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UNNECESSARY LOCKDOWN

SIMONE J. SMITH/TORONTO CARIBBEAN “The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms specify that severe societal restrictions must be justified by the severity of the threat and the necessity of the interventions.”

Joel Kettner (MD MSc FRCSC FRCPC) As I drove around the city this weekend, I couldn’t help but think that our government seems to be setting us up for failure. In his announcement about the lockdown, Premier Ford noted that people should not panic buy. What

do you think everyone has gone and done? The line ups are around the block, shelves are emptying again, and people are panicking.

We are now entering the second lockdown of the year. Now, at the beginning of this pandemic, there was a debate as to whether the lockdown was necessary. Eight months later the verdict is in; lockdowns did very little to save lives, and they were definitely not worth thousands of businesses closing and the severe economic costs.

The collateral damage of these lockdowns will inevitably lead to far more deaths worldwide due to the social turmoil it will cause, and the disruptions in medical care and food supplies. I would also like to mention at this point that medical professionals have reported that lockdowns slow the development of herd immunity, which helps a society move past the virus.

Continued On Page 8

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PAGE 2

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

CHRISTINA LESLIE Magnifying the lens of forgotten stories “I pride myself on integrity, having compassion for others and having empathy. As someone who’s a visible minority within being a female, there’s a weight we have to carry. I just want to represent all women in a positive light.” Christina Leslie Being a photographer seems fairly simple. Nowadays, everybody has easy access to a camera through their phones. With the abundance of free photo editing apps available for download, it’s almost as if anyone can give themselves the self-proclaimed job title.

After my conversation with professional photographer Christina Leslie, she proved that there’s so much more depth to the storytelling artform.

Christina Leslie, a Scarborough native, is an analog photographer and visual artist with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Ontario College of Art and Design University in Toronto, she is currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, USA.

Unlike many other high school graduates, unsure of what the future holds as they venture into post-secondary, young Christina was ready to jump start her career at the mere age of 17. With the support of her loving father, she literally began to build her future.

“I bought myself my first 35mm SLR camera. I worked at Sears at the time and I worked overtime so that I could buy it. It cost like $400, which was really expensive back then. I convinced my father that I really loved photography and asked if he could help me make a dark room, which he did.

He was super supportive of my craft at a very young age.”

Diversity is a massive focal point in her photos, which can be attributed to her family dynamic. Christina is biracial, and a lot of her inspiration is credited to her Jamaican father’s side of the family.

“I talk a lot about my biracial background. I don’t omit being white, it’s still a part of me. But I’ll admit that I connect more to my Jamaican culture just because it was such a prominent influence growing up. My father made a big habit of sharing his culture with us and taking us back home.

I’ve been to Jamaica every year and I feel a connection with the community even though I’m from foreign.”

Much of Christina’s photographic practice revolves around various themes of identity, immigration, issues of marginalization, race and her Jamaican heritage. Her art has been featured in an extensive list of publications both across Canada and outside of its borders, including recently in the UK magazine MURZE in both 2019 and 2020. In April 2020, she was a part of Capture Photography Festival in Vancouver. Following that event, in May, she

had a solo exhibition at Black Artists’ Network in Dialogue as part of the Scotiabank Contact Festival in Toronto.

“I’m very driven by stories primarily surrounding black identity and black representation. I focus a lot of my work around my heritage. Lately, I’m finding what’s also really driving my work is the history behind Middle Passage – the idea of power, law, black reclamation of identity and what we lost during that time. I’m heavily interested in the stories that weren’t told during the transatlantic slave trade and what our history was like before that period of time.”

No occupation on this planet is troublefree, and photography is no exception. In her two decades and counting within the industry, Christina has faced and overcame a multitude of challenges along the way.

“Because my subject matter is centered around representation and inclusivity, I think that’s a challenge in itself. I think the visual arts landscape is still dominated by a very white European AngloSaxon landscape, so that’s a challenge too. I want people to find beauty and credibility in my work and I want them to share the narratives of the Caribbean and black diaspora. I also think because I’m coming from a Canadian perspective, that’s another challenge. Many people think that the artistic hub is mainly American and as a Canadian artist, it can be hard to find your way outside of this country.”

Most recently, Christina’s work is being featured at the Peel Art Gallery Museum + Archives (PAMA) located in Brampton. The Caribbean art exhibit is entitled, “when night stirred at sea,” and showcases the work of ten contemporary artists working in Jamaica, Trinidad, Canada, America and England. In the exhibit, Christina displays photos of her father’s hometown of Morant Bay, St. Thomas, Jamaica. The series provides an intimate black-andwhite insight of the small town, including views of its citizens, waterfalls and even Christina’s grandfather’s home.

“Overall, the series touches on this idea of memory, encapsulating your place of origin and having appreciation for that. For those a part of the West Indian community, I would hope that they see a reflection of their own heritage. I would hope for those who may be a first generation Canadian, that they would remember some of the stories that their own parents had told them about back home,” she says.

She continues. “On a larger scale, I would hope that Canadians who are not of West-Indian origin would still be able to recognize the importance in the celebration of diversity and sharing it. I’ve read that over 280 languages are spoken in Toronto alone, so that tells me that we’re a very diverse city. I would hope that people would look at the work and still resonate with it despite not being originally from there.”

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Today, Morant Bay has a population of nearly 95,000. The town carries a heavy history, where hundreds of poor black people rebelled in 1865, protesting injustice and poverty. Classified as one of the most severe suppressions of unrest in the history of the British West Indies, the governor at the time ordered troops to arrest and supress the rebels; ultimately killing over 400, arresting over 300, and proceeding to execute or give long-term sentences to those arrested. Representing a place containing so much history in words alone can be difficult in itself, but nevertheless Christina effortlessly captures and tells a brief yet beautiful story of the town and its people over 150 years later.

“I think often times, people exploit the places that they’re photographing and don’t give credit to the community. I was trying to go there not as a voyeur, but as a participant. I think the story is showing the history of Jamaica in that small town.

And if you know the history of Morant Bay, I think you’d be able to understand the different connection of the images.

Going back to the place where your parents are from is a narrative in itself. You’re going back to their original hometown and you’re able to not only experience it through your eyes but also able to experience it through the memories they might have shared with you. I think that’s an important story no matter where you’re from. It’s paying

homage to a place that your parents grew up and connected to at one point in their lives.”

If it wasn’t for the COVID-19 pandemic, Christina says that she would have been working back home in Jamaica for up to six months. The pandemic halted plenty of her plans, including being able to physically be on campus at her school in the United States. Despite the lack of mobility, these past few months allowed her to remember some forgotten talents – she is a skilled painter.

Earlier this year, she started her own business called BLK-T!3 (pronounced ‘black tie’), where she makes custom hand-made black tie-dye t-shirts, masks and other apparel.

You can check out Christina’s official Instagram page for BLK-T!3 at @blkt.ie or see her artistry on her personal account @clphoto83.

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NEWS

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 3

ARE WE BEING BRAINWASHED? 8 Brainwashing Techniques being used on us right now!

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

What if I told you that we, the citizens of the world are in an abusive relationship with our global leaders?

You will probably say, “Simone, what are you talking about? Stop it already with the conspiracy theories.” To this I say nothing that I put out is a theory. Everything that I present to our Caribbean community is fact, or words taken straight from our leaders mouths.

What is interesting is that many of us don’t realize that we are in an abusive relationship because abusers use a variety of techniques in order to coerce others into behaving the way that they want, kind of like what is currently happening during this COVID-19 Plandemic.

Abusers number one technique; brainwashing.

Brainwashing is defined in the Psychology Dictionary as that which, “Manipulates and modifies a person’s emotions, attitudes, and beliefs.” When precise and strategic brainwashing is used on unexpected individuals, it has the power to reduce a person’s ability to mentally defend themselves, and makes it easier for another person to control them. Brainwashing makes it easier to control a targeted person, and makes it harder for the person to see their way free of the relationship.

Now, before you jump down my

throat, let me present something to you.

I encourage you to do your research, but I think it is important to overstand what we as a global community are going through, and why many of us are feeling the way that we feel. I would like to introduce you to the Biderman Report (Full citation, COMMUNIST COERCIVE METHODS FOR ELICITING INDIVIDUAL COMPLIANCE), created by Dr. Alfred D. Biderman M.A.

Let’s give a little background information on Dr. Albert Biderman. He was a sociologist who studied brainwashing techniques of communist governments on American prisoners of war. In 1956, he published The Biderman Report of communist coercive methods for eliciting individual compliance.

The report was presented at a combined meeting of the Section of Neurology and Psychiatry (alongside the New York Neurology Society), at The New York Academy of Medicine on November 13th, 1956 as part of a panel discussion on Communist Methods of Interrogation and Indoctrination.

The report goes into brainwashing techniques used by the Chinese and North Koreans on captured American pilots and other military members. These techniques are still the core source for capture resistance training for the US Air Force.

I want to go back to the topic of being in an abusive relationship with our world leaders. The techniques presented in The Binderman Report, are not only used by the communist governments, but also by abusers who want to control their victims.

What I want to present to you today are eight of the techniques used

for brainwashing. What I want my intelligent media consumers to do is to compare them to what is happening right now during COVID-19. I will draw comparisons. It will allow you as the reader to see things in real time. I want you to use your deductive reasoning, and analytical skills to draw the connections that are presented.

Another word of caution; not all eight elements need to be present in order for brainwashing to occur. Each element can have some power to distort reality, interfere with perception, reduce a person’s self-confidence, and garner compliance. I think you are ready. Let’s do this.

Isolation Deprive individual of social support (Quarantine, Isolation Camps, Lockdown) Make the individual dependent upon the captor (Government, CERB) Individual develops an intense concern of self (wear a mask, social distancing) Monopolization of Perception Fixes all attention upon immediate predicament (COVID-19, the pandemic) Frustrates all actions not consistent with compliance (Holidays, GONE) Eliminate stimuli competing with those controlled by the captor (Censorship) Induced Debility and Exhaustion Weakens physical and mental ability to resist (Let’s keep LCBO open) Individuals become worn out from tension and fear (How are you feeling?)

Threats Cultivates anxiety and despair (CNN, CP24, CityTV, Global News, BBC)

Gives demand and consequences for non-compliance (Fines) Occasional indulgences Provides motivation for compliance (“Things will get back to normal soon”) Hinders adjustment to deprivation Creates hope for change, reduces resistance (Pfizer’s vaccine, 90% effective) This keeps people unsure of what is happening Demonstrate Omnipotence Demonstrates futility of resistance (Regardless of your protest, lockdowns) Shows who is in charge (“Our health professionals know best,” Premier Ford) Provides positive motivation for compliance (If we slow the curve….)

Degradation Makes resistance seem worse then compliance (Businesses have to close) Creates feelings of helplessness (Exactly how you are feeling now) Creates fear of freedom, dependence on captor (“I can always collect CERB”) Enforcing trivial demands Develops habits of compliance (Wear a mask, Social distancing) Demands made are illogical and contradictory (Rules change daily) Rules on compliance might change Reinforce who is in charge (Premier Ford on television everyday) You know what? I am going to leave this right here. Read, and re-read this list.

Start paying attention to how you feel throughout this. I would love to know what your thoughts are, so please comment, and express. It is safe to do it here.

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PAGE 4

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Indictment hearing: Genocide and crimes against humanity by 5G-pandemic perpetrators SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Is what we are experiencing with this pandemic a crime against humanity?

Some people may argue this notion, and call anyone who says this, a conspiracy theorist. Everyone does have a right to his or her opinion, and this article is not being written to say who is right or wrong. What will be presented to you today, are a group of individuals who do feel that what is happening in our world right now is considered a crime against humanity, and they are not sitting quietly.

Crimes against humanity consist of various acts including: • • • • • • • •

Murder Extermination Enslavement Torture Imprisonment World poverty Human-made environmental disasters Terrorist attacks

For some, a crime against humanity is sim-

ply an inhumanity of an especially gross type, and the international community can hold individuals who either make or follow state policy accountable.

So, your next question might be, how do we hold policy makers accountable? To answer that, let us take a look at what a tribunal is, and how they function.

Tribunals are a branch of the court system that deals with disputes between the citizens and the state, or between two individuals. They are composed of a legally trained chairperson along with two laypersons who are experts and specialize in their field. Tribunals are a very important division of the courts in allocating justice. Tribunals deal with over a million cases each year all intending on making justice accessible to citizens.

Genocide and crimes against humanity by 5G-pandemic perpetrators.

There are a brave group of qualified specialists around the globe, who have joined forces to bring heads of state to trial for what has occurred during this pandemic.

On November 15th, 2020, and November 29th, 2020, formal adjudicatory sessions of the Tribunal under Natural and Common Law will occur. Global citizens are issuing an indictment to stop: • • • • • •

Mass Covid vaccinations Social control methods Masking Quarantines Lockdowns Concentration camps, and detention centres worldwide

• •

Stop 5G rollout COVID genocide 2010-2020 Lockstep COVID-5G Co-Conspiracy that has been on-going since at least 2010-2020.

•

The indictment is being done under Articles 6 and 7 of the International Criminal Code

•

Defendants, known and unknown 5G/ COVID-19 pandemic perpetrator defendants • Xi Jinping, Leader Chinese Communist Party and President Peoples Republic of China • Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation and Executive over Russian Armed Forces • President of the United States of America, and Executive over US Armed Forces • Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, Leader of Likud, and of Armed Forces • Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK, Leader of the Conservative Party • Matt Hancock, UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care • Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, Elizabeth II, Head of State of UK • Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, and Leader of the Indian Armed Forces • Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron, President of France, and Leader of the French Armed Forces • Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, Christian Democratic Party, and Leader of German Armed Forces • Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Leader of the Liberal Party, and of the Canadian Armed Forces

•

• •

• • •

• • • • • • • •

Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia, Leader of the Liberal Party, and of the Australian Armed Forces Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, Leader of the Labour Party, and of the New Zealand Armed Forces António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations Organization, New York A 2009-2020 Lockstep Criminal Co-conspiracy, including and not limited to individually and collectively: World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, and Officers, Directors, Employees, and Agents Bill and Melinda Gates, Individually Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2 (99) Michael Bloomberg David Rockefeller, Jr. Warren Buffett George Soros Ted Turner Oprah Winfrey Rockefeller Foundation Global Business Network [GBN] Peter Schwartz, Chairman GBN, Individually Other unknown and unnamed co-conspirators and Defendants World Health Organization [WHO] and Officers, Directors, Employees, and Agents Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, Individually Michael Ryan, WHO CEO’s at GCHQ-UK, NSA-USA and all CEO’s and members of Bilderberg Group Viacom Time Warner The Walt Disney Corporation News Corporation CBS Corporation

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Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 5

The psychological, emotional and physical strain on the ADS teachers PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The plight of adult day school teachers is one that shows inequity, unfairness and disdain within the public school system. The fact that senior administrators have been awarded over $2 million in pandemic pay has brought focus on ADS teachers who are at the bottom of the teaching rank. It is because of their current dilemma that they sent an open letter to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). It is titled “# OSSTF teachers speak of the inequities they face.�

The letter states “ADS teachers are a group of dedicated teachers in the TDSB who are committed to providing equitable and high-equality education to our students, just like all other teachers working for the board. However, we have been straining too long to fulfil this commitment while being treated inequitable for many years.â€? The letter outlines some of these inequities as: • • • • •

Unpaid prep time No health benefits provided Unpaid professional opportunities Lack of enough professional development days for professional development Larger class sizes

This has resulted in a two-tiered system in the largest public school in Canada.

It has unfortunately taken a heavy toll on many of these ADS teachers. The letter states, “There is also the psychological, emotional and physical strain this brings on the ADS teachers while we work side by side with teachers who in contrast are afforded: contract positions, given smaller class sizes, health benefits, additional PD days, and many other opportunities for professional

growth.�

The stigmatization and oppression that many of these ADS teachers face is unthinkable.

The letter states that these teachers, “Are extremely-hard working and strive to teach with the best practices while keeping equity as our focus for our adult students who are often marginalized and disadvantaged in the system.� It is even more troubling that these ADS teachers are feeling pressure from their poor working conditions, which may impact the learning conditions of their students who face untold financial, emotional and mental challenges that have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter gives a good description of the students who are found in these adult schools. Many of them are “Immigrants and refugees who identify as black, Indigenous or are otherwise racialized. They are already facing multiple systemic barriers due to these conditions. They deserve the best practices, a safe learning environment, and a quality education.�

As a result of pressure and protected discussions placed on the TDSB

by OSSTF, the board agreed to alter the timetable for ADS teachers so that they can earn their maximum pay, and ADS students could earn an extra credit in the quad.

Nevertheless, there is the ongoing painful reality for ADS teachers; they are, “Paid for four working hours per day when you are actually working for eight hours or more is demoralizing and unsustainable.�

The letter states, “The board touts the importance of equity while systematically and repeatedly refusing to apply the very principle to the treatment of its teachers- and by proxy, their students is unacceptable at best.�

There is cautious optimism in the air. The letter concludes, “We hope the board will consider our situation and decide to treat us more equitable as we proceed with this round of negotiation.�

CANADA’S LEADING CARIBBEAN NEWSPAPER Selina McCallum TC REPORTER selina@carib101.com

Noel Cunningham FOOD | CULINARY noel@carib101.com

Dave Rankin AFRICAN HISTORY dave@carib101.com

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TORONTO CARIBBEAN NEWS INC. 55 Rutherford Rd. S., Suite 205, Brampton ON L6W 3J3 647-722-6298 | www.TOCaribNews.com

Simone J. Smith TC REPORTER simone@carib101.com

Dave Rankin TC REPORTER dave@carib101.com

Dr. Vikas Puri HEALTH | WELLNESS drpuri@carib101.com

Paul Junor EDUCATION paul@carib101.com

Fazaad Bacchus FINANCE SPECIALIST fazaad@carib101.com

PUBLISHER | EDITOR Grant Browning grant@carib101.com

Michael Thomas TC REPORTER michael@carib101.com

Christina Gwira TC TECH REPORTER christina@carib101.com

Errol A. Gibbs PHILOSOPHER errol@carib101.com

Brittney Channer SOCIAL JUSTICE brittney@carib101.com

Andrew Stewart FAMILY INSURANCE andrew@carib101.com

EDITOR | PROOFING Alanna Zelau alanna@carib101.com

Stephen Weir TC REPORTER stephen@carib101.com

Paul Junor TC EDUCATION REPORTER paul@carib101.com

Simone J. Smith HUMAN SPECIALIST simone@carib101.com

Christina Gwira TECHNOLOGY christina@carib101.com

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Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

Exploring Jamaica’s rich theatrical history; how this company plans to showcase a small island on an international stage JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Jamaica, a land everyone loves. Often viewed as ‘the’ ideal tropical vacation destination, the island is a tourism and cultural hub of the Caribbean best known across the globe for being the birthplace of ska and reggae music, world-class sprinters, ganja culture, and beautiful sandy beaches. Though the little island is definitely a breathtaking getaway, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Jamaica.

