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FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

VALENE CAMPBELL

Writing the stories that need to be read “No, why would you want to be a queen.

They don’t look like you, they look like me?”

It was the 1940’s and two psychologists, Kenneth and Mamie Clark designed an experiment to assess the psychological effects of segregation on lack children. The children were asked, “Which doll looks like you?” Many of the children refused to respond, and some even cried and ran out of the examination room.

It is unfortunate to tell you, but not much has changed since then. Our children are bombarded with images every day that are not representative of them; if they do see images, they are either lightskinned, or closer to White. There is even a new term, culturally ambiguous, which means that someone carries a cultural identity that cannot be clearly defined.

What does this all mean? It means that positive Black representation in children’s books and also on television screens is an important next step in the struggle against anti-Black bias, and this is why I am proud to introduce our Woman Empowered, Valene Campbell, who has taken it upon herself to become part of the solution.

“My creative side was stifled when I went into healthcare, so when I had my daughter, it was a perfect opportunity to ignite that creative side.”

By day, Valene Campbell is the founder of ReVitahealth, a comprehensive registered and privately owned home health care agency that provides rehabilitative, medical, non-medical and disease prevention services for adults and seniors.

Every day, Valene and her team offer a wide variety of care options, and offer a unique health model that is modern, revolutionary and definitely sets them apart from other health care agencies.

They offer prevention and health promotion programs, and her staff is comprised of carefully selected, experienced, compassionate, and highly motivated professionals who truly care about helping the community.

Although Valene enjoys her work in healthcare, during the pandemic, she had a chance to reflect on her life, and this is when her life changed.

“I grew up in the church, and one thing they do is emphasize excellence in public speaking, organizing, planning,” Valene tells me. “There was a lot of involvement, and I participated a lot. When I was ten years old, I wanted to get into writing, acting. When I brought it up to my parents, they reacted as many Caribbean parents do; they told me to go to school, and get a job that would be reliable, and secure, so my writing plans were derailed, but never forgotten.”

Valene ended up going to Howard University and I started off in the physiotherapy field. She then went into healthcare administration, and it was at the beginning of the pandemic that something

shifted in Valene; her creative side was crying to be released, and the pandemic offered her the keys to creative freedom.

“It hit me early 2020, I saw a post on Instagram that said, and I am paraphrasing, ‘If you are not using this time to complete those projects that need to be done, it had nothing to do with time, it had to do with your motivation.’

It was probably the next day, or during that week, I sat down and started writing. I was on maternity leave, and I had started my business. I started to reflect; how do I need to shift, pivot, or change all together.

You have children in your life, but something changes within you when you have your own child. I became aware of the literature she had in her library, I thought about the literature that I wanted for her.

There was not a lot of diversity in children’s literature. I figured it would be good to share with children what was happening during this time, so I sat down and wrote the first draft. I struggled with what my main character would look like. I decided to make my character a Black little girl.

All children need to see themselves in the books they read. Children are impacted when they feel left out, and those negative feelings often have lasting effects into adulthood. Books serve as windows for young readers, enabling them to glance into the lives of other children, who live different experiences. Also, when a child sees themselves in the books they read, it builds confidence and helps make them feel validated.”

The world has now been introduced to the Amazing Zoe, a young Black girl who shares stories that uniquely delve into everyday ‘real-life’ topics such as hygiene, health and safety, friendship, nature, and various social issues.

“They tell you to write the stories you wanted to see, so I began to write those stories,” Valene expressed excitedly.

“I now have three books, and the fourth is on the way. They are meant to spark conversations. They are stories that make people question themselves. Parents and teachers may try to shy away from some of these topics because it is uncomfortable for them, but they need to be shared.”

Here is a quick look at what the Amazing Zoe has been up to: The Amazing Zoe Defeats the Germy Germlins She’s the brave little girl who saved her town of Niceville from the evil Germie Germlins!

When the Germie Germlins invade Planet Earth, they attack people and make them sick. Nothing seems to stop them, so the mayor of Niceville announces a lockdown – no school, no work, no going outside!

Will she help her town overcome the pandemic?

Will the Germie Germlins give up completely?

Amazing Zoe, a Queen Like Me Meet Zoe’s friend Kaitlyn, who happens to be Caucasian. Their favourite game is dress-up and one day; the girls decide to be royals.

Their playdate takes a turn when Kaitlyn refuses to let Zoe be the princess because she has never seen a princess like her before. Zoe runs home, upset and confused, not realizing that she is about to embark on another amazing journey.

The Amazing Zoe and Grandma’s Memory Box This is a touching story designed to help kids understand Alzheimer’s Disease.

Zoe loves to visit her grandma! But this time, she can’t help but feel that something is different. Her grandma has forgotten to bake Zoe’s favourite cookies, and sometimes she even forgets Zoe’s name!

But luckily, Zoe’s mom is there to help her learn all about Alzheimer’s disease. Zoe even devises a clever and creative way to help her grandma remember all her most treasured memories.

Photo Credit: Mr. Koa

“We have a history that precedes slavery, and now that I have this opportunity, I am going to teach our children about their royal lineage, and I have Zoe to help me do it.”

Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News

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PAGE 3

Young athletes dropping dead all over the world; Aspartames and heart attacks; the warnings continue SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The world is starting to notice how many young athletes are DYING after they take COVID-19 medical injection. Athletes are collapsing on the playing field suffering from “among other serious chronic diseases,” nervous system disorders, breathing difficulties, and cardiac events. Aside from soccer players, athletes who have succumbed to cardiac events have been seen in basketball, hockey, rugby, marathons, triathlons, BMX riders, and even referees.

While in some of these individuals’ cardiologists found evidence of coronary disease and scars from earlier silent heart attacks, there is one mechanism that’s getting no attention at all: the excitotoxin damage caused by food additives and the artificial sweetener aspartame. This is despite growing evidence that the excitotoxic mechanism plays a major role in cardiac disease.

According to the National Library of Medicine (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/7854587/), the most frequently encountered food excitotoxin is glutamate (Glu), which is commercially added to many foods despite evidence that it can freely penetrate certain brain regions and rapidly destroy neurons. Excitotoxins are supposed to enhance flavour and excite your tastebuds, but

these common food additives also overexcite your cells.

What you may not realize is how many excitotoxins you consume daily. Many low-calorie sodas, highly flavoured snacks, and processed foods of all kinds contain excitotoxins. They are a class of chemicals (usually amino acids) that overstimulate neuron receptors. Neuron receptors allow brain cells to communicate with each other, but when they’re exposed to excitotoxins, they fire impulses at such a rapid rate that they become exhausted. Several hours later, these depleted neurons die.

Previously, it was thought that excitotoxic food additives, such as monosodium glutamate and aspartic acid in aspartame, cause their damage in the cardiovascular centres in the brain stem and/or by overstimulating sympathetic centres in the hypothalamus of the brain.

Dr. Russell Blaylock, an author, and neurosurgeon helps to explain the relationship between sudden cardiac death, especially in athletes, and excitotoxic damage caused by food additives and artificial sweeteners.

According to CDC, over 460,000 people annually die of a disorder called sudden cardiac death. This condition strikes otherwise healthy people who have experienced no obvious symptoms of heart disease prior to their abrupt deaths.

A particularly deadly combination occurs in young athletes: Low magnesium intake, high calcium intake, low intake of omega-3 fatty acids, and excitotoxins in food additives. Strenuous exercise, especially in extreme heat, depletes the body’s magnesium stores, as does consumption of carbonated drinks and taking calcium supplements.

Also, adrenalin secretion increased during exercise, intensifies heart muscle irritability and further loss of magnesium as well. When calcium supplements are taken in the face of an existing magnesium deficiency, both magnesium and calcium are driven into the bones, producing a sudden magnesiumdepletion crisis.

Low magnesium produces seizures and causes sudden cardiac arrest. In a classic experiment, it was found that stressing magnesium-deficient animals resulted in an almost 100% mortality from sudden cardiac arrest. Adding magnesium reduced mortality dramatically. A considerable body of evidence has shown that low omega-3 fat intake significantly increases the risk and severity of cardiac arrhythmias, the main cause of sudden cardiac death.

Finally, recent research has shown that the brain is not the only tissue having glutamate receptors. Numerous glutamate receptors have been found both within the heart’s electrical conduction system and the heart muscle itself.

When an excess of food-borne excitotoxins, such as MSG, hydrolysed protein soy protein isolate and concentrate, natural flavouring, sodium caseinate and aspartate from aspartame, are consumed, these glutamate receptors are over-stimulated, producing cardiac arrhythmias. When magnesium stores are low, as we see in athletes, the glutamate receptors are so sensitive that even low levels of these excitotoxins can result in cardiac arrhythmias and death.

High consumption of aspartame adds an additional cardiac muscle toxin: methanol. A number of studies have shown that consuming aspartame and MSG (and similar excitotoxins) together greatly magni-

fies the toxicity.

Young people live on junk foods, most of which contain a number of excitotoxic additives. Several studies have shown that the levels consumed by our youth equal those that cause damage in experimental animals. Unfortunately, humans are 5X more sensitive to these toxins than any animal.

Most people over age fifty years are depleted of magnesium, have low omega-3 fat intakes, are under stress, and take a number of medications that compromise nutrition, especially magnesium levels. Because seniors are more likely to have coronary artery disease plus other medical conditions, their risk of sudden cardiac death is even higher.

Both athletes and those over age forty-five should take magnesium supplements, antioxidants, omega-3 oils, eat more vegetables and avoid foods and artificial sweeteners containing excitotoxins such as aspartame and MSG. This accomplishes a lot more than attempting to rescue a victim with an external defibrillator after the fact.

Dr. Blaylock’s website is http://www. russellblaylockmd.com. He is the author of “Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills and Health & Nutrition Secrets to Save Your Life.” He can be seen in the movie on aspartame, “Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World.”

In the movie, “Sweet Misery,” Diane Fleming is interviewed from prison. Her husband, an aspartame addict, who played basketball several times a week, died and she was charged with his death. Several experts have written affidavits that Charles Fleming died from aspartame.

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PAGE 5

Peel educator Clayton Ellis receives Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

For over twenty-five years, Clayton Ellis, Peel District School Board educator has been making a difference in the lives of students through his innovative and revolutionary approach to teaching science.

It was fitting that he was recognized for his creativity and originality with respect to the designs of his lessons and impact on students’ lives by being awarded one of the highest awards that a teacher can receive.

He was the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM (Science, Teaching, Engineering, and Mathematics) Education. The award is given to teachers that “help develop the culture of innovation Canada needs today and in the future.” The website highlights many aspects of Clayton’s exemplary and stellar teaching career for over two decades.

He started his teaching career with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), the largest school board in Canada, and was an integral part of the inaugural Internet think tank in 1998. He is recognized as one of the pioneering content creators of e-learning in Ontario. The Ministry of Education and Training has been offering learning courses since 1998 and thousands of students have earned their high school credits using this digital learning platform. E-learning has become even more important in the current educational climate as many students are engaged in learning from home in a hybridlearning environment.

Clayton switched boards from the TDSB to the PDSB and teaches science grades nine to twelve at David Suzuki Secondary School located in Brampton. Information presented on the government website highlights Clayton’s creative and interactive teaching methodology.

It notes that, for Clayton, “Science happens in the real world, not just in a textbook or on a chalkboard. His lessons are

framed around the 5E Instructional Model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), an inquiry-based approach grounded in student-centric learning, to provide engaging learning experiences.

This approach is only enriched by his understanding and belief that to truly thrive, students need to be engaged in both cross-curricular and extra-curricular activities.”

As an e-learning resource teacher, Clayton has been involved in “Creating a system-wide strategy that supports hundreds of teachers as they construct blended environments to complement their classroom.” Clayton believes in the power of technology as a tool to enhance the learning of science education. In 1996, he was involved in innovative work in the incorporation of probe ware in the science classroom. This learning tool, “Connects probes and sensors to a computer and allows students to view real-time data in a variety of formats.” In addition, Clayton has utilized diverse digital and learning tools to ensure that students are able to connect science to real-life applications and to reach out to people globally. He has been able to live-stream sessions with scientists researching AIDS, hear from experts in Engineering and Technology, and participate in virtual experiments with students in other countries.

In order to receive this prestigious teaching award, teachers have to be nominated by one of their peers. One of Clayton’s colleagues wrote in support of his nomination, ”When you hear hundreds of students cheering in high-school hallways, many educators rush over to ensure that nothing is happening. When you realize that those same students are enthusiastically performing science experiments then you must be in the halls of David Suzuki S.S in Brampton, Ontario, where students are competing in the annual Science Olympics, the brainchild of teacher Clayton Ellis: STEM educator, mentor, and visionary.”

In many ways, this award is an acknowledgment of his hard work, dedication, and passion. He is “a digital pioneer fostering real-world skills in his students to help them succeed in science, math and computer studies.” Congrats to Clayton for being an exemplary Ontario educator.

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Human Rights Project Peel Regional Police Release Results of 2021 Community Survey on Perception of and Experience with Peel Police Half say reform needed; most call for more accountability, transparency in police interactions.

People (1,102) who live or work in Peel Region completed a Peel Regional Police survey, which was developed with the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Peel Police Services Board as part of a broader effort to help the PRP identify and address systemic racism in its organization.

A full report on the results survey and details on PRP’s broader Human Rights Project can be found at https://www.PeelPolice.ca/HumanRightsProject.

The survey found that 48 percent of respondents who answered the question agreed with the statement “systemic racism in policing is a problem,” and just over half (55 percent) agreed with the statement that policing in Peel Region is in need of reform.

Over half (58 percent) of the question respondents also said the seven principles in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Policy on eliminating racial profiling in law enforcement are a suitable framework to shape the changes needed to address systemic racism and improve respect for human rights in the PRP. “Systemic racism exists across all systems and continually affects service delivery to the communities we serve,” said Chief Nishan Duraiappah. “The results of this survey and other community consultation activities are helping us develop a thorough understanding of the experience Peel residents have with police, and that will help us implement the right remedies.”

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

More than 400 studies on the failure of compulsory COVID-19 interventions, yet the scam continues MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“Lockdowns were ineffective, school closures were ineffective, mask mandates were ineffective, and masks themselves were and are ineffective and harmful.”

Some of the problems found in the more than 400 studies on the ‘Failure of Compulsory Covid Interventions,’ are the exaggerated benefits of the societal lockdowns and restrictions, the harms to children, the undiagnosed illness that will result in excess mortality in years to come, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation in our young people, drug overdoses and suicides due to the lockdown policies.

Problems like the crushing isolation due to the lockdowns, psychological harms, domestic and child abuse, sexual abuse of children, lost jobs and businesses the devastating impact, and the massive numbers of deaths resulting from the lockdowns will impact heavily on women and minorities.

These findings state categorically that “Nearly all governments have attempted compulsory measures to control the virus, but no government can claim success,” said Dr. Paul Elias Alexander a respected Canadian trained physician.

What is sad in all this is that even those who are pushing the narrative know fully well that it is a dead-end street according to the researchers, “We’ve known this for a very long time now, but governments continue to double down, causing misery upon people with ramifications that will likely take decades or more to repair,” Alexander said.

According to The Department of Labor, the April 2020 unemployment rate represents the largest one-month increase and the highest rate of unemployment in the United States since 1948, when official records were first maintained.

These studies went on to point out how parents who lost income, livelihoods, and financial stability as a result of this plandemic were more inclined to maltreat their children when this frustration, and despair kicked in.

During late June 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance abuse, reports the CDC “Center for Disease Control and Prevention.” The list of mental health and substance abuse by numbers are anxiety and depression symptoms 31%, trauma stress-related disorder symptoms 26%, started or increase substance use 13%, and seriously considered suicide 11%.

These numbers are just the tip of the iceberg considering that there are lots more that go unreported, however, what is evil is that when people report injuries caused by the “so-called vaccine,” which is supposed to be the cure for all this, the establishment ignores them.

Thankfully some doctors are speaking out like British physician Dr. Vernon Coleman who had quite a lot to say on the failures of another compulsive intervention.

“They are trying to normalize heart attacks and strokes to cover up the jab problems,” Coleman said, in his speech on why so many previously healthily sportsmen and women are suddenly dropping dead.

Coleman said the one thing that the injected folks can do to save themselves is to not take any more injections.

“I suspect that the damage is cumulative and maybe that is why the authorities are so keen on pumping the stuff into people in such quantities.”

He also had a bit of advice for those already injected, “You might want to keep your immune system in top condition with supplies of vitamin D and Zinc once you consult your doctor and use the recommended dose.”

For those of you who are reading this article, your question is maybe how did we get here? Well, Dr. Paul Elias Alexander, an expert in evidence-based medicine, research methodology, and clinical epidemiology reported,

“It was clear very early on that task forces, medical advisors and decision-makers were not reading the evidence, were not up to speed with the science or data, did not understand the evidence, did not ‘get’ the evidence, and were blinded to the science, often driven by their own prejudices, biases, arrogance, and ego. They remain ensconced in sheer academic sloppiness and laziness. It was clear that the response was not a public health one. It was a political one from day one and continues today.”

