Union Station: A Review

Union Station by Joe Fiorito takes a look at the stories of the everyday people of Toronto. The author avoids telling the stories of those you see in the newspapers and magazines. In other words, the stories told by Fiorito are not about politicians or any 'Hollywoodesque' like stars. Instead, Fiorito tells the stories of the common people of Toronto.

The book takes a look at the stories of the people who own the local corner store or restaurant, local homeless person, local seniors and others. These stories tell the trials and tribulations of everyday life that people are in Toronto are facing either on their own or with others. The stories include drug addiction, losing the local grocery store, prostitution, housing, and attaining health care.

The book's concept of telling the stories of the average person is quite unique. No where else has one come accross the telling of the stories of average people in Toronto except in the newspaper. Even at that, the newspaper doesn't cover a lot about the average person except for the death notices. This is where Union Station is unique.

Telling the stories of the average person means the reader can readily identify with the stories being told. This book provides just that connection on a personal level. It was the first book I tried blogging about after reading each chapter. Each chapter got me thinking about different issues Toronto were dealing with. The issues of how to make it easier for immigrants to integrate themselves into Canadian society were most interesting. These issues that Fiorito tells first hand stories about immigrants in Canadian society include attaining health care and learning English. The plight of the immigrant was just one topic that found my mind wandering while blogging. There were lots of others of course.

Fiorito writes the book in a style that allows the reader to believe it is them who is having a conversation with the person's story that is being told. While reading a chapter from Union Station the reader feels as if they and the person telling the story are sitting in a Tim Horton's having a conversation over coffee. While reading the chapter, the reader might feel like nodding their head in understanding what the Fiorito is attempting to convey. It is this style of telling the stories of the common person that makes the book so accessible to the average reader.

Stories of the everyday person can be hard to tell. Do you attempt to make them interesting to the reader by embellishing the story a little bit? Or does the author tell the story like it is? Fiorito tells the story 'like it is' by making you feel like you are there experiencing it yourself. Also the Fiorito wants you to start thinking right after finishing reading the chapter. Fiorito's writing style and the fact this book is about interesting events that occurred to the person you might run into on the corner is what makes this book so worthwhile to read!

Chapter 21: Union Station

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This chapter explores the "notables" being happy. No, not the everyday hollywood stars or politicians being happy. The local "notables" are the noteworthy people who are notable because they are different. Local Toronto notables, that Fiorito highlights, include Enza "Supermodel" Anderson.

Are the notable people in Aurora where I live? I have to think long and hard for local "off the wall" notables like Enza or Fred mentioned in the chapter.

Perhaps the local notables tend to be senior couples who have been married for over fifty years which leaves others in awe. Others are seniors who live over one hundred years in age.

Are there any truly "off the wall" people in Aurora who are notable? No not really. I guess the "off the wall" people like Enza and Fred (who lived in a tent near the Bloor Street Viaduct) tend to be in big cities like Toronto or New York City and tend to stay away from smaller towns like Aurora.

Chapter 20: Union Station

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Joe Fiorito tells the stories of the people who are travelling workers. No, not business professionals or politicians travelling on all expensive paid business trips or for conferences, but people who are on the road almost every day of the year for their job. Examples of these travelling peoples are carnies and truck drivers.

After reading this chapter, the question is "What would it be like not to have a true home to return to every night after work?" This question arose thinking that travelling workers never know where they might rest their head from week to week. Also, how does one live out of their suitcase every day?

Following a vacation, I can't wait to get home and unpack the suitcase, but travelling workers never get to do this on an ongoing basis. The carnies that travel around assembling, operating and taking down county fairs never get a true place, besides a trailer, to call home. How do they do this?

Most people make fun of carnies as being "weird" or "out there". This is just what these carnies personify at the carnival. But lets remember these "weirdos" never get a place to call home on a permanent basis. Let's also remember that carnies may be thrown out of work during the winter months as the carnival season tends to dry up when the snow flies.

Travelling workers who put on fairs and the such should be commended for bringing entertainment to our areas while sacrificing time with their families and struggling during the winter months to make ends meet financially.

Chapter 19: Union Station

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Chapter 19 of Joe Fiorito's book takes a look at how the poor receive health care.

One would think that the poor could simply walk into any Canadian hospital and receive free health care. Canada is well known for its public health care system that all one needs to do is walk into the hospital and receive the assistance they need without any 'chaching' required. This is simply not the case, especially in Ontario.

Fiorito finds one mother who is barely making it in Toronto who has a sick child. She is presented with a bill for over five hundred bucks and that does not include any costs for prescription medication for her child. Considering that this illegal immigrant barely makes three hundred dollars a month alone, this bill is a little daunting for a mother with a sick child in their hands. We all know how I feel about illegal immigrants, but if this was a legal immigrant, I would feel sorry for her. There has to be a better way for poor people to receive health care.

The other issue Fiorito finds is that the homeless or new legal immigrants are finding it hard to receive health care due to the bureaucracy of the system. These people find it harder to navigate the bureaucratical system to gain a health card and other necessary identification to gain access to the public health system in Canada.