What many people fail to realize is that the nation possesses a rich theatrical legacy with encouragingly analytical approaches to decolonization, language reclamation, community development and nation-building. A narrative that’s often quite under looked or universally unheard of, a close-knit group are on route to expanding that one-track minded tale that the world is too familiar with.

Akiba Abaka Arts is a U.S. based international theatre production company consisting of an international team of professional actors, directors, designers and producers. Together, they create plays, concerts and discourse centered on narratives from the global black world, while also touring the places they are representing.

“When we formed Akiba Abaka Arts, we wanted to humanize the experience of black people in the world. We wanted to put out dignified narratives of who we were and how we show up in the world that doesn’t show us defaulting to other races and cultures. We are dignified human beings with very diverse stories. There is no one black story. There is no one black experience,” says Akiba Abaka, the founder and artistic director of the company. “We don’t only develop and produce plays; we build pipelines and relationships and pathways for creatives within the black world to connect with the rest of the world.”

The latest project coming out of Akiba Abaka Arts is a free dynamic series of weekly discussions with Jamaica’s leading theatre artists and professionals entitled “10 Weeks in Jamaica: Theatre Conversations from Jamaica to the World!” Each week, the series sets to explore a different theme based on the history of Jamaican theatre and contemporary narratives presented on the Jamaican stage. The talk show was created as a direct result of the pandemic and travel restrictions.

“10 Weeks in Jamaica was a pivot because of COVID. We were supposed to be in Jamaica, but it was a pivot online to immerse ourselves in the Jamaican theatre

community and engage in what those stories were. At first, we thought we would enter into it by breaking it down into who were the legends, playwrights and actors.

As we looked at that type of narrative arc, we saw that it was limiting, because as a team we realized that it wasn’t telling us actual stories. It would only tell us who these people were, a biographical narrative,” says Akiba.

She continues. “We wanted to really home in on the stories of the Jamaican people represented in theatre. We wanted to understand how these practitioners approached representing the narratives of Jamaican people. And we thought that if we entered from a journalistic approach rather than a biographical approach, we would have more engaging and objective content.”

The highly produced and carefully curated show is far from your average video conference call. The first few weeks of the series featured legendary Jamaican theatre extraordinaries such as Fae Ellington, Oliver ‘King of Comedy’ Samuels, Keith ‘Shebada’ Ramsay and countless others. Originally premiering on November 5, 2020, the series will run every Sunday through January 3, 2021.

A major part of Akiba Abaka Arts that sets them apart from other theatre production companies is their engagement into the communities that they choose to work in, an immersive process that they refer to as the Multiple Port System.

“The Multiple Port System develops plays in areas that were either once a slave port or practiced slavery. It’s our process of creating work about black cultures globally. We center that inquiry into the stories of black cultures on the people who are descendants of the transatlantic slave trade. We felt that starting there, we would explore multiple questions around what happened to these people and where they are in the world now. And that means on both sides, not only the African descendants. We want to know who the descendants of the traders are as well,” says Akiba.

“What that means is that when we’re putting on a play, we’re working in the area that the play originates in. We’re presenting plays from cultures all over the world.

We don’t want to work in isolation in a rehearsal hall. We want to be embedded in the community.”

Once borders begin to open again to travellers, Akiba Abaka Arts plans to return to the island to work on a new play, Bar Girl of Jamaica by Robert Johnson Jr. The play is set to premiere in 2022.

You can catch next Sunday’s episode of 10 Weeks in Jamaica at 4 p.m. EST on www.howlround.com or on the Akiba Abaka Arts Youtube. This episode will feature dancehall professor Orville Hall, artistic director of the National Dance Theatre Company Marlon Simms and dancer-choreographer Neila Ebanks!

NEWS

PAGE 7

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NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

The verdict is in; lockdowns DO NOT save lives SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Continued From Page 1 -- Experts are slowly coming out to speak against these rolling lockdowns that are happening globally. Lockdowns are now being viewed as one of the biggest medical and economic blunders of all time. Now, I am not saying that we do nothing, but these heavyhanded policies have done little to actually help those who are vulnerable to the virus.

In fact, it has inflicted unnecessary suffering on the global community.

I will say this; there are more people questioning this lockdown and for good reason. Many people were early supporters of lockdowns when fear and panic drowned out data and reason. Now that we are paying more attention to numbers questions are arising. The CDD currently estimated that COVID-19 has a survival rate above 99.9% for people under 65 years old.

CDC also estimates that 37 to 187 children die every year from the flu. This year we have lost 105 children from the flu. Yet, we are closing down schools, which go a long way towards limiting the development of herd immunity.

As many of us now, every country has adopted extreme lockdown measures.

Sweden for example, acted on scientific advice to handle their COVID-19 spread.

They advised their citizens to take sensible social distancing steps, but didn’t close their schools or small businesses. The Swedes are actually in a much better place than us in the Western world. Their actions have made them immune from the second wave, having achieved “herd immunity.”

Meanwhile, citizens of lockdown countries remain susceptible to the virus. It is beginning to look like these countries got it right, and we are still getting it wrong.

Experts are making a compelling case that although social distancing is an excellent way for individuals to avoid catching the virus; lockdowns of the economy, and the province simply are prolong-

ing the life of the virus. I had the opportunity to speak with

Dr Joel Kettner, Manitoba’s first Chief Provincial Public Health Officer. I was interested in speaking with him after his interview on CBC radio. In his interview, he made some statements that caught my attention.

“I have never seen anything like this, anything anywhere near like this. I’m not talking about the pandemic, because I’ve seen 30 of them, one every year.

It is called influenza. And other respiratory illness viruses, we don’t always know what they are. But I’ve never seen this reaction, and I’m trying to understand why.”

I will say this. Speaking with Dr Kettner is like sitting down with the family doctor you have had for years. Our interview ended up turning into a lecture because he had so much knowledge to share. I hope that you do get an opportunity to watch the interview. He asks the difficult questions, explains why the numbers and the reaction do not add up, and his issues with the PCR test.

Before my interview with Dr. Kettner, I read his article, “A new normal, or new abnormal? Change in direction needed on COVID-19 response.” This gave me an opportunity to see what his stance was on the topic. I have always found it strange that the new Ministers of Health would not consult with the Ministers who have come before them. Our ancestral past tells us that during times of current struggle, we should turn to our elders; those who have come before us, who may know a little more than we do.

In his article, he asked some pertinent questions, ones that I think we should take into consideration. Let’s take a look at some of these questions, and while you are doing so, I want you to come up with some answers for yourself.

What type of new normal do we want?

• Do we want the continuation of re-

• • •

striction of commerce, travel, recreation, and social gatherings?

Do we want our children attending virtual and part-time school with forced physical distancing?

Do we want to continue discouraging human interaction and mandating the covering of smiles?

Should we just accept unremitting unemployment and economic hardship – especially for those in our community who are disproportionately affected by any world disaster?

Another aspect of this pandemic that Dr Kettner questions is the accuracy of the PCR testing. For many, the science behind it is very confusing, so during our interview, Dr Kettner took the time to break it down.

Some of the Western nation’s leading public health experts are concerned that the standard tests are diagnosing huge numbers of people who may be carrying relatively insignificant amounts of the virus. A review by The Times found that in three sets of testing data that included cycle thresholds, compiled by officials in Massachusetts, New York and Nevada, up to 90% of people testing positive carried barely any virus.

Dr Kettner goes into detail about the cycle threshold. Most tests set the limit at 40, a few at 37. That means that you are positive for the coronavirus if the test process required up to 40 cycles, or 37, to detect the virus. When the thresholds are so high, the test may detect not just live viruses, but also genetic fragments, or leftovers from an infection that poses no particular risk. Any test with a cycle threshold about 35 is too sensitive. Virologists at the University of California believe that a reasonable cut-off would be 30 to 35, or even less.

Get this; C.D.C’s own calculations suggest that it is extremely difficult to detect any live virus in a sample above a threshold of 33 cycles. So if this is the case, what standards are we using to broadcast cases each day, and it leads to the next question; are we using these false positive tests to lockdown our countries?

Since we are talking about cases, let us take a look at the numbers. This is another aspect of the pandemic that Dr Kettner does not understand. He speaks strongly about putting things into perspective. In Manitoba, one per 25,000 Manitobans has died. That is less than 1% of all

deaths. 20% of the ICU beds had admissions, and in a typical flu season, the majority of ICU beds are occupied with people who have a variety of viral and bacterial infections. This year, they are using up less than 1% of the ventilators.

Another aspect of this viral infection that we know is that it primarily affects older people. 80% of the deaths in Canada are in people over the age of 85, and are living in personal care homes. Based on Statistics Canada data, for every COVID-19 death, there have been 10 deaths from other causes.

You see this is the thing; we have lost sight of the other common causes of premature death and their pressure on the health system, including heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, and other injuries. Dr Kettner believes that instead of focusing on reducing the spread of the virus, there should be risk based analysis that will help health care professionals focus on those who are part of the high risk/ vulnerable part of our society. He believes we should allow more freedom for everyday life for those who are at a much lower risk. Dr Kettner has dealt with a pandemic each year for over the last 30 years. I think he might know a thing or two about how to navigate them.

There needs to be clear evidence (which there is not) regarding the benefits of this most recent lockdown. There needs to be a clear reliable model that shows how many additional lives will be saved because of this lockdown. There needs to be policies that are more balanced, practical, tolerable and fair. We, as a community, should have the freedom to make informed decisions about our health.

Regardless, here we are again, going back into another lockdown, and maybe we should not be so forgiving of experts who seem to be okay with destroying people’s livelihoods without strong evidence, without due process, and without consideration to how this is going to affect the world in the future. Time will tell, but COVID-19 might just go down as one of the political world’s biggest, most shamefully overblown, overhyped and irrationally inflated and most flawed responses to a health matter in the world’s history.

Watch the full interview by loging on to: TorontoCaribbean.com/DrKettner

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NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Community organization provides recommendations to the government towards the elimination of systemic racism PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The Toronto Youth Council (TYC) is a youthled organization, which was founded in 1998. It has been at the forefront of advocacy and activism. It has pursued its mission of giving youth a voice at Toronto City Hall. On November 9th, 2020 they released a joint statement that seeks to address antiblack and anti-Indigenous racism in Ontario schools. More than ten education unions and advocacy groups supported the statement.

In many ways, this volunteer-based organization that served as an official advisory body, has been able to bring youth issues to the attention of Toronto’s politicians.

TYC has outlined a list of recommendations that it intends to send to Doug Ford (Premier of Ontario), Stephen Lecce (Minister of

Education), Sylvia Jones (Solicitor General), Andrea Horwath (Leader of the Official Opposition, NDP), Marit Stiles (Education Critic), Laura Mae Lindo (Anti-Racism Critic), and Sam Oosterhof (Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education).

The recommendations include the following as outlined in the statement: 1. A total revision of the curriculum to fulfil the recommendations on Education for Reconciliation in the Truth and Reconciliation Common report, and make age- appropriate curriculum on: residential schools, Treatises, and Aboriginal peoples historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a MANDATORY education requirement for K-12 students. We are also calling for the same to be done to tell the contributions of black individuals to Canada, and not only Canada’s negative history of enslavement and disenfranchisement toward them.

2. All school boards must take an AntiRacism Approach, by beginning the collection of disaggregated race-based data by the end of 2021.

3. A complete and total end of streaming in Grades 9 and 10 in all secondary

schools by 2023. Black youth continue to be streamed into lower education tracks as a result of both individual and systemic factors. This is evident with the over representation of black students in applied or locally developed classes.

4. There must be a suspension pending a review of the “School Resource Officer” program (and other programs in similar form that have police in schools) through an equity lens that will ultimately lead to the immediate and total removal of regular police presence in all schools.

These recommendations have been made several times by different groups and organizations, especially by the advocacy group, Parents of Black Children (PoBC). According it its website: https:// parentsof blackchildren.org, “We are working to ensure that black children across Canada can meet their full potential and achieve success in their educational outcomes.”

Dismantling systemic racism is one of its goals as, “We are working to address and dismantle anti-black racism and systemic barriers within the education system and adjacent systems. Our goal is to ensure that our black children are able to access an

equitable and peaceful education.”

The group has made ten demands, some of which coincide with the Youth Council’s statement. These demands have been sent to the Minister of Education, Stephen Leece.

The ten demands are listed below: 1. Reform the education act 2. Decolonize the curriculum 3. Eliminate all streaming 4. Fund education system navigators 5. Police-free schools province wide 6. Collect race-based achievement and discipline data 7. Accountability of teachers 8. Equity audits of school boards 9. Anti-racism courses in faculties of education 10. Hire black teachers The work towards the elimination of systemic racism, specifically anti-black racism and anti-Indigenous has been recognized and acknowledged by the Ministry of Education.

It is currently working on a provincial-wide anti-racism policy. There is much hope that this policy will be acceptable to the equityseeking groups.

Qualified Afro-Canadian students are not rare, but bountiful JONELL PANTLITZ jonell@carib101.com

TC JR. REPORTER

“We are excited about it. We think it’s going to really change the course of these kid’s life.”

Nigela Purboo

I was interested in the naming of the start-up Onyx, so I checked out the definition. Onyx is a semiprecious stone that forms in bands of different colours such as black and white. It is not a rare gem. Once I understood this, I then could grasp why a start-up directed solely at empowering black youth would call themselves Onyx. Qualified black students are not rare, but bountiful.

The stone is said to absorb negativity and is extremely powerful.

Mrs. Purboo has a Masters in Cultural Anthropology from Western University.

She specializes in human rights and race relations, later devoting her time to various organizations some being; The York Commit-

tee on Community, the Race Relations and Policing Unit of the Solicitor General Office and other government-funded initiatives.

Before leaving the workforce for maternity leave, she was a key part of the team that spearheaded the Toronto District School board, Change Your Future Program an effort that aligned perfectly with her passion for human rights and anti-racism issues and her philanthropic endeavours that focus on education and health care.

Mrs. Purboo mentioned that one of the main reasons behind the start-up of Onyx was the uprising of the Black Lives Matter movement (BLM) and the coronavirus pandemic. Typically Mrs. and Mr. Purboo would make various donations centred around education, social justice and health care, especially for the younger generation but given the severity of the impact the year has had on a number of individuals, they didn’t think it would be enough.

All of her experience in the workforce has now led her and her husband Mr. Wayne Purboo to found the Onyx Initiative.

The goal behind Onyx is to expand the black talent pipeline by fostering cohesive, mutually beneficial partnerships to close the systemic gap in the recruiting and selection of black university and college students for

roles in corporate Canada.

They plan to achieve this by offering on-going mentorship. Mrs. Purboo mentioned, “It’s going to create, a ready supply of high potential black talent and it’s going to nurture a growing supply of internships and full-time placement.”

With partners such as Bell TV, TD, PwC, Manulife, Ryerson University, McMaster University, George Brown College and maybe some more in the future Mrs. Purboo says, “We have a really supportive group of partners and now we are standing with both corporate and educational partners so that more students with varied career interests will benefit from Onyx.”

Black university and college students can access the program in two different ways. The first way to access the Onyx program is by taking high-quality virtual training and coaching modules, offered online. These modules consist of self-paced tutorials and interactive sessions. These are accessible to anyone and certification is achieved at the end of the program.

The second way is through the Onyx Scholars program. This program selects black students and provides them with live, tailored and personalized training, coaching and mentoring before, during and

post-internship. It also provides internship placement services.

According to Mrs. Purboo, “Through the last six, seven months, we’ve been, getting all of our data and research. It shows that 70% of internships will lead to full-time employment.”

She continued, “Hence the need for us to get these students early on in their college and university career, because the more internships they get, the more likely it will lead to full-time employment.”

It is important to note that this initiative is not only focused on internships and full-time employment, but also on retention and promotion.

If by now the Onyx Initiative intrigues you, you can apply for the program.

You must identify as Afro-Caribbean, or Canadian, and must be either currently enrolled in a Canadian College/University, or within twelve months of graduation. The program currently allows for 200 students, and as of now it is fully online.

For more information on everything Onyx-related check out their website at onyxinitiative.org.

If you are interested in becoming a partner with the Onyx Initiative contact keenan@onyxinitiative.org

NEWS

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 11

Mamakwa urges Ford to provide support OMNIYA ALI

amniya@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“Water is a basic human right, but the Ford government keeps ignoring the apartheid system of clean water access for First Nations people in Ontario,” said Mamakwa.

“Every Ontarian knows Doug Ford would never neglect and dismiss a community like Etobicoke North this way. Every day Doug Ford does nothing to fix this crisis is another day he makes the shameful choice to put the health and lives of Neskantaga’s community members at risk.”

On a November 3rd press conference hosted by Sol Mamakwa, MPP for Kiiwetinoong and NDP Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation critic; Neskantaga com-

munity members Lawrence Sakanee and Alex Moonias addressed some concerns regarding the water crisis. To prove the severity and urgency of the issue, Sakanee and Alex Moonias were not afraid to travel over 1,100 km to Queen’s Park to call on the Ford government to bring running water back to their community. Although Neskantaga has been under a boil advisory for over 25 years, Doug Ford has audaciously diminished 80% of the budget for Ontario’s Indigenous Drinking Water Program. It seems that the recent forced evacuation of the Neskantaga community due to the surfacing of dangerous hydrocarbons in local water reservoirs has not swayed him in the least. In response to the evacuation the Ford government has done nothing to support the community or the remaining 230 people living there, bearing in mind that the fund reduction has diminished any potential efforts to invest in infrastructure for clean drinking water in Neskantaga and other First Nations that need it, along with it.