NEWS

PAGE 7

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NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Another holiday taken away; the conflicting, confusing lives of the vaccinated SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“This would not be the first time, if it happened, that a vaccine that looked good in initial safety actually made people worse. There was the history of the Respiratory Syncitial Virus vaccine in children, which paradoxically made the children worse.” Dr Anthony Fauci In a recent sit down the “Meta” CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Dr Anthony Fauci made some comments that have made people sit back and say,”Ummmm, what?”

Dr. Fauci was commenting on a recent study that showed that the COVID-19 medical injections might actually make a recipient more likely to be re-infected than someone with natural immunity from a prior viral infection.

There is another interview when Dr Fauci speaks to the distinction between the COVID-19 injections protecting against illness versus protecting against infection.

“You could be prevented from getting clinical disease, and still have the virus that is in your nasopharynx (referring to the area behind the nose in the upper part of the throat). We are not sure, at this point, that the vaccine protects you against getting infected.”

Okay! Woah, woah, woah! This has all become very confusing, and conflicting. There are many of you who have chosen to get the injection and for good reason. It has been such a disruptive two years, and the only thing on our minds has been getting back to normal; life before masks, and lockdowns. A time when we could see our family on the holidays and not have our gatherings limited to ten people. A time when young people could hang out together without feeling guilty or afraid that if they are with their friends, they are going to bring back a horrible disease that will cause a loved one to get ill.

We all want that back, regardless of what side of the injection discussion you are on. What I would like you to do after reading this article is to think about what has been happening the last two years. Our government officials have been telling us what we need to do to get back to normal, and unfortunately nothing that they have asked us to do has worked.

They said that they were going to lockdown to flatten the curve, and yet, after being locked down for months, the numbers continue to yo-yo. What do they

do? They blame the people who choose to keep living their lives, eating healthy, taking vitamins and minerals.

Then they said that if we get our VACCINATION then things would go back to normal, but yet, we are not closer to normal then we were twenty months ago.

The last time I checked, we are going back into lockdown again, right around the holidays.

It is unfortunate for me to say this, but it looks like we have been BAMBOOZLED! Yep, even some of the most intelligent around us have been fooled to believe a narrative that continues to change.

The cognitive dissonance is real, and many of us are unable to handle exactly what is happening.

Let me take this time to make some sense of the noise that we are hearing. This information is all researchable, so please do not take my word for it. I want us all to find our peace during this time. Are you ready? Let’s do this.

Mainstream media (CNBC, CP24, Global, CNN) have reported that new Covid strains such as the highly infectious delta variant have complicated the vaccine efficacy picture. There is also incomplete data into how long immunity from COVID-19 lasts following vaccination.

They reported data that also appeared to show a waning effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, with the vaccine only 16% effective against symptomatic infection for those individuals who had two doses of the shot back in January. For people that had received two doses by April, the efficacy rate (against symptomatic infection) stood at 79%.

I want to note here that this was not what we were told when the vaccination rollout first occurred. They had us all believing that once we took it, we would be fine. Go back and listen to when they first started to introduce the vaccine. Listen to their words. Think about how they phrased their messages, and how it made you feel at that time.

I had a chance to read an article put out by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In the report, new data released by the CDC shows that vaccinated people infected with the delta variant can carry detectable viral loads similar to those of people who are unvaccinated, though in the vaccinated, these levels rapidly diminish.

They followed it up by saying, while this sounds discouraging, it’s important to keep three things in mind: • Vaccines remain highly effective at preventing severe disease • Breakthrough infections among vaccinated individuals remain uncommon • The majority of new COVID-19 infec-

tions in the US are among unvaccinated people

(Infectious disease professor at the University of Toronto)

So, what does this mean in terms of risks for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people? And what might data like this suggest for public health guidance going forward? Here is what the report had to say: • It’s expected that symptomatic breakthroughs are more contagious than asymptomatic breakthroughs • There’s a difference between breakthrough infections and breakthrough disease • Breakthrough infections occur when a fully vaccinated person tests positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Breakthrough disease occurs when a fully vaccinated person experiences symptoms of COVID-19 disease

Research is now showing us that there are two other factors that impact vaccine effectiveness: 1. Waning immunity — we still don’t know how long vaccine-induced protective immunity lasts. This is very likely to be a factor in those elderly and more vulnerable individuals who were vaccinated early in the vaccine rollout program.

2. Breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals due to the more infectious delta variant, which added weight to the case for booster vaccination programs.

I want to stop here for a minute. I remind you that they did not share any of this information before. This would have been part of the informed consent that was supposed to occur before you took the vaccine. I want you to think to when you got your first vaccination; did they share any of this information with you? Let’s continue: • Vaccines remain highly effective at preventing severe disease, breakthrough infections and disease among vaccinated individuals remain uncommon, and most of the new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are among unvaccinated people • Still, the exact rates of breakthrough cases are unknown at this time because cases may be asymptomatic and, until recently, the CDC didn’t recommend that vaccinated people be tested following exposure. For this reason, updated guidance states that vaccinated people should resume wearing a mask in indoor public areas, especially where there is high transmission of COVID-19 I have to stop here again; did you read the double speak here? First they say, “Vaccines remain highly effective at preventing severe disease, breakthrough infections and disease among vaccinated individuals remain uncommon,” and then they say, “Still, the exact rates of breakthrough cases are unknown at this time because cases may be asymptomatic and, until recently, the CDC didn’t recommend that vaccinated people be tested following exposure.”

So, which is it? It is uncommon, or cases are unknown? I want to draw attention to how they use words to manipulate. If you were not paying attention, you would miss it.

“We have to be mindful that, with time, the effectiveness of these vaccines may wane” Dr. Isaac Bogoch

“Cases of COVID-19 in fully vaccinated people are a reminder that no vaccine is 100% effective. There will always be a proportion of individuals who will still remain susceptible to infection and illness.”

Professor Lawrence Young (Virologist at the University of Warwick’s Medical School in the U.K.) My question here again is, why were we not told this at the initial rollout of the injection? Is it because it was developed too quickly, without enough longitudinal research data?

I want to end this with some notes that I found on the CDC website in an article called “The Possibility of COVID-19 after Vaccination: Breakthrough Infections.”

In the article they remind the readers that getting vaccinated is the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to prevent infection by Delta or other variants. They share information on vaccine breakthrough infection, which they say happens when a fully vaccinated person gets infected with COVID-19. People with vaccine breakthrough infections may spread COVID-19 to others.

Interesting! When members of alternative media sites stated this, it was called a “CONSPIRACY THEORY!” It is interesting how many of these conspiracy theories have come true.

I urge the community; please before you go ahead and jump at the next set of orders that are delivered from our government officials, think about the fact that they have repeatedly given us advice that has caused more hurt, then help. It is time to take a stand. It is time to take back our rights and freedoms. It is time for us to unite.

Enjoy your holidays, and I look forward to representing you in the New Year.

Signing out, Simone Jennifer Smith

Through our home delivery service, readers can have each new edition delivered straight to their door, saving them time.

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Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

NEWS

PAGE 9

Amazon, what is going on here?

Monkey dolls found during search of African American dolls SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“Hi! I am a Mom here looking to find a doll my kids can relate too. I went to Amazon.ca and I keyed in African American dolls and this is what came up. MONKEYS under Black baby dolls …”

You can imagine my shock when I received this email. I was encouraged that this mother saw that something wasn’t right and spoke out, but I was dismayed that after years of fighting to be seen as more than a primitive people, Africans are still facing slights, even ones that seem harmless.

“They said it would be taken down but if you go on Amazon.ca and key in, African American baby doll, it’s still there!”

So, I did just that. I went and checked it out for myself. No shock, it was still up, and as I scrolled through the page, I began to understand what that mother must have felt when she first pulled this up.

One of the dolls is called, “Wamdoll, 20 inches, 51 Cm.” It was classified as a reborn monkey doll. They also had a “ZIY-

IUI Reborn Monkey Doll, 21 inches, 51 cm.”

Finally, they had a “ZIYIUI Reborn Monkey Doll, 21 inches, 51 cm,” a little boy monkey doll. These dolls were sprinkled between the other African dolls that were on the site.

They have been taken down, but not until after numerous emails from this mother to Amazon’s head office. She did receive an email back from a Linda, who was part of the Amazon management team that read,

“This is Linda, the supervisor from Amazon that you spoke to today. I am so sorry that those monkeys came up when you were searching for African American dolls for your child. I have escalated this to the proper department here at Amazon, rest assured. I don’t know how these things are linked, but if I find out anything from the escalation going forward, I will personally reach out to you. I also on a side note have issued you a $50.00 gift certificate. Have a blessed holiday season, and God bless you and your little girl.”

Sigh! There is so much to say here, but what I will do, if our Amazon Leader Linda gets a chance to read this, and for all other corporations who don’t know, this shit is offensive, and it needs to stop.

Maybe it is time for a refresher course on the racist nature of what has occurred at Amazon.

In 1570, there was a story about a Portuguese woman who was exiled to Africa where she was raped by an ape and had ba-

bies.

The general acceptance of the evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin was easily twisted into a means of identifying further “evidence” of the primitive status of Blacks. Africa has for years been labelled as a contagious continent incubating pestilences of all sorts in hot muggy jungles, spread by reckless and sexually unrestrained people. AIDS in particular is said to have its origin in the careless dealings of Africans with simians, which they eat or whose blood they use as an aphrodisiac. There was no proof of this, and in this day and time, this would have been coined as misinformation.

Then there is the Scottsboro Boys, nine black teenagers accused of having raped two young white women. In 1935 a picture story by the Japanese artist Lin Shi Khan and the lithographer Toni Perez was published. ‘Scottsboro Alabama’ carried a foreword by Michael Gold, editor of the communist journal New Masses. In one of the fifty-six images it shows the group of the accused young men beside a newspaper with the headline “Guilty Rape.” The rest of the picture was filled with a monstrous Black simian figure baring its teeth and dragging off a helpless White girl.

A hateful association between Blacks and monkeys or apes is another way that the antebellum south justified slavery.

Blacks were considered by some Whites to be more simian than human, and therefore had no self-evident rights, including free-

dom.

Blacks were depicted in such a way as to blur the line between audience identification of them as humans and as monkeys.

It got to the point that direct associations were more often made in the overtly racist pop culture. In the 1960s, a recording artist named Johnny Rebel produced a series of 45 rpm records on a Louisiana label, with lyrics like, “America for White; Africa for Black.

Send those apes back to the trees. Ship those ni*#@s back.”

Unfortunately, that was not the end of it. There are other examples of antiBlack monkey association that continue to pop up. In 2009 a “Cuddle With Me” Black doll was released, packaged with a monkey and wearing a hat that read, “Lil Monkey”. These dolls were sold at Costco stores and were pulled from the shelves after the chain-received complaints from consumers.

All too often, the White perpetrators of these incidents claim to be ignorant of history, so let me make it clear again. This is unacceptable, and a $50.00 gift certificate is not going to make up for it, Leader Linda.

Whoever is responsible for this must be held accountable.

I will be following up on this story, but for now, spread this far and wide. We need to stop giving our money to organizations that ignore the systemic racism that is so blatant, that it cannot be ignored.

New funding for Autism Services announced by the Ontario Government; how will this help our community?

PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

There have been many concerns from concerned parents about the overhaul of funding for autism by the Ontario government.

Many parents were dismayed when the overhaul was announced. The announced changes would “See funding given directly to families instead of to regional service providers.” This was intended to clear an enormous logjam of children who have been waiting for autism services for years.

Laura Kirby-McIntosh, President of Ontario

Autism Coalition reported, “This new plan is the death of the Ontario autism plan. It’s going to clear the waitlist, but do it by making sure no one gets what they need.”

She elaborates by noting that because of the three different levels of autism, some children may need minimal support while others may require intensive support if they have significant deficiencies with respect to their verbal and non-communication skills. The Ontario government stated that the changes were necessary because the previous program was unfair given that 8,400 children were being supported while 23,000 were on the waitlist.

On January 22nd, 2020, the Ontario government followed up by announcing that there will be one-time funding for families on the Ontario Autism Program waitlist.

Eligible families had until March 31st, 2021, to submit their registration and supporting documentation. According to the Ontario

government website:ontario.ca, parents could receive up to $20,000 for a child aged one to five or $5 000 for a child or youth aged six to seventeen. This extra funding would not have an impact on parents’ eligibility for the new needs-based autism program.

There has been anticipation by concerned individuals as to how the provincial government would address the drastic underfunding of autism services and extensive waitlist. On Friday, December 3rd, 2021 there was a press release titled, “Ontario Increasing Access to Services for Children with Autism,” which revealed that there was the establishment of a new independent organization, “Independent Intake Organization (IIO), ‘’ which “will help families navigate the program from intake to funding.”

In addition, there will be the launch of the “Entry to School Program,” which “Supports children on the autism spectrum entering kindergarten or Grade one for the

first time and awarding grants to service providers to hire and train new clinical staff so they can support more families.” These recommendations came as a result of the Implementation Working Group which was formed in December 2019. It was expected to “Provide advice and input on the operationalization and implementation of a number of key design elements of the program.”

Dr. Merrile Fullerton, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services states, “Our needs-based Autism Program is built by the community, for the community because we believe every child deserves the support they need to help them reach their potential.” Dr. Cindy Harrison, CEO of ACT Learning Centre states, “The Entry to School Program will support children with autism spectrum disorder and educators by helping them build important skills to facilitate a smooth transition to the classroom.”

PAGE 10

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Working behind the scenes to ensure that those in power respect human dignity and individual rights! have accomplished: Africa - Despite a lot of pressure from wellorganized pro-abortion groups who have been funding abortion and sexualization campaigns across Africa, they managed to defeat abortion bills planted in Kenya, Malawi and Namibia. They also defeated a move by the atheists in Kenya to scrap religious freedom in the country.

SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Our history is full of heroic individuals who have dedicated their lives to fighting for causes they believed in. For there to be such tremendous change in society there has to be a collective of citizens who are willing to dedicate their time, energy, and sometimes their lives, to making it happen. This year, there is a group of individuals who have been working on the behalf of humanity; CitizenGo has done incredible work, and I want to share with our community what they have done, because they need to be celebrated.

CitizenGO is community of active citizens who work together, using online petitions and action alerts as a resource, to defend and promote life, family, and liberty. They work to ensure that those in power respect human dignity and individual rights. CitizenGo is worldwide, and offers their campaigns in twelve languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Polish, Russian, Croatian, Hungarian, Dutch and Slovak.

Their headquarters is located in Madrid, but they have team members located in fifteen cities on three continents.

Their work is only possible thanks to a large network of thousands of volunteers all over the world. Their Board of Trustees is composed of: Ignacio Arsuaga, Blanca Escobar, Luca Volonte, Brian Brown, Gualberto García, Alexey Komov, Alejandro Bermudez and Carlos Polo.

They have had an extraordinary year; let’s take a look at some of what they

Dominican Republic - The abortion bill was rejected by 115 of the 190 MP. CitizenGO was campaigning there and participated in a rally. Finally, they reached their goal: to keep Dominican laws that protect human life.

European Union - In May, the EU had the intention of calling abortion a ‘human right’ and to approve the so-called Matic Report, a document that represents one of the most violent attacks on the life of the unborn in the European Union’s history. They managed to organize and carry their message all the way to Brussels, where they delivered more than 415,000 signatures against the Matic Report.

Honduras - In January, they contributed to obtaining a constitutional reform that protects the life of the unborn from conception.

Mexico - While Mexican people suffered a tragedy of many lost lives due to the pandemic, Congress of the State of Quintana Roo initiated the bill that would allow abortion up to birth. Despite the violence deployed by feminist groups who invaded and occupied the Parliament, CitizenGo wasted no time to stand firm in protecting the life of unborn babies, and they won!

They also launched a successful Twitter campaign to bury the bill that attempted to censor priests and pastors to preach about LGBT issues.

Northern Ireland - We put pressure on the Northern Ireland Assembly to support a bill designed to curb the extreme abortion laws imposed upon the province by the United Kingdom, which allowed for babies with disabilities such as Downs Syndrome, cleft lip and club foot to be aborted right up until birth. The bill was passed and now has gone through the Committee Stage; so disabled babies in Northern Ireland are a step closer to safety.

Pakistan - In 2014, a Pakistani couple Shagufta Kausar and Shafqat Emmanuel, were sentenced to death by hanging on false blasphemy charges. CitizenGo launched an international petition asking for their immediate release, and they were thrilled that the Lahore High Court had overturned the death sentence this year.

The couple is in an asylum in Europe now.

