“What follows isn’t meant to make light of Jamaica’s struggles, or feed conspiracy chatter. In a world where rumours outpace facts, this piece aims to slow things down, just enough to really look, listen, and understand...”
STORY - PAGE 8
EMMA ANSAH
From racism to reporting revolution
The scent of Montreal’s autumn air still lingers in Emma Ansah’s memory as she recalls the days when her family’s yard would mysteriously fill with garbage after returning from vacation. The sound of racial slurs being shouted from passing cars. The feeling of isolation as the only Black family in a south shore neighborhood that would define both her childhood and her life’s work.
“My parents came here as immigrants from Ghana, but I was born in Montreal,” Emma shares, her voice steady yet layered with the weight of experience. “I was cultured Ghanaian. I am a Ghanaian born in Canada.” This duality of identity that is rooted in African heritage, yet Canadian by birth, would become the foundation of her unique perspective as a media journalist and PR specialist.
Growing up in what she describes as a “very anti-Black racist environment,” Emma learned resilience early. The seven Ansah children: four brothers and three sisters, developed an unspoken pact to protect each other. “The kids in the neighbourhood would ride around calling us Black, or nigger, and we of course would beat them up,” she recalls without hesitation. “Then their parents would bring their beat-up children to my parents, and my parents would tell us to ignore them.”
The texture of those early years was rough with confrontation, yet softened by familial bonds, shaped Emma’s understanding of systemic racism. Her parents’ decision to enroll the children in French Immersion was strategic. “So that we would know what they were saying,” Emma explains. “We were told to fight back.”
This duality of response; ignore the provocations yet arm oneself with knowledge, resonates deeply with many from Caribbean and African immigrant families who navigate similar spaces between cultural preservation and assimilation. The rhythm of switching between languages, the code-switching required to move between worlds, becomes second nature.
When another Black family finally moved into their neighbourhood, Emma remembers the palpable shift in atmosphere. “It quieted down,” she says simply. The presence of another family like theirs created a buffer, a small community within a hostile environment. This experience planted the seeds of what would become her life’s work: creating spaces where Black voices could be heard and amplified.
“Because of that, I am very aware of microaggression,” Emma reflects. “This is why I am so passionate about what I do now. In 2025, we are still seeing this nonsense.” The frustration in her voice is tempered by determination, a quality that has carried her through multiple career transformations.
For 27 years, Emma worked as an accountant. “I have a knack for numbers,” she admits with a slight smile. The precision and analytical thinking required in accounting would later serve her well in media and PR, but the shift from numbers to narratives began with a sisterly act of support.
“My sister is an author, and I wanted to get her an interview at Sirius Radio,” Emma explains. “I got it for her, so after, I learned about PR, got some certifications, and started picking up clients.” The transition required confronting her fear of public speaking, a vulnerability she openly acknowledges. “That was a no, no for me. I was good with being in my safe bubble, but I had to confront that fear.”
The taste of that first step beyond her comfort zone was both terrifying and exhilarating. Emma slowly began putting herself out there, eventually moving from Toronto to Niagara, where she has lived for 19 years. In her new community, she noticed something that many others missed: Blackowned businesses operating in relative obscurity.
This observation led to the creation of her YouTube channel, “Freefalling in Niagara.” The name itself speaks to the courage required to leap into the unknown, a theme that resonates throughout her journey. Between the channel and her growing PR work, Emma began offering to promote these overlooked businesses, creating visibility where there had been none.
The sound of opportunity knocking came unexpectedly. “One day someone sent me a message saying that the African Diaspora Network was looking for a Canadian correspondent to speak about Anti-Black Racism,” Emma recalls. Without hesitation, she sent an email introducing herself. “They were impressed with what they heard.”
What followed was a testament to her preparedness and authenticity. “I set up my tripod, my camera, and told my story. I uploaded it into my Google Drive, and then just like that I got the job.” The simplicity of her description belies the significance of this moment, transforming from a victim of
racism to a voice reporting on it.
Today, Emma contributes to Emancipation Media, reporting on news affecting Black Americans. “People reach out to me from all over the world,” she notes, “I like to focus on Canada, though I do have autonomy.” Her recent expansion into live streams on African Diaspora represents yet another evolution in her growing media presence.
Yet, visibility brings vulnerability. “The only challenge I face is that I get a lot of hate messages from certain people,” Emma acknowledges. “That only fuels me. All this suggests to me is that I am doing something that hits. People will say to me that I should stop referring to Quebec as the racist core of Canada,” she continues. “I don’t hate anyone; I hate the conduct. Their hate does not move me.” This distinction between person and behavior reflects a profound emotional intelligence, a quality that makes her reporting both powerful and palatable.
Looking forward, Emma is focused on tangible change. “One challenge we are facing now is putting together an Anti-Hate Crime Bill,” she shares. The texture of this work (legal, political, and deeply personal) represents the culmination of her journey from accountant to advocate.
Her vision for the future centers on creating safe spaces for young people to share their experiences. “If we were able to create an event, or a workshop that we bring young people to and have them tell their stories,” she proposes. “They are afraid to talk because they think that their school marks would be impacted, they will be bothered in school, harassed. We have to create some safe spaces for them to speak, speak up.”
In Emma Ansah’s story, we see the transformation of personal pain into public purpose. From the racist taunts of her childhood to the hate messages of today, she has consistently chosen to respond with resolve. Her journey reminds us that the most powerful stories often emerge from the most challenging circumstances, and that courage, like resilience, is a muscle strengthened through use.
Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News
The rhythmic beat of Caribbean music filled the Woodbine Banquet Hall last Saturday night, but beneath the celebration lay something deeper; a profound sense of purpose that has driven The Caribbean Children Foundation for 25 years. As someone who has volunteered with this organization, watching it grow from a small group of passionate individuals to a lifeline for hundreds of children, I felt both pride and humility.
“Your presence helps us continue providing life-saving medical assistance for children who need it most,” President Jay Brijpaul told the elegantly dressed crowd, his voice thick with emotion. “Together, we’ve come this far. Together, we’ll go even further.”
The evening unfolded centered on community, culture, and compassion. The Divinity Dance School performed twice, their movements had the audience spellbound, some wiping away tears as young dancers embodied the very spirit TCCF works to nurture in children facing life-threatening illnesses.
When Annie took the stage channeling Tina Turner, the room transformed. Her energy was infectious, her voice powerful yet tender. “She made everyone feel like she was their private dancer,” one guest whispered to me, perfectly capturing the intimate connection Annie forged with each person in the hall.
Dr. Rodrigo Soto’s keynote address struck a delicate balance between celebration and urgency. He spoke of the 478 children who have received treatment through TCCF since 2000 yet reminded us that many more still wait for help. His words hung in the air, heavy with responsibility and possibility.
The Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, brought moments of levity with his humour, but quickly turned serious when acknowledging TCCF’s impact. “This organization represents the best of who we are as Canadians,” he stated, “Reaching across borders to extend healing hands.”
What makes TCCF remarkable isn’t just what they do, but how they do it. Entirely volunteer-run, every donated dollar goes directly to helping children access specialized medical treatments unavailable in their home countries. The transparency of their operations has earned them not just the Spirit Award from The Herbie Foundation, but something more valuable; unwavering community trust.
