NBA championship win. GO Transit is warning customers to plan ahead and prepare for trains and platforms to be far busier than usual.

The Raptors’ championship parade will begin at Exhibition Place at 10 a.m. and will eventually make its way past Union Station toward Nathan Philips Square. This will require a series of full and rolling road closures beginning at 9 a.m. Monday.

Extra GO trains will be available if needed to shuttle fans between Union Station and Exhibition GO. Given the huge number of fans including groups of children (Kids GO Free) expected for this celebration, the “Kawhi-it Zone” will likely be much noisier than usual, so the patience and understanding of all our regular commuting customers is greatly appreciated.

Parade Route & Rally

Starting at Exhibition Place, the parade will culminate with a rally at Nathan Phillips Square that will begin when the procession arrives.

10 a.m. Parade departs Exhibition Place, Princes’ Gates, runs east along Lakeshore Boulevard West, then north on York Street and University Avenue to Queen Street West.

12:30 p.m. Rally at Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street West.

Here is all the critical information you need to know if GO Transit or UP Express are your rides to Monday’s parade:

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A-Z Films has picked up ‘The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir’

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Film stars renowned Indian Actor Dhanush in the lead 

A-Z Films has picked up The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir, a comedy adventure by Quebec director Ken Scott (Starbuck, Delivery Man, Unfinished Business, La Grande Séduction) and starring the well-known Indian actor Dhanush, and featuring Bérénice Béjo (The Artist) Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) Erin Moriarty (Blood Father) and Abel Jafri (Timbuktu). Rounding out the cast is Gérard Jugnot, Ben Miller, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Stefano Cassetti.

A co-production between France, India and Belgium, the English-language feature will be distributed in Canada by A-Z films, and released day and date with US, India and Canada on June 21.  

The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir most recently won the Audience Award for Best Comedy at the Barcelona Sant-Jordi International Film Festival, and was the opening night film at the International Film Festival of South Asia, in Toronto.

The screenplay was written by author Romain Puértolas, and Luc Bossi who also is producing through his Paris-based company Brio Films. Other co-producers include Vamonos Films, Little Red Car Films, Scope Pictures, M! Capital Ventures, Impact Films and Golden Ratio Films.

The film has been adapted from Puértolas’ novel “The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe,” which came out in 2014 and has been translated into 35 languages.

A hustler from Mumbai embarks on an extraordinary voyage across Europe in search of his estranged father. During his trip, he finds love in a Swedish furniture store in Paris, but danger with Somalian migrants ensues and he ends up in London, then more threats follow the young man until he finds himself in Rome, where an unlikely threat shadows the hustler on to a hot-air balloon that rides across the Med. Continue reading “A-Z Films has picked up ‘The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir’”

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FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy arrives in Canada

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On Tuesday, the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ Trophy arrived in Toronto, Canada, marking the end of a two-month and 24-country tour.

Following its launch in Paris on 24 February, when FIFA Legends Kristine Lilly and Laura Georges sent the most coveted prize in women’s football off on its whirlwind journey, the trophy has stopped in each of the 24 countries that qualified for the competition, with each nation celebrating its arrival in their own unique way.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy spent a day at Scotland’s historic Edinburgh Castle; an afternoon on the pitch in Jamaica’s Montego Bay as part of a grassroots festival and took a trip on speedboat across Sydney Harbour in Australia, just some of the stops on its journey.

The global FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour has visited six continents, accompanied by FIFA legends and welcomed by former international footballers, politicians and even a king.

Fans and football players flocked to get a close up look at the trophy, a symbol of excellence in female football, designed by William Sawaya and handcrafted by Milanese specialists Sawaya & Moroni in 1998. It stands at 47cm and weighs 4.6kg and its artistic design captures the athleticism, dynamism and elegance of international women’s football. It is made of bronze gold-plated, Continue reading “FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy arrives in Canada”

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‘Open for Business’ and ‘A Place to Grow’New Licence Plate and Driver’s Licence to Reflect Ontario’sOptimistic Future

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Renewed brand and visual identity to be delivered at no cost to taxpayers

This morning Ontario’s Government for the People introduced the updated personal and commercial licence plates along with a new driver’s licence design in Mississauga East-Cooksville. The new changes reflect a renewed government promise to put people first in everything it does. The licence plate and driver’s licence
renewal process will enhance the quality, design and production of both important products while saving taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

“I am so happy that our government for the people is keeping its promises. Today we announced this exciting new change in my riding of Mississauga East-Cooksville. We are renewing the licence plate and driver’s licence because it represents how we are renewing our entire approach to government, and ensuring we are putting people first,”
said Kaleed Rasheed Member of Provincial Parliament for Mississauga East-Cooksville.

“Our government is embracing change because we recognize that the old established ways of working are no longer good enough.” Continue reading “‘Open for Business’ and ‘A Place to Grow’New Licence Plate and Driver’s Licence to Reflect Ontario’sOptimistic Future”

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We Got This: A Unique Blend of Pop Melodies

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Vibrant and culturally eclectic ensemble, Delhi 2 Dublin, are back with the release of their latest studio album We Got This (May 17, 2019 via Inside Pocket / Warner Music Canada). The album, produced by Toronto-based hitmaker Gavin Brown (Barenaked Ladies, Metric, Tragically Hip), offers a unique blend of energetic-pop melodies with the electronic pulse of warehouse raves, bringing a positive, colourful feeling to the socially aware messages expressed throughout.

The Vancouver-based band’s latest single “My People” speaks to their personal experiences as descendants of immigrants and paints a dynamic picture of them finding their artistic voices. The songs have an accessibility that you might compare to the songwriting of Bob Marley – speaking to the band’s own culture in the most personal way yet have depth and meaning to people of all cultures, backgrounds and ages.

The experience of making We Got This encouraged Delhi 2 Dublin to become creative storytellers, enabling listeners to relate to the messaging while dancing along to the Bhangra beats. And, of course, the songs are just as fun to listen to, filled with sing-along choruses, easy melodies and sharp production throughout.

Said vocalist Sanjay Seran, “the process of making this record was a bit of a departure from our beat-centric past and more of a journey into writing songs with a message that can really reach people. Continue reading “We Got This: A Unique Blend of Pop Melodies”

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Is Toronto a liveable city?

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 Talks exploring our changing city kick off AGO spring/summer programming season

Inspired by the portraits of a city undergoing immense change on view now in Impressionism in the Age of Industry, the AGO today announces an upcoming season of public programming as dynamic and compelling as Toronto, including talks, poetry, dance and public exhibition openings.

Drawing on its reputation as a unique performance venue and a hotbed for emerging artists, the AGO launches AGO Live, a dedicated series of performance events designed to reimagine the limits of what art can be within the museum. From marquee presentations to intimate moments and special commissions, the series is intentionally experimental and its formula flexible, highlighting local and international artists’ creative journeys in music, dance and visual art.

“Toronto is a rapidly changing city, and our programs reflect the urgency, challenges and excitement surrounding us,” said Devyani Saltzman, Director of Public Programming at the AGO. “By offering everything from talks to performances and film screenings, we’re welcoming art in all its forms, strengthening the AGO’s reputation as the imaginative centre of our city.”

Toronto the Liveable City? Talk Series
In partnership with the Toronto Star and the Toronto Public Library, the AGO hosts a series of four free conversations about the liveability of Toronto now and in the future. Continue reading “Is Toronto a liveable city?”