Spain - This year, they played a vital role in two essential elections: in Madrid and Catalonia. They helped to ensure that their values were represented in these places better than ever before. Unfortunately, the social-communist government of Spain approved euthanasia, but they have managed to get the main opposition party to appeal it as unconstitutional. And although, on the surface, a minor victory, they also achieved a huge win for education in Spain: A schoolteacher was fired for saying that there are only two sexes: male and female, but the pressure exerted by citizens from CitizenGO got him reinstated!

United Kingdom - They started a petition to stop an extreme assisted suicide bill from becoming law and increased the pressure on Boris Johnson. He eventually announced his opposition to the legalization of euthanasia.

port for the Holy See to be enjoined in the World Health Organization’s board as a permanent representative. Despite many pushbacks from the radical leftists who consider the Holy See a threat, they emerged victoriously. The Holy See establishes treaties and concordats with other sovereign entities.

USA -They helped raise the voices of more than 520,000 people that signed a petition asking the company to pull offensive depictions of Jesus from “Paradise PD.” They delivered the signatures to their headquarters so they couldn’t miss it.

They have shared a list of a few of the important projects they are either planning or currently working on: •

• •

•

•

Oppose and defund the radical proabortion and LGBTI transgenderism agendas at the powerful United Nations and World Health Organization Uphold our on-going fight to end gender ideology indoctrination at Disney and Lego companies Stop the censorship of Christians, proLifers, and the pro-Liberty voices on social media and other online platforms Fight back against filthy, blasphemous, and transgender propaganda on popular streaming services like Netflix Continue to impact elections and legislation on behalf of life, family, and liberty

Not everyone is going to agree with the work that they do, but they are doing what they feel needs to be done to ensure that the future is a safe, and prosperous one for our children.

United Nations - They mobilized sup-

Why does fear have such a hold upon all of us?

STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Fear has been the one pivotal element within all our histories, both personal and nationally speaking. It is something that excites, invites, repeals, and manipulates us all. An emotion, a state of mind, something demonic or perhaps divine. At the moment of your birth to the end of your

days, this thing called fear can wrestle your life away.

We live in a world shaped by fear. Our personal response to this fear has shaped our families and nations too.

There is the fear of loss; not being good enough, not achieving the expectations of others, or not being good-looking enough. How do I look? Does this make me look fat? Apply some of these questions to yourself. Why am I a doctor and not an artist or perhaps why did I call an election when there was no need? Why did I invade Panama, Afghanistan, or Vietnam? Why do nations jail their citizens?

Fear of losing perceived control: attack, terrorism, and criminality. Why did I have an abortion? What did I fear? Perhaps I

would lose my freedom.

Why do I hate or love others? Did I do these things because I was raised to do so? Were my parents and neighbours such an influence upon me that I became this way, whether good or bad, a person trying to live a life of meaning?

Do I fear the unknown, uncommon, unique among us? I knew a person who hated overweight individuals. A gut-wrenching hate of someone he did not even know. He grew up overweight, and through sheer perseverance and selfstruggle, he became a fine specimen of a man. The fear to become what he once was, or perhaps the distaste of people he thinks are not struggling enough themselves. Did they make the effort?

Racial, cultural, social, economic, and political fears shape us daily. Fear can be spontaneous and infectious. Fear of-

ten creates monsters, those who find expression of their personal fears through struggle and possible violence.

Fear creates saints also. Religious people are possibly the most fearful of our neighbours. Why so? Fear of failure if they commit sins before their maker; to them there is hell and heaven, and clear rules telling them how to proceed through life.

These rules are controlling or freeing depending on how one looks at them, but the end result of going to heaven to be with God is dependent upon fear.

The greatest gift you can give another is to espouse this thought. Be free of fear’s tentacles, through wisdom and common sense. Think before you act.

Surely the wise person can choose what benefits themselves and their neighbour too.

Through our home delivery service, readers can have each new edition delivered straight to their door, saving them time.

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Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 11

Second 1834 Fellowship Virtual Ottawa Conference held for Black Canadian youth Chair of OBVC’s stated, “I am delighted that the 1834 Fellowship can continue to invest in young people by providing them with access to public policy makers and opportunity to learn how to create good public policy that benefits everyone.

We must create a path to increase the number of Black policy makers at all levels of government as our voices and perspectives are important. I cannot wait to see what our Fellows do in the future, whether it be public service, politics, and public opinion shapers in the politics community, or private sector.”

The second annual virtual Ottawa OBVC conference was held from December 4th and 5th and featured exciting discussions, empowering presentations, enlightening conversations, and elevating dialogues.

The first day of the conference featured Jagmeet Singh, Leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada. He shared his personal political journey and described issues that were important to him and his party. He mentioned that activism is important to drive politics, but it often clashes with political goals and personal principles.

He believes that it is important to speak to people where they are and take their lived social realities, experiences, and conditions into consideration.

To better understand the role of the Senate, there was an interesting conversation between Senators Romaine Redman and the Honourable Rosemary Bernadette Clement about issues that were important to them such as: improving health equality and ensuring that underserved women have access to the health care benefits that they are lacking.

PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Since 2004, Operation Black Vote Canada (OBVC) has made a significant difference in the African Canadian community and larger community in Canada.

It was established as “A non-profit, multi-partisan organization that supports the election of Black people to public office.

We do this by educating, motivating and advancing for Black Canada to participate in Canada’s government, agencies, boards, commissions, civil service and political processes at all levels.”

OBCV’s mission is “To simplify and demystify the path to public office and civic engagement.” According to information from website: obvc.ca/1834 fellowship the 1834 Fellowship was “Named in honour of the year that slavery was abolished in Canada. The 1834 Fellowship will seek twenty high-potential Black youths every year who wish to enter, or increase their capacity for civic leadership roles and support them to their skills and career development.”

It was co-created by former federal Green Party Leader Annamie Paul who was pivotal in addressing vital issues at the federal level and ensuring equitable representation.

In the press release Velma Morgan,

The discussion between Matthew Green, MP for Hamilton Centre, and the first person of colour elected to Hamilton City Council, and Greg Fergus, MP for HullAylmer was inspiring and informative. MP Fergus has been active with the Black Caucus and explained its role in advocacy for Black Canadians.

MP Green shared personal stories of his political journey and how important it is to understand that Canada is rooted in a violent and colonial settler system built on White supremacy. He stated that he is not afraid to call out the racist nature of this political system and his moral compass guides him. He stated that as a politician you can either choose to be a thermometer or a thermostat in response to situations that reflect your core character values.

MP Fergus shared the personal sacrifices he had to make to run for political office. He believes that it is important to listen to the voices of the community and address their concerns.

In the afternoon session, there was an engaging session moderated by Diani Idibe, alumni of then 1834 Fellowship and involved: • Kema Joseph, Consultant at Crestview Strategies • Semhar Tekeste, Manager of Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google Inc Skabir Chambers, Principal,Earnscliff Strategies The discussion was around how young people can affect change through understanding the role that lobbying plays in the development and implementation of policies.

The first day closed with a fireside chat with Worku Gachou, Head of North

America Social Impact, Visa and the Honourable Ahmed Hussein, Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion.

The second day of the conference started off with a motivational presentation

by Orlando Bowen, former CFL player and founder of One Love Movement. He shares his personal story of being influenced by positive role models such as Pinball Clemons, his uncle Henry and his parents. He states that “A mentor is someone who checks in on you” and “an advocate or sponsor is someone who proactively reaches out to you to guide and offer support.”

There was an interesting presentation by two sisters Justice Faith Betty, cofounder of Building Blodis, and Nia Betty, activist, entrepreneur, and fashion designer who founded Revolutionnaire, a powerful social network for change makers. Revolutionnaire empowers young people to creatively use tools, networks, and information to make a social impact by taking up social justice or political causes.

There were policy presentations by the 2021 cohort of the 1834 Fellowships, which focused on sharing policy ideas on the issue of climate change and sustainability.

Overall, the conference was a tremendous success and it concluded with alumni of the 2021 cohorts attesting to how it has made a significant difference in their lives.

Application is open until January 31st, 2022 for the third cohort at the following: Website: obvc.ca Twitter: blackvotecanada Instagram: blackvotecanada LinkedIn: Operation Black Vote Canada

Amlak RedSquare: The Humble Warrior one day.

Amlak born Omar Gordon grew up in the inner-city community of McIntyre Villa, east Kingston. A former student of Excelsior high school and Dunoon Technical high, he recorded his first song, “Jah Jah It’s Your Lov “ in 2012.

He has hit the itunes reggae charts twice. The songs include “Nah Beg Parts” ft. Ras Charmer, which peaked at 15, and “Heart A Love,” a collaboration with King Tat at 32.

He has more than 50 songs, most of which is on two EP’s “Ganja Free” and “Di Humble Warrior” and his fresh eleven track “Book of Judges” album.

His EP “Ganja Free” appears on the Peela Productions label. The tracks include “Round Here” ft. Spragga Benz, “Ganja Free,” “Sheep Clothing,” “New Day,” “Struggle,” and “Reality.”

His “Di Humble Warrior” EP on RedSquare Productions label host tracks “Hard Way,” “Cyaah Happen,” “Blame Game,” Burty Son,” “Burty Son” and “Rise Up” ft. Spragga Benz.

EUGENE PITTER eugene@carib101.com

ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

JAMAICA -- He sits quietly, virtually unseen among the rustling leaves, which seem to play some unfamiliar notes. He moves his locks to watch the mid-morning sun trying to steal more than a glimpse under the mango tree where he sits.

His well-groomed locks; still undisturbed by a gush of furious wind, are firmly fixed on his shoulders.

He suddenly opens his jaws like a lion, and a gush of well-arranged words, backed by a guitar, is creating waves throughout the jungle.

For conscious reggae sinjay Amlak RedSquare, the jungle is his music landscape, and he hopes to be crowned king RY 10TH

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His debut EP was a surprise to his fans. “Many felt it was too early to put out this project without having a hit song; today they are having second thoughts as my catalogue of songs has shown by versatility and talent.”

The EP was a springboard for Amlak’s successful tour with his uncle, Spragga Benz, an international dancehall act.

“My first international performance placed me in two of Europe’s largest reggae festivals: Reggae Jam and Reggae Geel in 2015.”

Just couple of weeks ago Amlak was celebrating the success of his single “Lauf Out Loud.”

“The song went number three on the Johnny Wonder charts. This is one, which selectors and deejays vote for their favourite songs, not only in the Caribbean, but the diaspora. So, I am very happy.

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“Get Ready” ft. Kazam Davis, “Too Late” ft. Jah Exile, “Tek Yu Beating” ft. Spragga Benz, Rseenal Di Artillery and “Freestyle ft. Exile Di Brave and Toke.

The other songs are “Judge”, “Judgement Day,” “Neva Know,” “Your Love.”

“WildFyah,” “Fyah Bun” and “Creative Works.”

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The producer Delly Ranx sent me four riddims and asked me to put a song on the riddim I liked the most. He loved the song.”

In addition, Delly Ranx has produced “Same Thing” on his Pure Music label.

“The song addresses the problem of covetousness, and this happens all over the world. Individuals have become so selfish that they rather destroy one’s dream than to help others in enhance their mission in life.”

One can expect Amlak to educate the public on various thought-provoking topics. In one of his interviews, he speaks on the importance of parents’ helping their children to monitor on-line classes during this pandemic.

“Although a number of parents are busy trying to make ends meet, it is important that they help to supervise on-line classes at home. We cannot expect, in all cases, that the (children) are able to supervise themselves.”

The Rastafarian is also using his music and marriage podcast platform, which includes his partner Nickeeta Gordon, to mend broken ties and promote good music.

NEWS

PAGE 12

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Time to get back outside with the Pay as you wish Winter Season at Harbourfront SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

As I stare outside my window watching the blowing snow, and icy sidewalks, I think about how much fun I used to have as a child rolling in the snow, making snow angels; so much has changed, and instead, now our young ones are sitting in front of computer screens for hours, not having the chance to experience the fresh, crisp, winter air.

During the cooler months, it is common for children to be restricted to indoor play at home, and only permitted to play outdoors when it is warm and sunny.

What has made this worst in the last two years is the pandemic, which has not only isolated people from family and friends, but has made people afraid to leave their homes.

Many parents fear that their children will not “like” being outside in the cold, or that they will get sick from being outside in the cold fresh air. We mistakenly associate winter with getting colds and illnesses such as the flu. However, it is not exposure to the cold that cause these viruses. In fact, it’s likely to be due to increased exposure to poorly ventilated indoor environments, where bacteria and viruses live. By encouraging outdoor play in winter, children gain much needed exposure to fresh air and Vitamin D, while avoiding bacteria.

Thankfully, we do have a reprieve; something fun to do outside this winter that involves the entire community. The Harbourfront Centre has unveiled its electrifying 2022 winter season, bringing live performance and in-person arts and culture programming back to Toronto’s downtown waterfront beginning in January 2022. The festival line-up showcases a dynamic array of international and national programming including dance, theatre and music performances, talks and workshops, and public art installations from some of the world’s most illuminating artists and thought leaders.

The highly anticipated 2022 winter season features a dazzling array of international festival performances that will once again grace Harbourfront Centre’s intimate venues, including Harbourfront Centre Theatre and Fleck Dance Theatre.

I had a chance to speak with Diana Webley, the Associate Producer of Kuumba: Toronto’s largest and longest-running Black Futures Month festival. She was excited to share what the community has to look forward to this year.

“We focused on visual arts,” Diana tells me. “We were able to have a photo exhibition on site, and we are excited to welcome people back into the building, and in our theatres.

forts to connect with all communities that reside in Toronto.”

It has been two years since the last in-person performance, and this season marks a significant return to the international stage. Past visitors can look forward to some of their favourites: Festival of Cool, which brings the globe’s Northern cultures to Toronto’s waterfront from January 19th – February 13th, 2022; Toronto’s longest-running Black Futures Month festival, Kuumba, from February 1st –28th, 2022. Through music, dance, theatre, educational workshops and literary events, the festival aims to support and help strengthen Toronto’s Black community by connecting the future to its past. What do we have to look forward to this year?

We understand that we have to be a little more acceptable of all walks of life, so we wanted to offer different price points. We have price points as low as $15.00 and then there is a maximum. People can also donate.

We are giving the community an opportunity to get to know us. We have seen other organizations doing this, and we need to be up to snuff and make better ef-

Kuumba Comedy Night with Trixx & Friends (Canada, USA) Trixx, Correy Bell and Mike Paramore February 11th –12th, 2022 at 8:00 pm North America’s top comedians hit the stage for an evening of hilarious stand-up performances. Features Toronto’s finest, Trixx, Correy Bell (Chicago) and Mike Paramore (Cleveland).

A Black Girl In Love (With Herself): Let your breakdown be your breakthrough (Canada) Trey Anthony February 5th – 6th, 2022 at 8:00 pm Trey Anthony, an award-winning writer, motivational speaker, and relationship/life coach, is back again with another night of Black Queen Comedy that will have you gasping and ts ts-ing in the aisles. For two nights only, Trey will cut it up and have uplifting and hilarious girl talk at a time when we need it most!

Double Bill: Still…HERE…STAND + A Seat at the Table (Canada) Kevin A. Ormsby and Esie Mensah February 12th, 2022 at 8:00 pm Kuumba presents a double bill. Kevin A. Ormsby’s crucial dance work Still…HERE… STAND has an essential message at its core: resilience exists in being Black. Later in the evening Esie Mensah’s A Seat at the Table is an ode to the complexities and realities of the Black experience through choreography. Explore these with an authentic seat at the table to listen and learn.

Outside of Kuumba, there is so much more to look forward to at Harbourfront this year.

Toronto’s premier contemporary dance series, Torque, will be showcased from February 4th – May 23rd, 2022; and Toronto’s beloved international children’s festival, JUNIOR, from May 21st – 23rd, 2022.

We can’t forget DJ Skate Nights on Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm, starting January 22nd, 2022. Everybody’s favourite Saturday night is back with local and international DJs bringing the heat to a cold night! The full line-up will be announced at a later date.

Most noteworthy is the launch of their new festival CoMotion, an international Deaf and disability arts festival from April 20th – May 1st, 2022. Curated by renowned Canadian playwright, actor and disability arts advocates Alex Bulmer, CoMotion is the largest festival of its kind in Canada.

We cannot let this pandemic take away all the fun that we remember, and all the new memories that we can make. My only hope is that with the new lockdown measures that people will be able to enjoy what Harbourfront has to offer.

Spragga Benz says it is time to hail the Honourable Bob Marley as Jamaica’s National Hero media platform was abuzz with strong recommendations that Bob Marley’s greatness and his impact on the world is befitting a true national hero.

Should this happen, the Rastafarian reggae superstar would join six other national heroes of Jamaica: Nanny of the Maroons, Samuel Sharpe, Paul Bogle, Marcus Garvey, Alexander Bustamante, and Norman Manley.

According to international dancehall reggae artist, Spragga Benz

“Give us one reason, only one, why Bob Marley should not get national hero status. The time is now when this generation who knows Bob’s achievements can celebrate another giant.