In response to the water crisis,

Neskantaga First Nation Chief Christopher Moonias expressed “our people are getting tired and frustrated. We are denied the basic human right of access to clean water.

We fully support our members who have traveled to Queen’s Park to hold the Provincial Government responsible for their part in what our community is facing. Fix our water.” In a world where equality is parsimoniously distributed to only those that the government view as worthy, does it not lose its meaning? Are basic needs too much to ask or do people need an identification card to access them? One that states that they are not a part of a minority group to prove worthy of those needs. One might argue that after all the suffering the Indigenous community has endured over the years in Canada, the least the government can do to compensate is to ensure a comfortable life where they no longer need to fight. A life where Indigenous people don’t feel obligated to advocate for themselves because no one else will.

“I have two children, who are 1 and 3. It is painful to keep going through

this, for me and for them. I don’t want them to grow up without clean drinking water.

I don’t want them to have to bathe in the dangerous water back home. They deserve clean water. All the children in Neskantaga deserve clean water,” Renita Moonias, Neskantaga First Nation. No one deserves to live in fear of their children contracting some kind of illness because of the government’s pure negligence. Consequently, members of Neskantaga First Nation are staging a sit-in at Queen’s Park to demand Doug Ford stop ignoring the people of Neskantaga, and provide critical, life-saving support to meet the ongoing public health crisis they are facing. Once again, the people of Neskantaga First Nation are forced to take matters into their own hands, however, it’s time every other community stands by them. If the entirety of Ontario can have clean water, why can’t they?

Let’s all join the people of Neskantaga in urging Ford to act now and provide desperately needed support for Neskantaga’s water emergency.

Ford needs to show the data he is using to close Ontario’s restaurants MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

In an open letter to Ontario’s premier Doug Ford, a number of leaders from the province’s food establishment have requested that they be handed the data that the province is using to close their dining businesses at random.

These restaurants want to understand why they are being singled out with heightened restrictions as the province continues to respond to what it calls a second wave.

Seeing that dining rooms provide a safe alternative to private gatherings, Restaurants Canada and 44 leaders from Ontario’s foodservice sector have sent a letter to Premier Doug Ford calling for: • Clear and transparent data to understand what is driving government decisions related to dining restrictions.

• Consultation with industry to address any concerns identified by the data.

Restaurants Canada is a national, not-forprofit association advancing the potential of Canada’s diverse and dynamic food service industry through member programs, research, advocacy, resources and events.

Before the start of this present situation, Ontario’s foodservice sector was a $37 billion industry, directly employing more than 480,000 people, providing the province’s number one source of first jobs and serving 9.1 million customers every day. Ontario’s foodservice industry lost more than 215,000 jobs by April and is on track to lose as much as $17.8 billion in annual sales compared to 2019 due to the impacts of this present situation.

“Restaurants deserve to see the data driving decisions impacting their operations and have a chance to work with the government on solutions to keep their dining rooms open,” said Restaurants Canada President and CEO Todd Barclay.

Barclay said in a press release that since the present situation started, foodservice operators have made major investments in new procedures. They invested in procedures like training, personal protective equipment and other means to ensure the highest levels of safety for their staff and patrons.

“Government,” he said, “should be doing everything possible to help them

avoid the devastating consequences of indoor dining closures so they can continue contributing to the economic and social fabric of their communities.”

Restaurants Canada estimates that the indoor dining closures mandated in what the government call (Ontario’s hot spots) have so far resulted in: • Sales losses of as much as 80% for full-service restaurants and more than 40% for quick-service restaurants.

• Tens of thousands of jobs lost across the province: • 12,000 in Ottawa • 3,000 in Toronto • 14,900 in Peel Region • 8,800 in York Region These figures do not include Halton and Durham regions, which if included could cost another 8,500 job losses in total.

“Restaurants and the many small and medium-sized businesses that make up Ontario’s food service sector are a critical load-bearing pillar of the province’s economy,” said James Rilett (Restaurants Canada Vice President, Central Canada).

“Without transparent transmission data and further government support, half of all independent restaurants are at risk of closing within a year. This would not only be a terrible loss for communities

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across the province, but the many other businesses that rely on a thriving food service sector for their survival.”

Before the present situation was implemented, Ontario’s food service industry comprised approximately 38,000 establishments. The industry was also contributing 4% to Ontario’s GDP and serving more than 9 million customers every day.

These facilities also support a wide variety of other businesses across the province, indirectly supporting more than 110,000 jobs and typically spending more than $13 billion per year on food and drink purchases, playing a crucial role for Ontario farmers and the agri-food sector.

This letter concluded by reminding the government of Ontario that restaurants are key to the province’s recovery.

Let’s ensure we are doing everything possible to help them avoid the devastating consequences of indoor dining closures so they can continue contributing to the economic and social fabric of their communities.

Anyone who is interested in ensuring that restaurants receive the data they need to survive this present situation can send a letter to their MPP in support of the recommendations sent to Premier Ford: www.info.restaurantscanada.org/ ontario-letter

NEWS

PAGE 12

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Why are we suspending children?

Removal of suspension record of young kids by TDSB Ontario government at the beginning of September that discretionary suspensions of students in Kindergarten to Grade three have been banned. The Minister of Education stated, “It is clear that there is systemic discrimination built within the education system, whether it be: streaming of racialized students, suspensions, overwhelmingly targeting black and Indigenous kids, or the lack of merit-based diversity within our education workforce.�

PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

On Thursday, November 12th, 2020 Toronto District School Board (TDSB) announced that it was removing the suspensions records of K-3 kids.

The board made the announcement after its board meeting. The Trustees directed staff to, “Identify systemic work that can be done to addressing self-interrupting bias and discrimination which may place certain groups of students at a disadvantage.�

This decision has largely been prompted by the announcement from the

The TDSB wants further steps such as: • Creating a retention schedule for the expiration of suspensions/expulsions in Ontario Student Record (OSR) • Generating a reminder email to principals and to the TDSB Register for Student Discipline There was a hearing regarding removal of suspensions from OSR pending positive behaviour, as well as a data entry column on outcome of recommendation, thereby

encouraging follow through, transparency and data collection of appeal hearing recommendation outcomes.

The advocacy group, Parents of Black Children welcome the move. In a statement it states the announcement, “This is the first step in remedying past harms for students, particularly black students who are disproportionately impacted by school disciplinary measures. All school boards need to follow the example of the TDSB. In addition, the provincial government should launch an inquiry into suspensions and expulsions with respect to protocols and practices.� It notes that, “Report after report has indicated that black children are suspended at higher rates and receive harsher discipline than other students.�

Alexander Brown, Chair of the TDSB observes, “Ensuring a positive school experience in the early years is critical for future success. By expunging discretionary suspensions for the records of these young

children, we are removing a barrier that could jeopardy that success.� TDSB was quick to point out that serious offences that have been committed by young kids that led to mandatory suspensions for all grade levels will still be maintained.

Data released from the TDSB’s Caring and Safe Schools Annual Report revealed that 312 students were suspended during the 2018-2019 school year from K-3.

Within the last two years, the number of suspensions and expulsions has dropped significantly by 24% and 53% respectively.

Indigenous students in the TDSB had the highest probability of being suspended. Black students were next, who represented 12% of students, yet made up 31%of suspensions. The TDSB hopes that the Caring and Safe School Annual Report will track the systemic work that is initiated by this change.

#TheCaribbeanAwaits; November established as Caribbean Tourism Month and tagged CTO, along with the respective country to share their “Can’t wait to experience� moments in the Caribbean. This campaign aimed to acknowledge the Caribbean’s prominence as a tropical paradise as COVID-19 continues to impact the global travel and tourism industry.

CTO is a Caribbean tourism development agency headquartered in Barbados, dedicated to advertising the Carribean as the perfect holiday destination due to its year-round tropical weather.

The primary goal of the agency is to increase media coverage on Carrabean tourism and raise awareness on the importance of tourism for the development of the countries. Comprising of members from different countries and regions, the agency’s purpose is to lead sustainable tourism and present a united Caribean front- One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.

“This theme complements the region’s success in generally containing the spread of COVID-19, which has taken a major toll on tourism along with other sectors of our economies. Caribbean countries have taken the required steps to protect our citizens and residents, conducted the required training to prepare our tourism and related frontline workers for the return of visitors, and put the health protocols in place to reassure our potential visitors and residents that we take their health seriously. This has been the groundwork, and now we seek to rebuild the sector,� said Neil Walters, the CTO’s acting secretary-general in a message to mark the start of the month.

“The resilience of the Caribbean is shown by the progress we have made towards the resumption of tourism activity.

Currently, about 25 Caribbean countries have reopened their borders to commercial travel, either fully or partially, and others are putting the necessary measures in place to welcome visitors.

TVISHA MISTRY

tvisha@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

There are countless beautiful destinations around the globe all known for their individual characteristics. Some countries are known for their winter beauty, others for their romantic locations, many for their historic sights, and some for the country’s tropical climate, and beautiful coastlines.

The Caribbean is such a place.

Known for its beautiful landscapes and its pleasant environment. The Caribbean is the perfect holiday destination for everyone. Whether you are looking for a romantic getaway or a trip with your family or friends; the Caribbean has a lot to offer.

Earning the majority of its economy through the tourism industry, the Caribbean has taken a hard hit due to COVID-19.

In the midst of a global pandemic, the number of tourist visitors has decreased significantly in the Caribbean. Low tourism has caused the economy of the islands to drop, impacting both the infrastructures and the local residents living in the regions. #TheCaribbeanAwaits To help the tourism industry improve in the Carribeans, the Caribbean Tourism Organization, abbreviated as CTO had announced a social media campaign in light of the Caribbean Tourism month in November. During the course of the month, individuals used the hashtag, #TheCaribbeanAwaits, RY 10TH

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This year’s theme further compliments the reopening of our borders, as the clarion call ‘We welcome you’ speaks to the fact that the Caribbean is the perfect place for those who have begun to travel or are thinking of traveling soon, to find solace in a place that is an oasis of health at this time,� Walters added.

Additionally, The CTO, with support from its members, executed a photo and video campaign reflecting the Caribbean culture, as well as a series of short celebratory-themed “live� demonstrations on Facebook. These live sessions included cuisine and cocktails demonstrations as well as discussions on Caribean tourism; to promote excitement about the Caribbean.

During the live session, some of the region’s most talented mixologists and chefs prepared and displayed their culturally unique blends and aromatic flavors.

These recorded demonstrations are now available for viewing on CTO’s Facebook page.

The event that followed the live demonstrations was the virtual learning session on November 20th. During this session, CTO member countries shared updates and unique selling points with travel advisers.

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victory stated, “Judged by a group of your peers and held to the highest standard of excellence, your entry stood head and shoulders above the rest.�

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s tailored their strategy and included a heavy focus on social media and the launch of the “Your Space in the Sun� campaign with a television advert and a digital platform roll-out. The 30-second ad clipping can be viewed on the @AntiguaBarbuda Youtube channel.

Antigua and Barbuda Minister of Tourism, The Hon. Charles Fernandez, commenting on the award, applauded the team, “There was an unwavering commitment to keeping travelers informed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for proactively developing a digital marketing campaign that resonated with the travel trade and consumer.

Antigua and Barbuda’s tourism marketing efforts continue to adapt to suit the situation. I am optimistic that with the combined efforts of the private and public sector, and the resilience of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Industry, that we will come out of this pandemic stronger.�

Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Tourism confirmed that Virgin Atlantic airways will continue its services to and from the United Kingdom. The airlines will maintain their twice-weekly passenger flights through to November 21st and thereafter until the end of the UK’s national lockdown.

To improve the conditions of the Caribbean economy it is imperative that tourists visit the regions. With the health and safety measures taken and the protocols set in place, the Caribbean remain a safe, serene, and beautiful must-visit holiday destination.

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

NEWS

PAGE 13

What steak lovers should know about plant-based meats W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES TC HEALTH REPORTER

We live in a time of growing choices regarding food substitutes. But how good are these new products when compared with the old staples? Think of margarine versus butter, or more recently, plantbased meats versus the real McCoy? Was William Shakespeare right when he wrote, “A substitute shines brightly as a King, until a King be by?”

A report from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University provides plenty to chew on. Deciding what to do isn’t just a personal decision. It also involves implications for our planet.

According to researchers at Tufts, sales of meat alternatives increased 30% in

2018. This increase is expected to continue since plant-based, meatless “meat” has become available at several fast-food outlets.

But how good are these products?

Nicole Negowetti, a clinical instructor at the Harvard Animal Law and Policy Clinic, says, “These new plant-based meat products are designed to replicate the taste, texture and chemical composition of meat.”

Producers of these new foods are trying to fool us. They want consumers to have the impression they are eating meat, when in fact they are not. As Negowetti says, whether it’s meat from a cow, pig, or any other animal, meat is muscle, which are essentially protein and some fat. Meatless manufacturers are extracting these proteins and fats from plants and combining them to mimic the characteristics of animal meat.

It sounds simple, but there is more to the story. Nicole Blackstone, assistant professor in the Friedman School’s Division of Agriculture, Food and Environment warns that some of these meatless products are so highly processed that

they bear no resemblance to their sourced plant foods.

For instance, to achieve the colour and meatiness that blood gives to red meat, producers have found a way to grow heme iron in soy plants. This is the type of iron found in meat and an essential element of blood production. What about the health risks of this scientific replication?

For the moment Blackstone says we don’t know the answer.

We do know that beef-mimicking hamburgers are similar in calories and protein and lower in saturated fats. However, many meat alternatives are higher in sodium than regular meat. Higher sodium intake can lead to higher blood pressure, causing hypertension.

There is one major benefit to eating substitute meat. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in six North Americans develops food poisoning every year from a variety of food products. Unlike regular meat, substitute meats are far less frequently the cause of E. coli or Salmonella infection. In addition, manufacturers do not have to add antibiotics to these prod-

ucts that can trigger superbug antibiotic resistance. Nor do these products contain hormones.

Negowetti says, “The key question is, can substitute meat products be the tool to help people decrease their intake of real meat? Global red meat consumption is increasing, and factory farming of animals is known to be devastating to animal welfare and environmental sustainability. I am calling for a broader interpretation of ‘healthy’ to include planetary health.”

Different studies and producers report that a typical meatless hamburger uses 75-99% less water and has about a 90% smaller carbon footprint compared to a regular burger. According to a Nielsen survey, 62% of North Americans say they would replace meat-based protein with plant-based protein.

Negowetti claims the bottom line is that people will buy alternative meat products if they are delicious and cheap.

This would also benefit our planet.

What would Shakespeare say today? Possibly, “A substitute shines brightly as a King, even when a King passes by.”

The official launch of the Dufferin County Canadian Black Association MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The DCCBA (Dufferin County Canadian Black Association) are well on their way to being an establishment in Canada. The goal of the DCCBA is to help develop and foster a socially and economically equitable group that will continue to contribute to the growth and development in Dufferin County and Canada.

Shelburne resident Alethia O’Hara Stephenson founded this association on June 3rd, 2020. The basis for the creation of such an organization came after numerous discussions with the community, politicians, and stakeholders about the growing black population in Dufferin County.

Toronto Caribbean Newspaper spoke with founder and president Alethia O’Hara Stephenson about the organization’s plans and its aspirations. Stephen-

son told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “We will most likely do an official launch on November 13th. We are just working out a few kinks at the moment.”

When asked what motivated her to take this bold step Stephenson said, “The Dufferin County community has been growing for quite some time. The black population was the largest minority group, and when we looked at community programming and structuring there was not anything set up.

When we moved here in 2014, there was hockey, but not much more. My husband embarked on a journey of establishing a drop-in program for the kids where they can come in for basketball after elementary school, volleyball, soccer or just burn off some steam.”

“The student population,” Stephenson said, “has grown from about 20 to around 50 up until the end of last year when we had to shut down due to the present situation. When I started to help out a little bit more, I was able to engage community leaders. The deputy mayor started to come by and share some inspirational words with them. The police were able to come by and interact with the students, and the fire department also came

by to share some life experiences with them.”

“When I got the opportunity to lead a youth advisory committee at the school,” Stephenson continues, “After seeing the number of hungry black students that were participating in the program willing to take on additional leadership activities, we went on the journey to establish a Black History Month for the first time in February.

After seeing that momentum, and the number of individuals that were present and participated, we decided that we needed to have something central, something formal. We needed to have a structure in place where we come together collectively and support our community.”

Stephenson has been involved with a number of committees and she would ask the questions: What about the black community? How are we impacted?

What are some of the concerns?

That prompted Stephenson and her team to do a survey and one of the things the survey uncovered was that people were not speaking up. “This is when the light bulb went off,” she said, “that we needed to get this association

established because there is no central place where our community can go. A place the community could go for information that is specific and relevant to the community.

Excellence, advocacy and equipping our community with the tools that they need to advance and build whether that is socially, economically or politically.”

For like-minded folks who would like to come on board, Stephenson has a welcoming message, “Come on board,” She said, “You’ll be a part of something exciting, and change-making for the Dufferin community. You will be a part of history and establish your legacy.”

In keeping with her promise The DCCBA Dufferin County Canadian Black Association was officially launched on Tuesday November 17th, 2020.

Stephenson acknowledges her three other board members for their hard work as well. Linda Grant (Director), Jhordane Stephenson (Director), and Geer Harvey who is also a Director.

For more information on The DCCBA Dufferin County Canadian Black Association please go to their website: www. dufferincountycba.org/home

NEWS

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 15

Community backlash against teacher union’s survey dents, and their opinions on streaming, two practices that already have a large body of research demonstrating their negative impacts on black and Indigenous communities.�

Mary indicated in the petition titled, “Disrupting ABR to Ontario Teacher’s Secondary School Federation� that by Thursday, November 12th, 2020, three of the recently appointed executives of OSSTF: Judy Mckeown, Gord Gallimore and Nicole Luinenburg spoke to Harvey Bischof, provincial president of OSSTF. They told him that members from the black community have expressed concerns that as long as the survey was available it would be a source of further pain as it reinforces racist responses and it should be removed immediately.

PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

In an attempt to deal with systemic racism - especially anti-black and antiIndigenous racism – Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) launched a survey to its members in an attempt to eliminate systemic racism in the education system on November 10th, 2020. The survey provoked criticism that it was biased and hurtful to a racialized segment of its members.

Mary Fraser-Hamilton started a petition at change.org in order to bring attention to this survey and shed light on issues that arose from it. She revealed that, “The survey asked respondents to give their opinion on topics including whether or not they agree that having police in schools can have a “devastating effect� on black stu-

3.

4.

5.

Mary identified seven concerns, which she expressed in the petition: 1. The provincial union relied more on member opinion that evidence to inform decision-making around addressing anti-black and anti-Indigenous racism.

2. Relying on a largely white mem-

6.

bership who do not have lived experience and likely not the educated knowledge, to inform the union policies and practices with regard to addressing racism within the union.

The lack of representation by black and Indigenous members on the provincial OSSTF executive team that are involved in this initiative, and the lack of representation in general.

A lack of data to understand the experiences of black, Indigenous and racialized members within their workplaces and the union.

The existence of working groups meant to address racism that routinely do not include representation from these groups, and which have no matrices to determine whether the work is improving the lives of black, Indigenous and racialized members.

The lack of any time-released positions at a provincial level meant to address anti-black racism, antiIndigenous racism, racism and oppression within its structures or membership.

7. A consistent messaging within OSSTF that the existing procedures and policies continue to be followed, regardless of their impact on black, Indigenous, and racialized members and the community.

There have been many calls made over the years for the OSSTF to examine systematic racism in a methodological, statistical and bias-free manner. The petition brings these underlying issues to the forefront by asking the signers of the petition to request, “The immediate removal of the member survey as it continued to support the same racist structures that it claimed to be trying to dismantle.� The petition asks the provincial OSSTF to participate in an interactive dialogue on a widespread level with its BIPOC members in respect to obtaining real-life experiences on the effect of racism.

The petition is a call to action as it is an attempt to challenge the status quo. It states, “It must immediately disrupt the current structures and processes which continue to harm black, Indigenous and racialized members and community.�

My mind is playing tricks on me; mentors help mentors with new newly designed Mentorship Program or feel overwhelmed?

I was overjoyed when I received an email from Solitair about a program that would offer support to mentors like myself, and those working around the city of Toronto. The program is being put on by F-You: The Forgiveness Project, a project first introduced to me at the end of May this year. They are a non-profit community outreach program based in Toronto, working with youth around themes of forgiveness, restorative justice and conflict management.

They have programs that address the mental health and well being of gang identified youth in custody by creating a platform that amplifies the stories of these young people. They have been featured on MTV, CBC, CTV, Globe & Mail, and The Star. There most recent efforts are directed at individuals like myself who are actively working with young people in the community. It could not have come at a better time.

We are three weeks into the “Break it down� series, which is a fiveweek mentor support virtual conversation series. The weekly discussion take place on Tuesdays from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm via Zoom, and are facilitated by Solitair (solitair@thefyouproject.com), and his team members Lesley (lesley@thefyouproject.com), and Snjezana (snjezana@ thefyouproject.com)

Our discussions so far have been

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Studies show that good mentoring can lead to great career success. Effective mentoring takes effort, and creating successful mentoring relationships requires specific skills and sensibilities. A good mentor needs to be more than just a successful individual; they must have the disposition and desire to develop others. They have to be able to reflect on and share their experiences, and yes, this includes the failures. They have to be open to sharing how they did it right, and how they did it wrong, and this only comes with personal introspection, and a growth mind-set.

In order for mentors to be truly effective, they have to remain open to learning about themselves, but the question now comes, who supports the mentors?

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on how best to engage in important conversations about mental health, education, accountability, and self-awareness.

There is a stress on the importance of connecting and communicating with other mental health professionals, and youth workers across the city. Why? So that we can share insights and resources that can benefit us as professionals, and help the BIPOC communities achieve a better quality of life.

This is the first session of the series and it was available to all community organization workers and community members. We are in the middle of exploring long held beliefs and methods of addressing mental health in the BIPOC communities. It has been an amazing experience so far sharing and receiving insights and best practices from the other members of our small group.

What I do enjoy is the fact that so far, we have been able to have in-depth conversations and feel safe doing so.

They did warn us ahead of time that the conversations would reference themes of: anxiety, stress, paranoia, fears of failure, trauma, violence, and post-traumatic stress, and because of that, we might be triggered. What is important to mention at this point is the piece around confidentiality. Although I am able to share aspects of my experience with “Break it down,� there are certain parts of the experience that must remain confidential

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We have been encouraged to participate in the conversation through reading selected materials, listening to and discussing a curated music playlist.

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Program has approximately ten hours of online conversation time over five weeks, including reading/listening materials that serve as the basis for the weekly conversation themes.

We are reading selected chapters/readings from Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me by Charlamagne Tha God, as well as sample of songs used for concept references. You might be familiar with some of them: • Shook ones – Mobb Deep • Mind playing tricks on me – Geto Boys • Drink away the pain – Mobb Deep • Feel it in the Air – Beanie Sigel Even experts need to seek out help. It is one of those things that cannot be stated enough. How can we expect our mentees to interact and understand different perspectives, if we ourselves do not do the same and go beyond that. It starts with us taking the necessary steps to ensure we are at our best. I am excited by what I am going to learn during this experience that I will be able to share with you.

PAGE 16

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Teachers are worried and stressed; Hybrid learning reveals inequity in education PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The move towards hybrid learning by many school boards in Ontario has posed many challenges for students. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has resorted to hybrid learning. Hybrid learning is: an educational model where some students attend class inperson, while others join the class virtually.

Educators teach remote and in person students at the same time using tools like video conferencing hardware svd software (www. owllabs.com).

The TDSB will be utilizing this concurrent learning model to ensure that students can be enrolled in all the courses they requested. It has reached capacity at its Virtual School, and it would be up to individ-

ual schools to accommodate students who want to pursue online learning.

There are currently 26,500 students learning online, with about 18,000 secondary students. Approximately, 8,500 students are planning to transition to virtual school when quadmester two begins on November 23rd.

According to Ryan Bird, spokesperson for the TDSB, “Delivering virtual learning at the local level will look different depending on the unique circumstances of each school. It could include combining students from another school to make a viable class or to simultaneously learning which would see a teacher teaching both in-person and virtual school at the same time.

It has become clear that most secondary schools will have some level of simultaneous learning so that we can keep current course offerings at in-person schools and/ or enable students to access courses virtually.

Without it, programs sustainability at some schools would be at risk and a significant reorganization of secondary school, staff, students and classes would be

required.”

There are several boards such as the York Catholic District School Board (YCDDB), Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) as well the Peel District School Board (PDSB) that decided to utilize hybrid learning for both elementary and high school students.

Deborah Buchanan-Walford shared a link on Facebook as a “Call for Local Union Action to Resist the Hybrid Switch,” on November 4th, 2020. The link is requesting for signatures to call on local union leadership.

Their needs to be an organization of mass member town hall meetings to plan and mount a collective response to these proposals, which threaten to: • Create education worker’s already unsustainable workloads • Set precedent for larger class sizes • Make permanent the equity gaps already deepened by the pandemic • Establish precedents for the normalization of mandatory e-learning credits • Create serious privacy concerns for teachers and students

Leslie Wolfe, president of OSSTF has expressed outrage about the stress level on teachers in the TDSB.

“Teachers are worried and stressed.

How can a teacher split their attention between the students on a 17-inch, stationary screen and the students who are in their classroom? Engaging students in learning means building relationships and trust with students. Doing that online and in person required two different approaches. There may be ways to do this -large screens and/ or projectors along with multiple cameras so that everyone can see everyone else-but the TDSB simply doesn’t have the equipment or technology to do that right.”

Researcher Beyhan Furhadi noted on November 5th,2020 (Behind the Numbers) that, “Overwhelmed teachers are set up to fail, there are persistent technical problems, and the poor learning conditions-especially for virtual students who are often left hanging while in person students command the attention of teachers.” She believes that hybrid learning is a failed response and it will not maximize learning.

Operation Black Vote – Seat at the Table: Empowering black Canadians 2022 DAVE RANKIN dave@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

I recently attended the Seat at the Table virtual event hosted by Operation Black Vote this past week. The theme was quite fitting since our demographic has been unrepresented and under-valued since I can remember. Thus, when policies have been established, our community seems to always get the butt end of the stick.

However, an event such as this can begin to foster the empowerment that black Canadians so deserve on the political landscape.

The virtual discussion was hosted

by Kevin Modeste who introduced the three-person panel from the NDP, whom I may add has the largest Black Caucus of any political party in the nation. After exchanging pleasantries, he handed the reins off to Heather Douglas who has been a longstanding advocate for our community. MPP of Kitchener and Chair of the NDP Black Caucus Laura Mae Lindo was the first panelist to greet the well-attended affair.

She began telling her story of how she got involved with the NDP. In line with African traditions of speaking with elders before committing to a decision, MPP Laura Mae Lindo told the panel of how she conversed with her uncle and political stalwart, Alvin Curling. He advised her that every party uses their tools differently, and that the tools of the NDP must speak to you directly. Little did she know that she would later become the Chairperson of the largest Black Caucus in the country.

Special advisor to the Leader, Jared Walker was the next panelist. He spoke quite at length and with great enthusiasm of the importance of supportive roles within the party. From speech writing to policy drafting, it’s all part of the process to ensure we as a people have a seat at the table.

Vice President of the Ontario NDP, Majorie Knight was the final panelist to speak. She started by stating that the NDP is wholly committed to have more “black people” to become a part of the party because “our children need to see our faces as representatives they can look up to.”

Vice President Ms. Knight continued by highlighting her process of becoming a candidate and the heavily-relied on ‘Nomination Workbook’ which is a step-by-step instruction manual that has assisted all candidates past, present and future.

The sentiment that echoed throughout the discussion was that the

NDP created a ‘real seat’ for black members of the party by establishing the Black Caucus. MPP Laura Mae Lindo elucidated the fact that since the Caucus was formed the types of discussions have changed and with that there was a new level of respect happening at Queen’s Park.

Prior to the end of the session, the panelists took the time to introduce the party’s latest initiative, the BIPOC Victory Fund. The fund was created to ‘specifically support black, Indigenous, and racialized candidates.’ The support deemed towards its recipients can be anywhere from a monetary standpoint to even a suggested nomination of someone who would be a wonderful fit for the party. All in all, it’s all part of the process to make sure we have a true seat at the table. For more information about the fund, please visit www.ontariondp.ca/bipoc-candidates. For more information about Operation Black Vote Canada, please visit www.obvc.ca.

Peel District School Board addresses the lack of representation in challenging and competitive programs PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Peel District School Board (PDSB) announced on Tuesday, November 10thh, 2020 that it would be changing the criteria for its speciality programs. This change will ensure that qualified black, Africans, Metis, First Nations and Inuit students in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon will gain automatic admission. This will guarantee that they bypass the random selection process and gain immediate acceptance into these elite academic programs.

This change in the admission criteria is meant to address the significant lack of representation of black and racialized

students in these academically challenging and competitive programs. Peel District School Board (PDSB) decided to be proactive in the face of on-going criticism of its inability to deal with issues of systematic racism, especially anti-black racism in its schools. Colleen-Russel Rawlins, interim director of PDSB, informed trustees on these changes at the board meeting on Tuesday, November 9th, 2020.

The board released data on Tuesday, which highlights the lack of representation of black, Indigenous, and people of colour in these programs. The newspaper Caledon Enterprise reported on Wednesday, November 11th, some of the troubling data. Approximately 10% of 41,705 secondary school students are black. They constitute less than 2% of the students admitted to the Regional Learning Choices Program (RLCP).

There are less than ten black students in these programs. The recognized International Baccalaureate (IB) program takes in about 2020 students per year

where students pursue advanced courses in: science, technology, arts and music.

Less than 50% of the students are of South Asian background. There are approximately 55 black students in RLCP courses, they are concentrated in: sports, dance, music or visual arts.

The numbers are even more disturbing for Indigenous students. There are questions raised about whether these low numbers could be due to their lack of self-identification as First Nations, Metis and/or Inuits (as revealed by the PDSB’s 2018 census data). The board hopes that by changing the admission criteria it will signal its intentions to reverse the numbers and provide access to these high-achieving programs.

Charlie Grant, co-founder of Parents of Black Children (PoBC), which has engaged in advocacy work with different boards welcome the move. “Our children have always had the capacity and capability, but they were deliberately denied and held back. They weren’t given the opportu-

nity. These opportunities will level the playing field.”

Danielle Dowdy, parent and community advocate is supportive of these changes. She states that they are, “Important first step in breaking down the barriers to access. The second step is communication.”

Interim director, Colleen RusselRawlins states, “We can’t fulfil our mission to inspire success, confidence and hope in each student until we take real and meaningful steps to provide access to students who have been excluded. We are ensuring our programs are open to these students who have historically not been able to participate.”

While the change is procedural with respect to how administers select students into these specialized programs, there is hope, expectation and anticipation that it will fundamentally be equitable and fair.

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PAGE 18

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

A relic of Barbados’ colonial past is no more; the removal of the Horatio Nelson statue LA SHAWNA GRIFFITH lashawna@carib101.com

BARBADOS TC REPORTER

BARBADOS -- After 207 years of Horatio Nelson standing in picturesque Hero’s Square Nelson, a relic of Barbados’ colonial past is no more.

On November 17th, 2020 around 4:18 pm, Crane and Equipment removed Nelson’s statue to loud applause from the onlookers who lined the streets of Bridgetown to witness the historical moment.

An hour later, Nelson was mounted onto a vehicle to begin its journey to the Barbados Museum and Historical Society where it will be placed in storage. During the removal of Nelson, there was a cultural showcase with performers: Cyndi Celeste, Israel

Lovell Foundation, Haynesville Drummers, Pinelands Creative Workshop, The Mighty, and Nakita.

Nelson’s statue was first unveiled in 1813 to commemorate his victory over the French and Spanish Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Many historians have argued that Nelson was no hero and that he should be removed swiftly from Hero’s Square due to the fact that he was a supporter of slavery.

Barbadian historian and former lecturer at Barbados Community College, Trevor Marshall said in an article - written by Huff Post - that if Nelson remained alive, the end of slavery would have occurred many years later. “I have never been a fan of our present colonial system,” Nelson said. Two years later after his tragic death, Britain announced the end of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

The debate on whether to move Nelson from Hero’s Square formerly Trafalgar Square is not new. As far back as 1990, activists noted that Nelson defended the slave trade upon which Barbados’ plantation economy is based and thus such a symbol of White Supremacy must be removed from the island’s capital.

In 1999 the Government of Barbados renamed Trafalgar Square to Hero’s Square to the delight of Barbadians. The call was heard that Nelson must be removed if the island was truly removing any aspects of their colonial past.

Back in June Alex Downes, a social activist and former journalist, started an online petition for the statue’s removal from the city square and gained the required 10,000 signatures. In an interview with Barbados TODAY he stated that he was asking the government to remove elements of our colonial past.

“We are essentially asking the Government to start with the low hanging fruit.

Nelson is something that is visible, known, and talked about and can be easily removed.

We are 95% black and even if you are not black, you live in a predominately black country and you are a part of the culture that makes us all Barbadian.”

Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley questioned why the removal of Nelson had taken so long to complete, and pledged that the square would reflect the country’s national consciousness.

“We wonder how the injustices that perpetrated and dotted this land for centuries have taken so long to be reversed. I ask us today to recognize that this Government has been very clear that national consciousness and identity come at the core of the nation-state, and if we do not know who we are, if we are not clear what we will fight for, then we are doomed to be exploited and to be colonized again. Not necessarily in the same way that led to ships coming in, but in the way that will allow the mental spaces to be dominated by stories and songs and messages that are not our own and that are not intended to be able to lift up our people to where we need to go in this world today.”

The removal of Nelson was attended by scores of Barbadians who all were eager to witness the historical moment with some of them holding their mobile phones to record the moment of history. Mottley once again declared the island would become a republic by the island’s 55th independence and noted the time has come for the President of Barbados to be a Barbadian native.

Boxes of Bravery MARCEL MARIAK marcel@carib101.com

TC JUNIOR REPORTER

How two young women are making a difference in their community.

Every day in Canada, 75 women have their world turned upside down with a single fateful sentence: “You have breast cancer.”

At that moment, they become a victim of a disease that will be fatal for nearly one out of every five patients. For the next few months or even years, cancer will become a looming reality as they fight for survival and battle the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. They will spend a great many hours in hospitals, waiting rooms, and labs awaiting lifesaving treatment. Usually, the dread of hospital beds, beeping machines, and prolonged therapy sessions is eased by the presence of family and friends. But with the coronavirus pandemic forcing hospitals to shut down visitations, cancer patients spend days and even weeks without con-

tact with loved ones. Luckily, a pair of young women are making a difference in the lives of breast cancer victims with their organization: Boxes of Bravery.

What are Boxes of Bravery?

Boxes of Bravery is a charity started by two high school students, Annie Liu and Madeline Catapano, in the autumn of 2019. Both ladies became passionate about helping cancer victims after they experienced struggles with the disease in their own families.

Madeline’s mother is a breast cancer survivor, and Annie’s grandfather passed away from cancer, so improving the lives of cancer patients is a mission that hits close to home.

Their non-profit organization specializes in delivering much needed “care packages” to breast cancer patients. Annie and Madeline were inspired to create boxes after they heard of people making care packages for the homeless. The young ladies started by raising money from their family and friends to fund the packages and eventually made their mission a community-wide initiative.

Earlier this week, I had a chance to talk with the founders about their motivation behind Boxes of Bravery, “I really wanted to reach out and help people in need,” said Annie, “especially those who are being overlooked in today’s society.” Each Box of Bravery is

filled with items that help women in their fight against breast cancer. Since the organization was started a year ago, Boxes of Bravery’s care packages have changed over five-dozen lives, with more boxes being funded and delivered every day!