Fiorito noted that healthcare workers had set up a clinic for new immigrants and the poor to gain free healthcare from actual doctors and nurses. Also at these clinics, experts provide guidance to people how to get the necessary identification together to apply and receive a health card. Once these people receive a health card they may now receive health care at the hospitals. The health clinic is making a difference in the community.

New immigrants, the homeless and the poor need to be able to gaurentee themselves a basic level of health care. That seems like a basic Canadian value. But, sadly, Fiorito proves that doesn't seem to be.

Chapter 18: Union Station

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Dora De Pedery-Hunt

recognize the name?

Probably not. However, she is an unsung hero in Canada currently.

Sure Dora has a Order of Canada to her name, but how many people know Dora by name?

Yet she is really important to all Canadians from coast to coast. In fact, if you are in Canada, you are probably not very far from one or more of this artist's works.

Dora is the artist behind Queen Elizabeth's portait on the back of most Canadian currency. Yet, most Canadians don't know who did that work. Dora is who did that work.

I learned this little tidbit of Canadian history by reading chapter 18 of Union Station.

After reading the story of Dora, I got to thinking who the local unsung heros of Aurora are. Sure Aurora has cliamed Lester B. Pearson as one of their own, but who are the unsung heros of Aurora who affect day to day life in Aurora?

Aurora prides itself on the work of the many volunteer organizations in town. The local ball association is run by volunteers, so are the local churchs and other community organizations. Perhaps these are the unsung heros of Aurora?

What about the police officers, paramedics, firefighters and other emergency workers? Are these not unsung heros as well?

Are politicians unsung heros for stepping forward to spend so much time to ensure our community is properly managed?

So who are the unsung heros? I believe I may have answered this question with a few other questions.

So who are the unsung heros in your community?

Chapter 17: Union Station

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In this chapter Joe Fiorito takes a look at the most influential people in an area of town. In this chapter Fiorito highlights how citizens of Kensington Market are going to honour the memory of the King of Kensington, Al Waxman. A statue in a park resulted.

The question, that came to my mind while reading this chapter, is there a citizen of my town who is revered or admired like Al Waxman is in Kensington?

In Aurora there is perhaps Lester B. Pearson who grew up in Aurora. His school, Church Street School, is now being transformed into the local heritage centre. His father, Edwin Pearson, was the Minister at the Aurora Methodist Church (now Aurora United Church). We all know how great Lester would become in world history in terms of eventually being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Are there others within Aurora? Perhaps, but not as big as Lester Pearson. Notable mentions could be Olympic downhill skier Brian Stemmle, CTV's Tom Clark, and others.

Take a look at your own community, who would be "The King" of your community?

Chapter 16: Union Station

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In Chapter 16 Joe Fiorito investigates the stories of transit. In other words the stories of the people and/or the events that happen while on pulblic of transit.

One of the books I picked up during my time in New York City was Subwayland by Randy Kennedy. The book takes a look at the stories that can be found within the New York City subway system. I learned some very interesting things about the New York City subway system like:

-Need a seat on any train line going through 14th Street-Union Square? Stand in front of someone with a backback, they will most likely be NYU students and will be leaving the train at this stop.

-Pigeons ride the subway out in the Rockaways. The pigeons board the subway cars looking for food while the trains wait to head in the opposite direction at the end of the line. Once the train is ready to start again, the doors close and the pigeons are still on the train!

-the broken sea shells seen on the bridge from the mainland to the Rockaways on the "A" line are from sea gulls and other sea faring birds scooping sea shelled creatures and then smashing them on the concrete bridge abutments in search of food.

Of course, some people blog about the subway like SUBWAYblogger and Steve Munro. These writers take a look at both what is going on the subway from their point of view as well as the politics that involve the governing transit agencies.

Others do blog about the subway as well. I just Googled the word "subway" and came up with 675,495 results in just a blog section only. Everything from transit delays to meeting someone on the subway came up.

Of course I have my own stories of public transit. Just search "York Region Transit" or "YRT" in the blog search above to see what terror I've been put through as well as my views of the current system of public transit in York Region.

Do I have funny stories and observations? Sure! Here are a few tidbits:

- You can buy almost anything on the New York City Subway system. Just don't expect any warranties!

- I've moved apartments accross Brooklyn on the subway during my time in New York.

- The subway is a great place to see what people are reading. People read everything from the Bible, the newspaper, maps, a wide variety of literature, etc. on the subway. Looking for a good book? Check out the interesting titles on the subway.

Sure these aren't that interesting stories, but there are several sources on the web (i.e. Google subway in the blog search section) and in print that provide good reading. Fiorito, sadly on provides one decent chapter.

Update!: The New York Sun takes a look at what people are posting about the New York City Subway system by way of popular Subway Blogs. Read the article here.

Chapter 15: Union Station

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Fiorito takes a look at the stories of crime in a big city, most specifically Toronto. Fiorito tells us the stories of one courtroom as prisoners are sentenced one after another. He then tells us about three young girls who are murdered in Toronto.

