Global Peace 040418

EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN ONE NEWSPAPER VOLUME 7 • ISSUE 4 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4TH 2018

GLOBAL PEACE

SIMONE J. SMITH/TORONTO CARIBBEAN

The Toronto Caribbean Newspaper had the honor of being invited to The 15th National Peace Symposium hosted by The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. This is not our first event with the Ahamadiyya community; last year, our very own Jelani Grant was invited to their community social at the Driftwood Community Recreation Centre. The event is coordinated each year to bring together all people in the Jane and Finch Community, including leaders of various religious groups, media groups and students of all cultures and ages. Our shared commitment to the community is why we were selected as one of the media outlets to cover this prestigious event. Their mission; love for all, hatred for none was clearly understood, the more I read about the Ahmad-

diya’s, and upon arriving there I quickly experienced their message which transcends race, culture and class.

The Ahmadiyya Community

What many people do not realize about the Islam religion is that just like other religions, there are different sects. All sects of Islam honor the teachings of the Quran, but there are certain aspects of the religion that set each apart. The Ahmaddiya Muslim Jama is the only Islamic organization that believes the long-awaited messiah has already returned, in comparison to other Muslim sects that believe they are still waiting. The AMJ community believes that God has sent their messiah in the person Mirza Ghulam Ahmed of Qadian. He lived

from 1835 -1908 and can be compared to Jesus, a messiah viewed by many Christians as the Son of God.

His coming was said to be foretold by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, and was sent to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and promote peace. This philosophy of morality, justice and peace have brought about a revolutionary era of Islamic revival. His Holiness (peace be upon him) has fostered community by uniting the family of religions under a single banner. All religious teachings have been respected, and the teachings of Abraham, Jesus, Moses, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Buddha, and Confucius amongst others are preserved and embraced.

Continued On Page 8

A Toronto girl’s rise to stardom

Trying to make it big in a city like Toronto can be quite the challenge. With so much talent and new faces in the entertainment industry, leaving a mark requires full dedication. And for Toronto native Aneesa Badshaw, making moves in the industry is not just a side venture: it’s her main priority.

In fact, Aneesa never dreamed of a career in the arts until pursuing her dreams was her only option. After her father passed away in a car accident back in Guyana, Aneesa was trying to make ends meet with her mom and provide financially to keep them afloat.

“At the time I was working at a burger restaurant just flipping burgers,” says Aneesa. This was her tipping point in her career. During that time, she was constantly being contacted by a modelling agency, which she deemed as “sketchy” since she didn’t have previous agency experience.

She later realized the agency was legitimate and took a leap of faith as she began her modelling career. “The time where I really needed money, I started doing extra work,” says Aneesa, as she worked as an extra in various media like TV and music videos.

As her modelling career developed, her involvement in music videos grew even more. Before she knew it, she had been featured in music videos for major artists like Drake, Baka and Karl Wolf. But as that pro-

gressed, she felt that something was missing in the music industry.

“I love when artists’ give me a part where I can actually do something,” says Aneesa on her favourite part of shooting music videos. As an upcoming music artist herself, she would like to create her own music video where she, “wants to at least have a skit, where there’s a story to tell.”

alized the industry wasn’t all glit ter and gold. “As soon as those other girls came in, they killed it for me.”

Yes, that’s right. Apart from modelling and acting Aneesa is also working on a music career.

On her influences as a rising woman in the music industry, Aneesa credits Aaliyah and Keisha Cole as her main inspirations and references Aaliyah as an important style icon for her. “I’m still stuck in that 90s vibe,” she says, regarding both her style and music tastes. Her interest in the music industry sparked as she discovered more to the modelling world. After going to China to participate in the Miss World Canada pageant, she soon saw the ugly side to the world of modelling.

At first, the pageant trip was great, as she recalls meeting a lot of interesting models. But later on, she encountered a group of models with a stereotypical model attitude. “They started dissing everyone when they walked in. They were like, this girl’s too fat, this girl can’t walk, and then they started stealing from people!”

Unlike those models, Aneesa enjoys modelling and staying true to herself, thus resulting in lots of creative expressions. She even styles her own makeup and hair for her photoshoots. “I can basically be myself in my own project,” she says on adding her own flair.

Aneesa’s formula for being a strong woman in the entertainment industry includes lots of hard work, sacrifices and perseverance. She notes that many doubted her choice when she decided to pursue modelling full time. “Everybody would just be like modelling is not a real job.”

With all of her heart in it, she was determined to prove to those around her that it was, in fact, a real job. “When people do it, they don’t do it to the fullest, says Aneesa on most people pursuing the arts. “You basically have to drop everything and just do it.”

Currently, Aneesa is working with Reggae artist Deewun in creating some new music. “I see progress for sure, it’s just getting better and better for me.” She credits all of her current successes to one simple phrase she believes in, “I don’t take no as an answer.”

To help Camp Jumoke achieve their goal of sending kids with SCD to camp, send an email to cjwalk@jumoke.org to register for mation on how to help support Camp Jumoke

SCARBOROUGH:

Genesis The launch of Guyana Carnival 2018

LEANNE BENN

leanne@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

There’s Trinidad, Antigua, Barbados, St Lucia, Brazil and even Bermuda among many other countries and cultures that all have something in common. It’s Carnival. Carnival is a season of celebration in many different counties and cultures, most often held right before the start of Lent. But many places in the Caribbean celebrate Carnival at different times during the year. There is a shift from the traditional Roman Catholic celebration marked before Lent to what Caribbean countries celebrate. There is often a link to religion and especially colonialism. Each country will have a different history behind carnival and the time has now arrived for Guyana to celebrate the launch of its first official carnival celebration.

Most often when Caribbean people hear about the flashy costumes and the catchy soca music related to carnival they think about Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad’s carnival holds roots going back to the late 1700’s when the French held extravagant masquerade balls, many of the slaves held their own celebrations and it is from this root that many Caribbean carnivals took hold.

Once slavery was abolished in 1834 many Caribbean counties started to celebrate their native culture through expressions of dress, art music and obviously dancing. Guyana notably celebrates Mashramani during the month of February. Though traditionally tied to the indigenous celebration, it has transformed over the years to almost resemble a small-scale carnival celebration, but it is more cultural.

However, May 2018 marks the 52nd anniversary of Guyana’s Independence from the British and the organizers behind Guyana’s premier carnival decided this would be the perfect period to celebrate and encourage the population to take part in Mas and revel in the streets

with gorgeous and elaborate costumes.

The official Guyana carnival Committee stated that the idea to launch carnival also stemmed from Guyana’s big 50th independence celebrations held two years ago. There was a huge spike in tourism and much anticipation for celebratory events. During this time, Guyana’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Cathy Hughes hinted at the fact that Guyana should capitalize on opportunities like this and organized annual events that can focus on celebration and tourism.

Guyana’s carnival will provide a major economic boost and open more business ventures to all things carnival related, such as costumes, makeup, transportation, food, accommodation and especially the local music industry. Soca artists will especially have a chance to shine. Guyana Carnival is being heavily marketed and promoted around the Caribbean, Europe and in North American countries in collaboration with various media houses to help promote this new venture. As was seen this year during Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival where many ads were present.

The theme for Guyana Carnival 2018 is ‘Genesis’, basically translating to the beginning. This will be the beginning of something new and fresh for Guyanese and many around the world to take part in. Festivities will begin May18th and stretch to May 27th, one day after Guyana’s Independence celebrations. Guyanese diaspora and others around the world will have a chance to take part in all-inclusive fetes, cooler fetes, boat rides, parties, a grand day parade (Mas) and many more.

Similar to other Carnivals, many are encouraged to take part, by registering with different bands, to get costumes and access to other perks and goodies. There will be special accommodation rates leading up to carnival and many costume deals and options. The official band launch was held back in December 2017 but there is still time left for those interested to register and take part in order to feed their curiosity by coming to the beautiful country of Guyana and being part of history.

For more information on Guyana’s first carnival visit GuyanaCarnival592 online and check out the full schedule of events. Happy Fete-ing!

Mission; love for

all,

hatred for none! Welcome to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community!

in the promotion of peace.

“Unless we exercise justice, we will not have peace.”

Continued From Page 1 -- One of their greatest philosophies is their philosophy regarding peace. The AMJ is the leading Islamic organization to categorically reject terrorism in any form. A century ago His Holiness Ahmed (peace be upon him) taught all of his followers to wage a bloodless, intellectual Jihad of the pen to defend Islam. It was this degree that allowed him to pen over 80 books and tens of thousands of letters. He lived to deliver hundreds of lectures and engaged in numerous public debates. His main objective was to teach restraint in the face of bitter opposition. AMJ now spans over 210 countries with membership exceeding tens of millions. For more information about the Ahmaddiya Muslim Jama visit http://www. ahmadiyya.ca.

The Khalifa of Islam; A Man of Peace

The community has a system of spiritual leadership called the system of Khilafat. They currently follow His Holiness Haszrat Mirza Masroor Ahmed who is the community’s fifth Khalifa. He leads his global community and inspires them to serve humanity. It was clearly seen during the visit to London, where His Holiness is currently based. The teachings of kindness and humility are integral to Islam, and His Holiness honors and upholds all Prophets of God. In following the teachings from Mirza Ghulam Ahmed (peace be upon him), His Holiness has written, lectured and held symposiums bringing together people all over the world. His latest book, World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace, warns the world of the fast approaching dangers, and how we as a community, can avert disaster and work toward peace. It includes a selection of his keynote addresses and letters to world leaders, urging them to focus on working together in a global effort for the attainment of peace and justice. It is this focused effort that brought the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper to Gatswick, London; The 15th National Peace Symposium which highlighted the role of religion

The 15th National Peace Symposium In 2004, His Holiness launched the National Peace Symposium which this year was attended by thousands of people including ministers, parliamentarians, faith leaders, diplomats and other dignitaries. In 2009, he launched the annual Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace; this year the recipient of the award was Dr. Leonid Mikhailovic Roshal, who has been recognized as the “Russian of the Year” and “European of the Year,” His work has focused around helping children around the world who have suffered because of disasters and war. The international peace award was presented to Dr. Roshal’s representative, who spoke to his extraordinary commitment and service to the cause of peace and humanitarianism.

Along with the symposium, we were given an opportunity to sit down with members of their personal media teams as well as members of the interactive community. We were given a guided tour of the mosque complex as well as an opportunity to ask His Holiness questions. During his second press conference, I asked His Holiness, “What would you suggest is one way that we can pattern the interconnectedness that has been fostered in the Ahmaddiya community?” His response resonated with me, “Leadership! Leadership needs to be established within all communities. A community has to feel secure in the leadership that is being provided to them, and then they will follow.” I think that was the biggest take home for me; we as a community can work better together and we need to establish a leader. This leader must be someone we can trust that has the community’s best interest at heart and can show this leadership throughout the world.

This year’s theme was Fundamentals of Establishing Lasting Peace and the symposium is a key event of the community. It is held at the largest mosque in Western Europe. The event promotes a deeper understanding of Islam and other faiths and seeks to inspire a global effort for lasting peace. If you are interested in attending next year’s peace symposium, visit http://peacesymposium.org.uk/. Ignorance breeds hatred, and our hope is to promote the benefits of educating others on issues that may not have been thought of.

“Force can bend necks but cannot change hearts.”

Peel Regional Police swear in two new deputy chiefs

ASHELLY SMITH

ashelly@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

At 1 pm on March 27th, families, friends, police officers and well-wishers were present at the Emily V. Kolb Centre for the swearing-in ceremony of Peel Regional Police new deputy chiefs. Deputy Chiefs Marc Andrews and Ingrid Berkeley-Brown are the two new black deputy chiefs of Canada’s third largest police service.

The ceremony started off with Superintendent Dale Mumby as Master of Ceremonies (MC) doing the welcoming message. In a few minutes, guests of honor were escorted in by police cadets. The guests of honor were Chair of Peel Police Services Board Sue Mcfadden, Honorable Justice and Officiate Sandra Martins, Chief of Peel Regional Police, Jennifer Evans, Superintendents Marc Andrews and Ingrid Berkeley-Brown. There is no ceremony without the singing of our national anthem, O Canada which was done by Brooke Pastuch, a Grade 10 student at Mayfield Secondary School. The blessing was done by the Chaplain, Curtis Hinds.

It is important to know that the new deputy chiefs were not appointed for the positions because they were born with silver spoons in their mouths. It was because of intensive work and dedication to their profession that allowed them to be in such a high ranking position. Deputy Chief Ingrid Berkeley-Brown is from Guyana and immigrated to Canada in 1974. She began her policing career in 1986 with the Peel Regional Police as a Constable. She has worked in several areas including Uniform Patrol, Community Services, Race and Ethnic Relations Bureau, Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau, Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Bureau, Public Affairs, Neighbourhood Policing Unit, Recruiting, Duty Inspectors’ office, Record Services and Divisional Commander at 21 Division. Berkeley-Brown is committed to community development and has been actively involved with many community organizations including the Peel Multicultural Council, the Young Men’s Christian Association(YMCA) Achievers Program, the Congress of Black Women (Mississauga, Brampton and Kitchener-Waterloo chapters) and the United Achievers Club of Brampton. Berkeley-Brown has been the recipient of several awards for her work in the community, including the Congress of Black Women Mississauga and Area Chapter ‘Phenomenal Woman’ Award; the Association of Black Law Enforcement (ABLE) ‘Leadership in Law Enforcement’ Award just to name a few.

