Photo: "late lunch" by tanjatiziana, member of the blogTO Flickr pool.

What's happening in the GTA (and sometimes beyond):

Back-to-work legislation is expected to pass today at Queen's Park, forcing an end to the lengthy unionized employee strike at York University. Students are hoping to be back in the classroom on Monday, after the union reneged on their threat to pursue legal action to fight the emergency back-to-work legislation. The NDP continue to look like loonballs, and give their moderately left supporters another reason to start supporting the Libs and Greens.

Obama is coming to Canada on February 19th for a working visit; his first scheduled presidential visit to a foreign country. A 7th grader in Rexdale wants Obama to come to his community, and has penned a letter (along with 500 supporting signatures from his classmates). It would be awesome if the Whitehouse accepted the invitation, which was overnight couriered on a piece green bristol board.

Beware the red hatchback on city streets and in parking lots. There's a serial purse-snatcher on the loose, who has been using his vehicle to carry out drive-by muggings, sometimes even hitting his victim before grabbing their bag. Police are aware of three incidents in recent weeks.

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And in godless security relief line transit news...

Advertising for Atheism has been approved by the TTC, creating a heated debate that's sure to turn sour. But this could end up being a boon for the TTC if churches end up stepping up their advertising campaigns as a result. How cool would it be if a good chunk of cash required for service and infrastructure improvements came from a breakout believer/non-believer ad battle? People looking to God/no-God when the Scarborough RT sucks gonads (like yesterday) may have their prayers/non-prayers answered after all!

The freshly announced funding for 36 new transit police constables couldn't have come at a better time. With thefts occurring and gangster guns firing and the threat of a transit holy war on the horizon, these new recruits will likely come in handy and be kept busy.

And talk of a downtown relief subway line is back in the forefront. Imagine a subway route going from the Danforth, down to the Distillery, across the downtown core (along King or Queen) and then back up to Dufferin station or Dundas West station? That would be most excellent and extremely costly.