As an entertainer, I have travelled all over the world and whenever I mention Jamaica the response is, Bob Marley as if this is our second name.

Bob is the face of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) One Love song to woo thousands of visitors to the island, and, they are enthused visiting Bob’s final resting place in Nine Miles, St. Ann, his museum along Hope Road, and Trench Town where he had lived.”

EUGENE PITTER eugene@carib101.com

ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER

JAMAICA -- The momentum renewing calls for the world’s greatest reggae artiste the Honourable Bob Marley to be made a national hero of Jamaica, a country that is shy away from celebrating sixty years of independence in 2022, is fever-pitch at this moment.

This comes in the wake of Barbados, Jamaica’s neighbour, bestowing Rihanna, the country’s pop star a national hero in a ceremony officially relinquishing British sovereignty, and its transition to a republic, on November 30th, 2021.

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Looking at the influence of Bob’s music, Spragga Benz says, “His songs have a message which is universal. Take, for example, “One Love,” which sends a message of unity, love and peace. This is giving not only Blacks, but every one the empowerment to be united to the cause of upliftment.”

Here, especially in Jamaica, craft vendors make and display paintings depicting Marley’s image on T-shirts, hats, cups and bath towels.

Spragga Benz adds that “It is Bob’s influence which has led thousands of artists all over the world, to become Rastafarians.”

Turning to the One Love Peace Concert held at the National Stadium, April 22nd, 1978, Spragga Benz notes that,

“This was during the rise of political violence which climaxed in the 1980 election, violence where rival party supporters were not throwing bottles or stones anymore, but firing guns.

For Bob to be on stage holding hands with the two political leaders: JLP Eddie Seaga and the PNP Michael Manley was no ordinary feat. It shows the respect people had for him.”

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Bob Marley received a number of enviable accolades; among them are the Peace Medal of the Third World (1970), Order of Merit from the Jamaican government (1981), and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement in 2001. He was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 as well as an induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004.

Spragga Benz adds that “Lest we forget, Time Magazine selected his 1977 studio album Exodus as the Best Album of the 20th century, while Bob Marley Legend attained the best selling reggae album of all time; having sold some 75 million records worldwide. Bob Marley is one of the most commercial artists of all time.”

As s boy growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, Spragga Benz born Carlton Grant recalls that, “Bob Marley songs were played very often in my household. I thought how great a person he was. Each time his song was being played my sister would turn up the volume immediately. My mother and father bought Bob’s Exodus album. My favourite song was Ambush in the night.”

NEWS

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 13

National Poll reveals spending habits and festive insights ahead of the Christmas holidays MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The holidays are fast approaching and for many people, this is an exceptionally festive time of the year, a time when folks gather together with family and friends whom they sometimes have not seen in a whole year.

For many, this holiday season, however, is different in many ways and especially from a financial point of view.

A recent study by Party Casino Canada revealed that nearly a third of Canadians who celebrate Christmas would spend less on the festive season this year.

The average Canadian usually spends an average of $530 on Christmas each year, but this year, 32% of people

plan to spend less.

Quebecers and Ontarians appear to be the most generous around the Christmas season. Less than one in five people plan to spend more this holiday season. Maybe the feeling is that a difficult 2021 means they deserve a more special Christmas than usual.

The study also found that residents of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territory are ready to spend more than most this Christmas, with nearly half {45%) saying they plan to spend more than usual, and more than twice the number of people (36%) looking to spend more than $1,000.

All these regions have been more generous with other festivities during the year too with almost triple the number of people spending more than any other part of Canada.

In comparison, residents of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta are spending the least, with two in five (40%) slashing their Christmas spending.

Christmas is the most special celebration of the year for most Canadians

overall (57%) and Halloween is in the top category as well.

The yearly Christmas dinner is Canada’s favourite holiday tradition for 58% of Canadians, with those in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick enjoying it the most.

60% of residents reported Christmas as their top tradition, while half of Francophones and Ontarians say giving gifts is most dear to them at that time of the year, and are also the most likely to get into the Christmas spirit the earliest, with 41% putting their tree and decorations up a full month or more before Christmas day.

Party Casino marketing manager, David Winter, said: “With Christmas reported by the majority of Canadians as being their favourite annual celebration, it’s perhaps no surprise that people put aside a budget for it. But, after a difficult 2021 during which many have had to tighten their belts across the board, it’s also no massive surprise that a good deal of people are having to cut back this year.”

“With the pressure to spend on

Christmas weighing heavy on many peoples’ minds, it could be that simply treasuring the extra time with family and friends takes more of a centre stage this year.”

The world has been turned upside down for almost two years now and we as humans would be better off taking care of our “needs” as opposed to our “wants” especially around this time of year.

The true spirit of the holidays is family not putting ourselves in debt to distribute gifts, after all the most precious gift one can receive or give is that of genuine love.

Many of our community small businesses have gone never to return, therefore, it is important that as a community, as a country, and as a nation that we support the remaining small businesses who are hanging on by their shoestrings because it will be up to us to determine if they rise or fall in these perilous times. So on this note, let us all come together and show our local businesses some love.

New report shows that Canada’s current system has failed Indigenous and Black women PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The necessity of an independent commission is required to examine cases that potentially could have led to wrongful convictions should be established soon.

This is specifically needed for Black and Indigenous individuals according to a report, which was made public on Thursday, December 9th, 2021.

Former judges Juanita Westmoreland-Traore and Harry LaForme who were appointed on March 31st, 2021 by the Government of Canada conducted the report. Mr. LaForme was the first Indigenous person to sit on an appellate

court in Canada when he was appointed in 2004 to the Court of Appeal. The Honourable Juanita Westmoreland-Traore was the first African Canadian to be appointed to the Quebec bench when she was appointed in 1999.

The executive summary and recommendations from the report were released on the Government of Canada’s website: justice.gc.ca. There were several consultations, which were held from June to September 2021. The report states that there are three fundamental policy choices the government must make: •

•

Having a commission that only reacts to individual applications or one that takes a more proactive and systematic approach Having a commission that is treated like a small administrative agency in the federal government, or an adequately funded and independent commission that is subject to the same arm’s length treatment from

•

the government as the judiciary Having a commission that is limited to cases in which factual innocence can be established or one that is concerned about all miscarriages of justice

The report states, “In our view, the commission must be proactive and systemic and not simply react as in the current system to the application that it receives, often from people who must rely on free legal services from lawyers and Innocence projects. This is the first fundamental policy choice that animates our report.”

The summary of the report states, “The current system has failed to provide remedies for women, Indigenous or Black people in the same proportion as they are represented in Canada’s prisons.”

Furthermore, it notes, “We believe that the new commission must be proactive and reach out to potential applicants, including Indigenous people, Black people, women and others who may have rea-

sons to distrust a criminal justice system that had convicted them and denied their appeals.”

It is over two years now since Justice Minister David Lameti’s received a mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which indicated that one of its most important priorities was the establishment of a wrongful conviction review commission. On Friday, December 10th, 2021 Lametti stated that the government is still determined to create an independent commission and that after reviewing the entire report when it comes available, he will be following through with the next steps.

Some of the recommendations from the report include ensuring that the commission is independent of the government, adequately funded, consist of at least nine commissioners, and that it is able to review case proactively not just when individuals apply for its review. The report can be seen at justice.gc.ca

Fear and loathing in America!

STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Why do Americans hate and fear their fellow citizens? It has to be that, or perhaps they fear losing control of their state and nation? People of colour are being denied their constitutional rights to vote in elections, to speak their minds freely.

While the Democratic administration is doing the best they can to fulfil their election promises, right wing

factions, entrenched political and social powers in the US south and midwest have gone to their state legislatures to stop the Right to Vote Movement and stall Black Lives Matter.

Over thirty voter suppression laws have already been passed by nineteen states, some of which open the door to the overturning of elections; many more will be introduced into state legislatures in January. With hyper-gerrymandered Congressional maps locking in partisan advantage, dark money flooding our election system, and the intimidation of election officials, activists will urge President Biden and the Senate to stop democratic subversion by passing the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act immediately. Failure to pass this critical voting

rights legislation this year could be the nail in the coffin for American democracy.

Some might think that there is a democracy, but the question I have is for whom? It brings to mind the: anti slavery, movement, women’s rights, civil rights and gay rights movements all of which made a difference, because someone in America could vote for change.

The Republicans and Trump lobby are against free votes, recognizing the accomplishments of Black people throughout American History. A numbers game seems to be prevailing here. Elections are lost with a few votes to spare, so limiting those who can vote to the mindset of a Republican, will affect an election.

Trump said his election was stolen. Millions of Americans will lose their ability to make change because those

in power, and those who support them stand against progressive human change.

The Republican Party does not respect American electoral traditions, citizen’s rights, or freedom of expression. Many media centers are being manipulated by what they call black money; coming from somewhere it buys the media’s loyalty and allegiance.

These brave people fighting for voting rights, equality, and really all that the American constitution has already promised All Americans have run up against a massive White Wall within their own local towns and states. When do you think they will finally realize that the Federal Government is unwilling or unable to force the issue in Congress and that a possible second civil war is upon us? Fear and loathing in America.

PAGE 14

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Ending HIV stigma in Black communities starts with #PositiveConversations JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities in Canada are disproportionately affected by HIV. Although the communities make up approximately 3.5% of Canada’s population, they accounted for 25% of reported HIV cases. The trend is similar in Ontario, where Black people represent less than 5% of the province but constituted a quarter of new diagnoses.

The African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario (ACCHO) has been a strong advocate for strategic leadership in Black communities for over sixteen years.

Coming into existence as a result of the disproportionate impact of the disease in the Black community, they are committed to amplifying the voices and bettering the live of ACB people living with, affected by, or at risk of HIV/AIDS.

“It really came about very organically based on the needs of the African, Caribbean and Black community at the time when HIV prevalence was really high. It was

activists who came together who thought that we need to do something, and that something is not just a clinical response to HIV. It’s about creating a strategy that will allow any frontline worker to respond adequately to ACB communities in the context of HIV,” says Ky’okusinga Kirunga, director of ACCHO.

The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates that 14% of Canadians are currently living with undiagnosed cases of HIV. According to the ACCHO, Black people in Ontario are less likely than any other race to know their HIV status, engage in care, be on HIV treatment and have a supressed viral load. Factors such as lack of support, anti-Black racism, economic discrepancies, and homelessness all negatively affect care and treatment outcomes. Kirunga shares other key reasons as to why so many cases go undiscovered.

“An important part of it is stigma.

There’s a lot of stigma in the community which I think dates back to the very early days of HIV. It was a blame game. It was about Haitians, Africans, and gay men, and these were the populations mainly focussed on and demonized. There’s that shame and stigma, that “I don’t want to be that statistic.” It’s us against ourselves. We don’t talk about it, it’s a taboo subject. It’s also the demands that Black people have in life. The idea of getting an HIV test is a little far away when your own care is not primor-

dial. You deal with whatever symptoms show up, but you won’t go beyond that.”

The Care Collective, an initiative

by ACCHO, was created for and by Black women and encourages regular HIV testing as a standard routine. Black women are overrepresented in the statistics, where 60% of all Ontario women who test positive for HIV are Black, and this number continues to rise. The Care Collective promotes radical self-care, a type of practice that goes deeper than the skin.

“Self-care is not just about getting your nails done or getting a face mask. It’s not just surface. Radical self-care goes all the way into the parts that make us into who we are, including our physical health that we can’t see. We hear a lot about Black women being the pillars of our community.

Wherever Black people gather whether it’s a large family, church, or in our communities, it’s Black women who take charge.

They’re taking care of kids and older generations while working. The idea of selfcare goes in the back, and it’s thought of as indulgence. Well, it’s actually not an indulgence – it’s a necessity of life. When you’re doing self-care, while it’s lovely to do your hair or have a soak in the tub, it’s really good to take care of your health, and that includes HIV testing. Make that routine.

Don’t just get your blood pressure and diabetes levels checked, check your HIV status as well.”

The Care Collective recently launched their campaign, #PositiveConversations, an initiative to get progressive discourse flowing about HIV testing and ending the stigma against it. The campaign encourages Black women to know their status and to access the abundance of resources and systems that are readily available in our community.

“We heard from ACB women about stigma and their fear of talking about HIV. We wanted them to know and also understand that you can live a long, healthy, beautiful life when HIV positive, but the key is knowing your status early. We really try to urge people to have those authentic positive conversations around the topic and know that it’s important to get tested and you can be fine,” says Kirunga.

She continues. “ACB communities in Ontario are alive and thriving and capable of taking care of themselves and leading the messaging. Part of that is taking care of our physical health, our mental health, our spiritual health, and especially our sexual health. We have the power, we can do this, and we need to grab a hold of it and own it.”

To learn more about The Care Collective, find options for free and confidential testing, and/or read the stories of HIV-impacted Black women in our communities, visit www.thecarecollective.info.

Innovative Hair Curriculum developed to help Black women and hair stylists learn about caring for textured hair PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The design of a textured hair curriculum

by T’keyah Prentice-Cupid is great news.

Her six years of professional experience has given her insights and knowledge into the techniques, tools, and methodologies of caring for textured hair. As a self-taught hairstylist, she learned how to work with naturally curly and coily hair.

“I would work at salons where there were advertisements of Black women or mixed-race women with texture in their hair, but they were lacking the prod-

uct that worked well with those textures.”

She knows first-hand what it is like for Black women to not be able to access the proper care they need for their hair. She states, “Our hair needs the most love. It needs a certain amount of attention and not everybody is willing to do.”

She states that many salons do not provide the personalized care and attention that is required to manage textured hair. Specifically, she notes, “Most people in the world have textured hair and only 30% of that population is being represented with services.” This is what prompted her to conduct an informal poll on Instagram to obtain information from other hairstylists about their level of comfortability with respect to attending to textured hair. She found out that, “99% said that they did not feel confident in the training that they get in school.” she states,

“Then it was interesting because 37% of them said that they felt confident

over time in their career…(which) means that they learnt what they learnt through trial and error. It’s unfortunate because our hair shouldn’t be an experiment - people should have the tools that they need from school to be able to provide the services.”

Prentice-Cupid utilized her knowledge, insights and experience to create an innovative and revolutionary curriculum to help ensure that hair salons and hairstylists are able to learn about textured hair education.

“The goal is to build Canada’s first textured hair curriculum. So, not only do we want to provide classes, but we actually want to get in the [Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development]’s face and be like, you need to put curly hair, afro-textured hair education in your schools.”

There has been no response from the Ministry regarding the introduction of her one-of-a-kind curriculum, but this has not stopped Prentice-Cupid from moving

forward. She states,” The first class that I had was in the summer. It was a silk press class, where I was teaching anyone that signed up, how to blow-dry, style, wash and straighten afro-textured hair. The next class is going to be a colour class, so that’s more catered to stylists. We’re going to release it as well as our website in the New Year.”

Prentice-Cupid notes that the current curriculum is out-dated and needs to be updated. She states, “The services that are a requirement for stylists to know are relaxers and perms, and that’s the extent of the textured hair education.” She continues, “until we build it, it’s not going to happen because [the Ministry] thinks that the [textured hair] education already exists, and with that belief, it’s perpetuating the stigma and the racism and misrepresentation.”

It won’t be until January 2022 that the curriculum will be changed.

NEWS

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 15

What could go so wrong at a holiday luncheon? Everything!

W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES TC HEALTH REPORTER

The immortal Shakespeare wrote in the play Macbeth, “Each new morn new widows howl, new orphans, cry, new sorrows strike heaven on the face.” He was not wrong.

Readers may wonder how I am faring as I near the start of my 99th year. I am glad to report while getting older is rarely much fun, my medical training remains useful!

At a holiday luncheon with longin-the-tooth friends, one started to cough.

It was nothing to attract attention. But the situation suddenly changed. His coughing became intense and breathing more difficult. Food had become stuck in his throat,

probably lethally so. I knew what I had to do.

As a surgeon, I’ve faced many crises: heart attacks, strokes, and other lifeor-death situations, but during my long life, I have never had to help someone choking on food. It’s frightening when it happens.

I have practiced what’s known as the Heimlich Manoeuvre on dummy equipment, now it was the real thing. I rushed to start this life-saving procedure on my friend, who was now intensely coughing, struggling to breathe, and unable to speak.

If readers encounter this situation, keep calm and ask someone to call for medical help. From behind the choking person, wrap both your arms around the patient’s abdomen halfway between the navel and the lower ribs. Make a fist with one hand and place your other hand firmly around your fist. Then thrust both hands in quick jerks inwards and upwards into the abdomen five times. Hopefully, this will dislodge the food. But if it does

not, repeat the manoeuvre.

Every year, about 5,000 people die in North America from choking on food. More than two-thirds of victims are over the age of seventy-four. Many people choking on food rush to the bathroom where someone later finds they have died.

If you are alone and choking, you can perform the Heimlich on yourself.

Place a fist above the navel, grab your fist with the other hand, and use the weight of your body over a chair or table to help thrust your fist inward and upward.