Similarly, Deputy Chief Marc Andrews joined Peel Regional Police in 1990 as a Constable at 12 division in Uniform Patrol and was assigned to

the Morality Bureau. In 1998, he transferred to the Homicide Bureau, where he received his first promotion to Detective. The Jamaican-born Andrews was the primary investigator on a number of high profiles homicide investigations. In 2003, Andrews was promoted to Staff Sergeant, then in 2011, he was assigned to 21 Division as the Uniform Inspector. Soon, the promotion to a Superintendent position was knocking at his door in May of 2013. So, it is without a doubt that these two deputy chiefs have reached the pinnacle of policing and do not intend to stop blazing a trail for younger police officers to follow.

Sue Mcfadden was one of the two speakers at the ceremony. As the chair of Peel Regional Services, she was a part of the decision-making process of promoting the two deputy chiefs.

“We originally set out to replace one vacant deputy position. The board in collaboration with Chief Evans determined that both Marc and Ingrid stood out for their skills, experience, expertise and their absolute commitment to our community,” said Sue Mcfadden, chair of Peel Regional Police.

She closed her speech by congratulating both Ingrid and Marc on behalf of the Peel Police Services Board. She further commented that the swearing-in ceremony is a special day for the deputy chiefs and they should celebrate it as their families saw them achieve this wonderful accomplishment.

Chief Jennifer Evans was the second speaker at the ceremony. She spoke about both deputy chief’s historic journeys and achievements.

“To Marc’s and Ingrid’s families, I want to thank you for your continued support. I know that throughout their careers you have put up with many absences because of their work commitments and I also know that their new role will add to their workload. They may not think that, but I know that,” said Chief Jennifer Evans during her presentation as she made the audience giggle.

Evans commented that over the course of her career, she noticed the differences in their personalities will serve to complement each other as they move forward in their new leadership roles. She also believed strongly that both deputies will do exceptionally well with their strong leadership skills and extensive experience.

Finally, it was the moment everyone was waiting for. The time for the superintendents to be officially sworn in as deputy chiefs. Honorable Justice and Officiate Sandra Martins had both Ingrid and Marc hold the Bible to take their oaths. Deputy Chief Ingrid Berkeley-Brown was the star of the ceremony. She had received loud applause and cheers from the audience after she was sworn in. It was very evident that her supporters, families and co-workers were thrilled about her accomplishment. Surprisingly, there was a queue to take a picture with her. Was she expecting this splendid response?

“I can honestly say I did not. It was quite overwhelming and welcoming

so for me, I really welcome that. It also let me know that there are a lot of people supporting me in my lieu of becoming deputy chief,” said Deputy Chief Ingrid Berkeley-Brown.

During an interview with Deputy Chief Ingrid Berkeley-Brown, she shared her goals of creating a more friendly and transparent society with the police force and citizens with the aim of improving the relationship with both the public and police personnel, ultimately creating trust and confidence within the society. For officers who want to be the next deputy chief in the future, if your mind can conceive it, you can achieve it.

“They too can achieve it but my best advice to them is to work hard, treat people fairly and always remember who have helped you along the way,” commented Deputy Chief Ingrid.

She further added, “Even though you have achieved whatever goal you’re looking for always remember to give back. That could be either giving back to the community or being a mentor to a junior officer.”

Marc Andrews is the officerin-charge of Operations Support Command. This includes areas such as Court Services, Record Services, the Community Engagement and Inclusion Bureau, Emergency Support and Road Safety Services. During an interview, Marc said he will be focusing on issues such as road safety in his command. He wants to eliminate the high numbers of accidents in Peel as there are more accident reports than homicide. He believes that everyone’s life is valuable and as a result, his aim is to bring those numbers down to zero deaths on the roadways. Moving on to his new role in policing, he was reminiscent of the birth of his two sons.

“The birth of my two children is the most memorable experience in my career,” he said laughing.

He added, “But looking from a policing perspective, the most memorable experience was convicting a multiple murderer Jeffrey Campbell. He was a dangerous offender and he was arrested in 2001 and convicted in 2005.”

Andrews believes that he can bring a different perspective to the executive level as he is passionate about his hometown Brampton. Civilians and stakeholders of the community can expect respect, humility and courage in his jurisdiction.

It is evident that Deputy Chiefs Ingrid Berkeley Brown and Marc Andrews have a clear and strategic plan for their jurisdiction. They are headstrong individuals with a passion to make changes where it’s necessary. Deputy Marc Andrews wanted each police officer to know this:

“I would advise any young officer to be engaged in the community, work hard, commit to lifelong learning and conduct themselves with honor and dignity. By doing those things whatever they deem as success is achievable, not only in terms of promotion but also in life.”

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BBPA announces the 36th annual Harry Jerome Award recipients

Harry Jerome Awards presented by the BBPA and TD Bank. On April 28th, 16 outstanding and inspirational individuals will be presented with one of the most prestigious national awards in the African-Canadian community. A highly coveted symbol of achievement, the honorees receive awards in sixteen categories, each year.

Hero to the black Canadian community, the epitome of excellence, determination and dedication, Harry Jerome was an outstanding African Canadian Olympic Athlete who was an inspiration to African-Canadians everywhere. His legacy has paved the way for many black Canadians over the years, his talent and tenacity on and off the track encouraging a generation of Canadians to “Never Give Up” in their own endeavors.

Harry Jerome was born during a time when the black community faced the negative effects of discrimination of racism very prominently in society. They were an obvious minority in their communities and negative reports followed them everywhere regardless of circumstance. Time and time again, Harry would demonstrate his resilience despite career-threatening injuries or negative reports from the Canadian press about him being a quitter. Each obstacle he overcame would eventually set the stage for his greatest athletic successes, displaying the true power of his determination and will to succeed.

Despite his athletic successes, Harry was always conscious of the challenges facing African Canadians. He was concerned about the opportunity for economic development among African Canadians. He fought to remove wage discrimination barriers against blacks and endeavoured to improve mainstream Canadians’ perception of the black community.

In 1982, Harry Jerome died suddenly at the age of 42. Despite his passing, he left a considerable legacy that is a source of pride for all

For the past 35 years, the Annual Harry Jerome Awards has honored that legacy remembering an outstanding African Canadian Olympic athlete, scholar and social advocate, the BBPA Harry Jerome Awards is an annual celebration that pays tribute to those that have followed in his

On March 21st, 2018, The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) announced the 2018 honorees for the 36th Annual

This year’s categories are Academics, Arts, Athletics, Leadership, Business, Entertainment, Professional Excellence, Health Science, Community Service, Lifetime Achievement, Diversity, Trailblazer, Public Advocacy, Youth Advancement, Media and the President’s Award. BBPA President, Nadine Spencer, shared “The honorees of this year’s Harry Jerome Awards are truly representative of this year’s theme ‘Our Legacy’. As we look back to where we have started and how far we have come; 36 years of the Harry Jerome Awards is quite an accomplishment and we look forward to continuing to celebrate and honour Black Excellence in Canada.”

The BBPA is proud to honour and celebrate the following award winners:

• Pamela Appelt (Lifetime Achievement Award)

• Nadia Hamilton (Youth Entrepreneur Award)

• Dr. Kwame McKenzie (Trailblazers Award)

• Dr Yabome Gilpin-Jackson (Professional Excellence Award)

• Lamont Wiltshire and Odeen Eccelston (Business Award)

• Jenny Gumbs (Public Advocacy Award)

• Carolyn Marful (Leadership Award)

• Jully Black (Entertainment Award)

• Kien Crosse (Academics Award)

• Mike Yorke (Diversity Award)

• Pauline Christine (President Award)

• Rowan Barrett Jr (Athletics Award)

• Keith Merith (Community Service Award)

• Matt Galloway (Media Award)

• Luke Welch (Arts Award)

• Floydeen Charles Fridel (Health Science Award)

“We look for members in a community who are long-standing in their position and long-standing in paving the way for other members to come on board in that industry whichever industry they are in” explains Marcia Bowen, Chair of the Harry Jerome Awards.

All award nominees must be African Canadian and are chosen through an application process. Accomplishments and achievements for the advancement and improvement of the community are taken into consideration and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence are chosen to receive this prestigious honor.

This year’s award recipients are men and women who have demonstrated through their work, educational pursuits and achievements that they are shining examples of the Harry Jerome Legacy. These individuals hold high ranking positions in the community bearing titles such as CEO, law enforcement official, international recording artist, a former diplomat, social justice advocate, and entrepreneur all highly educated dreamers, who are ready to take action continue to build in our legacy.

In the years to come their hope is that others will continue to lead by this example and inspire the next generation of African Canadians. Fighting and advocating for the community, overcoming obstacles and dedicating themselves the way Harry Jerome did to create positive change.

Founded in 1983, the BBPA is a charitable organization whose mission is to advance Canada’s black community by facilitating the delivery of programs that support business and professional excellence, higher education and economic development. The BBPA presents the Annual Harry Jerome Awards, the BBPA National Scholarships and the National Black Business and Professional Convention (NBBPC), alongside workshops and programs at the BBPA Centre of Excellence.

The 36th Annual BBPA Harry Jerome Awards, presented TD Bank, will be held on April 28th, 2018 at The International Centre, 6900 Airport Rd. Tickets for the Harry Jerome Awards are $200; the Early Bird Rate is $175, until March 31st, 2018.

Ricky Persaud Jr. strumming sounds of Love, Peace and Unity

I landed a spot in the Best Pop Vocal category. To be considered alongside people like Katy Perry, One Direction, and Pentatonix really made me feel like I had entered a different stratosphere.”

He said he became inspired to pursue music once he, “realized how powerful music was. Music moves through us all and it makes us feel all kinds of different ways. Seeing people like John Lennon and Bob Marley who created music with important messages really made me want to jump on the band-wagon and do the same. I believe music speaks louder than words, and I believe I can make a difference with the music I put out into the world.”

the basis that Bob Marley was known for smoking marijuana and they did not think it was appropriate for their event. “In reality reggae music means much more than that. It is such a serious art form for an artist to talk about the injustices in our world, along with the importance of spreading love, peace and happiness…hopefully, reggae music would one day be as well received as jazz and rock music,” he said.

At four years old, Ricky Persaud Jr. started taking music classes at Music Together in New Jersey. At the age of eight, he would go with his brother Nicholas, who was five, to his weekly guitar lessons where Ricky would study his brother’s homework and taught himself how to play the guitar. By ten, Ricky was performing Bob Marley on the guitar and at the age of eleven, Ricky started taking bass lessons at the Newark School of the Arts, along with drums. Still drawn to the guitar, Ricky decided to take guitar lessons when he was twelve. At fourteen, Ricky discovered Billy Joel and taught himself how to play the harmonica and keyboards. Shortly after, Ricky started taking piano lessons in school. He first performed in public with his own band at fourteen, the same year he released his first album. Now a multi-instrumentalist, Persaud still specializes in vocals and guitar. His 4th album, Optimistic Bliss, made it onto the 60th Grammy Awards’ For Your Consideration first round ballot. Persaud said he “felt extremely proud to make it onto the FYC first round ballot. I was literally jumping for joy when I heard

As a demonstration of his own skills, Persaud created his last two albums using his own vocals exclusively and playing all of the instruments himself. “I chose to play all the instruments on Welcome To My World and my newest release Optimistic Bliss because I felt the need to do it. It is somewhat hard to explain but I felt that I could do a better job in expressing the feeling and grooves in my own songs then hiring someone else to do it.” Though Persaud says he doesn’t intend to only rely on his own instruments and voice, he hopes he can find professional musicians who can match his sound for future projects.

“To this day, I still believe that reggae music is such an underrated genre compared to jazz and rock music. I also feel a lot of people in America somewhat misjudge reggae music; thinking that genre is only dedicated to smoking marijuana,” Persaud told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper.

For example, on one occasion, he wanted to perform a Bob Marley song for an organization. However, they would not allow him to perform on

Despite negative incidents like this, Persaud said he stays persistent with the message of unity in his music. “The world we live in today is surely not the brightest place, but I hope that my music could lighten up and make people think more positively about themselves and the world around them,” he said.

Persaud is on a full four-year scholarship at Berklee College Of Music where he said he has already learned so much more about Jamaican styles of music. He said during his search for colleges, he found himself frustrated because a number of music programs in the United States focused on classical or jazz music. “There is really no other school that seriously teaches the styles and flavors of Jamaican music like Berklee does,” he said.

Persaud is planning the release of his 5th studio album, titled Love, Peace, and Unity in the summer of 2018. He and his band Crossroads have a 2018 summer tour scheduled to promote Optimistic Bliss and Love, Peace, and Unity. Though the tour does not include any Toronto shows, Persaud said he has, “family in Canada and I would absolutely love to perform there.”

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POR AMOR helps prove African history is necessary outside of February

Durham Catholic District, Durham District, Toronto Catholic District, Toronto District School, Peel District School, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District, and the York Region District.

The multi-disciplinary arts and culture organization POR AMOR partnered with PEACE (People Everywhere Actually Coexisting Equally) to hold African history assemblies for students from kindergarten to grade 8. They received a $15,000 grant from the Ontario Arts Council to deliver assemblies teaching African history and follow up workshops demonstrating African & Caribbean dance, beatboxing, spoken word poetry, and hip-hop writing. They have been on tour since late January providing African history and workshops to youth from kindergarten to grade 8.

POR AMOR co-founder Tanika Riley, stage name Insight, told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper they have been touring across seven school boards to hold assemblies in hopes of changing the significant number of black students who drop out of school. “Black students are dropping out at a high percentage, there are all these things they’ve identified, so this is one of many solutions,” she said. Districts include

Despite the positive feedback from teachers, students, and the OAC, Riley says there is still resistance at times. The assemblies received a critique from a parent after the child won a t-shirt at the assembly. “The parent wrote to the principal and superintendent saying “How dare you have a black history thing in March” and was being negative about the assemblies,” she said.

