The Water Crisis

GAETANE VERNA

The Queen of the Art World

It is only fitting that the Power Plant honours Director and Artistic Director Gaetane Verna for her significant contributions and outstanding work in increasing the stature of this world-class public gallery. She has been at the helm since March 2012 and during this time she has done a lot to build the profile, brand, and image of this contemporary art gallery. As the first woman, Black and BIPOC leader of a contemporary art gallery, she will be remembered for her bold artistic vision by featuring creative and innovative artists from Canada and all over the world.

Prior to her appointment, she was the Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Musee d’art Joliette from 20062012 in Montreal, Quebec. In addition, she served as the Curator from 1999 to 2006 of the Foreman Art Gallery of Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, Quebec. In addition, she has taught at the Department of Art History and the Universite de Quebec a Montreal.

Verna has served in several leadership capacities on different boards, such as: the Board of the Canada Council of the Arts, TV5 Quebec and the Toronto Arts Council’s Board of Directors, where she was the former President. In addition, she is one of the founders of the Black Curators Forum and serves on the Advisory Committee of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Art of Global Africa and on Diaspora, the Advisory Board of the Institute for the Study of Canadian Slavery at NASCAD University as well as the Advisory Committee of the Mosaic Institute. She was recognized in 2017 by the French government for her role in promoting the arts in France and around the world by being appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters).

In my interview with Gaetane on Thursday, September 1st, she shared many details about her time at the Power Plant. She told me that it has a budget of $4.8 million with a staff of about 45

people. She shared with me the unique partnership between the Harbourfront Centre and the Power Plant. She is proud that she has been able to develop a diverse leadership team as opposed to the homogeneous one at Harbourfront. She is excited by the increase in the number of sponsors that have been added to the Power Plant since her commencement. In addition, the Power Plant offers fellowships since 2013 and has seen five persons of diverse backgrounds pass through it within the last two years. These individuals Gaetane assured me have gone on to accomplish great things.

Gaetane recalls the many challenges and hurdles she faced due to racism and sexism, yet she overcame them. She told me that many saw the high turnover at the Power Plant as a reflection of her leadership, but she believes that the low salaries offered to these workers were a deterrent to keeping them. Many of them have gone on to work for art galleries all over the world and she still has relationships with them. The Power Plant served as a great incubator for their talents and they developed their leadership skills through the mentorship opportunities that it provided to them.

She believes that one of her strengths was getting to know the community. She told me, “We create our communities. This is done by getting to know the diverse, multi-faceted and cultural matrix of the richness of all communities.” In her quest to know the wealth of communities, and engage in communal self-creation she interacted with diverse stakeholders. She was a founder of the Black Curators Forum and one of her defining moments at the Power Plant was “Unfinished Conversations.” This has been very impactful.

Verna has been committed to ensuring that the Power Plant maintains a touring exhibition. This has resulted in greater exposure of exhibitions not just in Can

ada, but worldwide as well. Her artistcentered approach ensured that both Canadian and international artists were able to showcase major works of arts through its commissioning program.

Verna’s achievements were celebrated by the Power Plant early in 2022 and her last day will be September 16th. She was honoured for her transformational leadership that made the Power Plant an open and engaging space that generates conversations and addresses issues important to the community. She will be taking on her new role as the Executive Director of the Wexner Center for the Arts (The Wex) at Ohio University.

“It has been a privilege and honour to serve as the Director and Artistic Director of the Power Plant, a leading contemporary art gallery recognized for its ground-breaking exhibitions and programming for more than a decade. I would like to thank everyone who has made a contribution to the institution, from the artists, our supporters, and our donors, to our passionate Board of Directors and the talented team at the Power Plant who have made this important work possible.”

Anyone interested in learning about The Power Plant can check the following: Website: thepowerplant.org Facebook: @ThePowerPlantTO Twitter: @ThePowerPlantTO Instagram: @ThePowerPlantT LinkedIn:@ThePowerPlantTO Tiktok:@ThePowerPlantTO

Written by Paul Junor Toronto Caribbean News

“You

Should Trust The Experts!” How gas lighting became the norm in Western society

Thankfully, there were independent media outlets and some truly independent experts that questioned the validity of the underlying evidence. In swift fashion, their voices got suppressed. Then came the rise of the dubious “fact checkers” organizations who eagerly enforced official guidelines and throttled or censored anyone who was not parroting the information that was so readily found on all sources of media.

“You should trust the experts.”

“You’re not a scientist.”

“I knew you’d resort to conspiracy theories.”

“Stay home, save lives!”

“It’s just a mask!”

Throughout the pandemic, there have been incredibly pervasive and destructive tactics used in Western politics that filtered into society, and became prevalent in discussions happening in: homes, workplaces, between friends, and between family members. Phrases like the ones shared above have two purposes: silencing you, and controlling the competing narrative.

For the last two and a half years, we have been living in a perpetual state of gas lighting. There were those individuals who looked at the propagated ‘Reality’ that the media reported, which was at complete odds with what many of us were experiencing. It has come to the point that anyone who questions the reality that mainstream media, and our global governments present, are vilified as dissenters, conspiracy theorists, or just plain crazy.

Gas lighting has become the norm in Western societies. It is meant to make you doubt yourself, doubt your sensibility; at the centre of it is psychological coercion, not the truth, or intellectual discourse.

It is highly desirable and crucial to question motives, critique experts, and think for yourself; this is the very basis of critical thinking. When critical thinking does not happen, the force of the crowd prevails, and disastrous actions can occur. We have been told to blindly trust our experts, without the ability to substantively test their recommendations.

What is gaslighting?

The story behind this word is interesting, and when you take in the story, a lot of what many of you have felt is going to make complete sense. The term originates from the systematic psychological manipulation of a victim by her husband in Patrick Hamilton’s 1938 play Gas Light (film adaptations released in 1940 & 1944).

In the story, the husband attempts to convince his wife and others that she’s insane by manipulating small elements of their environment and insisting she’s re -

membering things incorrectly or delusional when she points out the changes.

The play’s title alludes to how the abusive husband slowly dims the gas lights in their home but pretends nothing has changed, in an effort to make his wife doubt her own perceptions. The wife repeatedly asks her husband to confirm her perceptions about the dimmed lights, but in defiance of

reality, he keeps insisting the lights are the same – and that she is going insane. It is important to innerstand what you have been feeling, and please, don’t be too hard on people who have made you feel like this. They have clouded minds, which have clouded their judgment.

I say, “Trust yourself!” Trust your eyes over what you’re told.

Brampton hosts the first ever International Drumming Festival to showcase Afro

and Latin Caribbean Music, Culture, and Dance

It will certainly be an unforgettable evening on Saturday, September 17th, 2022, when The Rose Brampton comes alive with the music, culture and dance at the first-ever Flow Fest. The event is billed as “Brampton International Drumming Festival”, and will be headlined by The Larnell Lewis Band and The Joy Lapps Project. Larnell Lewis is a Grammy Award-winning, Bramptonraised, musician, composer, and educator. Joy Lapps is a Grammy-nominated musician, composer, educator, artist, creative consultant, and visionary leader. Larnell Lewis and Joy Lapps are married to each other and have two children together. They lead a musical fusion of Afro-Caribbean and jazz ensembles sure to bring audiences’ hearts together as one.

Joy obtained a Master’s in Music Composition from York University and her proficiency with the tenor pan is recognized internationally. She activates spaces for community building and creative expression. The awardwinning instrumentalist of Antiguan and Barbudian descent treats the steelpan as a tool for engagement, anchoring her artistry in a profound, community-centered musical tradition. She aims to amplify women’s contributions in every facet of her work, giving necessary attention to women of the steelpan movement.

Larnell studied at Humber College and is currently a Full-Time Professor of Music at the Lakeshore Campus. He has performed with the well-known Pan Fantasy Steelband. He is a talented drummer who has been recognized for his outstanding musicianship. He

worked with: the Brooklyn-based jazz fusion band Snarky Puppy, Molly Johnson, Laila Biali and Quincy Jones. He is described as one of the most indemand drummers internationally and has won two Grammy awards for his work with Snarky Puppy.

I interviewed Larnell and Joy on Friday, September 9th, regarding their participation in the Flow Fest in Brampton. They told me that the City of Brampton approached them about taking part in this annual event. They were asked to provide artistic direction and headline the inaugural festival. They were seen as influencers and cultural leaders that can make a positive difference in the city. The language of music provides a means to connect people and foster a love of community that can elevate the artistic community and build intergenerational bridges.

Larnell believes that it is important to establish ourselves as a community by establishing a space where creativity can be fostered through shared partnerships. He hopes to encourage the concept of being in a flow state. Both Larnell and Joy believe this flagship event will be the start of many that capture the musical talents that are present both in the city and internationally.

Flow Fest will feature Ngoma and Drum Ensemble, one of Canada’s first youth-led world music ensembles. Ngoma means both drum and dance, as drumming and dancing are commonly done together. This talented group has captivated audiences throughout Toronto and the GTA along with several communities in: Eastern Ontario, Ghana West Africa, and the Caribbean.

Joshua Lucas, an event visionary and owner of Avalanche Productions will be the host DJ for the evening.

Saturday’s event will also feature: piano duo Dayramir Gonzalez (piano) and Joaquin Nunez Hidalgo (percussionist), the Fiyah Brigade and the Flow Fest Percussionist Ensemble.

SADS: “Sudden Adult

Death

Syndrome” Could it be the side effects of a certain injection?

MICHAEL THOMAS

michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

Young, fit, and dead seem to be what we are seeing in abundance lately. From star athletes to university students, even doctors and nobody seems able to point out why, however, these children and even adults must have something in common, could it be the side effects of “a certain injection?” Let’s find out.

One particular place that has been hit hard is Indiana University. When two young ladies 18 and 20 showed up dead at the morgue, autopsy Doctor Joanie Stalcup, turned to law enforcement, and asked if they knew what was going on.

One seemed like she died of an asthma attack and the other was found dead by her roommate at their apartment. Her autopsy results said she died of a cold, but something did not sit well with their age and these sudden deaths according to Stalcup.

Stalcup had this to say in connection with the deaths of the young girls, “In my opinion, it was unusual because they were around the same age and had similar stories that surrounded their deaths,” she said. “However, there was nothing suspicious found in the autopsies. There was nothing in their cause of death that was suspicious. It’s just odd.”

In all, three Indiana University students died suddenly about a year ago and so did a member of the Indiana University Board of Trustees. As if that was not enough, two paramedics in the area and a couple of college students who attended other universities nearby also died.

Of the two paramedics who died, one slumped over in the ambulance after he had massive chest pains, and the other suffered a similar fate, a massive heart attack. It is important to note that both died while in the company of other first responders who rendered immediate assistance, but to no avail.

That was Indiana in the US, now

let’s move back to Toronto and take a look at what’s happening here with SADS.

According to a nurse who also works in Canada’s Trillium Health PartnersMississauga Hospital in Toronto, three Canadian doctors died within two weeks after a 4th COVID booster shot for employees started at the hospital. The cause of death for these doctors is yet to be announced.

The three physicians who died the same week are: Dr. Lorne Segall (July 17th), Dr. Stephen McKenzie (July 18th), and Dr. Jakub Sawicki (July 21st). In a statement, the hospital claimed that the social media rumor that their deaths were related to the COVID-19 injection is “simply not true.”

More Canadian Doctors died suddenly. Dr. Paul Hannam, the Chief of Emergency Medicine and Program Medical Director at North York General Hospital (NYGH), died unexpectedly on Saturday while out for a run, according to his colleagues.

Then Dr. Candace Nayman, 27, a resident at McMaster Children Hospital in Hamilton and also a triathlete, also died this week “unexpectedly”, the announcement said. The 27-year-old, who was a resident doctor at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, collapsed while swimming as she competed in a triathlon.

There is more, 44-year-old family physician Dr. Shahriar Jalali Mazlouman from Saskatchewan “died unexpectedly” on July 23rd. According to various reports, Mazlouman was found dead at a local swimming pool in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan.

The list of evidence is enormous; Jason Jenkins Miami Dolphins Senior Vice President died “suddenly” at 47, in the movie world, actress and model Charlbi Dean died suddenly. She was 32. In sports, captain of the junior hockey team in Ayr, Ontario Eli Palfreyman died during the game; he was just 19.

In closing, it is important to note that hospitals, universities, colleges and even sports arenas were mandated to be “out of bounds” for un-injected people, while even some celebrities were pushing a certain injection too.

I can go on; recently official stats find the leading cause of death in Alberta is ...you guessed it “causes unknown.”

”Water is essential for our basic human needs. It plays a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, in the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, and is crucial for economic development. Water must therefore be at the centre of any strategy to achieve Agenda 2030.”

SIWI – Leading Expert in Water Governance

A mom lifts a large metal pot up to the sink and turns on the tap. The water is crisp, cold and clear, but it isn’t clean. When the pot is nearly full, she puts it on the stove to boil. She has to boil it, because it is the only way that she can give it to her family. This has become part of her morning routine.

If she does not do this, her family is at the risk of suffering through flu-like symptoms, diarrhea and vomiting. Like many in her community, she has lived under a, “boil water” advisory for decades. Alarmingly, this story is not uncommon, and it is happening right here in North America.

For the fortunate members of our population, we expect that when we turn on our taps, we are going to get clean water, so that we can live life. Many of us in the West use water with no regard; we take clean water for granted because it has always been there.

According to water.org, 771 million people – 1 in 10 – lack access to safe water and 1.7 billion people – 1 in 4 – lack access to a toilet. A nationwide assess-

ment revealed that around 15 million Americans experience a water shutoff; that is one out of every 20 households across the country. The water crisis has now become a health crisis with nearly one million people dying each year from water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases, which could have been reduced with access to safe water or sanitation.

How is it that in the world’s largest economy, millions of people are having their water shut-off? How is it that in the Great Lakes region — home to upwards of 20% of the world’s surface freshwater, has thousands of people who do not have access to affordable water?

As with most dire, societal situations that have been kept concealed, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed this humanitarian crisis that is afflicting millions of people across the world — the lack of safe, affordable water. What is truly disturbing is that our global leaders are responsible for the inadequate investment in global water infrastructures.

I do want to make a note here before I go any further: I want you to re-read the quote at the very beginning of this article. What I have found is that whenever the media begins to push a message, there is always something lurking in the background, something that is going unsaid. The mention of Agenda 2030 does raise some alarms.

Let’s get back to this story. At this point, I want to share with you some of the horror stories that exist right here in North America.

Jackson Mississippi, USA

Jackson Mississippi has been facing a water crisis for some time now. Reports have come out that say it is a combination of: poor infrastructure, climate change and racism that have contributed to water issues that exist there, and now heavy rainfalls have left close to 150,000 residents without access to safe drinking water.

from rainfall has caused pump failures for the primary water treatment plant, creating water shortages for two major hospitals and the Jackson Public School District.

Once again, it is the African American community that has had to deal with the fallout of this crisis. Little has been done to restore a deteriorating water system in Jackson, which is 82% African American. Extreme weather patterns are now exposing the role racist infrastructure plays in contributing to unequal water systems across the country, in communities that are majority Black.

New Mexico

Reports have revealed that a city in New Mexico has about 20 days of fresh water left, and officials there are scrambling to find another source to prevent cancercausing particles from flowing out of faucets.

The hillsides around Las Vegas, New Mexico, were scorched by the state’s largest recorded wildfire, which burned more than 340,000 acres. This was followed by an unusually wet monsoon season, which brought significant rainfall. As much as this would have been reason for celebration, it led to another disaster.

