Volume 10 JAN - FEB
2020
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Corona Virus Shocked the World The Chinese Lunar New Year is heartbreaking this 2020. An outbreak of the mysterious virus (2019- nCoV) tarnished the celebration. With cases confirmed around the globe, which to date have reached almost 3,000 people who have so far contracted the disease, the vast majority live in China, according to World Health Organization (WHO). Novel Corona Virus, an epidemic with an alarming global growth due to the arrival of visitors who travelled from ground zero, Wuhan China. The said Virus outbreak made a massive blow to the global economy’s growth as stocks tumble that established investors anxious. Here are a few of the alarming facts affecting the globe. Death tolls climbed to 80, and thousands of new cases are still surfacing. Hospitals and Staff in Hongkong are bracing and preparing for the possible worst cases and outbreak. China Public Health experts are concerned if they can contain the virus within. Wuhan Mayor Zhou Xianwang said on Sunday that the number of cases could rise by another thousand. He offered to resign and claims responsibility. Corona Virus will affect global growth that tumbles the world stock market. Here are few updates around the World Canada, Toronto. 2 hypothetical cases of Corona Virus. A husband and wife, the woman who is the second apparent case of coronavirus in Canada, is well and in “self-isolation� at home, According to Ontario health officials, both were travelling from China and have tested positive for the virus at Ontario’s public health laboratory, but the husband’s symptoms are worse. Both
were wearing face masks on their flight home to Toronto, officials say USA, California & Arizona, - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Sunday five cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed in the United States — all in people who had recently travelled to Wuhan, China. The most recent cases reported in California and Arizona. It also states that of the overall People Under Investigation (PUI) in the United States, five have tested positive, 32 tested negative, and the results of 73 others are pending. Philippines, Metro Manila. Fourteen people are under investigation for suspected infection of the novel coronavirus. Eleven of are cases recorded by the Department of Health from January 12 to 16, reported in hospitals in Muntinlupa City, Pasay City, Kalibo in Aklan, Tacloban, El Nido in Palawan, Cebu City, and Camiguin. 11 PUIs (patients under investigation), which means they more often than not presented symptoms with fever, cough colds, some shortness of breath, and a travel history in Wuhan,� Health Secretary Franciso Duque III told in an interview. China- (Hongkong) China is on lockdown as almost 60 million people have been affected by partial or full lockdowns in Chinese cities. Even though the government steps up its response to the death toll from Corona Virus still now stands 80 with 2,800 more confirmed cases all over China cases established across China, Although the government initiated several emergency procedures to try and keep the widespread of the virus, the difficulty lies with the fact it can spread without symptoms. Most people don’t even realize that they are already infected - Marietta Pangan
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Editorial Diaryo Alberta
In the first month of the new decade flurries of Filipino-Calgarians’ meetings, gatherings and conferences dotted Calgary. First off was January 11th launching of 2020 Alberta Filipino Leadership Conference hosted by Philippine Festival Council of Alberta. The theme, “Deepening Impact: Strengthening the leadership network”, deemed to be a gap that need to be addressed. The pinnacle of this gathering will be held in June coinciding with the celebration of Philippine Heritage Month. On Jan 25th The Filipino Champion of Canada will kick start the search for awardees for the “Championing our communities 2020 vision awards. The goal was to celebrate and publicly acknowledge their contributions to society and successes that put them into TFCC’s category as champions. Their new status and stature would, hopefully, inspire more to do their best for the benefit of and service to the community. A group called The
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Filipino Working Group for Healthy Family Relationship will hold its first community conversation gathering on the question: “How do we Build Strong and Resilient Families and Community to Address Child Abuse and Family Violence in the Filipino Community?” Sponsored by CCIS, the session was held to “contribute toward building awareness and education on children and family welfare; to create actions on the issues related to child abuse and family violence in the Filipino community, and to build a community of people who are ready to take action on the issues identified”. The Jan 25th event will be attended by key leaders and media people. The above-mentioned events are indicative of the event-organizers’ great concern for Filipino-Calgarians’ well being. Community leaders, champions and families - the pillars of thriving, sustained and prosperous community - are rightly encouraged to support and engaged with these initiatives. The opportunity to engage the community
With their 20/20 vision
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Writers/Contributors Michelle Jeong Sharina Dumaran Benjamin Tamayo Manuel Perez Madame KC Marianne Malaca Tata Gascon
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was wide and inclusive. The relevance of pursuing the collective goals of the above events is worth the effort. What was needed addressing, though, was the receptivity and bigger participation of the
community to which these events are geared for. Having said, receptivity and participation, in a certain degree are hinged on the issue of intent, transparency and motivation of people behind
any event. Through the lens of what have been done and experienced in the past, people are smart enough (with their 20/20 vision) to discern what was worth supporting and self serving.
Diaryo Alberta invites the community to share news, views & opinions, articles, feedback and pictures. All opinions and views expressed in the Diaryo are that of the individual contributors and should not be considered to reflect the opinions or views of Diaryo Alberta or its staff. Diaryo Alberta reserves the right to refuse or edit any submissions and is not responsible for the return of unsolicited materials, artwork & other materials. No part of Diaryo Alberta may be reproduced nor reprinted without the expressed written consent of the publisher.