However, this one negative review is hardly representative of the amount of appreciation and excitement schools have shown the program. “80% of schools have given us a 10/10 and one thing that kept being said is how engaging the assemblies are,” Riley said. “We are hopeful that school boards are shifting their views on inclusive education and equity beyond the token month, February, and we have seen that a shift is taking place,” Riley said.

POR AMOR was founded in 2003, when Riley and her friends began open mic shows in Pickering, recently after they all graduated university. After the shows began to grow in popularity, they decided to turn the shows into a fundraiser for them to use their skills in the Dominican Republic. The organization’s name was created through this project to relate to the Spanish-speaking country. Using the money, they moved to the Dominican Republic to provide their services to those in

need. When they returned to the GTA, Riley said they were swarmed with requests to restart the performance shows. They began shows again and were giving the funds raised to other projects with similar visions until they decided to create a project of their own, now evolved into the non-profit POR AMOR.

Riley said POR AMOR was first introduced to a member of PEACE, spoken word poet Matthew Jones, aka Testament, after watching him perform at a Boys & Girls Club event. PEACE had already begun holding African History assemblies since 2011 and invited POR AMOR to contribute to the movement in 2015. “We’ve been working together for 15 years even though it wasn’t through PEACE. We’ve been building communities together and doing arts education for years…these kinds of people who share the same vision you have to keep around you,” Riley said.

This year, they have performed artsbased assemblies for 23 schools reaching approximately 12,500 students and delivered workshops to more than 1,800 students. Their workshops have been presented to approximately 2,400 students of all races and ethnicities who learned more about African culture, principals and legacy, and the many contributions of black people to the world now. “It’s leadership, it’s about anti-bullying, teaching people that they have a purpose that they have to find,” she said.

Brampton student wins provincial award for poetry competition for OSSTF

The 2018 Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) has awarded their latest recipient their highest honor. Christina Mohan of Harold M. Braithwaite in Brampton is the proud recipient of the Student Achievement Award in the French Senior category.

Mohan’s winning work was entitled ‘Sauve par ton sourire’ (Saved by your smile) and comes from the French senior grades 11-12 category in the prose or poetry division. This proud achievement is the highest at the provincial level and Mohan was supported by OSSTF member Miriam Walker.

This is the 31st year that the federation has awarded the Student Achievement Awards formerly known as the Marion Drys-

dale awards. Mohan’s poem, ‘Saved by your smile’ is linked to the belief that humans have a superpower to pull you from the depths of despair to a second chance at a fulfilling and wholesome life as discussed by OSSTF’s president Harvey Bischof in an official statement release.

Mohan also received a cash prize and a framed certificate to reward her hard and creative work. Mohan’s was one of many awards that were given out in various categories, mainly for poem and essay submissions in six different prose and poetry sections. The sections included Grade 9-10 academic, intermediate, 9-10 applied, intermediate, grades 11-12 University- senior and French senior categories. There were also three categories of creative entries in visual and digital arts.

To determine the winners, judges assessed entries at four different levels, school, district, regional and provincial and the competition was open to all Ontario public high school students. Mohan’s prestigious win at the provincial level is a remarkable achievement from this Brampton student and puts a highlight on her successful and creative work. The theme of this year’s competition was entitled

“What’s your superpower” as to which Mohan successfully portrayed in her winning poem.

The OSSTF was founded in 1919 and has over 60,000 committee members, consisting of teachers, education assistants, instructors, psychologists, secretaries, speechlanguage pathologists, social workers, university support staff and many others involved in the education system. This specific Student Achievement Award was inspired by the late Marion Drysdale who died of cancer in 1993 after retiring from her post as secretary to the general secretary of OSSTF. Drysdale’s keen interest in reading, literature, and history inspired the categories of this competition. Many in the community are proud of Mohan’s work and this should set the mark for many students next year across Ontario that are willing to share their talents and compete.

All the winning entries can be obtained upon request from the OSSTF provincial office. There is also a DVD profiling the students and their work that interested parties can collect. For more information, contact the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.

Tourism minister targets wellness tourism market

JAMAICA -- Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says that Jamaica is well positioned to partake in the booming health and wellness tourism market which represents 1.8 per cent of global gross domestic product.

Speaking at the inaugural Spa Standards and Sensitisation workshop on March 28, the minister shared that the health and wellness sectors, of which spas play a major role, has been identified as one of the key areas of focus under his ministry’s growth strategy.

“We have created a special segment in our linkages network which focuses solely on developing the health and wellness industry. We recognise that the warmth of our climate, the development of nutraceuticals and natural hot springs, are among the products that have become essential to a growing market,” he explained.

He went on to note, “Our research indicates that spa tourism alone represents a $179.7-billion market and a wellness tourist spends 65 per cent more than an average tourist. So what we are doing here today is encouraging more spas to meet international standards so that we can encourage more of

these tourists to visit the island.”

The sensitisation workshop, which took place at Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa, was hosted by the Tourism Linkages Network of the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Bureau of Standards Jamaica and the Ministry of Health. The ministry targeted spas across the island with the primary objective of driving adoption of the JS319 standards in spa operations, as set by the Bureau of Standards.

Other core objectives of the workshop were to address gaps identified in spas to assist with the adoption and maintenance of internationally rec ognised standards; and encourage the certification of spas as well as their staff by the Bureau of Standards and the Tourism Product Development Company’s Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation initiative.

The Spa Standards and Sensitisation workshop is intended to be an ongoing advocacy programme aimed at shaping the adoption of inter national standards in the wellness landscape of Ja maica.

Low Credit Score

- Jamaica Observer

Homeless man vows to rise above poverty through education

JAMAICA -- After living in the United States for over 20 years, Brian Lynch would have never imagined that he would be starting life over as a homeless deportee in Jamaica.

“I never imagined that I would be homeless in my own country,” expressed Lynch, who has been living at the Open Arms Centre on Windward Road, Kingston, for over four years.

Lynch told the Jamaica Observer that he was 18 years old when he went to the United Stated with his mother and sister.

“The first thing I asked her was if I was going to go back to Jamaica and she told me yes. It was afterwards that she told me that we were not going back,” said the now 46-year-old.

Lynch added that he had tried on multiple occasions to obtain citizenship in the foreign country but had been rejected on every attempt.

“In 2008 I was travelling on a bus from North Carolina, where I was living at the time, to Houston Texas, when the bus was stopped in Louisiana by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and I was taken off and detained,” he said.

Lynch said he was subsequently deported to Jamaica where he sought refuge with an aunt in Manchester.

“We had a lot of disagreements and I felt unwelcomed in her home because of the way in which she would treat me and the things she would say.”

Lynch said he became very depressed and even attempted suicide on one occasion.

“I was not used to depending on anyone and that really got to me. I worked very hard in the States. I used to drive taxis and when I wasn’t doing that, I was a dispatcher at a taxi service,” he said, while adding that he later went into the construction business.

Fast-forward to 10 years after being deported and Lynch is adamant that education and his dream of becoming a mathematician will lift him out of poverty and homelessness.

Lynch, who was described as “ambitious” by his peers at the shelter, is now sitting two Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations in order to complete the admission requirements for entry into the mathematics degree programme at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech).

Co-founder of the Open Arms Centre Yvonne Grant told the Observer that after hearing Lynch’s story, the institution has promised to reserve a space for him.

Lynch has already acquired three CSEC subjects during his stay at the centre, including English language, mathematics and principles of business, and will be sitting human and social biology and information technology in the May/June sitting of the examination this year.

Like a child in a candy shop, Lynch’s eyes lit up as he told the Observer about his passion for mathematics.

“Mathematics comes to me naturally and I realise that it’s a gift, and I want to become a mathematician so I can teach mathematics to students. I believe that there are things out there that teach-

ers can do to make it easier for students to learn the subject, especially because it is considered hard,” he said.

Lynch noted that he has already started tutoring the subject and has been doing so since 2014 while attending CSEC classes, because he wanted to contribute to his accommodation at the Open Arms Centre.

However, he also pointed out that his passion for the subject extended beyond monetary compensation.

“If I could do it for free, I would, because when I tutor students I see the difference that I make in their lives and that is important to me. At the end of the day, I can say each student has progressed far beyond the level that they initially came to me at.”

He explained that after acquiring some of the CSEC subjects, he had applied for several office jobs but was unsuccessful.

“Most of them were concerned with why I had an accent and why most of my work experience was overseas,” he said, while arguing that deportees are treated like outcasts and criminals.

Coupled with his deportee status, Lynch is also challenged with being slightly physically disabled due to club feet — which he said was corrected, but left him with an inch of uneven footing. He also lost some mobility in two of his fingers after an accident in the United States left him with nerve damage.

“No one wants to give someone like me a chance and that is why I am working hard to become educated,” he said.

He praised the Open Arms Centre and cofounder Yvonne Grant for pushing him to do his best.

“Mrs Grant has always been pushing me to get my schooling and motivates me otherwise because sometimes I really feel down,” said Lynch as he fought back tears.

“This experience has taught me to be patient with God. I see this as God showing me who He is and if it was not for Him, I would have given up a long time ago.”

He noted that his Christian faith prevented him from engaging in unlawful activities as he struggles to survive in Jamaica.

Meanwhile, Grant told the Observer that the centre was able to help Lynch sit the CSEC examinations through donations from the annual Kingston City Run charity event and was thankful for their support.

“When we met Brian and heard of his dreams, we knew we had so much to offer and wanted to give him a better chance in life. We were happy to provide support to him so he could sit his mathematics CSEC examinations,” said co-chair of Kingston City Run, Nicola Madden-Greig.

However, Grant said the Open Arms Centre is now looking for help to assist Lynch with his UTech tuition fees as she is confident that he will do well in the upcoming CSEC examinations.

“Brian is very focused and he is intent on excelling. He really wants to go to university and do well academically as he sees it as a way for him to support himself and move on with his life,” she said.. - Jamaica Observer

TRINIDAD

Dominica PM: Relationship with T&T remains solid

-- The relationship between T&T and Dominica remains “solid,” according to Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

In a WhatsApp message to CNC3 Morning Brew host Hema Ramkissoon Monday, Skerrit said despite a “miscommunication” between the two countries he remains optimistic about future relations.

“The relationship between Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago remains solid. The Trinidad Government and indeed the whole of T&T have been very supportive of our efforts. I do not think that the PM would have been aware of the vote at the OAS prior. This is one of the usual miscommunication occurrences which happens to all of us from time to time,” Skerrit stated.

He said the people of Dominica remain “heartened” over the support T&T has given to Dominica after their island was battered by a Hurricane Maria in September last year.

“We in Dominica are heartened and touched by the continued love, care

and concern which T&T continues to demonstrate towards us and this transcends all of society including political parties. Much thanks from us in Dominica,” he said.

On March 23, T&T’s representative, Ambassador Anthony Phillip-Spencer, a retired Brigadier General, voted against Dominica’s bid to waive its OAS contributions for the next two years.

Phillip-Spencer, said despite the “goodwill” expressed by the other delegations, including those from the (Caricom), T&T would not support the waiver, adding that the country would instead consider supporting either the “deferral of payments of contributions by member states and where possible the implementation of a payment plan”.

Still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Maria which battered the island in September 2017, Dominica sought approval to forgo their contributions for 2018 and 2019 as they rebuild.

Following criticisms locally and internationally, T&T’s Ministry of For-

eign Affairs issued a release last Thursday stating that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley had requested a report and it was investigating the circumstances which led to a public official’s opposing vote.

The release stated: “The Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs regrets the misrepresentation of the position of T&T offered by a public official of T&T during a meeting of the Permanent Council of the OAS.”

The Ministry added: “T&T’s solidarity with the people of Dominica is without question. The actions, co-operation—be it technical, financial or diplomatic —with Dominica and advocacy over time, most recently in the advent and aftermath of hurricanes, Erika and Maria attest to the strong and abiding relationship between Dominica and T&T’s.” A report on the matter has been requested by Rowley.

In an interview, Moses told Guardian Media that the Ministry’s position was not different to Dominica’s request.

Show mercy to family unit

According to a CMC media report Monday, Skerrit was supposed to speak to Rowley Monday to discuss relations between the two countries.

“We will speak today,” told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) in a WhatsApp message after he was asked whether or not he had spoken to Rowley or had the intention to meet with him since the OAS issue meeting late last month.

A message and a phone call from the T&T Guardian enquiring about more details from Stuart Young, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister went unanswered up to press time.

A leaked letter from Phillip-Spencer to Rowley, dated March 29, stated that he acted in compliance with written instructions from the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, which contradicted the advice provided by the Permanent Mission. Spencer-Phillip stated that it was “inaccurate and false” to state that there was a misrepresentation “offered by a public official of Trinidad and Tobago.” - Trinidad Guardian

TRINIDAD -- The family unit is facing its darkest hour in this country, according to Rev Daniel Teelucksingh.

In his Easter message, he pleaded with citizens who were criminally-minded to have mercy and change their lifestyle.

Teelucksingh, a former independent senator, was delivering the Easter message at Naparima College auditorium Monday following the Presbyterian Church’s sports committee first Easter Monday parade under the banner Resurrection Victory through the streets of San Fernando.

Recalling the recent murders of La Romaine teenager Rinarco Balgobin, pregnant mother Stacy Ann Campbell and the La Romaine quadruple murders, he said these acts of violence were too frequent and too regular.