The rainfall washed the charred debris in the region’s water system, and now, one of the city’s two reservoirs is filled with contaminated water that the current filtration system cannot handle. It has become a health risk. When carbon reacts with high levels of chlorine used to treat water, it can become carcinogenic.

Arizona, USA

the Bureau of Reclamation declared its first-ever water shortage, cutting more than 500,000 acre-feet of water going to Arizona. An acre-foot of water would generally supply three average Phoenix households with water for a year.

Canada

Canada is one of the wealthiest countries in the world that is also rich in water. Despite the fact that Canada has the world’s third largest per-capita freshwater reserve, the water many Indigenous communities depend on is contaminated, difficult to access, or at risk due to faulty treatment systems. This kind of water contamination has caused detrimental health effects ranging from the serious risk of cancers to gastrointestinal disorders.

What are the reasons that have been provided for the shortages that we are seeing here in North America?

The reasons given vary. One claim is that it is due to persistent environmental degradation. Some other claims are that it is due to: toxic chemical pollution, farm runoff from fertilizer and animal waste, as well as mining contaminants. Water is a basic human need and essential to prevent the spread of disease. The stories that are being reported here in the West and around the world are heart breaking. Our most vulnerable communities have to decide whether to wash their hands, cook their dinner or bath their child.

Access to safe water can protect and save lives, just because it’s there. Access to safe water has the power to turn time spent into time saved. Access to safe water can turn problems into potential: unlocking education, economic prosperity, and improved health.

I am not sure that this water crisis is a coincidence; something is amiss, and I hope that more people do not have to suffer, especially if this is part of a larger, and more sinister agenda.

As recent as July 2022 the city was under a boil-water notice due to high levels of turbidity (cloudiness). Flooding

The Arizona water shortage started in 2021 and was just the beginning of an on-going crisis in the region, as induced droughts and heat waves have driven water levels at Lake Mead and the Colorado River to plummet. Arizonans are now restricted on how much water they could use and the situation has only become worse over time.

It should be noted that in 2021,

Why are we still subjecting our children to the COVID-19 vaccine? VAERS reports over 1,000 adverse events in children under 5 years old

PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

There has been so much interesting data that has been released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on its weekly Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). VAERS is the primary source of information that is authorized by the U.S federal government to report adverse vaccine reactions in America.

According to the website: vaers. hhs.gov, it is a national early warning system to detect possible safety problems in U.S licensed vaccines. It is co-managed by the CDC and the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The website notes it is a passive reporting system, meaning it relies on individuals to send in reports of their experiences to CDC and FDA. It was started in 1990 and is not designed to determine if a vaccine caused a health problem, but is especially useful for detecting unusual or unexpected patterns of

adverse event reporting that might indicate a possible safety problem with a vaccine.

The primary objectives of VAERS are to:

• Detect new unusual or rare vaccine adverse events

• Monitor increases in known adverse events

• Identify potential risk factors for types of adverse events

• Assess the safety of newly licensed vaccines

• Determine and address possible reporting clusters

• Recognize persistent safe-use problems and administration errors

• Provide a national safety monitoring system that extends to the entire general population for response to public health emergencies such as a large-scale

• Pandemic influenza vaccination problem

It was on June 18th, 2022 that the CDC reported in a press release that CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky accepted the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation that all children six months through five years of age should receive a COVID-19 vaccine to better protect them from COVID-19.

An editorial in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) by Sonia Saxena, Helen Skirrow and Kate Wighton published on July 28th, 2022, revealed additional details. The editorial states that an estimated 25 children died from COVID-19 in the UK during the first year of the pandemic, of which 19 had significant medical issues or limiting health conditions. Overall, there was a low death rate for children under 12.

The media has reported on the overestimation of death among children by the CDC. On March 15th, 2022, they corrected the number of deaths reducing it by 70,000. It made the corrections due to its own rigorous quality control measures.

VAERS data from December 14th, 2020, to August 5th, 2022, for 6-month to 5-year-old show:

• 2,975 adverse events, including 140 cases rated as serious and five reported deaths

• Four reports of myocarditis and pericarditis (heart inflammation)

The CDC uses a narrowed case definition of “myocarditis” which excludes cases of cardiac arrest, ischemic strokes and death due to heart problems that occur before one has the chance to go to the emergency department

• 20 reports of blood clotting disorders

• 38 reports of seizures

Furthermore, Zachary Stieber reported for The Epoch Times on September 2nd, 2022 that “As of August 21st, 2022 996 non-serious reports have been entered into the VAERS for children four or younger who received a Pfizer vaccine, and children five or younger who received a Moderna vaccine (reported by Dr Tom Shimabukuro on September 1st).

Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder, and president of the National Vaccine Information Center expressed concerns about why details of the serious events were not described.

He told Epoch Times in an email, “Those details should not have been left out of the information released by ACIP [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] and the public.”

There are concerns that the number of adverse cases reported to VAERS is not reflective of the real number in reality. Fisher states, “Even though not every adverse event reported to VAERS is causally related to vaccination, it is also true that one CDC-funded study estimated that less than one per cent of vaccine adverse events that occur are reported to VAERS.”

Can’t afford oxtail or goat meat; don’t worry! You can curry crickets!

SIMONE SMITH

simone@carib101.com TC

For all my meat eaters out there, your lifestyle is about to get a little more expensive, and guess what? Our government is looking to replace meat with insects. Yep! You heard me insects. Let’s take a look at what is going on here.

According to some “experts” rearing livestock and growing crops to feed them has destroyed more tropical forest, and killed more than any other industry. The claim is that animal agriculture produces vast quantities of greenhouse gas

It has been over six years since August 1st, has been recognized as Emancipation Day in Canada. This is the day that marked the anniversary of the Slavery Abolition Act, which came into effect in all British colonies in 1834. In Ontario, it gained recognition in 2008, and in March 2021, that MPs in the House of Commons voted to recognize it in Canada. Dewitt Lee III, Founder, and Chairman of Emancipation Month have been instrumental in pushing the province to go beyond just a day and recognizing

emissions and pollution.

They say that the environmental consequences are so profound that the world cannot meet climate goals and keep ecosystems intact without rich countries reducing their consumption of beef, pork and chicken.

Therefore, in order to slash emissions, slow the loss of biodiversity and secure food for a growing world population, there must be a change in the way meat and dairy is made and consumed.

Media companies have been promoting this campaign more than ever. Fast Company Sunday wrote, “It’s time for a meat tax. To meet our climate goals, we need to stop eating so much meat. More expensive burgers could change people’s eating behaviours, protect the planet, and even make other food more affordable.”

“A meat tax is probably inevitable,” echoed The Conversation.

Phoebe Weston (The Guardian), chimed in with, “A meat tax, or sin taxes

would be more effective. A meat tax would mainly incentivise manufacturers to put less meat in products (eg, a sausage might have 60% meat instead of 70%), but there is no government appetite for it.”

Wales Online for MSN.com warns, “Experts say to prepare yourself for a steep meat tax.”

When the mainstream media starts to push something we all need to be worried, and you know what comes next? The science.

Research published in the Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, considered how an environmental tax on meat could work.

“Our calculations suggest that the average retail price for meat in highincome countries would need to increase by 35%-56% for beef, 25% for poultry, and 19% for lamb and pork to reflect the environmental costs of their production. In the UK, where the average price for a 200g beefsteak is around £2.80, consumers

would pay between £3.80 and £4.30 at the checkout instead.”

Well, what are all the meat eaters going to eat? Well our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has invested taxpayer money in “insect protein.” According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, “Our government is investing $8.5 million in a new production plant that will produce cricket protein for pet and human food. The facility will be run by Aspire Food Group, whose vision is to celebrate, innovate, and advance responsible farming and healthy eating of insects.”

London Ontario will be the home of our new insect factory, and is expected to house four billion crickets and produce 13 million kilograms of cricket protein per year.

You heard it Canadians. This is what our government has in store for us. I guess in Canada, it is the year of the cricket. Happy chirping!

the entire month of August as Emancipation Month.

It was mainly through his work and several MPPs in the Ontario Legislature such as: Mitzie Hunter, Laura Mae Lindo, Andrea Khanjin and Mike Schreiner that on December 9th, 2021, Ontario passed Bill 75. Emancipation Month is a time of healing, unification and restoration. It is about eliminating discrimination, by continuing to educate and advance the importance of racial equity across the province. Emancipation Month will help build a more inclusive province, where everyone is treated with fairness, respect, and dignity.

In the City of Toronto, the Black Liberation flag was raised to mark the start of Emancipation Month and Mayor John Tory was on hand. He states, “This month, as we reflect upon the ongoing global efforts to abolish slavery’s legacies. It is critical that we all acknowledge the persistent impact of colonial legacies, and the unwavering spirit of resistance and targeted

universalism that continues to fuel the complete liberation of African-Canadians.”

Over the month of August, there have been several events, activities, and occurrences that recognize the contributions, success, and strengths of Black Canadians.

On Wednesday, August 31st, 2022, a closing ceremony was held at Queen’s Park. It is fitting that this day is also the last day of Emancipation Month. The mission is to: unite, empower and mobilize people of African descent around the world to find our: common bonds, common destiny, and our own ‘commonwealth.’

I spoke with Dewitt Lee on Sunday, September 4th, 2022, and he updated me on details about the closing ceremony. He told me that Jean Augustine, as well as MPPs Jill Andrew and Mitzie Hunter were present, and the former president of the Ontario Black History Society helped to raise the flag. In attendance, were recipients of the Marcus Garvey Leadership Awards, many official dignitaries, officials

and community individuals.

Dewitt mentioned that the conversation continues, as September is the month of Independence. He states, “We are encouraging everyone to find their family. We are encouraging them to do a DNA test.” This would help individuals to trace their family lineage and connect their roots to Africa, the motherland, and the origin of civilization.

On August 31st, 2022, Dewitt Lee spoke to the community via Facebook, “Today, I held in my hands the signed and approved Bill 75, which I requested and coauthored to make August forever @Emancipationmonth in Ontario. The process of this bill shocked the world, but that’s what God will do when you are in his will. The amount of fight and fright I had to overcome with faith is a Hollywood production in the making and I know exactly from the town who will be filming it!”

A deep discussion on Iiliteracy, the current education crisis, and possible solutions!

SIMONE SMITH

simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The topic of illiteracy is not a topic that is discussed readily, due to the fact that like other sensitive topics, there is a stigma that goes along with it. You don’t know it, but you might know someone who is illiterate, and they have done such a great job hiding it, that you have blindly overlooked the fact that they carry with them a deep sense of shame.

There are signs that you might have missed; now that you are reflecting, have you noticed these behaviours in someone that you are close with:

• They often find excuses to read material given to them

• They prefer to memorize information rather than write it down

• They forget to show up for meetings despite written confirmations

• They regularly ask someone to write for them

You might be thinking, “We live in North America, a developed country that has public and private school establishments.

In many ways Peel District School Board, which has been under public scrutiny and the eyes of the Ministry of Education, has been attempting to think of creative ways to deal with systemic racism, especially anti-Black racism. The review of the board on February 28th, 2020, resulted in specific recommendations that focused on: anti-Black racism, systemic discrimination, board leadership, and governance issues. Currently, the board is in compliance with the 27 binding directions that the Ministry of Education issued on March 13th, 2020. At the June 2022 Board of Trustees meeting, the board approved an

Of course everyone can read, or at least has the opportunity, right?” Unfortunately, research shows that education has reached the crisis stage in North America. Of course, the situation isn’t new; it has developed over a period of decades. Believe me when I say that this isn’t news to people who have been paying attention to what’s been going on in our society.

September 8th, 2022, was #NationalLiteracyDay and reports now show that a staggering 54% of US adults have a literacy level below the 6th grade, and 48% of Canadians are below the high school level. That number is indeed eye opening and goes to show us that there is something amiss when it comes to the education that is being provided to our children.

Sometimes it just happens; life is what it is, people fall through the cracks, and they do not have the chance to have a fulfilling educational experience. If you have not been through it, you will not understand the embarrassment and shame that comes with not being able to read. You won’t know how negatively it impacts a person’s thoughts, and behaviour. The person is conscious of their inability, and to them, they have failed to comply with social norms. They fear that others won’t view them as highly as a result. The ensuing embarrassment may be accompanied by feelings of awkwardness, exposure, shame, guilt, or regret.

It is a very awkward feeling when you are embarrassed about something;

your fight-or-flight response kicks; so imagine if you can being continuously placed in situations where you feel this need to defend yourself; it can be tacking, so individuals who are functionally illiterate avoid situations that make them fearful, because all it does is increase the chance of: embarrassment, shame, and anxiety reoccurring.

As much as someone may try to avoid reading, it eventually will catch up with them and this is why I want to introduce a helpful solution. The best way to deal with illiteracy is head on, and a great way to do this is to make reading and learning fun.

I came across Mrs Wordsmith (https://us.mrswordsmith.com/) a company dedicated to gamifying literacy and making learning fun. They have done this by making games that evoke laughter and fun, and something that can be done as a family activity. The great thing about learning this way is there is excitement when playing a mobile game, because it produces an “active state” in the brain, making it especially receptive to learning. The more fun kids and adults have, the more they retain what they are presented with.

There have been studies done that support the idea of gamifying literacy; (Kapp, 2012) (Abrams and Walsh, 2014) noted that learners benefit from instant feedback and increased engagement, as well as boosted self-esteem and feelings of satisfaction when challenges

Uncle Ben strikes again; Food Banks Canada collaborates with everyone’s favourite uncle

Anti-racism Policy and Black Student Success Strategy (BSSS), which can be seen at its website: https://www.peelsschools.org.

The Anti-racism policy is intended to continue to create an education system that better reflects and serves an increasingly diverse student population while disrupting all forms of systemic racial discrimination. The BSSS “acknowledge, accept and act on the PDSB’s moral and legal responsibility to create and sustain environments free from racism, racial discrimination, harassment and microaggressions.

On Sunday, September 4th, 2022, a press release from the PDSB revealed that the board will be partnering with the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) to launch a pilot program geared to students in Grade 11/12. Specifically, it will be geared to students who self-identify as Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean to direct them into the Support, Engage, Experience (SEE@UTM) program. The two high schools are Meadowvale Secondary school and Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School.

release, “We are so excited about the potential this has to elevate Black students, allowing them to explore different educational pathways and discover new skills and opportunities. It shows how a commitment to mentorship and strong collaboration can help students flourish. University of Mississauga has been an incredible partner throughout as we worked together to co-create a positive, inclusive and nurturing environment for Peel students.”

are overcome. People learn better when they interact with new words in a variety of stimulating contexts, accompanied by movement, images, and sounds.

(Shoukry et al. 2015) found that mobile games are especially effective as educational tools because they present bite-sized chunks of curriculum in a context that feels natural and familiar to players. Through games, learning becomes a part of the learner’s life in a way that they look forward to rather than avoid.

I checked out their website and decided to try some of their games with the students I work with. I found that they were effective in teaching new words, in a fun way. It is not invasive, which makes it perfect for adults! Blah Blah Blah Phonics Card Game is definitely a game that you can play with your family, and I also experimented with Storyteller’s Word a Day. It is a creative booklet of 180 outside-of-thebox words for anything life throws your way! It was created in a way to develop word understanding and awareness, with: synonyms, word pairs, story starters and more!

Ms Wordsmith most recently announced a partnership with Roblox coming in 2023 that will take the gamified learning experience even further!

