EVERYTHING YO YOU OU N NEED EED IIN NO ONE NE NEWSPAPER TO ADVERTISE: 647-722-6298 • ONLINE: TORONTOCARIBBEAN.COM • VOLUME 4 • IISSUE SS S SU UE E1 15 5 • W WE WEDNESDAY, EDN DNE ES SD DA AY, SEPTEMBER 9TH 2015
WORLD TITLE FIGHT Photo: Anthonyy Rahsaan
Superman VS S S Kryptonite
ALYSSA MAHADEO/TORONTO CARIBBEAN In the year 1972, the Woods family bragging generations of boxing heritage, moved to Port Credit, Ontario, Canada, from Clydebank, Scotland. At the age of 11, Leslie (Les) Woods Junior witnessed his first world title fight with his grandfather Harry Woods, who was Chief Inspector of The British Boxing Board of Control. Champion Jim Watt from Scotland fought Howard Davis Junior in Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow. Something that had once been only a thrilling and captivating story as told on many occasions by his grandfather had become an awe-inspiring reality. In the years to come
Les would remember this experience and the remarkable impression it left on his young mind in the years to come. Moving forward, the art of boxing ignited as passion in Les. He was introduced to the most elegant reflection of the sport while attending the St. Andrew’s Sporting Club in Glasgow. He regarded boxing as a gentleman’s sport, radiating an air of class and refinement. While visiting Canada, Les’ grandfather imagined bringing World Class boxing shows to Toronto, displaying the elegance of Scotland’s St. Andrew’s Sporting Club. Tommy Gilmour, president of the club, considered the idea
in the late 1980s, but at that time circumstances would not make it possible. Two-and-a-half decades later, the timing couldn’t be better. One night, over what could now be considered a very providential dinner, Les was inspired while speaking with Olympic Medalist Chris Johnson and World Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis, to bring his grandfather’s dreams to reality and continue his family’s legacy starting up the Global Legacy Boxing promotional company. Continued On Page 5
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Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Micca Vanvield; Inspiring Women of Impact Born in Jamaica and raised by her aunt and grandparents, Micca Vanvield was taught to be strong and never give up on what she wanted to achieve in life. After coming to Canada, Micca studied accounting in college. She got her hairdressing and cosmetology license and became a business owner opening her very own salon and spa. It was something that she was passionate about and something she enjoyed. Micca ran her salon for a few years before having to close it down about three years ago after going through some personal challenges and it became too much to keep open. Going through a transitioning period in her life, Micca took the time to reassess her options and take a look at what she was going to do next. Her winning attitude and personal drive gave her the tools to keep moving forward. M i c c a t h e n v e n tured into t h e travel
and financial services field, where she specialized in romantic getaways, destination weddings and honeymoon travel. She launched her very own website (www.miccavanvield.com) as a certified romance travel designer. As an avid traveller with a love for discovering new places, Micca did a lot of travelling and she decided to use those skills to help others plan their own romantic getaways. Her experience includes working as a travel consultant, managing a storefront travel agency and now running her own travel business. Micca believes that her purpose is to always help find a solution and to never take NO for an answer. She accomplishes this by connecting with her clients and helping them discover the truth of how they really feel about their getaway. Micca’s passion for helping people, has recently lead her on a new venture as a Women of Impact sales manager. Introduced into the business by a friend, Micca soon realized that it was exactly what she was looking for. She would use her experience in financial services to help female entrepreneurs secure a financial future for themselves and aid them in creating their own success, by allowing them to put together the resources to stand on their own two feet. Women of Impact promotes
lifestyle changes that support and inspire women to the manifestation of the future that they envision. “We recognize when things aren’t working and make a decision to change it,” Micca says. Their vision is to put together a network of women empowering women globally to enhance and develop their inner entrepreneur. Micca’s dream is to help as many women as possible to achieve their independence the way that she has done, to give them the freedom and independence to share in the same success and point them in the same direction. She strives to help them see their potential steering them into a leadership role so they will spread the word to other women and inspire them to achieve more in life. Always putting her love for others first, Micca has always wanted to see everyone look and feel their best from the inside and out. She says that “You should never have to compromise, and fit yourself into a mold of the person that others think you should be,” she shares also encouraging women to “Please be true to yourself and do what matters the most, give it 100% and don’t compromise for anyone.” Written by Alyssa Mahadeo Toronto Caribbean Reporter
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
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The Kazembe Foundation sets sail to a brighter future Alyssa Mahadeo
alyssa@carib101.com
TC Reporter It was a gorgeous summer evening on Lake Ontario, when Mariposa Cruises Northern Spirit set sail playing host to some of the most esteemed and honoured individuals. The Kazembe Foundation hosted their 2nd annual HOB NOB on Thursday, August 27th inviting guests to contribute to making a difference and helping to benefit youth in the community. Mr. Courtney Ka-
zembe of Kazembe & Associates Barristers and Solicitors and founder of The Kazembe Foundation explained their mission is to create opportunity for people around the world, but focusing on people in the Caribbean and right here in Toronto. They started out a few years back giving out scholarships to those who were headed off to University or were intending on going to Law School. Last year alone they gave out thirteen scholarships and plan to expand further on a broader scale. Mr. Kazembe believes, “If you are blessed, you have to pass it on. I can name many people who have contributed to myself and made me who I am today, my goal is to help others achieve the same.” Through this event and future events The Kazembe Foundation is hoping to raise the funds they need and create awareness within the community to inspire others to help the youth of today fulfill their greater purpose.
As a tennis player himself, Mr. Kazembe has a strong belief that sports are a great way to help focus the mind. He hopes that moving forward he can help to contribute to sports programs within high schools as he feels it will help children to apply themselves better to their studies and boost academic achievement at a young age. By inspiring students at a young age the goal is to encourage them to strive for bigger brighter futures, getting people off the streets and pushing them to complete an undergraduate education. The evening was filled with dancing, socializing, networking and an all round good time. Guests were able to treat their taste buds with some of the most delectable foods catered by The Art of Catering and presented by Chef Selwyn Richards. Taping live aboard the Northern Spirit was The Nikki Clarke Show, a talk show featuring
celebrity interviews, discussion of hot topics and live musical performances. The show consisted of interviews with Mr. Courtney Kazembe, Jerrold Johnson, Chief Representative Officer for Jamaica National, Karen Williamson, M. Shakar Purai, Paul Walker of Harmony Healthcare, Andrea Haynes an Entrepreneur and a few other individuals who spoke about how they are helping to empower and contribute to the community. Entertainment included three classic soul songs performed by Nikki Clarke herself and music was provided by DJ RON JON and DJ Back and Forth. For more information about The Kazembe Foundation and how you can get involved in their cause visit www.kazembelaw.com and look out for their next event!
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Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
The Black Experience Project takes over Toronto Emily Singh
emily@carib101.com
TC Reporter If you were to survey the Black community residing in Toronto and pose the same question to each of them, what does it mean to be Black, the answers would vary. This is because the community is so diverse and so are their experiences. The Black Experience Project aims to focus on individuals who identify as Black or African heritage and tell their story. This focused study will break down and examine some of the issues, expe-
riences and successes the Black community has faced in order to create positive changes not only the Black community but the community as a whole. The backbone behind his amazing initiative is the Environics Institute in collaboration with Ryerson’s Diversity Institute, the United Way of Greater Toronto and the YMCA of Greater Toronto. The lead sponsors are TD Bank and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The approach the study will take is a very personal and confidential one. In order to ensure accuracy and in depth results interviews will be conduced on a one on one basis. This project will be a major ground breaking event within our community and will without a doubt strengthen and foster growth. But wait, who is the Black Project really looking for? It is simple, they want to hear from anyone in the Greater Toronto Area who is over the age of 16 and identifies
as wholly or in part as Black. Two thousand interviews will be done and the results will be a blended collection of unique experiences and stories. Communication is key in order to evoke change within a community. The project is being broken up into three unique phases that fit together seamlessly. Phase one which has been completed was engaging the community. An article written by Danavan Samuels reveals that engaging the Black communities of the Greater Toronto is in fact a layered process. Social media has played a tremendous role in spreading the word and creating a buzz within the community. Another way they have been educating the public about the project is through attending community events in and around the city. Phase two was research design and survey execution and the final phase is public engagement and the release of survey results. The Black Experience Project is
an opportunity to give this community a voice. Individuals are able to speak freely and openly about their real experiences and encounters without fear of judgment. Confidentiality is a huge part of the interview process and each participant is treated with utmost respect. Behind the Black Experience Project is a strong team that is working diligently to ensure success. This team includes: Suelyn Knight, Dena Henry, Shaniqua Brown, Trisha Scantelbury, Amanda Parris and Femi James. Many other individuals are involved with this project and have been working towards improving the community. Willing members of the Black community are urged to come out and participate in the interviewing process. Visit www.environicsinstitute.org and look under current projects for more information.
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Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
World title fight Alyssa Mahadeo
alyssa@carib101.com
TC Reporter Continued From Page 1 -- On Friday September 11th Toronto will be celebrating its first world title fight in over thirty years. Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), in association with Global Legacy Boxing (GLB) and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), is proud to officially announce the next world title defense of feared puncher Adonis “SUPERMAN” Stevenson defending his World Boxing Council light heavyweight title against Tommy “KRYPTONITE” Karpency in a showdown tagged ‘KO in TO’. The fight will go down at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto. The event is part of the prestigious Premier Boxing Champions series, live on Spike TV. This will be the first world title fight in Toronto since Aaron Pryor defended his light welterweight belt against Nick Furlano in June 1984. The success of this fight will open doors to more matches to be staged here in Toronto, perhaps even at the Air Canada Centre. It is important that Canadians know the sport of boxing is available to them and that they won’t have to travel across the boarder to see a match live. Forty nine year old Lennox Lewis, left for Britain to go pro, after winning gold for Canada at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, due to the lack of opportunities there were to make boxing a career here in Canada. He was born in London, but moved to Kitch-
ener, ON when he was only twelve years old fighting as an amateur for Canada. Standing at an impressive 6’5, Lewis went on to become a three-time heavyweight champion before retiring in 2004 with a record of 41 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw, with 32 wins by knockout. Lewis always said throughout his illustrious and historic ring career that when he retired from pro boxing, he wanted to set up a boxing promotional company in Canada to help find, nurture, develop and promote young and talented Canadian fighters. The fight will definitely be one to remember with Haitian born Canadian Professional Boxer Adonis Stevenson nicknamed “Superman” holding a record of 27 fights with 26 wins and 1 loss, 21 wins by KO. His challenger, Tommy Karpency coincidentally nicknamed “Kryptonite,” hails from the USA, holds a record of 30 fights, 4 losses and 1 draw. As a co-feature, the current Canadian heavyweight champion Dillon “Big Country” Carman (8 wins – 2 losses, 7 by KO.) from Mississauga, Ontario, will face former Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson opponent, Jamaican born Donovan “Razor” Ruddock (40 wins -5 losses -1 draw, 30 by KO.) A total of eight rounds will be scheduled during the event showcasing young talents from Ontario and Quebec. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster or through GYM (514) 3830666, at GLB (416) 678-6957 or at Ricoh Coliseum (416) 263-3900. Ticket prices start at $40. Tables are also available by contacting GLB. For more information on The Global Legacy Boxing promotional company visit www.globallegacyboxing.com. Come out and witness the first world title fight in over thirty years!
