Word on the Street Toronto is a great concept. But unfortunately this event is controlled by apparent liars who accept government funding and then appear to seek to exclude any publisher / writers' voice that doesn't support the autocratic ideology of the cliquish organizers. This year they lied to us by telling us their category for "self-publishing services" filled-up. But when I checked I noticed on their website they have no such category called "self-publishing services" and just one for "publishers" - screenshot attached.

I then decided to call them back when they started to fumble and admitted: "Well, we have only two self-publishing companies registered but our space is all filled-up... We have limited space on Harbourfront and cannot accommodate to more than two - but you're welcome to go on our waiting list.."

Are you serious? We should go on a waiting list with only two such companies registered because apparently Harbourfront is just a tad bigger than a pond on a golf course?

One of their organizers "threatened" to actually charge us money for just speaking to them over the phone when I had called back and observed that there was actually no such category for "self-publishing services" on their website as they had declared which could have filled-up.

They get money from government and then apparently seek to demand payment because answering the phone "takes time".  They then elaborated that if I don't want to be charged then I should call my local MPP for further questions.  What an outrage.  They get money to promote the accessibility for their festival to Canadian publishers, authors and other such services which support the flourishing of our Canadian cultural identity and then engage in apparent such corrupt practices.