This chapter got me thinking about what is a common denominator in the criminal's lives? There must be one thing that makes all criminals the same.

Well, there is no such common denominator (with the exception of the desire to commit a crime of course). But there are two common characteristics of most criminals that I've noticed over time: 1. Come from families who have a single parent and/or 2. were a victim of violence in their youth.

#2 is self explanatory (i.e. troubled youth who suffered a tramatic childhood just continues on down the wrong road).

In terms of #1, usually stories about young criminals have the single mother or father, who is struggling to make it life with their families, yelling that their son/daughter is headed to the slammer. Some of these parents blame society for letting them down. Society then turns around and casts their eyes down on these single parents and blame the parent for not raising their child properly resulting a crime being committed.

Who is correct in this situation? The parent or society?

I mainly blame the parent. Last time I checked it takes two to have a child, or at least in the conception of a child. The question is where did the second participant in the conception of the child go over time? Both participants in the conception, i.e. parents, should be involved in the raising of a child.

Without the second parent, their is only one person left to raise a child. This results in the leftover parent to work longer hours in order to raise the child all by themselves. The situation is worse if there is more than one child involved and/or if the parent has a low income job. This leaves the child all by themselves to their own devices. This could result in the child getting into criminal activity without the single parent even knowing it. Before long the child is arrested and thrown in jail and the parent blames society for not helping them raise the child.

The big question from in this situation is: "Did you have a relationship with the person you decided to have child with before you 'did the deed?'" Usually the answer is, "No". Case closed, if you don't invest in a relationship before considering children, problems may result down the road....

Footnote: Not all single parent families result in leading to crime. The above is just an observations over time of the backgrounds of those charged or convicted of crimes from various newspaper articles from Toronto, Ottawa and New York City. The above is not viewed from successful single parent families, which there are many, but at possibilities of how criminals might have found a life of crime.

Chapter 14: Union Station

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In Chapter 14 Joe Fiorito takes a look at what brought him to "The Big Smoke," "Hogtown," "T Dot" or, in other words, "Toronto". Joe came looking for employment and a brighter future.

Joe's reasoning was just like why I was headed to New York City. I headed to New York City after trying to get my teaching in Ontario. Ontario simply had too many English and History teachers for High School and too few students needing teachers. This was because the year I finished teacher's college, the provincial government eliminated OAC (grade 13) which meant a whole set of teachers across Ontario were thrown out of work. The increasing growth in the number of students didn't offset the loss of a full grade of students.

I put in applications with Toronto, Durham, York and Peel region school boards, and had a few nibbles (read: interviews) from York, but didn't get a job offer. So I took a job as a part time church caretaker for a year. Then came my job interview with New York City and off I went to the big city of New York to hopefully have a brighter future. But this didn't happen as this post will show.

Now I'm working for a growing merchandising company back in Toronto. I wouldn't never give this job up because I feel like I'm part of a team that is pulling for each other through no matter what! It's nice to be part of a team!

So just like Fiorito, I left Toronto and came back (read this chapter to see what I mean) for a good career.

Chapter 13: Union Station

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In this chapter Joe Fiorito tells the story of a mysterious book he found in an old bookstore. Fiorito had picked up a mysterious Chinese handwritten cook book. Fiorito does some astounding research to find out the origins of the book. However, I won't go into detail here and spoil this chapter for you...you'll have to grab Fiorito's book!

There is something about walking into any bookstore and just letting your mind and your body wander. Chapters is one of my favourite places to cruise for interesting titles.

What am I looking for when I'm going? Am I looking for a specific book? No not really. I could care less what Oprah is currently reading or even what has won awards. I'm basically looking for a title, cover and/or author to catch my eye.

For example, I was wandering around a Chapters in Toronto and found Alan Alda's book, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned, and bought it. Was I going into this store to specically pick up this book? No, I never even know Alda had writen this book.

The same thing happenned with Joe Fiorito's book interestingly enough.

But there are times I go into a book store and leave with nothing at all. Am I disspaointed I couldn't find anything to purchase in this case? No not really. I might find something that might pique my interest in the future that just happens not to be too exciting right now. My reading interests do change. I have moved from traditional fiction to more non-ficition books like Alan Alda's book and others like the Google Story.

You never know what you'll find in a book store!

Chapter 12: Union Station

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Chapter 12 of Joe Fiorito's book takes a look at the life of an immigrant to Canada. Perhaps the most disturbing sentence in this chapter, and possibly the entire book, is this one:

"The city cliche: The cabbies in this town are engineers, doctors, physicists." - Page 173.

Why are people who could be engineers, doctors, physicists and others driving taxis in this fair city? Sure driving a cab is a noble job and necessary for tourists and others to get around town. But the people who could be doctors are needed to ease the waiting times in the health care system.

