News, Events & Comments

World media have expressed surprise about the U.S. decision finally to release files about sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Whether concerns about world opinion reception of the 2026 World Cup were a factor in this latest presidential vacillation is unclear but one simple truth is that many Republicans saw political danger in continued secretion of the files. Many MAGA representatives realized they would likely jeopardize their chance of re-election if the files were not released. Chalk one up for public opinion, and another to add to the ongoing list of presidential climb-downs, under the category of under pressure TACO (Trump always chickens out.) Will the 2026 World Cup be "cleaner" than its predecessors remains to be seen but use of social media by progressive voices like Sport Politika and TorontotheBetter can for the first time have a significant impact in North America and beyond. And should. "Things happened" said the current US president in his meeting with Saudi Arabia's crown-prince, but murder is a special "thing".                  

What surfaced first years ago as convenient “user benefit”continues at warpspeed to further ghettoize society’s poor, who have only coins for payment. TorontotheBetter says NO to card only payment outlets and calls on allies to protest them when left without alternatives. Just tell them you oppose card only operations as prejudicial to those without cards. In most cases enterprises have coin alternatives available. We encourage TorontotheBetter and all other enterprises in Toronto, and beyond, to give coin users a fair chance. In 2025 Trillionaires are getting headlines  while our poor sink further into anonymity and exclusion. To card only business we say think of who you are excluding and stop this prejudicial practice. 

With the leader of the state on Canada’s southern border continuing tawdry and vulgar exhibitionism the 2026 World Cup of football aka soccer presents a rare opportunity for Canada’s social state economy to emphasize its defining distinctness to the world. Many who visit will be unaware of the country’s third party, bilingualism, indigenous constitutionality and defining cooperative tradition. TorontotheBetter invites all to join us in their celebration. There is a progressive North America and the Canada of TorontotheBetter is it. 

Turkiye, the Turkish Football/Federation soccer governing body, has called on the suspension of Israel from all official matches under the auspices of world governing body FIFA .It is the first FIFA member to do so and raises questions about the operation of the 2026 World Cup tournament, where Canada, as co-host, will compete in games at BMO field in downtown Toronto. How will FIFA respond? On this question much will depend. The fiction of a sports/politics separation must be laid to rest. An end to the war must be achieved before games can continue as originally planned. With FIFA under the cloud of its choice of 2022 host Qatar and its leaders' previous financial scandals the form and oversight of the sport's governing body needs a radical review. Its elitist history is overdue replacement by a representative structure better suited to what is called "the people's game".

2025 is the International Year of Cooperatives and in 2026 the World Cup is coming to Canada. Why should Canadian co-ops care? Full disclosure: Libra knowledge and information Services co-op and TorontotheBetter co-founder Taodhg/Tim Burns played soccer for the Toronto entry in the North American Soccer League, predecessor of Major League soccer.  Yes-the FIFA World Cup is the biggest and most followed single sports tournament in the world, and yes spectators from around the world will be watching remotely or visiting matches in person. And yes, not everyone is into soccer, though it is now the most popular sport in the world for men and women, young and old. But perhaps more important it is a rare opportunity for the world to learn more about Canada’s significant differences from co-hosts the U.S.A, specifically the more social nature of the Canadian economy, with, most notably its public health system and the existence of a third political party with a history of power in some of Canada’s provinces that has roots in the co-operative movement, that is the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation now the New Democratic Party. The tournament represents great opportunity for co-op organizations, particularly retailers, to make their goods and services known t the many new and repeat visitors who will be attending 2026 World Cup matches in Toronto and Vancouver in June and July of the year. Not only I the tournament an opportunity for new friends and customers, it will contribute to recognition of  Canada’s social economy as a distinctive national feature as positively distinct from that of the two other Cup cohosts. Many around the world may not yet appreciate Canada’s difference from its southern neighbour. The World Cup is a rare opportunity to make this known to unique and/or infrequent guests international guests. It us from this viewpoint that TorontotheBetter will be posting regularly about the tournament as it unfolds.