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Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
news
Trinidad & Tobago Elections: Kamla out, Rowley wins! TRINIDAD -- The main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM) won the general election here on Monday defeating the coalition People’s Partnership (PP) of Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar that came to power in 2010. The preliminary figures released here show that the PNM, led by Dr Keith Rowley, had won 22 of the 41 seats with the remaining 19 going to the PP that had won 29 seats in the 2010 general election. “I want to thank all the people for the very hard work they did in bringing a successful end in what was a difficult election. I want to thank Trinidad and Tobago for demonstrating once again that we can conduct ourselves in a manner that is worthy of the name Trinidad and Tobago,” Rowley told reporters. The 66-year-old volcanologist, one of the longest serving legislators, said the election proceedings “have gone down relatively smooth. “Election day had some challenges but at the end of the day, once again I think we had a very successful operation and I am pleased to be in a position to say that the PNM has won the majority of the seats. “We are confident that the country has been placed in good hands, we have prepared ourselves well, we expect that we will take the responsibilities of managing the affairs of all the people of Trinidad and Tobago in a way that will allow us all as a people to look at tonight …as the beginning of a new era.” Both Persad Bissessar and Rowley easily retained the seats they had in Parliament over the past two decades.
Prime Minister Persad Bissessar has not conceded defeat as yet, but a number of government ministers including Roger Samuels, Lincoln Douglas, attorney general Garvin Nicholas, as well as the former president of the Senate, Raziah Ahmed, were among the casualties of the poll. The PNM was also able to regain the two seats in Tobago it lost in 2010 with Shamfa Cudjoe winning the Tobago West and Ayanna Webster-Roy winning the Tobago East seats, respectively. Leader of the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) Austin Jack Warner, who said his party would have been a major factor in determining the new government, failed to win the Chaguanas East seat he switched to after successfully contesting the Chaguanas West seat in 2010 and 2013. “I said win lose or draw it would be my last hurrah, “Warner said, telling reporters “it is a PNM victory and one for ILP”. Warner said his “greatest success” had been the failure of Persad Bissessar to win the election, adding “Kamla will never see government again in our collective lives”. PNM supporters have taken to the streets in celebration and Rowley said “we have taken the responsibility of offering ourselves and now we will proceed with what we outlined in our manifesto given the circumstances that have developed bearing in mind all the time that we do not govern for ourselves but we are servants of the people of Trinidad and Tobago”. - CMC
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Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
CariVaughan 2015 brings a taste of the Caribbean Emily Singh
emily@carib101.com
TC Reporter After three days of amazing food, entertainment and good vibes it is safe to say that CariVaughan 2015 was a huge success. Running from August 21st to August 23rd this three-day extravaganza gave the city of Vaughan a little taste of the Caribbean. Woodbridge Fairgrounds came alive as Caribbean art and culture took center stage. The
first day featured “A Taste of the Tropics” where guests enjoyed mouth-watering dishes from the Caribbean and Latin America. The excitement didn’t end there, it continued on with the CariVaughan Launch Party. Day two was jam packed with games and entertainment. The talented Jade Faith and K.I Persad took the stage showcasing some of the amazing talents to have come out of the Caribbean. Under the “Rum Shack” attendees were able to taste an assortment of Caribbean rums, each with their own kick and unique distinction. Other fun family events included a beach volleyball tournament and a special family group game. The festival ended on a high with paint flying and smiles all around at the J’ouvert Play Day. CariVaughan was meant to be an event to showcase the vibrancy and beauty
of the Caribbean to the wonderful city of Vaughan, Ontario. However, there is such a powerful motivation behind this initiative and that is supporting Sickle Cell Disease. The money raised through these events go towards funding research and awareness about the disease. The end goal is to raise 1.5 million for a special Comprehensive Care Centre wing in a local hospital for those battling sickle cell disease. This is especially important because it will be the very first of its kind here in Canada. Through purchasing a CariVaughan baseball cap, t- shirt, children’s picture book or island lanyard you can help bring the dream of the Comprehensive Care Centre closer to a reality. Next year bring the entire family out to support this worthy cause and enjoy all the wonderful things the Caribbean has to offer.
Devastation island-wide in Dominica On Thursday August 28, 2015, Tropical storm Erika caused unprecedented devastation island-wide in Dominica. Thirty one people are confirmed dead and thirty five are still missing. Officially called the Commonwealth of Dominica, the island of Dominica (English-speaking) is located in the centre of the Caribbean islands chain. It is often confused with the Dominican Republic (Spanish-speaking). However, they are two distinct and separate countries. Dominica is known as the Nature Island of the Caribbean for its exceptional flora and fauna and boasts numerous rivers, mountains and extensive rain forests. Its extensive national parks system includes the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage site. Within the Park, in the Valley of Desolation, lies Dominica’s Boiling Lake - the second largest thermally active lake in the world. Dominica is unique and is home to the Carib (Kalinago) Indians, the only surviving pre-Columbian population in the eastern Caribbean. Dominica is a lush tropical island used to substantial rainfall of about 1,900 mm in coastal areas to 5,000 mm (or an average of 14 mm/day) in the wettest interior areas. In the early morning of August 27th, Tropical Storm Erika unleashed 322mm of rain in a 12-hour period, which caused an unprecedented level of destruction in Dominica. Most of the island’s infrastructure has been damaged and that has inflicted se-
vere economic and social repercussions on its people. The government declared a nationwide disaster status and the damage to infrastructure alone has been estimated at US $226M. The damage that the island suffered from flooding has been as bad, if not worse than the damage inflicted by wind from far more powerful hurricanes. The Prime Minister of Dominica has indicated that Tropical Storm Erika put the island back twenty years. Water and power, both airport and seaport access points have been damaged extensively. The island’s main airport was overrun by floodwater. The majority of roads, from main roads in the more heavily travelled areas like Layou Valley, to remote mountain roads that serve as critical lifelines to remote villages like Petite Savanne were rendered impassable, hampering recovery efforts. Roads became rivers, which ripped up miles of asphalt; many bridges were severed and some washed away. Numerous landslides across the island isolated many communities; some can only be reached by helicopter or by sea. Nine communities have been declared Special Disaster Areas and two communities have been fully evacuated. Hundreds of homes were destroyed by mudslides. Many people, whose homes are still standing, have lost everything from the deluge of mud that filled their homes. Schools and hospitals are overcrowded with longterm evacuees, which will delay the start of the upcoming school year for many students,
until those people are moved to interim shelters. Industrial output has been degraded due to damage to production facilities. Agricultural production, the islands main source of economy, has suffered a major setback. It is against this backdrop of dire need that the CDOA is acting in a government-approved role, to raise funds and other relief supplies for Dominica. The CDOA has a planned schedule of activities that include the following: • Accepting donations via The Commonwealth of Dominica, Ontario Association Emergency Fund (CDOEF) at: The Bank of Montreal, Transit # 2924 Account #8330-256; • Crowdfunding via a GoFundMe site (T.S. Erika Relief for Dominica) at http://www.gofundme.com.DA-ErikaReliefFund; • Relief Concerts on September 25th, October 3rd and October 10th, 2105 All official fundraising activities are coordinated by Frances Delsol, the Dominica Trade and Investment Commissioner for Canada. Ms. Delsol has also been assigned to the role of Tropical Storm Erika Relief Co-ordinator in Canada, and is working with the Commonwealth of Dominica, Ontario Association (CDOA), as the primary organization to coordinate Tropical Storm Erika Relief. You may reach Ms. Delsol at 647-515-6649 or 905-433-0916.
De Coteauʼs campaign singer killed in Moruga TRINIDAD -- Calypsonian Peter Miguel who recorded a political calypso in support of Clifton De Coteau, the United National Congress (UNC) candidate for Moruga/Tableland, has been shot dead. The body of Miguel, 66, of La Lune Road, was found by police around 9.15 pm Sunday at Edward Trace, Basse Terre. Police officers were on patrol when they found the body, clad in a blue threequarter pants, white T-shirt and sandals, lying on the roadside with a wound to the side of his face. A District Medical Officer visited the scene and relatives were brought in to identify the body before it was removed to the San Fernando mortuary. An autopsy was expected to be done Monday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James.
After voting around 6 am Monday, De Coteau, who wrote the calypso for Miguel, said he was going to visit the grieving family. Miguel’s brother, Lawrence, said the murder appeared to be a set-up. He said Miguel, a Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) contractor was picked up by a woman in the black car at around 7.30 pm and was later seen liming with the woman in Edward Trace. “They called him from the house and we found him dead up there, so it had to be a set-up. I don’t know if he was involved with any woman because I never looked into that part of it but they said the woman who picked him up here and took him wherever,” Lawrence said.
Although Miguel spent many years in prison and had been the Carrera Prison’s convict calypso champ at one time, Lawrence said he was never involved in drugs, cocaine or violence. “Listen, he is the most loved human being in the whole of T&T. If you go any part of Trinidad and you ask for Peter Miguel, he played sticks and he got involved in everything. They call him Muchacho. He used to beat drums in any part of Trinidad. He was good fun, he drank, he limed and he was a fun-loving individual,” he added. Police are yet to determine a motive for the murder and said there was no evidence to suggest it was politically motivated. - Trinidad Guardian
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Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Dishonoured - Residents rue use of Bolivarʼs Princess Street dwelling JAMAICA -- History was in the making in the country’s capital city of Kingston Monday as Jamaicans joined leaders from the Caribbean, Venezuela and other South American countries to remember the man who was known as the ‘liberator’, Simón Bolívar, with the official opening of a cultural centre in his honour at North Parade. The event was also used to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Jamaica Letter, a document that was penned by Bolívar and cited as the philosophical underpinning for the formation of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. Bolivar wrote the letter while exiled in Jamaica for close to nine months and living on Princess Street, considered part of Kingston’s inner city. But, Monday, as officials from the region celebrated, ordinary Jamaicans living in the area decried the fact that they were not aware of Bolívar’s place of residence and criticised the Government for not doing more to preserve this and other sites of heritage and historical value across the island. Bolívar’s former residence appears to be occupied by a wholesale. “I never know that this was where he was living. That is sad. This is a place rich with history and it is sad to see how authorities have allowed it run down,” Johnathan Samuels, a resident of Princess Street told the Jamaica Observer during a visit to
the site, Monday. He made the comment few hours after the Simón Bolívar Cultural Centre was opened. “It’s true, more needs to be done to a place with so much rich historical background. It should not have been allowed to run down like that, and there are many other historical sites like that that needs to be repaired and preserved,” said Simone Bernard, another resident. “I know that place, but I never know it have so much history,” another fe-
male said when she heard about the history of the place. “This is a place where a monument of some sort should have been built,” said one man who identified himself as Rohan. Damion Williams, another resident, added: “To move forward, I believe we have to know about the past and put things in place so that others, the children can grow up to learn about it. Look how long I live close to here and never know, and to make matters worse, nothing is in place to inform anyone about the history.”