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Community News
Pasko sa Pilipinas 2019
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Community News
Creation Of Ice Sculpture at the 2020 Ice Magic Festival, Only for the Most Creative, Skillful, Feirceful and Strong Returning Champion Carvers Marietta Pangan
Have you seen a life-size Ice sculpture? Have you asked yourself if you were to do it are you ready for the challenge? Have you ever wondered how on earth they were put together? If you are in awe with boggled mind. Here’s more for you to think it over. However, these are beyond what meets the eyes. Even for seasoned 20 International Champion Ice Carvers who carved gazillion times of each of a masterpiece and competing all over the globe still find significant challenges with mind,
body in synch find such competition a mammoth task. Here are the 10 Reasons Why:
use is ice and water, and natural snow can’t be used as a bonding agent. No props, decorations or colouring of ice.
1. Team must have no more than two members only
6. Snow made from sculpting ice and designing allotment may be used to help creating the sculpture.
2. An original design to be used and must adhere to the annual theme.
7. All ice must be handcarved by members of team only during competition hours
3. Size of the Ice Sculpture must be at 7 feet to 13.5 feet tall 4. Total Carving Time are 34 hours in 2.5 days using 15 blocks standard sculpting ice, weighing 300lbs per block 5. The Only medium to
8. No debris, all tools must be removed within site at the end time of the competition 9. Lathes are not allowed 10. Sculptures must be safely displayed during judgment period
The 4th Judge of Ice Magic Festival 2020 Top 4 Criteria and 12 Scoring How-To Marietta Pangan
Have you been invited to any competition to critique and judge? Will you brave to have the queer eye for an international competition? How about International Ice Carving for the Ice Magic Festival 2020. How well do you think you’ll fare? If your curiosity drives you into thinking, then you are in for a spot as the 4th judge looking at three categories plus will seal the scores with overall impact.
composition, balance and, of course, the degree of difficulty that put into the work. Technical and Craftsmanship- Observe proper techniques in the use of tools. Structural integrity and medium used in putting the pieces together Precision of Details- Pay attention to the scale of the art piece/s, symmetry and proportion Overall Impression. When examining the entire sculpture. Ask yourself these questions:
Criteria
What is the message being conveyed?
Artistry and Design- Look for creativity factor,
Are all or most parts harmonious to each other?
Does the “title” complement the actual artwork? Did it come with some dramatic effect? Did it move you? How about the “WOW!” Factor? Does this stand apart from the rest of its competitor? What are the rest of the visual aspects that make it the best choice? If you have got all these and got your scored tallied… Congratulations you are now a guru in Ice Carving Competition!
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Community News
Taal Volcano Zin Master Loretta Eruption Bring Bates Stormed Resiliency & Calgary and Canada Bayanihan to Kababayans All Over the World
Marietta Pangan
Despite the bitter deep freezing weather, Zin Master Loretta Bates, speaker and motivator, warmed up fans and followers in Calgary this January 17,
2020, for an upbeat and very energetic performances. Bates, the Zin Master and her almost 300 avid Zumba participants who flew in from different parts of the country such as British Columbia, Winnipeg, Toronto and more to have a blast and raised the roof of Chinese
Cultural Centre in Calgary Alberta. EZcape Productions and Events, the promoter and organizer, is overwhelmed by the success of this event. They would like to thank everyone who participated and looking forward to the next leg of the tour in Winnipeg.