Thanks should go to the late Dr. Henry J Heimlich. He was a Cincinnati chest surgeon who practiced first on beagle dogs to develop the procedure.

Fortunately, my efforts were successful, and my friend survived.

You might think it remarkable that at my age I can perform the move, but I am in good company, as Dr. Heimlich himself also performed the manoeuvre at the age of 96 on an 87-year-old woman, saving her life.

The universal sign for choking is

hands clutched to the throat. If you are not sure if someone is choking, and they don’t give the signal, look for the inability to speak, noisy or squeaking sounds in breathing, weak or strong cough, and skin, lips, or nails turning blue.

The best form of prevention is to chew food slowly and well. Avoid common choking hazards for seniors, such as dry food like crackers, rice cakes, popcorn, and bread, especially with peanut butter or other sticky spreads. Older people often use hard candies to generate saliva, but this is very risky.

Prevention of choking among infants and young children requires extreme vigilance. Keep small items out of their reach. On children, too, the Heimlich is possible, but the first step should be to call for emergency assistance and stay calm in providing details so that experts can give optimal instructions until help arrives.

It’s the doctor’s somber work to remind readers to be cautious over the holidays. To all, best wishes for the season.

How to stay fit during the holidays

BY RACHEL MARY RILEY FITNESS REPORTER As some would say food is a comfort to the soul, but do you know that food can control the soul? Having comfort food during the holidays is great, however, it should not control you. Being aware of not indulging in holiday dishes and special treats can prevent your ability to maintain your weight.

Yes, life is short, so enjoy, but set balance, set boundaries within yourself, know your limits and discipline your mind, especially if you are going out to dinner with family and friends or you are home for the holidays by yourself.

Enjoy, but do not overdo, especially if you’re trying to stay on budget. Be mindful of where you are and where you

want to be after the holidays. People will say, “Take some more; eat and enjoy it,” but after eating the favourite dishes don’t you notice you feel guilty.

Back in 2020, I spent the holidays in my apartment. My mom had offered some comforting dishes such as rice and peas, oxtail, green banana dumping, plantain and ackee and saltfish, then black cake, sorrel black cake, sorrel, and carrot juice. I found myself indulging and feeling so guilty afterward; it was like committing a sin. The food was great for the moment, but it wasn’t satisfying the next morning.

I noticed a continuing cycle even after the holidays and during the year when I went out, or during special occasions. I decided to take a big break from social media and examine myself to see where I

was. I lost so much weight during that period of time, but I was lacking one thing even when facing difficulties and that was the discipline and the willpower to exercise self-control. Until, this date, I evaluate myself and ask myself who I am off social media, who I am when I’m tempted at the moment, where do I really want to be after I achieve my goals? If I yield to my emotions, I will never get the ideal body that I desire? So, these past couple of weeks coming closer to the holidays and winter, I have come up with some challenges to set a play to reach my goals and maintain my body weight. Maybe they can help you out.

Top Five Challenges to Endure During the Holidays • Start with a three-day challenge, or a

• •

• •

week, two weeks, three weeks, fourteen-days, twenty-one days, or max thirty-day challenge before the holidays Intermediate fasting: do it for a few hours with water and lime. This will help with bloating While having your holiday meals or special meals during these winter months, drink lots of green tea in between these heavy meals, or water and lime Keep things in moderation; if you know you are getting full stop eating and save the rest for later Do a lot of intense workout videos, early morning workouts before you start your day or during the day

It is the government’s job, its mandate to manage, protect and uplift its employees STEVEN KASZAB steven@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Canadians depend upon Canada’s Postal Service more than they think. The pandemic has brought about a massive showing of personal purchasing power, the buying of just about everything you can imagine, from wherever, delivered most often by your local Postie. During all hours of the day contracted employees of this Crown Corporation carry out these deliveries.

Years ago, there was a movement in Ottawa to delist and privatize various Crown Corporations, a method we were told that would save the taxpayer a great deal of money. Thousands of the unemployed workers would be rehired by private syndicates, so don’t worry abut them.

Private interests would carry out the services we have come to expect from those

we often know locally, our postal clerks and delivery staff. They were full time employee’s making reasonable wages.

Private Corporations Policy has transitioned employment in many cases from one of full time, forty hours a week employment, to staggered part time employment, often with no benefits or pensions. Like those who work a gig operation, they work long hours in many jobs at a low pay schedule, often two-three jobs performed weekly.

A mail carrier makes $44,850.00 annually and delivery drivers made $42,285.00 too.

The above salaries reflected 2018 numbers. The contractors taking these employee’s places work much harder, at more tasks while often making the same or less wages. The postal worker of the past earned a simple wage, with benefits and a pension to boot. Not so with those who deliver your items to your homes. No benefits, no future entanglements to the corporation.

Studies in 2020 showed the stress levels of those who work for the postal service escalated more than 38% within one year. It was due to fear of COVID-19, fear in performing their duties and fear of

the future. Will the full-time employees have a full-time job in say five years?

The indebted Federal Government will be cutting certain services deemed better managed by private corporations. Not because the private sector does the job better, but to save money in the long run. These short-term perception of savings are forgotten in time. It has been proven as fact that private concerns appear to be less costly, but by their very nature will increase prices substantially over time. Excuse used is often unforeseen costs. Private concerns often manage universal costing with their competition, ultimately presenting prices that are overall similar to the customer.

Many nations have privatized their postal systems. Germany in 2000, Portugal in 1991, Japan created an IPO selling shares in the corporation, while the United Kingdom privatized fully in 2015.

The German government needed control and re-purchased 20% of the corporation. These corporations have one thing in common. Their employees moved in mass from full time employees to part timers.

There is a common theme that is surfacing in Canada also. The Corporation of the past acted as an empathetic

employer to a certain extent. Benefits, pensions, education services were offered freely to their staff. That has and will vanish in time. The profit motive will reign supreme, and those proud full-time employees will be too busy to complain, as they go to their second or third job.

Canada has much to look forward to in 2022 and beyond: union militancy, union expansions and confrontational tactics. The stress of indebt governments will challenge Canadian traditions. Workers Rights will be proclaimed along side BLM and Indigenous protest placards.

Crown Corporations that will go onto the chopping block are numerous.

The CBC, Postal Services, Energy Management, Forestry Ministry Services, some border controls. There is many more no doubt. Our governments are a cannibalistic bunch, often devouring their own. Our governments are in election mode the moment they enter office. Never do they look beyond their mandate, or towards the future lives of their population.

It is the government’s job, its mandate to manage, protect and uplift its employees.

PAGE 16

NEWS

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

The University of Toronto launches Black Future Lawyers Program to encourage Black undergraduates to pursue Law School PAUL JUNOR paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The announcement of a $1.75 million pledge to the University of Toronto’s Black Future Lawyers (BFL) program will go a long way to encourage Black students to consider law school.

The good news was released in a news report in the autumn 2021 issue of the University of Toronto magazine. According to the University of Toronto Faculty of Law’s website: lawutoronto.ca BFL is “A collaboration between U of T, our Black Law Students Association, members of our Black alumni community and

the broader legal community.” The U of T’s Provost office and U of T Law funded it in 2020 and its ultimate goal is to ensure that more Black students are accepted into its law school. Some of the initiatives includes: • • • • • •

BFL’s programming for Black undergraduate students Mentoring and job shadowing with Black lawyers, judges, and articling students Invitation to attend special workshops, lectures, and other events at U of T Law Admissions and financial aid info sessions for Black students Annual Black Future Lawyers conference Access to a free LSAT prep course

The $1.75 million joint pledge involves fourteen of Canada’s leading law firms

which include: Blakes, BLG, Cassels, Davies, Dentons, Fasken, Goodmans, Gowling WLG, McCarthy Tetrault, McMillan, Norton Rose Fulbright, and Torys. In addition, Scotiabank has contributed $60 000.

Jutta Brunnee, Dean of U of T’s Faculty of Law is aware of many of the financial hurdles and challenges that Black students face who want to pursue a legal education, and he knows this gift will make a big difference, He states, “We know that Black students face systemic hurdles that prevent them from accessing professional school education. It’s important that we have a long-term vision that will help build a consistently strong number of Black students enrolling in law.”

Ikran Jama, who participated in the BFL’s program and recently graduated told U of T magazine that she had reservations about applying to law school until she learned about it online. She states, “It means so much to individu-

als like me who at one point didn’t think law school was a viable pathway. Black Future Lawyers has been very powerful and inspiring.” She was accepted to the U of T’s law school but will delay attending until she completes her study at Oxford University where she was accepted as a Rhodes scholar.

She is interested in pursuing legal studies that involve the overlap of law, migration, and immigration. She notes, “For good reasons, many members of the Black community don’t trust the law or legal institutions. For this to change, we need more Black people to enter the law profession.”

The joint funding pledge by the fourteen law firms is not the only thing that they will be contributing. There will be presenting educational sessions on topics such as business law, professional advancement, networking, and presentation skills. These opportunities will undoubtedly improve the skill sets of future law students.

Through our home delivery service, readers can have each new edition delivered straight to their door, saving them time.

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PAGE 18

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

3 Kilos Vodka Much more then a drink it is a lifestyle SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

“When doing something like this, there is no room for mistakes.”

Steven Spencer • • • • • •

3 Kilos Vodka Salty Caramel 50 mL 3 Kilos Vodka GOLD 1 Shot of Espresso 20 mL Caramel Syrup 10 mL Agave/Simple Syrup Garnish Glass rim with Salt and Cane Sugar and three coffee beans

Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well and strain your cocktail into a glass filled with ice. Garnish salt and sugar rim and cocktail with coffee beans and Enjoy!

It’s the holidays; the time for parties, family gatherings, and gift giving. It is a time for laughter, fun, and some spirits to set the mood. You’ve made the wise decision to pick up something to bring to the family gathering. Your next big decision: What to serve and drink from the incalculable number of bottles and labels strewn across your liquor store shelves.

One of the trending business ventures for top list celebrities is in the spirit industry. A major shift happened when a former Cristal staffer spoke disparagingly about hip-hop embracing the brand in 2006. That led Jay-Z to call for a boycott of the company, and he went on to get involved in the liquor business himself, investing in Armand de Brignac (better known as Ace of Spades).

Think about it; whenever you see a skinny, crystal clear bottle of Cîroc vodka in a liquor store, it’s difficult to separate it from Sean “Diddy” Combs. It’s likely that 95% of the time you see Diddy in public, he’s cradling a bottle of Cîroc.

Of course, we can’t leave out the prince of Toronto, Drake. For those unfamiliar, Virginia Black originally debuted back in 2016 as a partnership between Drake and liquor entrepreneur Brent Hocking. It is advertised as a, “personally selected collection of two, three and four-year bourbon

finished with a touch of decadence.”

Now, I am proud to announce that the Caribbean community in Toronto has a spirit of their own. I had a chance to speak with Stephen Spencer, one of the partners involved in the licensing of 3 Kilos Vodka here in Canada.

3 Kilos is the name of this Dutch vodka that comes in a bottle resembling gold bars. For anyone who has experienced 3 Kilos Vodka, it is much more than a drink it is a lifestyle. This masterfully blended vodka is bottled on site in their signature patented gold bar shape bottles, which assists in shielding the vodka from light deterioration. Made in South Holland, 3 Kilos Vodka consistently delivers the golden standard of quality straight from their distillery into your anxiously awaiting glass.

Vodka Awards “The Fifty Best” has consecutively awarded 3 Kilos Vodka Gold 999.9 the Double Gold Medal for Best Premium Imported Vodka 2017 and Gold Medal for Best Premium Imported Vodka 2016 and 2018. The SIP Awards has awarded 3 Kilos Vodka Gold 999.9 the Double Gold Medal for the best bottle design in 2018.

When I finally had a chance to catch up with Steven, he openly shared with me how the licensing came to be, and the excitement that it has stirred across the GTA

“This started off with one of the partners making an inquiry about this bottle that was brought back from the states,” Steve tells me. “Admittedly, it is very impressive to look at; impressive enough that when someone in Dubai saw it they curiously asked, ‘Where can I get that bottle?’

Carrie Martin, our partners, and myself decided to make a pitch for licensing, and of course we got it. We are now responsible for Africa, the Caribbean, Dubai and Canada. It was a proud moment, especially for the fact that we are one of the only Black owners of a spirit here in Canada. We made a pitch to the LCBO in 2020, and we are actually in the LCBO this year. We are one of the first people of colour to have a bottle in the LCBO.”

CocoGold was their first item to be featured, and they sold out their allotment in early December 2021. 3 Kilos Vodka Coco Gold is a masterfully blended fusion of fresh coconuts and natural flavours with the distinct and refined taste of the five times distilled 3 Kilos Vodka Gold 999.9.

They also have featured 3 Kilos Vodka Gold 999.9. It embodies the purity

and strength of the gold standard set forth by the opening of the US Bullion Depository at Fort Knox in 1937.

The brand has done so well that attracting partnerships was easy.

“We are currently partnering with hoteliers, and high end restaurants throughout the city. We even have a partnership with G98.7. We have plans to get into the Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia markets. In the matter of four months we have done very well.”

Stepping into any new business brings its challenges. Stephen shares with me what many may not know about the spirit industry.

“Getting into the LCBO was no easy feat. We were a new brand, and there are new products being introduced to them every day. Once we were in, we had to deal with pricing, and distribution challenges. Thankfully, the LCBO has worked with us to help move 3 Kilos throughout Ontario. They see the potential in what this product can do and they have been extremely supportive.

COVID-19 had its own impact on the business; the cost of shipping the bottles went up, and we had to include that into our pricing as well. Like any other business, there are challenges, but we have been able to navigate them well”

There is better news for our 3 Kilos fans; they will be introducing Pure Ultra Premium Vodka in 2022. It is amazing to see the success that collaboration can bring; let us all hold up a glass this holiday and say, “Cheers,” to the team at 3 Kilos. You have made your community very proud.

I think we have time for one last drink recipe to try when you pick up your next bottle of 3 Kilos. It is a way to celebrate all the good, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy a relaxing holiday. It isn’t just a drink; it is a community.

• • • • • • •

3 Kilos Vodka Coco Azur 50 mL 3 Kilos Vodka Coco Gold 25 mL Piñaq Blue 30 mL Pineapple Juice 15 mL Blue Curacao 10 mL Lime Juice Garnish with Mint and Coconut Flakes

Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well and strain your cocktail into a tall glass filled with ice.

Garnish with mint and coconut flakes and Enjoy!

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PAGE 20

FEATURE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Photo Credit: Lindsey Macdonald

KWAME OSEI Honouring the dreams of our young Black youth

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time”

He was susceptible to the street culture because he was reared in it. He embraced a perspective on life and future achievements that were on the lower end of the achievement spectrum, common of young men within the urban community where he lived.

While attending Father Henry Carr High School, his passion for football evolved, and he began his football career as a quarterback. In his senior year, he leads the team to their best record in school history. His athletic ability afforded him an opportunity to escape the societal low expectations that society had of him as an African man, and he ended up attending Vanier College in Montreal Quebec. He wanted to upgrade his marks with the hopes of earning an NCAA football scholarship, unfortunately, due to an injury in his final year, he decided to attend St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia instead of pursuing his dream to play NCAA football in the United States.

In 2015 he Co-founded a nonprofit youth mentorship program called Northern Elite Football and is the author of two children’s books. He also cofounded a fitness clothing brand called Triumph Elite in 2014 which currently sponsors two professional athletes. You may have seen him on Season 6 Hero’s edition of the Amazing Race Canada show, and this ignited his thespian spirit.

In 2019, he moved to Kingston, Ontario to be an assistant coach for Queens University, and he became the Receiver Coach and Community Engagement Coordinator for the Queen’s Gaels.

The dreams of our young Black men in Toronto, and around the world matter; their dreams deserve support, and their dream counts. Our Classic Man is helping our young Black men see that whatever they dream of, they are

capable of. Dreams about creating the next tech giant, or running a Fortune 500 company, or opening restaurants, or winning Oscars for directing movies, or becoming real estate tycoons, or being elected president and changing the world, anything is possible, and his story is the perfect illustration of that. I would like to introduce a man who deserves celebration, the talented, resilient Kwame Osei.

“Your potential is the ‘you’ that nobody knows yet”

“I was born in Ghana, West Africa, and moved to Canada when I was four,” Kwame shared. “It was when I met my father for the first time. My dad was in the Navy and was able to go to school abroad, Italy, and then Canada, where he settled in Rexdale, Ontario.

Growing up in Ghana, I did not see anyone who was not Black. I was a happy kid and loved life. I remember walking down the street with my mom, and I saw a White family. I was blown away. I had never seen White people before. When I moved to Canada, it was completely different.

My parents sent me to Catholic school, and it was a negative experience for me. I felt like I didn’t belong. I was not represented anywhere: my books, the language, it left me feeling isolated, unattractive and rejected. I didn’t have positive images of Black men in my life, so I took on the roles of Black men that were perpetrated in the media. I began idolizing and looking up to Black men in my area, and for the wrong reasons.

