By the time Amy O’Reilly was five years old, her parents suspected she was gay.

So when the 19-year-old came out to her parents two years ago, it wasn’t much of a surprise to them.

“I’ve been called a dyke before and sometimes on the subway people will make little comments,” said O’Reilly shortly before the start of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia event on Friday next to the Podium Green Roof Flag Pole at Toronto City Hall. 

“But I haven’t had that many issues.”

Sadly, that’s not the case for many young people.

“I have friends who have families who aren’t accepting of who they are so they can’t tell them,” said O’Reilly.

For seven years, thousands have marched through the streets of Toronto on May 1, demanding status for all, immigrant rights and worker rights. Supporting indigenous communities and environmental justice. Calling for an end to racism, ageism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia.  

"And on February 21, Toronto City Council voted to reaffirm its promise to deliver services to every resident regardless of immigration status," said Tings Chak, a member of No One is Illegal Toronto.

"We will continue to build a solidarity city, where communities work together to ensure justice and dignity for all residents. The history of access without fear is a long one."

Last November, University College faculty and students first learned of a plan to replace the open green space behind the College, bordered by Hart House and undergraduate residences, with two fenced-in field hockey pitches at a cost of $9.5 million, $1.7 million more than the original estimate.

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On Tuesday afternoon, Keep the Back Campus Green campaign organized a day where students, faculty and the community-at-large could show their “love for the field and desire to keep it green.”

It was the annual day of mourning for workers killed through accidents or illnesses on the job.

Larry Sefton Park was cordoned off using crime-scene tape. The words ‘Police Line Do Not Cross’ had been replaced with hundreds of x-ray photos of broken hands, shoulders, arms, ribs and legs.

Broken bones. Shattered lives. 

Shortly before noon on Friday the flags flapped in the wind at the park, located just behind City Hall, named after the former union leader. Union flags. Lots of them. Steelworkers. Ontario Nurses Association. CUPE Ontario. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. 

Some workers wore construction hats and orange vests. Others wore black arm bands. 

At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, five University of Toronto students in conjunction with the Ontario Health Coalition released their report on the future of public medicare in Canada.

Janice Chan, Richard Jeysman, Linda Lu, Jacquie Lu and Jutara Thangamornrart are students in the University of Toronto Health Studies program.

“In reality, federal spending power and the Act enable Canada’s government to effectively set national standards for health care across Canada,” said the report. 

“The Act is both a legal and moral document, and its principles and criteria are based on core values of equity and fairness.”

Olga Krywyj has been living outdoors since she arrived in Toronto a year ago. She can’t stay in a women’s shelter or find housing that will accommodate her needs.

She’s one of over 1 million Canadians that suffers from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), Environmental Illness (EI) and Electrical Hyper-Sensitivities (EHS).

People like Krywyj, who suffer from MCS/EI/EHS, react to chemicals at levels way below those that affect the rest of the population.

An invisible disability. Yet one with debilitating consequences.

Almost 200 people gathered in Toronto at the end of March to discuss the establishment and protection of labour laws in Canada and internationally as well as why unions matter in today’s global economy.

“Particularly in this day and age when we’re under such attack,” said James Clancy, national president, NUPGE Canada.

Over the course of the conference, hosted by The Canadian Foundation for Labour Rights (CFLR), a panel of experts spoke about the links between labour rights, democracy, equality and social justice.

“We share the belief that the union movement is one of the foundations of a just and democratic society,” said Wayne Hanley, national president, UFCW Canada.

Where will you go to die?

It’s a question former Perram House employees and their supporters asked Wednesday morning as they picketed outside the Procom office at 2200 Yonge Street in Toronto.

Two days earlier, employees were told that they’d been terminated and the facility would be closing permanently.

Procom president and CEO Frank McCrea also chaired the Perram House board of directors.

The staff at Perram House, that included registered nurses, registered practical nurses, a personal support worker and support staff, provided end-of-life care at the eight-bed hospice.

Workers had no pension, no benefits and hadn’t received a wage increase since the hospice opened eight years ago.

Close to 100 students, faculty and community members rallied Tuesday against the University of Toronto's decision to replace the natural grass in the open space behind University College with two synthetic field hockey pitches.

Last November, University College faculty and students first learned of a plan to replace the open green space behind the College, bordered by Hart House and undergraduate residences, with two fenced-in field hockey pitches at a cost of $9.5 million, $1.7 million more than the original estimate.

These pitches will be used when Toronto hosts the Pan Am games in the summer of 2015. Ground breaking is scheduled to begin this summer.

Too many kids. Too little time. A dilemma faced by many parents, especially social justice activists.

Until recently, time-strapped parents were forced to balance their social justice activism with raising their children.

But that changed a year ago when child auction sites started popping up online, giving parents a convenient, low cost, hassle-free way to unload their children.

“We love our children,” said Margaret Hunter. “But we love our activism more.”

That’s when Hunter and her husband decided to auction off their two children.

“We thought it would be difficult,” said Hunter. “But it was so simple. And we sold both our children within two days.”