Sunday, January 12, 2020, Taal Volcano, one of the most active ones in the Luzon Island unexpectedly belched ashes, small rocks, including harmful pyro plastic materials onto the air. This eruption created havoc and interrupted lives of hundreds of thousands living in the nearby areas, including Cavite, Batangas and the used to be picturesque Tagaytay City. Animals’ lives taken, properties destroyed and businesses closed due to the catastrophic rage of the volcano. But during this time as well and other heartbreaking calamities endured by the Filipinos brought them together as
one even if are in different countries all over the globe. Resilience nature brought several Fundraiser drives in dozen shapes and forms. Various individuals, groups, government and non government agencies held programs, events and activities to help those that are directly affected by the eruption. Other agencies and big-hearted individuals braved the ground, distributing relief goods to evacuees. Here in Calgary and Alberta, individuals, group, business establishments and organizations are doing their fair share in generating funds and
resources to augment the long term effect of the Taal Volcano Wrath. This February 2020 one of the collaborative fundraiser will be taking place called Rise from the Ashes Concert to help the victims of Taal Volcano, During the time this article is written, almost everything is laid on the table for the final activity to take place in line for valentine’s Day celebration 2020. The movement’s purpose and mission is to give their hearts and resources for those in dire need of help in the nearby areas directly affected by the catastrophe
TAAL
ERUPTION
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Provincial News
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Spiritual
The Coming New World
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Another feature of the new world is the final judgment. Paul says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). In the Bible there are two final destinations of people: eternal life and eternal condemnation (Daniel 12:2; Rom. 2:78; Jn. 5:29). In our present world a lot of injustices are happening. In many cases the innocents go to prison, and criminals go free. The final judgment when the new world comes shall be absolutely just and fair. No need for NBI or FBI, nor witnesses and lawyers because the Great Judge is all knowing. And no one can escape. The criteria for judgment shall be, as per above references, how we lived and what we did in our earthly life. They determine our eternal destination. What are our earthly priorities? Our values? Our aspirations? Do they conform to the will and glory of God? Note what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek
first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” What are the all these things? All our earthly needs. So, we do not need to worry about these because they will follow. Again, Jesus said, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeit his soul”? (Mt. 16:26). The transitory must not replace the eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). And we cannot overstate the biblical truth that you must concern yourself about your salvation now, not after we die. Paul says, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). You must make sure you now know you are saved because of your faith that Jesus died for you on the cross to save you (Ehp.1:7). When the new world comes, we shall receive rewards. Jesus said, “The Son of man is going to come in his father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done” (Mt. 16:27). Jesus promised, “Behold I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Rev. 22:12). Some are not concerned about reward saying they serve
and give to express their love and gratitude to God. However, God recognizes our loving service and gift to Him that He graciously rewards it. Salvation is not a reward because it is a free gift, not earned. But reward is an extra blessing from God because of what we did: serve and give. It is not material but spiritual. To those who served the needy the King said, “Come,- - - take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Mt. 25:34). The master said to his faithful and responsible servants, “Well done. - Come and share your master’s happiness (Mt. 25:21, 23). Then the rewards shall vary in kind and quantity, according to what we have done. Eternity begins here and now as we live with and for Jesus. Are you in that state now? Prayer: Our loving God, help us to be true and fervent always in our faith in you to attain salvation and eternal life. Let our faith bear fruits of loving service to you and to the needy. Keep us to abide in you faithfully until the end. In the name of your Son Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
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Made health resolutions Society can be controlled for 2020? You might not through its means of communication be living a free life January 3, 2018 Author Professor of Sociology, Concordia University Republished under Creative Commons licence. “I really should be taking better care of myself.” Who hasn’t thought that at least once in the past year? And maybe you’ve made a few health resolutions for 2020 — to cut back on the junk food, up the daily exercise, start meditating or get more sleep? In 2014, the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) found that 72 per cent of respondents thought they should do something to live more healthily — an increase of 13.9 per cent since 2001.
Seventy-seven per cent planned to actually do something to improve their health, such as reducing stress, changing their eating habits or getting more sleep and exercise — another increase of 9.5 per cent since 2001. And 59 per cent had already made some improvements. It’s clear from these statistics that “healthism — an elevated consciousness about health, lifestyle and related practices of risk and disease prevention” — is on the rise.
On the surface, this might seem like a positive cultural development. Who can argue with trying to be healthy? But healthism has another side — a tendency to locate responsibility for health and well-being squarely on the shoulders of individuals. Or, to put it another way, it lets the state off the hook for looking after its citizenry. (Remember the good old days, when Ottawa used to pay 50 per cent of the provinces’ expenditures on health care?)
Health is now a moral duty
The new normal to take care of ourselves! The fact is, we’ve progressively been “responsibilized” in recent decades to look after ourselves, with less and less support from our provincial and federal governments. The pursuit of “wellness” has become a kind of moral imperative that cannot be separated from the state’s broader political and economic objectives. As Canadians, we enjoy the benefits of a socialized health-care system, but even so, this imperative of individual responsibility to the rest of Canadian society consistently figures
in, say, health promotion and popular lifestyle rhetoric. For example, a health column in a Canadian women’s magazine declared it possible to “retrain your brain,” claiming that unhealthy habits can be fixed simply by “changing your perspective.” If your bad habit is that you “often put off exercise,” you just need to “choose more positive online influences.” If your bad habit is an inability to stick to healthy eating goals, then you just need to “predict your feelings
about food” before you begin eating. Exhorting individual readers to become entrepreneurial self-managers and take responsibility for their well-being, this magazine column goes on to list a series of other personal weaknesses and their quick fixes, all of which boil down to the reader’s good and bad choices and their ability (read: obligation) to conduct their lives more responsibly for the good of everyone.