They had nice things: the women, the clothes. I got myself into some really bad situations. I lost friends to violence, some went to jail; looking back at it, I see that there were some low expectations that were set for me.

Kwame shares with me the story of a teacher, Mrs. Goveia, who started investing in him. Up to this day, she has had

an impact on his life.

“In grade nine, I failed all my classes except gym and drama. I rarely went to school, and if I did, I would just be causing trouble. I admit. I was acting like a real bucket head. In Grade ten, they put me into streamed classes I was actually in ESL. There is no worst feeling. I was embarrassed and again, I felt like I didn’t belong. It is the lowest frequency you can be at. I was going to drop out of school, why bother going?

I remember when she realized that I was not a basic-level student. She let me do general work in basic class and the next year, I moved up to an advanced level. I was struggling because I felt like I wasn’t in the right space. The work was hard. I was getting 50’s or barely passing. Mrs. Goveia, choose to tutor me.

She understood my learning style, and even though she was not my teacher, she helped me.”

Kwame became more confident, and the fact that she invested in him, he decided he would have to do more. He didn’t want to let her down.

“I ended up at Vanier College for two years, and it was in college that I read my first book. “The life at Pi.” I also went to St Francis Xavier University and I graduated with a Kinesiology Degree, and a Bachelor of Education Degree.

I almost got kicked out of university, and in my first year, I got into a really bad car accident. There was a snowstorm, the car lost traction and slid from our lane to the oncoming lane, and then back to our lane. There were no guardrails, and we skidded off the road and ended up in a ditch. All I remember was the silence. I came out of that without a scratch.”

Kwame was still battling his demons, and this came out in his behaviour.

Although he had left the hood, his mentality had still not changed.

“I used to fight a lot in Univer-

sity, and this is one of the reasons that I nearly got kicked out. I nearly lost my arm due to fighting. I got a really bad infection in my hand after I punched a guy in his mouth. It all changed for me after that incident. I knew I had to get my act together, so I became more active in the school. I went from almost being kicked out of the university to being the poster boy of the university.”

Kwame played briefly with the Argonauts, and he tells me that he is grateful for the experience.

“After my time with the Argonauts, I went to Alberta to teach and ended up teaching there for eight years.

I remember being there and being very depressed. I remember going to school and coming home, and something didn’t feel right. I had lost my identity. I didn’t know who I was outside of football.”

Kwame decided to get involved in coaching and working with non-profits, and from there, his life has engaged him in empowering opportunities to connect with young people.

“No one ever told us about all of the other possibilities the world offered.

No one ever made us feel that we could achieve anything and everything we dreamed of. Now, I have the opportunity to do this for this generation of young Black men.”

Photo Credit: Sanj P Photography

Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News

FEATURE

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 25

3 ways to decorate your tree

17 fun holiday themed activities

There are many ways you can style your Christmas tree. Here are some sug­ges­ tions for how you can mix things up this year.

Christmas is fast approaching, but perhaps it doesn’t feel like the holidays yet? Here are some ways you can get into the spirit of the season.

WITH EYE-CATCHING COLOURS Choose one or two bright colours to give your tree’s decor a cohesive look.

Depending on the effect you want to create, you can opt for soft pastels or bold shades like fuchsia and orange.

For a more traditional look, stick with red and white. Blue and silver is also a festive combination.

1. Admire the decorated homes in your neighbourhood 2. Attend a Santa Claus parade 3. Bake cookies and other traditional holiday treats

WITH ELEMENTS OF NATURE If you want to style your tree to have an old-world look, select materials that evoke the great outdoors. Pinecones, birds, holly, deer and feathers, for exam­ ple, all make lovely ornaments. If you

want to try something more daring, consider using slices of dried citrus fruit or pa­per flowers to add a pop of colour.

WITH A NOD TO YOUR INTERESTS Choosing a theme based on one of your passions can make for a one-of-akind tree. For example, if you’re a fan of Harry Potter, you could hang figurines of the characters from branches and top the tree with your own Sorting Hat. Are you a golf fanatic? Look for ornaments that resemble balls and clubs, and make snow­ flakes by gluing together white tees.

Remember, your Christmas tree will be the focal point of your home throughout the holidays. Don’t be afraid to make it stand out.

15 sweet treats to serve this holiday season Do you want to offer your guests a se­ lection of mouth-watering desserts?

Or perhaps you want to serve up a different treat at each holiday event?

In either case, here’s some inspiration:

4. Browse a Christmas market in your area 5. Colour holiday-themed pictures 6. Curl up and watch a Christmas movie 7. Do a puzzle that illustrates a winter scene 8. Donate your time to a local food drive 9. Get creative with your gift wrapping 10. Go pick out your Christmas tree 11. Listen to Christmas songs by your favourite artists 12. Look through old holiday photos 13. Participate in a Christmas craft workshop 14. Read Christmas stories with your family

1. Mashed potato donuts 2. Butter cookies with red and green sprinkles 3. Ice cream yule log 4. Fruit cups with whipped cream 5. Brown sugar pie 6. Salted caramel pretzel bark 7. Candy cane fudge 8. Gingerbread trifle 9. Chocolate mousse 10. Maple cupcakes with buttercream frosting 11. Poor man’s pudding

12. Shortbread cookies 13. Eggnog cheesecake 14. Cranberry pecan pie 15. Chocolate rum truffles Keep in mind that you can either prepare these desserts yourself or pick them up at a local bakery or pastry shop. Enjoy!

How to organize a gift exchange If you want to organize a gift exchange, there are two main ways to go about it, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Here are a few things to consider about each option before you make a decision.

SECRET SANTA For this type of exchange, each participant draws a name to determine who they’ll buy a gift for. If you can’t get every­one together, there are a number of websites and apps that allow you to virtually assign gift-givers without spoiling the surprise.

The advantage of Secret Santa is that by knowing who the recipient is in advance, you can choose a gift the specific person will enjoy. This is particularly appealing if the participants vary widely in age and interests.

15. Take in a seasonal performance (concert, ballet, play, etc.)

16. Visit a museum that has a holiday-themed exhibit 17. Write and send out your holiday cards So, which activity will you start with this year?

Keep in mind, you can also ask each person to provide a few gift suggestions in case they get picked by someone who doesn’t know them very well. However, this does eliminate some element of surprise.

OPEN EXCHANGE If you pick this option, sometimes known as a white elephant gift exchange, all you have to do is set a budget and ask eve­r y­one to bring an unmarked gift that’s likely to appeal to a majority of the group. Consider choosing a theme, such as

home decor, travel or gag gifts, to help people narrow down their selection.

This type of gift exchange is great if you want to make the experience a game. For example, you can have participants select and open a gift one by one, with the option to “steal” an unwrapped gift from someone else. The downside is that some people may be disappointed by what they get. Additionally, depending on who the participants are, it might be hard to find gifts that are universally appealing.

Regardless of which type of exchange you host, be sure to start planning early so participants have enough time to shop for a gift.

HEALTH

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 27

Artificial wombs are a rapidly advancing technology that will change the nature of mammalian reproduction

W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES COMMON SENSE HEALTH

We said goodbye to a beloved seventeen-year-old dog this week. She had rapidly lost quality of life. As sad as it was, few would have any qualms whatsoever with the vet’s provision of humane, painless, and sensible euthanasia, but what’s going on with medical interventions at the great miracle of birth?

It’s no secret that humans commonly push the boundaries of scientific possibility – for better or for worse.

Traditionally, interruptions in the natural birthing process have been overwhelmingly in the “for better” category.

Caesarean sections may not have been a desirable option for women prior to the advent of modern surgical techniques – uterine suturing, for

example – not to mention anaesthesia.

But in the modern era, there can be no doubt that for countless millions of mothers and babies, the C-section has saved their lives.

What is questionable now are the projections, and concerns about Csections are just the start.

A report in the British Medical Journal Global Health states, “By 2030, 28.5% of women worldwide will give birth by CS (38 million caesareans annually).” That figure ranges wildly from place to place, with rates as low as 7.1% in sub-Saharan Africa and as high as 63.4% in Eastern Asia.

In some parts of Africa, rates are skyrocketing. For instance, between 2017 and 2020, data on payouts made to Kenyan hospitals as compensation for birth-related services showed an almost 10,000% increase for C-sections.

The safety of mother and child is the right rationale for decision-making. A Caesarean might be planned to mitigate problem pregnancies, or become an urgent procedure if labour is not progressing and mother or baby is in distress.

A natural birth is the better option for healthy pregnancies. The risks of heavier bleeding, infection, blood clots, surgical errors, and higher complication rates for future pregnancies are part of the story. Slower recovery times after C-sections combine with delays in establishing breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact.

The benefits of “kangaroo care” to the newborn include greater respiratory, temperature, and glucose stability, as well as decreased stress. Mothers and fathers who hold their newborns skin to skin after birth have increased parental attachment, more confidence in caring for their babies and longer breastfeeding duration.

Yet, with one in four births now being Caesarean sections, there is mounting evidence that the medical rationale is being overtaken by a convenience factor. Some doctors report being pressured by patients for C-sections for unjustified reasons – for example, to plan the day of the birth to coincide with a relative’s birthday or to avoid a holiday. Some patients give in to the convenience of doctors’ sched-

ules.

But these issues are child’s play compared to those at the forefront of scientific advances involving birth. Artificial wombs are in development. A study published in Nature Communications in 2017 demonstrated the use of a liquid-filled, plastic apparatus allowing premature lambs an additional four weeks of growth in a simulated womb.

It is only a matter of time. The definition of ectogenesis, the development of an embryo in an artificial environment, used to include the caveat “chiefly in science fiction”. Artificial wombs are a rapidly advancing technology that will change the nature of mammalian reproduction, we humans included.

Parents wondering about the future employment prospects of their children might want to direct them to the study of ethics. We still have time to think this through and put in place a set of rules, but it is a lot easier today to find pioneering scientists than thoughtful ethicists.

Boxing day -Caribbean news.pdf 1 12/20/21 9:37:11 AM

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Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

COMMUNITY

PAGE 29

Reading, mentorship, and life lessons; the building blocks for entrepreneurship DAVID ANDERSON d_anderson@carib101.com

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Have you ever felt stagnate in life? Have you ever felt like you don’t know which direction to head towards or are confused about your purpose in life? I ask because I’ve been there.

Being an entrepreneur is no easy job and it’s easier said than done.

Entrepreneurs have to proactively seek new experiences, feed their souls, and be prepared for new opportunities. Entrepreneurship is a very unpredictable profession because you have decided to not go the traditional route of school and work a 9:00 pm to 5:00 pm job for the rest of your life. In order to manifest our goals in life, we have to feed our souls by reading, speaking to

mentors, gaining feedback from our support system, watching educational podcasts, and listening to interviews.

Literature allows us to expand our minds and see the world from the author’s lens or perspective. As a person who never read a full book until I was twenty-four years old, I can say that once you find the right book you will not let it go. For me, it was ’48 Laws of Power’ by Robert Greene. This book is what opened my mind to the world. This is not a book on entrepreneurship, but it talks about power. How to get power, how others attain(ed) power, how to manipulate situations, and people become powerful.

This book opened my eyes to how humans think, and I was able to reflect back on my life. Each chapter brought light to a dark and confusing situations. Robert Greene insists the book was created to understand power, so we can become successful.

After reading this book I read ‘Hustle Harder Hustle Smarter’ by 50 Cent. This book is highly recommended for people who are embarking on a proper use journey and have the right support system around them.

Many of us are visual learners. There is a reason why we watch television or go on our computers more than we read the newspaper or talk to one another in person. Even when I was in school, I was always able to retain information better when it was visual, and examples were provided. Interviews and podcasts serve as a visual resource we can learn from. Every informative podcast I watch has to do with: business, self-care, mental health, physical health, communication, relationships, and partnerships. These are all topics entrepreneurs need to be privy to. Watching celebrities, influencers, and role models speak about the journey. Their journeys involve struggle, support, opportunities, success, and failures. This normalizes any feelings we have or had as an entrepreneur and motivates us to keep going.

Finding the right mentor is easier said than done, however. The relationship requires the same trust and chemistry found in close friendships, as it requires you to be comfortable sharing some of your deepest concerns. Network constantly and relentlessly. A fifteen-minute chat over lunch could lead to a lifetime of invaluable guid-

ance. As an entrepreneur, it is important to have a mentor you can bounce ideas off of.

Mentors serve as a compass that will help you navigate the journey of entrepreneurship. Seek advice early and often when you have a mentor that believes in you and your business.

If we hope to impact others, we must be able to walk in their shoes. Entrepreneurs are so caught up in their own lives they forget to learn from others. We need to use our eyes and ears more than our mouths.

We do not know everything but must be open to listening to a homeless man if need be. This man can provide valuable lessons on how not to become like him. In the same breath this man may have a great deal of wisdom in other fields but was not able to capitalize on them. Do you remember the movie ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’ with Will Smith? That man showed persistence, read a lot of books, and was educated. This led to the opportunity of his dreams, and it was a success from there despite his personal and financial issues.

Thank you for reading entrepreneurial minds.

PAGE 30

LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

The year in retrospect and how to make the most of the coming year DANIEL COLE

daniel@carib101.com

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

“One thing’s for sure. If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting. One definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results.”

Stephen R. Covey Do you know that the only thing new in the coming year is just the change in the calendar? The winter and summer season is not changing. COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon. In fact, a new COVID variant may actually be discovered in the coming year. Job creation may not improve that much. Countries are still going to impose more travel bans on one another. Hatred, racism, discrimination is not going to be

eradicated in 2022.

I do not mean to sound pessimistic; these are just the harsh realities we all need to live with irrespectively of our optimistic or pessimistic view of things. When you observe life closely, you will realize that so many things don’t really change that much; Either a new phrase is used to describe an already existing occurrence or it’s just a recycled story, but in reality, nothing much is new.

I believe that the only thing new in any new year is the “New You” coming to the new calendar. Reflect for a moment and ask yourself:

same experience in ten years does not have ten years of experience, but one experience repeated in ten years. Before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, take inventory of this year and document the things you did well, your breakthroughs and the process or events that led to them.

Socrates has rightly said, an unexamined life is not worth living.

When you live a principle-centered life, success or failure are always predictable. Here are a few principles I will recommend you adopt in the coming year.

They are not new, and you probably know them already, but take it as a reminder.

•

•

• • • •

What will you do differently in 2022, given all the drama in 2021?

What have you tried this year that didn’t work out?

What has held you back this year?

What has brought you the greatest pain this year?

How are you going to make sure that you don’t repeat the same mistakes in the new year?

We are bound to repeat the histories we don’t learn from. A person repeating the

•

Practice goal setting: Zig Ziglar has rightly said, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” Goals are like a compass that guides us through life, without goals, we go through life drifting. If you don’t set goals, you leave the outcomes of your life to luck and random chance. Be intentional and decisive about what you want in 2022.

Don’t procrastinate: Don’t postpone till tomorrow what you can do today.

The currency of life is time. Don’t waste it. Don’t do the easy thing first and

•

•

don’t do the hard things first, do the first thing first. Stop pushing important things away; it will cost you dearly.

Stop complaining about the things you cannot change: There are certain things in life beyond your control, don’t complain about them. If you cannot change the direction of the wind, you need to learn to adjust your sail. In the words of the great Jim Rohn, “Don’t wish things were easier, wish you were stronger.”

Build meaningful relationships: We don’t always rise to the level of our intelligence; we rise to the quality of relationships. Relationships are one of your greatest assets; build strategic relationships that are helpful, productive, meaningful and purposeful.

Les Brown says, “Always practice OQP (Only Quality People).” You see, there is no do-over, this is it. Value people but invest time and effort in building quality relationships.

I wish you a great new year, filled with joy and happiness.

LIFE

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

Why are you sharing your trauma Simone?

Reasons behind the “Reliving your past trauma,” Series SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com

HUMAN SPECIALIST

We have all experienced adversity—most of us will go through some pretty tough times at some point in our lives. Hey, since March 2020, we have been living a pretty chaotic existence. Whether it was fear of the unknown, lockdowns, vaccines, not seeing family, or isolation, one way or another, this pandemic has brought humanity to a standstill, but you know what I have learned? Humans have a remarkable capacity to bounce back after dealing with suffering. Even more impressively, when we bounce back, we are usually stronger than we were before.

The only issue is what to do during these times of unbearable pain. How do you get to the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel? One way that I have found to move through it is by writing. Emotional, autobiographical storytelling is a path to truly owning your story. I have found solace in knowing that my pain, the suffering that has become part of my journey, has now

become a manifesto of assistance for the African/Canadian community in Toronto and in the African Diaspora.

There is so much to autobiographical storytelling that needs to be overstood.