During the previous federal election the Conservatives came to power on promises on five priorities. One of those priorities, the only one left to be accomplished by the Conservative government, is the guarenteed wait times for health care patients. Currently, talks are ongoing between the federal health care minister and his provincial counterparts. But that is what has been happening for years! More money has been gobbled up year after year as the federal government has been continously giving the provinces money designated for health care. Yet, times seem to be getting longer. Also, doctor and nursing shortages are either being felt now or on the horizon accross the country.

Is there a way to help solve the problem of wait times? Sure, there needs to be adequate number of health professionals and equipment. Governments have suggested in the past opening up a larger number of places in medical school to help solve the problem. Well, according to Joe Fiorito's book and other media reports, there are plenty of doctors driving cabs. One would think this would be a good area to find medical doctors to a least stem the loss of medical professionals in Canada due to retirement and other factors.

Now the question is why are these doctors driving cabs? Most of these doctors are foreign trained and, once they arrived in Canada, found their medical degrees are not recognized in Canada. This is a major problem in many fields of study in Canada as Joe Fiorito notes above in terms of physcists, doctors and others driving cabs or just facing a tough time. So perhaps the federal and provincial governments might want to make it easier for these foreign trained professionals to have their credentials tested and brought up to Canadian standards. This would probably be a lot cheaper than providing more spaces in medical schools for new doctors as these foreign trained doctors might only need six months to a year to be educated and properly tested before being deployed to a Canadian hospital or medical clinic.

This idea would also cost the federal and provincial governments less in the long run instead of opening up more spaces in medical school. Medical school students would be required to do at least four years of school and many of these students are starting with very little experience in the field of medicine. Contrast this to the cab driver who may have had a practice overseas and has full medical training in another country. These individuals would only require a quick probing to see what they know and what they still need to learn. These individuals could then be slotted into medical school classes that fit their needs and put into the workforce in a much shorter time period due to their previous training and experience. Even better these doctors come with some previous medical experience that would be needed in the Canadian medical field as the older experienced Canadian doctors begin to retire.

This is just one way to solve a Canadian problem by placing Canadian taxpayers money smartly and helping out those who want to work hard in Canada in their chosen field. Many, like the doctors and physcists driving a taxi, just need a chance to clear away the red tape holding them back and get into their fields.

We know they believe in Canada and are 'sold' on living in Canada, we just need to show them that 'Canada is sold on them.'

Chapter 11: Union Station

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"If Toronto is a sort of amalgam of New York and Chicago, Montreal can be understood as the best of Boston and New Orleans, a combination of old-world charm and modern technology." -Alan F.J. Artibise, "Canada as an Urban Nation" quoted on page 161.

Fiorito calls Toronto bland in chapter 11 and then proves it by going on to tell about how various facets of Toronto are merely 'mediocre'.

Is Toronto mediocre?

Since Toronto is supposed to be an amalgam of New York and Chicago, as the above quote from Fiorito's book would suggest, lets start there. Since I have never been to Chicago, but do know New York City quite well since I lived there for a year, lets compare Toronto to New York.

1. Transit: New York City has a kick ass subway system that moves millions of people a day (1.4 billion trips in 2005 according to Wikipedia) into and out of the city. The system not only connects with commuter trains (Metro North and the LOOOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGG Island Railroad), Staten Island Ferry, annoucments of transit connections (announcement: "This is Times Square-42nd Street...Transfers available to the 1, 2, 3, 7, A, C, E, N, Q, R, W and Shuttle to Grand Central"), but also has express trains that moves people quickly past smaller "local stations" that the majority of people would not want to stop at. Sure the subway system is more than 100 years old, but it was built right from the beginning with switching redundancies between lines which helps to detour trains during construction on weekends as well as helping to keep the trains moving when there is a medical emergency. Medical emergency? Max ten minute holdup in New York to get things back on the move.

Toronto's subway system is becoming antiquated and useless. The system needs to expand big time! York University is Canada's largest bus station with GO Transit, TTC, YRT, VIVA and York University transit buses feeding passengers into, out of and through the campus. There is a proposal for a subway extension through the university grounds, but this is starting to become bogged down in political blame and bureaucracy between the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.

Perhaps one comparison between New York City and Toronto on the transit issue is how many people does each subway station serve (i.e. divide the population by the number of subway stations).

New York City has 468 stations serving aproximately 10 million people (living within the 5 Boroughs of Staten Island, Queens, Brooklyn, Manhatten, and the Bronx) whereas Toronto with a population of 2.5 million (within the former cities of Scarborough, East York, York, North York, Toronto and Etobicoke) has 69 subway stations. So on a per capita basis:

New York: 10,000,000 / 468 = 21,367.52 people

Toronto: 2,500,000 / 69 = 36,231.88 people.

What does this mean? There are more stations in New York serving the population than Toront. Considering that many trains in New York don't stop at the smaller subway stations (i.e. Express trains) and better connections to connecting transit, as well as the ease of their fare system it is no wonder why New York's subway system just totally rocks and Toronto's looks just plainly mediocre. Not only that, New York's transit system (subway, trains and buses) combined gets you everywhere. Toronto's transit system is so disjointed, confusing and stuck in traffic that the only thing one gets is to be late for work.

