Sylvia Watson signs of the time

If signs are a sign of what's happening in the Parkdale-Highpark by-election, then Sylvia Watson may be in for some trouble.

Her signs just west of King and Jameson, planted in some of the poorest houses in the area, have been sliced and diced.

Only one of Cheri DiNovo's signs along King Street west of Jameson was vandalized. Her eyes were encircled with hammers and sickles with the words "commie, commie" printed in black magic marker.

I have a hunch as to who done it. Usually I wouldn't tell but this character is one that needs some light to shine on what he does each and every day.

An old man who lives at the corner of Maynard and King dedicates his lonely life to tearing down the posters of activists.

I once questioned him just after he took a box cutter to a poster stapled to a light post at the corner of Lansdowne and Queen. He quickly walked away calling me and my friend, "fucking communists."

This time it seems the old man have taken a disliking to Watson too. Two large Sylvia Watson signs on the corner property where the old man lives were both cut clean in half.

But it wasn't just those Watson signs that were destroyed. In at least three different locations in the Maynard and King area, Sylvia Watson signs were cut clean in half.

I'm not sure the old man did all this work on his own. If he didn't, then that means there are more people out there who are fight'n mad at Watson.

I didn't see the destruction of signs happen during the federal election in the same corner. Peggy Nash and Sarmite Bulte signs were left intact.

This time it seems, Watson has cooked up some strong animosity, at least in one corner of Parkdale.