What’s in a Box? Every Box of Bravery is packed with chemo, radiation therapy, and hospital essentials.

These items comfort and support cancer patients while they undergo treatments.

Every Box of Bravery contains the following goodies: lip balm packed with natural oils to help moisturize after dehydrating chemotherapy, additive-free ginger candies to prevent post-chemo nausea symptoms, gentle herbal teas to combat an upset stomach, a premium “thousand wishes” hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works, an adult colouring book to help fend off boredom during extended periods without loved ones, and an intimate card from the founders with a positive and uplifting message to remind patients they aren’t alone.

How can I get involved?

The best way to participate in the Boxes of Bravery initiative is by visiting their website, www.boxesofbravery.org. From there, you have access to many forms of getting

involved with the organization. The most common way of helping Boxes of Bravery improve the lives of breast cancer patients is by purchasing a care package directly from the website. You can then select whether you’d like the box to be donated to a hospital or to be given to a loved one who’s fighting cancer. Boxes of Bravery operates on a pay-it-forward basis, where most people who buy a personal Box of Bravery for a loved one usually also fund one to be donated to a hospital. Another initiative that Boxes of Bravery offers to help fund boxes is the Scrunchie Fundraiser, where they sell vegan silk hair scrunchies and put all proceeds towards creating and delivering Boxes of Bravery.

If you want to help spread the word about Boxes of Bravery or contact the organization, you can find them on Instagram @boxesofbravery and use the hashtag #WarriorWednesday. If you have any items that you’d like to donate to be added to the boxes or to ask a question, send an email to boxesofbraverycharity@gmail.com. Every penny you contribute to the organization helps countless breast cancer patients bravely continue the fight against this awful disease. Visit www.boxesofbravery.org and start changing lives today!

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PAGE 20

FEATURE

the the poetic poetic word word Mother Earth

BY GLORIA O’KOYE Mother Earth Is in a domestic dispute, With her beloved It broke her spirit To bring her wrath And caused the love of her life Such sadness A tale with An unpredictable end, Happy endings Or The End could be tragic How could this be?

We must go back to the beginning!

She swore to cherish those Who enter her sacredness To nourish them For billons of solar returns, She watched great powers Bow down and humbled By her fury She only does What she needs to do, In order to protect Herself and those Emerging from dust, A chance to breathe in glory!

One of her most current lovers She adorn so much, Had wooed her By their adaptive ability!

Surviving miniature apocalypses, Her newfound

love Managed to beat all the odds, And learn how to conquer Too bad this lover became too greedy Drinking up her generosity And taking her kindness for weakness Mother Earth had snapped back In casting plagues and famines, Praying for change of hearts After her lover got disciplined I apologize On behalf of your lover Mother Earth, For we do not want to understand Our disruptive nature Spilling our ungratefulness Into your waters And piling up resentfulness on your fragile body Ploughing your natural curves To admire man made structures, We become careless at the species Who were before us?

And we stomp everything around With our corrosive footprints Mother Earth You are too pure For us So we would learn Se we would learn To be continued...

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Dominion Mortgage Brokerage and Property Solutions

The Mortgage Queen and her dominion WAZARI JOHNSON wazari@carib101.com

JAMAICA TC REPORTER

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 Renna Johnson aims to be a major player in the strengthening of Jamaican real estate market, with Dominion Mortgage Brokerage and Property Solutions.

Even with the reality of COVID-19 looming over the globe, the Jamaican real estate market has not been severely impacted.

There are a number of reasons why Jamaica is a great place to invest in real estate; Jamaica has little restrictions to foreigners who wish to own homes here. Owning real estate in Jamaica can yield almost 60% in revenue in any period over five years. This percentage is evident based on the recent appreciation of Jamaican real estate.

Another great reason to invest in Jamaican real estate is that real estate in Jamaica is more affordable than other Caribbean islands. Prices range anywhere from $1,300 USD - $1,500 USD per square foot for a beachfront home in Jamaica, but in Barbados a beachfront home can range anywhere from $6,700 USD upwards. In Jamaica, real estate offers lucrative investment and income earning opportunities; monthly housing rent rose by 0.5% in 2016 based on the nationwide index released by The Bank of Jamaica.

In our interview, Reena explains why she chose the name “Dominion” for her mortgage brokerage business “I always knew whatever name the business was given, it would be because of its significance to me. The name Dominion actually resonates with me in a couple of ways on different levels. My middle name is Dominique, the French feminine form of Dominic, meaning of the lord, or belonging to God. Also, in the beginning, our fore parents were given dominion over the land and all the creatures in it. It was therefore a natural choice for me. It easily plays into the scenario.

I love what I do and I wanted to continue doing it, but in a context that offered me more flexibility and allowed me to explore how I could better cater to the needs of my clients. I’m humbled by the fact that when I assist someone to access a mortgage to purchase a property, an equity loan to improve a property, or for education or other purposes, I am impacting their lives in a significantly meaningful way. It carries with it tremendous responsibilities not only for the client but also for the mortgage company and myself.”

The “Mortgage Queen” is soaking in every experience so far since she has started her journey with Dominion. She shared with me what her adventure has been like so far.

“Like many sought after journeys, it

has brought excitement, I’m passionate about the plans I have been formulating for years. Seeing them unfold is like getting a gift. It also has its challenges, and the buck stops with me.

If I have to extend myself to ensure something happens or gets done, then that is what I do. This is nothing new.

It also comes with its own level of uncertainties, I am no longer an employee with a guaranteed salary, and so I need to pull out all the stops to generate revenue. Have there been anxious times? Yes, absolutely!”

“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7 I asked Renna what she thinks makes Dominion stand out, “I am a seasoned mortgage professional, well knowledgeable about the loan origination process and highly capable of getting relevant solutions.

I listen to my clients and seek to bridge the gap between their wants and needs, with understanding and clarity of the process for them. I reassure my clients that I will act on their behalf without compromising my integrity.

I operate steps ahead of my clients, anticipating potential concerns and working out possible solutions. If I believe a case is strong enough to give someone a fighting chance, I will go to bat for my clients.

At the end of our business encounter, my clients should walk away more informed, more confident and more empowered as they continue their life’s journey.”

I usually like finding out from the people that I interview if there is anything they would have approached differently on their entrepreneurial journey. When I asked Renna if she had any regrets, or if there were things she would change, she shared her thoughts,

“Work and life balance is being spoken about more in recent years, and many companies have taken and are taking steps to encourage and teach this in the workplace. This is essential especially to maintain and enhance all your relationships.

It’s one of those things I’ve had to learn and work at doing. I must say, knowing when to stop and say no feels pretty good.”

Renna looks forward to the future with great expectations and she has other plans in addition to Dominion. This is what she shared with me. “I have aspirations of venturing into different aspects of the real estate marketplace and agricultural production/ agro-processing. I believe I have something to contribute to the landscape and look forward to doing just that.”

You can visit Dominion Mortgage Brokerage website www.dominionmortgagesja.com or find her on Facebook and Instagram.

Metrolinx is building a world-class transit system so you can safely travel better, faster and easier.

Metrolinx is hard at work building a landmark transit system for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Undertaking one of North America’s largest infrastructure investments, and with over 200 projects underway, the transit planners, builders and operators are on the fast-track to creating possibilities across the entire region – so you can live, work and play wherever you choose.

If you’ve ever hopped aboard GO Transit, taken UP Express to Pearson airport, or tapped your PRESTO card, then you know first-hand of the unequalled transit system Metrolinx has already built.

Making progress is an unending vision that doesn’t let Metrolinx rest on its laurels. It has mapped out how it plans to connect communities and cities.

What if Union Station was easier to access and navigate? What if the region had connected light rail, running

outside of regular traffic, so you could get where you need to go, as easily as possible? What if a new web of rapid transit was built to touch every corner of Toronto? What if GO service was increased, giving us frequent, all-day, transit on seven separate lines, including new stations?

Wonder no more. This is the transit system that is being built across the region; it will connect us to every part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe. And it’s happening right now with plans to build 62 additional LRT stations and stops to get across the region, 48 kilometres of new light rail transit lines, as well as 42 upgraded GO stations.

“We’re expanding today’s transportation network to create more possibilities, more connections and ultimately a greater region,” says Metrolinx President and CEO Phil Verster.

Metrolinx is delivering an integrated, regional transportation system. One with a mix of buses, streetcars, light rail, heavy rail and subways that will serve the needs of residents and business for years to come.

Construction can be messy and difficult to deal with, but this short-term impact is all part of building the transit system our region needs. And Metrolinx is making it happen.

Metrolinx is making progress in every direction. Be it Toronto, Hamilton, Peel Region, York Region, Halton, Durham, Simcoe County, Waterloo, Guelph & Wellington, or the Niagara region.

Get transit updates at metrolinx.com

PAGE 22

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Storm Saulter

The Composition King “There is a story here. Something happened, something is happening now, or it is about to happen.”

“I was born during a storm.”

Well, that made sense. It was one of the first questions that I asked my Classic Man was the uniqueness of his name, and who had named him.

“I think that both my parents named me.

They were cool people. Free spirited.

They would do that. They would wait to see the conditions in which their children were born in, and then they would name us accordingly.”

It seems like from birth, our Classic Man this edition has experienced life in a creatively, free way, which makes sense when you learn more about the way he expresses his creativity.

With an acute eye for detail that he has used to capture the beauty of Jamaica, Negril native Storm Saulter is a filmmaker and visual artist on a mission to not only capture, but also create stories that many may miss, but are caught by his creative eye. I was first introduced to Storm Saulter’s work when I visited Peel Art Gallery Museum + Archives in Brampton, Ontario.

Toronto Caribbean Newspaper was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to a private viewing of “when night stirred at sea: Contemporary Caribbean Art,” the exhibit launched by PAMA in partnership with Caribbean Art Fair and the Black Artists’ Network in Dialogue.

I remember being blown away by the talent that I was exposed to that day.

Each artist had found a way to share their truth and draw their audience in with their particular styles. It was when I stood in front of Storm’s work, that I was forced to look beyond what was presented, and to create a story in my mind.

When a person looks at a photo, they are looking for something real and concrete with which they can identify. Photos are ambiguous in nature. It usually tells a story from a personal experience. When

I took in Storm’s work, it forced me to name and make sense of what I experience and perceive in the world. He presented unrecognizable subject matter, and unpredictable shapes, colours, people and expressions, all encouraging his viewers to tell a story.

His photography is only one way in which he captures his audience and creates opportunities for imaginative play and escape. As a filmmaker, Storm’s awardwinning debut film “Better Mus’ Come,” was praised by film critics as signalling a fresh, novel approach to independent filmmaking throughout the Caribbean.

His latest film “Sprinter,” executively produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, now marks a rare instance of film by a Jamaican filmmaker, telling a Jamaican story to the international audience. The film is currently streaming on NETFLIX in the USA, Canada, and the Caribbean. It is also streaming in the United Kingdom on SKY CINEMA, and in over 40 countries across the African continent with MULTICHOICE. The film swept the 2018 American Black Film Festival winning “Best Director,” “Best Narrative Feature,” and the “Audience Award.” It went on to win “Best Narrative Feature” at the 2019 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, and the “Audience Award” at the 2019 BlackStar Film Festival in Philadelphia.

He has directed music videos for: Arcade Fire, Popcaan, Protoje and Chronixx. He was invited to capture visuals for Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s On the Run 2 World Tour, and has been published in Rolling Stone Magazine and The FADER. He is also a commercial director, working with athletes like Usain Bolt, and brands like PUMA and RED STRIPE. His visionary film and photography work has been exhibited at: The Brooklyn Museum, The British Museum, the National Gallery of Jamaica, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami.

There is so much to say about our Classic Man Storm Saulter, and during my reasoning session with him, I learned more about this genius creative past.

“I am from a big family,” Storm began.

“My parents moved from Kingston to Negril in 1970. When they moved to Negril, they were living a rasta/hippie lifestyle. I remember my youth being a time of freedom. My parents always moved counter culture. They bun a fire on city, and society vibes.”

“Because they were so open, they encouraged us to be creative.” Storm stops for a moment to chuckle. “When I was young, my siblings and I would roam free. We would go Mango bush in the morning, and not come home until night time. It was during this time that my creativity grew. I began to take in the beauty of the world.”

Storm admits that he was always creative. He was around nine or ten years old when someone gave him his first camera.

“It was one of the old school ones; you know. The one that had about 20 pictures, and then you would have to bring them to be developed. When I was given that camera, the world opened up to me.

It became about capturing the image; pausing life for the audience. My natural instinct was about the composition of the picture. It was all about what excited the eye. It became a reflex for me.

I would look for images that were beautiful; visuals that would catch your eye.

As a photographer, when you find visuals like this, it does something for the viewer.

Great cinematographers know how to do this. I have always been drawn to certain themes: Caribbean masculinity, hyper masculine energy that affects you in a creative way.

I am also interested in propaganda; how the church uses symbols to portray certain things. Icons can give so much information. Visual language is important; it can be anything, an unfinished spray paint art expression, cut in the wall. You have to have an eye to catch the beauty that others do not see.”

Storm shared with me the fact that his

artistry was encouraged by both his parents, especially his mom. They saw that he had the ability, and instead of discouraging it they pushed him to pursue what he loves.

“Even as a teenager, I was being cued and didn’t realize it. I just knew I wanted to make the images, from behind the camera. I became inspired by movies that I had seen growing up, so after high school, I made my way to Los Angeles to go to film school. One of my sisters lived in Los Angeles. That made the transition a little easier.

During my time there, I met Director X (Little X), at one of his music video shoots. I don’t know what I did or said, but I left some type of impression on him because he invited me to shoot with him, and after I joined him in New York. After doing some work with him there for a while, I decided to come back to Jamaica, and shoot what I loved, and knew, the beauty of the island.”

There is an industry-wide call for diversity in storytelling. There is an audience out there hungry for original, prolific content. There is a need for more writers and better scripts, and Storm encourages young creative minds to step boldly into the world of art, film making and photography.

“If you take one step towards something, it takes two steps towards you. Move towards the thing that you truly want.

There are so many ways to learn. People need to take that step. Think about your messaging. Know what you want to say, and go out there and say it.”

Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News

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PAGE 26

FOOD

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Curried Beef & spinners

Easy warm and spicy mid-week dinner Ingredients • NOEL CUNNINGHAM • noel@carib101.com

•

CULINARY EXPERT

• • •

Looking for a warm and spicy midweek dinner idea? Don’t worry I got you covered with this delicious, curried beef recipe. This chuck of beef smothered in a rich and bold curry coconut sauce loaded with spinners (small dumplings) potatoes, carrots, and spices. I can guarantee you that this curried beef recipe will not disappoint you. Bonus points for tasting even better the next day, too! As an Islander, once you hear curry you think of curry chicken, the popular curried goat or curried seafood, but I was in a beef sort of mood but craving curry at the same time when I decided to make this recipe. This dish comes together nicely in under an hour it is sure to feed a crowd.

The key to a good curry is to start off searing your meat on high heat, this step is very important because when you sear meat, you caramelize the natural sugars in the meat and brown the proteins, forming a rich brown crust on the surface of the meat that amplifies the savory flavour of the finished dish. You must use a good brand of curry powder that will give you a good flavour and colour. One of the popular questions I get asked all the time is which curry to use?

Curry favor As a Jamaican when it comes to curry there is no debate. It must be betapac curry in order for it to be good. Betapac curry is a Jamaican curry that everyone came to love because of its rich bold flavour and spice. This Curry powder is a popular ingredient in Jamaican recipes. Curry powder is a blend of spices that come together to give a warm and robust flavour to whatever dish it is used in. While traditional Indian curry powders are mixed from whole spices as needed for cooking, betapac curry produces absolutely delicious results every time! Ingredients include turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, cumin, pimento, black pepper and cloves. Give this recipe a try and you will thank me later. Keep calm and curry on.

• • • • • • • •

2 lbs beef chuck, diced into 1 1/2inch pieces Salt and pepper, to taste 3 tbsp curry powder preferably betapac 1 small white onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves finely chopped 1 tbsp ginger peeled, finely chopped or paste 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 sprigs thyme 2 stalks scallion, chopped 6 tbsp pimento berries, smashed 1 scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 cup of coconut milk 2 potatoes peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces 2 carrots, peeled and diced

Spinners • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon salt • Water, as needed, to form a dough Instructions 1. Wash beef then season with salt and pepper, curry powder, onion, garlic and ginger then put aside to marinate. Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Once the pot is heated add beef to the pot and allow to sear before stirring.

2. Once the meat starts to sear stir occasionally until the meat starts to produce its own liquid. Stir in thyme, scallion, pimento and scotch bonnet and add 2 cups of water and allow to cook.

3. Meanwhile, to make spinners: In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add just enough water, a little at a time, to make a stiff dough.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.

Pinch off about 1/2 ounce of dough and roll it between the palms of your hands to form a softly tapered cylindrical shape. Repeat until all of the dough has been transformed into spinners.

4. Reduced meat should start to get tender after 30 minutes. Add coconut milk, spinners, potatoes and carrots, bring to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally, until the beef, potatoes and carrots are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Thin with water if needed; adjust seasoning if needed. Serve over rice. Enjoy.

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

FOOD

PAGE 27

The live on purpose juice experience in Toronto HRISHIKESH DAS GUPTA hdg@carib101.com

CULINARY REPORTER

Tamara Shelly and Clifford Watson vowed to make a difference in the community with their healthy products and positive vibe. They started Classic Juice Company on August 6th, 2018, and within two years they became one of the most celebrated Caribbean cafes on Coxwell Ave, Toronto.

All their healthy juices, smoothies, wraps and other products are made in small batches and for a purpose. The purpose is to uplift the human mind, body and soul naturally.

“Our purpose is to provide an approachable and accessible experience that is fresh, healthy, and enriching to mind, body, soul and spirit. We give you our best with a firm belief in the self-care revolution: A better you is a better us; a better us is a better world.” – Tamara Shelly

Tamara mentioned before the pandemic the neighborhood used to start their day by ordering fresh cold-pressed juice from Classic Juice Co. The regular customers observed an improvement in their hair, nail and skin after adapting their cleansing juice plans. The cafe used to share their space with the CJC Gallery so local artists can showcase their artworks. Last

year, the cafe space served as an unpretentious artwork platform for members of the local community including BIPOC, Women, Members of the Mental Trauma Community, Youth, Children and Members of the LGBTQ2 Community. The vibrant music and color therapy of their space became an overnight sensation at the Greenwood and Coxwell area.