January 2, 2020 Author Associate Professor, University of Ottawa. Republished under Creative Commons licence. Venezuelan philosopher, Antonio Pasquali, who wrote extensively about how media and society affected each other, passed away on Oct. 5, 2019, in Spain. In 1984, Pasquali was appointed Deputy Director General of the Communications Sector of UNESCO and Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNESCO from 1986-89. He played an important role in UNESCO’s New World Information and Communication discussions. Pasquali’s contributions to media studies are well-known in Latin America, but his research is less known in the English-speaking world. His research on media and communication inspired many Latin American scholars and media practitioners — including myself — who place ethics at the centre of the discussion. Pasquali was a fierce critic of Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan’s view that “the medium is the message” — that the medium in which things are disseminated determines their meaning. Always returning to human communication as the basis of relationships between people, Pasquali warned us about the necessary conceptual and practical difference between communication and media. For Pasquali, the ability to communicate is inherent to the formation of society. And so, any modification or control of communications becomes to a modification or control of society itself. He argued that technological changes, with their benefits and disruptions, have yet to transform the essence of human communication. Pasquali’s work is important to consider because he warned us about some troubling challenges that
we can see around us. Six trends that will change communication Pasquali wrote about the ethics of communication, or what he called “the moral dimension of communication.” In his book 18 essays about communications, he identified “six hard trends” that would mark humanity’s future: 1) A process of human-made environmental degradation that approaches the point of no return, as in the impending ecological crisis brought about by climate change and its consequences; 2) Human interference in natural evolutionary processes. He warned that advances in genetic engineering that bring hope for the treatment of diseases and also open the door to sophisticated mechanisms of social engineering and control; 3) Challenging the very idea of what being human is by: a) machines combined with living beings (cyborgs), and b) by the shift of human decision-making to artificial intelligence that could make humans irrelevant and even disposable. This will require new ways of understanding the relations between digital machines and human; Historian Yuval Noah Harari talks about how the invention of ‘god-like technologies’ affects our humanity. 4) The persistence of nuclear, bacteriological, chemical and terrorist dangers, in a context of political polarization coupled with the emergence of extremist ideologies that could lead to internal and external violent confrontations; 5) The consolidation of the disparity between rich and poor that is already generating social unrest in different regions, as we have seen recently in Latin America and the Middle East; 6) The transformation of democracy into a plutocratic dictatorship
(the government by the wealthy) based on the technological manipulation of social consensus, as illustrated in the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal. The importance of public media Pasquali was persistent in his struggle to establish a public broadcasting service in Latin American countries. His passion in defence of the need for a public media service never declined and seems to be more relevant than ever in the midst of the Internet explosion. Pasquali observed that the internet is now largely controlled by monopolies such as Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple, and manipulated by big emerging powers like China. He vehemently denounced the “communication hegemony” of the authoritarian government of Hugo Chávez and his successor Nicolás Maduro. Pasquali documented the setbacks that the regime has inflicted on Venezuelan society from the point of view of telecommunications, the media and transportation infrastructure. Renouncing communication? At the end of his essay “Will we communicate or inform ourselves?,” Pasquali wondered if we are ready to give up a fundamental condition for our existence — the ability and experience of communication. For him, communication was a mixture of intellect, passions and will that was intrinsic to how people made meaning, personally and socially. He asked: “Are we going to give up without a fight the possibility of communicating to another human being that we love him/ her?” The great body of work that Pasquali produced will help us to answer these fundamental questions about the future of communication. Pasquali’s intellectual legacy will live on through his writings and teachings.
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Children in the ancient Middle If in doubt, let them out — East were valued and vulnerable children have the right to play — not unlike children today December 12, 2019 Authors Vice President (Academic) and Dean / Associate Professor, St. Joseph’s College, University of Alberta Associate Professor, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. Republished under Creative Commons licence The choices that societies make concerning the treatment of children can bring about the greatest of debates and prompt significant political action. Our research teaches us that the question of a how a child should be treated — what value societies place on children — is not only a modern question, but an ancient one. As historians whose work is related to understanding the texts of the Hebrew Bible and the world it was written in, we trace clues to understand the lives of children over 3,000 years ago. Through data from archaeology, letters, contracts, laws, material culture, ancient stories and religious practices, we study the children in the ancient lands of the Middle East, in the region now encompassing Egypt, Israel and the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Turkey. In our recent research we learn how children were both valued and vulnerable — in many ways, similar to children today. Children experienced violence and vulnerability at the hands of adults. And the same adults wove a child’s religious and economic value into society through laws, religious expression and what happens in homes. Making and raising babies For ancient people in the region we study, the focus on children began before children were conceived. Without modern medical practices, women turned to their medical world, and thus magico-religious answers. Texts from the Hebrew Bible and Mesopotamia relate that when women had trouble conceiving, they might use plants, like the mandrake, known to increase fertility, or prepare fertility aids. After children were born, women continued turning to magico-religious practices to protect the child. Scholars believe fertility figurines found in archaeological contexts attest to mother’s prayers for ample milk supply. Most women would nurse on demand, but breast-feeding contracts tell us that the wealthiest families could afford to employ wet nurses, since even they knew breastfeeding could limit fertility. Mesopotamian texts contain an intricate series of