Monday Nicolas Maduro, president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in his address to leaders of the region at the opening said the Caribbean was blessed. “Bolívar, in 1815 -1816, was here at the very heart of the Caribbean in Jamaica in Haiti, and it is from here that he went from defeat and solitude to the victory of the great American cause...Jamaica is a land filled of energy, of spiritually, of magic, the birthplace of Marcus Garvey, Michael Manley, Bob Marley, and so many others. Bolivar came here. Bolivar walked through here to take this spiritual strength. Through Jamaica and Haiti he found the right moment for the counteroffensive for liberation,” said Maduro. Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, in her address, said she was honoured to be part of the moment to mark the special occasion. “It is my honour and privilege to be here to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Jamaica letter,” said Simpson Miller. “The Jamaica Letter also provides important lessons in history and sets out clearly Bolivar’s vision of a free independent new world uniting the countries of Latin America,” she continued. At Monday’s event there was the laying of Bolivar’s sword, that symbolised hope for a brighter future. - Jamaica Observer
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Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Consider getting the best deal Micca Vanvield
micca@carib101.com
Travel Specialist The summer is almost over. It’s back to school for the kids and for most parents your thinking “OMG, I have to return to my regular work routine. But I know I’ll be needing a break”. You start to think, where will my next trip be, but then you realize that you would love to get away with a steal. Here are a few tips to help you have the most budget friendly experience.
One Stop Shop: Look into using an agent that specializes in the field of travel that you are considering. They are generally able to work wonders as they have made some of the best connections in the industry. Consider getting a group of people together and book early as the early bird always catches the worm. You will have more options as far as payment and add ons and may end up receiving additional benefits.
this can’t happen, but I would recommend you register for notifications from your favourite airlines or resorts to get updates on specials, but please don’t wait until the last minute. If getting a great price is at the top of your list and if you are completely flexible then yes, take a risk. If not, especially if you plan to travel during peak season like Christmas, start to look into your trip at least six to seven months in advance.
Don’t Wait Till The End: Some of the worst situations a travel agent can experience are seeing the look of disappointment on their clients faces when they can no longer afford that dream vacation. They waited too long for that “deal” and their budget wasn’t as flexible. There are a lot of myths about last-minute deals and the best times to book being “Tuesdays”, but the truth is, they are just myths. Wait, now I’m not saying that
Be Flexible: Weigh your options. That dream trip could be a boutique hotel, an All Inclusive, backpacking, a customized tour or simply flying to a destination and just winging it. Whatever you choose and in order for you to get the best deal, you have to be flexible and open to change, not stuck on particular dates. Consider the fact that All Inclusive packages will include all meals drinks, snacks, airfare, and airport transfers, where
a custom tour may not. Consider that to get the life of luxury you can rent a private villa or boutique hotel. Both options can provide extras like a butler, nanny, even personal a personal masseuse. Trust The Pros: Travel agents are agents for a reason. They have had to prove certain qualifications in order to get licensed to sell travel. A lot of agents have also mastered the school of experience as they have been in the industry for a very long time. You need to find a travel agent that you trust and that you feel comfortable talking to. Travel agents are there to help you get the best deal possible and to ensure that you as a passenger are fully aware of all the requirements for your upcoming trip. A good travel agent will take exactly what you are looking for and try to get you even more for your budget. Remember that they are professionals not magicians.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
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In the Community;
De Karibbean Kingʼs Eatery Iff yyou’re ou’’re ou ’re lo look looking okin ing g fo forr go good od oold fashioned and ffriendly fr iend ie ndly ly ccustomer usto us omer service, come home to a little Guyana lli itt ttlee sslice liicee ooff Gu Guya y na ya n aatt th thee Karibbean Kings Eatery! E Ea ate tery ry!! Located Loc ocated aatt 23 2300 Finch Avenue West W We st on the corner oof Weston Rd and Karibbean Kings Finch Ave, De K Fi the place to go for Eatery is th freshest, flakiest and the freshe th Guyanese bakery ttastiest ta stiest G iitems it ems aaround. Their sellection le ction features a wide rrange ra nge of some of the most m os sought after Guyanese style pasG uy ttries, rie that is sure to remind you of back rem hhome. ho The owners, RaT jjendra Ramrattan a.k.a. ‘Ginger’ aand his wife Sharon take care of ro their customers, ofthe fering kind and friendservice, treating everylly y service family. Ginger prides oone ne like fami hhimself imself in the pproducts that he puts out ensuring that what he is selling is of the highest quality value. Ginger and and nutritious va vegetarians, so they his family are veg conscious when it comes are very consciou to what they are taking into their bbodies. bo dies. Their bbakery includes cakes and pastries many breads, ca daily. Some of their baked fresh daily items include Tenhottest selling ite nis Rolls, Pine Tarts, Cheese Cake, Sugar Cake, Rolls, Chinese Ca Pineapple Slice, Coconut Bun, Salara Roll, Plait Bread, Currants Roll and so much more! If you’re probably make it! craving it they pr
All of these hand made delights are put together with special care, love and attention, making sure that the recipe comes out just right. Ginger is especially proud of the bakery and the attention that it receives from people all over the GTA and surrounding area, even people who come from overseas! He says that he does his best to ensure that every item is always in stock, baking all day long, but sometimes he sells out faster than he can bake! At the restaurant alongside an array of vegetarian friendly options, De Karibbean Kings Eatery still serves meat items with the exception of beef and pork. Their non-vegetarian menu items include boneless chicken roti, boneless goat roti, bone in curry chicken or stew shrimp roti, goat, chicken or duck with rice and also jerk chicken peas and rice. There are also fish, veggie stir-fry and chow mien options available. De Karibbean Kings Eatery caters for many occasions hosting parties and cooking food for Hindu, Muslim and any other type of religious occasions. They specialize in menu items for Jandi, Puja, Weddings and a whole lot more. Because so many of their clientele is from the Caribbean, they are familiar with their needs and know how to adjust their menu’s to accommodate any specific dietary needs. They will not turn down anyone or any challenge that comes their way. Ginger considers himself a part of every race and culture residing in the GTA and he discriminates against no one, only hoping to serve his customers making sure that everyone who comes in to his establishment leaves with full bellies and happy hearts. Whether you’re coming to make a lime or to just pick up and go De Karibbean Kings Eatery is sure to have something to satisfy your cravings. They make roti, doubles, aloo pies, phoulorie and anything else you can think off. Their dine in and take out options
are endless and the food is always hot, fresh and tasty. With over 25 years in the industry, Ginger says that it is important to have a place where everyone in the Caribbean community can come and enjoy good food. He says that people come from all over the GTA and even across the border to come visit and try some of the food. He wants everyone to know about his food and what he has to offer, even if you aren’t sure what to choose from the menu ask for a sample and he is happy to share. If you are looking for seasonings, pepper sauce, jams, syrups and other condiments De Karibbean Kings eatery carries all of that too! Their own brand of Tropical Flavors - Back to Eden products comes straight from Guyana and some are made locally as well, including plantain chips and other snacks from the islands. Looking toward the future Ginger would like to acquire the next unit and have a full service banquet hall, or perhaps open a bigger location for his famous bakery. He works hard to keep up with the latest cooking trends and is interested in understanding the needs of the community. The Caribbean community is scattered throughout the city and he hopes that his little establishment can help to bring everyone a little closer together. He defines his restaurant as very open and culturally diverse to everyone. He wants to spread happiness through his food, and give everyone a little taste of what it’s like to enjoy the comfort of the islands in a city as big as Toronto. Whenever anyone new steps into his restaurant his words to them are “Be adventurous, here there is nothing to buy, but everything to eat!” Written by Alyssa Mahadeo Toronto Caribbean Reporter
entertainment
PAGE 14
Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Global Carnival Circuit winds down as Patrice Roberts sets the pace! Aba Luke
aba@carib101.com
Entertainment Trinidad and Tobago’s Patrice Roberts seems set on making a major dent on
the carnival circuit in T&T in 2016. We say this because already, her recently released soca anthem, “Money Done” is creating a stir some are saying will last well into the heart of the revelry. This coming Monday, Caribbean carnival enthusiasts will gather on the Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York to show the world just how much they love soca music and all that comes along with it. For years, the Labour Day Caribbean Carnival parade has intrigued
many and for years, Trinbagonians have left home and headed to the big Apple to be a part of the excitement. DJs and radio personalities are out there as well this weekend, and so too are the artistes who make carnival the special festival it is. Patrice is on her way New York. In fact, she posted the assurance to social media a short while ago, saying that it’ll be a long flight but she’s on her way. She also took the time to give credit to her hairdresser who obviously hooked her
up with a new curly look she’s rocking this weekend. The revelry is most definitely in the air and with bands already launched in Trinidad, it’s a given that most Caribbean minds are set on what’s just around the corner- T&T Carnival of course! Before that however, all roads lead to Miami for the Broward Festival. Will you be there? - EtceteraBuzz
Postmanʼs got the perfect Trinidad post-election track to bring back the niceness Aba Luke
aba@carib101.com
Entertainment This time next week, post Trinidad and Tobago’s election 2015, everyone will be jamming and enjoying life again like nothing ever happened. That’s the prediction of Postman- a Trinbagonian soca artiste who’s making a major comeback in the soca music industry this year, having already released what is definitely the most infectious post-election soca track there is. Sherwin Rogers, AKA Postman, has been a part of the music industry for quite some time. His voice is as infec-
tious as that of fellow Brooklyn native, Lyrikal but his tone as tough as Grenada’s Jab Jab master, Talpree and with that, Postman has just what it takes to reenter the soca music foray and deliver a fresh sense of excitement to the people of the Caribbean. His new single, “Niceness” is an Iko George- Martian Music produced single, which was written by the artiste himself. In it, he reminds the population that the feting and ‘niceness’ will return as is the norm with Trinbagonians when the election is over on September 8th. The song is one of two that the artiste plans on releasing for what will be a short carnival 2016 season. His second single, ‘Fetaholic’ will soon follow. A resident of the US, the entertainer has stayed true to his Trini roots. His musical past has included placing third in the Junior Calypso Monarch in Trinidad and Tobago and even recording a 16-track soca album in 1998, which
sold some 8,000 plus copies in New York, thanks to Postman’s quickly acquired street marketing skills. “Like many others in the business of soca, my dream is really to become a household name. I admire the artistes who’ve done it before me and I have a lot of respect for those who’ve put in the work. Now, I’m more than ready to hit the ground hard and I’m asking the people for that chance to prove myself to them,” he said passionately. A budding Brooklyn businessman, Postman does what he can to promote Trinidad and Tobago in the United States. Together with his wife, he manages a Trini inspired bakery called Postman’s Cakeworld and Pastries. “It’s located in East Flatbush and we sell a lot of Trini products like currents roles and coconut tarts and stuff. We try to keep it as authentic as possible and so far, it’s doing well,” he admitted. Eyes set on being a part of the
Carnival festivities in T&T this year, Postman looks toward entering the International Soca Monarch competition as well. “That’s really a big deal for me. I want to succeed where that is concerned- get in the ring with the big boys of Soca,” he said with a laugh. He’s undoubtedly able and ready and with nothing to lose, the Trini New Yorker it taking strong aim and readying himself for whatever lies ahead. “I know it won’t be easy. I’ve been in this business since 1986 as a youth. I’ve seen the struggle many have endured. I sat back and analyzed it, and all I can say, it’s now or never for Postman.” For more on the artiste, music lovers can check out his Facebook pagekeyword- Sherwin Rogers The Postman and on Instagram, @DEPOSTMANWORLD. - EtceteraBuzz