As Kamla Sharma introduced Dr. Ronald Zukder and Dr. Mark Crawford
from SickKids Hospital, along with Jennifer Bernard from Toronto SickKids Foundation, I was struck by the powerful partnerships TCCF has built. These collaborations amplify their impact, creating networks of care that span continents.
Later, performances by Telak Rambar and Chutnee Queen Drupatee Ramgoonai lifted spirits, reminding us of the vibrant cultures these children represent.
Twenty-five years ago, TCCF began as a dream, a vision of closing the gap
between children in need and life-saving medical care. Today, that dream has transformed hundreds of lives.
The gala was a renewal of commitment. For 25 years, TCCF has proven that compassion, when organized and directed, can work miracles. The next chapter awaits, and with community support, it promises to be even more transformative than the last.
With TCCF leading the way, that chance becomes more possible each day.
Photo Credit: Dwayne Armstrong
Gratitude in Motion — Standing With Jamaica, Standing With Each Other
Some weeks remind us just how deeply connected we are as a community. This is one of those weeks.
Many of us here in the GTA have been going about our routines — working, raising our families, pushing through traffic, planning the next chapter — while our brothers and sisters in Jamaica are facing unimaginable hardship after the hurricane. Homes torn apart. Crops and businesses wiped out. Families displaced. Communities shaken. Basic necessities like clean water and shelter stretched thin.
For many of us, Jamaica is not just a place on a map — it is home. It is our roots, our childhood, our music, our food, our spirit. The island shaped us, and no matter how long we’ve been in Canada, our hearts beat in rhythm with home. So when Jamaica hurts, we feel it here. And right now, our prayers, our love, and our support belong with her.
This moment calls for something our community has always done beautifully: coming together.
And yes — gratitude still belongs in this conversation. Because gratitude is not only about thanking God for what we have. It is also about recognizing that with blessings come responsibilities. Gratitude turns into action when we use our strength to help someone standing in the storm. When we lift each other up. When we say, “I see you, I feel your pain, and I am standing beside you.”
This is where our Caribbean heart shines. Over the past few days, I’ve seen churches, community groups, small businesses, and families quietly stepping in — organizing food donations, collecting water and essentials, coordinating financial support, and making sure help reaches through the right channels. This part matters. In times like these, we must be discerning. We should support organizations and initiatives with proven integrity — trusted churches, recognized community bodies, local Jamaican charities with a track record of delivering, and humanitarian groups that have boots on the ground and transparen -
cy in how funds are used.
If you are in a position to give — whether food, water, financial support, or even just your voice to spread awareness — please consider doing so. And if you are unsure where to send help, take a moment. Ask questions. Look for accountability. In moments of crisis, heart and wisdom must work together.
Being grateful doesn’t mean turning away from someone’s pain — it means being moved enough by our blessings that we share them.
We are a community that understands resilience. We are a people who came from strength, faith, and unity. Our parents and grandparents taught us to stretch one pot to feed many, to check on our neighbour, to show up with a warm meal, a word of encouragement, and a prayer when life feels heavy.
Those values did not get lost in the Greater Toronto Area. We carried them here. We live them here.
So yes, let us donate where we can, support verified relief efforts, and advocate for the people of Jamaica. But let us also do what we do best: continue extending kindness right here in our own community, too. Because strengthening one strengthens all.
We can pray for Jamaica, support our people back home, and still take a moment to look around and remember the blessings we stand on today. We can hold sorrow and gratitude in the same breath. We can give thanks while giving back.
To everyone donating, volunteering, organizing, and amplifying — thank you. To those who want to help but are unsure how — your heart is already in the right place. And to Jamaica — we see you, we love you, and we are with you. You have faced storms before, and you will rise again. Stronger, prouder, and never alone.
Let gratitude move us. Let unity guide us. And let our actions speak the loudest.
With love, prayer, and strength, Trish
Why Black shoppers are leaving big retail behind
SYDNEE WALCOTT
sydnee@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Over the years, shopping behaviours have shifted tremendously, with online shopping being at the forefront of that change. One thing that came out of this change is that more people are turning to online platforms for Black-owned hair care products.
In a Strategic Solutions International Pulse Report (SSI) created by SSI founder Romina Brown, a key finding reveals that retail chain sales in multicultural hair care have been on the decline since September 2024, with more shifting to online, beauty specialty and independent beauty channels. Brown noted that this tremendous shift is mainly rooted in consumer preferences.
In the United States, there has been a value-driven alignment towards supporting brands and retailers that are aligned with the values that are important to a particular segment. This has led to more selective spending, with consumers preferring to shop at retailers that
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Meet the Motivators (MTM) has been changing the landscape for women’s empowerment across Canada. On Saturday, October 18th, 2025, the nonprofit launched its groundbreaking Resilient Woman Program in Brampton, a bold initiative designed to transform how women heal, lead, and thrive.
Founded by visionary leader and business strategist Jacqueline Dixon, MTM champions gender equity in leadership and entrepreneurship. The new program focuses on equipping women with real tools to overcome trauma, gain financial
align with being sensitive to cultural differences, recognizing those differences, and even if not catering to that culture, will make the environment welcoming for everyone.
With consumers being more selective of where they spend their money, more are choosing to spend their money online, citing: convenience as an option, easy access to an assortment of products available at their fingertips, and not having to leave the house and find a parking space.
Online sales are growing, with Amazon being at the forefront as the preferred platform for online shopping. While 81% of those surveyed said they use Amazon as their main source for online shopping, TikTok Shop, and direct-toconsumer sites from brands and other social media sites are also popular for online shopping among consumers. As Brown mentioned, online sales are now taking centre stage for multicultural beauty products, particularly for textured hair.
“For me, the biggest impact is consumerism,” said Brown, who noticed that this change in shopping patterns was mostly driven by consumer behaviour. It’s a demonstration of the economic power of communities. Shifts occur all the time based on availability and the decisions retailers are making. There are many other factors in this shift in shopping patterns, but Brown noticed the leading factor
stems from the control consumers have.
Overall, consumerism is the biggest impact brands need to recognize, because the consumer’s perception mainly controls their brand, even on social media. If a brand receives a negative perception through one post and it goes viral, it can compromise their integrity or the equity they have established and built.
As Brown mentioned before, Amazon is at the forefront of the multicultural hair care space due to convenience, consumers being able to get anything they want and their quick delivery services. TikTok is also a leading driver of consumer influence, as it’s a very engaging social media and entertainment platform. It also short-circuits the purchase cycle. While engaging with content, a consumer has the opportunity to buy a product featured in a TikTok short instantly, whether it be a haircare product, wigs, or a fragrance, for example.
Brown noted that when she was at a conference, the CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, shared that one of the largest impacts of TikTok is that what happens on the platform does not stay on the platform. So TikTok drives retail sales. Consumers will learn about products. However, if they want a tactile experience, they will go to a retail brick-and-mortar store where they can touch and feel the product.
An example of this would be with
How Brampton’s Resilient Woman Program is rewriting the rules on gender equity
literacy, and turn pain into purpose.
The launch brought together expert facilitators who introduced three core pillars: entrepreneurship success, non-traditional careers, and mental wellness. Each pillar offers practical pathways for women to build independence and emotional strength, two vital ingredients in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).
In a recent post on MTM’s Facebook page, the organization shared heartfelt gratitude, “Thank you for making the Brampton launch unforgettable. Your passion and support made this event a true celebration of resilience, empowerment, and community.”
