Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Ride the Night Train, July 31st for August 1 Emancipation Ceremony By Stephen Weir The Honourable Wanda Thomas Bernard – Senator from Nova Scotia (East Preston) is coming back to Toronto next week to blow the whistle on Toronto’s Underground. Back for the second time to help out with the annual July 31 st train ride, this year the senator will be the conductor. As the Conductor she will welcome over one thousand people onboard Toronto’s Underground Freedom Train, leaving Union subway station in celebration of Emancipation Day on July 31 st . The riders will be riding in a special TTC subway train on a non-stop ride to the Sheppard St West subway station. Senator Wanda Bernard The Hon. Wanda Thomas Bernard – Senator from Nova Scotia (East Preston), recipient of the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia, and a highly regarded social worker, educator, researcher, community activist and social change advocate was a guest speaker last year at last year’s ride. ...

New Free TV Channel Is Celebrating Caribbean Restaurant Week In Toronto By Stephen Weir One Caribbean TV's Mr. Toronto Damian Sogren at Real Jerk  I missed Samuel Jackson by a couple of days, but, I did get to sit on the very same bar stool he sat in when visiting the Real Jerk.  The popular Jamaican Food Emporium, was mum when I asked what he ate, what he drank and how much was his tip. They did tell me I also missed Drake and Rihanna by a couple years. I wasn’t at the Real Jerk looking for stars, I was there for the Jamaican food and to talk to Damian Sogren the host of One Caribbean TV’s first Toronto Caribbean Restaurant Week shorts. Their on-air Toronto foodie coverage runs from July 17 to July 27th.  One Caribbean Television is a new-to-cable television network about the Caribbean and its people.  Their food event celebrates the rich tradition of Caribbean cuisine found in Toronto as well as providing interesting programming for the...

The Junior King and Queen Showcase Comes To Malvern - Kiddies Parade To Follow Winning Queen Costume By Gilbert Medina for Caribbean Camera New venue. New vibe. New Super Cool costumes.   The Junior King and Queen Showcase was held outdoors on Sunday afternoon at the Malvern Town Centre in Scarborough.   The event attracted an estimated 2,000 people, many who stayed all afternoon to see the new big costumes that will be worn in this Saturday’s Children’s Parade. Over 30 children from the competing mas band camps took turns showing their stuff and their beautiful large bombastic   costumes.   By the end of the event, two children emerged as winners. Meet the new Junior King and Queen of Carnival, Miss Sadie Murphy from Carnival Nationz and Jalil Vincent Rampersad from Epic Carnival. The Queen wore a costume called Burrokeet Comes to Town and the King came as the Jester Grin. Despite this being the first time the Showcase has been held in Malvern (l...

Toronto can toot their horns with Etienne Charles this August 3rd By Stephen Weir World travelling Trinidadian jazzman Etienne Charles is going to put the dingolay into this year’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival. Earlier this week the trumpeter called the paper from Spain to say that he was going to lead a guest Mas Band in the Carnival’s grand parade and hopes that revellers will jump up and join his band. “ No big surprise, I am calling the band Etienne Charles Brass Band!” he told Stephen Weir. “The band is about reviving the tradition of live brass bands on the road for Carnival. A tradition we have revived in Trinidad with our past three bands, We The People, Street Party and D’Longtime Band” Etienne Charles has an uncle and aunt living in the GTA and last fall played to a nearly sold-out concert at the North Toronto Sony Centre.   He has a strong fan base in the province and is looking forward to those fans jumping up with him at the parade. He will be com...