Because without America, there is no free world.
In the corner of the office is a tiny, real Christmas tree. When advertising account executive and sometimes roving correspondant Rosemarie DiRisio first spied the "perfect tree" brought in by managing editor Joe Lisciandro, she was a little girl again. Rosie's infectious mood went a long way in igniting the Christmas spirit at Toronto Free Press. The day of the Christmas tree was the same one we sent for a character known simply as F.C. to take a picture of the entire office staff. F.C. is the only one whose patience holds while his subjects slap down their hair, re-line their liptstick, keep doggies from squirming, etc. Lining up for the picture with Rose and Joe were associate editor and pithy columnist Arthur Weinreb, computer whiz and TFP standard bearer Brian Thompson, office mascot half-breed Kiko, Humberside Collegiate co-op student Marguerite Merey (in one unused photo wearing an expression, "So help me, Ma, I don't know how I ever met these people"), and myself.
In addition to our many regular columnists, missing from the photo were sales rep and stalwart Ray Anderson and mentor 'Fabio XOX', code name for a local police officer who gives us advice on how to increase advertising revenues and who keeps our spirits flying high. With Rose making sure her lipstick was just right, and Marguerite fervently hoping that cutup Weinreb was only kidding with the suggestion that she pose for the picture wearing a TFP baseball cap, we were a family.
The tree now in place with the annual Christmas photo taken for this special Christmas issue, we were ready to nibble on goodies from the nearby Red Lobster and set the radio dial on CHFI, hoping to catch the odd Christmas carol. The telephone immediately rang, forcing Rose to repair to the far office to talk to an advertiser, leaving Weinreb to ponder aloud, "Is she always this much fun at parties"; a stranger wandered in wanting to speak only to the editor and the irreverent Kiko immediately started lapping up the water in the container holding the Christmas tree.
The Christmas tree having to be tucked into its corner pefectly suits TFP offices at 49 Elm, which are also literally tucked into a corner, surrounded by the second floor offices of our downstairs neighbours, North Star Computer Ltd. The offices may be small, but the editor has never been cured of her delight that they are located on Elm at Bay, in full view from the front windows of her highrise home at Bay and Gerrard.
Noting the lack of boardroom and chandeliers, a former snooty sales rep was the only known living person to find fault with our digs.
Longtime friend, police officer Jeff Valentine thinks it only adds colour that our offices were formerly held by the operators of a busy massage parlour. Every once in awhile, strange men ring the bell asking for Daisy Louella, Moonlight or Cindy May.
When male visitors are convinced that Daisy Louella doesn't live here anymore, they sometimes ask who does. When told, "Toronto Free Press", it’s downright comical to see them fleeing the stairs as if the devil himself were in pursuit.
This is the atmosphere at TFP in the last holiday season of the century. In the millennium 2000, the paper will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Over the last decade, we not only survived, but began publishing every two weeks in 1999.
Little people sometimes find their way to our offices with the most sad stories. We almost always try to at least hear them out. If their stories can be backed by fact, we even feature them in articles. Influential in our own small way as "Toronto's true investigative newspaper", we are not The Star, The Sun, or even Now or Eye, but we do care, think little people matter and continue to try our best.
Some of the things that still matter to us would likely be considered quaint by mainline media types. There is the grandfather, whose son bought him a computer and hooked him up to the net because he was lonely. Having found his way to our homepage by mistake the first time he logged onto the net, he called to tell us how much he liked the paper.
The other day, co-op student Marguerite sat next to a lady on the subway who was reading the current edition of TFP. The editor went around with a smile the whole day.
Our new home page nets us 20 to 30 hits a day. Would-be partners who never worked out told us that was nothing, they were getting 10,000 hits a day on theirs. It didn't matter much to some of us here at the office, who continue to log on only for the thrill of finding the 20 to 30 hits.
Kim Bowen, Promotions Food and Beverages, at the nearby Delta Chelsea Inn, with its fantastic piano bar, made our day when she recently told us: "People aren't reading big dailies anymore, they are turning to community newspapers, which because they are smaller, take less time to read and are full of more interesting alternative news."
TFP is surrounded by things that are small and beautiful.
It’s a full time struggle maintaining an independent newspaper in the tough, competivive publishing industry from downtown Toronto.
But our loyal readers, just average little people, make it all worthwhile.
Merry Christmas from all of us here at Toronto Free Press to every single one of you, no matter where you are.
Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
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