How to fix Toronto's subway problem?

Simple: 1. Complete the Sheppard Avenue line Eastward to Scarborough Town Centre and Westward to Downsview (and not further) to connect to the current Scarborough RT (and future Bloor-Danforth line extension). 2. Extend the University-Spadina line to Major Mackenzie Drive and Jane Street in order to service the booming new development in that corridor as well as finally give York University subway access. 3. Demo the Scarborough RT (because the system is coming to the end of its life span and no replacement parts are easily accesible as well as demand oustrips capacity) and extend the Bloor-Danforth line out to at least where the Scarborough RT currently ends. 4. Extend the Yonge Street line north to at least Bernard Avenue (one block North of Elgin Mills Road) to reduce congestion on Yonge Street. 5. Twin the Yonge Street line with an Express Tracks and local tracks like the 2/3 line in New York City. This would probably catch Toronto up on it subway stations and provide far better service.

2. Sports: The Toronto Blue Jays keep increasing their payroll year in and year out in an attempt to keep up and hopes (!) of surpassing the New York Yankees in terms of bringing in on field production. The Jays are hoping to eventually get back to winning the World Series for the first time since 1992 and 1993 dynasty years. So far this can only happen if The Boston Red Sox (like in the 2005 season) and New York Yankees are plaqued by injuries allowing Toronto to inch by them into second place in the East and into the Wild Card spot.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been trying to get back to winning a Stanley Cup on a regular basis since 1964. If that doesn't spell out a history of mediocroty what else will?

The Toronto Raptors are just plain losers considering this team has been around for at least ten years and has spent more time on the wrong side of the scoreboard than on the right. This barely even qualifies as mediocre.

3. Architecture: Toronto has hints of great architecture but more often than not this has been subdoed by the mediocre cement and/or glass buildings that surround them. The hints of great architecture include the new Ontario College of Art and Design on McCaul Street (page 162), Queen's Park, ROM, the CN Tower and others. But these buildings are surrounded by boring buildings like Metro Hall, Toronto Convention Centre and other office buildings. These buildings hold back or even block the amazing sightlines to the spectacular buildings. The rising condo buildings along Toronto's waterfront are starting to imped the spectacular view of the famous Toronto skyline of office towers, the CN Tower and Rogers Centre (SkyDome). In fact, Rogers Centre is almost totally blocked out by the condo towers depending on which angle the skyline is viewed from the Toronto Islands. It is sad really that such great architecture is being glossed over by mediocre utilitarian buildings.

Toronto is a unique city. It just wants to be like New York, but it has to come to the realization that it is not. Perhaps if Toronto found its own niche market like London, like Paris, like New York, like Berlin and others, then perhaps Toronto could become great. But until then, Toronto will have to sit it the realm of mediocrity.

Chapter 10: Union Station

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In chapter 10, Joe Fiorito investigates what different cultures do best. Fiorito investigates the a Lebanese family restaurant during a breakfast on a Sunday, an Italian family pork shop, a Polish Met Market and others.

I find these "ethnic food places" have some of the best food to be found in any town. Perhaps this is because the owners of these fine eating establishments take great care in preparing their food. T.C.'s Fish & Chips in Aurora, located conveniently right next to my church on Yonge Street in Aurora, a Greek family makes fabulous burgers, fries, salads and of course fish! My favourite at this fine establishment is the cheeseburger combo. After ordering your choice of drink, medium fries and burger you can listen to the jokes and tomfoolery of the staff. Usually Chris, the owner, is at the grill with either Glen or one of his compatriots. Talk from the grill ranges from women, to life in general to how much the Toronto Maple Leafs rule or stink. The food, while the banter is going on between Chris, his assistant and yourself goes on, your burger is put on fresh and flame kissed and your fries are being fried. The burger? Top it just the way you want it. Its like Harvey's but even better because the food and staff are exceptional instead of some pimply teenager who you may never see again slopping stuff on your burger. Once the food is done your mouth is just salivating to dig into it! Portions are quite generous as your paper plate overfloes with a burger and fries. On the tables there is ketchup galore to cover your fries. You never go home hungry after visiting T.C.'s. In fact, some people request smaller portions so no food is wasted. I still wonder why people would go to McDonald's when a place like this exists in Aurora.

What are different ethnicities known for making?:

Italians - Pizza, Pasta & Pork Products.

Polish - Pork products.

Chinese - Chinese food of course!

Canadians - Bacon, Beer and Donuts.

Have I missed any? Probably, please let me know in the comment section.

Chapter 9: Union Station

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In chapter 9 Joe Fiorito investigates Toronto's Seaton House. Seaton House is a homeless shelter for men located near downtown Toronto. The homeless that attend this shelter usually have lost their jobs, have an alchohol addiction, and/or are mentally unstable.

Heres the question I have always had about my experience between Toronto and New York City: Why are the homeless more noticeable in Downtown Toronto as opposed to Manhatten Island?