Earlier this year, they were in anxiety mode like most other businesses.

They stopped showcasing any artwork due to the pandemic. All upcoming popup events to promote the Caribbean food businesses at the café have been canceled.

They started to offer take-outs only within the reduced hours. Rather than giving up, their faith in God motivated them to think in new ways for the business to survive.

Tamara and Clifford expanded their client base by adding Peel and Durham regions.

They started to experiment with the takeout hours, adjusted the hours a few times, and finally figured out the peak hour to serve the community. They also started to welcome more clients across Ontario steadily. Recently, the juice lovers across Ontario nominated Classic Juice Company as the best juice bar for the “Now Toronto Readers Choice award”.

“My mother and I never shared any strong bonding between us. We hardly ever spoke to each other. I used to miss the mother–daughter moments, but I was always hesitant to express my feelings to her.

We started the juice cleansing plan from Classic Juice Company last year. We started to feel a positive difference in our lifestyle during the cleansing plan. The healthy drinks not only helped us to improve our

Photo by Hrishokesh Das Gupta

digestion system and weight loss but also, we both observed an improvement in our relationship. We then started to discuss more about our lifestyles and shared our points of view on different matters. My mother shared that she used to hide all her anxiety from me. The improvement in her physique gave her the confidence to share her emotions with me. Now we share an unbreakable relationship.” - Customer Feedback

This is not the only life-changing story the classic juice team has to offer. Daily hundreds of new and regular customers are coming to order the cold-pressed juices and changing the lifestyles. Tamara explained to me the true definition of Juice. I learned, juice is not an alternative to water, any drinks, or foods. Fresh fruit juices flush

toxins from our body and also purify our mind and soul. Pure and simple juices are one of the best practices of self-love and self-care. All the signature smoothie options including peanut moss, mango moss, pineapple – kale – cucumber and pineapple – ginger is very well prepared. The freshly prepared wraps and house-made vegan cookies are affordable, healthy, and delicious.

Tamara and Clifford would like to thank their customers and the community for their unending source of inspiration. I strongly believe their passion, hard work, creativity and perseverance for their business will bring more achievement in the near future.

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HEALTH

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 29

The dangers of prolonged stress; 2020 defined by chronic stress and its effects W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES COMMON SENSE HEALTH

Nothing can be more heart wrenching than the sudden death of a loved one. The visualization of a wrench tightening on the heart is apt. It can feel that way and the physical harm done from such intense pressure is not good for your health.

Isaac Asimov, professor of biochemistry and prolific writer of science fiction, said, “Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.” It’s troublesome for the individual at death’s door, certainly. But it’s also tragic for family and friends. It’s devastating – and lasting – for a life partner.

If we are lucky enough to face the

trauma of a heart wrench only once in life, we might not need to worry about it. But 2020 is defined by chronic stress.

Extreme stress causes rapid production of adrenaline, a hormone that makes your body race. Your heart picks up speed. Breathing quickens. The blood pressure skyrockets.

It is what happens when you exercise. But sudden extreme production of stress hormones or prolonged periods of elevated stress do more harm than good.

Sometimes it can kill you. Take the case of Josephine Ann Harris who went into cardiac arrest and died just two hours after a surprise visit to her restaurant by President Barrack Obama in July 2012 – an unfortunate example of the high price of too much excitement.

Stressors happen to us all the time: a loose dog growls, a child runs carelessly across the road, or a stranger rings the doorbell at night. These are the events that trigger your hypothalamus, a small region in your brain, to send alarms that launch the production of cortisol. Whereas

adrenaline speeds you up, cortisol builds up glucose in your bloodstream, feeds these sugars to your brain, and activates the mechanisms that specifically control motivation and fear. Cortisol also shuts down entire systems considered unhelpful distractions in a fight-or-flight scenario, such as the digestive system and reproductive system.

Hopefully, these stressful times come to an end, and the body recovers. But for some, the trauma endures, for instance, with the death of a spouse. The stress of losing a life partner is magnified when a spouse needs to take decisions about endof-life care. Or worse, is relegated to bystander status while doctors perform heroics that steal dignity from death.

Intense stress can come from other sources too. Fear of needles, spiders and heights can be managed. A bad divorce less so. Getting divorced is stressful in many ways. But the damage to your health caused by relentless high levels of anxiety can compare to a death in the family.

When stress hormones stay acti-

Could your dry skin be due to eczema?

Most frequently observed in children, eczema is a chronic, non-contagious skin condition characterized by an in­flammation of the epidermis. While there are different types of eczema, the most common is atopic dermatitis, a hereditary disorder that causes skin to react negatively to various allergens. Common symptoms include: • Dry, irritated skin • Flaky or blistered skin • Redness and swelling These symptoms commonly surface on the hands, ankles and protruding parts of the face (such as the forehead), as well as in the folds of the elbows and knees. If you notice irregularities in your skin’s texture and appearance in any of these areas, consult a doctor without delay. He or she can determine if eczema is indeed the cul­prit and provide you with a list of preventive measures (e.g. reducing stress levels, using a mild type of soap, avoiding tobacco, moisturizing fre­quently, etc.)

vated over extended periods of time, your body can’t return to normal function. Sensors constantly beaming an “under attack” message cripple regular functions of eating, sleeping, and even establishing memories.

Experts believe that genetics may play a role in determining how susceptible we are to stress and how strongly our systems fire up or cool off. But life experience plays a part too. We can see the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in the careers of: military personnel, police officers, fire fighters, crime survivors, and especially in 2020, our front-line healthcare workers.

It’s hard to prepare for life’s toughest challenges. But it’s worth taking steps to relieve chronic stress. First and foremost, think twice before popping pills. This is a recipe for more trouble. Instead, surround yourself with good friends who lift your spirits. Volunteer in your community or go for long walks. Find your funny bone and fuel it with good humour. And seek help from professionals if you sense you are stuck in a rut.

Five health benefits of the forbidden fruit 1. Eating fresh apples stimulates saliva production, eliminates leftover food particles and fights cavity-causing bacteria. The same cannot be said about brushing alone!

2. Apples are a good source of dietary fibre, which helps maintain healthy cho­­lesterol levels.

3. Apples have been shown to re­duce the risk of cardiovascular disease thanks to their antioxidant content.

4. A medium-sized apple contains roughly 14 per cent of your daily vitamin C needs.

5. Drinking apple juice may help control wheezing in asthmatic children. Researchers are also studying the possible link between apple consumption during pregnancy and a lower incidence of respiratory disorders in children.

The solution to COVID-19 starts with keeping your distance.

• Wear a face covering.

• Keep 2m apart from anyone outside of your household.

• Limit your close contact to your household only.

• Wash your hands often.

Stopping the spread starts with you.

Visit ontario.ca/coronavirus to learn more Paid for by the Government of Ontario

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

COMMUNITY

PAGE 31

4 games to get you moving this season 6 clever tips for storing Christmas decorations

Hearty meals and decadent desserts are hard to resist during the holidays, and it can be difficult to find the time to stay active. If you’re looking for an enjoyable way to burn a few calories, here are four fun games to play at your next Christmas party.

Are you tired of untangling Christmas lights and trying to salvage squashed ornaments when you decorate for the holidays?

Here are six storage tips that can make things easier.

holder 4. Place small Christmas tree ornaments in egg cartons 5. Bundle wrapping paper rolls in a garment bag 6. Hang wreaths on hangers in a closet

1. DANCE VIDEO GAMES You’ll get a full-body workout as you attempt to follow dynamic choreographies set to ener­getic tunes. Face off in pairs or as a team.

Once your decorations are organized, stow them in clear plastic bins so you can easily see what’s inside. Also remember to label each container.

2. MUSICAL CHAIRS If you embrace your competitive spirit, this classic party game can really boost your heart rate. Organize a tournament to get every­one involved.

1. Insert strands of Christmas tree beads into separate plastic bottles 2. Wrap string lights around pieces of cardboard or empty wrapping paper rolls 3. Thread rolls of ribbon onto a paper to­wel

3. LIMBO This goofy game is a great way to let loose.

Crank up the music and remember to stretch be­fore you bend.

4. SCAVENGER HUNT The first team to bring back an object chosen by the host, such as a hat or pencil, wins a point. There’s nothing like a race to get you moving.

If you and your guests want a more serene way to work off your holiday meal, consider taking a walk after dinner so you can admire the lights and decorations.

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LIFE

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 33

Don’t waste your pain because they’ve been ‘wounded’, they’ve been taken advantage of, they’ve been maligned and mistreated. Remember, Adolf Hitler was once a child and so also was the great Martin Luther King Jr. Our past experiences play a significant role in how we turn out in life.

The beauty of your past painful experiences is that others can find healing through your scars, but only if you are willing to share it. To not waste your pain, share the lessons it taught you, not from a place of resentment and bitterness, but a place of forgiveness and inner peace.

Your pain is a chapter in the book you’ve not yet written. It’s a part of your story you shouldn’t leave untold. The great Maya Angelou once said, there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. The people around you don’t have to go through what you’ve gone through. You may have learnt it the hard way, but others around you don’t have to. Be vulnerable with your story.

If we don’t take time to heal from past pain and hurt, we unconsciously build a wall around our lives, and by so doing, we

DANIEL COLE

daniel@carib101.com

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

No one is insulated from the challenges and perils of life. Problems and pains are inevitable; if you are not coming out of one, you are probably heading to one. We’ve all had our fair share of life unfairness, be it, the premature death of a loved one, sickness, foreclosure, declaring bankruptcy, divorce, infidelity, or marital challenges, job loss, accident, to name a few. The question is not, ‘If we will face problems, the question is when we face problems.’ Problems and pains are part of life we can’t live life so cautiously to avoid them.

Many people go through life feeling resentful, bitter, unforgiving, and despondent

live life so cautiously and overly sensitive, we do this to avoid those experiences again. But the sad reality is, sometimes in life, we don’t choose our problems, our problems choose us. The most important thing, therefore, is to learn as we go through each phase of our life.

He was born on March 26th, 1905. In 1942, Frankl and his parents, wife, and brother were arrested and sent to the Thereisienstadt concentration camp; Frankl’s father died there within six months. Over the course of three years, Frankl was moved between four concentration camps, including Auschwitz where his brother died, and his mother was killed. Frankl’s wife died at Bergen-Belsen.

When Frankl’s camp was liberated in 1945, he learned of the death of all his immediate family members, with the exception of his sister who had emigrated to Australia.

How did Viktor Frankl not waste his pain? Frankl wrote Man’s Search for Meaning, a groundbreaking book that detailed his perspective of living through the ordeal that was the concentration camp. He was a professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Vienna from 1948-1990, and he

directed the neurology department at the Vienna Polyclinic Hospital between 1946 and 1970. Throughout his career, Frankl published numerous books, received dozens of honorary degrees, lectured around the world, and served as a guest professor at universities including Harvard, Southern Methodist, and Duquesne.

Every pain has a purpose; your perspective is everything. You can bounce back.

You can rise and dream again. Your dream is still valid and possible, and it’s not over yet.

No one lives a life of significance and meaning without a measure of pain and discomfort. Embrace it! Grow through what you may be going through after the rain comes the rainbow. Remind yourself that this too shall pass.

Confront the reality that life is unfair, and that bad thing happen to good people.

This will create a mental readiness when a challenge arose. Share your story, write that book, publish that blog and write that article.

Don’t leave your story untold and don’t waste your pain.

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LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

God must have sent her.

Reliving my past trauma SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

HUMAN SPECIALIST

Designing the perfect day, even during a pandemic

BY MAKAYLA B. 12 YEARS OLD TC JUNIOR CONTRIBUTOR Let’s say it was possible to design the perfect day, and nothing could go wrong. Everything went according to plan. Can you imagine that? That would be amazing wouldn’t it?

If I could design the perfect day for myself I would be so happy. The first thing that would happen would be sleeping for the whole day! Just kidding. How about sleeping in for a little longer than normal, not for the entire day.

Next I’d probably have crepes. I’d probably sit for maybe an hour or two drawing or reading without being disturbed, and I’d sculpt quite a few things.

Secondly, I’d get my brother to pack and hit the road! Well actually pack and spend the night at our grandparents house. I would just be lazy and do crafts until lunch. Nothing is better than being lazy. Right? How could anything go wrong by being lazy on a day you’ve created? After being lazy and doing crafts I’d eat lunch and then watch a movie.

Finally. The best part of the day is dinner with my family. After we eat dinner, I would watch more movies with my family until around 4:00 am. Honestly, that is the time we go to bed if we’re watching movies.

All in all, getting to design a perfect day for myself would be amazing. How would you design your day? Would you kick your sibling out of the house for that whole day?

EMPOWERING OUR YOUNG MINDS OF TOMORROW TORONTO CARIBBEAN NEWS INC.

I don’t think being overwhelmed can accurately describe what I was feeling at that moment.

As I walked through the gate of the house, I took notice instantly of the large steel door that was looming the doorway. It was an intimidating sight. As I entered, it took my eyes a minute to adjust to the darkness of the room. The room had high ceilings, and it kind of reminded me of someone’s living room, except there was no furniture. There was a large group of women, all caught up in their individual activities.

To the left of me was a group of girls playing dominoes. To the right of me, in what looked like a makeshift kitchen, I saw another group of girls cooking. I remember thinking how delicious it smelled, and for the first time, I actually felt hungry.

There were other girls scattered throughout the room, talking to each other, doing hair, and nails, or reading. They all took notice of me right away.

I stood there nervous, and unsure of what to do. Once again, all I heard was Spanish being spoken, so I felt slightly re-

moved from what was going on around me.

“Hey,” I heard a voice say. “You must be Simone!”

I turned around, welcoming the familiarity of identifiable phonetic sounds.

This is when I met one of the women who I know now that God had sent to help me through this situation.

First things first; she was one of the most beautiful melinated women I had ever seen. She had long, black locks, hinted with grey, and a little blond. She had golden brown skin that you could tell had become used to the Panamanian sun. She had a slight build, and you could tell she was a little older. It was not because she looked old, she just had this air of wisdom that could not be denied.

She was wearing a white Bob Marley t-shirt, and a pair of blue-jean cut-offs.

What caught me most was her welcoming smile and pleasant demeanour. I would have never expected to run into someone with such energy in here. For the first time in a few days, I felt safe. She had that momma energy.

“Hi! How are you?” I replied. It felt good to speak to someone who spoke my language. Other than Angella, this was my first real conversation since it all happened, and although I didn’t know her, our shared language helped settle my spirit.

“It is nice to meet you Simone. My name is Andrea. You must have had a long day. Here,” she reached for my bag, “Let me take your stuff. You can put it near my

cubby until we figure out your sleeping arrangements.”

I thankfully handed over my bags and followed her further into the house. As we walked through, I saw a row of showers to the right of me. “Obviously,” she began, “This is where we shower. I will advise you; the shower line gets long at certain times, so make sure that you are always prepared when they announce that we can take showers.

I saw about four shower stalls, and I understood right away why she had warned me of that. The small house was not very good, but there were easily about 60 women in there, and it seemed like some of the women were outside.

“How many women are in this house Andrea?” “This house holds about 75 women. This is considered the foreigner house. There are a lot of Americans here, a couple Canadians too.”

She made a left when we got to the end of the corridor and brought me into another room that had a row of bunk beds, each colourfully decorated.

“Welcome to House 9 Simone.” She put my bags down by what I supposed was her bed. “I have to go help prepare dinner, so you get yourself oriented.” With that, she gave me a parting smile, and walked back to the kitchen.

I stood there for a moment, and then I sat down on her bunk. Meeting Andrea had settled me down, but I knew that there was more to come. All I could think about right now was, what was for dinner?

Face your fears and reclaim your power; welcome to Sagittarius Season GARCIA AKUA

garcia@carib101.com

COSMIC CORNER

Greetings star family! Happy Birthday to our Sagittarius gems!

I hope you are all staying safe and healthy. As the numbers are said to be increasing and we approach colder weather, our health and boosting our immune system should be our top priority. With new lockdowns pending, we need to also make sure that our mental, emotional and spiritual health is also taken into consideration.

Scorpio season was intense to say the least. We had the US elections, increasing numbers, 11-11 day, intense Mercury retrograde and a New Moon, all in a span of a month or so. Scorpio season was about deep introspection of feelings and emotions. It provided us with an opportunity to look beneath the surface of our personal fears, triggers and traumas. Situations may have arisen that pushed us to further explore these feelings. Although the work is heavy, it is also very liberating. When we face our fears, we are no longer held hostage to those feelings. Our triggers have less power over how we respond and show up in life.

The New Moon in Scorpio and the potent energies of November 11th, 2020 (Day of Gratitude and Manifestation) made

way for us to set new goals and new intentions around our emotional intelligence.

With all the chaos happening in the world, it is easy to get caught up in all the dispersing energy. Scorpio season gave us an opportunity to slow down and go within.

We can no longer bypass our fears, but confront and embrace them, so we could love ourselves more and begin to reclaim our power. The truth will set us free, but we have to be willing to face our truths. Sagittarius has now entered the chat.

Sagittarius season is about using our truths for expansion. Expanding our minds, our hearts and looking at life like an adventure. When you are no longer trapped by your fears, you are free to explore new opportunities and possibilities that may not have been realistic to you before.

Sagittarius is the last fire sign of the zodiac; Jupiter, the planet of expansion, influences it. We can take the lessons we have learned during this historic year and begin to envision a bigger dream for ourselves, a vision based on our new truths, which we are today.

When we started 2020 many of us had big goals and aspirations. By mid 2020 many were calling for it to be canceled, many wanted a restart or a reset. 2020 was a year of gaining 2020 vision. It was a time to reflect on who we truly are at our core.