“The appeal from the Cross is

for all those who are criminally-minded to change your lifestyle, every murder, every theft and all acts of violence constitute those who destroy home and family life. You, the criminally-minded out there who are contemplating what is happening in the story of the crucifixion, please be merciful to other families. Too often violence against a family member invokes the law of retribution and revenge would expose your own family to serious dangers. All criminally-minded, I wish they would hear us on this Easter day— do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”

Teelucksingh said Jesus knew the immense value of the family and how that institution could be affected by violence.

“Violence against the home and family in Trinidad and Tobago will hear him say at this time, will hear him say again

Williams to act for another six months

TRINIDAD -- Stephen Williams has been given his 13th extension as the country’s acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) for the next six months.

Williams received his appointment on Holy Thursday from the Police Service Commission extending his acting position effective April 1 to September 30.

This was confirmed Monday to the T&T Guardian by the Police Service Commission’s (PSC) Assistant Director Public Education, Rae-Ann Harper-Walters.

The extension was imperative due to the delay by the special select committee (SSC) to submit its findings to the House of

Representatives on the last PSC’s choice on the permanent appointments for CoP and Deputy Commissioners. Last Wednesday, the House of Representatives met to consider the notification of the President to confirm the appointment of the newest PSC member, Bliss Seepersad. President Paula-Mae Weekes move to fill the vacancy which prohibited the work of the PSC.

In January, the PSC submitted the name of acting Deputy Commissioner Deodat Dulalchan as the top nominees for the post of Commissioner of Police.

- Trinidad Guardian

T&T—behold the family. He speaks to this nation today, he speaks to this nation on this Easter time, take care of the family—Trinidad and Tobago, behold the family, protect the family.

“Indeed the crime and violence, whether on the streets or in a home, domestic violence, any kind of violence, leaves the family perilously endangered. The family in Trinidad and Tobago is facing its darkest hour.”

Quoting the words of former United Kingdom prime minister Winston Churchill to “never give up” during Hilter’s reign, Teelucksingh said: “And when it comes to defending and protecting the family in Trinidad and Tobago, this most valuable institution is being threatened..never give up.

“Today, in this country there are many orphans because of crime and vio-

lence, there are many widows and widowers because of violence, grieving sisters and brothers all across this country, violence has robbed homes of too many husbands and breadwinners, young men, women and children are often victims of a crime rate engulfing T&T.”

Teelucksingh said his hope this Easter was for the protection of the most important institution—family.

Church moderator Rev Annabell Lalla-Ramkelawan said for those who believed that the church was dying, it was not.

Portraying Mary Magdalene, LallaRamkelawan said if anything, the church was strong and powerful.

- Trinidad Guardian

Police officer hurt in Cunupia crash

TRINIDAD -- A police officer was injured after he crashed into a concrete post along the Old Southern Main Road in Cunupia, after avoiding a collision with two other vehicles.

The incident, which occurred shortly after 2 pm Monday, was caught on camera and shared on social media.

The police driver swerved around a black pickup which suddenly turned right into the compound of a bar and clipped a burgundy wagon, avoiding a head-on crash, before slamming into the post.

The two airbags deployed upon

impact and passersby went to the officer’s assistance.

The driver, who was identified as PC Khan of the Cunupia Police Station, was seriously injured and is currently warded at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope.

The driver of the black pick up van is said to be assisting police in their investigations.

- Trinidad Guardian

Bodies of drowning victims recovered

TRINIDAD -- The bodies of the two cousins who drowned after a boating accident off Manzanilla on Easter Sunday washed ashore, Monday.

The bodies of Darion Curtis Simon, 22 and Devon Wendell Trotman, 29, a WASA employee, both of St Joseph Street, Foster Road, Sangre Grande, were recovered around 11.30 am along the Manzanilla shoreline by a beachgoer, police said.

The two cousins were on their first camping trip with three other relatives for the Easter long weekend.

According to reports, around 2.30 pm on Easter Sunday the men rented the boat and went out to sea.

However, the engine apparently failed and the rough waves capsized boat.

The men, who were not wearing life jackets, were thrown overboard into the

water.

Brian Courtier, 34, a barber and father of three, Sheldon Bethelemy 39, a father of three and Asfa Trotman, 39 all of Foster Road, climbed onto the boat while Simon and Trotman disappeared under the choppy water.

Three young men who were on the beach witnessed the incident and went to their assistance. They were joined by life-

guards from Manzanilla and the men were brought to shore.

Other lifeguards, as well as Coast Guard divers, went in search of the men but were unsuccessful on Sunday.

PC Ramroop and WPC Gonzales of Manzanilla police visited the scene. The tragedy has plunged the Foster Road community into sadness.

- Trinidad Guardian

Trinidad and Tobago promoter, Glenroy Watson is today expressing apology and regret to organisers of the Love and Harmony Cruise where, earlier this week, an erroneous report insinuating that Buju

Banton’s first performance, post prison release, would be in Trinidad and Tobago. Watson today said this is incorrect. Lamenting that such news, which essentially infuriated many Jamaicans and others on the artiste’s management team, was unfortunately misspoken, Watson, in the same breath assured fans of the ‘Hills and Valleys’ singer in Trinidad and Tobago, that he certainly has secured an April 2019 date, for a concert that will be headlined by Buju. “I am just a bit bothered by the fact that the people of Jamaica and other par-

ties with vested interest in Buju Banton, have been uneasy since the initial announcement was made. That of course, was incorrect. There is absolutely no confirmation just yet, as to where Buju will perform first. We have confirmed our date for the Trinidad and Tobago show in April but that is it. We could never say where Buju will perform first,” he said. Watson has been a part of the entertainment landscape in the Caribbean and North America for over a decade. In 2009, he hosted the I Am Legend concert event – the last Trinidad and Tobago

had seen and experienced the reggae and dancehall hit maker. “We are preparing for what will definitely be a mammoth concert event. Right now though, the important thing is for everyone Buju to be reunited with his family, his close friends and the people of his homeland who love, respect and have missed him,” said Watson.

Mark Myrie Buju Banton will be released from a US Federal prison on December 8th, 2018.

- EBuzzTT

‘Built By Rhondy’ takes fitness to the next level

For Rhondel Marshall, fitness has always been much more than a hobby but rather a lifestyle, one that has prompted his immense interest in assisting others in becoming the best version of themselves physically.

Marshall regards his employment in fitness as not merely a personal trainer but an “aesthetic director”, as the ‘holistic’ training and mentorship he provides for each of his clients goes way beyond just physical fitness.

“When it comes to aesthetics, not only is it about the workout but it’s about the look. It’s about skin care, it’s about how you carry yourself, what you eat and how you eat,” said Marshall. “So, I not only offer the training aspect, it’s about healthy living and how you look as well.”

This has been the vision behind his independently crafted fitness brand ‘Built by Rhondy’ a brand that wholly represents the service he provides.

Marshall was born in Canada to parents of Trinidadian and Jamaican background, identifying more with Trinidadian roots. He spent most of his formative years living within the Jane and Finch area of Toronto. Though his upbringing was of humble circumstance, Marshall expressed that he was always optimistic and determined to progress. In his later years, he moved to Brampton to live with his paternal family. While adjusting to a new environment, he dabbled in various fields such as accounting, policing and computer engineering. All

through this, one thing remained consistent in his life, his unwavering dedication towards his own fitness and health.

Growing up in a predominately Trinidadian household, his indulgence in the annual ‘Caribana’ events was inherent. Marshall shared that his involvement in modeling for various costume sections over the years has been one of the major reasons for his consistent fitness lifestyle, so trips to the gym have always been a regular routine for him.

During a regular workout session at an LA Fitness gym, Marshall was approached by the manager who offered him a job at the facility. He went on to work as an assistant personal training director at LA Fitness. While working at the facility, Marshall discovered that his interest in fitness could be made into a specialized craft.

“It was something that I always wanted to pursue,” he said. “I guess I just wasn’t courageous enough to do it nor did I believe that it was possible for me but working there made me realize what I really wanted for myself and what I was capable of.”

Soon after, Marshall resigned his position at LA Fitness, due to circumstances that conflicted with his initial goals of becoming a personal trainer and mentor. He went on to pursue it independently. While providing personal training services to a clientele that he managed to build over time, and receiving much positive feedback, the idea to develop his own brand was fully con-

ceptualized.

“One of the main reasons I wanted to do it is because the way I gained success at LA Fitness I feel that if you are good at something then you should get paid for it,” he said.

“Work is when you don’t like what you are doing and fitness has always been a big part of my life. Fitness is what I do and I’m going to be doing fitness for the rest of my life. So, I thought why not now turn this into a brand and turn it into something that I can administer to people.”

With this vision that he has seen come to fruition, Marshall has now taken his branding a bit further with his recent venture, ‘Built by Rhondy’ gym apparel. This he said came to him as a way to not only popularize his brand but to also expand his service of providing the ‘holistic’ fitness experience.

Available are a wide variety of fitness gear and accessories for all genders, including leggings, tights, compression tank tops, hoodies, track pants, toques, smart watches and more, with the goal to add a line of different apparels in the future.

Marshall expressed that what sets him and his line of work apart from others is his determination to go way beyond the norm of what is expected of a typical personal trainer.

“I feel like most trainers they come and they just tell you ‘run here, lift this, pull that’ and they call it a day but for me, I instruct and provide consultation on so many

things,” he said. “With me, it’s not just about training and you achieve whatever goal in two days, with me it’s about living, fitness is a lifestyle. It’s a lifelong thing.”

“With my brand, I want to show truth, my brand is about integrity, my brand is about consistency, those are the things I preach.”

Regarding future plans for this brand, Marshall expressed his hopes to see his business progressing in the future well enough to be able to expand and open his own fitness facility.

“I want to be able to reach more people and actually establish an operation with more professionals and make it even more worthwhile and trustworthy,” he said.

“Fitness is something that you will have to test, something that you will have to figure out, no one thing works for every single person so when it comes to fitness I show that it needs to be deviated from what the industry or social media has turned it into. I feel like individuals who are actually willing to do what it takes to be fit and healthy are the individuals that we need to focus on.”

Those wishing to support ‘Build by Rhondy’ may do so by following the Instagram page @builtbyrhondy for more updates and information on services and products provided.

Written by Kabrena Robinson Toronto Caribbean Reporter

Video Release date: April 6th 2018 | You Tube: FIX YUH RAPTORS CHANT

Travelling solo as a woman? Here’s what you need to know

Ready to conquer your dream destination on a trip that’s 100 per cent yours? Before you pack your bags, consider these female solo travel tips. After all, forewarned is forearmed!

HEALTH

Six weeks before your departure, schedule an appointment at a travel clinic to receive any vaccinations you might need. This crucial precaution can help you to avoid major health problems while you’re away. You should also make sure you have all of the prescription medication you’ll need (birth control pills, for instance), and take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy. If anything goes wrong, you’ll be glad you thought ahead!

INFORMATION

Research the country you’re planning to visit. Educate yourself about how women

typically dress, and learn about the dominant religion, local culture, customs and languages spoken (memorize some basic vocabulary and common expressions, if you can), the food, weather, health risks, etc.

COMMUNICATION

Once you’re there, make a habit of communicating with friends and family on a regular basis. Most major cities now have establishments where you can use the Internet, which means you can leave your tablet or smartphone at home; incidentally, these gadgets tend to be popular with thieves.

BEHAVIOUR

Act confident and self-assured at all times. In other words, don’t seem lost and vulnerable or behave like a typical tourist, because ill-intentioned people may try to take advantage of you. Carefully plan all of your trips, travel light, and keep your important documents in a special pouch on your body (directly on your stomach, under your shirt, for instance).

Pack like a pro with these five savvy tips

Whether it be filled to the brim or difficult to carry, your suitcase can be a real pain to lug around during your travels. Here are five tips to help you pack like an expert.

1. Buy a quality suitcase. Choose a practical model that has pockets, straps and easyto-open compartments. Lightweight, rigid suitcases that have wheels and handles are easy to move around and make for excellent choices.

2. Roll up your clothes. Store your pants and t-shirts like soldiers do, that is by rolling them up. This proven technique keeps clothes wrinkle-free while saving space.

3. Make a bundle of your clot hes. If you are truly lacking in space for your clothes, pile them up as if you were making a cross by placing the tops vertically and the pants horizontally. Then, fold them up,

one piece at a time, to form a compact bundle.

4. Use travel-sized products. Mini containers of toiletries will save you a lot of space. Here’s a practical tip: place them in a big, transparent zip-lock bag. You’ll find them in a blink!

5. Use every last nook and cranny. Imagine you are playing Tetris to take advantage of every single space. For example, stuff your socks inside your shoes, and slide flat objects into pockets.

Witness the wild on an African safari

Who hasn’t dreamed of visiting the African jungle to search for wild, majestic, rare animals? Picture this: it’s early in the morning or late in the afternoon. You climb aboard a jeep; an experienced tour guide is at the wheel. One kilometre after the next, you encounter, to your great delight, a myriad of magnificent species wandering around their natural habitats — it’s nothing like the zoo!

One thing is for sure: you’ve never seen anything like African flora and fauna before. During a real safari, you’ll get a chance to see hippos, lions, elephants, chimpanzees, rhinos, leopards, crocodiles, giraffes, wildebeests, warthogs and zebras (to name a few), not to men-

tion countless species of exotic birds. What about the landscape? Depending on the region you visit, you might happen upon spectacular rivers and waterfalls, deserts as far as the eye can see, luxuriant prairies, mysterious forests or dizzying rocky cliffs. It’s safe to say that you’ve probably never had so much beauty to take in.