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
sports
PAGE 19
Lots of economic benefits can come from sport tourism TRINIDAD -- Mega and small scale sport tourism has the potential to contribute to the social, cultural, economic and infrastructural development of the host country or city. Sport tourism involves the travel of persons for nonbusiness reasons to participate and or observe sporting activities (Hall, 1992). Mega sporting events include the hosting of World Cups for such sports such as football, cricket, and rugby. Small scale sporting events include triathlons, marathons and a leg of the formula one grand prix. According to Zauhar (2003) sport tourism involves a number of activities. In addition to either participating and or observing sporting events, persons who travel for sport tourism may also have a vested interest in visiting state of the art sporting facilities such as stadiums. These may include for example, Lords cricket ground in England, Roland Garros in Paris, Maracana Stadium in Brazil and the Millennium rugby stadium in Wales. In addition to the iconic sporting stadiums appeal, sport tourists may also show an interest in sporting hall of fames and sport museums such as the Legends of Barbados cricket museum. Sport tourists may not always be interested in traditional competitive sports and may find adventurous activities far more inviting and appealing to their leisure taste. Some of these adventurous activities may include bungee jumping stations, zip line canopy tours, hiking trails, water adventures such snorkeling and golf. Sport tourism offers several economic benefits to local communities, the region and or the country. An estimated 680,000 persons from overseas attended the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics. These
visitors generated enormous economic activity through different forms of expenditure on sporting and non-sporting activities. There was an increased demand for various forms of accommodation—hotels and guest houses. Similarly there was an increase in demand for sporting paraphernalia such replica tee shirts, sneakers etc. Non-sporting products expenditure included food, beverages, phones, cameras, and other electronic accessories that are associated with travelers. According to Hassen (2003) the 2003 Cricket World generated 1.3 billion Rands for the South African economy. Sport tourism provides the host country with high media coverage. This coverage will cover not only the sporting event but also provide important information about the country’s cultural and entertainment locations as well as an overall country profile. Such information would have been
provided when the Caribbean played host to two cricket world cups in 2007 and 2010 respectively. Additionally, Trinidad and Tobago would have benefitted from the media coverage when it hosted the 2001 FIFA U17 World Cup for boys and the 2010 FIFA World Cup for girls. Mega and small sporting events not only offer athletes and officials opportunities to establish strong social bonds but also allow sport tourists the opportunity to forge long lasting social connections with persons from host cities and countries. These bonds have the potential to result in future travels between countries and so deepening the benefits of tourism. According to Morrison (2005) mega sporting events provide a platform to incorporate social and cultural features of the host community/city/country into the overall tourist experience. These events are good occa-
sions to showcase the cultural heritage of the country such as its history, historical sites, food, music, art, architecture, and overall what makes the host unique and interesting to want to return in the immediate future. Sport tourism does not only result from the visiting and expenditure from tourists but also involves the development of local infrastructure such as stadia, hotels, transportation networks, roads, telecommunication, airports and other infrastructure. Such developments will provide long term benefits to communities where they have been established. The potential benefits of sports tourism can only be realised if several challenges are overcome especially in the developing world. In countries where crime and matters of security are a major concern persons considering to travel to these destination maybe discouraged to engage in any form of sport tourism. Additionally, the allegations of corruption and financial scandals may also serve as a discouragement. The overall success of any sporting tourism event is dependent upon management. Poor management due to financial impropriety, poor planning, lack of efficient customer service, and a host of other management’s drawbacks may serve as a major Achilles heel for the success of any sport tourism event. According to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (2011) sport tourism has the potential to being powerful tool for development and progress. However, for this to be accomplished to reap the benefits of sports tourism proper planning and management of events have to be undertaken. - Trinidad Guardian
PAGE 20
sports
Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com n.com | Wednesday, September Septemb mb ber er 9, 9, 2015 20 015
Bassarath questions Ramdinʼs removal TRINIDAD -- Cricket Board (T&TCB) president, Azim Bassarath is hoping that the decision to sack Denesh Ramdin as West Indies Test captain is not part of a plan to target Trinidadian players. Ramdin is the third T&T player to be ejected from a leadership position by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) within recent times. Over the weekend Merissa Aguilliera, the long serving women’s wicket keeper batsman, who has been at the helm of the team since 2009, was also moved while Dwayne Bravo, who led the One-day team to India last year, has also been replaced. Bassarath, the outspoken WICB director said he was not party to the West Indies Cricket Board directors’ teleconference last Wednesday when the decision to remove Ramdin was ratified. Ramdin was on Friday axed after just 15 months in charge and replaced by one-day skipper Jason Holder, a recommendation from selectors which the WICB said had been “endorsed unanimously” by directors during the teleconference. Bassarath said he had not attended the meeting because of his commitments in Monday’s general elections here.
He believes Ramdin should have been allowed to lead the squad to Sri Lanka starting next month, so the selectors could have further assess his performance. “I think we should have given him another opportunity to tour Sri Lanka as captain and then look at his performance if the selectors had a problem,” Bassarath was quoted as saying in a CMC report. “What is shocking to me is that earlier this year, Denesh led the team against England and we came away with a credible draw. “Against Australia we lost 2-0 but I didn’t think he performed that badly with the bat that he deserved being dropped. I am disappointed that the selectors came up with that recommendation. Very, very disappointed.” The 30-year-old Ramdin, who took over from Darren Sammy as Test captain in May last year, led West Indies in 13 Tests – winning four, losing seven and drawing two. During that time, he managed 472 runs at an average of 22, and a highest score of 57. Bassarath said he hoped Trinidadian players were not being specifically targeted because of their alleged role in last year’s controversial abandoned tour of India.
“I am hoping the (WICB) president (Dave Cameron) is not part of this move to spite and victimise Trinidad and Tobago players because of what transpired in India where Dwayne Bravo was captain and it is alleged that some of the Trinis were leading the charge,” Bassarath said. “I hope it also does not have anything to do with Baldath Mahabir and the TTCB not supporting Cameron for the presidency of the WICB. I would hate to think it has reached that level where the TTCB, which was considered the best territorial board in the Caribbean—and I still think we are—that we are treated in this manner.” He added: “I would not sit down idly by as a WICB director and allow any victimisation and vindictiveness creep into West Indies cricket.” Bravo was last December sacked as one-day captain and replaced by Holder, and also dropped from the one-day squad for South Africa and the subsequent World Cup. Fellow Trinidadian Kieron Pollard was also axed from the one-day squad. - Trinidad Guardian
PAGE 24
food
Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Gluten free vegetarian Callaloo Chris De La Rosa chris@carib101.com
Caribbean Cooking Callaloo, the delicious soup-like dish of the Southern Caribbean is traditionally made with the inclusion of fresh ocean crabs for it’s unique and rich flavor. If one cannot source that wonderful ‘blue’ crab, we then look for that layer of flavor from salted meats like pigtails and beef, and I’ve seen some people use smoked meats on some occasions. I must point out that the traditional recipe for making callalloo (not to be confused with Jamaican Callaloo) are the tender leaves of the dasheen or taro plant. How-
eev ver er,, so sour urci cing ing tthose hose iin ho hose n Ca C Cana ana nadda da iiss al almo lmo most stt ever, sourcing Canada almost impossible, so we’ll be using baby spinach with brilliant results in this vegetarian version of Callaloo. You’ll Need: 6-8 cups chopped spinach 2 cups diced butternut squash (or pumpkin) 1 1/2 cups diced sweet potato 2 birds eye pepper (1/4 scotch bonnet) 4 cloves garlic 1/3 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 scallions 1 med onion 1 heaping tablespoon sofrito (see note below) 4-5 sprigs thyme 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups coconut milk 2 cups water (or veg stock – gluten free) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 10-15 okra
IIff yyou ou don’t don on’t ’tt hhave ave so av ave sofr frit fr itoo yo it youu ca cann us usee 1/ 11/2 2 sofrito teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning – or leave it out if you wish. If you have access to Caribbean seasoning peppers (pimento peppers) I’d recommend adding a couple. Remember to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Heat the olive oil in a deep pot (soup pot) and go in with the diced onion, garlic, thyme, chopped scallions and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook (stir) for 2-3 minutes. Add the cubed sweet potato, chopped okra, squash (use pumpkin if you have) and stir well. Then turn up the heat to med and go in with the chopped spinach. Top with the coconut milk and then add all the other ingredients. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. As it comes to a boil, reduce it to a gentle bubble (like a simmer) and let it go until everything goes tender and starts falling apart (about 40-50 minutes).
T aste as te for salt and adjust accordTaste ingly as my tolerance for salt will be different than yours. It’s now time to ‘swizzle’ the callaloo.. I have an old-school swizzle stick, but you can use an immersion blender or wire whisk. If using an immersion blender try to PULSE in short bursts – do NOT go continuous or you’ll end in with a forty mess. The goal is to have a somewhat smooth soup-like texture/consistency. Traditionalists may argue that you need the crab or salted meats for a GOOD callaloo to stand out, but I assure you that this vegetarian version, which happens to be gluten friendly is stunning. As a soup or with rice, stewed meats (for non vegetarians), sides of plantains and salad and you’re in true Caribbean heaven. You and your belly can thank me after that food-induced nap!
body & soul
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
PAGE 25
Yoga nidra Yoga Nidra is Sanskrit for Yogic Sleep. A powerful technique from the Tantric Yoga tradition, Yoga Nidra creates an altered state of consciousness allowing the practitioner to enter the realm of subconscious and create effective and seemingly magical changes in their life. Yoga Nidra is a part of the Pratyahara limb of Raja Yoga, one of the eight limbs of yoga; the well known codification system of the Yogic practices by Patanjali. Pratyahara deals with the withdrawal of the senses and the influences of the mind which do not serve us on the path of enlightenment. The yoga Nidra method is so inherently powerful that it has been kept secret for nearly 4000 years until the 1960’s when it reintroduced to western students by Parmahansa Stayananda Saraswati. Most people are familiar with the power of affirmations but many also don’t realize that affirmations can be made infinitely more effective if one is to access the subconscious mind to plant the seed of a new belief. In fact most conscious affirmations methods are ineffective because they don’t manifest in the subconscious. Under the guidance of an experienced teacher, you will relax your nervous
system in the most powerful way available to humans without chemical agents. Once you reach this deepest state of physical and mental relaxation the mind becomes receptive to new concepts. In this manner as we access the subconscious through specifically designed sequences of visualizations you will have an opportunity to implant an affirmation of your choice, which will then manifest in your life. Before you begin the Yoga Nidra practice formulate your affirmation. An integral part of the Yoga Nidra practice is the silent repetition at 2 separate time intervals of a sankalpa, a resolve or affirmation. The correct formulation of the resolve is critical to the success of the practice. Because the subconscious mind speaks in it’s own language we must structure the wording of our intent to be accessible and clearly translated by the subconscious. There are 7 main rules that need to be followed for the outcome to come to fruition: 1.