There are solutions to any problem that life throws at us, all we have to do is recognize the problem, issue, or challenge, and search for the answers. Life can be simple, let’s stop making it hard.

engage in an on-campus co-op experience with over 20 UTM academic, student service and administrative departments, giving them a behind the scenes glimpse into how a university operates and supports student success.”

Students who participate in the pilot program will be awarded two Ontario Secondary School Diploma credits and half of a university credit which can be used towards a bachelor’s degree at U of T, or any other post-secondary institution. Dr Sheilza Ibrahim as well as Dr Wanja Gitari will be the instructors who will guide the students on topics that intersect Science and the Social Sciences. These topics will have applications in STEM fields and will help students who plan on pursuing careers in science, engineering and math through a real-life and problem-solving approach. In addition, the students will be exposed to experiential learning opportunities at UTM and regular peer-to-peer mentoring by senior UTM students while they are present on campus.

Rashmi Swarup, Director of Education for the PDSB states in the press

Jessica Silver, Director, Student Engagement of UTM states in the press release, “The UTM is committed to ensuring that students from communities who are typically underrepresented in universities see and experience UTM as a place where they can thrive. This partnership with the Peel District School Board will welcome 21 students who self-identify as Black, African and Afro-Caribbean as both PDSB and UTM students this fall. We will build their confidence in their abilities to pursue post-secondary education and, through mentorship with upper-year UTM students, we will demystify the university student experience, so they know they belong here. The PDSB students will also

Tin foil hat wearers now vindicated by the CDC; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reverse its COVID-19 guidelines

MICHAEL THOMAS

michael@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

After almost three years of cancelling citizens who voiced their concerns, pulling doctor’s licenses, and destroying countless people’s businesses and careers, the wheels are now slowly coming off the COVID wagon, or so it seems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC has recently decided to reverse most of its COVID guidelines, proving what even-minded folks were saying all along and that simply all these restrictions, business closures and lockdowns were just unnecessary drama.

Here is where the present situation around the COVID guidelines is at the moment according to the CDC.

The CDC is now advocating for taking personal responsibility and for everyone to decide for themselves “Which prevention behaviours to use and when depending on their risk.”

The CDC is also giving up on discrimination based on their injection status, and they also admit natural immunity exists and works.

Testing is now reserved for those who are symptomatic, or sick persons who have a known or suspected exposure to someone with COVID-19.

Why this huge U-turn you may ask? Let us just stick to the facts for now.

As more and more people make the link between getting sick and their relatives even dying due to this injection, they are looking for answers and reporting this to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting (VAERS).

This is no laughing matter; top Doctor Peter McCullough said, “Every time I do a VAERS report I do so under the threat of imprisonment if I am found to be falsifying any of this report.”

He concluded by saying, “There is no evidence that this injection prevents hospitalization and death.”

Even the unborn is not immune to this; here are the findings.

As of April 4th, 2022, 113 fetal deaths following COVID-19 injection comparing that to the fetal death reports for all other vaccines reported to VAERS in the last 30 years. That number is 2,239.

According to Pfizer’s documents, nearly all-pregnant women who participat-

There is nothing more exciting, thrilling or compelling for boxing fans than a great fight night, and on Friday September 9th, 2022, and Saturday September 10th, 2022, at the CAA Centre in Brampton, United Boxing Promotions put on a fight night to remember.

In creating their VIP boxing experience, United Boxing Promotions gave attendees a stellar boxing line-up, limited edition collector cans (with featured boxers), and event entertainment curated in a truly unique way. When you walked into the arena, you could tell that the marketing team had thought of everything, bringing together boxers, and their fans in a way that exceeded everyone’s expectations.

The CAA Centre was a great choice for the event; every seat in the arena had a good view of the ring, and it is located in Brampton where there is a large ethnic community to support the fighters.

There were 12 fights scheduled across the two nights: six bouts on the Friday, and six bouts on the Saturday, a double bill of championship boxing not seen in many years. Each fight and fighter had an intriguing and compelling story. On the bill were three brothers representing the great island of Jamaica: Joshua Frazer, Ricardo Brown, and Shakeel Phinn.

On Friday night, Joshua Frazer went head to head with Esteban Villalba. Jamaican welterweight boxer Joshua Frazer improved his professional record to 6-0 after adding Mexican Estaban Villalba to his list of thrilling knockouts.

The 28-year-old Jamaican defeated his opponent in two rounds for the sixth knockout in his professional career. For fans who follow Joshua, they witnessed a different fighter; he was relaxed, patient, and took time to break down his opponent, before laying him out on the mat.

Friday night was impressive, and Saturday night brought fans back to the CAA Centre to witness fights with the other three Jamaicans on the card: Ricardo Brown, Gregory Miller, and Shakeel Phinn.

Jamaica’s Gregory “Killa Milla” Miller showed exactly what he was made of by beating Drake Olchowecki of Hamilton with a third round TKO.

ed in its trial, for whom birth outcomes were available, lost their babies. Only one out of 29 known birth outcomes were classified as “normal.” The remaining 28 miscarried.

It is exceptionally important to note that amidst the CDC announcements, the US and Canada still maintains that everyone is injected before entering these countries.

All this, even though a prospective study out of Thailand reveals what one physician described as a stunning association between myocarditis and the Pfizer-BioNTech injection. Here are the facts https://www. mdpi.com/2414-6366/7/8/196#cite

This peer-reviewed study involved 314 participants ages 13-18 who were healthy and without abnormal symptoms after receiving their first vaccine dose. Of the 314 people, 13 were dropped leaving 301 remaining participants, 202 (67.1%) were male.

The researchers found that 18% of the 301 teens analysed had an abnormal electrocardiogram, after receiving their second dose of Pfizer, 3.5% of males developed myopericarditis or subclinical myocarditis, two were hospitalized and one was admitted to the ICU with heart problems.

Dr. Tracy Høeg, an epidemiologist, in a tweet said, “The study is unique & impressive because of the extensive workup both pre and post-vaccination,” as the study

could “Detect pre-existing cardiac abnormalities.”

Over the past two and a half years we have seen these health officials and government officials who speak from both sides of their mouths repeatedly, case in point, Anthony Fauci who told us wearing a mask is useless, then did a 360 and encouraged everyone to wear more than one mask.

Then there is the politician in Canada who forgot the camera was rolling, and said, “I don’t know what is in this paper, I just read as I am told to.”

How can we forget those who were in each other’s faces partying, while the rest of the population was told to stay six feet apart?

We can’t forget the case of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his crew in a BYOB “Bring Your Own Booze” party, again while Brits were in full lockdown (Boris’s apology: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EOtNsQDwWKw).

As for the question on why the sudden change from CDC, let’s stick to the facts.

The US is having a midterm election soon, right? “Fact.”

No sitting party wants to lose, right? “Fact.” Fall is almost here. Right? “Fact.” Think this is over? Think again.

for lasting as long as he did. Shakeel bloodied Perez’s nose in the first round, opened up a cut over his eyebrow in the third and landed a hard right in the fifth but Perez stayed on his feet.

It was a lethal combination of punches in the seventh round that finally took Perez off his feet. He struggled to his feet, and the referee allowed the fight to continue, but not for too long. His corner threw in the towel after another series of punches from Shakeel.

Ricardo Brown, a former Jamaican Olympian in the heavyweight division, manifested his knockout, and improved his perfect record to 5-0 with his second straight win over a decidedly plump, and shorter Mexican fighter Carlos Carreon, the 5’7, 272 lb Mexican heavyweight champion.

Ricardo stands 6’7” and weighed in at 250, and although Carreon might be a champion in Mexico, going head to head with Ricardo made him look like an amateur boxer. Ricardo used Carreon as a punching bag for the first round and both fighters began the second round swinging wildly before Brown got the knockout 11 seconds in with a hard right to the chin.

gion and its surrounding areas for over 20 years,” Tyler tells me. “It was exciting to organize this weekend’s event, and I have to thank my promotion partner Don MacDonald, our sponsors (DAZN, Mr Lube + Tires, Proper Twelve Irish Whisky, Rival, Kichesippi Beer Co., truenorth.bet, Y Media Group, and Anokhi Inspired Indian Dining), and the rest of the United Promotions team for helping to make this weekend a success. It felt great to finally be able to organize fights again, especially after the COVID-19 hiatus. It was really tough, because during the pandemic, fighters would reach out to me, asking when they would be able to fight again, and I could not give them any answers. This weekend allowed us to showcase the roster of fighters that we now have. What made the night what it was is the fact that everyone had a chance to showcase their talents. It was my 74th event, and I am gearing up for my 75th event in November.”

As a fan of the sport, I feel it is important that the fans enjoy an evening of boxing. You know it was a successful event when people are talking about it the next day.

Congratulations United Boxing Promotions team for bringing a VIP boxing experience to Brampton.

Montreal’s Shakeel Phinn (22-3) won an exhilarating super middleweight bout with Mexican fighter Josue Perez, who showed a granite chin, and great will

I had a chance to catch up with Tyler Buxton, one of the promoters at United Boxing Promotions, and he shared a little about his work.

“United Boxing Promotions has been staging fight cards out of Peel Re

“Imagine the implications of that, the compliance.” FDA has already approved pills with sensors, what’s next?

We cannot deny it, technology has pushed global societies forward in significant ways: some positive and some negative, depending on how you look at it. We may not be comfortable with the implications of new technology, particularly in a world where our data is constantly bought and sold, and not to mention monitored by governments. As much as some of us may be against some of the new technology that is being rolled out, Silicon Valley seems intent on trying, and what once seemed impossible may soon become routine.

In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first drug in the U.S. with a digital ingestion tracking system. Abilify MyCite (aripiprazole tablets with sensor) has an ingestible sensor embedded in the pill that records when medication was taken. The product is approved for: the treatment of schizophrenia, acute treatment of manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, and for use as an add-on treatment for depression in adults.

The digital sensor in each pill is tiny — about the size of a grain of sand. It’s made from elements found in common foods — copper, magnesium and sil-

icon. Contact between the elements and stomach fluids trigger an electrical signal.

This is not the first time that digital medicine has been utilized. In June 2014, Proteus rang in a new era of what it called “digital medicine” in which your body’s vital signs and the medications entering your bloodstream can be tracked by computers. Software searches your body’s data for patterns in real time and reports that information to your doctors.

It sounds crazy, but the tiny computers exist. It sounds dangerous, but the company that makes them, Proteus, has tens of millions of dollars and relationships with some of the biggest drug companies in the world, including Novartis.

Reports also show that the FDA first approved Abilify in 2002 to treat schizophrenia. Since then, studies and lawsuits have blamed it for causing compulsive behaviour and other side effects in people taking it. The FDA approved the tracking system in 2012, but Abilify MyCite is its first approved use with a drug.

How does the tracker work?

A wearable patch on the patient’s body picks up the signal and relays the time and date via Bluetooth to a smartphone app. The patient can choose to automatically share this information with a doctor, family members or other caregivers.

“Being able to track ingestion of medications prescribed for mental illness may be useful for some patients,” said Mitchell Mathis, M.D., director of the Division of Psychiatry Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “The FDA supports the development and

use of new technology in prescription drugs and is committed to working with companies to understand how technology might benefit patients and prescribers.”

What are the positives of digital medicine?

Some medication can have harmful effects for the patient if pills are skipped or taken as a double dose, so if a physician or family member can be alerted immediately this would potentially be very helpful. Another thing to think about is that currently, physicians rely on self-report from the patient regarding their medication and this isn’t always accurate. Being able to properly track medication use could help physicians and family members determine what strategies actually work for aiding the person with dementia to remember to take their pills (ie. reminder phone calls, written reminders etc.).

What hazards and security issues exist with digital medicine?

In the clinical trials for Abilify, the most common side effects reported by adults taking Abilify were nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, dizziness, uncontrollable limb and body movements (akathisia), anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness. Also noted was skin irritation at the site of the MyCite patch placement may occur in some patients. Abilify has been associated with serious side effects.

It even carries two black box warnings, which is the FDA’s most serious warning. One warns that Abilify is not ap -

proved for elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis. The other warns of an increased risk of suicidal thinking or behavior in children, teens and young adults.

Studies have also found associations between Abilify and neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a life-threatening reaction to antipsychotic drugs, and tardive dyskinesia, which causes involuntary muscle movements of the lower face, and compulsive behaviours. In addition, there were a combined 370 lawsuits over Abilify side effects presented to a Florida federal court in 2016. The people who filed the lawsuits claim the drug caused: compulsive gambling, spending or eating along with hyper sexuality and stealing or shoplifting.

What cannot be ignored are the ethical issues inherent in this type of tracking, especially issues around privacy. Information is sent to the “cloud” and although generally we are assured that this is secure, there is always a potential for this information to be hacked. There is also the fact that this information could be used in the future by third party companies who have a vested interest in understanding big data drug consumption or tracking individuals.

Who knows what is next for us? In a clip from the World Economic Forum held in January 2018, Albert Bourla stated, “Imagine the implications of that, the compliance.”

Yes, imagine the compliance indeed!

Families seeking legal support; your prayers have been answered, and it is FREE!

Since its launch in 2017, the Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC), the independent not-for-profit community legal clinic, has been at the forefront of advocacy and activism.

The Student and Family Advocate Program (SFA) is directly involved by supporting Black families and students as a Black community-based program. According to its website: https:// studentandfamilyadvocate,com, it ac-

knowledges, understands, and addresses anti-Black racism and its impacts on Black families and students through: advocacy, accountability and action for transformational change.

It is through the Parents of Black Children (PoBC) that the SFA Community of Practice is undertaken. PoBC has been involved as a Black-led parent advocacy group.

It was revealed that BLAC has teamed up with SFA to offer free legal support during the upcoming school year 2022-2023 to Black students and families. Thanks to a $50,000 funding from PoBC, BLAC hired lawyer Nonye Okenwa through an initiative from the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan.

Moya Teklu, Executive Director and General Counsel at the BLAC states, “Because BLAC receives most of its funding from Legal Aid Ontario, we can genuinely only represent people who make below a certain income. The problem is that families that make $40,000 or $50,000 a year make too much to qualify for legal aid but not enough to pay a lawyer. We know that socio-economic status does not protect you from anti-Black racism, and this initiative and the expanded services that we’re now going to deliver, reflect that reality.”

partnership with the BLAC is a game changer in helping families take legal action when their children are experiencing anti-Black racism. Advocacy support is available for parents across the province, but this legal support levels the playing field by making a legal route for justice available to all Black parents. We all need support in ensuring our kids are protected in schools. These incidents will no longer be swept under the rug.”

The free legal services are available to any families across Ontario through a referral process with one of the 17 Black-led SFA’s or through the BLAC’s standard intake process. Anyone who needs further information can check the following websites:

“This initiative will enhance BLAC’s existing programs and services in the area of education law and will allow BLAC to support more families seeking legal support in navigating anti-Black racism in the education system, regardless of income.”

The addition of Nonye Okenwa to BLAC will make for greater legal representation as she joins BLAC staff lawyer Piera Savage. They will be providing legal services for Black families seeking assistance with issues in the education system such as: challenging or negotiating individual education plans, appealing suspensions or expulsions, and bullying or harassment.

Kearie Daniel, Co-Founder and Executive Director of PoBC states, “This

www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca or www.studentandfamilyadvocate.com

Yes, that’s right! Black men are a whole other experience;

Toronto welcomes Black Menswear FlashMob

SIMONE SMITH

simone@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

As I walked towards City Hall, I heard the busyness before I actually saw it. As I came around the corner, I was met with a staggering array of colours, sounds, and delectable smells. I searched through the crowds, scanning to see if I could see them amongst all of commotion, and like that, they appeared.