Are you ready to cross off the ultimate wildlife experience from your bucket list? Get in touch with a travel agency in your area to start planning the trip of a lifetime. Don’t forget your camera!

DESTINATIONS

The following African countries are renowned for their high-quality safaris: South Africa, Cameroon, Uganda, Namibia, Tanzania, Senegal, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Take your pick!

Sunny destinations off the beaten path

All-inclusive beach vacations will always be enticing. A week or two of food, fun and guiltfree relaxation is enough to tempt a large number of vacationers who are looking for a break from their hectic everyday lives. That being said, some travellers prefer experiences that force them out of their comfort zone. If you’re part of this crowd, keep reading for a brief overview of the hidden treasures in four scenic, sunny and storied countries.

COSTA RICA

This country offers extraordinary expeditions in the heart of the wilderness. In addition to tropical animals (think monkeys, sloths and parrots, to name just a few), you’ll get to witness volcanoes and take unforgettable leaps into white water.

NICARAGUA

you’ll unravel stories of the country’s famous political uprisings as well as learn all about the cane sugar and rum industries. And don’t forget your dancing shoes to get moving to the sound of caliente Cuban music.

HONDURAS

Explore ancient Mayan ruins, amble around beautiful port cities and drift along magnificent lagoons in Honduras, which also happens to be a scuba diving paradise.

Archaeological sites, bustling markets, artisanal masterpieces, volcanoes and other wonders — like the largest freshwater lake in Central America — are just a few of the marvels you’ll appreciate about this incredible country.

CUBA

Cuba’s culture and history are absolutely fascinating. From Santiago de Cuba to Trinidad,

Sunshine destinations are packed with wonders to discover. From nature to culture to architecture, treat yourself to an enchanting experience!

Imagine the stunning animals and breathtaking landscapes you might see on an African safari.

VENDORS WANTED

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Jayne Nicole Jeary

Jayne Nicole Jeary Shades Hoisery For Women of Colour

“This is something that is truly valuable to the community”

Roger Dey

Roger Dey Voice Overs

“This was such a great way for us to engage with the community”

Constable Cameel Chambers

Peel Regional Police

“This event

Jackie T

Iris Backayard Sauces

VEGETARIAN NAAN PIZZA Made With Tikka Masala

Sauces may be the most interesting aspect of a given dish. They serve to moisten food, to enhance it, to complement it. A basic sauce might be a combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice or vinegar combined with good tasting oil to give it body, smoothness, more flavour, and balance. You might also add fresh herbs or minced aromatics. Each of these refinements adds complexity and texture to boost your basic flavour.

Sauces can be divided into two groups:

1. Those that are made separately from the dish with which they will be used. This category is large and includes vinaigrettes, brilliantly versatile pesto,

chutneys, salsas, ketchup, hollandaise, pepper sauces, tomato-based sauces, apple or cranberry sauce, just to name a few. Basically, anything that is made independently. These types of sauces are useful on foods in which there are no pan juices.

ones usually fall off.

You’ll need

• 4 - 6 plain or garlic naan

• 2 cups vegetarian tikka masala sauce

• 2 cups packed baby greens (spinach, kale, arugula)

You’ll Need

2. Then there are reduction sauces. Reductions sauces build on the pan juices that naturally result from stove-top cooking or oven roasting of meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables. A good reduction sauce exploits the natural flavours of the dish and can be made in minutes with the addition of ingredients such as stock, cream, juice, and even water. Stock alone is not the foundation of most worthwhile reduction sauces.

When it comes to making pizza, cooks know that as long as there are some moist ingredients on top of the pizza - from pesto to drizzled olive oil to your favourite sauce - the ingredients will bind together. To add, you can also put nearly anything you want on a pizza, as long as it isn’t too wet or too dry; wet toppings make for a soggy crust, dry

• 1 cup cooked and cubed sweet potato

• 1 cup roasted chickpeas

• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (or as desired)

• Fresh oregano

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205° C). Place the naan on parchment paperlined baking sheets.

2. Coarsely chop the baby greens and stir with the tikka masala in a small bowl. Spread evenly over the naan. Top with the sweet potato, chickpeas, and feta.

3. Bake 10 - 15 minutes until edge is crisp. Serve topped with extra baby greens and oregano.

Bonus Recipe: Roasted chickpeas also

make for a healthy snack option to enjoy at home or on the go. They’re also super easy to cook. Always rinse and drain canned chickpeas well before using.

• 4 cups cooked chickpeas

• 3 tablespoons canola oil

• 2 tablespoons preferred spices (or a mix of paprika, dried herbs, salt, and pepper)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205° C).

2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and spread onto parchment paper or greased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Let cool and enjoy!

Pizza can be cooked quickly and easily at home, whether by making the dough or buying it fresh. Similarly, pita bread, naan, and flour tortillas can also be homemade or bought, and they take well to a variety of toppings.

Embrace your natural grey

Do you long to say goodbye to the monthly hair colouring cycle that never seems to end? Maybe fully embrace your silver hair? Here are a few tips for a smooth transition.

Ten makeup bag essentials

Aiming for a minimalist approach to your makeup collection? For any situation where you want to look your best, all you really need are the following ten items:

1. Loose powder (to set your makeup and prevent shine)

2. Concealer (perfect for hiding imperfections)

3. Blush (powder or cream)

4. Foundation (liquid or powder, depending on your desired level of coverage)

5. An eyebrow pencil (the same shade as your natural eyebrows)

CONSULT A PRO

To avoid living with a patchy mess for months — the time it’ll take for your natural hair to regrow — find a hair colouring expert that will inspire confidence in your decision. They’ll be able to help you consider solutions that will help camouflage your grey hair in the cleverest ways (with strategically placed highlights, for example).

USE QUALITY PRODUCTS

To keep your hair looking its best, use quality products that are specifically designed for mature or greying hair. This will prevent your hair from taking on a yellow tinge and make it shine.

A FLATTERING CUT

Are you in a hurry to make the change to natural grey hair? Speed up the process by adopting a cute, short haircut. For a youthful, dynamic look, put your faith in a hairstyle with a bit of character!

Charcoal: your newest beauty companion

6. Eyeliner (black or brown)

7. An eyeshadow palette (choose neutral shades)

8. Lip gloss (to wear alone or over lipstick)

9. Mascara (black or dark brown)

10. Lipstick (a shade that’s close to your natural lip colour)

If you want your investment to pay off, always choose high-quality cosmetics, and don’t hesitate to consult with a specialist to ensure you’re getting the best products for your needs.

Five tips for healthy eyelashes

Are your lashes short, thin and sparse with a tendency to fall out? To strengthen your eyelashes and make them beautiful, follow these five proven tips!

1. Refine your makeup removal technique. Make sure you thoroughly clean your eye area every night before going to bed — no exceptions! To do this properly, lightly apply a layer of makeup remover around your eyes with a cotton ball or pad. Then, let the product work for one or two minutes before gently wiping away any excess, paying careful attention not to rub (rubbing could cause your eyelashes to fall out).

2. Give nourishing serums a try. Many cosmetics manufacturers offer products designed to revitalize your lashes. Such serums, which stimulate eyelash growth and strengthen brittle lashes, are particularly recommended for women who wear mascara daily and those whose eyelashes have been weakened by prolonged extension use.

3. Treat your lashes with oil. If your lashes are looking lacklustre, concoct a home remedy you

can use for two or three weeks. With the help of a perfectly clean mascara brush, coat your lashes in castor oil, argan oil, sweet almond oil, or olive oil. Some people even swear by petroleum jelly (Vaseline)!

To find the right eyelash serum and makeup remover for your precious lashes, ask your local cosmetics expert.

4. Fill up on nutrients. To promote the growth of your lashes, focus on maintaining a diet rich in protein and vitamin B. Brewer’s yeast is also known for its positive effects on eyelash, hair and nail growth. Take it in capsule form (you’ll find this at your local drug store), or opt instead for a bottle of your favourite beer.

5. Massage your eyelids. Massage your eyelids with the tips of your fingers for a few minutes every day to stimulate the follicles of your lashes. The result? Your eyelashes will grow faster and stronger.

Voilà! Now you’ll have the seductive lashes you’ve always dreamed of!

Shampoos, exfoliants, soaps, scrubs, masks, cleansers, and all kinds of other personal care products containing charcoal are flooding the market lately — and with good reason. Sometimes referred to as “activated charcoal,” this all-natural ingredient comes with numerous benefits.

PROPERTIES OF CHARCOAL

Charcoal has an abundance of impressive properties that make it ideal for eliminating impurities from the skin’s surface that cause blackheads and other imperfections. This sought-after ingredient also has antibacterial and regenerative properties.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Charcoal-based products are recommended particularly for people with oily or acne-prone skin, as well as for those whose skin is sensitized by environmental or hormonal factors such as stress and pollution. Since it doesn’t compromise your skin’s natural moisture barrier, you can use it every day.

charcoal, also known as activated charcoal, is typically made from coconut shells or pieces of wood that are heated to high temperatures.

Cosmetic

Yoga teaches surrender

of pants we like because they don’t have our size or not getting the job offer we wanted. It can also be serious tragedy or illness that may make us angry and make us feel like life is against us.

“Life wants to surprise, delight, and grow us in ways far beyond our imagination.” (Adele, Deborah The Yamas & Niyamas pg. 166). This can be very hard to believe sometimes. This can be very, very hard to believe sometimes. Did I mention how very hard this can be to believe sometimes? Things can happen in life that can definitely throw us for a loop and attempt to take us off of our path. It can be as “insignificant” as not getting the pair

Surrender (or the Sanskrit – Ishvara Pranidhana) is part of one of the 8 Limbs of Yoga (Niyama). As always, we can approach Surrender within the Limb of Asana (yoga postures), but more than the physical it can be a challenge in our lives outside of our physical yoga practice. It is, however, all about perspective and being mindful to remember that we have the choice to be carried to the other side of an experience with more strength and knowledge, which is also potentially preparing us for something else. Easier said than done, I know. This is easy when things are going well and going our way. In a way, our ego is being satisfied, but when it’s not, we can get frustrated by not

seeing the bigger picture. Just like working through poses in the body, this mental work requires attention and care too.

Surrender requires ease, detachment from ego and quiet. The Niyama, Ishvara Pranidhana wants to show us that if we trust in life, the universe, God, whatever your belief system is, it wants us to succeed and support the path we are meant to take. Different yoga postures can be a pathway to this understanding. Adele talks about Shavasana as being a wonderful gateway. In this posture, on our backs, legs and arms out at an angle while we simply breathe, providing us an opportunity to silence our minds, to let go of expectations and tension (physical and mental). Taking this sensation off of the mat is where we can really meet life’s expectations.

I know that I feel this truth the most when opportunities come my way for

various reasons. When tragedy strikes, this is where I have to dig the deepest to remember that things don’t always turn out the way we planned, but that each challenge I have faced in my life has still brought me forward. I overcame it and I can do it again. Sometimes I have to tell myself some version of this many times per day, other times it’s reaching out to my support systems (friends or family) that will remind me of this in my darkest moments.

Ultimately, the truth is, life is there for us. If we do our best to maintain an attitude that is grateful and a perspective that we can handle anything and come out on top, life will continue to reward us. It’s a series of lessons positive and negative that carry us forward into the next experience. Surrendering to life is loving life.

Ten simple ways to squeeze in some exercise

Looking to get more exercise but can’t seem to find the time? Take advantage of every spare moment to get moving.

1. Do a few squats while you wash your hands

2. Dance while you clean up your house

3. Do some strength exercises (such as situps) during commercial breaks while watching television

4. Stand on the tips of your toes while doing the dishes to work your calf muscles

5. Flex your arms while carrying groceries

6. Whether you’re at the office or the mall, make it a rule to take the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator

7. Park far away from building entrances

8. Walk or ride your bike to work or, if that isn’t feasible, park a few minutes away from your office and walk the rest of the way

How to prevent muscle injuries

9. Stand, don’t sit, while riding public transit 10. Stretch your muscles during coffee breaks

You see: it’s easy to get active during the day, no matter how busy you are.

It’s a well-established fact that physical activity goes hand in hand with overall health, but exercising isn’t without its risks. Luckily, a few simple measures can go a long way in preventing muscle injury.

EQUIPMENT AND WORKOUT PLAN

Make sure that your sport or training program of choice is suitable for your physical condition, and don’t overexert yourself or try to take on too much too soon. It’s also important to practise proper form while you exercise. Furthermore, you’ll benefit greatly from having the right equipment; ill-fitting shoes, for example, are a common cause of sports injuries.

DIET AND HYDRATION

Drinking water before, during — don’t wait until you feel thirsty — and after each training session is vital to replenish lost fluids and avoid dehydration. To give your muscles the energy they need to get you through a workout unscathed, include lots

Diet tips for a healthy gut

of healthy carbs in your pre-exercise meals and favour lean foods, as fats require a lot of energy to digest. It’s a good idea to wait two or three hours after eating a full meal before exercising.

WARM-UP AND STRETCHING

Rushing into a strenuous activity before your muscles are properly warmed up is a great way to get hurt. Gradually prepare your body for physical effort with gentle warm-up exercises and stretches to jumpstart your circulatory system and improve your flexibility. Stretching several times a week has various long-term benefits, namely because stiff muscles are much more prone to injury.

REST AND MINDFULNESS

Getting enough sleep gives your body time to recuperate from exertion and enables it to better resist injuries. A final word of advice to help you keep injuries at bay: always listen to your body.

Make sure to include lots of fibre-rich foods in your diet. Your gut will thank you.

