Toronto Sun and National Post sports writers mused about the enduring crowd appeal of icon-iconoclast Martina Navratilova as she made an appearance Aug. 13 at the Rogers AT&T Cup at the National Tennis Centre at York. The Sun and Post writers predicted a changing of the guard in women’s tennis from the Williamses and Capriati to Clijsters, Henin-Hardenne and future Russian stars such as 16-year-old Maria Sharapova. Daniela Hantuchova was profiled in the Toronto Star and top seed Kim Clijsters (later knocked out) in The Globe and Mail. Toronto newspapers and broadcast media continued to follow the tennis tournament closely, posting results of the WTA tour. Four Canadians were eliminated in singles play Aug. 13.
Nurse heroes spark a scramble for jobs
Seneca College had 2,000 applications for 240 nursing spots, a surprise doubling in interest since last year, reported the Toronto Star Aug. 14. Adeline Falk-Rafael, president of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) and professor of nursing at York University’s Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies, agreed SARS media coverage has been a factor. The interest has come despite low morale, overwork, nursing shortages and a lack of full-time positions.”It’s confusing – all these factors existing at the same time,” said Falk-Rafael. “Many nurses are overworked, running between three different jobs, while others are unemployed.” Falk-Rafael blamed this bizarre situation on the Ontario government’s cutbacks, its money-saving strategies of the mid-1990s and the lack of federal transfer payments for health care. But just as important, there are not enough places in the universities due to underfunding. (York partners with Seneca, Georgian and Durham community colleges to offer nursing education.)