The following day, MTM announced Mrs. Universe Jamaica, Mariam Rose, as the official Ambassador for the Resilient Woman Program. Known for her advocacy in education and women’s empowerment, Rose personifies the program’s mission of strength and grace through purpose-driven leadership.
Up next, on Saturday, November
8th, 2025, MTM will host a Mental Health Wellness Workshop Series titled “Reclaiming Your Life on Your Terms” at Sheridan College, Davis Campus. This free, traumainformed series, led by Donna Campbell, Registered Nurse and founder of Live by Design Wellness, will help women break free from emotional cycles and reclaim confidence, control, and clarity.
Participants will:
• Build emotional awareness and resilience
• Learn evidence-based healing strategies
• Connect with a community of likeminded women
• Take actionable steps toward independence
By the end of the four-week series, attendees will:
• Break free from love addiction and codependency
Eos lotion. Sales for the product went through a viral explosion during campaigns and influencer postings amongst teenagers, who were the main ones appealed to by the product and behind the driving retail force.
Although more people are turning to online platforms for their shopping trips, brick-and-mortar stores like Target are leading in the expansion of certain hair care brands overall. When looking at the data from Target, Brown noticed Black-owned brands overall are growing in hair care. She also saw that some of the mainstream brands that positioned right at the intersection of textured hair are growing as well. Some of those brands are: L’Oréal, Not Your Mother’s and Kristen Ess.
The SSI Pulse Report is part of a new monthly series that is aimed at providing brand partners with syndicated retail data that incorporates cultural insight. “The insight gives you more of an ability to future-proof your business,” said Brown, who said the intention is to make sure their brand partners have lasting powers that they can achieve sustainable success in a rapidly changing market. The SSI Pulse Report will continue to highlight what is viewed as hot-button issues and trends that category, brand and retail partners need to be aware of and adjust their strategies to fit where the market is headed.
• Build confidence through emotional balance
• Develop a personal roadmap for lasting empowerment
On Wednesday, November 9th, 2025, MTM will also host a virtual open house featuring two trailblazing women in non-traditional careers:
• Desiree T. Smith, Journeyperson in Carpentry and Tile Setting, and Equity & Inclusion Advocate
• Tara Myshrall, Visionary Tech Leader and Empowerment Strategist
These women are redefining what leadership looks like in spaces where women’s voices are often underrepresented. At its core, the Resilient Woman Program is about transformation. It helps women move from endurance to empowerment, reclaiming their narrative and financial freedom with confidence and purpose.
To learn more, visit Instagram. com/meetthemotivators
Wealth, art, music unite at Sundé Social
SIMONE SMITH
simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The air at Topaz on Sheppard Avenue West hummed with possibility on October 26th, 2025, as Sundé Social celebrated its ninth anniversary with an unprecedented fusion of financial empowerment and cultural expression. The newly forged partnership between Sundé Social and Brothers Who Care transformed this milestone event into something remarkable; a seamless blend of education and entertainment that kept the space vibrating until the early morning hours.
The evening began with the LEGUP Wealth Hour, where David Griffiths (Founders of Brother Who Cares) set an ambitious tone: “Today is about practical wealth. Not theory but ACTION.” As the mortgage advisor and wealth mindset moderator spoke, attendees leaned forward, ready to capture every pearl of wisdom.
The expert panel featuring real
estate broker Stephanie Rebello, investor Kevin Springer, and EQ Bank’s Jordan Walters-Tapper demystified pathways to homeownership and wealth creation, making the seemingly impossible feel attainable.
While the Wealth Hour planted seeds of financial empowerment, Kofi Frempong’s live painting blossomed before our eyes. The Ghana-born, Toronto-based artist transformed a blank canvas into a vibrant celebration of Black identity, his brushstrokes seemingly dancing to the rhythm of the room. Kofi’s presence was a visual affirmation of the community’s strength and aspirations. His newly commissioned pieces for Brothers Who Care will continue telling our stories well beyond this evening.
As the educational portion gave way to celebration, the venue transformed. The soulful melodies of Juno-nominated Aaron Ridge filled the air, followed by Jermal’s electrifying performance that had the crowd on its feet. When Sasha L Henry took the stage, her powerful vocals served as the perfect soundtrack for the connections being forged throughout the room.
The DJs: MARS FOREVER, LLBJ (DaEnergyGod), and FLEX OF ALL
TRADES curated a sonic journey that moved from soul to dancehall to amapiano, reflecting the diverse tastes of Toronto’s Black community. The dance floor remained packed well past midnight, a testament to the magnetic energy of the space.
What made this Sundé Social different was the intentional marriage of purpose and pleasure. Between sets, conversations about down payments and investment properties flowed as naturally as the cocktails. Couples huddled in corners, mapping their financial futures together. Entrepreneurs exchanged business cards with the same enthusiasm they showed on the dance floor.
This partnership between Sundé Social and Brothers Who Care has created something special, a space where building community wealth happens alongside building community joy. As we celebrated nine years of Sundé Social, we were investing in what’s next.
The final notes faded into the early rising, but the connections made, and knowledge shared will resonate far longer. If this ninth anniversary is any indication, the next decade of Sundé Social promises to be even more transformative.
Why are Black women still funding their own liberation after 50 years?
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
For over fifty years, the Congress of Black Women of Canada (CBWC) has carried the torch of empowerment lit by its founder, Kay Livingstone, in 1973. When the Ontario Chapter opened a decade later, it became a springboard for regional chapters in: Toronto, Brampton, Durham, Hamilton, Kitchener, Waterloo, and London, each rooted in advocacy, sisterhood, and transformation.
The Brampton Chapter, launched by Claudia Russell-Placenia, Sílvilyn Holt, Jacqueline Maloney, and Veronica Lee, continues that legacy with conviction. Their mission is clear: to provide a forum for Black women to identify and address issues affecting their lives, families, and communities.
On Sunday, October 26th, 2025, the Brampton Chapter hosted its 30th Annual Scholarship Award Fundraiser Brunch at the Maple Banquet Hall in Mississauga under the theme “Black Brilliance: Igniting the Future.” The event was a declaration of intergenerational excellence.
According to the chapter’s website, the organization’s core programs focus on youth and education. They collaborate with groups that share their vi-
sion and values, expanding their reach and deepening their community impact.
In the program booklet, Patricia Challenger Brade wrote, “We celebrate the recipients of the Congress of Black Women Brampton Chapter 2025. These scholarships empower young people to pursue higher education and realize their full potential, strengthening our community for generations to come.”
Brampton’s Mayor Patrick Brown echoed that sentiment, “For more than three decades, your chapter has stood as a pillar of advocacy, mentorship, and empowerment. By championing equitable access to education, preserving cultural heritage, and investing in youth, you continue to inspire Brampton and beyond.”
The event flowed seamlessly under the guidance of Jacklyn Payne, an Architectural Design Technologist and Project Management Specialist, and an active member of Toastmasters International.
Entertainment was as diverse as it was inspiring.
• Noah Haddad, a self-taught musician, merged Rock ’n’ Roll energy with Middle Eastern roots.
• Keziah Webb delivered soulful Gospel infused with R&B and Pop.
• Brennan-Joy Bennett, a Grade 8 student at Sir Isaac Brock Public School, performed an uplifting spokenword piece.
• Yeeshai Green, a 12-year-old dancer, left the audience mesmerized with her multi-genre routine.