The billions of bacteria that populate your gastrointestinal tract are collectively known as your microbiome, or gut flora. These microorganisms, which, together, play a crucial role in your body’s immune response, are heavily influenced by your diet.

DIETARY FIBRE

Gut bacteria need fibre. Not only do they eat it, but they ferment it too; this produces amino acids, which play a central role in synthesizing proteins that are essential to our health. Every meal should therefore include foods rich in dietary fibre, such as fruits, vegetables, pulses, whole grains and nuts. The more varied the sources of fibre, the stronger the positive impact on microbiome diversity.

PROBIOTICS TO THE RESCUE

Antibiotics, as their name suggests, have a disruptive effect on gut flora. As they work to eradicate illness-causing microbes, they also eliminate good bacteria, leaving room for undesirable organisms to proliferate and cause symptoms such as inflammation and diarrhea. Health-care professionals recommend taking a probiotic supplement in conjunction with a course of antibiotics — and to only resort to antibiotics when absolutely necessary — to allow good bacteria to colonize the gut and stop bad ones from taking over during the healing process.

GUT-FRIENDLY FOODS

Certain foods are naturally rich in probiotics. Yogurt, sourdough bread and fermented unpasteurized cheeses can all help prevent infectious diarrhea (e.g. traveller’s diarr hea) and al le viate symptoms related to colic and irritable bowel syndrome.

Malcom London; A Young man with the Ability to Change the World!

fully caught myself and allowed myself to experience all that is Malcom London.

“I just want people to feel like they’re staring me in my eyes when they listen!” Malcom London

I was not sure what to expect when I walked into The Drake Hotel. I had received a Twitter message from this young man when I was away in England, and something about his requests made me want to respond. He had reached out to personally invite the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper to his concert, on Sunday, March 25, 2018, that is part of his current Right Away Series Tour. I had grabbed a few minutes to do some research on this young man, and I was instantly blown away. Please allow me to share with you my Malcom London experience.

When I arrived at The Drake, which was impossible to find, I was directed to the underground and entered a darkened room with candlelight and a crowd of young people in the middle singing along and rhyming along with the person on stage. I appreciated the intimacy of the event and made my way closer to the stage. I looked up, to see this young man wearing a very colorful dress; yes, I said dress. My first instinct was to pass judgment, but I thank-

colleen@carib101.com

His energy radiated throughout the room, and seemed to energize everyone; his lyrics had a message. He addressed issues that in some spaces would make people feel very uncomfortable, but he was able to do it with such grace, that he had the crowd interacting with him on controversial issues like race and gender inequality. As a poet, activist, educator, and musician, this internationally recognized Chicago native is not afraid to speak his mind on stage or off. He has appeared on PBS for the first-ever televised Ted Talk with John Legend and Bill Gates. His ability to draw an audience has given him the opportunity to share a stage with rapper Lupe Fiasco, and actor Matt Damon.

He is passionate about the issues that face African Americans and helped to organize a historic youth delegation to the United Nations in Geneva addressing police violence in Chicago. As an educator, he regularly visits high schools, youth jails, and colleges to actively participate in writing workshops and to perform before thousands of students. He gives back to his community by running one of the largest youth open mic nights in Chicago alongside his friend, Chance The Rapper. He continues to take what he learns from teaching and his activism work and interjecting it in his music. He has found a way to intersect justice and poetic imagination.

No great man exists without controversy; On November 24, 2015, Malcom was arrested for aggravated battery of a policeman, after the large protest that was held after the

Laquan McDonald video was released. So that you have some background, Laquan McDonald was shot and killed on October 20, 2014, in Chicago, Illinois, by Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke. Of course, Malcom’s story, and the police officer’s story were completely different in the retelling of events, but to add insult to injury, while he was sitting in jail, a young woman typed an open letter to the black, queer, feminist group London works with, descanting her experience with the young artist. She claimed that London had sexually assaulted her, and she wanted him to be held accountable. Needless to say, Malcom was hurt to hear a woman say that he had assaulted her because he has fought for black women and people along the LGBT spectrum for years. As I sat with the young man, I looked at him and thought, could it be possible? Could this young man be capable of what he has been accused of? Of course, he could, but let those who have not sinned cast the first stone. I was not here to lend my opinion on him, but rather take him for what he presented himself to be: a creative, well-spoken and energized young man who means well, and will not stop until justice is served in his community.

It was an honor to meet this young man, and I can see that he will rise to the top; with proper support and guidance, we could be looking at the next Malcom X. I wished him well and made him promise to come back and visit us here in Toronto. I think having him speak to young people in our community would be beneficial. We need to see more young people standing up for what is right and learning from their mistakes.

Preparing in chaos

Well, today I wanted to share with you a couple of tips in order to help and assist with chaos;

We all have lives as humans that bring forth chaos, it’s enviable, unfortunately. It may not be consistent all the time but every once in a while we get put into positions where things just get all muddled up, you know, shaken to the core. Plans change and things get wiped out. What we think is going to happen doesn’t and we’re put in situations with a lot of chaos. So, I ask you a question today, “How are you preparing for chaos in your life and setting yourself up to be able to handle it better?” That could mean having a savings account, that could mean emergency funds, that could mean having a way that you deal with chaos from a mindset perspective.

1. Always carry some extra gift cards in your car; for gas, for some groceries, for the main essentials that you would normally use and endeavor in every day or every week. This will allow you if you ever get into a financial chaos or into a stressful situation (like forgetting your wallet) you will have the essentials to get what you need.

2. In mindset, always prepare yourself for what you would do inside of times of chaos; breathing, grounding, taking a few minutes to just sit inside of things and not react with emotion but to come from a more logical place. Use your intuition to align what the next steps are going to be instead of moving in front of things in this chaotic state all the time. The more we can sit with ourselves in silence or quietness, the more we get answers inside of our space.

3. Have a support team in place that you can count on, that you can call to talk about things, that you can rely upon to support you and be there for you. It could be someone that could pick up your child, or you could call a friend if you’re ever in need for car repairs, or you ever need to vent, you know which people in your life you can call to do that to be able to move through chaos quicker. Support teams are a really big key piece.

So those are three tips today to be able to plan through chaos. Obviously, it’s really hard to plan chaos when it comes to scheduling it and stuff because chaos is chaos. But the better we can deal with it as people and honor the chaos and understand that we are going through learning or that things happen sometimes for reasons, the more we can get through it quicker and easier.

So, I wish you today a day full of amazing planning and I hope that you’re not going through chaos today, but if you are, that you get through it quicker!

Equalization and foreign held matrimonial property

valerie@carib101.com LEGAL

Part 1 of the Family Law Act deals with the division of assets between spouses after separation or divorce.

Section 5(1) states that: When a divorce is granted or a marriage is declared a nullity, or when the spouses are separated and there is no reasonable prospect that they will resume cohabitation, the spouse whose net family property is the lesser of the two net

family properties is entitled to one-half the difference between them.

The process by which property is divided between spouses is referred to as the equalization process. Section 9 of the Act outlines the power of the court during the equalization process. Apart from the power to order one spouse to pay to the other spouse the amount determined under section 5, Section 9 (1 d) also gives the court power to order that property be sold or partitioned or transferred to another spouse.

This situation changes when the net family property includes property outside of Ontario. Courts have generally decided that they have no jurisdiction to order a sale or partition or transfer of such property. In Marshall v Marshall the court said that it had no ability to give direction

and hold the respondent to account in any way, or otherwise ensure the other spouse’s beneficial interest is protected in the foreign property. In Potter vs Boston, the court stated that an Ontario Court does not have the right to make orders affecting title to land or property in a foreign jurisdiction except in cases related to contracts, trusts or equity. In other words. If the defendant resides in Ontario, if the parties owe a personal obligation to each other, if the court can supervise the execution of its order and if the order will be of effect in the place where the property is located then the court may make an order to enforce the personal rights of the other spouse.

These exceptions still do not allow the Ontario courts to make orders related to the title of the property or directing the sale, transfer or partitioning of the property.

Education week and empowering modern learners VALERIE

April is always an exciting time at school boards across Ontario. It’s Open House season as Education Week is celebrated usually in the latter half of the month. This is a great opportunity for parents, guardians and the community to celebrate the achievements of students. Parents, please visit your children’s school board website for the details regarding the dates for your children’s open house. Education week affords teachers and students the opportunity to showcase their teaching and learning. It’s an occasion for parents to get a first-hand glimpse into the classroom and witness their children’s learning. It is important for teachers to make their students’ learning visible so that all stakeholders can actively participate in the learning continuum.

At open houses, valuable information can be obtained. At the Peel District School Board (PDSB) on March 24th, well over a thousand parents attended our annual parent conference. Such conferences hap-

pen at many boards across the province. I would strongly recommend that guardians find out when their children’s school board host such events and attend. It is a great day of learning, lunch is provided and it’s a great way to get exposed to the latest in the educational realm. There are often many publishers, authors, educational experts, resource and service providers, and vendors selling various educational manipulatives. Dwayne Matthews, educational strategist, was the keynote. The Empowering Modern Learners (EML) conference gave parents a glimpse into what learning looks like today. Hey, don’t despair if you did not attend. You can participate in a host of education week activities and learn all about EML.

EML is a philosophy. Today’s educators are preparing students for jobs that don’t even exist yet. As such it’s of utmost importance to arm our students with the gift of critical thinking. Today’s students must be collaborative, lifelong learners who are open and willing to adapt to an ever-changing environment. EML is not all about technology. The competencies for the modern learner are creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, collaboration, communication, learning to learn, global citizenship and critical thinking and problem-solving. The modern learning document lists six innovative elements that are essential to teaching and learning in today’s classroom. They are as follows:

Learning Culture, Informative Assessment, Access to Technology, Twenty First Learning Competencies, Learning Environments and Models of Learning. These six elements promote a growth mindset, encourages continual learning while supporting the wellbeing of each learner in an inclusive space utilizing an instructional approach that is differentiated to meet the needs of all learners.

Did you know that all boards have a Parent Involvement Committee (PIC)? The Ministry of Education has mandated that all boards should have a committee comprised of parents, trustees and the director of education. The purpose of the PIC is to “ support, encourage, and enhance meaningful parental involvement within schools and across the district, seek advice and ideas of school councils and other parents and partners as they plan and implement strategies to involve more parents at the regional level, work collaboratively with the school board, develop strategies for increasing parental engagement and outreach, including parents who find involvement more challenging and support student success”.

On April 11th, the PDSB PIC will be hosting their Family Affair Conference for School Councils. These conferences allow parent council representatives to network and share information which is then brought back to local school councils. The information that is shared is often very valuable. Did

They can, however, make orders enforcing the personal rights and obligations arising from title or rights to the property. As such the Ontario courts can make orders that the defendant should make a payment to the plaintiff, which payment will take into account the value of the foreign held property. If, for instance, Spouse A owns property in New York valued at the equivalent of $500,000 Canadian dollars, the Ontario Court cannot order a sale of the property or order that the property be transferred from one spouse to the other.

The Ontario courts may however, order that the property be valued so that the courts can determine the net family property of Spouse A and thus determine the amount of equalization payment that should be made to the other spouse.

you know that members of the public can apply to join any of the sub-committees of the PDSB PIC? I would encourage parents to join their children’s school council as in this venue you get exposed to a lot of learning opportunities regarding education and the nuances of your children’s school. If parents or guardians are unable to attend the parent council in person a great alternative would be to sign up to receive the parent council and or school newsletter

It would be remiss of me not to comment on the fact that it’s refreshing to see that there are still politicians that are willing to stand up for what is right. I am referring to Whitby’s Member of parliament Celina Caesar-Chavannes. Dismantling and calling out racism can be isolating work and it’s encouraging to see that people are willing to call it out regardless of the fallout. Isn’t it ironic, how, by calling out racism you are often accused of being racist or always seeing things through a “black lens”? Such incidents reinforce the need for parents, guardians and the community to stay the course and arm our youth with an education so that our children, African, Black, Caribbean and any marginalised child can take their rightful place in society. So. journey with me as we Empower Modern Learners. Walk Good! Belle Marché.

Dating in the church gone wrong

KEZIA ROYERBURKETT

kezia@carib101.com

DATING SPECIALIST

I grew up going to church every Sunday with my family; it was just what we did. I always thought I would marry someone from the same faith as me but as time goes on it’s starting to look very bleak. I have experienced more negative situations dating guys I have met at church than anywhere else. My parents always asked when I start dating a guy “Is he Christian?” I used to feel guilty saying no when I began to venture outside of dating guys at church. But now I care less about religion but more about how the guy lives his life, I like to see if his said beliefs match his actions. Anyone can go to church on Sunday, it doesn’t mean they are a good person.

At the age of fourteen, my parents decided to attend a new church, and the head pastor of the church was a woman. As a young girl growing up in the church, I had never seen a woman as the head of the church, and I was in awe of what appeared to be extraordinary progressive leadership.

At the age of sixteen, I volunteered at the church’s summer camp as a camp leader. That summer I met this guy that helped with the accounting at the church and we instantly connected. He took me on my first real date ever. As a girl growing up, I always dreamed of meeting the man of my dreams at a young age, and we would grow up together like the movie Love and Basketball. We would meet in my first year of high school, grade nine and date all throughout my high school years, go to prom together like I saw on tv and possibly go to the same post-secondary school. The guy and I officially became boyfriend and girlfriend a couple of weeks after meeting as my parents surprisingly agreed to the relationship. He was such a nice guy, he volunteered at church and attended bible study. He genuinely loved the Lord and motivated me to strengthen my relationship with God.