The resolve should be stated in a simple language and contained within one sen-
2. 3.
4.
5.
tence. It should be made in the first person by using “ I am……” I have…..” I create……” “ I feel……” It must be structured in positive language. No mention of the negative state should be made, instead the positive desired outcome state should be affirmed. For example, if you desire to attain recovery from a medical condition it should not be structured as “I am not sick” instead a positively stated desired outcome should be utilized such as “I have perfect health” Or “My physical body is in perfect health and balance” etc. No words such as: not, don’t, won’t, can’t, should be used. The statement should be joyous in it’s essence. Present tense. Because the subconscious mind is timeless and operating in the moment all affirmations should be stated as if they have already come into being. In this way unlike the petitionary aspect of prayer, we simple affirm that which is already here. Eliminate doubt. Affirmations must involve you only. Do not wish change for any specific person. Do not wish for a specific person
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All of this requires a leap of consciousness and faith to grasp. This is the magical aspect of the practice. Knowing how this works is irrelevant compared to the knowing that it does work. - My Yoga Online
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Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
health news
PAGE 27
Amazing health benefits of apple cider vinegar and honey Fewer natural substances get more positive press from newspapers, magazines and social media sites than apple cider vinegar and honey. Even taken alone, each brings some amazing health benefits to the body. Apple cider vinegar is great for digestive health, for instance, and can be used topically to treat a number of skin conditions as various as burns, dandruff or minor cuts and scrapes. Honey has been widely used since the time of the ancient Egyptians for its medicinal properties, and even today it is an important weapon in the modern fight against difficultto-heal wounds like severe burns or diabetic ulcers. No natural health website is complete without information on these two amazing substances. However, when apple cider vinegar and honey are used in conjunction with one another, their healing powers are inten-
sified and they can support the health of the body in some truly amazing ways. Reduced inflammation Not surprisingly, one thing which the combination of honey and apple cider vinegar seems to accomplish in spades is reducing inflammation throughout the body. This helps on two levels. First, it can make the management of chronic inflammation conditions like arthritis or ulcerative colitis easier to achieve. Second, preventing inflammation can help prevent the onset of other serious chronic conditions like diabetes or heart disease. Better digestion This honey-apple-cider-vinegar combination is a great way to improve digestion and
works in several different ways to achieve this. It is great for treating and preventing problems like heartburn, acid reflux and over-acidity in the stomach. It can help treat sluggish bowels and prevent problems like chronic constipation from setting in. It can even support oral health and banish problems like bad breath! It is, in short, a great tonic for the whole digestive system. Improved heart health This dynamic duo is also able to improve the health of the heart. Regular consumption of a honey-apple-cider-vinegar mix has been shown to improve cholesterol levels (and more importantly, the ratio between good and bad cholesterol) and also to reduce high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease. Indirectly, it also helps pro-
mote heart health through weight loss, since obesity is another common cause for cardiac problems. The takeaway here is that, while apple cider vinegar and honey, just on their own, are great for the health, together they are a truly formidable combination which can prevent and treat a variety of medical problems, many of them chronic and severe. They are readily available in any grocery store and may be lurking in the cupboard or pantry already! Try this combination today and begin reaping all the amazing benefits that go to support long-term health. - Natural News
Candida solutions - The signs, symptoms and cure for yeast overgrowth There are nearly two dozen types of Candida yeasts that can infect the human body with the most popular variety called Candida albicans. Candida yeasts normally live on the body – without any issues – but, when they grow out of control can cause tremendous health problems. Just to be perfectly clear, these ‘run away’ infections can damage the lining of our intestines, destroy immune function and pollute the bloodstream – which sets the stage for chronic diseases like cancer. How do we keep candida under control? The answer is quite simple: If you suffer with yeast overgrowth – you must find natural ways to regain healthy intestinal flora and improve immune function without toxic medications. On the next NaturalNews Talk Hour, you’ll learn why candida is so hard to
resolve and, most importantly, why “starving” candida is the wrong approach. The signs, symptoms and dangers of yeast overgrowth First of all: It’s important to understand what promotes yeast overgrowth. If you’ve been exposed to high degrees of emotional/mental stress; the use of antibiotics or unnatural (processed) foods, then you are at high risk of candida-related health issues. So, how do you know if candida may be causing you problems? Ask yourself: Do I have gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation? Do I feel tired – even after sleeping for hours the night before? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you should be checked out by a holistically-minded physician (who un-
derstands biological/functional medicine) – especially if you suffer from autoimmune disease or chronic depression. Keep in mind, when candida problems are ignored, the digestive system will be compromised – which leads to poor food breakdown and nutrient absorption. In other words, if you have an overabundance of yeast, you could lose much of the benefits expected from organic foods and high-quality nutritional supplements. What is biological medicine and how can it help people with candida? According to The American Center for Biological Medicine, biological medicine “is the science, practice, and art of healing that is a fundamental form of medicine, applicable to each human body, regardless of the illness.
We don’t believe in Band Aids. Biomedicine has a simple objective: identify the source of disorders, imbalances, and weaknesses in the human regulatory system and heal the whole body.” We all know that the last line of defense to disease is our immune system and it’s under attack from things like, poor diet and environmental toxins like mercury and plastics. Conventional medicine merely ‘treats’ the symptoms of disease and ignores the underlying cause of sickness. A physician trained in biological medicine combines ancient wisdom with the latest in advance testing procedures to discover the reason why candida grows out of control. It’s an individualized form of medicine designed to empower the patient. - Natural News
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
health news
Top natural anti-viral remedies Have a tickle in the back of your throat, or have you noticed you’re sneezing more frequently? Perhaps you’re just concerned that something is going around, or maybe it’s just that time of year when people tend to get sick more easily. If you aren’t fond of taking over-the-counter medications and prescriptions, you can instead reach for some natural remedies, all while skipping the chemical cocktails that only treat symptoms rather than the source of your illness. Echinacea Echinacea is the one natural remedy that most people think of when they think of boosting the immune system. Over the years, this herbal remedy has gotten quite the reputation for being the go-to antiviral extract. Tinctures made from the flowers and roots of this plant help the immune system combat things like colds, the flu, and bronchitis. It works best when taken right after exposure to germs because it helps ramp up the immune system’s effectiveness at isolating an illness before it spreads.
Garlic Garlic is stronger and safer than some antibiotics because, unlike prescriptions, it doesn’t attack the good bacteria in your body. This keeps your system cleaner and stronger so it can fight an invading infection. But in addition to anti-bacterial benefits, lab studies have also found that garlic is great as an anti-viral and anti-fungal aid. It can be taken in pill form or as a powdered supplement, or you could chew a clove in order to fight off colds and the flu. Elderberry Elderberry, commonly taken in syrup form, is also effective against colds and the flu. One important thing to note with Elderberry, though, is that it must be prepared properly because it can have negative effects if it isn’t thoroughly cooked before being consumed. However, once the elderberry is correctly prepared, it goes right to work attacking viruses by disabling their ability to bind to cells, thus warding off further infection and letting your immune system catch up and do its job.
Olive Leaf Olive leaf, which is most potent when prepared as a tincture and taken in liquid or capsule form, is a potent anti-viral and antimicrobial remedy. Like most of the remedies listed here, it can be used against the common cold and flu, but it also has been proven effective against herpes. The key lies in elenolic acid, which is a powerful component of olive leaf that destroys viruses. St. John’s Wort While most people associate St. John’s Wort with depression, anxiety, and some neurological issues, such as neuralgia and sciatica, it’s also been proven to be effective in treating the flu and herpes. St. John’s Wort is even sometimes used in the treatment of HIV. It works by attacking the cell membranes that viruses shield themselves in while staying hidden from your immune system, thereby making them vulnerable so your body can heal itself. - Natural News
Russian officials propose bill to grant every citizen one hectare of farm and forest land to use for self-sufficiency The Pacific Rim of Russia could soon see a mass migration of young people if a government scheme to repopulate this largely uninhabited area is successful. In an effort to promote self-reliance and good land stewardship, the Russian government is planning to grant every Russian citizen who wants it one hectare of land for free as long as these landholders use their land for farming, selfsufficiency, and/or other legal uses. Russia’s vast Far East territory is currently home to about six million people, but this number has been waning in recent years. The Russian government estimates that once the land grant program is initiated, 30 million more people could flock to the region, infusing new life into an area of Russia that would otherwise qualify as uninhabited Siberia. “Free land grants [are] a powerful potential for developing our Eastern territories and an opportunity to radically -- almost six fold -- increase the far eastern population from 6.4 million to 36 million people,” stated Alexander Galushka, the minister of development for this region, to the Siberian Times about the program. If everything goes as planned, the program will come into effect on January 1, 2016, and run for 19 years. Russian citizens who take residency on these appropriated
land plots will have to prove during the first five years that they’re using them properly. After this five-year probationary period, land occupants will be given full ownership of their land in perpetuity. Based on a government survey, the vast majority of interested Russians have indicated that they plan to use their land for self-reliance. Others have said they plan to become farmers, while a select bunch simply plan to relocate somewhere new in order to start a new life. Russia gives land to its citizens while U.S. takes land away through Agenda 21 Some are skeptical of the plan, however, recalling a Russian land-voucher scheme from the 1990s that ended up granting large blocs of land to “a few spectacularly rich tycoons,” to quote the Siberian Times. However, others believe this latest land grant plan is worlds apart from the earlier one and that it will greatly benefit the average Russian citizen. In either case, it’s a far cry from how the American government treats its citizens when it comes to land ownership. Rather than try to increase land ownership and spread the wealth around, federal bureaucrats in the U.S. are actually stealing land from rural citizens in an attempt to force all Americans into densely-packed urban en-
claves. It’s all part of a plan known as Agenda 21 that aims to “rewild” the vast majority of U.S. territory by forcibly relocating people out of their homes and into government micro-managed cities. The federal government already owns nearly half of the land area in nine U.S. states, it turns out, and U.S.A. Inc. is progressively eating up more of it with each passing day. While Russia is working towards putting measures in place to expand freedom and land ownership amongst its citizens, the U.S. is being radically transformed into a massive, government-owned prison, with cities as cell blocks and all of that increasingly unattainable open space swelling in scope outside the prison walls. “Rewilding is ultimately about property rights,” explains Kelly O’Connell for Canada Free Press. “In transferring large tracts of land (a.k.a. Big Wilderness) into government hands it thereby cancels any rights of the original owners.” “This is, in fact, the entire goal of rewilding large, dangerous carnivores -- to take away mankind’s property rights to big parcels of land so the elite caste might macro-manage earth according to their dictates.” - Natural News
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Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Reving up your metabolism Monique Bartlett
monique@carib101.com
Fitness Have you ever met someone who seems to be able to eat anything they want but never seems to gain weight? They eat large amounts of food and they look like a marathon runner, yet you just look at food and you seem to gain weight? Then when you ask them how they stay so slim, the answer you receive is that they just have a high metabolism. So the question is, what do you need to know about metabolism and how can it help you to achieve your weight loss goals?