contracts and laws outlining the years children spent in the wet nurse’s house, and the consequences if the wet-nurse tried to steal the child. These contractual forms are embedded in later Biblical stories. Children in the home The sleepless child was well known to parents. In the ancient world lullabies were used to calm inconsolable infants. For example, in one old Babylonian lullaby written sometime between 1894–1595 BC, the sleep-deprived mother begs the child to fall asleep like one passed out drunk. Biblical studies professor David Bosworth of the Catholic University of America discusses this in his book Infant Weeping in Akkadian, Hebrew and Greek Literature. But sleep, while desired, also brought with it danger. Scholars believe that what we know today as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was attributed by the ancient people in this region to the demoness Lilith or Lamashtu creeping in the house and suckling the infant with poisonous milk. Various amulets warding off this demoness have been found in sleeping chambers, along with a lamp, which like today helped scare away “bad things” that went bump in the night. Play was an important part of life. Small perforated discs found in some parts of the region suggest the use of spinning tops. Mesopotamian texts speak of familiar games, like jump ropes, wrestling, running races and games of hide and seek. But life was not all play for children. For the most part, older girls would help the mothers with domestic activities, while boys would follow in their father’s footsteps. But for a limited few male children, education was an option. Child adoption, abandonment, slavery But children also moved in and out of domestic units. Adoption and slavery are social institutions that are well-documented in various contracts preserved in libraries from the ancient cities of Nuzi Emar and Nippur. The ancient poem, Enki and Ninmah, encourages parents to adopt children with deformities: this poem, over 4,000 years old, has the gods ordaining a place in society for all, even those with deformities. The ancient Babylonian code of law, the The Code of Hammurabi, laws 18 5-191, shows that formal adoptions came with a strict set of rules so the child could be fully inte-
grated into the new family. Sometimes parents rescinded legal responsibility for a child. One set of texts discusses this as children “thrown to the dogs’ mouth.” In such cases children might be left at the local dump, the “safedrop” zone for children. These children often entered a life of slavery. Individual slave sale documents from Mesopotamia, as well as the biblical laws concerning slavery, tell us that slavery was a part of ancient life, but there are important nuances. Not every child slave was chattel. In cases of debt-slavery, a child could serve in another household to pay off a family debt and then return to their own family. A child’s value was not just part of the physical world but extended to the spiritual realm as well. Children participated in the household religion in gender-specific ways. A disinheritance contract from Emar notes that children who are disinherited lose the right to care for the gods of the house.
December 16, 2019 Authors Professor of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa. Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia. Republished under Creative Commons licence.
The death of children A child’s value does not come without vulnerability. As the youngest and most defenseless members of society, they were not immune to the effects of invading armies. Mesopotamian war records (ca. 880-600 BC) demonstrate rare but violent practices, such as burning adolescents and violence against pregnant Arab women. In best-case scenarios, children were deported with their families. Heath Dewrell, assistant professor of Old Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, also notes that the Hebrew Bible records children, foreign and Israelite alike, experiencing violence resulting in death. Troubling texts include the outrageous tale of two female bears mauling 42 children for offending the prophet and references to child sacrifice. Archaeological data shows that the infant mortality rate was 50 per cent in the ancient world, but children who died were often cared for. Sometimes they are buried in jars with the common grave goods indicating their status in the family. And other times they were buried under the household floor, which in a way kept them a part of the household unit. Ultimately, coming to a greater understanding of children in history raises important questions for how societies respond or not to children’s vulnerability. The challenge of protecting our most vulnerable has not disappeared.
New research from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Health Measures Survey reaffirmed the dramatic decline in Canadian children’s fitness seen over the past 35 years — with only one-third of Canadian school-aged children meeting physical activity guidelines. Other research from the same survey showed that physical activity increases when children are outdoors. Each additional hour spent outdoors per day is associated with seven more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, 762 more steps and 13 fewer minutes of sedentary time. Canadian children need to get outside to play more, to help them move more — and it is their right. In late November, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child marked its 30th anniversary. This document enshrines a child’s right to play, saying that: “States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child … and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.” The convention also commits states “to develop preventive health care” and “guidance for parents” which can include the health benefits of active play. Canada is failing to honour these commitments. The 2018 ParticipACTION Report Card on the Phys-
ical Activity of Children and Youth gives Canada a “D” grade for “Active Play and Leisure Activities,” while the 2019 UNICEF Canada Baseline Report for the Canadian Index of Child and Youth Well-being shows that only 21 per cent of children aged five to 11 engage in at least 1.5 hours a day of active play and unstructured activities. The recent Statistics Canada research reaffirms these findings. Adult fears restrict play Playing outdoors is better than indoors, but the availability of digital media coupled with fears concerning stranger danger and play injury, among others, have shifted children indoors. A recent position statement on active outdoor play, endorsed by the Canadian Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health, concluded: “Access to active play in nature and outdoors — with its risks — is essential for healthy child development. We recommend increasing children’s opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings — at home, at school, in childcare, the community and nature.” In an era of schoolyard ball bans and debates about safe tobogganing, have we as a society lost the appropriate balance between keeping children healthy and active and protecting them from serious harm? Have we restricted a child’s right to play and their access to the holistic health benefits of active outdoor play? Adults’ fears about all that can go wrong when children play is a barrier to letting children play outside. In the case of schools and other institutions, these fears can result in unnecessary and restrictive policies that limit the amount and type of play available to children. One in 14 million risk of abduction Yet the injury statistics show that children today
are safer than at any other time in Canada. Car crashes are the leading causes of child death, yet we do not hesitate to put our children in cars to “keep them safe.” The risk of abduction by a stranger is so remote that statistics are not regularly released by police agencies. Public Safety Canada estimated the risk at one in 14 million more than 15 years ago. The likelihood of a child dying from a fall from play equipment or a tree is even lower at one in 70 million, and there are no recorded deaths for children falling from trees in the 17 years of available statistics. Serious injuries are also extremely rare; the likelihood of sustaining a fracture while playing is 0.0004 per cent. A duty to provide active outdoor play There are also unique benefits of being in the outdoors, particularly in nature. When children play the way they want outdoors they move more, sit less and play longer. They get their hands dirty and are exposed to microbes that help them build immunity. They make their own goals and figure out the steps to attain those goals. They learn, build resilience, develop social skills and learn how to manage risks and keep safe. Their eyes get the exercise needed to combat short-sightedness. The research is clear: children’s outdoor play supports a myriad of health and developmental outcomes. Despite these benefits and the remoteness of adverse events we restrict our children’s right to play outside. As 2019, the year of the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child soon ends, we are reminded of our duty to provide, encourage and facilitate active outdoor play for our children’s healthy development. If in doubt, let them out — it’s their right.