Everything external to us changed in some way or the other. Our jobs changed, some of us lost our jobs. Relationships changed, some relationships didn’t make it. Our children’s schooling changed, some still are not getting proper educational support. But we also changed, we had to pivot, adjust, and adapt very quickly to respond to all

the external changes. This is very heavy beneath the surface, behind the mask of trying to show up everyday and exude some form of normalcy in this “new normal”. With all these changes, what truly matters? Who are you without all these external labels and conditions? What are your fears? What are your self-limitations? That was part of the lesson to learn for 2020.

Now with this 2020 vision of clarity, how you can expand based on your truth and your love for yourself? Can you see the brighter side of things to explore what other possibilities exist for yourself?

When you can love yourself through your fears, anything is possible. When you are not clouded by doubt you have the power to manifest anything you truly desire. Life is an adventure; don’t take it so seriously you forget to live.

We cannot be hostage to fear. Fear kills your dreams and your immune system.

Face your fears and reclaim your power.

Use this Sagittarius season energy to expand your mind, expand your heart and focus on what you want to expand for your life. What you focus on grows; do not be distracted by all the external voices. Make sure you have all your physical needs met in case of lockdown. Stock up on: food, water, non-perishables, health products, etc.

Use the rest of your energy to focus on you, use this fire energy to warm your hearts and ignite your goals. We made it this far; we have so much to be grateful for despite the doom and gloom. We are still alive, we can still dream, we can still align, and we can still manifest a new beginning. It will require work, but you are worth it! Lean into the adventure; it is about loving, and discovering you.

LIFE

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 35

Will our schools be closing? Ontario school boards decides on school closure PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

YOUTH EDUCATION

It will be up to the school boards in Ontario to make the critical decisions regarding the type of learning that students will have. In addition, they will decide whether schools operate full-time, part-time or shut down. Minister of Education, Stephen Leece revealed that this decision would be based on the recommendations of medical officers of health.

Ontario’s Back to School Reopening Plan, which was released in August, has been heavily criticized by: education unions, and parents groups. Experts gave boards three options. Students can attend school either full-time with regular class sizes, a hybrid model of in-person and online learning or full-time remote learning at home in a virtual school environment.

The Ministry of Education informed the community that school boards have the final say after analyzing the COVID-19 situations in their local community. The Ontario government released a color-coded framework that placed restrictions on businesses and other ventures, but does not include schools.

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer stated at a press conference “The schools are in a different area. We have opened those up with a lot of protection in place” He referred

to the fact that it included “More staff, public health nurses, personal protective equipment for staff and mandatory masks for older students, and placing students into cohorts to reduce mixing with others.”

According to the province’s daily COVID-19 dashboard, there have been over three thousands cases of COVID-19 in schools across the province. There has been a steady increase in hot zones such as Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto and Ottawa. At present, there are less than 12% of Ontario schools that have indicated positive results among students and staff. Dr. William observes that students who test positive for COVID-19 acquire it from either home or community. In addition, he reiterates that as long as community transmission is minimal, then students have a low risk of being exposed to the virus. He knows that kids can transmit the virus

Raywat Deenandan, who teaches epidemiology at the University of Toronto acknowledges that schools can act as accelerators in spreading the virus. He notes that an effective contact tracing system is not in place and it leaves many unanswered questions. He observes, “From a population perspective we want to make sure schools are not bioreactors and incubators that are keeping this thing firing along. We need to be able to trace the cases to determine: did they originate from school contact or not? Having the inability to so that tells us that we don’t know. We just don’t know.”

The main factor that will determine school closure will be the number of new COVID-19 cases a day and the percentage of tests that are positive according to Dr. Deonandan. A key clue is the positivity rate. “It’s time to give serious thought to closing. At the moment, it is 4% in Ontario.”

Nefertiti: The Story behind the legendary beauty DAVE RANKIN dave@carib101.com

AFRICAN HISTORY

If you ask anyone to ramble off a few ancient Egyptian names of women they have heard of, she would definitely be in their top five.

Personally, she is arguably one of the most famous Kemetian women of all time. Yet, little is known of this stunning matriarch. It is here that I welcome our readers to our latest entry highlighting the life and times of “the most beautiful one,” the Great Royal Wife, Nefertiti.

British scholar Robin Walker described her as an “Enigmatic figure in Nile Valley history.” Truthfully, I can see why. From the very onset, Nefertiti’s origins are debatable. There are countless scholars who have committed to her lineage beginning outside

of Kemet/Egypt. For starters, the late Dr. Asa Hilliard once declared that Nefertiti was a “Daughter of the Persian King Dushratta.”

Despite this, you also have scholars who disagree with this position.

French historian Nicolas Grimal comes to mind as he stated that she was “The daughter of Ay and Tiy II and therefore the granddaughter of Yuya and Tuya.” In case you were wondering, the names of these people are all of African descent. It is here that I add that since “Ay and Tiy II” were members of the royal court, and a young Amenhotep the 4th may have been introduced to Nefertiti through her parents.

Regardless of her origins we know that she was born around 1370 BCE and married Amenhotep the 4th, later Akhenaten, very young. In our previous entries highlighting Akhenaten, we briefly outlined that they had six daughters together. Their names were Meritaten, Meketaten, Ankhesenpaaten, Nefernefruaten-tasherit, Neferneferure, and Setepenre.

Nefertiti was clearly a devoted wife and confidant to her husband. She followed his dream of changing the national religious

worship from the deity Amen to Aten. She even had the titulature of “Nefernerferuaten” which loosely meant “Beautiful are the beauties of Aten” added to her name. Nefertiti was instrumental in assisting her husband when he had moved the capital city to Akhetaten or “Horizon of the Sun-disc” better known to the world as El-Armana.

There is very little description of her political duties however, there is some thought that Nefertiti may have also been coregent. I have read somewhere that Akhenaten had joined his ‘cartouche’ or seal with his wife as a sign of equality. Although I was unable to locate another source to back up this detail. There were numerous sources that confirmed images of Nefertiti “distributing gifts to officials” or “standing in a war chariot wielding a mace to destroy her enemies.”

There are also reports of Nefertiti wearing the crown of the nesew or pharaoh. Thus, putting her on a level close to the great female nesew Hatshepsut.

As for the depiction of her beauty in the arts, two items come to mind. The first, sculpted by the artisan Thutmose and presumably the most famous piece of art is

the bust of Nefertiti which is now held at the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1912 during an excavation, the bust was created around 1340 BCE and is a stunning replica with unfathomable details that would rival any contemporary artist of the day.

The second is an elegant sculpture of Nefertiti’s body draped in pleated linen located in the Louvre in Paris, France. While the image is incomplete, the work shows a sensual side of Nefertiti standing with “Her left leg forward, with one arm hanging at her side.”

It would be a dream come true to see both these images returned back to Egypt to stand in their national museum and not on foreign lands.

The details behind Nefertiti’s fallout with her husband and passing are obscure at best. Again, I implore our readers to watch the French animated film La Reine du Soleil. It may provide some perspective on what happened between the two lovers. However, one thing is for sure, Nefertiti’s power and beauty has definitely stood the test of time as one of Kemet’s greatest women of all time.

PAGE 36

LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

A family budget is a must Would you be able to give an accurate answer if you were asked what your total monthly income and expenses were? If not, you would probably benefit from keeping closer tabs on your household finances. By staying on top of what’s coming in and what’s going out you can be better prepared for a rainy day. It can also help you tuck money away for dream purchases and be more effective in reducing your debts. By creating a monthly budget, you can keep better track of where your money is going and then decide where you would like it to be going.

To draw up a list of your income and your expenses you need a piece of paper, a pen, monthly bills going back a few payment cycles, and a bit of uninterrupted time. Draw a line down the middle of the paper and list your sources of income on one side and your expenses on the other. Income is the easiest section to complete: write down all the money you receive in a month, including any salary, tips, government allowances, and child

support payments.

The expenses section can be a bit more difficult. First of all, note all your fixed expenses, meaning all those that recur every month: rent or mortgage, electricity, telephone, cable TV, house and car insurance, child support payments, and any regular school fees. Next, list the other expenses that vary from month to month, such as groceries, car repairs, gas, clothing, and dental care. Lastly, list all discretionary expenses—the non-essentials—such as restaurants, movies, alcohol, lottery tickets, and the like.

This exercise will allow you to see exactly where your money is going and where you will have to cut back in order to save for emergencies or for long-term dreams. If you think you need help with that, you could always consult a financial advisor. In no time at all, you will see that you and your family can keep a tighter rein on your money and actually control where it goes.

Multiple births, multiple challenges Expecting twins or triplets can be very exciting for new parents. But having “multiples” entails some challenges that must be prepared for well in advance of the births. During the pregnancy is the best time to start organizing help and support from family and friends. Looking after several children of the same age is a huge challenge, and it will certainly feel like you’re on a roller-coaster ride for a while. With a bit of organization, however, you’ll be able to enjoy all the beautiful moments the babies will bring you.

•

•

A multiple pregnancy and birth can provoke some strange reactions. Family and friends might hover closely, wanting to be at your service, but this could become overwhelming.

Don’t hesitate to express your need for space and rest when it’s necessary.

Before the due date, schedule some extra help for the first few weeks af-

•

•

ter the babies are born. Take down the names of all those who are available, and pencil them in for assistance in feeding, bathing, and comforting your twins or multiples.

Prepare as many freeze-and-reheat dishes as you can before the births.

They will come in very handy! If your freezer is already full, suggest to family and friends that instead of offering baby-shower gifts, you would really appreciate a batch of frozen home-cooked meals every week while the babies are young.

Organize a timetable that allows you to get some sleep. It will surely evolve as you get to know your babies’ habits, but it will help you plan some basic rest and support. If you’re breastfeeding, a breast pump will become your most valuable asset, as it lets Dad, family members, or friends take over for a while.

Babe, my mother’s coming for the weekend Do you get along well with your in-laws?

According to experts, difficulty with the in-laws is one of the top three causes of conflict between spouses, along with childrearing and family finances.

We can’t choose our parents, and in a way we can’t choose our in-laws either. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing; in many families, the mother- and father-in-law, the uncles, aunts, and all the rest of the clan become acquaintances and often even friends. However, for some couples, the in-laws are a source of annoyance or worse. These difficult relationships can cause a great deal of tension between spouses, leading to a bumpy and uncertain future.

You or your spouse might not be imagining the problem: some parents-inlaw really do go heavy on the criticism or stick their noses where they don’t belong. Alternately, sometimes a spouse

can be overly territorial or jealous of filial love. In the case of “interfering” parents, it is important that spouses protect themselves and stick together if a family member demonstrates such behavior.

And it is equally important that each spouse not denigrate his or her partner in front of parents or in-laws, especially when the relationship may be adversarial.

Rather than getting involved in an argument, a couple should set their boundaries and draw up some clear cut rules so the situation doesn’t deteriorate.

A polite discussion between adults, where negative comments and displays of anger are avoided, can often solve the problem.

Building a family life based on love and harmony is possible, as long as the couple considers their union a priority in the midst of such conflict.

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

Happiness pressures got you down?

TARA MYSHRALL tara@carib101.com

COMPELLED TO CHANGE

North America is obsessed with happiness. There are a number of great books out there that I have read over the years on my own personal quest for happiness: The Happiness Equation, The Happiness Project, and finally The Happiness of Pursuit. The last one really tweaked my interest as it wasn’t about pursuing happiness, it was about finding happiness as part of the journey and not the destination.

The pursuit of happiness is often what prevents us from experiencing it. The constant drive for happiness can create burn out and keep us in an inauthentic state. Always pushing for the next house, career, lover, likes, means we are constantly associating happiness with external things. Then, if we do achieve that goal, it becomes a fleeting moment of fulfillment before we start striving for the next biggest thing.

Real happiness is a solid-state cultivated from within. It is created internally despite what is happening externally. Our happiness is like a tree that has strong solid roots and the winds of life sway us from side to side but never uproot us. We can’t always stay tall and stoic, just like we cannot always sit in happiness.

The idea that we must always be happy or positive, often driven by the personal help industry, is dangerous and unrealistic. This pressure to always be positive drives people to avoid real feelings and repress them, eventually feeling burned out from the “fake it till you make it” mentality.

By constantly feeling we need to be happy we repress the other important emotions and lessons. Sadness, fear, loneliness, brokenness, disappointment car-

ries valuable lessons. These feelings are a representation of what our soul is going through and are powerful teachers.

The key is not to repress these feelings but allow them to bubble up and feel our way through them. All feelings request that we feel them. Cry, scream, punch pillows, go for a reflective walk, do whatever you need to in order to process the emotion and let it pass through you.

This is a healthy reaction. After you’ve felt your feelings, give gratitude for your lessons, and move forward. Even suffering and pain can yield lessons if you reflect and learn from them.

I could never be the empathetic person that I am today if I didn’t have rough times. Life gets tough. Life can be difficult. I can cry as quickly as I smile. If we don’t admit this truth, we can find ourselves in this false perception of reality and not only can we suffer emotionally but our mental health can suffer as a result as well.

I do walk in gratitude, but I am certainly not happy all the time. And the pressure to be constantly happy is doing a disservice to people. There is no longer a need for me to pretend and project that everything is a walk in the park. It’s ok to feel your feelings and ask for help when you need it. All these seasons play a role in the story of life.

Is it possible that tough times teach us more than happy times? There has to be ebb and flow in life. We have to learn to appreciate the quality of life. The positive and negative, the light and dark.

We were never meant as humans to have all bright days. Throughout history, there has always been struggle and trauma.

Some emotions are more difficult to process than others, but they still deserve space and attention in our lives, and they are all a part of what it means to be human. Don’t let the pursuit of happiness actually stand in your way of being alive.

It’s okay to feel all of your feelings and to ask for help when you need it. Love yourself enough to TRUST that the tough times are valuable lessons serving us in our highest good

A family budget is a must Would you be able to give an accurate answer if you were asked what your total monthly income and expenses were?

If not, you would probably benefit from keeping closer tabs on your household finances. By staying on top of what’s coming in and what’s going out you can be better prepared for a rainy day. It can also help you tuck money away for dream purchases and be more effective in reducing your debts. By creating a monthly budget, you can keep better track of where your money is going and then decide where you would like it to be going.

To draw up a list of your income and your expenses you need a piece of paper, a pen, monthly bills going back a few payment cycles, and a bit of uninterrupted time. Draw a line down the middle of the paper and list your sources of income on one side and your expenses on the other. Income is the easiest section to complete: write down all the money you receive in a month, including any salary, tips, government

allowances, and child support payments.

The expenses section can be a bit more difficult. First of all, note all your fixed expenses, meaning all those that recur every month: rent or mortgage, electricity, telephone, cable TV, house and car insurance, child support payments, and any regular school fees.

Next, list the other expenses that vary from month to month, such as groceries, car repairs, gas, clothing, and dental care. Lastly, list all discretionary expenses — the non-essentials — such as restaurants, movies, alcohol, lottery tickets, and the like.

This exercise will allow you to see exactly where your money is going and where you will have to cut back in order to save for emergencies or for long-term dreams. If you think you need help with that, you could always consult a financial advisor. In no time at all, you will see that you and your family can keep a tighter rein on your money and actually control where it goes.

LIFE

PAGE 37

PAGE 38

HOW TO

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

15 practical solar-powered devices 5 eco-friendly laundry habits to adopt Washers and dryers consume an excessive amount of energy and water. Here are five habits you can adopt to conserve resources and make laundry day better for the environment.

Solar energy is a clean, renewable and abundant resource that’s increasingly being used to supply buildings with electricity. However, it can also be used to power a variety of devices. If you want to reduce your reliance on single-use batteries and lower your energy bills, here are 15 types of solar-powered gadgets.

1. Lighter 2. Calculator 3. Phone charger 4. Water heater 5. Keyboard

6. Fountain 7. Flashlight 8. Lantern 9. Watch 10. Projector

11. Radio 12. Alarm clock 13. Toy robot 14. Backpack 15. Thermometer

If properly cared for, high-quality solar panels can last several decades. Plus, their silicon cells are made of aluminum, glass and plastic, which means they can be recycled.

1. ONLY WASH WHAT’S DIRTY If you wear a shirt for only an hour or two on a cool morning, for example, it doesn’t necessarily need to be washed before it can be worn again.

GREEN GIFTS: If you need to buy a present for an environmentally conscious friend or family member, consider gifting them with a solar-powered device.

2. WAIT FOR A FULL LOAD It’s more energy efficient to run a full washing machine once than to do two small loads, even if you adjust the settings to use less water.

3. USE COLD WATER Up to 90 per cent of the energy used by your washer goes toward heating the water. Plus, cool water can effectively clean clothes and is actually better for some fabrics than warm or hot water.

4. FAVOUR GREEN PRODUCTS Look for biodegradable, phosphate-free laundry de­tergents and fabric softeners, preferably products sold in recyclable packaging or in bulk.

5. AIR-DRY WHEN POSSIBLE Dryers consume a massive amount of energy. When­ever possible, opt for eco-friendly alternatives like a clothesline or drying rack.

In addition, make sure to maintain your washer. You should clean it a few times a year to remove lime deposits and other residue that can reduce your appliance’s efficacy.

PRO TIP: If you need to replace your washing machine, opt for a front-load rather than a top-load model since it will use less water.

Plus, the spin cycle tends to be faster, which removes more moisture and shortens the drying time. For optimal efficiency, choose Energy Star certified products.

A green Christmas: eco-friendly decorating Holiday decorations can help make Christmas feel like a magical time of the year. Here are a few ways you can make them more eco-friendly.

tively, you can organize a decoration swap among friends and family members.

INVEST IN ECO-FRIENDLY LIGHTING Brighten up the exterior of your home with LED lights and use a timer so they don’t stay on all night. Alternatively, you can opt for solar powered lighting.

If you want to set the mood with candles, choose natural soy-based products.

MAKE YOUR OWN DECORATIONS Use natural materials like fallen branches, pinecones and dried leaves to make your own seasonal decor. If you want to get the kids involved in holiday crafts, sort through your recycling bin for useful supplies like toilet paper rolls, cardboard boxes and egg cartons.