Your metabolic rate is basically just the rate at which you use up energy, such as in calories. The higher your metabolism, the more calories you burn and the more weight you lose. So how exactly does this work? For instance, if you eat less you would think that you would have a higher metabolism however, this can sometimes slow down the amount of weight you lose. What tends to happen is when you eat a small amount of calories, your body thinks that there isn’t enough food to eat and you are starving yourself. So instead, in order to conserve energy your body starts to slow down your metabolism so you can save your energy for when you need it. That means, instead of using up your excess fat and making you thinner, your metabolism actually starts to use muscle tissue instead. One way to make sure that this doesn’t happen is to make sure that you eat enough food to keep your body from believing that it needs go into starvation mode. However, you also need to control the num-
ber of calories you take in so that you can achieve your weight loss goal. Unfortunately, there is no one right answer for everyone. How many calories you need in a day for weight loss is dependent on your age, gender, activity level and much more. The best way to determine what is best for you is to consult with a qualified professional who will be able to work out the number of calories you need in a day in order for you to meet your weight loss goal. If you want to help rev up your metabolism your best choice is to exercise. Your metabolism increases when you exercise and also helps to burn off extra calories to help with weight loss. Exercising also helps you gain more muscle so you can burn more calories, as more muscle helps you burn more calories at rest. So do yourself a favour. Eat your required number of calories in a day and make sure you exercise. That way you’re sure to feel good and look good at the same time.
Youth enhancement Dr. Matthew Weekes drweekes@carib101.com
Dental Health “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of Man” Eccl 12-13. The lazy crazy days of summer are over. What next? Those of us who were born or grew up in warm hemisphere are acutely aware of change. We will soon spend most of our time indoors. Our clothes will change as the green landscape is replaced by colourful leaves soon to fall and be replaced by blankets of ice and snow.
There is excitement as our kids start school for the first time and great expectations as they move up the education ladder, complete high school and move on to College, University and Trade Schools. It is important to start investing in our youth early. In this rapidly changing world with unprecedented events, some frightful, children more than ever need all the help, guidance, encouragement and active participation from parents, grandparents, other family members, close friends, churches, religious, ethnic and social organizations’. In order to have a healthy mind each child must feel that there is someone to care for them, offer love in words and actions. This type of stimulus is very important. If the youngsters are to exceed, we as adults must excel in our level of caring. Hence we must get involved in steering the youth to perform to their full potential, absence of strong support systems causes discourage-
ment, confusion, anxiety, hopelessness, depression, alienation and criminal behavior. A good education is still the best investment for the future. Some may have to work harder than others. The challenge is to keep children motivated and focused on their goals. Time management is important. Parents must be prepared to sacrifice for their kids and provide an environment at home that is conducive to study. All distractions should cease or be minimized. Be actively involved, make every effort to know the teachers and be present for parent/teachers night. If possible volunteer your services. If needed seek additional help before the semester ends. Always reward good and improved performances. Role models and mentors exist in the community. Try to connect with them, so they are fully informed of the career they are considering. March with confidence into the future.
Male disease Dr. Lydia Thurton
drlydia@carib101.com
Health Tips There are medical conditions that tend to be prevalent in one gender or the other. Women are at greater risk for rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid disease. Men have a greater chance of contracting Parkinson’s disease and heart disease at younger ages than women. Hormones and lifestyle factors play a role in determining the prevalence of disease. What is tricky is that these are not hard and fast rules. There are men that get diseases typically found in females. These diseases can go undetected for years, because they are rare. Let’s discuss three diseases commonly found in women that men can experience.
Only 20% of thyroid diseases are found in men. Auto immune reactions are the most common cause of thyroid disease and women are much more likely to have auto immune conditions in general. Symptoms of unexplained weight gain, dry skin, constipation, feeling chilly and low energy indicate that your thyroid may be compromised. One major sign of hypothyroidism in men is a declining sex drive. Studies have shown that erectile dysfunction is significantly more common in men with low thyroid function. Men can get breast cancer. Which means, yes, men do have breasts. While far less developed than a females, there is still male breast tissue and it can still be subject to cancerous cellular changes. Last year it was estimated that over 200 men in Canada would be diagnosed with breast cancer and over one quarter of them would die from the disease. Men with a number of relatives with breast cancer, aged over 60, consume alcohol in excess and have genetic mutations of the breast cancer genes are at increased risk. Usually the nodule is a hard, painless lump
under the nipple. While most problems with breast tissue are not cancer, any lump on a man’s chest should be investigated accordingly. Similar to thyroid disease only 20% of patients with osteoporosis are men. Osteoporosis is the weakening and thinning of the structure of the bone. The most common cause of osteoporosis in men is testosterone deficiency. Men also need a small amount of estrogen to maintain their bone mass. Getting hormones checked in later life is just as important for a male as it is for a female. Taking vitamin D and exercising are important ways to ward off osteoporosis. Medications that treat prostate cancer, steroid medications and anti-seizure drugs can all deplete bone calcium and cause osteoporosis. Smokers are at a 55% increased risk of having poor quality or weak bone structure in their elder years and that goes for both men and women. Get to know your body. Get to know your family history of disease. Issues found prevalently in one sex can occur in the opposite.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
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Back to school health matters Michelle Smith
michelle@carib101.com
Health Care Health advocacy means that health care choices have to be recognized by all. With back to school quickly approaching let’s starts our children off with a healthy start as well. With a growing concern on health and youths, I have taken a stance to promote and educate both parents and children. It is important for our youth today to understand the health issues that they may be predisposed
too. Healthy habits start early and as a health care facilitator it is important to bring forth this message. The use of fast food to fuel the learner’s body must change in order to grow healthy children into healthy adults. Wrong choices start early. Health literacy means that you can understand information about your health, so you know how to take care of yourself and make good decisions. It’s important for both children and adults to be health literate. Fast food is a growing option for a lot of people today, with its empty calories that serve the purpose of satisfying hunger. Let’s recall some health issues that will stem from poor eating habits in our young children. Diabetes is one of the growing concerns in our city and country. Understanding that fast foods and its easy access allows our
youths to become victims of potentially developing the big three: diabetes, cholesterol and hypertension. Quick fact: Normal blood pressure is 120/80. Utilize the blood pressure machines in your local grocery stores so that you are always aware of you number. Try to get rid of those processed foods that are high in salt and help increase blood pressure and childhood obesity. Remember that there are many factors involved with blood pressure. Your genes play an important role and for this reason educating your child is just as important. Your environment plays a role as well. There are many ways to keep your child’s lifestyle and health in tip-top shape. Have fun, be creative. We’ve all heard the news: Overweight and obese teenagers are tipping the
scales at an alarming rate. According to the Canada Health Measure Survey (2010) over 26% of children and youth are overweight. 60% of Canadian youth do not get the required daily physical activity for optimum growth and development. 93% of children and youth are not meeting Canada’s physical activity guidelines. Make Food FUN. Encourage your children to eat fruits and vegetables by buying the right groceries. Get your child involved in the entire food process from grocery shopping to preparation! Make your weekly family time ACTIVE. Choose new activities. Keep your child engaged with different recreational activities. You are the most important part of your health team. It’s time for you to be in charge of your family’s health.
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Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Have you invested in Time Share this summer? Fazaad Bacchus
fazaad@carib101.com
Finance Specialist Last issue we addressed those who did not go on a vacation this year and were planning on doing so later on. Well some of us were more fortunate and we did go, to visit families, to hotels and some to resorts. Did anyone go to a time share presentation…it’s supposed to last an hour and a half, includes a free breakfast or lunch and you walk away with a prize for attending, sounds familiar? The presentation however takes more than an hour and a half, especially if you have questions and can run you up to three hours. You are usually being interviewed by three salesper-
sons all with the attempt to sell or as they put it “invest”. That’s not the issue I’d like to discuss today. What I’d like to discuss is the fact of whether or not you bought a time share and if you did what you can expect going forward. So the first thing is that if you didn’t buy, don’t feel too bad. The option to buy is always there and they would gladly offer you a free stay plus taxes to do the presentation again. But if you did buy, here are some items we should discuss. The sales representative would have told you that you are purchasing a piece of the property which has equity and therefore you can will it to your kids who can will it to their kids and so on. Would you buy a piece of property for $30,000 knowing that you can resell it for only $10,000? I imagine your answer would be a straight out no! Well this is exactly the case when
purchasing a time share vacation property. You cannot recover the money you paid for it. The vendor is usually not willing to buy it back, so it is sold on the open market with listing fees of approximately $1,700 plus closing fees etc., causing you to lose 80% of what you have paid. How did you pay for it…with their easy financing approval where everyone is guaranteed? Did you notice that the interest rate on the loan is 17.99% annually? If you took the financing method, you made a 20% down payment plus closing costs and processing fees all adding up to an initial payment of $8,500. The balance will be amortized over the next ten years at a payment of $417.11. If you can afford it, it doesn’t seem too bad a deal. Well, you do have to pay the maintenance and property taxes annually as well, another $900.00 per year and this is whether you use it or not. And all of these go up every year, notwithstanding any special assessments.