A sea of attractive, African American/Caribbean men walking proud, strong, dressed in a multitude of colour. I saw people who were in the way, part, stood back, and then began to take pictures. They were as mesmerized as I was, and the day had just begun.

It was a sensational Saturday in September (the 3rd, 2022), and I had been invited to cover the viral internet sensation Black Menswear Flashmob, a traveling collective focused on shifting the perception of African men and how their communities, the larger society, and the world view them.

They have received local and national coverage, including most recently being featured in a documentary available on Discovery Plus, and Amazon Video. Black Menswear also regularly volunteers and holds service days for nearby communities during the FlashMob weekend, and most recently, the collective held a service day in Ghana where we hosted media workshops for students, and helped construct buildings for villages in need.

They have found ways to cross over into every market; Black Menswear has also successfully developed and launched a wine collection—The Gentleman. It’s a collection of red blend wine catering to the successful Black male.

With their visit to Toronto Black Menswear FlashMob provided an opportunity for African men to gather in Toronto for a massive photo shoot. What I appreciated was the fact that Black Menswear collaborated with local brothers who have already begun to shape out their own public gatherings. G.Q Henderson (Black Men of Excellence Walk), and Sam TiTa (BLXMenStyle) were in attendance with their teams, representing Toronto in an impressive way.

We all know that representation matters, and the way that African men are continuously portrayed in the media, in film, and on sitcoms and shows, is and will never be a true portrayal of what all our African men are. I had a chance to sit down

with NeAndre Broussard, the founder of Black Menswear, and he shared with me what brought Black Menswear down to Toronto

“Thank you Simone,” NeAndre began, “It is amazing to be here, and I am happy that I will be able to stand with my brothers here in Toronto. It’s amazing, because unfortunately, you don’t see brothers working together. I am not saying it doesn’t happen, you just don’t see it. There is a negative perception about the Black community. It is an external thought process about our community, but it definitely affects us.

Photo shoots like this allow the community to work as a unit, and it provides a safe space for us. The mission is to put out so much positive imagery about our community that even in those instances of police run –ins that end in fatality, that singular moment does not demonize that Black man.

As Black men we have trauma; they show us all the time having these runins with police officers, and that is not the life of a Black man. We want to change this narrative. We have to change the mind-set of our people, so that we don’t accept the narrative that society continues to push.”

The first Flashmob was impromptu NeAndre shared with me.

“25 guys showed up in Dallas. It was 8:00 am in the morning on a Saturday.

It was one of those things that was like, ‘Oh yes, we have to do this again.’ It planted a seed, and five years later Flashmob has become global.”

They team recently partnered with Hope Missions, and they just got back from Ghana. NeAndre reverently shared the experience.

“We were able to watch the building of a school, and meet families that lived in that community. We stood on the ground of our ancestors. It was very emotional. Black Star Square was where we held it in Ghana. It was so inspiring that we are producing a documentary around that experience; it was truly special.”

“Why did you choose Toronto for this edition of Black Menswear Flashmob” I inquired?

“Toronto is culture for Canada, plus the Toronto community are our people from the North. The people here are representative of who we are as well. It was a no brainer for us. I had no objection to it. It is a culturally rich city.

Brotherhood, unity, empowerment, motivation; it is way more than a photo shoot; it is an experience. It is overwhelming, but in a positive way. We hope that anyone who has a chance to experience what we do, leaves with a different perspective of Black men then they had when they came.”

Better jobs and larger paycheques; Ontario might be onto something here!

PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

There has been attention directed to the critical shortage of workers in the automotive industry in Ontario. This has prompted the Ontario government to invest $5 million toward providing training for individuals to pursue manufacturing jobs.

The announcement was made in a press release from the Ontario government on Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022, which can be seen on the website: news.ontario. ca. It notes, “Free Program Will Help 500 People Start Better Jobs and Earn Bigger

Paycheques.” Participants from certain underrepresented groups are able to obtain training in: machine operation, assembly, quality control and logistics. Information provided at the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association (AMPA) website: apma.ca indicates that funding is provided through the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Fund.

There are no educational requirements and previous experience required in order to be eligible to participate in this program. It is open to individuals who selfidentify as:

• Indigenous (First Nations, Metis or Inuit)

• Racialized (non-Caucasian)

• Women

• Youth (15 -29 years old at start of agreement)

The requirements for employer and community partner are:

• Employers must have operations in Ontario’s automotive sector

• Community partners must have operations in Ontario

• Employers must provide a minimum 3-month placement

There are four things that employers and/ or community partners must give to participants:

• Experiential learning opportunity

• Participate and complete skills training

• Employment (placement)

• Increase in employability skills

Premier Doug Ford states in the press release, “Our government is securing gamechanging investments in the province’s auto sector that will ensure electric vehicles and batteries of the future are made here in Ontario by Ontario workers. As we do, we’re investing in training the next generation of Ontario’s automotive work-

ers and connecting hundreds of them with good-paying jobs at local businesses in immediate need of their world-class talent and expertise.”

AMPA has access to over 300 small and medium-sized businesses and after the three-month paid job placements, participants will be guaranteed a job from a local employer.

Flavio Volpe, President of AMPA states, “The exciting future of the automotive sector in Ontario will benefit from welcoming new faces, voices and perspectives. This investment creates a sustainable platform for communities that haven’t historically participated in the sector to become integral to success.”

Applications are currently being accepted and are open until March 31st, 2023.

With everything getting more expensive, cutting alcohol from the shopping list may help ease the squeeze on the pocketbook

Alcohol in moderation can be good for your health. We have written dozens of articles on the topic and an entire section of our website is dedicated to the topic. In short, there are plenty of good reasons to enjoy a drink at the cocktail hour, but is there a time for quitting altogether?

Some people think so, and the idea seems to be catching on.

You may have heard about the “sober curious” movement. Coined by writer Ruby Warrington, being sober curious is about enjoying the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle. It has nothing to do with achieving sobriety after problems with al-

coholism.

Some efforts are short-term, like “Dry January” and “Sober October”. These trendy campaigns are often paired with charitable causes.

Over recent years, more and more people, especially young professionals, are making a deliberate choice to abstain from alcohol – not for a month, but as a lifestyle choice for the long term. Their online tributes to the benefits of not drinking are compelling.

Despite the list of reasons for healthy moderate drinking, they are celebrating a new list of all the reasons for not drinking at all.

In terms of good health, they point to higher energy levels, better sleep, healthier livers, and lower risk of heart disease. They are also attributing their position on alcohol to a more authentic engagement with friends and family, as well as with the world around them.

In some countries, the growing numbers of teatotalers are having an economic impact. In Japan, for example, the

sober-curious younger generation is rejecting past customs of heavy drinking after work. This trend has resulted in tax revenue from alcohol sales declining by 50% since 1994. Although neither the tax agency nor the liquor industry will point to it, Japanese life expectancy from birth climbed from 80 to 85 years over the same period.

There are other tax-related correlations between alcohol consumption and societal health trends. When governments increase taxes on alcohol, traffic fatalities decline. So does the rate of violent crime. The spread of sexually transmitted diseases is reduced. There are fewer cases of cirrhosis of the liver.

In other words, people are highly price conscious about alcohol. When it costs more, people purchase less of it.

This may be the ultimate reason why now could be an optimal moment to quit drinking.

With everything getting more expensive, cutting alcohol from the shopping list may help ease the squeeze on the pocketbook. According to the 2017 Survey

of Household Spending, the average Canadian household spends about $1,100 per year on alcohol.

In the U.S., a whopping 63% of people aged 21-25 drink alcohol. Whether it be school expenses or early-career wages, it’s easy to see the financial motivation for sobriety.

Is the sober curious movement as good for the old as it may be for the young?

Sir William Osler, famed Canadian physician and one of the original four founding professors of Johns Hopkins Hospital, remarked, “Alcohol is for the elderly what milk is for the young.”

But never forget about moderation, and know that moderation is surprisingly easy to exceed.

Adult men should not exceed two standard alcoholic drinks a day. Women, due to their smaller size, should not exceed one drink a day. A standard drink means a 12oz. or 341 ml beer with 5% alcohol, or a 5 oz. or 142 ml glass of wine, or 1.5 oz or 43 ml shot of 40% spirits.

Why are the global powers investing trillions of dollars into exploration while our earth is in dire need of this investment?

STEVEN KASZAB

steven@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The US has the largest space bud get globally, $39,335 million in 2013, followed by China’s $6,111 million, Russia’s $5,265 million and Japan’s $3,575 million.

The various players have established many international rules and laws governing their participation in space exploration. There is an international space station shared by the space elite, and China will have a fully separate space station of their own come 2022. Russia will follow with their own space centre.

Why the apparent competition in space? Why are the global powers investing trillions of dollars into exploration while our earth is in dire need of this investment? Have the world powers given up on humanities global survival, and are therefore looking to the stars for human colonization and survival?

Many national corporations and governments look to the stars for various reasons such as...

Natural resources found in a virgin space market

Transplant elite populations into space encampments

Develop new forms of agriculture, space harvesting of resources

Experimenting in non-gravity spaces (new types of medicines)

• Maintenance of satellite fields and national control of these fields

• Assist in national orbital acquisitions (claim territory for corporations’ national entities)

• Establish military bases for various national entities

• Save humanity and make a profit doing so

A return to a Cold War Environment on earth has and will spread to the skies beyond our planet. Corporate and national competitions will continue to develop and expand into places we have not explored as of yet.

Do you see the various moral questions that arise as this competition grows? Are the superpowers responding to threats to our world? Do they intend on protecting us from dangerous comets, the sun’s orbiting threats (solar flares), protecting our population from alien invasion?

Our oceans have not yet been explored, and yet trillions of dollars are being spent on the exploration of the skies. What about solving the world’s many problems, like mass starvation, plagues and climate change? How about developing systems that can grow and harvest food from within our oceans? How about developing grains and veggies that can grow in any climate

whether hot or cold? Perhaps our scientists are doing just that? Who knows, since no one is telling us about these scientific experiments? Corporations and their governmental supporters are not good communicators, except when a global death events upon us like in the movies.

Every time I see some lucky astronauts go where none of us will ever go, I feel like those of us rooted to this earth are living on borrowed time. Ever ask yourself why we can support national governments to send people to the moon, Mars and perhaps beyond, yet we cannot save our less fortunate global neighbours from: natural disasters, hunger, poverty and such?

I don’t watch movies that present their viewers situations where the earth ends, or some huge space objects are about to crush us out of existence like the dinosaurs of old. Sure exploration is exciting but why, oh why are they doing it, spending the world’s financial heritage upon strategies and plans we do not know about. Transparency, accountability and truth; that is all we should demand of our leaders, scientists and planners of the future, should we have a future as a species.

Federal Government will be Investing $100 Million in the first-ever Action Plan for the 2SLGBTQI+ communities

PAUL JUNOR

paul@carib101.com

TC REPORTER

The Government of Canada has taken years to build a better, more inclusive future for two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse people. Details in the Action Plan revealed that it will accomplish the following six things:

1. Prioritize and sustain 2SLGBTQI+ community action

2. Continue to advance and strengthen

2SLGBTQI+ rights at home and abroad

3. Support Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ resilience and resurgence

4. Engage everyone in Canada by fostering a more inclusive future

5. Strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ data and evidence-based policy making

6. Embed 2SLGBTQI+ issues in the work of the Government of Canada

The announcement was made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who was joined by Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth at the launch. Together, they launched Canada’s First Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan,” Building our future with Pride.” It was described as a whole-of-government approach to achieve a future where everyone in Canada is truly free to be who they are and love who they love.

The Action Plan will involve the investment of $100 million towards developing and implementing specific actions to help 2SLGBTQI+ people. Approximately $75 mil-

lion will go towards 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations that advocate and serve BIPOC communities as well as those working with persons with disabilities, seniors, youth, official language minority communities, and those living in rural communities.

From the rest, $11.7 million will go towards a 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat which will be responsible for overseeing and implementing the Action Plan, $7.7 million towards data collection and community-led policy research to support the government actions to move these issues forward, and $5.6 million toward a public awareness campaign to erase stigma and remove discrimination of those who belong to this community.

The Action Plan involves the collaboration of diverse stakeholders consisting of community leaders, researchers, and organizations. It speaks to the concerns of diverse members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities across the country and uses an intersectional, holistic, and long-term approach to breaking down barriers and fighting the discrimination

and oppression of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau notes, “Canada gets a little bit stronger every day that we chose to embrace and to celebrate who we are, in all our uniqueness. We are a diverse nation enriched by the lives, experiences, and contributions of 2SLGBTQI+ people. Let us celebrate all the communities that make Canada such a diverse country, and work together to build a better future, with pride.”

Minister Ien states, “Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan is a historic collaboration effort that will help build a more inclusive country. Founded on the hard work of community members, organizations, and allies, this Action Plan will set an example for generations to follow. I can assure you that the work does not end here. We will continue to partner with 2SLGBTQI+ communities and leaders to make sure we’re building a Canada that serves everyone.”

The attack on the people of Africa has always been methodical and concentrated: Introducing the Mercury Project!

The Mercury Project (run by the Social Science Research Council, and funded in part by the Rockefeller Foundation) has invested $7.2 million in behavioural research focused on convincing more people to the benefits of taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Mercury Project, which alludes to the ancient Roman god Mercury of messages and communication, is funding researchers to discover new, evidence-based, data-driven tools, methods, and interventions to counter mis-and disinformation and to support the spread and uptake of accurate health information.

This is not news that is hot in the press, but it is definitely not news that you will hear readily propagated on mainstream media, so I thought it best to share it with the com -

munity. In September 2021, the SSRC received a three-year $7.5 million grant from Rockefeller Foundation toward the cost of launching the research consortium to drive acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccination efforts, but their main goal is to counter health mis-and disinformation. The grant will be funded through to August 31st, 2024.

The money will be distributed to 12 teams working in 17 countries in order to better understand how health mis-and dis-information spreads, how to combat it, how to build stronger information systems, and of course to continue to push the vaccine agenda.

The first cohort of social and behavioural scientists can be found in: Bolivia, Brazil Côte D’Ivoire, Ghana, Haiti, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, United States, and Zimbabwe.

Do you think that it is a coincidence that most of this research is happening in Africa. The attack on the people of Africa has always been methodical and concentrated, and it is not a surprise that the colonizing elites are once again going back in to cause even more damage. One of the reasons for this concentrated effort is the fact that Africans are hesitating to get COVID-19 vaccines amid concerns about their safety.

According to the World Health Or-

It was an unexpected announcement when it was revealed on Wednesday, August 31st, 2022, that prominent scholar, art historian, education, and educator Dr Charmaine Nelson would be leaving the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NASCAD) University in Halifax, Canada. It was on June 17th, 2020, that it was announced by NASCAD that she was appointed as the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Transatlantic Black Diasporic Art and Community Engagement at NSCAD. This was the first year of an expected seven-year term.

On the same day, the University of Massachusetts Amherst (U Mass Amherst) announced that she would be joining the History of Art and Architecture Department.

She is the founding Director of the first-ever Institute for the Study of Canadian History. This Institute focuses on the 200year history of the Canadian participation in Transatlantic Slavery. Dr Nelson’s primary area of research includes: postcolonial and black feminist scholarships, transatlantic slavery studies, and Black diasporic studies.