People at church started to learn

about our relationship and it even got back to the head pastor which was a bit shocking because it was a 5,000 member church. The guy that I had fallen hopelessly in love with, was being mentored to become a pastor so the pastors at the church kept a close eye on his activities etc. The age gap of us dating really rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, he was five years older than me but over eighteen and I was sixteen, so before our relationship could really start it faced a lot of opposition. We decided to keep our relationship private, we didn’t sit together at church, and I didn’t share the details of my relationship with people. My first real relationship was a secret, but I was ok with it because I figured it wouldn’t be like this forever. I was almost eighteen and then we could make our relationship public.

To make a long story short the guy I was dating was forced to break up with me as per the pastor’s instructions because they said we were not spiritually compatible. I was now seventeen and heartbroken, who was I going to go to prom with? How could someone else decide who should and shouldn’t date? The guy was encouraged to date and marry another girl from the church, someone they had asked to mentor me. So basically my boyfriend married my mentor, and I was left single and confused.

My ex’s marriage lasted about five years maximum, he was unhappy. He didn’t want to be married to that woman, he did it for the church, and ended up stuck in a position. He was asked to leave the church because of the divorce and remarried and is living happily with his new growing family.

I share all of this to ask, is it the church’s position to determine who people date and marry? Should anyone, even religious leaders have more influence over your life than your conscience? The irony of this story is that the pastor is divorced herself and giving ultimatum style advice to members of her church and landing them in failing marriages.

Have you ever experienced dating drama at church? Or any other religious institution? If so, please share your stories with me and I will share them through the column.

How much ventilation does your bathroom need?

Every bathroom needs an exhaust fan to keep mould and other moisture ­related damage at bay, but how strong that fan should be varies considerably depending on the size of the room. According to the Home Ventilating Institute (HVI), here’s how to calculate how much ventilation you need for a given space, in cubic feet per metre (cfm):

DID YOU KNOW?

According to the HVI, you should let your bathroom fan run for 20 minutes after using the washroom to give it enough time to fulfil its main task. This means you’ll need to choose a model that can be turned on and off with a switch separate from the one you use for the lights. Fans equipped with a programmable timer are even better.

• For rooms smaller than 100 square feet, calculate 1 cfm per square foot

• For rooms larger than 100 square feet, calculate 1 cfm per square foot, and add 50 cfm per toilet, bathtub and shower.

Something to keep in mind: if several people will regularly be using the bathroom one after another, you may be better off with a fan that’s a bit stronger than the standard recommendation.

What type of toilet should you buy?

Remodelling your bathroom? Putting in a powder room? Regardless of why you’re in the market for a new toilet, choosing the right model might not be as straightforward as it seems. Price is just one factor to consider; here are five others.

1. SEAT SHAPE

While longer, oblong toilets are more comfortable, round ones take up less space and can be a better fit for smaller bathrooms.

2. BOWL HEIGHT

If it’s going to be used by people who are very tall or have limited mobility, choose a toilet whose seat is at least 42 centimetres (16.5 inches) off the ground to make it easier to get up from. However, some people find tall toilets uncomfortable. Another option is to install a grab bar beside a standard­sized model.

3. WATER FLOW

Typical toilet tanks contain six litres of water. However, more efficient models with a smaller, 4.8­litre tank are

also available to reduce water waste without any noticeable impact on flush effectiveness. To maximize your water savings, choose a dual­flush toilet with both a low­flow and a regular flush option.

4. TYPE OF TOILET

There are all kinds of toilets available on the market today. Here are some of the most common types:

• Two ­piece toilets (where the bowl and reservoir are separate) are the most affordable.

• One ­piece toilets are easier to clean and usually have a more modern look. Because the bowl and reservoir form a single piece, the risk of leaks is virtually eliminated.

• Wall­mounted toilets are low­maintenance, visually appealing, and create the illusion of a larger room, but they’re more expensive and harder to install than other kinds.

• Toilets equipped with a bidet are becoming increasingly popular in North America. While their initial cost is high, they virtually eliminate the need for toilet paper, which can mean considerable savings in the long run.

5. CLEARANCE

Standard clearance between a toilet and a wall is 30.48 centimetres (12 inches), but some models have different specifications. Make sure to double ­ check your measurements before you start shopping.

To ensure a matching finish, shop for your sink at the same time as your toilet.

Say yes to oversized windows

Oversized windows and glass doors are all the rage right now, and for good reason. Large windows let lots of natural light — not to mention a nice breeze on pleasant days — into the home. What’s more, they provide the best views for you to enjoy while you’re indoors.

Last, but not least, extra­large windows can give any interior a huge style upgrade. Convinced? Visit a local window and door specialist without delay.

Choose the right staircase for your interior

What kind of staircase is best for your space? Read on for some pros and cons of different styles.

STRAIGHT STAIRCASES

Straight staircases are the easiest to install, which also means that they’re usually the most affordable option. Far from boring, straight staircases come in all styles and finishes, from wood to stone to glass. Their only real downside is that they take up more room than other staircase types, but the possibilities for under­the ­stairs storage make up for some of the lost space.

Straight staircases are versatile and easy to install, but they take up more space than angled models.

ANGLED STAIRCASES

If a straight staircase doesn’t suit your needs, consider a more complex model with landings, turns or winders. L­shaped, U­shaped and spiral staircases all take up less space than a basic straight flight of stairs, but they’re trickier to install and thus more expensive. Spiral staircases are the most compact of all, but their narrow steps sacrifice a bit of comfort.

To find out which type of staircase is best suited for your functional and stylistic needs, nothing beats asking a local expert.

INFINITI unveils luxury models

Infiniti is beginning to earn quite the reputation in the luxury car world. The automaker is focusing its efforts this year on two important models, which also happen to be the brand’s most popular assets. The Q50, successor of the popular G35, will be offered in more varieties than ever in an attempt to seriously compete with its German-made counterparts. A more affordable version of the Q50 will notably be added alongside the powerful 400-horsepower Red Sport edition.

Other big news for Infiniti: the QX50 will feature the world’s first-ever variable compression engine. This 2.0-L 4-cylinder will output 268 horsepower at a variable compression rate, providing drivers with the best of both worlds in terms of performance and fuel economy. To leave room for this allnew QX50, Infiniti has retired the QX70 (formerly the FX). The Q60, a newcomer last year, will return unchanged for 2018, and the Q70 is slated to undergo cosmetic upgrades in time for the 2020 model-year.

The popular QX30 will also be back in 2018 without any major changes, while the QX60 will be available as a Limited edition over the course of the summer. The only noteworthy changes on the SUV

JEEP refreshes its high-end SUVs

front come with the QX80, which now sports a flashier style and a more luxurious feel to compete with the likes of the Cadillac Escalade, the Lexus LX 570 or the upcoming Lincoln Navigator.

The Wrangler will be available with a new turbocharged 270-horsepower 4-cylinder engine as well as the returning 3.6-L V6.

A 3.0-L diesel model will become available sometime in 2018, and a plug-in hybrid is expected to make its debut in 2019. A much-awaited pickup version of the Wrangler, dubbed the Scrambler, is slated to arrive in dealerships in early 2019. It will include two rows of seating and a 6-foot bed.

Other expected newcomers include the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, which will be built on the same chassis as the Ram and share much of the latter’s mechanical components. Both Wagoneer versions will aim to compete in the high-end SUV segment with GM models such as the Tahoe, Yukon and Suburban. You’ll have to wait until mid-2019 before seeing any Wagoneers on the road, though. Jeep has also postponed plans to renew its Grand Cherokee until 2019. The Cherokee and Compass, both of which were updated last year, will return unchanged for 2018, as will the Renegade.

Jeep, the best-known and most lucrative division of the FCA Group, is launching a new Wrangler this year. After a ten-year wait, fans can expect a conservative stylistic evolution but lots of new developments when it comes to the cabin and powertrain.

2018 Infiniti Q60

2018 Infiniti QX50

2018 Infiniti QX80

2018 Jeep Compass

2018 Jeep Wrangler

Guide to invest in second mortgages

mortgages have higher risks and higher rewards.

There are many reasons why people need second mortgages. With the new stress test, buyers will qualify for less mortgage and to make up the shortfall, they will resort to borrowing private funds. Others may need it because of their poor credit or being selfemployed or to start a new business. The lender would give the borrower a lump sum amount and in return, the borrower would make regular monthly payments by electronic withdrawal or post-dated cheques to the lender.

tiple properties. Before lending, make sure the home is marketable. It is better to lend on a home in Toronto then one in Thunder Bay. Avoid lending to owners with large expensive homes. Large expensive homes take longer to sell, and chances are the first mortgage and property taxes will be substantial.

Jacob and Andrea get $2,000 cash flow every month from their home. They took a home equity line of credit for $300,000 at 4% against their home and lent it as second mortgage at 13.75 %. Mary broke her GIC at 1.5% and invested in a private second mortgage that pays her 12%. Second mortgages are safe and secure if done correctly.

A second mortgage is a loan that is registered on the title of a property. It is called second mortgage or “junior” mortgage because the first mortgage is senior, and in the event of default, the first mortgagee gets paid first and then the second. Second

Always assess your risk when lending. The first and second mortgages should not exceed 85% of the value of the property. If the borrower defaults, there is enough equity in the property to cover. Lend only on a principal residence and avoid lending to investors. Investors usually spread themselves thin and in the event of a price drop, the equity is depleted. If lending to investors, ask for a blanket second mortgage where the mortgage amount is registered on mul-

The amount of the second mortgage should be between $25,000 and $50,000 to reduce the risk. If you have $100,000 to invest, then invest ins three properties instead of one. The first step is to let the borrower complete a mortgage application. Find out the reasons why the borrower needs the money. Get a credit search done and review the application along with the credit report carefully. Ask for a job letter, recent pay stubs and T4 slips for the past two years. If the borrower is self-employed, ask for the last two years tax return. The reason is to make sure that they are paying their taxes because that takes precedence over any mortgages.

You will need a lawyer to finish the transaction. Your lawyer will prepare the necessary mortgage documents, have

the buyers sign, and then you. The money is given to your lawyer. In many instances, there are two lawyers involved, the borrower’s lawyer and the lender’s lawyer. All the costs involved, including your lawyer’s fees, are paid by the borrower. The term of the mortgage is usually for one year and can be extended if both parties agree. Always use your lawyer and not the borrower’s lawyer.

You can find second mortgages by placing ads or by contacting lawyers, mortgage brokers, and realtors. Many mortgage brokers would help for a fee, called a finder’s fee, which the borrower pays. Second mortgage holders sometimes sell their portfolios for a discount. For example, $40,000 mortgage at 13% can be sold for $35,000 at 13% because the mortgagee wants to cash out.

Many investors choose second mortgages because of low administrative costs and passive source of income. Money depreciates on a long-term basis and the best strategy is to invest in real estate in the early years to build equity and then use that equity to lend second mortgages.

ARIES

If you really want to finance that project, all it’ll take is a trip to the bank to put you at the heart of the action. On the romantic front, expect your relationship to take an affectionate turn.

TAURUS

To surround yourself with harmony, you’ll need to make some compromises. At work, you may be tasked with organizing an event that will bring together a large group of people.

GEMINI

At work, you’ll have a lot of clients to serve, and some will be harder to satisfy than others. Luckily, you have a knack for making miracles in seemingly impossible situations.

CANCER

If you’re single, your popularity is about to skyrocket, and you may even experience love at first sight. Take things slow — you’d be wise to get to know the person thoroughly before making any grand roman-tic gesture.

LEO

You may finally find a buyer for your house. If you’ve lived there for many years, you may feel overcome by feelings of nostalgia, or even of regret.

VIRGO

You have what it takes to become a public figure. Your voice, your ideas and your opinions have the power to bring together large numbers of people. You’ll be listened to with great interest.

LIBRA

Complicated financial situations don’t exactly go hand in hand with romance. Make affection a priority in your relationship, even if you’re feeling somewhat preoccupied by other matters.

SCORPIO

You’ll start the week off with a desire to conquer the world. Don’t let your detractors make you lose your cool.

SAGITTARIUS

You’ll need to take a step back and re-evaluate your professional life. Your health preoccupations will lead you to a lifestyle that will greatly reduce your stress. You’re on the right track for a new beginning.

CAPRICORN

Your social life will be most active this week. Expect to be constantly surrounded by people as you attend the many events you’re invited to. Have fun, but try not to put too much of a strain on your pocketbook.

AQUARIUS

You’ll receive divine inspiration for your life’s next big project. Make the right decisions now, and you’ll be roundly rewarded come retirement time. Remember: the future is built one day at a time.

PISCES

You might spontaneously pack your bags and set out on a trip with friends. If your travels wind up more complicated than expected, especially when it comes to communicating with your group, don’t sweat it. Let go, and enjoy the ride.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY and wishing you health, wealth and prosperity Pat Pershad from all of your family!

Candidates should have 1-2 years of community experience in mentoring or tutoring. This part-time position runs through the school year, with an option of summer hours. Work hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturdays 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | 416-551-2469

JUKEBOX REPAIR: I service vintage jukeboxes, pinball, slot machines, quarter horse, cherry, poker boxes and etc...I have over 50 years experience 416-357-1303

CLEANER: Experience cleaner looking for homes or offices to clean in the Toronto and surrounding areas. 647-701-4930

SUNDAY SERVICE: Fountain of Truth

COMMUNITY EVENT: Open to general public: CCPU’s Caribbean-themed March Break Family Fun - 12 – 3 PM March 18, 2018 Social event for all ages; explore Caribbean culture, including music, storytelling, arts & crafts, demos, vendors and more! www.ccpunited.ca

Ministries Pastor: Reverend Maxine Campbell Worship Address: 2170 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke Percy Johnson School –Cafeteria Sundays: 10.am – 2. pm Teaching, Worship, Ministering For info call: 416 748 0211

MISSISSAUGA: Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church invites you to join us at 1620 Dundas St West, each Sunday at 10am for praise, worship and in-depth Bible teaching with Pastor Sean, 416-219-9137

PEEL CAS NEEDS FOSTER CAREGIVERS

Foster caregivers make a big difference in the lives of children and families

At Peel CAS we believe that it is best for children to remain in their homes. However, in certain circumstances, it is necessary to take children into our care to ensure their safety and best interests.