I have several theories for this:

1. New York City has quite a few subway lines that operate twenty four hours a day. New York's Subway system provides the homeless great spots to curl up in warm and dry locations in trains, passages stairwells and stations for the day and night. Heck, even the homeless advocates go from train car to train car handing out free sandwiches and other nutritious meals.

Whereas Toronto's subway system shuts down around one or two in the morning which means the homeless are forced out onto the streets as the trains go out of service for the evening. So the homeless would rather lay on heating grates an sleep

2. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) enforces the loitering laws far better than Toronto's Police force. This is particularly true considering that the homeless in Toronto can be found throughout the downtown sprawled out on street corners or begging for spare change. Whereas, in New York City, the homeless are barely seen and if they are seen, you can bet they are not sitting around begging for change. Perhaps this is because New York's finest ensure the sidewalks are not obstructed by anything or anyone.

3. Better housing services are offered by the New York City than Toronto. I have no proof on this one, but the fewer homeless on Manhatten's streets would indicate there are fewer homeless. Manhatten, considered the "downtown" of New York City would theoretically have more homeless in this city of over ten million than Downtown Toronto would with a population of just over 2 million. Yet I can find more homeless in Downtown Toronto than in my extensive adventures throughout Manhattan. Could this be because the homeless in New York city are routed towards programs that encourage them to find "geared to income housing" and away from the street corner?

These are just theories of why I believe the homeless are more noticable in Toronto than New York City.

I'd like to finish up with an anecdote though. When I was going to the University of Ottawa, I used to walk over the Mackenzie King Bridge behind the Rideau Centre there was always a pandhandler. This spot, you would think would be a prime location for a person down on his luck to gain quite a few sheckles in order to purchase some food and clothing. Or you would think shyster could do pretty well here if he played the part. Well, there was a shyster playing the part. Except the shyster had one problem: Why would a homeless person down on his luck have a brand spanking new leather jacket and winter toque on?

Chapter 8: Union Station

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In chapter 8, Joe Fiorito takes a look at entrepreneurs who have moved from Asia and try and make it in Toronto. These entrepreneurs open everything from restaurants, where Fiorito reminisces about good soup to vacuum dealers who had to struggle with unfair competition from next door and succeed.

Every single businessman who has struggled to make it big in Canada and, for some, the world. There are a couple of businesses in Aurora that have seen recent immigrants come to Canada and start their own small businesses.

First, the most famous person in Aurora to own a business is perhaps Frank Stronach who founded Magna Autoparts, and later, Magna Entertainment. Frank Stronach started it all in Sweden and gradually moved his operations to Toronto. Eventually Magna (after merging his with another company) got its first contract for autoparts from General Motors. Magna has emerged to become the leading autopart manufacturer in the world with companies ranging from Ford and General Motors to Honda and Mercedez Benz. The Magna Autoparts world headquarters is located in Aurora, on the former farm of Frank Stronach (who still lives there as well). More on Magna's history can be found on their website.

Another recent immigrant making big, but not as big as Frank Stronach but could have if he had of left Aurora is Omar Khamissa. Recently, Omar passed away, which was a major blow to Aurora's business community considering he was in business for over 30 years and has seen several thousand pairs of feet that required shoes. In fact, I probably got my first pair of shoes fitted by either Omar himself or a member of his staff. An article on the difference Omar has made to Aurora can be found here.

Aurora, for what was a small town, has made it big both within small business in terms of Omar, but also big worldwide in terms of Frank. Fiorito's looking for the average small business owner left this out. However, Fiorito's book was more based around telling the stories that aren't usually told in the Toronto area.

But I do find, at least recently, that I find books on how entrepreneurs made it big to be very interesting. For example, I have recently read The Google Story which explores how Google has gone from a company run out of a dorm room and a garage to a multi billion dollar company. Perhaps one of the biggest people I look up to in business is my own uncle, Bob Young, who made it big in the field of Linux as founder of Red Hat Linux. His book, Under the Radar, formed the basis for the research I did for a paper for my Business History course at the University of Ottawa on the rise of Linux in the marketplace. This paper can be found here.

Who knows, perhaps down the road I will have my own successful business story.....

Chapter 7: Union Station

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Chapter 7 of Union Station takes a look at the contributions the Italian community has made to Toronto as both city builders and as current residents. Joe Fiorito contends that Italians built most of Toronto by hand. Everything from the skyscrapers to the Yonge Street Subway Line.

The history of Toronto and its surrounding cities is quite vast. Take for example Aurora, and other cities between Aurora and Toronto. Aurora was founded as "Machell's Corners" and eventually was renamed Aurora when formed as a town. Aurora's growth was spurred by the founding of Yonge Street which stretched north from Lake Ontario from Downtown Toronto northward towards Lake Simcoe. Industrial growth was encouraged by the building of the railway and especially so considering Aurora was the 'end of the line' on Canada's first railway. But the real question is not who the 'movers and shakers' were who lead the creation and building of both Aurora and Toronto, but who were the everyday workers who did the grunt work? These are the people Fiorito tells the story about. The person who owned the local corner store, the person who is the matriarch of the local market and others like these are the true city builders. These are the people who history seems to forget.