Research shows that even brief autobiographical storytelling exercises can have substantial impacts on psychological and physical health even months after you have shared your story. I have experienced the power of oral storytelling. It is a major tool in many interventions developed by African healers, and everyone can remember a story that an elder shared with you.

Do you remember how they looked when they shared their story? There is always a far away gaze in their eyes as their story transports them back to another time.

Now, I want you to understand something; you don’t have to be an incredible writer to tell your story. You don’t have to keep a journal that you feel obligated to write in every day. Even writing on just one or two days, if you really put yourself into it, can have significant psychological benefits.

As Africans living in the diaspora, we have fought to have our voices amplified, and to what avail? Police are still shooting black men everyday, our jails are still disproportionately filled with Africans and the Indigenous, poverty and oppression are still experienced and exasperated levels. How do we find our voice in all of this? Well, another well-known benefit of

storytelling is finding, and amplifying your own voice. What does it mean to “find your voice?” It means learning how to express yourself and learning how to think about what has happened in your life in a way that makes sense.

It is true that many of the events in our lives are random, unconnected, tragic and heart wrenching. From a psychological point of view, however, I do not think about them that way. What has helped me is to think of my life story as having a beginning, middle, and an end. I think about how the various events—even the bad ones—have become part of a journey toward the person I am evolving into, and how these stories do not define who I am.

I believe it is something that does make me very different from my peers; I have spent the time analyzing my life and putting it all in perspective. What has allowed me to achieve my resilience? I have found my voice, shared my story, and reaffirmed my values. This has brought me a level of peace that I did not have ten years ago.

My message to readers, find your voice by sharing your story. It might be embarrassing, triggering, shameful, but guess what, you are not the only one who feels this way. I will continue to share my experiences with the world because I know that one day, my story will become a starting place of healing for someone.

Close the door on your fears, your dreams don’t live there GARCIA AKUA

garcia@carib101.com

COSMIC CORNER

Greetings cosmic family!! I can’t believe this is the last article of the year!

2021 is almost complete. Many are getting ready to set intentions and resolutions for 2022, but before we get there let’s do a recap of what we have learned.

This year pushed us to dig deeper into who we truly are, it was a year of determining our truth. Truth is shaped by our perceptions of reality, we all perceive differently, therefore our truths may differ from another. We were challenged with owning our truth while respectfully leaving others to honour theirs.

Based on our truth, we were given the opportunity to express ourselves and build community with those who were in alignment with what we perceive as our truth. Our goals, dreams and aspirations are heavily influenced by the people we have around us. They either speak life into our dreams, or they stifle us with their projected fears. The community we choose to be a part of has a lot to say about who we are and what we value. How and with whom we spend our time has a lot more to say about us than our words. As the saying

goes “Actions speak louder than words.”

This year was a lesson in aligning our truth with who we say we are. The Full Moon on December 19th illuminated the energy of closure. Oftentimes we seek closure from other people, whether it’s awaiting an overdue apology or an explanation of what went wrong. However sometimes the closure we seek is not realistic in that the person we are seeking it from. We keep ourselves in an emotional limbo awaiting something that may never happen. We have to seek alternative ways to bring ourselves the closure we need and desire.

The last Full Moon took place in Gemini, the sign of the twins. Gemini is the sign of communication and community. Ruled by Mercury, the planet of thought and communication, there is a heavy emphasis on the way we express ourselves. With Gemini being the twins, we are encouraged to speak with ourselves first about who we truly are and how we choose to express that. We can validate our own thoughts and experiences, bringing the much-needed closure we seek. We can acknowledge the painful chapters of our lives knowing we can change the narrative and drop a plot twist at any moment of our lives. We are the authors of our truth. We decide how the story gets told.

Venus, the planet of love, relationships, finances and values, will begin its retrograde journey on December 19th, 2021, as well. When a planet goes retrograde as we have discussed before, it’s a call to slow down and reflect on the areas that the planet influences. We are being called to reflect and reassess the value we place on

our relationships and finances. Venus also rules our self-worth; we will also need to review how worthy we feel we truly are for the life we truly want to live. Venus will be retrograde until January 29th, 2022. We are ending the year in reflection and beginning the year the same way. Before we rush into setting new intentions and resolutions the cosmos is saying slow down and reflect!

We have grown tremendously in the last two years. We have had to find strength that we did not know or believe we had. We have endured endless lockdowns that not only impacted our finances, but our relationships as well as our mental health. We are not the same people we were entering in 2021, we therefore need to reflect and adjust our values to align with our current truth.

2022 will be a year for the dreamers who dare to wake up and act on their visions. We can stay trapped in illusions of fear or we can lean on our newfound strength and stand on our truth.

Jupiter will move into Pisces on December 28th, ushering in spiritual prosperity for those aligned with their spiritual truth. Jupiter expands it does not discriminate! Slow down, reflect on your lessons learned. Celebrate your wins. Adjust your boundaries and hold yourself accountable to your values. If you are standing on your truth, 2022 will expand your truth. If you are stuck in confusion, or doubt, yours, or someone else’s projection, 2022 will expand just that.

Close the door on your fears, your dreams no longer live there.

PAGE 31

LIFE

PAGE 32

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Ministry of Education provides rapid COVID-19 tests for students without guidance or specific instructions on how to use them PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

YOUTH EDUCATION

The Ontario government announced in late October that Ontario students in public schools would be provided with rapid COVID-19 antigen tests that could be used over the winter holiday break. However, key questions about rapid COVID-19 testsincluding how, where, and even when to get them, continue to confound politicians and regular citizens alike.

There has been much support for giving out the standardized “test to stay”

program to students before the winter break. The article revealed that Ontario’s science table indicated on Thursday, December 9th, 2021, that voluntary screening with the rapid COVID-19 test would curtail the transmission in younger kids, even in the midst of the prevalence of the Delta variant.

The guidance that was released recommends that if there is a threshold of thirty-five cases per 100,000 per week then there should be voluntary testing of both vaccinated and unvaccinated people every week. This would ensure that students who are asymptomatic would remain in school even if there were positive cases.

This would be the benefit of the “test to stay” program, which would ensure that students continue their daily schooling without interruption.

There has been some controversy regarding whether rapid testing would make a difference in keeping students in

the classrooms if they were asymptomatic and unvaccinated. Public health officials have noted the fact that these tests are relatively inexpensive, easily done, and less accurate than the PCR test. Many have expressed concerns about the lack of guidance that these students have been given when they take the five rapid tests home for the winter break. Students should be able to perform the rapid tests during the break and before their return to school in the New Year.

Dr Barry Pakes, Medical Officer of Health for York Region states, “If (testing) is in the hands of everyone, which is great, and makes people feel much, much better and much more in control, what that does is, unfortunately, open up opportunities to break that case and contact management.”

There are concerns that if the rapid test results in positive results, it may potentially prevent them from going ahead and doing the PCR test, which would give

more accurate and relevant information for public health officials. Several Toronto doctors expressed their support for testing students as a way to ensure that they will continue to make academic and social improvements, which will be impacted if there is a lockdown.

Dr Alanna Golden, a primary care physician, extols the benefits of rapid tests as providing the same advantages by curtailing the transmission of COVID-19 identical to isolation. She references the results of a study from Lancet, which examined 201 schools in England and found out that daily testing and isolation were comparative to curtail the same level of transmission. Dr Golden states,” No one is going to say it’s perfect No one’s going to say that we’re not going to miss one positive COVID case. Nothing is perfect, but at the end of the day, everything is a risk-benefit analysis.”

LIFE

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 33

J. Ellis, destined for something great!

GLORIA O’KOYE gloria@carib101.com

CREATIVE SPEAK

I met J. Ellis in an art program we were both attending, and I remembered that it was his ambitious spirit and drive that had landed him on the big screen. During the art program, J. Ellis made sure he networked with like-minded individuals. His motivation to network and to see people around him succeed stood out to me, because the entertainment industry is known to have crab in a bucket mentality. I reached out to J. Ellis to speak a bit about his journey.

“Tell me,” I began, “Who is Jamaal Ellis?

What is your backstory?”

“My name is Jamaal Ellis, twenty-seven years old, I am the youngest out of three siblings. I was born in North York Hospital and was raised around the Kipling area.

Growing up, I was surrounded by talented people that probably didn’t recognize their talent. I always knew I was destined for something great and didn’t want to fall short of achieving greatness for my own life.”

“What inspired you to pursue a career in acting?”

“I have always wanted to be an actor. I think it started in grade seven. I was inspired after I did my first short film. Being in front of the camera motivated me to pursue it more, which eventually landed me in a movie role. Building on my craft and doing something that I love also led me to bigger roles. I use every opportunity and execute and develop, always leading me into so-

The teenage years: a survival guide for parents Do you feel that your relationship with your teenager only involves fights, disagreements and mood swings? Has the sweet little baby you held in your arms just a few years ago turned into a monster? Don’t worry; the path your child is taking towards adulthood is actually normal.

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Adolescence is punctuated by extreme hormonal changes, which cause physical as well as psychological and social transformations.

If you find this stage to be a difficult one, don’t forget that for your teenager, it’s an overwhelming and exhausting time in their lives. But while teenagers are searching to figure out who they are and trying to redefine their identities, parents may also feel overwhelmed by events. It’s not easy to stay calm when you’re rebuffed morning, noon and night. Here are a few survival tips to help you through these tough times.

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Encourage dialogue. Whether you agree or disagree with what your teenagers say, listen to them with love and respect.

Set firm limits that must be honoured.

Explain the reasons behind them, and be consistent. Your teens need supervision.

Don’t dramatize small conflicts. Give your teens space to have their feelings.

Trust them, but don’t hesitate to express your concern if necessary.

Talk to other parents about what you’re experiencing in order to get some reassurance.

Some issues, if they come up, require a bit of advice and support from a third party: violence, eating disorders, extreme isolation or drug and alcohol abuse. But if that isn’t the case for you right now, just take a deep breath and look to the future with optimism. After all, you pro­ bably made your parents feel exactly the same way.

mething new.”

“What were some of the challenges that you encountered during your creative journey and how did you overcome them?”

“Some of the challenges I faced on my journey was doing self-tapes and memorizing scripts. How I overcame both of these was asking both Directors Carlos & David how to: memorize scripts, how to work with lighting, background, tone of voice, etc. I took all this feedback and applied it to my work. This improved my self-tapes. I would record myself reading the script and play it back in the car while I was driving.

That helped me a lot too.”

“Do you feel supported by family, friends, and the community?”

“I do feel support from my family, especially my mom. She is super proud of all the new projects I am involved in and what I have accomplished. We watch MOK every

Sunday together. My friends, certain people will show love, while certain other folks just watch from afar. As far as the community, I think I feel that I need more recognition like an award, for more people to tune in or have that right opportunity where the public can’t miss me, whether it’s on TV, commercial, or print.”

“Could you share with us some of your highlights and accomplishments?”

“One of my goals was to be in a commercial before the year was done, and as of December 2nd , 2021, I wrapped up on my fourth commercial. That is one of my biggest accomplishments so far. I did three commercials in November alone: the 8th, 17th, and the 26th. That’s one of my biggest highlights so far, Kelsey’s original Roadhouse being one of my favourites.”

You can check out J. Ellis’s Instagram handle at @J.ellisintl to stay up to date with what he is up to.

Being a grandparent is a learning process Generally speaking, today’s families have fewer children than was the case with previous generations. That means many grandparents now have fewer grandchildren to shower with love. This can be great for some kids, who benefit from receiving more adult attention.

However, today’s grandparents must beware of certain pitfalls.

Well, you might think so, but that may not neces­sa­rily be the case. Beco­ming intrusive is one of the pitfalls grand­parents can fall into.

Without any bad intentions on their part, and often with­­out even rea­lizing it, grandparents can be considered as in­vasive. Advice turns into criticism, and conflicts arise because they want to get too involved.

If you’re among those who know the joys of having grandchildren, there’s a safe bet that you’re already involved in the whole adventure. Always ready to look after them or pick them up after school, you have lots of fun spending time with them at every opportunity. You even go to lend a hand without being asked.

Before you assume that you’re playing your role as grandparent to perfection, think about asking the parents what they expect from you. Listen to them, respect them and do not lay blame. But you shouldn’t be afraid to express your own needs as well. Just remember that raising and disciplining children are the parents’ responsibilities. Ultimately, it’s your grandchildren who will benefit from the oasis of love and har­mony you create, both parents and grandparents together.

It sounds like a win-win situation for every­ one concerned: parents, children and you.

PAGE 34

LIFE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Are you open to receiving?

TARA MYSHRALL tara@carib101.com

COMPELLED TO CHANGE As a driven woman that has always been focused on results, it has been difficult for me to open up to receiving the pleasures of life. For many years, I associated pleasure with something that was outside of my experience. Pleasure and celebration were bi-products of meeting a particular goal, accolade or award. The path to experience that pleasure was to grind and achieve, to

give and to perform. Then there would be pleasure, and I would only be available to receive it after I had met the goal.

This year I’ve learned the power of pleasure and the importance of it on our journey to our goals. We can sometimes think we can do it all on our own and we don’t need anything from anyone.

I now understand that wholeness comes from the belief that the yin and yang, the giving and the receiving are both important. As women we are meant to receive, it is our birthright. And we have the ability to receive more than just accolades for what we are doing and achieving. To fully express our femininity we have to be willing to receive from our headspace and our heart space. We have to be open to receiving love, pleasure and intimacy.

I felt a huge shift when I decided to open my heart to pleasure. It started with

small things. Being able to enjoy a piece of chocolate. Experiencing the pleasure of sitting and listening to what my body needed. Giving myself space to explore what is present right now, instead of being constantly driven by the need to perform in the masculine achieving mind.

Being available to receive is as important as generously giving. If we are always giving and unable to receive, then there is an imbalance which causes suffering, stress or overwhelm.

This realization is game-changing and it doesn’t mean just opening up to receiving from another but opening up to receiving from ourselves and the universe.

Many women block their ability to receive because they think they aren’t worthy or they put limitations on what they can receive. How much do we cut ourselves off from the joy of giving because we are

not able to believe that we deserve good things and good experiences in our lives.

Take yourself out and experience the pleasure of your own company. Buy yourself flowers and enjoy their beauty and smell and the energy they bring to your space. Dance around your house to sexy music and feel the pleasure of being in your own body.

When you start to open up to being able to receive from yourself, you also start to open up to being able to receive in general. You believe that you are worthy of receiving. You open yourself up to feel that love and acceptance and pleasure. And as you open to it, you will vibrate at a whole different frequency and attract into your life exactly what you are destined to receive. How can you open to receiving more in the New Year?

The importance of creating wholesome workplaces NELISA DLAMINI

nelisa@carib101.com

PIONEERING WOMEN A wholesome workplace is a healthy workplace that is conducive to good health and well-being. In the past two years, having the pandemic hit and changing what we consider “normal,” that state of wholesomeness has been somewhat put at risk. However, even with our paradigms being disrupted, we still can intentionally create wholesome workplaces.

Wholesome work environments are not only beneficial for employees but also add massive value to teams and the company. Such workplaces are ideal as it fosters productivity and efficiency. Employees that are motivated and satisfied

add more value to your company. A Gallup report states that engaged and thriving employees are 59% less likely to leave their jobs, thus increasing your retention. In addition, engaged employees work more productively.

How do I create a wholesome workplace?

Invest in development: Leaders need to embrace up skilling of their workforce. We live in a dynamic world and the future of work is constantly going through a metamorphosis. Many jobs in the future will be automated and thus become obsolete. That may cause many employees to be uncertain about their future and thus dissatisfied. As a leader, you can map out a development plan for your team that will focus on them learning new technologies that are future-focused and relevant, cultivating job-specific competencies and effective leadership skills like building strategies, effective communication, and navigating complex problems. Including coaching and mentoring in the develop-

Darling, my mother’s coming for the weekend Do you get along well with your in-laws? According to experts, difficulty with the inlaws 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-in-law 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 behaviour. And it is equally important that each spouse not denigrate his or her partner in

ment plan will amplify the effectiveness of the desired results and mentors are able to nurture personal leadership skills while peer-to-peer coaching can help enhance functional skills.

Cultivate a culture of well being: As a leader, you need to promote and model a holistic lifestyle where emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual health is a priority. A healthy work-life balance should be the norm and not a luxury. You can cultivate a culture of well-being in the workplace by having incentives for exercising or healthy eating. Get creative with this and you may even choose to have a well-being champion on your team who creates different rewards for healthy living. To support their mental well-being, find out if your company offers resources for depression and mental health issues. If not, find out if this is something they can invest in and ensure the psychological safety of their employees. Enhancing and nurturing wellbeing is a process and because it is, it is good practice to regularly check in with

Creating healthy workspaces is a leading trend that should be embraced because it not only benefits the individual employees, but it adds great value to the company and the leaders.

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.

front of parents or in-laws, especially when the relationship may be adversarial.

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.

Create a safe space to experiment: In order to be ready for the future, you must be willing to test and learn and the only way to learn is to, in fact, experiment.

