With the Leafs out of the playoff picture, the Raptors have a golden opportunity to use their post-season run to forge a fan base loyal enough to survive defeat – and experts say the team needs to take advantage. “The Maple Leafs will always be No. 1 [in Toronto sports],” said Vijay Setlur, who teaches sports marketing at York University’s Schulich School of Business, in the Toronto Star April 9. “What the playoffs will do essentially is mobilize and galvanize the support of the fans heading into a very critical time for the franchise as it embarks on its 20th season.” Read full story.
Vaughan hopes Spadina subway extension gives it leg up on York University expansion competition
Councillors were seriously considering gambling on bringing a casino to Vaughan’s emerging downtown at about this time last year. Now, they’re putting their minds to convincing York University to build a satellite campus in the same area, reported the Vaughan Citizen April 9. Read full story.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs psychologist joins Oakville Soccer Club staff
The Oakville Soccer Club announced Wednesday that it has added former Toronto Maple Leafs psychologist Paul Dennis to its technical staff, reported the Oakville Beaver April 9. . . .Dennis is currently a professor lecturing in sports psychology at York University, where he is also a high performance coach to the Lions’ varsity teams. Read full story.
King Township councillor defends absences
Veteran King Township Councillor Linda Pabst defended her longtime practice of heading south each winter for a 2-1/2-month vacation while council is still in session. . . . York University Professor of political science Robert MacDermid, who specializes in municipal government, believes there are issues with councillors who are absent for extended periods from the council table. “It seems to me that this councillor’s absences threaten the important function of representation,” said MacDermid in the King Connection April 9. Read full story.
Break the binders – gender, media and women’s ‘choices’
“I’m always happy to see a discussion about women’s (lack of) representation among ‘experts’ in the media,” wrote York University PhD candidate Melonie Fullick in University Affairs April 9. “But as Kirstine Stewart of Twitter Canada commented: ‘[I] was hopeful. Then I read the blog.’ In it, [Steve] Paikin takes an opportunity that could have been used to ask deeper questions about the gendered nature of expertise (for example) – and turns it into a throw-up-your-hands, stereotype-reinforcing missive on the ‘excuses’ women make for not wanting to heed the call and appear on a TV show.” Read full story.
Law society to debate Christian school’s gay sex ban
The Law Society of Upper Canada will debate Thursday whether to accredit a controversial B.C. law school that bans gay sexual intimacy, reported the Toronto Star April 9. . . . The faculties of York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, Queen’s University’s Faculty of Law and the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Common Law have made submissions that Trinity Western’s covenant discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation. Read full story.