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From childcare to high school – what to do if you don’t like your kid’s friend
December 18, 2019 Authors Course Coordinator, Queensland Undergraduate Early Childhood, Australian Catholic University Lecturer, School of Education (Qld), Australian Catholic University Lecturer, School of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic University. Republished under Creative Commons licence. Friendship is critical to a young person’s development. Recent research showed teenagers with just one close friend were better able to bounce back from stress than teenagers without one. But we also know about the high prevalence of bullying in schools and may have, ourselves, had a negative early friendship that has affected us well into adulthood. So, if you suspect your child – whether they are in early childhood education and care, primary or secondary school – has a questionable friend, here are some tips on how to deal with it. Early Childhood (birth to five years) Early childhood education and care centres enrol children from birth to five years old. One of the learning outcomes of the governing Early Years Learning Framework is to teach and assess if children can “learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect”. Educators work to ensure interactions with your child, and the other child, meet the learning outcomes. Educators in childcare centres are legally required to take regular written observations to
record, interpret, analyse and plan the next steps in children’s learning journeys. These written records are of interactions between individual children, and in small and large groups of children. These should be available for viewing and consultation by parents and caregivers. You can request educators to keep you updated on interactions your child has with friends. This includes positive, neutral and negative interactions as they are all part of your child’s social development. When children are young, they may not yet have the communication skills to explain their feelings. Instead, they may bite or hit another child. Some young children will never go through this stage, and others may take a little while to develop the skills to use their words for positive communication. If your child comes home with bite marks, or you are regularly receiving incident reports about these types of interactions with the same child, this might signal an undesirable friendship. You could make an appointment with the centre director to collaborate on possible changes. They may be able to provide support staff in the room at certain times. The centre may also help you to make a plan to relocate to another room in the centre. Usually this means moving up to the next room with a slightly older age group, when there is a space. – Laurien Beane Primary school Peers play a key role in a child’s cognitive, social and emotional develop-
ment at primary school. These influences can be both positive and negative. Unhealthy friendships involve a breach of trust or damage to someone’s well-being. Some signs your primary-aged child may be dealing with a challenging friend is if: • the person lies to your child on a regular basis • they change best friend status depending on their mood for the day • they control who your child can play with, which clothes they can wear or which interests they can have • they bully your child through social exclusion, verbal put downs, rumour-spreading and/or physical intimidation • they encourage or pressure your child to participate in antisocial or risky behaviours • you have noticed a decline in your child’s self-esteem and overall well-being • you have noticed an increase in withdrawn or aggressive behaviour in your child. Research shows children are less likely to display antisocial or risky behaviour when their parents are aware of their friendship network. Parental monitoring and supervision can also decrease socialisation with these unhealthy peers. But overly intrusive parenting can undermine a child’s autonomy. This could make the child more aggressive or rebellious and increase their socialising with unhealthy peers. Young people are more likely to disclose peer issues to their parents if you:
• respond with empathetic advice based on lessons you learnt in your own life (“I understand how you might be feeling. When I was your age something similar happened to me […] I realised a true friend wouldn’t want me to hurt myself just because they thought it was funny. So I decided to make some new friends”) • involve them in the problem-solving process by asking them to consider the options and potential consequences (“What do you think might happen if you stay friends with Sally and she keeps daring you to do XYZ? How could this hurt you or other people? What are some things you could do to protect yourself ?”). Allow them to make their own decision. If open discussion and collaboration in solving the problem doesn’t work, or it doesn’t have a positive result, it may be necessary for parents to intervene. Subtle intervention could involve limiting your child’s availability by filling in weekends and afternoons with activities like visiting relatives. Eventually, this distance may enable the friendship to fade or run its course in a less confronting way. Direct intervention may involve banning contact with the friend, even if this means relocating to a different school or area. This may seem drastic but it may be a necessary course to protect your child’s well-being. Research shows associations with unhealthy or bullying peers as a child can have serious longterm effects like lowering academic self-esteem while increasing the chance of poor physical and mental health and risky behaviours