Descriptions of Nelson’s outstanding contributions and accomplishments are documented on the website: blackcanadianart.ca. At Concordia University she earned a History degree and a Master’s degree. She worked on a Ph.D. program at Queen’s University during 1996-1997 but left to finish it in Art History at the University of Manchester between 1998 -2001. Her thesis focused on Race and Representation.

Another amazing achievement is that she is the first Black person to be an Art

ganization, Africa, whose 1.3 billion people represent 16% of the world’s population, has received less than 2% of the COVID-19 vaccine doses administered around the world, and African leaders seek to vaccinate up to 60% of its people by the end of 2022.

Each team on The Mercury Project received over $600,000 to research topics including: “Combatting health mis-information with community-crafted messaging,” and “Developing a scalable community-driven approach in Latin America and the United States.”

Teams are studying how to harness influencers to counter misinformation and censor dissenting viewpoints on social media through network-transforming interventions for reducing the spread of health misinformation online.

According to The Mercury Project website (https://www.ssrc.org/), “The information networks that carry public health guidance into communities are among the most essential elements in a disease outbreak response. However, in today’s information ecosystem, accurate information is not getting through to everyone, everywhere. The viral spread of misand dis-information has been widely acknowledged as a major and growing threat to public safety and to effective pandemic response.”

What I find interesting is that once again, they are targeting Africans on the continent as well as Africans living in the diaspora.

Dr. Alonzo Plough, Chief Science Officer and Vice President of Research-Evaluation-Learning at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation had this to say.

“Mis-and dis-information disproportionately impacts communities of colour and plays out in the context of structural racism and a history of medical abuse and neglect in this country. It feeds off of racial tensions and deep-seated socioeconomic anxieties in ways that are harmful to individual health and trust in community institutions.

We need to understand how an individual’s information ecosystem forms and evolves and what makes it vulnerable to misand dis-information; we need to develop more targeted interventions to counteract mis- and disinformation; and we need better ways to ensure that everyone has access to accurate, high-quality information from a source they can trust. Research on these topics will help to define the future role for public health in keeping our information environment safe.”

So basically, they are going to research how we think so that they can find ways to override our resistance to their messaging. Community, I would love to hear what you think about this. Have they not taken enough from our beautiful continent? Have they not caused enough damage? Apparently not!

History Professor at the University of Western Ontario in 2001. In my interview with Nelson on Thursday, September 8th, 2022, she shared details about her time at this institution and the many challenges that she faced. She was appointed to be a professor of art history at McGill in 2003 and remained there until 2020. It was during that time that she completed four books.

She faced further challenges at McGill, but was able to do powerfully significant work which challenged the narratives in Western art history with its reliance on music and culture as the source of primary archival documentation. She continues her prolific academic work and critical scholarships to document slavery in Canada.

Nelson plans to expand the mandate of the Institute for the Study of Canadian Slavery by engaging in ground breaking research and on-going exploration into areas of slavery. She told me that the research centre hub has been renamed Slavery North and it

will focus on the study of slavery in the American north as well as in Canada.

In a press release U Mass Amherst states, “As the Slavery North Initiative, expanding the focus to include both Canada and the American North. Slavery North will continue to host research and cultural events and support and promote the research of scholars and artists-in-residence in these understudied and often neglected histories.”

Professor Nelson is excited about this appointment. “I am thrilled to be joining the accomplished and dedicated faculty and staff in the History of Art and Architecture Department, and equally excited to meet colleagues from across the campus and regions. I know that I will be energized by the talented students and draw inspiration from what we will learn together.”

She draws strength from her husband and supportive parents who have been committed to her success and well-being. She maintains a proper work-life balance daily.

BUGLE

Setting a positive example for other entertainers to follow!

“Quick success does not always last.”

With Anointed (2014), Be Yourself (2017), and Picture Perfect (2019), the Kingston-based singer, Roy Thompson (aka Bugle) has left his mark in the Reggae and Dancehall scene. Slowly he has built a worldwide following – not through flash or hype, but through: substance, positivity, and uplifting, conscious music. His fans appreciate his highquality releases, his unique vocals and his full commitment to clean, inspiring, uplifting and thoughtprovoking lyrics. What Bugle has seamlessly done is set an example for other entertainers to follow.

Born in Portland Jamaica, Bugle was fortunate to be raised in a large family. There were 13 of them who lived together in a two-bedroom house, and Bugle tells me that life was that of a typical country youth.

“My father was a farmer and my mother would take the food that we grew to the market. I spent a lot of time on the farm, because mom’s trips to the market are what paid the bills. My parents worked well together, and were able to care for us without having to work a 9–5.”

At around age 10, Bugle tells me that he began to rhyme other people’s songs.

“The first song I wrote was about my mother. I just developed this passion for music. I didn’t have someone as a mentor at that time. I was good at what I did, and people started to notice. I would finish my work quickly, and start making music. I would write music and beat my chest, and this would get me in trouble sometimes. The good thing is that my teachers realized that I wasn’t doing it to be disturbing, it was just how I vibed.

I remember that I was 14 years old and they were holding a school concert. My teacher said to me, ‘You are always disturbing my class, so go now and make your music.’ Everyone came out for this. I ran up on the stage and the whole school mash up. They loved my lyrical content, and it blew up from there. When I sang at the community centre, it was pandemonium. This inspired me to write more. I learned how to store the melody in my head, and dem times I am just deejaying. I was just doing my thing. I didn’t know music like that.”

After primary school, Bugle overstood that he couldn’t stay in Portland. If he was going to pursue mu-

sic, he would have to go into town.

“When I went into the city, I realized that I had not started yet. I was only a star in my community. Being in the city was intimidating, but I didn’t business. When people didn’t accept me, it made me push even more. I appreciate the doubters; they helped to drive me. They were teaching me by not accepting me. One thing that I knew for sure was that one day, they would say my name.”

Since Bugle was in town, he was able to go to Pepsi Teen Splash; every school would turn out to this event. All of the upcoming artists showed up, especially when they were trying to make a name for themselves.

“If you could make it at Pepsi Teen Splash, you could make it to Sting. My friends and I would walk and go perform, and then walk back home. Good times!

The more you live, the more you learn. At the time, I was doing my best. I got a link from Papa San (Tyrone Thompson) through a man named Donavan. I became San’s little artist. It was a shock to me when he decided to start living his life for the Lord. This was good for him at that time. He made a great decision for himself, and although I was disappointed, I grew through it. Maybe I wasn’t ready yet. Who knows what could have happened. I still needed to grow.

We decided to take on the road. I ended up at every studio in town. I would try to get into the energy and the vibe, and eventually, I began to develop friendships. I did everything that I thought I should have been doing. One of my biggest moments was when Bounty Killer sang a song that I wrote. When I heard it I was shocked. This pushed me even harder.”

Bugle kept writing, kept making demos, and one day he got a call…

“It was from Elephant Man. The vibe and the energy were high. He said ‘Jump in a taxi and come check me now!’ I did just that, and he and I really got along. This was in 2000, and I had a flight a few days later for a show I had to do in the Bronx. Elephant Man happened to be going to the Bronx. He invited me to his show, and from there we developed a friendship. I travelled with him for five years. Then came the time when I had to make a decision for myself.

It was in 2004, or 2005; the last

date for the tour came up, and they decided to extend it. The last day was supposed to be in Orlando, but I decided to go home. I had learned a lot being on tour, but it was time to do something different. I remember being emotional about it; I didn’t want to do this, but I had to do this.”

This was when Bugle’s solo career and life took off. He began to do things on his terms.

“I am passionate about what I do. This is why I invested into a studio. I created a space so that I can do what I want to do, when I want to do it. I have completed four albums, and I am the Executive Producer on all four of them. “Anointed” is a serious album. My life lesson during this time was if you want to get things done you have to do it yourself. No one has a work ethic like me.”

His latest project “Toxicity” was recorded during the pandemic. Selfishness, cruelty, ungratefulness and corruption are just some of the human flaws that are addressed, culminating in the embittering question: “Why are we so toxic?”

“Thank God I had a studio in my house. To me I felt like I was always outside, even though I was not outside. The studio is my outside. I was preparing for when the pandemic was done. I put the album out in Europe, and the title came from the vibe that we were dealing with at the time. I used the man yelling out the television to represent the fact that during that time, all the toxicity came from the television and social media.”

Bugle continues to position himself as one of the strongest voices in Jamaican music, and his album Toxicity challenges the narratives that are being propagated. The songs range from joyful, to those that share thought-provoking messages that inspire. The messaging is a call-toaction; a change in the way we deal with nature and our fellow human beings.

Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News

Photo Credit: Tobias Lackner (TobiL Photography)

Photo Credit: Sanj P Photography

DREAM CHASERZZZ BASKETBALL INC.

Youth learning positive lessons through sports

“People are always sleeping on the under dog’s, but we want to wake them up!”

Justin Alliman

The fourth annual Progressive Soles Back to School Backpack Drive was held on Sunday, September 11th, 2022, at the Adidas Canada Head Office, 8100 Highway 27, Woodbridge, Ontario. Students from all over Toronto had the opportunity to step into their second week of school in 3-stripe style. Attendee’s all left with:

• A free backpack and school supplies

• Were eligible for a free haircut, and/or braid-up

• And of course, FREE pizza, drinks and enjoyable snacks

This weekend was special to Justin Alliman, founder of Dream Chaserzzz Basketball Inc., because he was able to partner with Adidas/Reebok to put on this backpack drive.

“I have never done something like this, but I wanted to give back to the community because of the love that they have shown me, and continue to show. When Adidas wanted to collaborate with me, I had to take part. I had children from all parts of Toronto; they were hanging out, playing basketball, eating, laughing, getting haircuts; it was truly a beautiful thing.”

One activity that affords children such opportunities to develop positive character traits and to soak up quality values is sports. Studies have shown that children who play sports perform better at school, and are often afforded the chance to develop peer status and peer acceptance. Participating in sports can be a helpful way of reducing stress and increasing feelings of physical and mental well-being. What is great about sports is that it teaches youth to keep the body in good health in order to be able to keep their minds strong and clear.

When children learn positive life lessons through sports, there is no doubt they will become honest, reliable adults, and this is one of the reasons why Justin opened up the very popular Dream Chaser-

zzz Academy. Dream Chaserzzz Basketball Inc. (https://www.dreamchaserzzz.ca/) is the GTA’s #1 year round basketball training academy. Justin has made it a place where you can come in and be trained and treated like a pro athlete no matter what level you’re at. He has gathered some of the best trainers the city has ever produced, all with the goal to develop young aspiring basketball players into the athletes they were meant to be.

“Getting better isn’t just about training hard; it’s about training with purpose.”

Their training and development philosophy is heavily based on having a support system that genuinely cares for athletes, but aren’t afraid to push them to be their best. It isn’t enough to be athletically gifted, there is so much more to it. Trainers work with athletes on their: footwork, teamwork, determination and their mental toughness. Not everyone is built for the work it takes to be great, but at the academy, they will certainly find out if you are.

During our interview, Justin shared that upon reaching high school, most kids have never completed elite basketball training, and have mostly only played either house league or rep basketball. This leaves them at a huge disadvantage, and it is why the team at Dream Chaserzzz believe that kids should be having basketball training just as much as they play games, if not more.

In a sport like basketball that has grown so rapidly, there is little time to break bad habits that can be prevented from the start with great teaching. Trainers stress the importance of being an allaround player, and they instil in the minds of kids at a young age that there is no one single skill to have as a basketball player. All skills are equally important.

I was able to steal a little bit of Justin’s time on the Sunday after his event, and he shared with me the evolution of Dream Chaserzzz Academy.

“I was taking business in university, and I ended up losing my basketball scholarship. I decided to get into car sales, but during that time, all I could think about was basketball. One of my most pressing questions was how could I put my love of ball and business together.

I reflected on the fact that when I was playing ball full time, kids would look up to me when I was training, and they would ask me for tips to improve their skills. When I thought about it, I knew exactly how I could marry my two loves.

I quit the car selling business, and started to train. Of course, it was difficult starting a business, and I have had to restructure the business model. When I first started training, I was doing it part-time, and I was making money at my fulltime job. When I quit my job fulltime to train, I now had all this time to train, but not making the money. When I restructured the business, I had clients sign up for programs. I used to do drop-ins, but this wasn’t covering the costs.”

Justin shared with me that he had to work at nights, and then run the business by day.

“I started Dream Chazzer’s in 2012, and I didn’t really start seeing growth until 2017. I was travelling around the world during that time, helping other companies grow and structure their basketball training businesses. I took this time to learn and brought all that knowledge back to start growing my business.

I started to see a lot more retention, and I realized that I had to build a community behind the business. What really struck me and stuck with me was that I had to create a brand; it was bigger than me. It was bigger than Justin Alliman!”

Over the years, Justin has had the opportunity to work with some big names:

• Serge Ibaka (Toronto Raptors, NBA)

• Naz Long (Utah Jazz, NBA)

• Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors, NBA)

• Lindsay Allen (Las Vegas Aces, WNBA)

• Tamara Tatham (Team Canada)

• Chris Boucher (Toronto Raptors, NBA)

Humbly, Justin shares with me that although he has done so much he has a slightly different outlook on success.

“I don’t necessarily define success the way other people do. I have been able to help students get scholarships, go to the NBA, WNBA, National Team, and professional teams in Europe. My favourite story is about one of my students who was at the edge of being expelled; that young man turned his life around and ended up being his school’s valedictorian. That to me is a success story.” His work at Dream Chaserzzz Academy has opened up partnerships with: Adidas, KN Basketball Academy, Northern Pole Hopes, The Grasshopper Project, Ahead of the Game, Raw Blendz, and Holmes Elite Health & Fitness. They all see in Justin what Toronto has grown to realize; he is a man of great character, a character that he continues to instil in all the young people that he works with.

Photo

Credit: Dream Chaserzzz Basketball Inc.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2022

7:30 PM

FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY

LUCAS & NGOMA

Open your beating hearts to the first-ever Flow Fest, Brampton International Drumming Festival! This exciting evening features headliners The Larnell Lewis Band and The Joy Lapps Project. Grammy Award winning, Brampton-raised musician, composer and educator, Larnell Lewis and Grammy-nominated musician, composer and educator Joy Lapps, lead a musical fusion of Afro-Caribbean and jazz ensembles sure to bring audiences hearts together as one.

Dance, drum, and party with Ngoma, one of Canada’s premier youth-led ensembles. The night doesn’t stop here - with DJ Joshua Lucas, roaming musical ensembles, food, art exhibit and more, audiences will be fully immersed in an evening of drumming, music and culture from around the world.

TICKETS $20 - $29

TICKETS

THE MAGIC OF MALVERN CONTINUES

For many years there was a lot to love about Malvern Town Centre. It’s been a great place to grab a bite, shop for groceries or find whatever you need for your home. And it’s always a good spot to meet friends for walks and chats.

But what if Malvern Town Centre could become a true town centre with new parks, affordable housing, and community spaces, while still leaving room for retail? What if it could be even further enhanced to become an even more vibrant community, where you could live, raise your kids, entertain friends and family, shop, eat and have fun?

That’s exactly the vision Davpart is proposing for Malvern Town Centre. Prioritizing the people who make Malvern Town Centre a vital part of their lives is important to this premier development company. After all, people are the only reason to create a community, and so it must fulfill a wide range of needs.

Davpart is excited to share the vision with everyone who is already a fan of the current amenities at Malvern Town Centre: Their aspiration is to build a beautiful, inclusive and complete community, a marvelous place to live and visit.