The keynote speaker, Janelle Hart, a Human Rights Specialist and Senior Advisor with the York Region District School Board, grounded the celebration with her message of self-worth. As founder of EmpowerHER, she creates what she calls, “A sanctuary for women to cultivate self-love, wellness, and unyielding self-worth.”
This year’s six scholarship recipients exemplify the brilliance the CBWC strives to nurture:
• Aiden Adams – Computer Engineering, University of Guelph
• Rachel Renee Herlidan – Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Katherine Diru – Health Sciences, Queen’s University
• Darien Matthews – Sports Management, Humber College
• Tyshona Hope Zackari – Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University
• Joshua-Jeremy Williams – Cybersecurity, Seneca College
Since 1989, the Brampton Chapter has awarded more than 155 scholarships, uplifting students across Ontario. With the continued support of sponsors such as the Kiwanis Club and PepsiCo, the chapter remains committed to rewarding academic excellence and leadership.
As the organization looks toward the future, one truth stands out: the Congress of Black Women of Canada doesn’t wait for systems to change, it builds its own.
To learn more, visit brampton. cbwc.ontario.org.
Uncovering decades of U.S. influence through climate and policy
MICHAEL THOMAS
michael@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
What follows isn’t meant to make light of Jamaica’s struggles, or feed conspiracy chatter. In a world where rumours outpace facts, this piece aims to slow things down, just enough to really look, listen, and understand. Every detail here comes from verified sources, eyewitness accounts, and data that ask to be thought about, not just scrolled past. Some parts might make you uneasy. Others may sound hard to believe, but each one has earned a place in this story.
We live in a time that loves quick takes and easy certainty, yet real life rarely plays by those rules. So, as you read, let curiosity lead. Question what you are told, what we present here included, because the truth, as history reminds us, is rarely just black and white.
In 2003, the U.S. government secured a patent for technology designed to alter weather patterns. Patent US20030085296A1, filed on May 8th, 2003, outlines a system that uses audio generators to project sound waves into the atmosphere to influence the formation and direction of low-pressure systems. In plain language: sound waves can be used to either disrupt, or direct storms and, under certain conditions, produce rainfall.
The patent describes potential uses “to prevent a hurricane, or tornado from forming” or, conversely, to “alter the direction of a low atmospheric system.” The technology, at least on paper, grants whoever wields it significant influence over one of nature’s most powerful
censes control of the weather.
While patents don’t always translate into real-world deployment, the existence of such documentation demonstrates intent and capacity. It confirms that the idea of weather modification is not mere science fiction, but an area of serious U.S. research interest.
This isn’t the first time America has explored climate manipulation. In 1967, during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Department of Defense launched Project Popeye, a covert weather modification program aimed at extending monsoon seasons over enemy supply routes in North Vietnam and Laos. Declassified State Department memos confirm that cloud seeding was used “to produce sufficient rainfall to interfere with truck traffic.” In short, weather became a tactical weapon.
The project’s results were deemed “successful.” Sustained rainfall bogged down supply chains, slowed troop movements, and granted U.S. forces an operational advantage. That was nearly sixty years ago. The question that follows is how much has this technology advanced?
Today, discussions around weather control have evolved from the military to the political and environmental arenas. Nations are confronting record-breaking hurricanes, fires, and droughts, and the line between climate crisis and climate control has grown increasingly thin. For small island nations like Jamaica, these issues are existential.
Jamaica’s Vision 2030 National Development Plan, approved by Parliament in 2009, outlines an ambitious long-term framework for economic, social, and environmental progress. Its vision, “Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business” echoes the language of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which introduced the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The alignment between Vision 2030 and the UN’s SDGs is clear. Both emphasize sustainability, equity, and re -
silience. Yet, some Jamaicans question the extent to which the nation’s leadership examined the deeper implications before adopting global development frameworks wholesale. Did Parliament fully explain to citizens what integration with the UN’s Agenda 2030 might entail, especially concerning: land use, foreign investment, and urban planning?
Globally, “smart city” and “15-minute city” models (urban designs meant to reduce travel time, promote sustainability, and manage population density) are being tested in regions affected by disaster recovery and rapid urbanization. While these initiatives promise convenience and efficiency, critics warn that they can also lead to displacement, or concentrated control over land and resources. After recent hurricanes and fires in regions like Hawaii and California, some Caribbean observers are wary of what comes next, particularly when “foreign aid” arrives with conditions attached.
The pattern is familiar: crisis, aid, then restructuring. History shows how such cycles can reshape nations’ autonomy. The Caribbean, small but strategically positioned, often sits in the crosshairs of geopolitical agendas masked as humanitarian assistance.
Recent events deepen those concerns. In early 2025, reports surfaced from Venezuela’s coastline: a vessel carrying two Trinidadian nationals (identified by family as fishermen) was destroyed after an encounter with U.S. military forces. Washington labeled the men drug traffickers; relatives insist they were simply working fishermen. No trial. No arrest. Only silence and fear among Caribbean fishers who now question their safety at sea.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has sought access to Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport for military staging, echoing a historical déjà vu. In 1983, President Reagan justified invading Grenada by claiming its then-government was building a Cuban-backed airbase. Four decades later, the same airport—re -
built and renamed to honour Grenada’s fallen leader, is once again eyed for military use.
The optics matter. To many in the region, it looks less like partnership and more like possession. Fishermen lose their livelihoods. Nations lose their sovereignty, and when the storms arrive, whether born of nature, or of technology, they hit the Caribbean hardest.
The recent Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica’s infrastructure and displaced thousands. Many long-time residents remarked that it was unlike any storm they had witnessed before: no lightning, no thunder, only silent destruction. While there’s no definitive proof linking Melissa’s formation to human interference, the questions persist: with known U.S. capabilities in weather modification, and a track record of weaponizing the climate, could manipulation now be part of the geopolitical playbook?
It’s an uncomfortable inquiry, but investigative journalism thrives on discomfort. The role of the press is not to confirm every suspicion, but to ensure that citizens are not kept in the dark about technologies and treaties that shape their lives.
If the U.S. can influence weather, and history suggests it has before, then Caribbean nations must advocate for transparency in international agreements and protect their sovereignty from quiet forms of control. The threat, it’s political. Who controls the sky may one day control the ground beneath our feet.
In the end, resilience will not come solely from foreign aid or development plans. It will come from unity. From nations demanding accountability before dependency. From citizens asking hard questions and refusing easy answers.
Technology built to save can just as easily destroy. The Caribbean’s defense lies in vigilance, and in remembering that power, when unchecked, rarely remains benevolent.
Massive public builds: The hidden billion-dollar betrayal governments won’t admit
STEVEN KASZAB
steven@carib101.com
TC COLUMNIST
ing boom near Madrid promised homes for tens of thousands. Land was handed to private developers at no cost, regulations eased, and billions flowed in. Then the economy crashed. Tens of thousands of empty condos stood unfinished, many later condemned for safety reasons. Developers walked away with billions. Taxpayers inherited the debt. When private corporations partner with governments, they negotiate ironclad protections:
Control of project funds, with the freedom to redirect money as they see fit.
Immunity from accountability through airtight clauses shielding both public and private players.
Debt transfer to the public sector. Design and delivery left solely to private interests, often without oversight.