(including substance abuse and unprotected sex into adulthood. Counselling may also be required to help the child work through grief, rebuild self-esteem and seek healthier friendships. – Natasha Wardman High school Friendships influence a young person’s development. Happy and healthy relationships between young people can make the transition from primary to secondary school more successful and help shape future trajectories beyond school, even future economic success. If you are worried your teenager is struggling with a challenging friendship, there are some ways you can help. Research shows expressions of love and care, even if they are received with repulsion, will likely enhance your teen’s self-esteem and capacity for dealing with difficult friendships. Saying “I love you” on a regular basis and showing physical affection can be a good habit to establish. Research also shows parents remain the most significant influence through the teenage years. Parents might consider talking with their kids about what the family values and whether those values might align with the behaviours and actions of friends. For example, if you are concerned about what your child’s friend said about someone on social media, you might ask your child questions such as: • “Is that what you would say on social media about others?” • “Do those words re-
flect the person you want to be?” • “Is this friendship going to bring out the best in you?” Parents should also be wary of the dangers of overprotective parenting. Usually, excessive supervision or intrusion in teenagers’ lives does not give them the chance to handle difficult situations competently. It is usually a good idea to give teenagers some freedom in their decision-making and responsibilities. You may wish to: • encourage positive friendships. If you know friends who are a good influence on your teenager, try to make opportunities for those friendships to develop • talk about the pros and cons of different friendships. Sometimes parents might use their own friendships as examples. Let your teenager know how you manage and support your friendships and why you manage them in different ways • talk about the real consequences of friendships. Positive friendships can result in anything between good fun and deep development. Harmful friendships have the potential to result in sadness, confusion and stress, with the possibility of life-changing unwanted consequences. A calm, adult-like dialogue and modelling good behaviours are more likely to elicit an adult-like response from your teenager than forcing them to do something against their will. This is especially true for the choices they make in forming friendships. – Michael Chambers
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YMOR
from the Readers: Madame KC
“Ang tao parang tanga, naliligayahan sa kasinungalingan, nagagalit sa katotohanan, ngumingiti kahit nahihirapan at higit sa lahat nagmamahal kahit nasasaktan” Dear Madame KC, Napakalaki po ng aking dinadalang problema kung kaya’t hindi na ako mag papaligoy-ligoy pa. Dalawang buwan na akong nagdadalang tao sa aking childhood boyfriend. Nabuo ito ng ako’y nagbakasyon sa Pilipinas. May asawa at anak na siya. Ako naman ay isang taon ng hiwalay at may tatlong anak. Nahuli ko ang aking ex-husband na nangangaliwa habang ako’y nagbubuntis sa aming bunsong anak. Ang masakit dito, matalik na kaibigan ko pa ang kanyang kalaguyo. Maraming magagandang plano si childhood boyfriend para sa amin. Gusto na niyang iwan ang kanyang asawa dahil hindi naman sila magkasundo, para silang aso’t pusa kung magbangayan. Pinauuwi na niya ako ng Pilipinas at doon na daw ako manirahan para magsama na kami. Gusto rin niyang ako ang mamahala sa negosyong itatayo niya. Parang hindi ako sang-
ayon sa kanyang gusto, taliwas sa aking mga desisyon. Balak kong ipatanggal ang batang nasa sinapupunan ko, at kalimutan ang lahat-lahat. Parang isang masamang panaginip na gusto ko ng magising. Masyadong komplikado ang lahat. Sana’y matulungan mo ako. Umaasa, Miss Gee
Dear Miss Gee, May kasabihan na : ‘’Once is enough twice is too much’’. Malaki nga ang dinadala mong problema ngunit marami kang dapat timbangin sa bawat desisyon na gagawin mo at hindi solusyon ang isa na namang pagkakamali. Your head tells you to go, but your heart tells you to stay but you need to follow your head this time. Your feelings are just temporary; they will change later.
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The visit
someone better. Pero sana kung sakaling buksan mo ang iyong puso at muling magmahal maging maingat kana. Mas masarap kung may minamahal ka na hindi mo kailangan manakit at mang-agaw. Kung hindi mo naman kayang palakihin ang batang nasa iyong sinapupunan, sana’y maisip mo ang mga taong gustong mag karoon ng anak na handang gawin ang lahat upang maging magulang lang. I hope you will consider adoption not abortion. What is right is often forgotten by what is convenient. There is no pillow softer than a clear conscience. Isuko mo ang lahat ng iyong pasanin sa ating Panginoon at humingi ng patawad at patnubay.