BUY LOCALLY MADE ITEMS It’s best to reuse decorations from one year to the next. However, if you want a change, look for second-hand options at a thrift store or stroll through a Christmas market to find uni­que ornaments made by local artisans. Alterna-

Finally, be sure to buy your Christmas tree from a local farm that doesn’t use herbicides or pesticides. For an unconventional alternative, build your own by stacking books or using other common household items.

FUN

Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 39

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 22 TO NOVEMBER 28, 2020

ARIES

The luckiest signs this week: TAURUS, GEMINI AND CANCER

You have an abundance of energy that you must learn to channel productively. You need an op-portunity to let loose this week.

Be sure to get some exercise or you’ll risk feeling depressed..

TAURUS

With so many ideas and worries running through your mind, you’ll have trouble sleeping this week. You’ll be tempted to start a new career, and you’ll be given op-portunities to do so.

PUZZLE NO. 723 ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 723

HOW TO PLAY :

GEMINI

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.

You’ll find yourself in the middle of a large crowd or the participant at a massive event. While this might be financially and professionally beneficial, these people will demand a lot of attention and you’ll be exhausted by the end.

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column, or 3x3 box.

At this time of year, many compa-nies are making big changes.

Des-pite your concerns, you’ll benefit from these adjustments. While some of your coworkers will be fi-red, you’ll be given more authority.

CANCER

LEO

You’ll be tempted to embark on a spontaneous trip. You might also need to take care of urgent matters at home.

You’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money.

PUZZLE NO. 13 42. Panties 44. Phonograph record 46. Floral necklaces 48. Friend, in Barcelona 51. Preposition 54. Spread rumors 56. Stadium part 57. Preschool downtime 58. Fat 59. Health clubs 60. Blue above 61. Shady trees

ACROSS 1. Ship’s pole 5. Society woman 8. Grating 12. Canyon’s answer 13. Affirmative 14. Hard to come by 15. Auto safety

device 17. Freshly 18. Common flower 19. Herringlike fish 21. Prune 23. Explodes 27. Quilting party 29. Trendy 31. Gold purity

measure 32. Sound receivers 34. Public transport 36. Certain parasites 37. Precincts 39. Lump 41. At once

22. Riotous crowd 24. Foremost 25. Mexican dish 26. Hearty soup 27. Suitor 28. Make money 30. Used a shovel 33. Mariners 35. Lay lawn 38. Look at 40. Inclination 43. Road markers

45. Grin 47. Drench 49. Wheat ____ 50. Evens’ opposites 51. That thing’s 52. Puppy’s bite 53. Brewed beverage 55. Agent 007, e.g.

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 13

DOWN 1. Tableland 2. Poker holdings 3. Smashed 4. Carrier 5. Tinting agent 6. Electric swimmers 7. Scrub 8. Happening bit by bit 9. Managed 10. Anger 11. Morning drops 16. Upper edge 20. Big boat

VIRGO

You’ll be faced with a dilemma, and your plans will change sev-eral times. It’s essential that you patiently wait for things to settle down so that you can make an informed decision.

LIBRA

It’s difficult to balance your per-sonal and professional life. You’ll need to make a few changes at home in order to be successful. For the sake of your health, you need to get more sleep. Other-wise, you risk weakening your im-mune system.

SCORPIO

You’ll find the drive to start or grow your own business. You’ll establish new professional goals that allow you to showcase your talents. You’ll also meet good people who could become collaborators.

SAGITTARIUS

You’ll stand out from the crowd, and immense success will follow.

You’ll be praised for your hard work, and you’ll likely receive some sort of award or recognition.

CAPRICORN

TIt’s time to declutter your home. As you clean up your surroundings, you’ll also clear your mind of linger-ing confusion. You’ll need to speak up if you want to maintain control over certain situations.

AQUARIUS

You might receive a lot of cri-ticism or have to deal with peo-ple who are intentionally vague. This can be very frustrating, but with patience and diplomacy you’ll be able to get through it and be successful.

PISCES

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING

ICHF BabyHeart Trip to Guyana TCCF works with three international partners to treat poor and critically ill Caribbean children at four treatment centres. At Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, it works with the Herbie Fund to treat children su ering from most major ailments. In Austin Texas, it works with SpineHope to treat children su ering from spinal problems such as scoliosis.

In Guyana and the Dominican Republic, it works with ICHF/BabyHeart Foundation to treat children su ering from congenital heart disease. The modus operandi at the two Caribbean centres is that TCCF assists with sending medical mission teams consisting of cardiac surgeons, anaesthetists and paediatric intensive care unit nurses to deliver treatment and also train local sta in post-operative care.

@tccfangels #tccfangels | to donate www.tccfangels.com

You’ll be given a large sum of money, perhaps from an insurance claim or as part of an inheritance. You’ll need to be ta ctful and diplomatic in a situation where both sides have little patience.

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PAGE 42

REAL ESTATE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Owning a home is becoming a dream unless…

JAY BRIJPAUL brijpaul@carib101.com

REAL ESTATE PRO Currently, 83% of buyers cannot afford to buy a home and 63% of renters cannot afford an average 2-bedroom apartment. Homeowners, on a long term, are more financially secure than the average renter. With more people owning homes, our government can generate more revenue from property taxes. According to Statistics Canada, it takes about two years to approve a site plan for new buildings and about ten years to complete an apartment building. The soaring cost of approvals combined with the longwinded process for new-builds is clogging the process and affordability is quickly evaporating.

Homeownership should be affordable.

First, reduce wait-time and development cost. Developers and builders should be given incentives instead of red tapes. Our trade schools should be revamped, and apprentice

time reduced. With new building blocks such as a robust skilled work force, a user-friendly approval process, quick turnaround on approvals, and incentives for developers and builders, the landscape for affordable housing will begin to develop.

Why rental is high? The answer is because of rent control. It is not profitable for landlords to invest in rental properties. Rent control helps to keep rent low but landlords suffer. Buildings would be poorly maintained and there is no incentive for landlords to grow their business. With fewer buildings being built, it creates scarcity and rental cost soar. If landlords were given incentives, by reducing high developmental charges and remove rent control, then, the free market will take care of itself.

More investors building units will create more supply and with more supply rental cost will drop.

If we can encourage more secondary suites, we can drastically reduce the cost of renting. The current system is self-sabotaging.

Homes with a retrofitted secondary suite pay higher taxes. How about, reversing the system so that homes with retrofitted suites pay less taxes? Homeowners will be encouraged to renovate and bringing their secondary suites up to code. Municipalities should provide incentives to homeowners such as a quicker and cheaper

way to retrofit. If municipalities can provide a user-friendly approval process with architects to assist, we can create more affordable accommodations. Secondary suites, when comes to fire safety, are safer compared to suites in a highrise building. What’s even better, is that building a secondary suite does not require vacant lands to build on. We can use existing homes, catering for the entire GTA.

Investing in infrastructure such as building high speed rails to the suburbs is worthwhile. Quick commuting access would encourage people to spread out thereby releasing steam from the housing crisis in GTA. Many people are now working from home and in the suburbs, there is more vacant land. New, affordable and energy efficient homes in small towns is a good tonic to quench buyers’ thirst. Small towns will prosper because more residence in a community is good for the local economy.

Scores of government owned properties are underutilized and can be converted to multi residential suites. These subsidized suites should be sold to first time buyers with good credit and stable jobs to cater for their families.

This will facilitate the conversion from tenants to owners and the dream of homeownership will become a reality for many deserving families. With more tenants becoming homeowners, more rental space will become available and af-

fordable.

Restructuring is indeed a great plan, but it is a distant dream. The Canadian population is about 38 million. Many are baby boomers who require health care. Our tax system is overburdened and with the pandemic, we are racking up more debt. We cannot rely only on the government and must metamorphosize into something better.

To escape the rental orbital, we must make a quantum leap. Start by restructuring our financing. Try this secret, scoop 10% of your gross income and put it into a saving account.

Call that your house buying account. Set a goal to buy your first home within a certain time. You may need to get a second job and pay off high interest credit cards. Aim at buying an RRSP. You will save on income taxes and can use some of it towards a down payment.

Saving alone cannot do it. Educate yourself. Each time we learn something, it’s like a new light shining along the dark pathways to financial freedom. There is plenty of information out there, but true guidance is like gold dust lost in the washed ashore sands. When you find a fountain of pure knowledge, share it. It’s like a beacon light for the lost ship in a dark and stormy sea. The Toronto Caribbean Newspaper is kindle for the community.

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PAGE 44

FINANCE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

7 tips will help you overcome a fixed mind-set and put you on the path to being more CLEVE DeSOUZA cleve@carib101.com

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Why settle for the status quo when you can achieve more? Many of us dream and wish to have more, but if we don’t stay focused on our path to success, we won’t see our opportunities.

It’s proven that in order to have more, you must be more and do more. This week, we begin a three-part series focused on that equation. First, we’ll explain how to be more. Our next article will focus on doing more, and our final article will explain how to have more.

The uncomfortable truth is many of us lack the mind-set to see opportunities and won’t put in the hard work necessary to have more. The good news is we can begin changing our mind-set today.

Angie Zimmerman, the author of 7 Steps to Master Your Mind to Increase Sales and Boost Productivity, says the key is to change how you look at situations. Don’t think in terms of failures or successes. Instead, think of everything that happens as stops along the path to success.

For example, if you are laid off, what do you learn from the challenge? Instead of searching for the same job with a new company, think about seizing the opportunity to work in a new industry. Could you expand a hobby into a career? Or maybe now is the time to enrol in a skilled trades program. The lessons you take away from facing life’s challenges help you be more.

Another mind-set expert, Carol Dweck, an American psychologist and author, encourages us to view our basic qualities as attributes that can grow and change over time. For example, Dweck argues we aren’t born with a predetermined intelligence level. Instead, our intelligence grows as we learn. She calls this belief a growth mind-set.

Those who have fixed mind-sets and believe growth isn’t possible don’t grow.

These 7 tips will help you overcome a fixed mind-set and put you on the path to being more: 1. Change your self-talk. Stop thinking in negatives. Instead, tell yourself that you can realize your dreams.

2. Talk to other people about what’s working in your life. When someone asks how you are, tell him or her about the best part of your day. You’ll begin paying attention to how much you have instead of what you lack.

3. Choose the mind-set you want. If your goal is to finish college, then frequently remind yourself of past academic suc-

4.

5.

6.

7.

cesses. If those are scarce, then think of how much you’ve grown and learned since leaving school.

Read the words of experts on this topic.

Try Mindset by Carol Dweck. If you’d rather listen than read, then search out Ted Talks on growth mind-sets.

Remember how your mom used to worry about your friends? She was right. We pick up attitudes and habits from our friends. Surround yourself with people who think the way you want to think. You’ll unconsciously pick up new, healthy habits.

It’s also time to consciously create new habits that support your new way of thinking. If developing a growth mindset is important to you, then designate time every day to learn more about how to cultivate this attitude for yourself.

This last one may be the most difficult.

Force yourself out of your comfort zone.

If you stay where it’s comfortable, you won’t grow. For example, if you want to go back to school and learn a new job skill, then enrol in a class today, especially if that feels a little scary.

Of course, success takes more than just a positive attitude. You’ll suffer setbacks along the way. You need to pay close attention to what’s happening. Make sure you’re not confusing constant activity with actual progress.

Keep your eyes on your end goal and make sure everything you do brings you closer to it.

RRSP & HBP Loans: Simple building blocks to help you become a homeowner faster ANDREW STEWART

Plan (RRSP). The five advantages I referred to earlier that this concept provides are:

andrew@carib101.com

• • • •

FAMILY ADVISOR

•

This list of building blocks is my attempt to help answer a simple question: “How can you become a homeowner faster” This concept is to help in time for the upcoming 2021 RRSP season. If you are between the ages of 25-35 this strategy gives you great potential not only for the near future of homeownership but also further retirement savings down the road. If you are older and have money saved in an RRSP, this concept will interest you as well.

Becoming a homeowner is a goal for many Canadians. We feel more comfortable and accomplished when this milestone happens to us. Not only do we create financial strength, but it also provides stability for our families. When planning to save for a down payment and utilizing government financial programs, we want to be aware of five advantages we can use to our benefit. First, let’s quickly review what the HBP is. The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) is a federal government program that helps first-time homebuyers by allowing them to withdraw up to $35,000 from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) without having to pay taxes, as long as the funds are redeposited over a maximum period of fifteen years.

The RRSP & HBP loan allows us to take advantage of the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) even if you currently have little or no savings in a Registered Retirement Savings

No change to budget in the short term A simple and low-cost solution No processing fees, no credit checks Turn unused RRSP contribution room into substantial tax savings The tax refund can be used to increase your down payment or to pay for related moving or legal expenses

Let’s do another quick review of the criteria to qualify for the HBP. You must be a Canadian resident. You will also need to be a first-time buyer. If you already own a home, you are not eligible for the Home Buyers Plan. If you have already participated in the Home Buyers Plan in the past, you need to have a zero balance on your Home Buyers Plan account before participating for the second time. You must have a written agreement to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself.

Okay! now the fun part, how does the RRSP-HBP loan work? Timing is everything! So, let’s go through the four steps that make up the RRSP-HBP Loan process: contribution, withdraw, benefits and repayment.

Contribution: 1. Open an RRSP with an advisor if one is not already held 2. Take out an RRSP Loan (maximum $35,000) 3. Deposit the amount in an RRSP for 90 days (To quality for the HBP, an amount borrowed for an RRSP contribution must remain in an RRSP for a minimum of 90 days. Otherwise, it will not be tax-deductible) Withdraw: When the 90 days are up, withdraw the bor-

rowed amount from the RRSP under the HBP and reimburse the loan. During this period, you pay interest on your loan for which you will get a tax receipt to confirm your participation in the HBP. Benefits: 1. At your next income tax filing, deduct the contribution amount indicated on the receipt and receive a tax refund.

2. This should allow you to claim a tax refund, providing you with additional funds for your entire down payment or to boost it. You can also put this refund to other uses.

Repayment: Reimburse at least one-fifteenth of the amount withdrawn from HBP–RRSP loan over fifteen years. If you do not reimburse the designated amount each year, you must declare it in your income, which will increase the taxes you owe.

Not only can this strategy help to finance your first home purchase by increasing your tax refund, but it can also lead to other advantageous financial benefits: •

•

Thanks to the RRSP deduction, potentially increased tax credits during the following year, such as the Canada Child Benefit: An increased down payment can reduce the mortgage loan insurance premium, or even eliminate it if the down payment reaches 20% of the property purchase price.

For more information about the HBP–RRSP loan or to apply for the Home Buyers’ Plan, consult your financial services partner.

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PAGE 46

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Fight update: Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier 2 Round 2 of McGregor vs Poirier is nearly official McGregor resorted to his trademark trash talk to wear down Poirier. Conor made a number of harsh remarks that offended Dustin. Among the insults were some iconic McGregor moments which included stating that he’ll defeat Dustin in the first round, and commenting that “when he wakes up with his nose plastered to the other side of his face, he’ll know it’s not all talk.� As the fight neared and tensions continued to rise, it became clear that then anonymity between the two fighters extended past the octagon.

In their first fight, Conor delivered on his promise to end the fight quickly by knocking out his opponent less than two minutes into the first rounds. He landed a crushing left hook to the back of Poirier’s head that left him crumbling to the floor.

Conor then followed up with a few extra ground-and-pound strikes to his now unconscious foe, firmly securing a dominant victory.

After his win, McGregor showed off his victory by posting a photo of his knockout on Twitter. Despite the harsh loss, the undeterred Poirier instantly responded with “Run it back, tough guy!� Clearly, the conflict between these two warriors was far from over.

MARCEL MARIAK marcel@carib101.com

TC JUNIOR REPORTER

Ever since the retirement of Khabib Nurmagomedov, there has been a vacuum of uncertainty in the UFC Lightweight Division. With the undefeated reigning champion retired, many fighters who otherwise would have steered clear of Khabib’s division are now looking for a shot at the lightweight division championship. Most notably, Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier, two bitter rivals whose feud dates back six years, have reentered the division looking for the belt. Rumours about a potential rematch between the two fighters have been floating around for a few weeks. Now, with talks and negotiations progressing quickly between the fighters’ teams, McGregor v.

Poirier 2 is nearly official!

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down, both Poirier and McGregor went their separate ways. For Poirier, this meant taking on several notable fighters including Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, Anthony Pettis, and Khabib Nurmagomedov. He also started the Good Fight Foundation, a charity that auctions off Dustin’s fight memorabilia to raise money for local community charities and initiatives. Meanwhile, Conor McGregor took a slightly more notorious path. He also fought a number of big UFC names like Nurmagomedov and Aldo, and also committed a few crimes to cement his legacy as a bad boy.

While tales of a McGregor - Poirier rematch had been circulating for many months, both fighters jumped on the opportunity to have a rematch once Khabib retired and loosened his iron grip on the Lightweight division. With the UFC Lightweight belt potentially hanging in the balance, Conor and Dustin took advantage of the chance to light a new fire under their careers. Initially, both hinted at having the battle happen at 170 pounds and outside the UFC; and for all proceeds to go towards Dustin’s charity. Sadly, for the Good Fight Foundation, UFC president Dana White went on the record recently and stated that a rematch between the fighters would be taking place in the UFC. He also commented that he has no intention of having the fight take place at 170 pounds. According

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DAVE JOHNSON Real Estate Agent 647-867-7809

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to Dana, this is a “meaningless weight�; and any rematch would be at 155 pounds - in the lightweight division.

Recently, both of the fighters’ camps have been making strong progress in their negotiations and are nearing a final agreement. With the fight weight and host promotion established, the main point of contention between the two teams is the date of the battle. McGregor is adamant about having the fight before the new year, although whether the reasons for this preference are personal or financial is unknown. Poirier’s camp, on the other hand, is perfectly fine with having some extra time to prepare. Dana White recently commented on this subject and is leaning in favour of hosting the fight in early 2021. Currently, the most likely date for the showdown is January 23rd at UFC 257.

Although both fighters, as well as the UFC, have a few more details to iron out before the fight becomes official, Conor and Dustin have already taken to social media and began the trash talk. With both warriors confident and prepared for the battle, McGregor v. Poirier 2 is now nearly guaranteed to be a super-fight coming to the octagon soon!