Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 49m

Phenomenal news here: one doctor in this story estimates this could put Ontario in the neighbourhood of cutting waitlists for IVF treatment in half. For anyone who's had a loved one go through this journey, you'll immediately understand how transformative this can be for people starting families.

The Globe and Mail @theglobeandmail.com · 1h

Ontario says 25 fertility clinics to get first round of funding as part of plan to reduce IVF wait lists

Province’s $250-million plan aims to ‘triple’ number of families that can access in vitro fertilization

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 57m

If you had to sum up the moral philosophy of the MAGA/evangelical Christian nationalism cult in just one example, quoting the Beatitudes after bankrolling a genocide is probably it.

Yashar Ali 🐘 @yasharali.bsky.social · 1h

BREAKING

President Trump announces that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase of the peace plan.

The president has ALL hostages will be released soon.

Photos release — which I will post in the thread below — show mediators celebrating.

Donald J. Trump *
@realDonaldTrump
I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan. This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace. All Parties will be treated fairly! This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!
DONALD J. TRUMP
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 4h

It is only a matter of time, to be honest, until there's a serious injury on the Iron Horse trail in Waterloo Region due to these.

David Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 11h

My unpopular urbanist opinion is that big, hyperfast two-wheelers are a menace and should be banned from bike lanes/paths (with enforcement).

These things endanger everyone riding a bike or legal e-bike. Worse, they deter some from even trying.

E-bikes have evolved into e-motorcycles. Law enforcement is lagging behind.

Serious injuries are on the rise in emergency rooms around the country, as electric cycles become bigger and faster. Lawmakers and police departments are scrambling to address the problem.

www.inquirer.com

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 4h

As @shawnmicallef.bsky.social has humorously noted in the past, it's such a silly looking word that it's hard to believe it's a real place

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 4h

"Guelph"

Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 4h

What’s the word where you’re from that, when pronounced exactly as it looks, identifies a tourist immediately?

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Reposted by Phil

Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 5h

I think Doug Ford benefits a lot from his Queen's Park opposition always tending to assume that his populist instincts are correct, and so they water down their criticism with too much nuance and hedging. He doesn't always know what voters want — sometimes it's just personal grievance.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 8h

I totally get looking at this from a more political realist lens, but there is a moral dimension that we lack a societal framework for finding agreement on. We want to position ourselves as global leaders in progress; what does this say about our priorities? We can only control our own actions.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 9h

Are you having a bad day or do you just need a Body Break with Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 12h

We can't even have Santa Claus robes for our Supreme Court anymore. Because of woke.

Mary Fernando M.D. 🇨🇦 @maryfernando.bsky.social · 1d

Actually (Canadian here) the traditional robes have been replaced. Apparently the old ceremonial robes were a tad warm.

“Supreme Court justices debuted on Monday new ceremonial black robes accented with red”

www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Chief Justice Wagner speaks alongside his fellow
Supreme Court of Canada justices as the court opens its judicial year on Monday.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 12h

Yeah, getting your first house or finding the love of your life is great, but have you ever heard a coworker audibly laugh out loud at a joke you made in Teams?

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 1d

Think of their shenanigans around 4plexes. It is ludicrous that the federal government had to negotiate this on a city by city basis. The province should have just forced this across the board. Well, that or something more ambitious, because fourplexes aren't enough minimum density in large cities.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 1d

A problematic aspect of this government is that with their constant bad meddling, they've delegitimized *good* unilateral policy making for cities. BC is a perfect example of how to do this right, and there are absolutely areas where the province should overrule cities when they refuse to cooperate.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 1d

The frustrating thing about the premier's visceral reaction here is that he could have reacted with this much zeal anytime on the housing file, by forcing reforms on intransigent municipalities. Standardized upzoning & bans on parking minimums for all the cities are all things the province can do.

Isaac Callan @isaaccallan.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: Ontario Premier Doug Ford has responded to a letter from more than 20 Ontario mayors asking to save the province’s automated speed cameras, telling them “the answer is no.” #OnPoli
globalnews.ca/news/1146790...