PRELIMINARY MASTER PLAN

For a smooth and harmonious transition, the plan is to proceed slowly, in 10 phases over a period of years. In Phase 1, which is expected to last from five to seven years, two new residential towers will be built in some of the parking areas of Malvern Town Centre. The mall itself will remain exactly as it currently is, unchanged during construction, for at least three years. Area residents will be able to shop in the mall and/ or new retail venues throughout the stages of the community’s progress. The Taibu Community Health Centre and Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy on the property will remain during the development of the initial phases.

The new buildings of 32 and 39 storeys will each be designed for sustainability and will include a vertical green wall consisting of living plants. A large new urban square will provide space for shoppers and people just wanting to take a stroll and enjoy the ambiance. The ground floors of the two buildings will offer a host of retail that will complement what is already inside the existing mall.

Landscaping, tree plantings, and greenery are a large part of the vision, to create a pleasant environment that everyone will appreciate. Four acres are dedicated to a central park, central plaza, play area, and trail that will double as an ice rink in the winter. All of this new green space will extend the current boundaries of McLevin Woods Park. For residents and neighbours, the bountiful parkland will provide many options for play, relaxation, and socializing, year round.

As for all the new residences planned for the 27.4-acre site, it’s a true mix. Not only will there be high-rise residential towers; there will also be mid-rise residences and walk-up townhomes. Condominiums, condo rentals, and affordable housing will serve the needs of a diverse community – as well as help address the overall need for housing in the GTA. A welcome opportunity in the Malvern community.

Davpart’s purpose with all the care taken to plan a community around the needs of residents and neighbours is to foster a sense of connection and

safety. The new tree-lined streets will be pedestrian and cyclist-friendly, with wider sidewalks. For transit riders, the transformation of Malvern Town Centre will come with easy access to an upcoming Eglinton East Light Rail Transit stop right at the corner. Moving into the new housing will come with benefits as well: Living only steps from parkland, shops, food outlets, and transit, and 246,881.8 square feet of private resident amenities.

But whether you live in the area around the new Malvern Town Centre or move into one of the upcoming condominiums, rentals or townhomes, you’re bound to feel a continued sense of pride to be part of this carefully considered, master-planned community.

Get ready to experience what it’s like to be part of something new and invigorating. Get ready to discover the new Malvern Town Centre – designed around your needs.

Davpart has plans to connect with area residents, including setting up mall information booths and a website. Watch for details to come soon.

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A beautiful, green, people-friendly new community will blossom and bloom

It’s long been said, an apple a day keeps the doctor away! A windfall of

science on apples

W. GIFFORDJONES

We write about natural remedies we believe are good for human health. Why this focus? It’s not to encourage avoidance of pharmaceutical drugs when medical care is an imperative. To the contrary, Canadians and Americans have the luxury of the world’s best doctors, medicinal drugs, and healthcare facilities.

Our health systems are overwhelmed. To ease the crush, people who are not yet ill should take up responsibility to stay healthy.

Good health is not achieved through inaction. Live a poor lifestyle and illness will come as sure as night follows day, but the talents of doctors and the cure of drugs are best reserved for the unlucky

who lose the health lottery. For young people and the healthy aging population, a proactive, protective stance should be the default position. What better way to achieve this than by adopting natural approaches?

Let’s take a classic example: the hearty apple. It’s long been said, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. References can be found as far back as Plato, but what does the modern scientific community have to say about apples?

It might stun you to know that scientists have published over 65,700 articles on apples in the past 50 years, available on the peer-reviewed scientific database, Scopus. The National Institutes of Health in the U.S. houses a massive open-source repository of research in its National Library of Medicine. Since 1997, using the web address PubMed.gov, anyone can search the database.

The scientific consensus is clear. Apples contain a lot of good things.

First, they are packed with macronutrients including: sugars, fibers, pectin, fat and proteins. They contain malic and citric acids, which are organic acids re -

quired for health digestion. They have: C, E, and B-complex vitamins. And they have minerals such as: potassium, calcium, nitrogen, and magnesium.

Scientists are now exploring fascinating new dimensions of nutrition and food. For example, let’s look at the phytochemical compounds in apples, called polyphenols, known predominantly for their antioxidant qualities.

So far, in 2022, it was easy to find nearly 100 studies published by scientists around the world investigating the properties of apple polyphenols. Twenty years ago, only 13 such studies were published. Collectively between 2002 and today, PubMed provides access to over one thousand studies on apple polyphenols. Don’t let anyone tell you that natural products are not being researched!

What are some of the findings?

Several studies have shown that apple polyphenols can reduce body weight and inflammation, but a new study on mice has demonstrated that apple polyphenols prevents loss of bone mass induced by obesity, which has potential implications for

the prevention and treatment of obesityrelated osteoporosis.

Other studies are exploring whether the addition of apple polyphenols to cured and smoked meats like bacon, can help reduce carcinogenic risks. The idea is to use natural antioxidants to reduce oxidation and nitrite additives in processed meats to improve safety.

Still other studies are looking at how apple polyphenols perform in the digestive systems of adults as compared to aging seniors. They have found that as people age, their digestive systems fail to absorb the benefits of some foods. This means we should pay close attention to supplements offering improved bio-accessibility of key nutrients.

If an apple a day is not your thing, you might be surprised to learn that supplements offer a convenient alternative packed with health benefits. The polyphenol content of young apples found in supplements can be ten times higher than in the fresh fruit found in grocery stores. Look for ApplePhenon as an ingredient.

Here’s to your health this apple season and all year-long!

rachel@carib101.com

Some of us have focussed on the momentum of doing cardio workouts. Cardio has its benefits, however, doing strength train-

Doing strength training helps you to focus on certain major muscle groups, especially if you are trying to get muscular, lean and lose weight. Doing strength training helps you to lose weight much faster, so never

limit yourself when lifting weights, even if you’re a beginner starting off with 5lb, you can easily get results using 5lb with circuits in between. You can definitely use your body for strength training as well. Some bodyweight exercise examples are: mountain climbers, push-ups, and sit-ups. You have the willpower to add weight while working out, or lose it and put it aside and just go hard-core with your body.

What is circuit?

Circuit training is a combination of 3 - 5 exercises in rotation done with cardio and weight training. This includes sets and reps, and is even more beneficial when you are working on major muscle groups of your body.

Successful tips to do strength training

According to my research of the article, “How to start strength training,” this writer

Cardio has its benefits, however, doing strength training provides better results

emphasizes the importance of a trainer training you in your fitness journey. It’s important to do your strength exercises the right way. It lets you get the most from your hard work and keeps you from hurting yourself. If you go to a gym, ask the experts there to watch you and make suggestions (Poonam Sachdev, 2022).

Additionally to what they said, even I as a trainer need to be trained in order to train others successfully, and that’s the pattern that will make you successful.

Another thing that I took note of is that your muscles need rest to grow. A good rule of thumb is to work each muscle group twice a week. For example, you could alternate your upper and lower body every day, or do a full body workout two or three times a week.

Just remember that your muscles need a full day’s rest before the next workout.

Secondly, if you’re not used to exercise and you’re middle-aged or older, check with your doctor before you start strength training. Talk to them if you smoke, have a health condition, or you’re overweight. Stop an exercise or lower the weight you’re lifting if it causes pain. If you notice the pain isn’t going away, make an appointment to see your doctor.

Lastly, once you have your technique down, you’ll want to add weight slowly. For good results, you should feel like you can’t do anymore as you get to the end of a set of 12-15 repetitions. Check your form. If it breaks down with more weight, then you may be doing more harm than good. Take some off. When it gets easier, or you can do more than a full set with good form, add more weight (Poonam Sachdev, 2022).

What’s the best way to wake up?

Does it take you several minutes, or even hours, before your brain starts working in the morning? This phenomenon, known as sleep inertia, was recently studied by researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. They found that the sound you wake up to may play a role in how long this state lasts.

What is sleep inertia?

Sleep inertia pertains to the transition phase between sleep and wakefulness. Depending on the person, this state of drowsiness can last up to four hours, although it typically lasts somewhere between 15 and 60 minutes.

The state is characterized by inattentiveness, slow reaction times and an overall lack of alertness. These symptoms result in a higher risk of mistakes, which can be a problem if someone needs to operate machinery or make crucial decisions.

What do alarms have to do with it?

The study found that people who woke up to music reported feeling more alert than those who woke up to classic alarm sounds, such as a beeping noise. Researchers hypothesize this is because the rhythmic and melodic nature of music isn’t as disruptive as the harsh noises of an alarm.

If you suffer from persistent sleep problems, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss them. Over time, poor sleep can increase your risk of developing serious health issues.

The impact of stress and how to manage it

Stress can impact your health and well-being. Understanding where it comes from and how it can affect you is crucial to remaining mentally and physically fit. Here’s what you need to know.

Warning signs

It’s important to be able to recognize if stress has become a problem. The symptoms below are common and not a cause for alarm when they occur occasionally. However, if they get worse or become ongoing, this could indicate that something’s wrong. Watch out for:

• Increase or decrease in appetite

• General fatigue

• Mood swings

• Difficulty concentrating

• Headaches

• Irritability or aggressiveness

• Sleep problems

Possible sources

If you realize you’re living with too much stress, you need to identify its source. Think about your relationships, both personal and professional, your home life, your job and how busy you are. You should also identify daily irritants such as a long commute, as these tend to add up and can impact your mental health.

What you can do

Once you have an idea of where your stress comes from, you’ll be in a position to take steps to improve your situation and health. In some cases, it’s a matter of adjusting an aspect of your life, such as how much work you’ve taken on, or working out a problem in a relationship. Importantly, things like meditation and therapy can help as well.

Meal prep: the easy way to eat healthier

If you’re looking for an easy way to adopt healthier eating habits, then meal prep is for you. This method consists of planning and preparing your meals a week in advance and is easy to integrate into your routine. Here’s how and why you should do it.

How to do it

Make a menu for the upcoming week that includes healthy, balanced meals that freeze well or can keep for a few days in the fridge. You can either make a few different meals or a large batch of a single dish that you enjoy. Once you decide what’s on the menu for the week, make a list of everything you need and hit the grocery store. Spend an afternoon cooking and you’ll have a week’s worth of food that you only need to warm up.

Benefits

If you plan out your weekly menu, the first thing you’re likely to notice is that you’ll eat well throughout the week and stress less at meal times. This is because you won’t have to cook or scramble to find something to eat every day. Plus, you’ll likely eat much healthier than you would if you had to improvise every day. You won’t have to settle for processed or fast food.

One of the main obstacles to developing healthy eating habits is that cooking balanced meals takes time. Meal prep solves this issue by making it quicker and easier to eat nutritious meals throughout the week.

Whatever you do, don’t let stress take over your life. Over time, it can cause you to develop serious health issues and poor coping mechanisms like consumption of fatty foods, alcohol and drugs.

daniel@carib101.com

“In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics

John Kerry calls on us to hope.

I’m not talking about blind optimism here - the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don’t think about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it.

That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about something more substantial. It’s the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the

The danger of blind optimism

hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker’s son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too.

Hope - Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope!”

Those were the words of the 44th President of the United States of America, Barrack Hussien Obama, during his presidential campaign in 2004. He appeals for hope; it’s not surprising he won. Hope sells. It was Hal Lindsey who said, “Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.”

Did the former US President keep all his promises, after eight years in the Oval office? No! Interestingly, according to Politifact, the former US president kept 48% of his campaign promises, 27% were compromised, and 24% were broken. We hope because we know that what we’re

German Jews faced the full brunt of Hitler’s hate. He despised them, his racism would be unparalleled if it weren’t for the existence of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, but still, how can one single human being possess so much hate in his heart?

Nazism stands for National Socialism. Hitler’s goal was to implement his form of socialism, but only after wiping the Marxist and Capitalist Jews from the face of the earth. His socialism was based on Aryan Supremacy and that the Aryan people must own and control the means of

production as a collective.

It is commonly thought that Hitler opposed Marxism, but that’s not entirely true. Hitler opposed Marxism because he thought of it as a Jewish ideology, just as he viewed capitalism as a Jewish ideology. He believed that the Jewish Capitalists were taking advantage of the existing state of the country and funding the Jewish Marxist who was pushing for a class war in Germany to overthrow the bourgeoisie.

The point is Hitler, in his mind, was fighting to prevent a takeover by either the Jewish Marxist or the Jewish Capitalists. He was ideologically opposed to capitalism, because he believed in a totalitarian state directly or indirectly owning or controlling every aspect of society. The only difference between Hitler’s National Socialism and Karl Marx’s Marxist Socialism, is that one (the former) proposes a war based on race and the other (the latter) a war based on class. Both are socialist at their foundation.

Hitler was only opposed to Marxism, because it proposed gathering people of races, which included Jews, within the proletariat (working class), to overthrow

desiring isn’t in our lives yet. The material absence of what we’re hoping for is the fabric of reality that creates hope.

The hope for a better future is perhaps the reason we all work from dawn to dusk. The late nights and the early mornings. We go to school to get a degree with the hope that upon completion, we will become valuable to society, make a good living, and provide for our family.

It costs nothing to hope, but hope in itself is illusive without an intentional plan and strategic actions. Hope has its place in the pursuit of any dream, but it should always be kept in perspective.

We are not healthy because we hope to be healthy; it takes a healthy diet and regular exercise to stay healthy. No one gets rich by hoping to be rich, it takes planning, investing, saving, hard work, and strategies to create wealth. Empires are not built by merely pasting pictures on vision boards and chanting positive affirmations, affirmations are good, but that’s just one part of the success equation.

There is a clear distinction be -

tween hoping, planning, and taking action, and the missing link for so many is they are overly optimistic but have no strategies or intentional plan. George S. Patton once said, “Don’t fall victim to what I call the ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome. You must be willing to fire.” Tom Peters puts it this way, “Ready, aim, fire. Do it! Make it happen! Action counts. No one ever sat their way to success.

Quit making excuses, putting it off, complaining about it, dreaming about it, planning about it, thinking about it, whining about it, believing you can’t, waiting for the right opportunity, or wondering if you. Hold on tight, say a prayer, make a plan, and just do it.

The future does not only rest in the arms of hope, the future would become a reality through strategic planning, action, faith, doggedness, persistence, and prayer. Keep Hope Alive, but remember, it takes more than hope to live your dream.

the bourgeoisie (capitalist class), which also included Aryan and Jews. Hitler would never entertain such a movement, (even if it’s a socialist one), to allow a situation where a group that included Jews waged a successful war against a group that includes Aryans.

So Hitler never saw Marxism as real socialism. He saw his National Socialism as the true socialism. Why should you be afraid of Marxists? Well, Hitler read Karl Marx’s literature, and it was there that he came to the “realization” that the Capitalist Jews are the problems in society and devised the horrible idea to commit genocide. Yes, both Hitler and Karl Marx hated the Capitalist Jew.

Karl Marx’s vision was a classless society, which collectively owns and controls the means of production. He advocated for his form of socialism to be a stepping-stone to communism. Only, his form of socialism required the murder and enslavement of “class traitors” and the bourgeoisie (capitalist class).

So if the Marxists had been the ones to overcome Hitler in Germany, the

result would remain unchanged; Jews would still have been murdered, but only the ones who’ve betrayed the worker class and the ones who were in the capitalist class, including the children born of the capitalist class. For evidence, look no further than the over 1,000,000 souls dead under the dictatorship of the Marxist USSR leader, Vladimir Lenin.