When a child can no longer remain with his or her family, Peel CAS determines whether there are any relatives, community members, or other adults, that the child has a significant relationship with who can care for them. When this is not possible, children are then welcomed by foster caregivers to be part of their family until a permanent plan for their future can be established.

“Being a foster caregiver is a very important role that can make a huge difference in the life of a child and his or her family,” says Bobby Hussain, Foster Parent Recruiter, Peel CAS. “There is a shortage of foster caregivers in our Peel community. Currently we really need families who can work with children who have special needs and families who can care for sibling groups.”

“We know that one of the most successful ways of recruiting caregivers is through word of mouth. We are hoping that as we spread the word, this message will get shared with

family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, and anyone who might be interested in becoming a foster caregiver.”

To become a caregiver, you do not need to be married, have children, or own your own home. You do need strong parenting skills, a love of children and the time to devote to a child physically as well as emotionally. As Peel CAS works toward helping bring children and families back together, caregivers are also involved with the child’s biological family through visits, meetings and by being supportive.

“Foster caregivers work as part of a team to support children and families involved with Peel CAS,” says Hussain. “Caregivers also help children maintain their social, cultural, and religious connections so we try whenever possible to match children with caregivers from the same race and religion.”

If you are interested in learning more, there are a couple of things you can do. A fostering application form is available online at www.peelcas.org. Fill it out and a family placement worker will be in touch with you. Or give us a call at 905-363-6131. We look forward to hearing from you.

Mom shares how caring for special needs infants and children changed her life

Back in 2000, Diane’s husband heard on the radio that Peel Children’s Aid needed foster parents. With their four children now grown, he decided to make the call and after going through the training program, he and Diane became foster parents.

It would be four years later, while they were caring for three children in their home, that Diane’s husband became ill. Diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, he eventually lost his ability to walk. “Jan would just rock the baby in his arms while sitting in his wheelchair,” says Diane. “That baby wouldn’t calm down for anybody but him.”

The children they cared for became the grandchildren that her husband would never get the chance to meet as he died in 2005 before any of his biological grandchildren were born. And although it was initially his idea to foster, Diane never looked back. With the support of her children, who are now adults with families of their own, she has continued to care for infants and children involved with Peel Children’s Aid, specifically those with special needs.

“Caring for children with special needs isn’t always easy,” says Diane. “There is a lot to learn and many appointments with doctors, specialists, therapists and the school. However, if you have the time to do it, it is so rewarding. It’s an amazing feeling to know that they feel secure because you are involved in their life. They also make a difference in your life and your heart.”

Recently, Diane said goodbye to a little boy with down syndrome she had cared for since he was three months old. “He was such a loving little boy and was always happy. It was definitely hard to say goodbye but I know he will do great with his new family and three older siblings.”

Another toddler touched Diane’s heart a few years ago and she considered adopting him. While working on his life book, where important milestones are documented and given to adoptive parents, Diane realized she wanted to be the one to share it with him when he got older. “Then I got a call from my worker at CAS and she said they had found a family that were really interested in adopting him,” says Diane. “As soon as I met them I started to cry because I knew that they would be a perfect fit.” Years later she ran into the same little boy at a hair salon and he approached her without hesitation and asked “do I know you?” Turns out that he recognized her from the pictures in his life book.

Diane is still in contact with many of the kids who have spent time in her home. “My door is always open,” says Diane. “Sometimes they just pop by for a quick visit and have something to eat. They are always welcome.”

Currently Diane is caring for *Jordan who suffered a traumatic brain injury as an infant. During our interview with Diane, she helped him do puzzles, got him a bowl of Cheerios (his favourite), sang him a story and still managed to share her amazing story with us. Thank you Diane for all you do for the children involved with Peel CAS.

*name has been changed

For more information, contact Peel CAS at 905.363.6131 or visit www.peelcas.org

Impact of Canada’s aging population Part 1

Developed countries are faced with a significant problem. Their population is aging. In developing countries, the situation is quite the opposite where the younger population is growing faster than the older one. Canada is a developed country, facing such a problem. The aging population is growing at a rapid rate where the younger generation and workforce will be too small to support it.

How did this happen? Well, let’s look back 120 years ago. Typically, Canada was in a still somewhat rural state, most of the babies were born in either a rural community or farm. Actually the population was a mere 5 million at the turn of the 20th century. With no television to watch, parents were having anywhere from as little 8 to as much as 13 children. This was not only com-

A death in the family can be sudden or follow a long illness, there are unexpected expenses and the challenge of trying to keep a family together after the loss of a breadwinner. Life insurance is intended to help bridge any financial gaps and help ease that burden. Buying a life insurance policy is like buying a safety net for your family. You won’t be able to provide for them, so you buy a policy. But for it to be effective you must understand how and when life insurance payouts are delivered to beneficiaries. This includes understanding how quickly benefits will be paid.

How to file a life insurance claim

Filing a life insurance claim is actually a simple process. To start, you should try to track down the insurance policy that covered the person who passed away. There are three types of insurance policies that are purchased by individuals. One type of policy is term life. This is the most economical type life insurance. The benefits are fixed for a set time, usually between 10 and 30 years. When you find the policy documents, verify

mon for Canada but for the rest of the world as well. Life expectancy was much lower in those days and there were higher incidences of infant mortality. There were no antibiotics, no pasteurized milk and common illness like polio, diphtheria, and tuberculosis took life at a rapid pace.

Sixty years later, the development of medicine and vaccinations began. Life expectancy grew, infant mortality decreased and people started living longer in general. Fast forward another sixty years to present day and the picture of the world has changed significantly. Canada now has a population of over thirty-five million people, many of whom are baby boomers and heading into their ripe old age. The internet is here, and people are learning all about nutrition, health foods, exercise and relaxation techniques etc. Access to clean water and food has resulted in fewer diseases, and as always, prevention is better than cure.

One of the most significant advances is in the world of medicine; it has also developed where many can have had an extension on life. There are now cures for certain types of cancers, diabetes can be managed, and heart patients can monitor their blood

pressure at home and so forth. Thirty years ago, if someone had prostate or breast cancer, it would most likely end in death, today the situation is quite different with full recovery in many cases.

So, you can see why the population is living longer. But what sort of problems can living too long bring about? First, there is the problem of running out of money. Many Canadians live paycheck to paycheck and have not saved enough for their retirement. Most people who have saved expect their money to finish somewhere around 85. So, what happens should you live past that age? And what if you are in a home where the medical bills are much more than you had anticipated? You could run out of money at a much earlier age. Can you depend on the social services like OAS to take care of you? In the next 20 years, there will not be enough working adults to facilitate the bill that is required by the seniors. OAS is expected to have a deficit of 30 billion dollars.

There are many issues that the aging person will face including, financial, medical, care and estate planning. Over the next few weeks, we will address some of these and how to best prepare for them.

a life insurance claim

that the policy has not expired and that it is still valid. The other types are universal and whole life insurance. This type of insurance has a fixed or flexible benefit and may have accrued interest or dividends.

Typically, there are only a few things you need in order to file a claim on a life insurance policy.

• A certified copy of the insured’s death certificate. You can get these from the insured’s funeral director.

• The carrier’s official claim form. You can often complete these online through the carrier’s website, though some carriers will need you to print the form out and file a hard copy by mail.

• A copy of the insurance policy. It helps to speed up the process of filing a claim if you can provide the policy number and your beneficiary information.

Most insurance companies pay within 30 to 60 days of the date of the claim. There is no set time frame but insurance companies are motivated to pay as soon as possible, after receiving bona fide proof of death if it is outside the contestability period. The life insurance contestability period is a short window in which insurance companies can investigate and deny claims. The period is two years and it begins as soon as a policy goes into effect. If you die within the contestability period, the life insurance company can investigate whether you gave accurate information on your life insurance application.

To get started, either the agent or the

beneficiary of the policy should get in touch with the carrier and provide the date and cause of death. Then, the carrier will send you a claims packet either via physical mail or email. Additional steps that you should take would be to contact the employer of the deceased. Many employer-based, groupinsurance plans have a life insurance benefit. Contact the employer’s human resources department to ask about any life insurance in effect, and, if necessary, get a copy of the policy and the claim procedure. Check for other types of death-benefit policies. Although non-traditional life insurance, some of the deceased’s accounts may have a death benefit. The most common are a mortgage, credit card, and auto-loan benefits that pay off debt upon the death of an account holder. Taking the time to research these benefits could preserve a house or other valuable assets.

What could delay payouts

Another scenario that could delay payment, not surprisingly, is when “homicide” or “suicide” is listed as the cause of death on the death certificate. In this case, a claims representative may communicate with the detective assigned to the case to rule out the beneficiary as a suspect. Evaluate your payment options. Depending on the type of policy and amount of the death benefit, you may have several options for receiving the payout. For substantial payouts consider consulting with an investment adviser to maximize your benefits.

Windies crash in Pakistan for 60

KARACHI -- West Indies were dismissed for their lowest-ever total in Twenty20 Internationals in a crushing 143-run defeat to Pakistan—the second heaviest loss in T20 history—as the tourists lack of preparation and inexperience was laid bare Sunday.

Tasked with chasing an imposing 204 in the first match of a bilateral series on Pakistani soil in nine years, the Caribbean side were embarrassingly bundled out for 60 in the 14th over, marking their only third score under three figures in the shortest format.

They were slumping at 15 for four in the fifth over and never found a saviour as only Marlon Samuels, of the top six, managed to reach double figures with a top score of 18.

The innings was rattled by the new ball pair of seamer Mohammed Amir (2-3) and left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (219), while part-time off-spinner Shoaib Malik (2-13) helped polished off the Windies feeble effort.

Sent in earlier at the National Stadium in a match played under presidential-style security, the home side piled up an imposing 203 for five off their 20 overs, with debutant Hussain Talat top-scoring with 41 and opener Fakhar Zaman getting 39.

Captain Sarfraz Ahmed weighed in with 38 while veteran Shoaib arrived late on to stroke an exciting unbeaten 37.”

West Indies, who arrived late Saturday via Dubai and had no practice session, were on the backfoot from early when Fakhar and Babar Azam (17) posted a lively 46 from 30 balls for the first wicket.

Seamer Rayad Emrit, in only his second T20I after making his debut last De-

cember, broke the stand when he trapped Azam lbw with a full length delivery on leg stump.

Thirteen balls later, Fakhar, who lashed six fours and a six off 24 deliveries, was run out after backing up too far at the non-striker’s end, leaving Pakistan on 65 for two in the eighth.

However, Talat and Sarfraz then combined to dent the Windies hopes of slowing the scoring, adding 75 for the third wicket off a mere 49 balls.

The 22-year-old Talat faced 37 balls and counted two fours and a six while Sarfraz punched four fours and a six in a 22-ball knock.

Talat’s demise in the 16th over saw three wickets tumble for 17 runs in the space of 11 deliveries but Shoaib once again proved his weight in gold, smashing four fours and a pair of sixes in an exhilarating 14-ball cameo, as Pakistan got 47 off 17 balls in an unbroken fourth wicket stand involving Faheem Ashraf (16 not out).

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan vs West Indies – 1st T20I

PAKISTAN Innings

Fakhar Zaman run out 39

Babar Azam lbw b Emrit 17

Hussain Talat run out 41

Sarfraz Ahmed c wkp Fletcher b Powell 38

Shoaib Malik not out 37

Asif Ali b Paul 1 Fahim Ashraf not out 16 Extras (lb6, w7, nb1) 14

TOTAL (5 wkts, 20 overs) 203

Did not bat: Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Mohammad

Amir, Hassan Ali. Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-65, 3-140, 4-150, 5-156.

Bowling: Badree 4-0-37-0, Paul 4-0-26-1, Williams 4-0-43-1, Permaul 0.3-0-8-0, Samuels 0.3-0-7-0, Powell 3-0-34-1.

WEST INDIES Innings

C Walton c Ali b Nawaz 6

A Fletcher c Talat b Amir 0

M Samuels c Ashraf b Nawaz 18

J Mohammed c Talat b Amir 0

D Ramdin c Nawaz b Ali 0

R Powell c & b Khan 5

K Paul not out 10

R Emrit c Talat b Malik 11

K Williams c Azam b Malik 0

S Badree c Malik b Talat 7 Extras (w3) 3

TOTAL (all out, 13.4 overs) 60

Did not bat: V Permaul. Fall of wickets: 1-6 2-8, 3-8, 4-15, 5-27, 6-33, 7-51, 8-51, 9-60, 10-60.

Bowling: M Nawaz 4-0-19-2, M Amir 2-0-3-2, F Ashraf 1-0-9-0, S Khan 3-0-13-1, S Malik 2-0-13-2, H Talat 0.4-0-3-1.

Result: Pakistan won by 143 runs. Series: Pakistan lead three-match series 1-0. Man-of-the-Match: Hussain Talat. Toss: West Indies.

Umpires: Shozab Raza, Ahsan Raza; TV –Ahmed Shahab.

- Trinidad Guardian