‘The answer is no’: Ford rejects plea from mayors to save, alter Ontario’s speed cameras | Globalnews.ca

Replying to a letter sent last week asking for changes to how speed cameras operate instead of an all-out ban, Ford repeated his claim the program is a 'cash grab.'

globalnews.ca

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Reposted by Phil

Stewart Prest @stewartprest.ca · 1d

This is dangerous rhetoric. Attempts to delegitimize opponents' right to take part in a conversation inevitably undermine respect on both sides.

It polarizes our politics, undermining trust in democracy, which depends on expressing disagreement.

www.ctvnews.ca/politics/art...

Danielle Smith meets with PM Mark Carney, calls B.C. premier ‘un-Canadian’

Prime Minister Mark Carney has committed to reaching an agreement regarding Alberta’s pitch for a proposed bitumen pipeline to the West Coast by next month, according to Premier Danielle Smith.

www.ctvnews.ca

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 1d

This is a full out lie. There is hard data from TMU and SickKids that they reduce speeds. The fines are no more of a cash grab than property taxes or other municipal user fees are, and mainly go to recouping costs and traffic safety, unless you're suggesting property taxes cover those too.

Automated cameras cut speeding by 45 per cent in Toronto school zones, study finds

First-of-its-kind research by TMU and SickKids shows how cameras can make streets safer for children

www.torontomu.ca

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 1d

❌New York is the Istanbul of America
✅New York is the Tirana of America

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/06/n...

Where in the World Is Eric Adams? Try Albania.

www.nytimes.com

Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 1d

If there's one thing I learned from past lives in hospitality, it's inject ABC (always be cleaning/always be closing, your pick) into your kitchen routine. It could be construed as a bit of a toxic "always be productive" approach, but it's more about reclaiming your free time once you're finished.

claghorn.bsky.social @claghorn.bsky.social · 1d

The blogs don't even try to estimate cleanup time after you finish. 🥴

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 1d

Living in Ontario is just an endless groundhog day with two press cycles:

1. Free the cars
2. Booze

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Ford says he'll yank Crown Royal from LCBO shelves if Diageo closes Ontario plant | CBC News

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he will pull Crown Royal off the shelves of the province's liquor stores should Diageo, the global company that produces the iconic Canadian whisky, go through with its ...

www.cbc.ca

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Reposted by Phil

Alex Roberts @helloalexroberts.bsky.social · 2d

Living wage? What of the laughing wage. How much is the loving wage. Tell me that

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 2d

Amazing! Love all of this.

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Reposted by Phil

Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

One of my favourites is the Princess Street Promenade, where they close a huge section of downtown for the day. It's awesome to see people walking and enjoying what downtown has to offer without cars getting in the way.

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Reposted by Phil

Garrett Elliott @garrettelliott.bsky.social · 2d

Kingston does an awesome job creating events and reasons for folks to come downtown: concerts, art installations, coffee bars, public skating rink, outdoor movies, festivals, dance lessons, etc.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 2d

Much of our political/business class cannot understand this, and that's how we get left with stagnant downtowns. The fact that anytime a street is programmed it draws people in should be clue enough that downtowns are 24/7 living environments where people live *and* work *and* play.

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 2d

Over 160 examples of what happens when downtowns are conceptualized as places for people, and not just offices where people come during the day to work and buy lunch. City leaders who recognize this (like whoever put this together) are what will carry us into legitimate 21st century planning.

Ariel Troster @arieltroster.com · 2d

Our pop-up spaces on MacLaren, Frank and Florence hosted more than 160 events and drew 2,500 people to downtown Ottawa. Dance lessons, yoga classes, craft nights, street art tours, and chess tournaments — the creativity was endless.

People near a brightly coloured wall of street art on MacLaren

People gathering in the Florence pop up space

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Phil @philmarfisi.bsky.social · 2d

This should only take about 15 minutes, but please account for the 30 minutes of mindless nonsense you have to read before you get to the recipe ☺️

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