Many of the disruptions that have occurred in different industries were successful because the leaders embraced an experimenter’s mind-set. Experimenting allows you to learn, adapt and pivot. You can allow your team to experiment in product development, new market expansion, product renovation, and more. Of course, you will need to create boundaries around the experimenting. In his book Great by Choice, Jim Collins says first you learn to fire bullets before you fire a cannonball.

Multiple births, multiple challenges

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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.

your team from a well-being point of view and encourage meaningful conversations.

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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 after 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

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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.

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

REAL ESTATE

PAGE 35

How good is your pre-built condo contract?

JAY BRIJPAUL brijpaul@carib101.com

REAL ESTATE PRO

The run-away real estate market spurred many buyers to buy pre-built condos hoping that by the time they are ready to take possession, their equity will have increased. This would give them a head start in the real estate purchase race. Usually, condo projects are advertised in advance before being built. Many of the units are pre-sold before construction begins. This is a requirement for financing. In some cases, builders are cancelling the original purchase of sale contracts with the buyers and returning their deposit unless those buyers are willing to pay a higher price.

Buried in the fine print of the sales agreement is an escape window that allow builders to cancel their contract with the buyer of a unit. In essence, it states that if the builder cannot arrange satisfactory financing for the project, then they can cancel your agreement of purchase and sale.

Recently, many buyers who bought the 70 Phase 1 units of Pace’s Mapleview development in Barrie, known as Urban North Townhomes, between 2018-2020 and were given two options. The first is to cancel their contract and have their deposit returned or the second, to amend the original contract, increasing the purchase price by $100,000.

Many of these buyers are walking away from the transaction because with the increase in price is unsustainable. Some sold their homes in 2018 and moved in with relatives hoping to save. Now they are many

laps behind. If they had kept their homes, they could have taken advantage of the surge in home prices. These buyers are left stranded and helpless.

When purchasing new construction, there is a deposit structure where the buyer will pay a certain amount of deposit on a specific date. If the buyer gives the deposit on a later date than the scheduled date, the builder can charge a fee which may be substantial. For some who are struggling to reach the deposit deadline, they could receive the amount they need for the deposit minus the fees.

Some builders are pointing at the pandemic for the drastic increase in prices. With the lockdown, the labor force has become scarce and with scarcity there has been an increase in wages. The cost of building materials has risen tremendously. In this case, the builder claims that they cannot arrange satisfactory financing and the sale between the buyer and the builder becomes null and void. What would have happened if the property price had dropped instead? Could the buyer walk away with their deposit? The answer is a resounding no. As we can see, greed is the primary motivator. In 2017, when the condo project went for sale, the average house price was about $500,000. This has increased to around $900,000. It is fruitless to take legal action against the builder because the purchase of sale contract is made by the builder, for the builder. This raises a very important point; when buying a newly built, have your contract reviewed by a real estate lawyer before committing.

Newly builds fall under the umbrella of the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA). Buyers who have a concern can file a complaint with HCRA. The fines are, however, a slap on the wrist.

For misconduct, the developer may be warned or asked to do a course. In a worsecase scenario, they could be issued with a fine of $25,000 or could have their license revoked.

Things can get worse. In an assignment sale, for example, the original buyer sells the purchase of sale agreement (the contract) for a profit. The new buyer buys the contract with the escape clause that benefits the builder. If the builder changes course and increases the sale price, the second buyer(assignee) can be in a financial and legal mess; paying money to the assignor for the contract and then to the developer. If he chooses the option not to proceed with the sale, the deposit money from the builder would be refunded but the money paid for the contract is in dispute. After all, an assignment is really the purchase of a contract. If you are planning

on buying an assignment (contract), then it is best to do so when the building is being built. Another option is to insert a clause in the assignment contract to protect you in the event the builder increases the price.

With preconstruction condos, there is no guarantee. If the price of the suite increases exponentially before being built, developers have the capability to increase their price. This in turn would erode the buyer’s profitability. On the other hand, buying a purchase and sale agreement through an assignment can result in a fatal financial blow. Always look at the developer’s track record.

Reputable builders are in it for the long haul, and most will honour their original contract. Without risk, there is little reward. If you are buying a pre-built condo, then hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

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PAGE 36

HOME

How to paint vinyl siding One easy and affordable way to refresh your home’s exterior is to paint your siding. If you have vinyl siding, however, there are spe­cific steps you’ll need to follow. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

1. Choose the right paint. Use a 100% acrylic paint. It offers superior adhesion, is easy to apply and provides long-lasting results.

2. Clean the siding. Before painting it, make sure the surface is extremely clean. This will improve adhesion and help provide an even finish. Use a damp cloth or a hose to remove any dirt and debris. To avoid da­maging the siding, make sure you don’t use steel wool, a wire brush or anything abrasive.

3. Prepare the area. Remove shutters and exterior decorations, cut back bushes and trees that might get in the way and cover up anything you don’t want to get paint on (doors, windows, trim, hardware, etc.).

4. Apply the paint. Using a roller or brush, begin by painting inside corners and around trim. Next, move onto the walls. For best results, allow the paint to dry as directed by the manufacturer, and then apply a second coat.

Depending on the colour and condition of your siding, you may need to apply a primer before painting. Don’t hesitate to ask your local paint specialist for advice.

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

How to install a vapour barrier If you’re constructing a wall, building an addition or finishing your basement, installing a vapour barrier is a must. This thin layer of impermeable material, typically polyethylene sheeting, is designed to keep your home dry. Here are a few installation tips.

• Always install the vapour barrier on the inner side of the wall (the surface facing your living area) as it experiences hotter, moister conditions than the outside wall.

A vapour barrier for the ceiling is also a must.

• Start in one corner and work your way around the room allowing the vapour

barrier to hang down from the top framing sill. Once you’ve made it across the wall or around the room, al­low for a fair amount of overlap in the corner where you started to create a tight seal.

• Make sure you seal cracks and holes in the wall. This will block any air gaps. Also, use an acoustic spray-foam or sealant tape to waterproof spaces around windows, doors, electrical outlets and light fixtures.

Keep in mind that incorrectly installing a vapour barrier can lead to moisture problems and the need for costly to repairs.

For this reason, it may be best to leave this job to a professional.

FUN

Wednesday, December 22, 2021 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News

PAGE 37

WEEK OF DECEMBER 19 TO DECEMBER 25, 2021

ARIES

The luckiest signs this week: VIRGO, LIBRA AND SCORPIO

Even if you didn’t anticipate it, festivities will take place at your home and you’ll have a lot of preparations to make. You’ll need to be delicate and tactful when dealing with a few of your relatives.

TAURUS

You’ll put on some kind of show. At work, you’ll receive recognition for an achievement. When it comes to matters of the heart, remember that it’s a magi­cal time for marriage proposals.

PUZZLE NO. 751 ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 751

HOW TO PLAY :

GEMINI

Even if you try to stick to a budget, your generosity will prevail and you’ll spoil your loved ones. You could be faced with an unexpected expense. Fortuna­tely, there’ll be plenty of extra work to go around.

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

CANCER

You’ll be the person who puts a smile on everyone’s face. Use caution when running errands. You might consider buying a new car as a Christmas present to yourself.

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.

LEO

You might make it to the end of the year feeling exhausted. A healthy diet should help you regain your strength and give you the energy you need to enjoy your time off.

VIRGO

PUZZLE NO. 41 member 49. Tenderizing sauce 53. Type of club 54. Have bills 55. Square or granny 56. South America’s Cape ____ 57. Day before Thur.

58. Religious order 59. Duos

ACROSS 1. Vulgar 5. All the ____ 9. Famed boxer 12. Cafe sign 13. Amino ____ 14. Sermon subject 15. Male swine 16. Elongate

18. Enroll for military service 20. London drink 21. Mattress part 23. Craftier 27. Auto repairer 31. Strong emotion 32. Lumberjack’s tool

33. Equals 35. Fasten with string 36. Heal 38. Icy missile 40. Fall flower 42. Wound’s leftover 43. Tyke 45. Round Table

DOWN 1. Kimono, for one 2. Once ____ a time 3. Negotiate 4. Fortify 5. Soup accompaniment 6. ____ in the hole 7. Coin-making factory 8. Boundaries 9. Burnt wood 10. Be deceptive 11. Bed-andbreakfast, e.g.

17. Not short 19. Suds maker 22. Mortgages 24. Tad 25. Rotten 26. Totter

27. “I Remember ____” 28. Former spouses 29. Small coin 30. Frontiersman Davy ____ 34. Kind of dive 37. Snack store 39. Brilliant 41. Soldiers’ standings 44. Copenhagen native 46. Radiate

47. Leading man 48. Change for a twenty, perhaps 49. Trim grass 50. Dumbfound 51. Cincinnati player 52. Physician, briefly

ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 41

You’ll suggest new activities to do as a family over the holiday season. You’ll book plane tickets, a hotel and excursions at the last minute so that you can spend quality time together in an enchanting environment.

LIBRA

Avoid waiting until the last minute to get things done, both at work and in terms of your holiday preparations. It’s a good idea to let loose, enjoy the mo­ment and accept that not everything can be perfect.

SCORPIO

At work, you’ll participate in a gift exchange. Among your family, you’ll be surprised to find that everyone has ac­cepted your invitation and your home will be packed for the holidays.

SAGITTARIUS

At work, your boss will ask a lot of you just before you’re set to take time off. A lot of responsibilities will fall on your shoulders, and some of the people who were supposed to help won’t be around.

CAPRICORN

Take a break from your responsibilities to sort out the concerns that are on your mind. This will leave you with a clear head to have fun and go on an adven­ture. You’ll give more attention to your relationship.

AQUARIUS

Against all odds, your boss will give you new responsibilities that look suspi­ciously like a promotion. You’ll get the raise to go with it.

The path to personal and professional success, however, is still hidden from you.

PISCES

If you’re single, you’ll be surprised to meet someone new at this time of year. Your people skills will help you find a solution to a family conflict and ensure harmony throughout the holidays.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING

the free

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LAND IN BARBADOS: Sale 15922 SF of land in Drax Hall Hope in St George Barbados. Quit area, Private. Call 246-249-7774 LAND FOR SALE: 1/2 acre in Jamaica. Swabys Hope District adjoining Spur Tree Manchester, 30 mins to Mandeville. Call Maureen 905-676-9451 What App 416-4710461 FOR SALE IN BARBADOS: Barbados building land for sale 43000 sq ft near ocean, industrial hall, St. Philip. Roger Morris 905-270-8793

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Must speak English and can drive to areas in the GTA. Call or Text 647-239-4808. Seriou calls only

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Drivers needed for: • Scarborough/Pickering/ Ajax • North York/Rexdale/ Malton • Brampton/Mississauga Driver must have SUV or Van. Call 647-722-6298 to apply.

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SALES REPS WANTED

FOR SALE WORSHIP SUNDAY SERVICE: Fountain of Truth Ministries Pastor: Reverend Maxine Campbell Worship Address: 2170 Kipling Avenue, Etobicoke Percy Johnson School – Cafeteria Sundays: 10.am – 2. pm Teaching, Worship, Ministering For info call: 416 748 0211 MISSISSAUGA: Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church invites you to join us at 1620 Dundas St West, each Sunday at 10am for praise, worship and in-depth Bible teaching with Pastor Sean, 416-219-9137

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PAGE 40

FINANCE

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Make estate planning a priority!

CLEVE DeSOUZA cleve@carib101.com

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Having a plan is important. It is especially important in times of challenge and uncertainty, like facing the death of a close family member. While most people don’t want to think about making plans for their own death, it really should be done to protect the ones you love after you are gone. Here are some key reasons why estate planning is important. #1 - To Protect Minor Children The thought of someone else raising your child can be brutal, but there is some peace of mind in knowing that you had a say in choosing that person, should the unthinkable happen to you. Without estate planning, specifically naming guardians for minor children, the decision on who is granted conservatorship is largely left up to the probate courts, which most people do not prefer.

In addition to knowing your children would be in the best hands you could choose, the estate planning process gives you an opportunity to allocate assets to your children and set up restrictions for ac-

cess to these assets. This helps to protect them financially and ensure that their inheritance would be kept safe until they are of a proper age to manage it. #2 - To Make Hard Decisions Easier No decision is harder to make for a child, spouse, or other close family member than the ones concerning an incapacitated or deceased loved one. When you opt for estate planning and include a living will as part of the process, at least there is some certainty of what your wishes are in those worst-case scenarios. Things like advanced medical directives, end of life care options, organ donation desires, and burial preferences should all be included.

In addition to these key decision areas, some people go a step further, including their wishes for much smaller items. If you have a certain song you would like performed at your funeral, a specific minister you wish to oversee the ceremony, or a pet that you would want to go to a particular person, these instructions could be included as well. #3 - To Reduce Tax Liabilities There is a saying, accredited to Benjamin Franklin, that “…in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” While most people chuckle, acknowledging the truth of this quote, when a family is faced with both in the same season, it is anything but comical. Estate planning, though, can help make the tax burden for your family as minimal as possible.

How many stories are there of a surviving family member who is forced to sell real estate or assets that have been in the family for years in order to pay inheritance taxes. While there will almost always be something that will be taxed upon transfer, taking a proactive approach ahead of time can really make a huge difference when you are gone. #4 - To Keep the Peace The last thing a person wants is for their family’s relationships to deteriorate because of feuds that arise over an estate.

While it may not seem like your loving children would be the type to start a decade long fight over who gets your coin collection, don’t let it even be an option.

By taking the time to list out who you are giving what assets to, you will be quelling family strife before it can even start. This can be especially important if you have ever been divorced and remarried, or if you have a combination of biological and stepchildren that you leave behind.

Don’t Put Off Estate Planning!

Now that you can see why estate planning is critically important, make it a priority while you still can. While no one plans to die soon, there is also no guarantee of tomorrow. Once you have created an initial plan, be sure to revisit it every year or so to make any updates or revisions that may be needed.

Financial tips for new parents If you recently welcomed a new member to your family, you may be feeling some degree of financial stress. To avoid money woes, now and in the future, make sure to do the following.

•

•

Have an emergency fund. Ideally, your emergency fund should contain at least three months’ worth of living expenses. This will ensure you can provide for your family in the event you fall ill, get into an accident or lose your job.

Review your budget. In some cases, you may need to make changes to your budget (for example, if one partner is no longer earning an income).

Therefore, it’s a good idea to reassess

•

•

your cash inflow versus outflow and make any necessary adjustments.

Start saving now. If possible, start putting aside money for your child’s education right away. Compare different contribution plans so you can choose the one that offers the most benefits.

Focus on cutting costs. There are many ways to save on the items you need for your baby. For example, it may be more cost-effective to purchase reusable diapers than disposable ones. In addition, you might want to purchase big-ticket items like the stroller and crib second-hand.

For more personalized advice, consult a financial expert in your region.

Peel Regional Police News Your access to the latest alerts, media releases, crime statistics, podcasts and more.

PAGE 42

AUTOMOTIVE

Summer vs. winter windshield washer fluid The type of windshield washer fluid you use should vary by season. This is because each type has unique properties that are designed for specific weather conditions.

Here’s what you should know about windshield washer fluid for summer and winter.

Summer windshield washer fluid Summer windshield washer fluid contains specially formulated cleaning agents for a streak-free shine. In addition, it effectively removes bugs, dust and dirt from your wind­shield to ensure you can see clearly at all times. However, this type of washer fluid is not suitable for use in winter, as it’s likely to freeze.

Winter windshield washer fluid Winter windshield washer fluid contains de-icer, which makes it effective at cleaning your windshield even if the temperature dips to -40 C. This fluid won’t form ice crystals on your windshield or freeze in your tank. However, you should avoid using it during the summer as it contains a lot of methanol. This substance easily evaporates in warm weather and can therefore increase your VOC emissions if you use it year-round.

Finally, not all windshield washer fluids are created equal. For example, some have water-repellent properties to keep your wind­ shield clear when it rains. Keep in mind that you can save money by purchasing a high-quality product, as you won’t have to use as much of it.

Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, December 22, 2021

4 car sounds that could be cause for concern You don’t have to worry about most noises coming from your vehicle. However, here are four unusual sounds that deserve your attention.

1. Screeching If you hear a high-pitched screeching sound when you start your car or accelerate, you may have a loose or misaligned belt. How¬ever, if you notice this sound when braking, your brake pads probably need to be replaced.

2. Slamming A clunking or slamming sound that occurs every time you drive over a speed bump or uneven roadway could be an indication that your suspension is shot.

3. Rubbing If your steering wheel suddenly veers to one side and you hear a dull rubbing or flapping sound coming from one side of your vehicle, chances are you have a flat tire.

4. Rumbling Does your engine backfire when you accelerate? Does your vehicle suddenly seem unbearably loud? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you probably need a new muffler.

From whistling and rattling to squealing and humming, there are a lot of sounds your vehicle can make when you drive.

While most car noises are benign, it’s best to take your vehicle to a professional to make sure.