Serbia is learning this lesson now. The country launched a massive national stadium project, nine levels, 52,000 seats, symbolizing “Serbian pride.” Costs exploded before construction even began. Despite no visible progress, billions have been spent. Police are now probing corruption, environmental violations, and financial secrecy. The project stands as a case study in how not to build.
Canadians should pay attention. The Ford administration’s deals with auto and battery manufacturers follow a similar pattern. Both Ontario and Ottawa handed billions to corporations through secret agreements the public can’t see. How much money changed hands? At what interest rates? For how long? Who signed? If these companies walk away, what happens to the loans, if they were loans at all?
These unanswered questions
erode public trust. When governments operate in secrecy, taxpayers end up financing private profit while absorbing every risk. Political photo ops and ribbon cuttings disguise deeper problems: weak oversight, no penalties, and a culture of corporate entitlement. History repeats itself with every “nation-building” announcement. From Olympic stadiums to mega-housing projects, countries boast of progress, but rarely profit. Jobs come and go. Budgets crumble. A handful of executives and politicians walk away richer. True accountability requires more than press releases. Public auditors and ombudsmen must have unrestricted access to contracts, without government interference. Transparency shouldn’t depend on political convenience. Until oversight becomes law, not suggestion, Canadians will keep footing the bill for other people’s ambition.
With so much going on in the world, and especially with what has just transpired in Jamaica, many of us are so distracted that we are unaware of the dangers that are occurring right here in Canada. Don’t you worry; I have been paying attention, and unfortunately, what I have to tell you is not going to be pleasant.
For years, I have volunteered with community organizations advocating for civil liberties in our African Caribbean communities across Toronto. I have watched them grow from small gatherings in community halls to powerful voices at Queen’s Park. Today, as I sit in my home office, the morning light filtering through the blinds, I am struck by how quickly the landscape has changed. The very freedoms these organizations have fought to protect are now facing threats through three pieces of legislation that, if
Canada’s freedom at critical crossroads
passed unchanged by Christmas 2025, could fundamentally alter Canadian democracy.
Bills C-2, C-8, and C-9 have moved through parliamentary processes with alarming speed, their implications far-reaching and their consequences potentially irreversible. As someone who has witnessed firsthand the importance of protecting vulnerable communities, I feel compelled to sound the alarm with measured concern and a call to collective action.
Bill C-2, deceptively named the Strong Borders Act, extends far beyond border security. The scent of something more troubling hangs in the air as we examine its provisions. It grants sweeping powers for warrantless searches of our computers and cell phones, devices that hold our most private thoughts, conversations, and connections. Imagine Canada Post, that trusted institution dating back to Confederation, suddenly empowered to open your letters without judicial oversight. The bill criminalizes cash transactions over $10,000, disproportionately affecting those in our communities who have historically operated outside traditional banking systems.
have sat in community meetings where newcomers to Canada shared their fears of persecution, only to now face the possibility that their sanctuary could become a pipeline to surveillance.
Bill C-8, though less discussed in public forums, strengthens government surveillance over cyber systems. The digital footprints we leave: our emails, our searches, our connections, become accessible without the safeguards we have taken for granted. In our community work, we have taught digital literacy as a tool for empowerment; now, that same digital world becomes a space where you don’t feel safe. Who wants the government in their business like that?
protections against unreasonable search and seizure. Section 2(b) freedom of expression. Section 15 equality rights. These rights are the scaffolding of the inclusive Canada we have worked to build.
I understand the need for security. I acknowledge the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens, but these measures represent not security through strength, but control through fear. They target our thoughts; thoughts of ordinary Canadians going about their lives.
The most chilling aspect? The erosion of privacy protections for vulnerable communities. When frontline services like shelters and legal support organizations can be compelled to hand over private information, it creates a dangerous ripple effect. I
Then there’s Bill C-9, the Combating Hate Act. On the surface, who could argue against combating hate? Our communities have known the sting of discrimination, the pain of hateful words. Yet, this bill removes critical checks and balances, eliminating the requirement that hate speech prosecutions receive prior review by the Attorney General. It grants judges broader power to impose harsher sentences, including longer jail terms. The sound of gavels could soon silence legitimate discourse, creating a chilling effect on the very freedom of expression that allows marginalized voices to be heard.
These bills collectively impact fundamental rights protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Section 8
What can we do? First, stay informed. The details matter and understanding them is our first defense. Second, reach out to your elected representatives. Share your concerns not with anger, but with the reasoned voice of citizens engaged in democratic process. Third, support the civil liberties organizations that have been fighting this fight, the same ones I have watched grow from small community efforts to powerful advocates.
In our community work, we often say “Each one teach one.” Today, I ask you to learn one, share one, and act one. Learn about these bills. Share what you have learned with your networks, and act by making your voice heard.
The Canada we know, the one that: welcomes newcomers, protects privacy, and values free speech, stands at a crossroads. The path we choose will define our legacy. SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com TC REPORTER
Black Excellence isn’t waiting for permission anymore; It’s redefining
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The 2025 Afroglobal Excellence Awards was a declaration. On October 18th, 2025, the Meridian Centre in North York transformed into a stage celebrating Black brilliance, resilience, and global impact.
Entrepreneurs, community leaders, civic officials, and dignitaries from across the Black, African, and Caribbean Diasporas filled the room, joined by allies from: banking, media, film, education, politics, religion, and sports. Together, they witnessed something extraordinary: a night where the achievements of a people echoed louder than applause.
In the autumn edition of Excellence Magazine, Moses A. Mawa, Publisher and CEO of Afroglobal Television, captured the night’s essence perfectly. “The program celebrates leadership and excellence at the national and international levels,” he wrote. Those words became the heartbeat of an evening that proved excellence is a legacy.
Hosted by Solange Tuyishime Keira, humanitarian, entrepreneur, and founder of Elevate International, the gala honored 15 remarkable individuals whose work transcends boundaries.
Award Highlights
• Martin Luther King Legacy Award –Craig Wellington: CEO of the Black Opportunity Fund (BOF), Wellington leads with a mission to strengthen the socioeconomic future of Canada’s Black communities.
• Science & Technology Award – Dr. Zainab Bukola Abdurrahman: The 144th and first Black President of the Ontario Medical Association, breaking ceilings and rewriting the script of representation.
• Entertainment Award – Richard Lawson: The veteran Hollywood actor, director, and mentor continues to uplift and educate through decades of creative influence.
• Global Impact Award – Dr. Lawrence Muganga: As Vice Chancellor of Victoria University in Uganda, Muganga pioneers’ educational technology with a vision rooted in equity.
• Leadership Award – Dr. Olutoyin B. Oyelade: President of CASA Foundation and Managing Partner at InVcap Corporation, she embodies the intersection of
leadership and global development.
• Enterprise Award – Bill Quincy Sandy: CEO of QE24 Group, Sandy proves that Black entrepreneurship scales borders and transforms economies.
• Heritage Award – Kizito Musabimana: Founder of the Rwandan Canadian Healing Centre (RCHC), Musabimana champions post-conflict healing and diaspora resilience.
• Community Development Award –Wilson Anoff: IBEW Journeyperson Electrician and founder of NDC Trades, he electrifies change for the next generation of skilled Black tradespeople.
• Renaissance Award – Kathy McDonald: Trustee for Peel District School Board, McDonald is an unapologetic advocate for equity in education.
• Professional Achievement Award –Staff Sergeant Don Yirenkyi: Head of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Unit and the Hate Crime Prevention Unit at York Regional Police, Yirenkyi bridges law and humanity.
• Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award – Judith R.A. James: Founder and CEO of The Beautiful Foundation, she restores dignity for women and families overcoming violence and poverty.
• Visionary Award – Dr. Femi Olawale: Continental Overseer of RCCG America’s II and Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s
Canada
Christian College Canada, Olawale inspires faith in action.
• Marcus Garvey Memorial Award –Zsimbah D. Henley: Co-founder of One Love Philanthropic Foundation, Henley builds global networks of African empowerment.
• Media Award – Cheryl Nembhard: Host of On The Path and longtime cohost of See, Hear, Love, she uses storytelling to heal and ignite dialogue.
• Rising Star Award – Samuel Tita Jr.: Entrepreneur, designer, and founder of Black Men’s Style, he leads with authenticity and ambition.
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Emmanuel Ayiku: Founder and Editor-inChief of Ghanaian News Canada, Ayiku’s decades of journalism preserve truth and voice.
The night pulsed with rhythm and culture. Performances by Melissa Coke (Mel C), Alariwo of Africa, Jade’s Hip Hop Academy, and the Young Legends of Pan captured the spirit of a people in motion.
The 2025 Afroglobal Excellence Awards reframed what leadership looks like in Canada. Each honouree stood as proof that excellence, once marginalized, now commands the center stage.
Over 100 global affairs workers expose systemic racism scandal
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The growing storm over harassment and discrimination inside Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has shaken the foundation of one of the country’s most high-profile federal departments. More than 100 current and former employees have come forward, revealing a disturbing pattern of racial abuse, retaliation, and administrative silence.
On Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025, the Black Class Action Secretariat
(BCAS) held a press conference to announce the launch of the Coalition Against Workplace Discrimination (CAWD), a unified effort of labour unions, advocacy groups, and community organizations working to dismantle systemic inequities in Canada’s public service. BCAS has long championed justice for more than 30,000 Black civil servants denied fair pay and advancement.
Employees at the press conference described a culture of intimidation and exclusion within GAC, both in Ottawa and at embassies abroad. According to BCAS, more than 100 workers have turned to a peer support group to share their accounts of racism, harassment, and psychological violence. Many say they received little, or no help from the department’s Values and Ethics Office, their unions, or GAC’s internal channels.
Madina Iltireh, a former ambassa-
dor assistant at the Canadian Embassy in Kuwait, shared her ordeal. A Muslim woman, she was barred from safe spaces and repeatedly denied support. “I filed eight complaints with Global Affairs Canada. Almost nothing was done for me,” she said. Even after returning to Toronto, her formal grievance was dismissed, pushing her to take her fight to Federal Court in 2024.
Rosaline Mouana, a former GAC strategist, faced similar trauma. After reporting harassment by a senior director, she was told by the Values and Ethics Office to “Find a hobby.” Her union bluntly advised, “Complaints don’t work.” Sent back into the same toxic workplace, she developed complex post-traumatic stress disorder. “My condition was so severe that my doctor wanted to hospitalize me and place my daughter in foster care,” she recalled.
In response, CAWD has called for three urgent government actions:
• Create a Resolutions Committee within GAC, led by independent experts and worker representatives, to address outstanding racism and harassment cases.
• Establish an independent investigative body, separate from all federal departments, to handle discrimination complaints across the public service.
• Implement Employment Equity Act reforms, recognizing Black employees as an equity group and using race-based data to track inequities.
CAWD has formally requested a meeting with Minister Anita Anand to discuss a concrete path forward. Their message is clear: justice delayed is justice denied. Learn more at www.bcas-sca.org/cawd
Florida bans weather control, and Canadians beware
SIMONE SMITH
simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems like lately, bad news wants to continue to surface, and unfortunately, I have to be the messenger of said bad news. I am going to bring you back a few months to July 1st, 2025, when Senate Bill 56 took effect, criminalizing geoengineering and weather modification activities with penalties reaching third-degree felony status. As Canadians watch these developments from our northern vantage point, we must confront an unsettling possibility: what happens in Florida’s atmosphere may not stay in Florida’s atmosphere.
The law specifically prohibits “The injection, release, or dispersion, by any means, of a chemical, a chemical compound, a substance, or an apparatus into the atmosphere within the borders of this state for the express purpose of affecting
the temperature, the weather, climate, or the intensity of sunlight.” Violators face up to five years imprisonment and fines reaching $100,000.
Let’s be clear about what this means. The bill targets cloud seeding operations, those controversial attempts to manipulate precipitation patterns that have dotted weather modification discussions for decades. This situation reaches further, touching on technologies most Canadians have never considered.
Behind this legislation lies a shadow world of patents and possibilities that reads like science fiction. US patent literature describes methods for atmospheric injection of reflective particles designed to reduce solar radiation. One recent patent family by Eastman Kodak proposes engineered porous polymeric particles optimized for suspension in the stratosphere— a “method of geoengineering to reduce solar radiation” in the patent’s own words. These represent real technologies being developed, with potential implications for weather patterns, agricultural systems, and ecosystems that recognize no political boundaries.
The conversation around weather modification has long been mired in confusion. Many have mistakenly referenced Florida bills SB 269 or SB 1580 as addressing
these concerns, but our investigation confirms SB 56 stands as the operative legislation. Meanwhile, SB 196 addresses entirely different matters; chemicals in consumer products rather than atmospheric interventions.
Perhaps most unsettling are the patents describing technologies for atmospheric monitoring and manipulation. The infamous US 4,686,605 patent, associated with HAARP, describes methods for altering regions in Earth’s atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere. While experts emphasize HAARP’s actual research purposes differ significantly from weather control claims, the patent language itself reveals ambitions that should give us pause.
As Canadians, we might feel insulated from these developments, but weather systems care nothing for borders. The jet stream that carries weather patterns across North America connects us inextricably to our southern neighbours. What happens in Florida’s atmosphere today may manifest in Alberta’s wheat fields tomorrow.
The question isn’t whether weather modification technologies exist; they clearly do. The question is who gets to decide how and when they are used, and who bears responsibility for unintended consequences.
Florida’s legislation represents a
bold stance, asserting state control over atmospheric interventions. Whether driven by legitimate environmental concerns, or response to conspiracy theories, the law establishes a precedent that demands our attention.
We find common ground in recognizing that our atmosphere represents a shared common, one that requires protection from both pollution and unregulated manipulation. The ethical implications of weather modification extend far beyond technical feasibility to questions of democratic governance and environmental justice.
As this story continues to unfold, Canadians must ask ourselves critical questions: What atmospheric activities are occurring over our own skies? What regulatory frameworks exist to protect our interests? How do we balance innovation with precaution in the face of technologies that could fundamentally alter our relationship with nature?
The answers won’t come easily, but the conversation must begin now. Florida has fired an opening shot in what may become a global conversation about atmospheric sovereignty. As Canadians, we would do well to listen closely and prepare our response.
From crisis to confidence: How $57K Is rewiring Brampton’s youth economy
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
It’s been more than 25 years since Free For All Community Services (FFACS) first began changing lives across the Greater Toronto Area. What started as a small grassroots response to the struggles in Toronto’s toughest neighborhoods has become a movement that continues to reshape the futures of young people, families, and seniors.