Those who proclaim themselves to be Nazis deserve to be shamed; but it should be the same for those who proudly call themselves Marxists or Socialists. Society should be disgusted at these self-proclaimed Marxists, and should be wary of the plans they have for society.

Marxist of today is unlike the Marxist of the past. Today, they have infused race war into their already dangerous class war ideology. They’ve fused Hitler and Lenin’s ideologies into one. Make no mistake, if Marxists rise to power in this generation or any time after, the terror and hate of Vladimir Lenin and Adolph Hitler will rise again; no one, whether: Jew, African, Aryan, European, Asian or Indian will be safe, even if you belong to the worker class.

DANIEL COLE

I remember thinking, “I wish I had that faith!”

SIMONE SMITH

simone@carib101.com

HUMAN SPECIALIST

As the months wore on, my anxiety got worse and worse. When I did pull myself off the couch, I would have to face my parents who had questions for me that I could not answer. I could see them trying to put the pieces together, to figure out how and why I had put myself in such a predicament. They were asking questions that I myself could not answer. Why had I put myself in such a position? Why had I mixed myself with people who clearly did not have my best interest at heart? Why had sins of my 20’s caught me in my 30’s? Why? Why? Why?

I could see they were desperate for

answers, so I did my best to appease them, to bring them some peace in their storm. It never seemed to be enough, because the answers were then followed up with more questions. It was a vicious cycle that seemed to have no end, and I felt swept up in the whirlwind.

To add to the stress was the letters that I would receive from the courts and from my lawyer. Every update was a painful reminder as to the mess I had put myself in. I remember when I received the first letter; the prosecutor had put in their piece to the courts. They wanted me to pay restitution and spend 25 years in prison. I remember when I read that, my heart sank so deep into my chest, and I couldn’t feel it beating. The whole world seemed to stop. 25 years in prison. 25 years of my life gone for being involved with the wrong people.

I saw the colour drain from my mom’s face when she read the letter. She put it down and looked at me.

“You will not be going to jail for 25 years, do you hear me Simone. God is

5 tips for raising children in a bilingual environment

Contrary to what some people may believe, raising your children in a bilingual environment won’t create confusion or lead to delays in speech development. In fact, doing so can increase mental flexibility and heighten creativity. Here are some tips for raising children in a bilingual environment.

1. Children up to the age of seven learn languages more easily and can develop strategies to simplify their understanding of grammar. Start young, re¬cognizing that it’s never too late to learn a new language.

2. Surround them with bilingual friends and family who can encourage them to have conversations in their second language.

3. Reading aloud to your children helps with language development. Make sure to read to them in both lan¬gua¬ges.

4. Use technology to your advantage. Look for television stations and age-appropriate podcasts in both langua¬ges. In addition, many smartphone apps can help your child practise their language skills.

5. Consider enrolling your children in a bilingual school. In particular, immersion programs help promote proficiency in both languages.

Keep in mind that learning a new language is difficult, and mixing up words is a normal part of vocabulary development. Be patient, and in the end your children will be fluent in both tongues.

How to make decisions as a couple

It can be hard enough to make decisions on your own, let alone as part of a cou¬ple. However, most people in romantic partnerships are faced with making big choices together over the course of their relationship. While it’s normal to have different opinions on things, it’s important to work co-operatively to come up with solutions. Here are some tips to help you make decisions as a couple.

• Listen to their opinion. Always be open to hearing your partner’s perspective. Try to understand their point of view before making a final decision.

• Examine pros and cons. Make an objective list of your options and assess the pros and cons of each. This can help you observe the facts and come to an informed decision together.

• Work as a team. Take time to work through the issue as a unit. Always strive to come to a genuine agreement.

• Focus on a common objective. Setting shared goals can help you and your part¬ner stay on the same page and make mutually beneficial decisions.

• Compromise when necessary. Some¬ti¬mes you need to give a little in order to maintain harmony in a relationship. If there’s no clear win-win decision, con¬sider coming up with a compromise.

If you’re still having trouble coming to a consensus, consider talking to a psychologist or marriage counsellor. A trained professional can help you work through your differences and come together as a team.

Reliving my past trauma

going to work it out for you. I have been praying and I will continue to pray. God has been showing me things over the last few weeks, and I want to share them with you.

First of all, this judge will only be one of the judges in your case. You are going to go through three judges before the end of this case. You are not going to have to spend any more time in jail, and you will not have to pay any restitution. You have to trust God, and believe without a shadow of a doubt that he will help you through this situation.

Pray Simone. Ask God for guidance. God will see us through this I promise.”

As she spoke, I so desperately wanted to believe her. All I could see in that moment was 25 years.

“Thanks mom! Thank you for your words of encouragement.” With that I excused myself and quickly went downstairs so that she could not see the tears running down my face. I felt so bad. How could I have done something so stupid? I felt helpless, frustrated, and unworthy of love. I thought that my parents were being

considerate of my feelings, even though at times, my dad would make comments that let me know that they were disappointed. I sat down on the couch that had become my makeshift bed. I leaned back and closed my eyes. My brain was swimming with thoughts, and I felt like I was drowning in them. I knew that I could not go on like this. I was sinking deeper and deeper into depression, and now anxiety had become a normal part of my life. I would feel like this for a few more weeks, and the letters kept coming…

I remember receiving the follow up letter that stated that they wanted me to spend 20 years in prison. Again, I showed it to my mom, and she repeated the vision that she had received. Her words fell on deaf ears; I did not have her faith. It was around this time that I realized how strong my parents were. They had belief in something that they could not possibly see. I remember thinking, “I wish I had that faith!” At that moment, all I felt was fear.

Medicine Wheel is truly manifesting its destiny to become the leading choice for cannabis products!

SEAN SEURATTAN sean@carib101.com

THE HEIGHTENED CHEF

thrived until it was disrupted by the arrival of settlers looking to usurp land that they considered untouched by civilization. Without regard for the existing society, these settlers fleeing from their own undesirable lands began the colonization of this one. Through violence, appropriation and

trickery

Indigenous people were separated from their land, history and culture. Ken Hughes and the Medicine Wheel organization seek to re-establish what was lost/taken by exercising their sovereignty.

Through a conglomerate of the Mississaugas of the Credit, Ashinabe and Iroquois Nations, Ken has spearheaded a movement to bring back many of the traditional practices of his people. An elaborate trade system existed amongst many of these nations long before settlers arrived. In fact most of these settlers would not have survived if not for the ability to utilize this trade network. Things that were historically traded by Indigenous people included: fruits and vegetables, fish and game meat, tobacco and of course; canna-

Because Indigenous people on unceded territory are doing these historic practices, federal regulations and laws unbind Medicine Wheel. By using historic trade routes for logistics, these rights extend beyond the boundaries of reservations and even supersede the Indian Protection Act of 1850 for Upper Canada. In fact many of the treaties that the Ontario government attempts to cling to are invalid, because alterations were made to the initial agreements without the consensus

of the proper individuals from 40+ groups involved. Such transgressions are commonplace in the systematic marginalization of Hughes and those like him. When asked how he would even like to be identified, he said a bit perplexed “It’s hard to know what I’d like to be identified as when the Crown has spent 500 years stripping my identity away.”

While the scars of the past may never heal, Hughes and Medicine Wheel have chosen positivity to be the cure. Never scared of a fight, Ken knows that the battle against the stereotypes and inequity that have plagued his people for generations must be fought in multiple fronts at once. Not a problem for the former wrestler and literal Jack of All Trades. In just one year of being the first Indigenous owned cannabis store, he has been able to begin change by creating a positive image for Indigenous people through cannabis. While maintaining a culture of equality for everyone within the organization, Medicine Wheel has focused on the employment of Indigenous people at their locations. They are able to educate the public about the wonders of their historical medicines that they discovered centuries ago.

Medicine Wheel cares about its employees and their employees care about

their customers. This symbiotic relationship illustrates the importance of connectivity for the company. Embracing and supporting the cannabis community through compassionate pricing like their $60 ounce of flower make them easy favourites for many.

“Everyone deserves good weed at a good price,” said Ken and then followed in the same breath with “But you need to see, smell and interact with cannabis in order to find out what intrigues you.” This is reflected at every location because Medicine Wheel chooses to have a warm, friendly, inviting environment that promotes interaction.

Alternatively, the cold, clinical feel of many existing dispensaries encourage you to hurry up, pay and get out.

With already 15 Native dispensaries spread throughout the GTA, and more on the way, Medicine Wheel is proving to be a powerful disruptive force for the existing cannabis framework. In a system biased towards making the rich ever richer, Ken and his organization have created a gateway for customers to gain access to incredible Legacy Market products promoting organic growth from within the community.

3 environmentally friendly food-packaging options

To reduce your waste, buying food in bulk is ideal. However, it’s not always an option. Here are a few tips for choosing the most environmentally friendly food packaging on your next trip to the grocery store.

1. Metals like aluminum, steel and tin are easily recyclable. For instance, aluminum can be recycled indefinitely without losing its integrity. It’s one of the most recycled metals in the world partly because doing so doesn’t require much energy or resources.

2. Glass is another highly recyclable material, regardless of whether it’s tinted or clear. Moreover, it’s made from natural elements. Ideally, look for glass bottles that have easy-to-remove labels and caps. Light¬weight glass is preferable because it costs less to transport.

3. Paper and cardboard are also great packaging choices, as they can be recycled often. However, the manufacturing process for these materials uses a lot of water, increasing their carbon

footprint. Avoid paper and cardboard packages with cellophane windows as these are more difficult to recycle.

Cloud computing: the environmental impact of the virtual world

The internet is often referred to as the virtual world. Despite its intangible nature, it relies on many tangible resources, especially when it comes to cloud computing. Here’s a look at the environmental impact of the cloud.

What’s cloud computing?

Numerous companies make a living by storing personal files like photos and videos on internet servers instead of physical devices. This storage space is called the cloud because the data is suspended and readily accessible from anywhere.

What are the environmental impacts?

The growing popularity of cloud storage has led to the need for massive data processing hubs. These systems use a considerable amount of energy and produce a lot of heat, which requires environmentally unfriendly cooling processes.

Moreover, these installations must be fail-safe and so they require large battery backup systems and generators. In short, storing information in the virtual world needs a lot of resources. It also creates quite a bit of industrial waste.

However, cloud computing does have its advantages. For example, software programs can be downloaded from the cloud, eliminating the need for millions of compact discs. Additionally, this technology makes it easy to work from home, which helps reduce fuel consumption.

Despite these pros and cons, we need many more studies to measure the true environmental footprint of the cloud.

Running with your dog: factors to consider

Are you looking for ways you and your dog can be more active together? Here are some things to think about before you take your pet for a run.

Characteristics of the breed

Flat-faced dogs tend to have trouble breathing and, therefore, a low tolerance to vigorous exercise and heat. Large, deep-chested breeds, on the other hand, are prone to stomach twists if they’re too active after eating. This is why it’s best to consult your veterinarian before you take your dog for a run.

Weather and terrain conditions

If you run in the summer, be sure to take regular breaks so your dog can catch its breath and stay hydrated. This is crucial to prevent heat stroke. You should also avoid running during a heat wave. Additionally, remember to check your pet’s foot pads often for cuts and scratches. Depending on the season, you might also need to use booties or a balm to protect your dog’s paws.

Finally, make sure you have the right equipment before you head out. You can find a selection of harnesses, leashes and running belts at your local pet store.

PUPPIES

Avoid running with your dog until it’s at least six months old. Otherwise, you risk harming the proper development of your pet’s muscles and joints. Some larger breeds may need even more time to grow.

4

tips for letting small pets free roam

If you have a small pet such as a rabbit, hamster or guinea pig, you might be wondering how to let it safely wander around outside of its cage. Here are some key tips to follow.

1. Potty train your pet

There’s less risk of damage to your home if your pet knows to only do its business in designated spots. If you have a ferret, for example, you should place several litter boxes throughout its roaming area to accommodate its small bladder.

2. Create a safe space

Make sure all electrical wires are out of reach in rooms where your pet will roam, and keep plants, medications and food out of reach. It’s also best to remove decorative pieces that can get damaged such as carpets and curtains. Remember to give the whole area a final sweep for hazards before you let your pet wander.

3. Supervise your pet

Always keep an eye on your pet when it’s outside of its cage. Small animals, especially mice and rats, like to squeeze into tight spaces. By remaining vigilant, you can quickly spot any safety risks you forgot to consider. You’ll also get a better idea of what your pet likes and how you can improve its space.

4. Provide lots of activities

Help your pet make the most of its free time by offering plenty of stimulation in the form of toys, tunnels and climbing towers. If you have a rabbit or ferret, you can even use a leash to walk your pet outside.

For more advice about how to allow your furry friend to spend time outside of its cage, speak with your veterinarian or visit a local pet store.

How to choose a cat to take home

Have you decided to adopt your first cat? Before you welcome a feline into your home, here are a few tips to help you choose the perfect companion.

Assess its personality

Cats can be classified as being adventurous, timid or somewhere in between. Adventurous cats have a penchant for climbing and exploring, and they tend to be very energetic. Timid cats, on the other hand, don’t respond as well to change and often prefer quiet environments. Likely, your new pet will fall somewhere in the middle. It may be hesitant at first but ready to play once it gets used to its surroundings.

Evaluate its environment

If you have young children or other pets, an adventurous cat is more likely to fit in with your family. For older adults and people who live alone, a timid cat may be a better fit. Cats with a mix of these traits are well suited for families with an established routine that offers a balance of activity and rest.

Determine its needs

How you care for your cat might depend in part on its breed. A hairless cat, for example, may need to wear a sweater to conserve body heat, whereas a longhaired cat must be frequently brushed. In addition, some breeds can be more aggressive, and those with flat faces shouldn’t be too active during hot weather.

Remember that getting to know a cat’s character before you decide to adopt it is the best way to ensure you can provide your feline friend a happy home.

Bibi, the mortgage broker, met with Yash and Wari. “Congratulations! Your mortgage is approved. The appraisal came in at the purchase price as well. You can now arrange an inspection for the home.”

Louisa, a middle-aged woman with a perpetual smile, met Yash and Wari at the property. “Let’s start from the outside and work our way in,” recommended Louisa. “As you can see, there are a few hairline cracks along the foundation. This is because over time, concrete contracts and expands. It’s important to seal these cracks because over winter, they can expand. We will check for water leaks in the basement.”

Louisa surveyed the outside of the property, taking endless photos of anything that appeared to be defective. “The landscaping is good, sloping away from the foundation. The eaves troughs have long extensions discharging water away from the home. If water lodges near the foundation, it might eventually seep into the basement,” explained Louisa. “Now, it’s time for me to climb on the roof,” she joked.

Wari looked at Yash, mouth gaped. “That’s dangerous.”

Louisa went to her vehicle and within thirty seconds, her drone hovered above the house, snapping photos. Louisa calmly inspected every angle of the roof with the control of a joystick and a computer screen. “The roof has a few shingles missing at one corner. It’s a fairly new roof but we need to have the missing shingles replaced,” she noted.

She inspected the external GFI outlets, the lights, driveway and garage,

The home inspection

seizing every opportunity to point out minor defects and corrective measures. “A home is like a person, each with its own unique problems. We are looking for major issues while educating the buyers about minor ones,” Louisa explained.

Yash cleared his throat. “One of our friends told us that we do not need to be present during the inspection because you can email us the report. I am glad we came because of the firsthand experience.”