Your rep may have told you about the thousands of resorts available to you through various exchange programs, but it will cost you another $89.00 per year and exchange resorts are subject to availability. By the time your ten years are over, you would have paid a total of $69,353….and as I mentioned before, your resale value is $10,000. Have you really made an investment? Unfortunately you haven’t; you may discuss this issue with a Financial Advisor on the future value of the timeshare. You have made a lifestyle choice. If you are to benefit from your purchase it is advisable that you continually use your weeks, rent them out or allow friends the benefit of a free vacation. And finally please remember to advise your Financial Advisor of your purchase so that it can be included in your list of assets.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
Child support and ʻChild of the marriageʼ Valerie Dye
valerie@carib101.com
Legal Matters Under the Divorce Act a ‘child of the marriage’ is defined as ‘a child of two spouses or former spouses who, (1) is under the age of majority and who has not withdrawn from the charge of his parents, or (2) is the age of majority but is unable, by reason of illness, disability or other cause, to withdraw from the charge of his or her parents. The determination of who is a ‘child of the marriage’ is important in determining whether or not a child is entitled to receive support. The term ‘child of the marriage’ does not mean that someone who is not the biological child of the payor is not entitled to be supported. Section 2 (2) of the Divorce Act states that a ‘child of the marriage’ includes a child for whom both spouses have stood in the place of the parents or where one spouse is the biological parent and the other spouse stands in place of the other biological parent. Obviously, if a spouse is not a biological parent the court needs to determine whether or not that spouse has actually stood in the place of a parent. The Court will look at several factors including the intention of the spouse. Whether or not a spouse intended to act as a parent will be determined on the basis of that spouse’s actions. For instance, a spouse who treats the child as a part of the family and treats the child in the same way that a biological child is treated may be deemed to be stand-
ing in the place of a parent for the purposes of paying child support. The Court will also base its determination on whether or not the spouse has provided financially for the child, has disciplined the child as his or her own child or has represented to the child or to the community that he or she is the parent. It is important to note that once a spouse has acted in the place of a parent with regard to a non-biological child and has formed a parent child relationship this relationship cannot be unilaterally terminated. In other words, where a non-biological child has been treated as a child of the marriage during the marriage, if the marriage ends in divorce the spouse cannot decide that he or she is not liable for support because he or she is not a biological parent. Presumption of Paternity Apart from the considerations related to spouses who stand in place of parents, a male is presumed to be the biological parent of a child in certain situations. If the child is born during the marriage or during a period of cohabitation with the mother there is a presumption that the man is the father of the child. Further, if the he marries the mother of the child shortly after the birth of the child it is presumed that he is the biological father of the child. Even where the marriage or relationship is terminated before the birth of the child there is still a presumption of paternity if the child is born within 300 days after termination of the marriage or cohabitation whether that termination occurs as a result of divorce, separation or death. A presumption of paternity can be rebutted by conducting paternity tests to prove that the male in question is not the father of the child. However, even where the presumption is rebutted with a paternity test the male may still have to pay child support if he has treated the child as a child of the marriage.
Self-Driving cars and our city
Jelani Daniel
jelani@carib101.com
Automotive Corner Self-driving cars, also known as autonomous cars, have an anticipated launch this summer, according to Emily Chung of CBC News. She continues with some of the benefits and downfalls such cars will have on everyday life, transit hurdles and finally, the economy. An Overview: There are a number of benefits that range from having little to no need to park, to having convenient pickups and drop offs for you and your family. Although there are many positive aspects of autonomous cars, they may change the way drivers view driving as well as the way cities and the economy functions. Impacts On Our City: Cities are designed for community driving, as well as shopping and entertainment. Housing and parking are two aspects that are staples to most people, but strangely enough, parking may be a thing of the past. Emily continues, noting that unused reserves of land that are made into parking lots may not be viable if autonomous cars are used. Parking will not be a staple for a self-driving car, it can simply drive home then pick you up when you are done your meeting or schooling. Although this seems like a very posi-
tive aspect for the environment and for highpaying parking customers, it could threaten the parking industry, as well as the taxi driver workforce. Even emerging taxi hybrid industries like Uber may be threatened. If your car will drive you on demand for free, why would you use a taxi? Which brings me to my next point; the economy. The Impact To Our Economy: Having self-driving cars may be a great idea for those who wish to minimize risk while driving, but what about those who rely on driving for a living? Truck drivers may have little use other than to monitor the vehicle in rare cases of disruptions during deliveries. A whole industry of postal delivery workers and dispatch operators may face the biggest hit, leaving a pool of people without work and without resources. Insuring Insurance: Many insurance companies are blind to the idea of self-driving cars, thinking the technology will have many years before implementation. Sadly for the industry, the technology is present and Google has pushed for such advancements for many years. Traditional insurance firms are simply looking away all while having little to no understanding of the impact such cars will have on their future. With limited accidents, there will be no claims and without claims, there will be no work. It seems the self-driving car as a concept or used in certain markets is a viable tool for advancing technology, but as a regular method of transportation, it seems to pose a large danger to the economy. If there are selfdriving cars, but so few potential customers due to job loss, is it really a smart risk to take? Readers, what do you think?
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Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Make sure to paper your 407ETR settlement Tammy Flores
tammy@carib101.com
407ETR Matters Recently, 407ETR has launched a full frontal assault against thousands of former users whose accounts are anywhere from four to twelve years old. Almost all of these individuals have been in plate denial, unable to renew their licence plate sticker or obtain new plates for more than two years. Some of these individuals believed that those old accounts were paid. Others, knowing that their long ago invoices were relatively small numbers in the hundreds or low thousands and wanting to pay if only they could determine which charges were properly attributable to them, had attempted for years to sort out billing discrepancies before paying the invoice. Yet after more than ten years in many cases, 407ETR has been unwilling or unable to answer their queries as to why they were charged for trips they didn’t take; for trips which occurred months or years after they moved out of the province; trips after they returned the transponder or gave back the plates under which the non-transponder account was registered. Imagine their shock when they opened the most recent collection notices and saw that they now owed anywhere from 100% to 1000% more than the original unproven amount of the debt. These former customers are now receiving collection notices from a law firm representing the 407ETR. This law firm is well aware that court proceedings cannot be commenced against these alleged toll debtors, as the time limit for issuing a court action has expired. These firms, on behalf of 407ETR, are simply going to keep the file in a perpetual state of “collections”. This means that the previously invoked plate denial can remain in force and that 407ETR can pursue aggressive collection actions, including repeated telephone calls, letters, credit bureau reporting and the usual aggressive, annoying and questionable techniques employed by the collection industry. Yet debtors who call these firms and demand an accounting of the charges so they can reconcile what they are being expected to pay are met with silence. This is not the fault of the law firm acting for 407ETR. It only acts for a client who has failed to provide the firm with the necessary background
on each file, with the firm receiving only minimal information and a current debt total. Most people cannot afford a lawyer to go to court and fight the 407ETR so they are reluctantly entering into settlements in order to resolve the matter and get the plate denial removed from the MTO database. I am aware of individuals who have successfully negotiated a settlement with 407ETR for as little as 25% of the debt. If you find yourself in this situation and choose to settle with the 407ETR or its lawyer or collection agency, don’t assume that because you send them a cheque that the matter is done. In theory it should be. But the toll highway operator has shown repeatedly over the years that it cannot be relied upon for proper record keeping. Further, it seems every couple of years it engages new collection agencies and/or law firms to handle the old debt collection. So, if faced with a demand for payment and you are prepared to make a deal, by all means do so. While there is much to be gained from fighting a legal battle on the basis of principal, standing up to the bully, public interest, etc., it may be cost prohibitive to do so. As such, settlement may make, depending on the amount at stake, eminent good sense. But be advised that you should only provide the settlement funds if the collection agency/law firm/407ETR agrees to provide you with the following: 1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
A one page legal document called a Satisfaction Piece. This document is your ongoing proof that the debt is deemed settled in full, regardless of how much you actually paid. Confirmation that the plate denial will be removed A copy of 407ETR’s direction to the Ministry of Transportation removing you from plate denial. Confirmation that no negative information has been put on your credit bureau. In the event you are already aware of a negative credit report, then a letter from 407ETR to Equifax and TransUnion confirming that the negative credit report was placed “in error” and should be deleted.
Next time, I will reveal a simple $500 solution to get the 407ETR off your back. Darryl Singer is a lawyer with 22 years litigation experience and a particular interest in taking on the 407ETR. He practises as senior counsel with SINGER Barristers Professional Corporation in Markham. www.darrylsinger.com
Wednesday, September 9, 2015 | www.torontocaribbean.com | Toronto Caribbean
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Persuasive Development Disorders Autism; it cannot be ignored! Part 3 Simone Smith
simone@carib101.com
A Better Tomorrow Welcome back readers. I hope that you all have been able to follow this current series. As promised, I am running a series on Pervasive Development Disorders. So far, we have learned that Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) refers to a group of disorders that are characterized by delays in the development of social and communication skills. One of the most prevalent diagnoses of PDD is a disorder known as Autism. This series will include the following topics: Understanding Behavior, Developing Communication Skills, Teaching Play and Social Skills, Toilet Training, Reinforcement, Teaching Social Communication, Learning how to Play and Playing to Learn, One Bite at a Time, Steps Towards Positive Change and finally Introduction to Applied Behavioral Analysis. The majority of my data will come from a workshop that is put on by Erin Oaks Kids, a center dedicated to the treatment and development of children diagnosed with Autism. It is a ten week workshop that
has cycles occurring during the summer and fall months. More information can be found on their website, http://www.erinoakkids. ca/. So far, I have been able to share some information on Understanding Behaviors, which may be exhibited by a child with PDD, and Developing Communication Skills in children with PDD. This section will be tackling Teaching Play and Social Skills. What are social skills? Social skills are defined as the ability to interact successfully with peers and the rules and expectations that allow us to connect and be who we are and share who we are. This definition is taken from work done by Gresham, Sugai and Homer in 2001 and McKinnon and Krempa, 2002. Social skills are seen to be innate in most children. It seems natural for most children to connect with their environment and make friends. This task is different for children with Autism; although they want to have friends, it is harder for them to establish and build relationships with their peers. This is not only tough on the child, but on the parent as well. We all want to see our children functioning at the same, if not higher level than their peers. Watching a child struggle with this might be very disheartening for a parent. This is why it is important to understand necessary social skills and aim to develop them, not only in our children, but in ourselves as well.
Let us take a look at some common social skills that we use on a daily basis. These include: turn taking, acknowledgment, joking, sharing and accepting the word “No!” Manners, and listening (harder to do then one may think) complete this list. When looking at this list, one can understand why it is important to teach our children social skills. Developments of age appropriate social skills are important, especially if we want our children to be accepted amongst their peers. Social skills are important for recreation and leisure, successful school experiences and future employment opportunities. An individual’s quality of life depends highly on their ability to interact with their social environment. It could prove difficult to have a successful productive relationship in adulthood and social skills have proven to be as important as academic skills. There are four main social skills: Survival skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving skills and conflict resolution. Our survival skills allow us to adapt to our environment, by interacting with individuals who will aid in our survival. Asking for help is an example of a survival skill. Interpersonal skills include: joining activities, appropriateness and apologizing. These are useful for day to day interaction and many of us could not function without these skills. Problem solving skills and conflict resolution skills go hand in hand. Having the ability to deal
with problems and people can be difficult because it usually involves emotional intelligence. This can prove to be difficult for the average human, so one can imagine how difficult this could be for someone who is unable to functionally interact with their social environment. There are barriers to social interaction that are visible in individuals with Autism. Many children who have been diagnosed have limited play skills; they may have difficulty initiating and sustaining interactions and may become confused about how to respond to social interactions. The first two years of school are focused on play and interaction. Imagine the difficulties that are faced by children who may have difficulties using or responding to non-verbal gesture, are unable to maintain eye contact with other children and have difficulties developing peer relationships. If undiagnosed, these behaviors persist into adulthood and cause severe anxiety for the individual and their caregivers. It is important that we acknowledge the importance of social interaction in our environment. Empathetic understanding of those who are living with PDD is necessary in our community. The next time you say hello to a coworker, apologize to a friend, or hold the door open for someone, think; what if I was incapable of doing this? Have a blessed week and remain thankful.