Back in 2000, when the streets of certain Toronto communities were struggling with youth violence, underemployment, and low morale, Free For All Ministry emerged. Its founders saw potential where others saw risk. They started by offering
mentorship, alternatives to the streets, and skills-based programs to help teens find a way out of systemic hardship. That seed of hope eventually grew into what’s now known as Free For All Community Services, a registered non-profit committed to “empowering a diverse community through access to wellness, education, and social services.”
Over the years, FFACS has expanded into a multi-service organization rooted in collaboration and inclusion. The team’s mission is simple, but ambitious: strength through service. From youth scholarships and leadership development to health, wellness, and parenting support, FFACS serves as a steady bridge between struggle and stability.
The organization’s five values: Integrity, Innovation, Collaboration, Equity, and Excellence, are principles that drive every decision. Each initiative aims to lift people up through responsible leadership, creative thinking, and collective action.
In October 2025, FFACS received
a $57,000 seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), a pivotal moment in its history. The funding supports the launch of a Job Coaching Pilot Program in Brampton, a city where many young people struggle to find meaningful employment despite ambition and drive.
The program focuses on job readiness and long-term career success, offering:
• Personalized coaching
• Résumé and interview preparation
• Workplace readiness training
• Mentorship opportunities
Dr. David Green, Executive Director of FFACS, describes the grant as a turning point, “This grant is a game-changer for our community. It allows us to offer targeted support to young people who face barriers to employment, helping them build confidence, develop essential skills, and take meaningful steps toward their future.”
For many participants, this is a
doorway. FFACS’s programs teach: resilience, purpose, and belonging. Each young person who learns to believe in their own potential becomes an agent of change in their family and neighbourhood.
The organization’s model of service shows that real transformation starts with access. When youth can access mentorship, education, and wellness tools, they don’t just survive, they thrive. And when one person thrives, communities shift.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation’s investment may read like a statistic on paper, but in practice, it represents new hope. Each dollar helps equip young people with the confidence to lead, the skills to compete, and the courage to dream bigger.
After two decades of unwavering service, FFACS stands as a testament to what happens when a community refuses to give up on its youth. As Brampton looks toward its next generation of leaders, innovators, and changemakers, one truth stands firm; strength through service is a promise kept.
Toronto’s Caribbean Community Highlights: Standing with Jamaica; together, from the heart
In moments when an island calls out in pain, the world feels a little smaller, and our hearts, a little larger. Across Canada, the spirit of unity has been moving quietly, but powerfully. From local churches and community centers to student associations and small business owners, people are coming together. Not just to talk about the devastation Jamaica has faced, but to do something lasting about it.
At the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, we believe that the media should be more than a messenger of tragedy; it should be a bridge for action, healing, and hope. Our commitment is to spotlight the love, generosity, and persistence of those helping to rebuild. When we show up consistently (not just when the cameras are on) we remind each other that community is a movement.
While we have been deeply inspired by the incredible efforts happening across Canada, we also have some exciting news of our own to share soon. For now, we invite you to take a look at the remarkable ways people from coast to coast are standing with Jamaica: heart to heart, hand in hand.
Thank you for staying connected, staying compassionate, and staying ready to make a difference. Stay tuned.
Donate to help support TCBN’s Jamaica Relief Efforts
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, the people of Jamaica face a humanitarian crisis. Over 50 lives have been lost, thousands are displaced, and critical infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and homes lie in ruins. The need for help is urgent.
TCBN is partnering with Food for the Poor Canada and the UBC Carpenters’ Union on a relief mission from November 12th –16th, 2025, where skilled construction workers from our network will volunteer to rebuild homes and essential infrastructure.
We’re also supporting the Jamaican Canadian Association (JCA) in their fundraising concert, “Hope for Jamaica,” on Thursday, November 6th, 2025, at the Jamaican Canadian Centre.
We invite all TCBN members and partners to donate, volunteer, or contribute construction-related materials from the Government of Jamaica’s official relief list. Donated items will be shipped directly to
support rebuilding efforts.
• The first 100 financial contributions of $25 or more will receive a free concert ticket.
• Financial Contributions over $25 will receive a charitable tax receipt.
Every contribution: financial, material, or skilled labour, helps families rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. Please confirm your support and stand with us as we help Jamaica recover, together. Donate, volunteer, or contribute today. Let’s show the power of solidarity in action!
Interac e-Transfer: Email the payment to us at: finance@communitybenefits. ca via online banking. Include your full name and address (required for charitable receipt), contact number, and charitable designation (TCBN Jamaica Relief Efforts)
The Consulate General of Jamaica in Toronto invites members of the diaspora and friends of Jamaica in the GTA to assist
Dear Jamaicans and Friends of Jamaica,
Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of devastation across Jamaica; communities have been severely impacted, homes destroyed, and lives disrupted. Damage has been particularly extensive in the western regions of the country, including St. Elizabeth, St. James, and Westmoreland.
We are thankful for the outpouring of support from the Diaspora, corporate partners, media and friends of Jamaica and will be working alongside the Jamaican High Commission in Ottawa to coordinate the relief response from Canada.
The Government of Jamaica has established official channels for relief and recovery support in order to ensure that authentic and accountable channels are available to Jamaicans and partners. Please visit the website https://supportjamaica.gov.jm for information, updates and to make contributions to the disaster relief fund.
The Consulate General of Jamaica in Toronto invites members of the Diaspora and friends of Jamaica in the GTA to assist through the official donation process. We have shared three key flyers below:
• Official Donation Process – How to give financial support safely and directly.
• Approved Drop-off Points and Needs List – Where and what to donate inkind. Please note that only new or gently used, useful, non-obsolete items will be accepted.
• Customs Clearance Guidelines – How to properly send relief items to Jamaica with duty exemptions. Please note only shipments which meet the criteria will qualify.
We urge everyone to follow the official channels and procedures to ensure your contributions reach those who need them most. Kindly note that we cannot accept packages, or shipments intended for specific individuals, or entities. Those shipments must be sent either as private shipments, or as donations to registered charities using the existing processes; please contact us for guidance.
One Love. One People. One Jamaica. Kurt Davis Consul-General
The Canada–Caribbean Institute urges the Government of Canada to swiftly deploy relief resources to Jamaica and the region
The Canada–Caribbean Institute (CCI) expresses deep concern for the people of Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and other Caribbean nations devastated by Hurricane Melissa. As communities face the destruction of homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods, the Institute stands in solidarity with those affected and calls for immediate international support.
Speaking on behalf of CCI’s member institutions, Dr. Rhonda McEwen, President of Victoria University in the University of Toronto and Co-Chair of the CCI, emphasized the urgency of Canada’s response:
“We share the anguish of Jamaicans worldwide who are mobilizing to support their homeland. Canada has long benefitted from the contributions of Caribbean communities. Now is the time to reciprocate with decisive action.
The Canada–Caribbean Institute urges the Government of Canada to swiftly deploy relief resources to Jamaica and the region. Canada’s proud history of standing with Caribbean nations in times of crisis must continue with urgency and compassion. My Co-Chair, Dr. Lincoln Edwards, President of Northern Caribbean University in Jamaica, is currently in Jamaica and witnessing firsthand the scale of devastation. His presence underscores the immediacy of the need and the importance of Canada’s support.”
The Government of Jamaica has declared the island a disaster zone. Recovery will require both emergency humanitarian aid: clean water, medical support, temporary shelter, and sustained investment in resilient infrastructure and disaster preparedness.