Louisa proceeded to the finished basement. She flashed a light on the external walls and used a moisture meter to check for dampness. “The basement is dry. That is good news. The cracks are not leaking,” she said.

She inspected the fuse box. “There are some fuses that are double tapped. Usually, it’s one wire per fuse. Double tapping indicates that someone else other than an electrician did some of the electrical. It’s important to conduct an electrical safety audit,” Louisa suggested.

Justin, the buyer’s realtor, massaged his chin. “Electrical fires are dangerous. We must arrange with the seller to fix that.”

Louisa used her infra-red camera, checking for uninsulated areas in the basement and pest infestation “This home is well insulated. There are a few minor air leakages around the windows. Here is the main shut-off valve for water. It’s important if there is an emergency such as a burst pipe. This is the shut-off valve for the outside water. In the fall, it’s smart to turn off the outside water and drain the pipes to prevent freezing. When water freezes, it expands and can rupture the pipes.”

Louisa turned her attention to the furnace, AC, humidifier and thermostat.

“The furnace is like a second set of lungs. Change the filters regularly. It’s good to clean the air ducts. During winter, the furnace will extract moisture from everywhere including our skin. Have the humidifier serviced and operational. It will prevent dry shins and shrinking floors. I hang my

clothes in the basement to dry during winter. It provides humidity and I save electricity at the same time,” advised Louisa.

Louisa proceeded to the main floor. She took photos of the serial numbers on the appliances. “This can become handy if sellers switch their appliances or if buyers think that the appliances were switched.” She inspected the kitchen. She noted that the kitchen exhaust fan was not vented to the outside.

Louisa checked the water flow. She opened all the taps and flushed the toilets around the same time. “It’s important to clean the drain pipes often. You can use a drain cleaner or use baking soda and vinegar and then run some hot water. Now, let’s take a look into the attic.” Louisa used a small ladder and hobbled her way up. “You will need to add some insulation, but the attic is dry and mold free. Usually, when there is poor ventilation in the attic, the warm air eventually condenses on cold spots and falls, causing mold to flourish.”

The entire inspection lasted for

around three hours. Louisa provided the couple with a list of deficiencies. Justin managed to renegotiate the offer where the seller agreed to correct some of the deficiencies or compensate the buyers on closing.

Yash threw his arms around Wari. “We learnt a lot about up-keeping and maintaining a home.”

Later that day, Justin prepared an amendment removing the conditions for financing and inspection. The parties agreed to a price reduction so that Yash and Wari could correct the deficiencies once they became the owners.

Yash held Wari’s hand as they strolled to their car. “Once we move in, the first thing on the agenda is to get an electrician.”

“No Yash, the first thing we need to do is to have the priest over. We need to change the vibrations.”

Yash laughed. “Then, fixing the electrical is our second priority.”

How ceiling fans can

save you money every season

Ceiling fans are known for keeping your home cool on hot summer days. However, did you know that fans can help keep your house comfortable all year long? They can also help you reduce your energy bills. Here’s how.

Summer

A switch on your ceiling fan’s central unit allows you to operate it in a clock¬wise or counterclockwise rotation. Set your ceiling fan to turn counterclockwise during warm months to push air downwards and create a cool breeze.

A standard air conditioning (AC) unit uses 3,500 watts of power. On the other hand, a ceiling fan uses just 50. If you use ceiling fans, there are many summer days when you don’t need the AC. Ceiling fans also complement your air conditio -

ning. Fans keep air flowing throughout the room and help maintain a constant temperature, so your air conditioner won’t operate as much.

Winter

During winter, change your fan’s settings to spin clock¬wise at a low speed. The fan will redistribute rising warm air from your furnace throughout the room. You can turn your thermostat down and still be comfortable. More¬over, your furnace won’t work as hard, saving you money.

Lastly, ensure your fan blades are tilted at 12 degrees to provide sufficient airflow. However, if they’re an¬gled at more than 16 degrees, they’ll cause too much wind causing loose objects to blow around the room.

Why you need a combi-boiler in your home

If you need to replace your boiler, you should consider upgrading to a modern combi-boiler system. A combination boiler heats your home and gives you hot water on demand. Here are some of the benefits.

• Increased efficiency. More efficient than a conventional water heater that heats a full tank of water whether you need it or not, a combi-boiler can reduce your energy consumption by up to 40 per cent.

• Save valuable space. You don’t need a lot of room for a combi-boiler because they’re compact. For example, you can install a combi-boiler in an apartment or condo or in the space under the stairs.

• Save money. Modern combi-boilers are less complex than conventional boilers and have fewer pipes to install.

Moreover, combi-boilers are less expensive to install and repair than traditional ones.

• Enjoy unlimited hot water. You’ll never run out of hot water because a combi-boiler doesn’t have a water tank. Therefore, you can enjoy leisurely showers and hot baths without worrying about having enough water in the tank.

• There’s less maintenance. A combi-boiler doesn’t have a water tank to flush and clean. Consequently, you don’t have to worry about scheduling maintenance every six months.

If you’re moving into a new house or making extensive renovations, it’s a perfect time to upgrade your home’s heating system. Talk to an expert at your local home renovation centre.

HOW TO PLAY :

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

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

through 9 in the same line, column, or 3x3 box.

ARIES

At work and home, you’ll take on new responsibilities that will be very demanding. You’ll need to be patient and persevere to accomplish everything despite feeling tired and stressed. Fortunately, it’ll be worth the effort.

TAURUS

You may experience a few sleepless nights because your mind is racing. You must expend any excess energy to regain balance. Getting a gym membership may be a good idea.

GEMINI

It’s time to take the bull by the horns and clean up your circle of friends. You’re letting some of them steal a lot of your energy.

CANCER

If you have young children, you must be more disciplined and set some ground rules. Don’t let the words of those around you get you down. Take vwhat they say with a grain of salt; your emotions will be running high.

LEO

You’ll be eager to travel. At work, you may have to serve customers who speak a language you’re not fluent in. However, this challenge will be beneficial

VIRGO

If you change your lifestyle, eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise, you’ll finally see results. Perseverance is the key to feeling better about yourself.

LIBRA

A friend will ask you to go on an adventure. Your craving for adrenaline will allow you to step outside your comfort zone and change up your daily routine. This will make you feel alive; your boldness will fill you with pride.

SCORPIO

You’ll find the leader in you. You must raise your voice and express your opinions with more authority. Slowly but surely, you’ll climb the ranks in your company; the boss’s chair awaits you.

SAGITTARIUS

You can’t resist the urge to go shopping and treat yourself to a little luxury. It’s time to update your wardrobe for your new position at work; there are plenty of reasons to treat yourself.

CAPRICORN

If there’s been tension at home, take the time to correct the situation. You may feel like it’s time to freshen up your decor. Your home may lack some vibrancy during fall.

AQUARIUS

It’s time for your car to go in for a tuneup. If you don’t, a breakdown is imminent. Your cellphone and computer could also suffer the same fate. Don’t forget to charge their batteries to keep them functional.

PISCES

You

and

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS

AMERICAN SPELLING

The luckiest signs this week: GEMINI, CANCER AND LEO

PUZZLE NO. 60

PUZZLE NO. 770

Classifieds the

SHIRT JACKS: Shirt Jacks all sizes all colour call 416-474-3454

CRAFT AND GARAGE SALE: Lots of crochet items for the bathroom and household. Clothing,curtains and dishes.

On Saturday the 20th Aug from 9:30 to 4pm. Address 51 Templeton Court, Scarborough. ( Lawrence and Overture)

HIRING: Looking for a helper to do general labour, garden cleaning, landscaping, and winter snow removal. Cash paid weekly. Located at Morningside & Lawrence in Scarborough. Please call: (416)269-5174

HIRING FOR CLEANING: Looking for experience people for general cleaning evenings and night. Must speak English and can drive to areas in the GTA. Call or Text 647-239-4808. Seriou calls only

HIRING LIVE OUT COOK AND HOUSEKEEPER: Looking for a live out house keep and cook. Must be able to cook Caribbean Food.No caregiver needed. Bathurst and Wilson. No Cash , T4 Issued call Anna 416-729-4772

Some restrictions may apply. We reserve the right of refusal.

Approximately 4-6 hours commitment every second Wednesday.

Drivers needed for:

• Scarborough/Pickering/ Ajax

• North York/Rexdale/ Malton

• Brampton/Mississauga

Driver must have SUV or Van. Call 647-722-6298 to apply.

FOR RENT: Furnished Room For Rent! Sharing Kitchen & Washroom. Located in Scarborough, Toronto, Morningside Avenue & Kingston Road. $850.00/month including utilities. Please call (416)459-6155. FOR RENT

FOR RENT: Furnished 1 BedBasement Apart For Rent! Separate Entrance, Private Kitchen & Washroom. Located in Scarborough, Toronto, Morningside Avenue & Kingston Road. $1,550.00/ month including utilities. Please call (416)459-6155.

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

SALES REPS WANTED

We are in the process of expansion and constantly looking for the best of the best! Dedicated salespeople; people interested in opportunities to help others while also being able to help themselves. For more information, please contact Trish 647-722-6298 or trish@carib101.com

Five financing strategies for buying a Toronto investment property

lenient qualifications for their loans, and focus more heavily on the property than the borrower. Because of this, people who have had some credit issues in the past, or who don’t have strong income history might still qualify. The downside? Private money loans are generally more expensive at origination and carry higher interest rates.

Friend or family financing

One of the biggest hurdles that real estate investors in Toronto face is obtaining the necessary funds to buy an investment property. For first timers, this can be especially challenging, unless you understand that there are several strategies for financing to utilize. Here are some to consider!

Traditional bank financing

Bank loans for investors are probably the most well known way to finance an investment property, and most closely mirror the process for obtaining a personal home loan. Bank loans are great for people who have steady and sufficient income, great credit, and a sizable down payment. Generally speaking, this type of financing will offer a competitive interest rate and can be secured at many banks across the country.

Private money financing

If you have already tried to secure a traditional bank loan without success, you may want to look into the world of private lending. Private lenders often have more

While some people may shy away from the idea of asking their wealthy uncle for a loan, family and friends might be a viable way to finance an investment property. When you have a positive personal relationship with someone, there is a tendency for them to want to partner with you for success. They also might be willing to overlook some flaws in your finances, since they know you well, understand your character and work ethic better than a traditional lender would. Interest rates and expectations will vary widely, since each transaction will depend on the person loaning the money.

Seller financing

In some cases, the person or entity who you are buying the investment property from will actually be willing to provide the loan to you directly. While some seller financing will be long-term, a short-term agreement is more likely. If the property needs major repairs, for instance, the seller may agree to allow you to go ahead and purchase it on a one or two year seller’s balloon note. This will give you the time to: do necessary

renovations, secure a tenant, show cash flow from the property, and clean up any personal credit issues. Once these things are done, you could then pay off the seller loan in full using a bank loan or some other type of financing.

Partnership financing

There are many people that have money to invest in real estate, but they don’t have the: time, skills, or ability to handle the logistics involved. In a situation like this, partnership financing could make a lot of sense. Partnerships can be structured in many different ways, but the overall idea is that funding is provided in exchange for ownership. For a person who is financially strong, partnering with someone who is highly capable of managing tenants and running the day-to-day might be a perfect fit. Partners would work out the details of things like: ownership percentages, management duties, and financing as they see fit.

Thinking outside the box

Great real estate investors know how to identify properties with potential, and then work their vision until they realize financial success. In a lot of cases, this requires thinking outside the proverbial box. By understanding the various strategies for financing, and being able to use them as needed, you will put yourself one step closer to realizing your dreams and goals as a real estate investor.

Working in retirement: what impact does it have on your pension?

Would you like to continue working after retirement, either to increase your income, which you feel is insufficient, or to re main physically and socially active? Are you wondering if this decision will affect your pension?

First of all, you should be aware that you can receive your pension (either the Canada Pension Plan or the Quebec Pension Plan) even if you are still employed. However, you may be required to continue contributing to the plan. Similarly, if you meet the income requirements, you are also entitled to

your Old Age Security (OAS) pension. However, your OAS pension may decrease if you earned more than $81,761 in 2022 after your retirement. If that is the case, it might be better for you to delay receiving your OAS pension until your income is lower in order to avoid paying all or part of the OAS recovery tax. If you are able to support yourself without benefitting immediately from the OAS, you can choose to defer this benefit until 60 months after the date of eligibility. This will in crease the amount you re ceive when

you finally make your application. For each month you delay your first payment, you will increase your pension by 0.6 per cent, up to a maximum of 36 per cent at the age of 70. In short, depending on your financial needs, you can work while receiving your pension and take full advantage of your retirement. You can find more information on the Fi nancial Consumer Agency of Canada’s website at www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca.

How to organize your finances when you lose your job

When you lose your job, it is imperative to be well organized in order to avoid going into debt. Here are some steps to take if you find yourself in this situation.

• Apply for employment insurance (EI) if you qualify based on the number of hours worked at your previous job. This should be done as quickly as possible because you will not start receiving your benefits until several weeks after you have applied. Check whether you can make other claims, such as credit card balance insurance, and find out if you are entitled to severance pay

or vacation pay.

• Carefully review your severance package, if one is offered, before signing it. Seek legal advice if necessary and make sure you understand all the conditions and the impact of this package on your EI benefits. Severance pay is taxable, so make sure you put aside some money to pay your income taxes; the automatically deducted amount may be insufficient.

• Set a budget, because you may need to reduce your expenses. This means separating essential expenses (rent, groceries, etc.) from the unessential

items (movies, coffees, restaurants, etc.), then cutting down on the latter. Do not use your credit cards or lines of credit, as it could make your situation worse. If necessary, consult a credit counsellor or financial advisor.

Obviously, you’ll need to start looking for a new job. If you are considering early retirement, make sure you have the means. Service Canada offers various tools, including the Job Bank, to facilitate your search. Visit the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada website at www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca for more information.

Are you getting ready to shop for a new or second-hand car? Follow these essential steps to make sure you don’t buy a lemon or miss out on any great deals.

1. Set your budget

Determine the amount you can afford to pay every month. Keep in mind that a bigger down payment will help you significantly lower your monthly payments. Don’t forget to take into account all the other expenses involved in owning a car: fuel, maintenance, insurance and annual registration costs.

2. Decide what you want and need

Which model best suits your requirements: are you planning on starting a family soon, or you already have children? You’d like to be able to carry heavy loads when necessary? Your main priority is fuel efficiency? Think about whether you need an automatic or manual transmission and air conditioning or a backup camera. Decide which features are essential for you and which ones are luxuries you can do without.

3. Shop around

Read car reviews and compare the prices and features of the different models. Select the vehicles you prefer and ask friends and family members

Five steps to buying a car

about the quality of customer and after-sales service at the dealerships in question.

If you’re looking for a used car, check the market prices for the models that interest you. You can buy from private individuals or choose to do business with a used car dealer, which is an option that offers more consumer protection.

4. Test drive the car

A test drive is essential in order to as -

sess the vehicle for comfort, blind spots, quality of ride and the engine’s pep. Ideally, you should test the car at night and during the day, in the city and on the highway. Tip: try a few cars to compare them, and ask someone to go along with you for a second opinion.

5. Negotiate

Did the test drive convince you? You now need to agree on the price. Ask all the questions you can think of and

make sure you understand what the price includes. If you buy a used vehicle, check its history and have it inspected by an independent mechanic to avoid having any unpleasant surprises later on.

The details are settled and you’re ready to shake hands? Read over all sales documents before signing them. Then, once your car is properly insured, you’ll be ready to hit the road.