Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

 GOOD AND BAD NEWS: Caribbean Travel Shorts   ANTIGUA:  The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority announced earlier this month that beginning December 23 rd  weekly direct service between Antigua’s V.C. Bird International Airport and Montreal. The Air Canada flight is already sold out for its inaugural voyage. NASSAU:  2022 Boxing Day and January 2 nd  2023 marks the return of the famous Bahamas Junkanoo national cultural festival to the streets of Nassau. This is the first time it will be held in two years!  This is a cultural festival and street parade. There will be accompanying Events on most of the islands throughout the Christmas holiday season. NEW PROVIDENCE ISLAND . Bahamas takes stretching to the next level with Flamingo Yoga! For just $60, you’re invited to stretch your limbs with the flexible-necked birds at Baha Mar on New Providence Island. The flamingos here are known to be friendly, and at times, goofy as they try to mimic humans m...

Cheaper air fares coming to the Caribbean market soon (we hope)   Stephen Weir Amazed at the cost of an airline tickets these days? If you can hold your breath for a few months or so there is relief in sight. Jetlines, a new Canadian discount airline made an inaugural flight from Toronto to Vancouver this month and has just received US approval to fly from Canada to Las Vegas and Florida. Right now, Jetlines has only one airplane in its hanger, but, promises once it takes delivery of more Airbus jets it will begin offering service to the Caribbean. Jetlines, is a Canadian ultra-low-cost airline  headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario. “We are looking forward to expand our international network, as the U.S. is a top market for Canadian travelers,” Eddy Doyle, President and Chief Executive Officer of the airline   reported  in a recent statement. “With the winter months fast approaching, we know sun destinations will be a priority for leisure travel and we int...

  Justin and Me And Trump Make Three (or is it 11?) - THE REDUX By Stephen Weir The gentle tap tap quickly birthed a knock knock followed by a kick kick at the base of my front door. Someone wanted me wide awake, like yesterday. “Hey Dream Boy, rise and shine,” barked a loud voice from the other side of my solid oak front door. Was that a faint Quebecois accent lurking in that military staccato? “ Mange la merde”, I screamed back. I wasn’t going to give up on my disturbing dream without a fight. I know this voice; this man was going to make my morning its own waking nightmare. “ It is Justin, he knows.” My unrequested wake-up service shrieked right back at me. Yes, I was correct, this wasn’t going to end well. “What does His majesty know? And why does he suddenly want to speak to me after the last time?” I turned the volume down a notch, best to find out what the hell I had done before I ended up having to buy a new door. I am a Toronto based news hound who will do anything to get...

The Best Carnival Film Gets Its Redux This Weekend    Stephen Weir -  It was the best movie almost no one saw at the opening night of September’s Caribbean Tales Film Festival (CTFF).  The good news is that the Bell Fibe TV service is delivering a Christmas present to subscribers and showing the movie on December 23 rd  and the 25 th . Toronto Caribbean Carnival: Fun and Free , is  an hour-long documentary about the annual Caribana festival. When it kicked off the annual Toronto CTFF it got a long and loud standing ovation from the audience in a mostly empty Carlton Cinema theatre. Now Bell subscribers in Ontario and Quebec can catch the TV movie film premiering on their One Caribbean Channel twice over the Christmas weekend. It is showing at 8pm on Friday and again at 9pm on Sunday night. Toronto Caribbean Carnival: Fun and Free   is an hour-long documentary about the annual how Torontonians celebrate Caribana, be it as performers on as part of t...

I thought he had quit. Woulda ended the Art Bar Poetry Series record breaking 30-year run Paul Edward Costa at the Clinton House mike @sweirsweir It all began with former Mississauga Poet Laureate  Paul Edward Costa at the mike at the conclusion of last Tuesday night's Art Bar Poetry Series. Two real poets had read their work followed by an hour long Open Mike - ten cell phone readings by members of the 30+ audience. Costa was there to close the show, beg people to put away their trash/chairs, settle their tabs and pitch next week's $10 2-hr show. It was held, as always, in Toronto's Clinton House's (Clinton /Bloor Street) seedy backroom. Perfect for free form poetry; grab your own seat, serve yourself a beer from the stand-up cooler, and try not heckle or jeer the talent.   The weekly volunteer run event has been going for over 30 years. Thought I might have witnessed the last show of this impressive event run - longest in Canada. Costa, the organiser, the photogra...

WARREN SALMON Now it is all about the Holidays By Stephen Weir After 28-years the Black Business community should be getting ready to spend an evening networking and celebrating Christmas without being poked and prodded. Just in case they’ve forgotten, Wa rren Salmon , the founder of First Fridays just sent out an all-encompassing Social Media reminder that this Friday evening they will be  holding a hybrid Black Business Holiday Showcase gathering at the ScottHill Caribbean Cuisine Restaurant   on Avenue Rd in North Toronto .   Founded in 1994, First Fridays describes itself as Toronto’s  Premier networking event for entrepreneurs and professionals of African descent. Taking place, the first Friday of each month in popular restaurants around the city, the often-sold-out event attracts Black business people who want to network, learn about new business endeavours, meet industry leaders and most importantly, socialize.  “We did have to go on-line during the ...

Heritage Toronto Bangs The Drum Slowly For Caribbean Canadians   By  STEPHEN WEIR   The voices and pictures of the heroes of Toronto’s steel band community has come to the Internet.  Earlier this year Heritage Toronto posted an audio and  written  experience that   explores the contributions and importance of the steelpan to Toronto's music and Caribbean community through the first-hand accounts of four leading steelpan artists.   Andre Rouse, Earl LaPierre Jr, Thadel Wilson and Wendy Jones are the stars of this online history that has recently been made by Heritage Toronto. It is posted on their popular website under the title of  Timbre from Trinidad to Toronto. Heritage Toronto is an agency of the city that celebrates the heritage and the diverse stories of its people, places, and events here in Toronto. This high-profile department tells the city’s story through a number of popular programs, including tours, plaqu...