FORWANTED SALE HELP
FOR SALE COMMUNITY
FOR SALE FOR SALE
NOW HIRING: Brampton Caribbean restaurant hiring for various positions. Contact Tropical Paradise Restaurant - Phone: 905455-8100
NETWORKING: Connect! Gospel Cafe’ & Business Network Event- FREE! Saturday Sept 12th, 2015 6:00- 9:00pm Malvern Christian Assembly (6705 Sheppard Ave East.) Registration Required:connectcafe1@ gmail.com | Contact: Nicole-416 298-1649/ Glenora: 647-262-9944
TRINIDAD: Two lot space with House and Grocery Stores Available for sale South Trinidad Penal Area Great potential with lots of room for expansion. Call 416-4577561
KITCHEN HELP: Now hiring Chinese Chef and West India Cook for busy Mississauga Restaurant/Bar. Please contact Caribbean Sunset 905-564-7800 SALES: Now hiring full/part time sales reps. MUST be experienced and self motivated. Great income potential. Serious inquiries only please. Please contact Avi 647-722-6298 WAITRESS: Waitress and general help wanted for restaurant/bar. Long term for during the week and weekends Call 416419-7858 if you are interested
FOR SALE WANTED
BARNYARD: Barnyard Dinner Theatre by Heritage Singers. October 3, 2015; 7:00 p.m., St. Peter Paul Banquet Hall, 231 Milner Avenue, Toronto. Live entertainment. Oldies dance. Tickets $65.00. Info. Lines – 416.447-0135/ 647.556-2712.
SUNDAY SERVICE: Fountain of Truth 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
FOR SALE FOR SALE TRINIDAD: Woodbrook, 2 bdrm house for business or residence. Minutes to Savannah, Downtown, Entertainment, Schools, Shopping, Businesses, Local Transit… Call: 647-402-4717
LIST UP TO 30 WORDS FREE! Send your information to info@torontocaribbean.com or call 647-722-6298
FOR SALE WORSHIP
FOR SALE WORSHIP WORSHIP: Worship with us at Solid Rock Miracle Center 689 Warden Ave at 11am . Sunday school at 10.05am. 416-293-1839
RECOVERY THURSDAYS: You CAN recover from your hurts, habits and hangups! Rosewood Church of the Nazarene, 657 Milner Ave, Scarborough, ON. M1B 2K4. Free. Light dinner at 6:30pm. Meeting 7pm-9pm Pastor Arnie 416-459-1462
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astrology
Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
ARIES
TAURUS
As of Saturday/Sunday, you’re on a full battery charge. It’s your time—hit it fresh and full-thrust; it’ll come together beautifully. Tuesday and next Thursday are your best days to take action and to cash in. Keeping you in shine, profit, and attraction mode, Venus continues to bless you through mid next month. Wednesday can be a game-changer day.
The past five weeks have been intense, wouldn’t you agree? You’ve been challenged to hold your own while continuing to cope and to reach out for more. Recognized or not, it’s been a karmic catch-up, crossroads, or fruition time. No matter how this critical reassessment cycle played out, you’ve made it through and you’re still standing. As of Sunday, it’s onward and upward!
GEMINI
CANCER
Places to be, doors to open, conversations to have, new people to meet, money to be made, things to learn—the stars hit go on all of the above. Saturday’s productive sun/ Pluto and Tuesday’s right-time, right-place Mars/Uranus set you onto a great gains/winning streak. Don’t hold back a thing. Be here now. Give it your all.
Life’s possibilities are wide-open for you now. The end of Venus retrograde is the start of so much more to come. Along with Mars in Leo, Venus puts confidence, creativity, and opportunity into a much fuller swing. The transiting Cancer moon keeps you in excellent stride Sunday through Tuesday. Mars and Uranus continue to keep it on the vibrant, prosperous, and rewarding dial through Thursday.
LEO
VIRGO
Venus is on full launch as of Sunday. Showcasing you in the best possible light, the attraction planet blesses you through the middle of October. But that’s not all you have going for you—Mars in Leo lights a great spark with Uranus on Tuesday. Follow instincts, intuition, and passion. It’s a jumpon-it, excitement-generating, front-runner, and winning-streak transit. Thursday is great too.
Saturday’s sun/Pluto provides you with a positive, can-do boost and great timing. It’s an affirming, empowering, and on-track transit. Venus continues to work in a more covert or background way, but she is nonetheless potent and gifting. Tuesday’s Mars/ Uranus makes for an excellent back-to-it start. Through next Thursday, the stars keep the action, excitement, and promise on the upswing. Go for it!
LIBRA
SCORPIO
The end of Venus retrograde can put you back into a social swing. It also suggests an opportune time to get on with plans, new goals, and lifestyle changes. Sun/Pluto loans you extra smarts and keeps ambition well placed. Over the weekend and through next Thursday, you’ll have a great knack for spotting what’s most expedient, useful, of best quality, value, and/or benefit.
Life’s been good; now it gets even better. As of the weekend, you have the green light to move forward with career and personal-life plans, ambitions, or projects. Thanks to Venus and Mars keeping your popularity and public profile nicely ignited, you’re about to find yourself even more in demand. Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday are the best days to hit it.
SAGITTARIUS
CAPRICORN
Whether you choose to take a plane, a stage, a book, or a lover, Venus direct, Mars in Leo, and Uranus in Aries now put opportunity into thrive mode. The sun’s trine to Pluto gives you something substantial and real to work with and toward. It suggests the time is ripe for goal-reaching or goal-reaping. Tuesday through Thursday can deliver big.
Building to Saturday, the sun’s trine to Pluto in Capricorn can provide a fresh perspective or a timely advantage. You could spot an excellent deal or gain an opportunity to correct, fix, explore, profit, or expand the scope. Venus, Mars, and Uranus rev up finances, romance, home matters, and/or real-estate prospects. Tuesday is great for fresh starts.
AQUARIUS
PISCES
Friday/Saturday is great for moneymaking, lovemaking, or putting an ambition into action. As of Sunday, Venus sets relationships, finances, and projects on go. Tuesday’s Mars/Uranus makes for excellent timing. Next Thursday is also a great cash-in day. For the next few weeks, Venus/Mars brings you good feedback, admiration, and benefit through others.
Send out your résumé, put in your request to the universe! Work, health, a new goal, relationship, or lifestyle—it’ll shape up for you now in some major way. Venus and Mars dish up prosperity where you want and need it, namely in your day-to-day. Sunday, Tuesday, and next Thursday are especially opportune.
March 20 - April 19
May 20 - June 21
July 22 - August 22
September 22 - October 23
November 22 - December 21
January 19 - February 18
April 19 - May 20
June 21 - July 22
August 22 - September 22
Across 1) Crispy pork product 5) Leafy greens 6) Tart topper 7) Something to wash it down 9) Alternative to beef 10) Short for mayonnaise 11) Burger’s best friend 12) Meatless burger 14) Holds it all together 16) Stems and pieces 17) Strawberry or chocolate
October 23 - November 22
December 21 - January 19
February 18 - March 19
Down 2) Cheddar or Swiss 3) Tomato sauce 4) Avocado spread 6) Burger meat unit 8) Alternative to fries 13) Raw or sautéed 15) Yellow condiment
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www.unitedachieversclub.com
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Cocktails 6:00 p.m., Dinner 7:00 p.m. Cost: $80 (Adults) $60 (Students) KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Delores Lawrence Founder, President & CEO of NHI Nursing & Homemakers Inc.
EMCEE Allan Bucka Jones Jones & Jones Production
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Awards information and Tickets Club: 905-796-1916; 905-459-1942; 905-450-5488 Scotiabank (Main & Queen, Brampton): 905-451-7298 Ext. 4000 MUSIC BY
PAGE 40
self help
Toronto Caribbean | www.torontocaribbean.com | Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Money 101 transcribed - Part 2 Noel Walrond
noel@carib101.com
Professional Development In last issues article I started sharing methods of increasing your income. Going from either unemployed or an unsatisfied employee to becoming an entrepreneur / independent business owner, or sales person. I totally understand that if you are used to a particular kind of work that the idea of trying something new can be scary. The question you need to ask yourself is... “What do I have to lose by trying?” If the answer is “NOTHING”, my suggestion is to get MOVING!! Start looking for opportunities in the area of sales and network marketing to start because they are actually looking for people right now. There was a saying we had in
sales back in the day…SWAN. “Sell what’s available now.” Well I want to call it DWAN “Do what’s available now”. If you have any opportunities that are available right now, take advantage of them. There are companies that will not only pay you, but they will give you tremendous support to teach you about their business. There are a lot of soft skills you can learn that will help you in other endeavors and many of these opportunities you can do part time. Do it part time while looking for the job of your dreams or launching your business. When I first started out as a speaker and coach launching my business I had to subsidize my income. I partnered with a friend of mine who was a Real Estate broker and we conducted seminars on financial literacy and how to build wealth using Real Estate as a vehicle. That partnership enabled me to generate more inside a couple of months than a lot of hard working people would generate inside of a year. I used my creativity to generate income. I was an independent contractor doing my own thing, but I connected with someone who had a
need. If you’re looking at being more of an entrepreneur, creating your own business, start looking at the needs that are not being fulfilled in your community. For example, somebody who loves animals may consider offering grooming services or a dog walking business. You could knock on doors letting them know that your service is available. What if you are working at a factory in town, what about providing lunches for the people working or providing a daycare for their kids. Change up the house, get creative. There are many different types of independent opportunities are available. If you’re into fitness, some people don’t want to go to the gym because they are intimidated, you could go to their homes, train them and get some extra cash. You can go out door to door or local networking events and let them know about your get fit campaign to reduce stress in the workplace. Teachers who can’t find work can offer tutoring services independently. Look down your street...how many cars can see that need washing?.. how many people’s lawns need cutting? etc.
My point is simply that you are only limited by your imagination. You can turn just about anything into a business. Some people think you have to invest 50-100k to start a business, that’s not necessarily true. There are some people who started out as squeegee kids. They got a couple of buckets, soap and squeegee brushes, hired other kids who washed car windows like crazy and earned a decent living. A little initiative can go a long way! I realize that for many the ideas I have shared may leave you feeling squeamish inside. You prefer the security of a steady pay cheque. If you are unemployed...100% of ZERO is ZERO. If you are on a job you are dissatisfied with. Developing a new skill and earning while you learn can never hurt you. You may come to a point where you are making so much income part time, that going to work for the “steady paycheque” may be costing you money. It’s up to you…In my opinion - Life is way too short to be living it unhappy and unfulfilled.
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