Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Election over, and now it is back to work! by Stephen Weir It is back to work for TV host Nikki Clarke and that means transforming lives, one inspirational story at a time. After unsuccessfully running for office in the recent provincial election the Jamaican Canadian broadcaster is rebooting her Internet talk show in early July. “ I learned so much about my community and myself,” Nikki Clarke told the Caribbean Camera. “It was an honour to run (for the NDP) in the Mississauga Milton riding. I am so proud of what we did!” Candidate Clarke, running in her first election came close. She placed second, 2,000 votes behind Conservative candidate Deepak Anand. Amrit Mangat, the Liberal sitting member was a distant third, almost 5,000 votes behind Clarke. “ We are baaaaaaaack! Better and stronger!” she said in announcing that her show is looking for guests to appear in her kik-off show. “ This is a show that is about conversations. The people (we interview) are making a

Fantazia Junior Launch Was Fantaztic By Stephen Weir, photographs by Don Moreland For the kiddies who play Mas with Fantazia Carnival, the elements aren’t hurricanes and volcanoes; they are gentle breezes, friendly sunsets and warm blue water.   On the weekend the Fantazia Carnival held a launch party for junior revelers – the children that will be taking part in the July 21 Junior Carnival Parade. Will Morton, driving force behind Fantazia, has long been known for the uniqueness and beauty of the costumes.   This year he has chosen the Elements, as the inspiration for the costumes that will be worn on the road, be it the Kiddies Parade or Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade for adults on August 4 th . When it comes to the adults, the costumes based on ice, fire, wind and water, are sexy, basically being more feathers than fabric.   With the kids it is different. The costumes for the children are both modest and comfortable.   What made this

It Was A Three for Three Junior Carnival Weekend By Stephen Weir  Photographs by Don Moreland It started Friday night and ended early Sunday evening. Three days. Three Junior Carnival costume launches. It all played out this past weekend in Scarborough. D’ New Regulars & Foreva Carnival, Venom Carnival and Epic Carnival held parties and costume shows for youngsters interested in taking part in the Junior Carnival Parade later this summer. About 50 parents and their children came to the Nugget Avenue Twilight Restaurant early Friday evening to see the junior costumes designed by D’New Regulars & Foreva Carnival. It was a free event – complete with food and face painting - to show children what costumes they could wear in the coming July 21 st Junior Carnival Parade in Malvern as part of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. The launch fashion show got off to a late start with about 20 children taking to the stage at 8pm just when the fete was suppose to end.   The kids

Cooking Up A Storm At The 2018 Toronto Junior Carnival By Stephen Weir / photographs by Anthony Berot  Children raise your spatulas. Get ready for the competition that will determine Canada’s top junior jerk chef! Grace Foods has put out the call for youngsters between the ages of 9 and 15 to don aprons and enter their annual Junior Chef Culinary Competition.  There is a total of  $1,500 in prize money waiting to be won! “This is a really great experience for kids who have a love of food,” said Prize coordinator  Petronilla Marchan. “This is all about learning how to create tasty dishes using nourishing Caribbean ingredients. “ The Jamaican food company says that it wants to provide a platform for aspiring young foodies to demonstrate their culinary skills and to promote a passion for healthy eating. “This contest is open to everyone,” continued Ms. Marchan. “You don’t have to be Caribbean to cook with jerk.” Grace Food has set up a website (www.juniorchef.ca) where a

Old Time Blocko Brings Out the Calypso in Toronto By Stephen Weir for Tomorrow's Caribbean Camera Connector is no dummy; he knows that it pays to have a sense of humour to be a Calypso singer these days. When the 2016 Calypso Monarch was asked to pose for a fun picture with a member of the audience at a new weekly Blocko, he said he knew someone just stupid enough to help him out. He was right; a blond haired mannequin in the Epic Carnival costume showroom was an excellent m odel for this Caribbean Camera photographer. The Toronto singer came by the Epic Carnival mas camp at the Tam Heather Curling Club in Scarborough last Friday to perform at their new Friday night Blocko parties. It was perfect weather for a fete that was held both inside and outside the large sports building for the new series. He sang, danced and performed to about 100 people (and costumed mannequins) both inside the hall and outside looking in from the parking lot. “It was a bit of old time Carnival sin

Cooking Up A Storm At The 2018 Toronto Junior Carnival By Stephen Weir   Children raise your spatulas. Get ready for the competition that will determine Canada’s top junior jerk chef! Grace Foods has put out the call for youngsters between the ages of 9 and 15 to don aprons and enter their annual summer cook-off.  There is a total of  $1,500 in prize money waiting to be won! “This is a really great experience for kids who have a love of food,” said Prize coordinator  Petronilla Marchan. “This is all about learning how to create tasty dishes using nourishing Caribbean ingredients." “This is a really great experience for kids who have a love of food,” said Prize coordinator  Petronilla Marchan. “This is all about learning how to create tasty dishes using nourishing Caribbean ingredients. “ The Jamaican food company says that it wants to provide a platform for aspiring young foodies to demonstrate their culinary skills and to promote a passion for healthy eating. “Th

It was a Kiddies Launch Weekend in Toronto By Stephen Weir  Photographs by Don Moreland Two days. Three launches.   Close to a 1,000 kids and parents spent part of their weekend taking in costume launches for this year’s Kiddies Parade. On Saturday and Sunday trio of Mas Camps held parties and fashion shows for junior revelers who want to play Mas this summer.   Sun Lime Mas, Louis Saldenah’s Mas-K-Camp and Tribal Carnival held free costume launches to show children what costumes they could wear in the coming July 21 st Junior Carnival. On Saturday Sun Lime Mas did just what their name says.   Under a warm sun, the Kiddies Band Launch was taken outdoors onto a large wooden stage that had been built behind their St. Clair Avenue East headquarters (Kennedy/Midland).   Parents and friends sat in lawn chairs and limed while the children lunched on hot dogs and treats and waited for the show to start.    Over a dozen young children – both female and male – came