Footnote: For a complete history of Aurora click here.

Chapter 6: Union Station

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In chapter six of his book, Joe Fiorito explores how the native culture sees the city of Toronto. He visits some homeless natives living in a local Toronto park, a local native stonecarver and native tourists. All seemed to like Toronto's character for different reasons. But Fiorito doesn't, for obvious reasons, tell the story of how a native of two hundred years ago see Toronto.

So this particular chapter got me thinking: "What would the natives of two hundred years ago shaking the hand of the first European, say about what they see North America as today?"

Why 'North America' and not just Toronto or some other section?

North America has developed quite similarly over the years. Cities and other major population centres developed around stratigic military and trade points. For example, New York City developed on the Island of Manhatten at the strategic inland entrance of the Hudson River at the Atlantic Ocean. Toronto and Montreal grew from the fact they are major inland trading points of commerce.

But the question is, would the all native from two hundred years ago approve of what they would see today? Probably not. In the Toronto area, and this also works for other cities like New York and Los Angeles, the native would be appalled at the sprawl of cookie cutter houses spreading for as far as the eye can see.

It has been said that some of Canada's best farm land can be seen from the CN Tower. From the CN Tower, if you click on the link, you will see nothing but street after street of buildings. Sure the downtown of Toronto works with the commercial skyscrapers and condiminium towers. But if you look northward, single, semi detached residential units appear. To believe that some of the world's, never mind Canada's, best richest farm soil exists under these houses is despictable.

What should have happenned, the native might think, is the downtown should have grown as it has. The rest of it should have been either left untouched with treed lots, while the rest should have been developed as farm land to sustain the cities.

Transit of course would be a must. Mass transit terms of subways within the downtown built up areas would be a must. Single family cars would not be an option. This would keep the pollution and the congestion on the roads down. Where subways and trains (i.e. VIA Trains) could not be used due to low demand, buses would suffice.

A getaway to country for a weekend of camping? Sure, a rental electric car would be in order. These cars would be available for rental to people wishing to leave the cities and head to the rural areas.

The road alignment of Toronto would have to change as well. Instead of windy turny roads that you find in the suburbs, the grid pattern of downtown Toronto would work. However, none of the "lets just curve this road this way to miss a building" would be accepted. Hence the circles and curves in downtown Toronto would be there.

GO Transit would also be forced to put in a stations at major centres. For example, why is there not a GO Transit station at Queen & Dufferin Streets in Toronto? The Queen Street and King Street street cars are easily accessible from the train line. A slight re-alignment of the train line would provide connections with the smaller rural centres to the north and major population centres in the city and straighten out the original grid pattern the city was planned on.

This is a perfect example of "lets just curve this road this way to miss something" attitude that occurred. The train line was there before the roads. So the road builders, at the time, re-routed Dufferin street around the train line. However, as anyone who has been down there lately, congestion occurs on Queen Street. So by removing a building or two, Dufferin Street is straightened out and congestion at Queen & Dufferin is significantly reduced because transportation routes are not forced onto Queen Street in order to continue south on Dufferin for any reason. As well, the major train line is maintained and enhanced with transit connections that make sense.

Is what there is today salvagable in the eyes of the native? Sure, but there has to be some willpower on behalf of both the people and ALL the governments. Transit expansion needs to become a priority as well as the densification of condos and apartments along the major transit lines. The current agricultural farmland needs to be maintained and enhanced in every possible way. Reforestation will also occur in the areas currently sprawled out upon in the suburbs where current "cookie cutter housing" is located. By creating and implementing a plan like this, it will help to solve the effects of smog and global warming currently being felt in Toronto and other North American cities.

Chapter 5: Union Station

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In chapter 5 Joe Fiorito investigates the theme of how Toronto is more like a town and not a thriving metropolis like New York City. I personally think Toronto is more made up of a bunch of little towns that just happenned to gradually grow. These small little towns eventually stopped growing, geographically, because they grew into each other. Eventually regions started up and these towns got lumped in with the main downtown area of Toronto. After a while, and the Mike Harris government, this particular region was truned into the city of Toronto as we know it today. But this city of Toronto is more of a governance requirement than a day to day living requirement.

In terms of character, each particular part of the city is different. North York (centred by the intersection of Yonge Street & Sheppard Avenue) is more of a suburban community to Downtown Toronto. Mel Lastman, the former Mayor of North York, wanted to create a second downtown for Toronto by building a commercial area along Sheppard Avenue East with the creation of a subway (Sheppard Avenue line). Toronto proper consists of the downtown core where people from the surrounding towns and cities tend to come and work during weekdays. Hence the downtown is centred by Union Station where a high number of those people coming into the downtown go through either on the subway (TTC) or Commuter Train (GO Transit). Within the city there are several ethnic groups including the Italians (little Italy) and Chinese (Chinatown).