Madame KC
Alam kong nasaktan ka ng inyong ex-husband and you deserve to find
‘’Sometimes the hardest thing to do is the right thing to do’’
After Christmas festive Filipinos swarmed Calgary Airport. The crowd got bigger. Cell phones warmed up. Hours of waiting turned minutes. The sliding door opened. Sunglasses, trimmed goatee and smile looked very familiar. Philippines’ boxing legend stepped out and greeted his fans. Senator Manny Pacquiao came to Calgary to promote his brainchild Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). As the CEO and founder his goal was to promote it overseas. A group of Filipino-Calgarians made it possible. Though Manny is a mega star in the Philippines ticket holders at the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex at Tsuut’ina First Nation occupied just less than third of seating capacity. It was observed that for a guy of his stature the reception and the event itself was not a three pointer. The dribbling of the ball was louder than the cheering from the crowd. The score board registered
a dismal number. His cell phone scored more slam dunks for the rest of the day. Several dishes on the table wanted to play hoops at the senator’s palate to no avail. The promotion of MPBL in Calgary per general public observation was not lustrous. Reasons being, as reported and confirmed by reliable media personalities, included the following. Ticket’s price range was unreasonable. The senator doesn’t need donation, ticket sales or financial supporters. Where was the venue? Had it done closer to large Filipinos communities then more would have come. Friday night, why not Saturday. MPBL’s goal could have been achieved if the event was free and held closer to a community populated largely by Filipinos. How was this possible? On Sept 1 free concert last year in Manila he distributed his MP cryptocurrency, “Pac token”, to his over 2,000 fans. The world’s first celebrity cryptocurrency which will enables fans to
purchase Pac merchandise and interact with him via social media. He could have done it here. As noted by several attendees the reception, result, and review of his visit was not encouraging. It was pure business deal in the form of promoting MPBL. The result was bland. Less than 1% of Filipino-Canadian population in Calgary painstakingly watched Pacman’s dribbled and jumped shot the ball. The mainstream media news release touched and gave more space to his belief about same sex marriage than MPBL. Largely, what was promoted at the end of his visit was not MPVL. Possibly, unmet expectations, below par execution of the event, and poor attendance from the community were magnified bigger than the visit itself. One would just wonder what kind of occasion or event is acceptable for Senator Pac to visit Canada again. Your guess is as good as anyone’s.
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MannyChanic
Nominations open for Alberta’s highest honour
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK
Winter Tires Maintenance
cal winter tires Manny Perez
For the vast majority of us in Canada, we use our winter tires for about half of the year, between October and April, so it’s important to know how to take care of them when they’re on your vehicle. Air pressure Cold winter temperatures will reduce cause the pressure your tires will drop along with the falling temperature. Maintaining the correct air pressure in your winter tires might seem like something that will keep your snow tires in good condition for longer, but it’s one of the simplest and most important ways to avoid unnecessary wear. Driving with under-inflated tires prevents them from holding their shape, leading to possible failure, increased tread wear, higher rolling resistance, and less control in turns particularly during poor driving conditions Always install four identi-
If you use mismatched tires or two snow tires with two all season tires, each design of tire will handle differently. Installing a full set of winter tires will result in less wear on your tires because each tire is able to handle the conditions much more efficiently. You’ll also see noticeable safety benefits. It’s important that all four tires have the same traction and flexibility so that they handle as you need them to in cold, wet, slushy, icy and snowy conditions. All season tires are not ideal in temperatures below 7c when they become stiffer. The rolling resistance is increased, braking times are longer and you’ll feel a difference in traction. They’ll also wear more quickly because they’re working in conditions they weren’t optimized for. You’ll also see that your winter tires will have to work hard possibly causing premature wear. In every situation, regardless of the layout of your
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vehicle, it will always be safer to install four tires instead of two. Storing your winter tires When it’s finally time to take off your winter tires and replace them with your all season or summer tires, there are a few simple ways to ensure they stay in great condition until you’re ready to use them next. Always be sure that you’re storing your tires in a clean, dark and dry environment that’s away from direct sunlight. They should also be kept away from any hot areas, so don’t leave them next to heaters or air ducts. To prevent the special rubber compounds from breaking down before they should, be sure to keep them in an area away where they aren’t touching any grease or oil or sitting in any other substances. Typically, a garage is an ideal place, but if you are storing your tires outside, keep them on a raised platform so they don’t collect or rest in pools of water. Wherever possible wrap them in waterproof covers.
Albertans are encouraged to nominate remarkable citizens, leaders and innovators for membership in the Alberta Order of Excellence. Up to 10 individuals will be inducted into the Order this year in recognition of remarkable contributions to their community, the province and beyond. Nominations are accepted year-round but must be received by Feb. 15 to be considered for investiture this year. Nominations not selected in 2020 will be
considered for up to three years. Nominees must be Canadians citizens currently residing in Alberta and, if selected, must be able to attend the investiture ceremony in October. People cannot nominate themselves, their spouse or a member of their immediate family.
Information about the Order, including nomination guidelines, nomination forms and biographies of previous inductees, is available on the Alberta Order of Excellence website at www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca/aoe. Information is also available by calling 780-4490517.
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