Aurora, about a thirty to forty five minute drive north of the city is also a commuter town for those heading to Toronto jobs. Although, this is changing with the growth of the big business offices (World headquarters for Magna Autoparts and Canadian Headquarters for State Farm Insurance) and industries coming to town.

Like the Toronto example from Fiorito's book, Aurora's fire stations are easily accessible to the people. The firefighters welcome school children to either visit the fire stations or have a fire truck visit them in order to learn about fire safety. Having children and others get to know the local firefighters is especially important to fire safety. This is especially so considering in the event of a fire, chidlren are more likely to run away from a firefighter dressed in full breathing geer. Who wouldn't be afraid of a firefighter coming through the smoke looking strange and making weird breathing noises that sounds like Darth Vader? So children, at least at the Aurora fire station, get to see a firefighter in full breathing apparatus. These same firefighters are seen at local events around town both with and without the fire truck.

Local churches are also favourite places for people in Aurora to congregate. Just look at tonight at Aurora United Church where a group of all ages got together and organized an "evening of Contemporary Christian music". In the future there will be sales and other events that the community can come and enjoy. These events also help the local community as well with donations to the food bank and the local Women's Centre to name just two. I consider Aurora to be a great community of outreach both from the religious perspective (as evidenced by the church) and from a community group perspective (just ask the Optimist, Lions and Scouts organizations).

Within Aurora there is even that small town feel of a traditional downtown along Yonge Street (at Wellington Street). This small town feeling even extends to being able to go about my daily business and run into people I know. Every single person I meet is usually concerned with how I am doing and how my family is doing. That small town perspective even comes when the ups and downs of life occur considering cards, flowers and food are usually sent for weddings and funerals.

The above is why Aurora is "my kind of town."

Chapter 4: Union Station

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In chapter 4, Joe Fiorito explores the world of both drugs and sex in Toronto. He meets up with a Toronto hooker named Anita. He follows her over time to hear why she "turns tricks" for (her crack addiction). He even gets a call from Anita, from jail, after a while. He goes to the jail house and talks to her about how she ended up in the 'big house'. Joe basically documents the life of a hooker that most people in Toronto wouldn't know about but might find interesting.

Basically, Fiorito tells is a good journalist. Fiorito, notes in Chapter 3, that:

"If you get up in the morning and you make it to the end of the day, that's a story - how you got up, went off to work and came back home again is the story of what life is like here." (Fiorito 33).

Fiorito takes a look at exactly this in terms of Anita's life. She goes out and turns tricks all day in order to get her crack fix. Then she sleeps and then starts the thing all over again. However, the story changes once she is busted for prostitution and heads to jail. Also, she picks up a boyfriend and heads off to cottage country in order to live with him. But she eventually runs away from him and starts a new life in Toronto. She eventually breaks her crack habit and is now a convenience store cashier outside of Toronto. The story ends there as Fiorito has now lost contact with Anita.

Personal connection to Anita? I haven't thought of anything yet.....

But I guess I made a connection with what I have read earlier in Fiorito's own book (see quote above) and a story from a later chapter (Anita's story). I guess, I personally made the connection.

Chapter 3: Union Station

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In Chapter 3, Joe Fiorito explores this quote:

Human beings have been my maps.

Fiorito explores how immigrants and visitors to Toronto rely on the those of us who have lived in and around the city for directions. People who are brand new to Toronto, and for that fact any other major city, are pretty easy to spot. These are the people who seem to wander around the downtown areas totally awstruck by the buildings.

I reflected on this thought when thinking of my past observances of new people to major North American Cities that I have lived in (e.g. Toronto, Ottawa, New York City, etc.). Those of us who have lived in and around the city for years don't take notice of the buildings anymore. The buildings, to us, just exist and the aura of these buildings has become tarnished to us. These buildings, in other words, have become familiar to us.

Wheras the new people to the city stop on the sidewalks totally awstruck at buildings like the CN Tower and Rogers Centre in Toronto, or the Empire State Building or the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Quite often these new people cause pedestrian traffic problems on the sidewalk as they stand their gawking at the buildings.

The "regulars" of the cities are more interested in getting to where ever they are going whether it be work, the bar or home. However, these regulars make the first impressions on the visitors and other new people to the city. Toronto has become known for, and I also noticed this in New York City as well, for being friendly to newcomers. The friendliness I'm noting stems from the easyness it is to request directions from the regulars. An example might be: "Where can I find a good family restaurant?" Another example might be: "where is the Eaton Centre/Brooklyn Bridge?" These questions in either Toronto or New York City are easily answered by most people who might be walking by on the sidewalk. These directions are usually accompanied by a friendly tone of voice, a smile and/or a welcome to town! Tourists and other newcomers are more likely to return to the city after being greeted friendly like this.

Governments and others should be looking at how to make services for necomers and/or tourists more visible and easily accessible. Allowing these people to come to the town/city and have a good time may mean these same people may make a return visit. Fiorito and his people are right in this particular chapter: A way to see if a town/city is worth anything in terms of how easy is to get around is to forget the city map in the hotel room/home and go out and explore the city by using human beings as your maps.