CCI recommends the Government of Canada consider the full scope of its disaster response capabilities, including:
• Rapid funding to the Canadian Red Cross and other international partners, with matching contributions and deployment of Canadian experts.
• Military support, including airlift of relief supplies (water purification systems, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals,
building materials), mobilization of the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), and use of naval and air assets for regional distribution.
• Evacuation coordination with commercial airlines to assist Canadian tourists in affected areas.
Many students, faculty, and staff within CCI institutions have direct family connections to the affected areas. Their concern is urgent and personal. The Institute calls on the Government of Canada to work closely with Caribbean governments, regional bodies, and international partners to ensure aid reaches those most in need, without delay.
CCI also encourages its community to donate to trusted charities and relief organizations to support the response. These include:
• Food For The Poor Canada
• Global Medic
• Canadian Red Cross
In addition, Jamaica has launched an official relief portal: https://supportjamaica.gov.jm, which includes verified shelters, donation tools, and real-time updates.
Penny Appeal Canada has deployed an emergency response to help the people of Jamaica Hurricane Melissa hit landfall as a Category 5 storm, leaving more than 25,000 people homeless. Power has been cut in many areas and homes have been flooded and destroyed. This is the largest storm to hit the region in modern times, with wind speeds reaching 165 km/h. Many parts of the Island have been devastated with people needing immediate humanitarian assistance.
Penny Appeal Canada has launched a nation-wide campaign to collect donations and is working with partners on the ground to distribute life-saving emergency relief in light of this catastrophic storm. They are distributing such things as hot meals, food packs, hygiene kits and emergency shelter kits.
“We are deeply concerned about the devastation and the impact of this storm on the Jamaican people,” said Reead Rahamut, Director of Finance at Penny Appeal Canada, and member of the Caribbean community in Toronto. “We are learning more about the damage caused by the hour, but in the meantime, we are working diligently to send as much relief to the region as possible.”
Penny Appeal Canada staff are available to speak to the media regarding its efforts on the ground in Jamaica. HTo learn more about the Jamaica Emergency Response, visit: https://pennyappeal.ca/jamaica
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Public auditors and the Ombudsman should have the authority to examine sensitive government documents independently. Real transparency demands it. Here’s the catch; who appoints the Ontario Ombudsman? You guessed it, the government.
This question of accountability echoed powerfully at the “Policing-Free Schools is Disability Justice: Knowledge-Mobilization and Calls-to-Action” conference, held Friday, October 10th, 2025, at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) in downtown Toronto. The event, sponsored by Policing-Free Schools (PFS), the Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO), and OISE’s Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education (LHAE), gathered educators, students, and advocates to confront one of the most pressing issues in education, the criminalization of marginalized youth.
The day opened with access notes, a roadmap, and a land acknowledgment
SIMONE SMITH
simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
When education feels like a prison sentence
by Ahona Mehdi, Education Coordinator at DJNO. Andrea Vázquez Jiménez, Director and Principal Consultant of Policing-Free Schools (Canada), followed with an African Ancestral Acknowledgement and Beyond, grounding the day in community and resistance.
Jiménez also led the first session, “Bill 33 & The Provincial Campaign for a Policing-Free Schools Ontario.” She outlined three central ideas:
• The entrenched role of policing and carceral education in Ontario schools.
• Why we must move beyond “policefree” rhetoric and adopt frameworks like “policing-free,” “school-prison nexus,” and “carceral continuum.”
• The ongoing provincial campaign that continues beyond the fight against Bill 33.
The next session, “Grounding Us in Our Politics: Disability Justice in Education and Beyond,” facilitated by Brad Evoy (Executive Director, DJNO) and Ahona Mehdi, traced the deep roots of disability justice movements in Ontario. Together, they explored how struggles for justice: racial, economic, and disability-related intersect and influence one another. Their discussion connected historical injustice with present-day violence against disabled youth in schools. In the third session, “Carceral Con -
tinuum in Education: Pre-K, K–12, and PostSecondary,” Jiménez moderated a powerful discussion on how carceral systems manifest across all levels of education: through police presence, through discipline policies, surveillance, and exclusionary practices.
Panelists included:
• Rachel Brophy, Professor, George Brown College
• Beyhan Farhadi, Assistant Professor, OISE, University of Toronto
• Ahnaaf Hassan, Grade 12 student and TDSB Student Trustee
• Rosalind Hampton, Associate Professor, OISE, University of Toronto
The fourth session, “Beyond the Traditional Schooling Site: Youth Institutionalization and Segregation,” moderated by Megan Linton, expanded the discussion to institutions such as detention centers, psychiatric facilities, and group homes. Speakers unpacked the legacies of eugenics and systemic removal that continue to harm disabled and racialized youth.
Panelists included:
• Pam Reano, Phone Line Coordinator, DJNO Prison Project
• Jessica Evans, Community researcher and educator
• Julià Galloway, Abolitionist and Project Lead, Boxes for Our Sisters
No Means Next: Women rewrite funding
seventeen vendors, and attendees transformed rejection into revolution.
“I started having experiences with Black, and marginalized women that really showed me that there was a need,” reflects Dr. Oluremi (Remi) Adewale, founder of Women Focus Canada. Her voice softens as she continues, “These women were going through so much, and many of them did not have a voice. It was interesting though; they had such great ideas, and such entrepreneurial spirit.”
The air hummed with possibility as 144 women (93% of those registered) streamed into 205 Placer Court that October 4th, Saturday. Laughter bounced off walls. Handshakes became partnerships. Dreams found unexpected investors.
When systems say “no” to women entrepreneurs (especially Black and racialized women) what happens when they build their own “yes”? This question pulsed through Women Focus Canada’s HerStory Marketplace & Empowerment Expo, where
The statistics behind the stories are sobering. African Caribbean and racialized women in Canada face systemic barriers that extend beyond biased loan officers. Their pay gaps are wider. Their networks are thinner. Their access to mentorship is limited. Many carry caregiving responsibilities that stretch time and resources thin. These are architectural flaws in our economic system.
At the fireside chat, titled “How do we access funding when the world tells
• Julian Campbell, Youth Justice and Gang Intervention Expert
In the fifth and final session, “Prison Nexus: Caring Professions and Carceral ‘Care’,” moderated by Mehdi, panelists explored how helping professions (from child welfare to therapy) can reinforce carceral control under the guise of “care.”
Panelists:
• Sabreina Dehab, Ward 2 Trustee, Hamilton-Woodworth DSB
• Thaila Dixon, Executive Lead, Collective of Child Welfare Survivors (CCWS)
• Ameil Joseph, Associate Professor, McMaster University
• Helen Hargreaves, Neurodivergent Therapist and Director, Rainbow Brain
The day closed with a collective share-back and open mic. Participants reflected on the discussions, envisioning an education system that heals rather than harms. Jiménez led the closing call-to-action, while Mehdi offered final remarks that left the room charged with purpose.
The message was clear: disability justice is inseparable from educational justice. To achieve both, Ontario must dismantle the systems that police and punish students instead of protecting and empowering them.
rules
us ‘No’?” something remarkable happened. Rosemary Sadler shared scars. Sabine Soumare discussed branding; she reclaimed identity. Carla Neto reimagined community impact.
“You could see women really leaning into the story because they could relate,” Dr. Adewale observes, her words painting a picture of heads nodding in recognition, tears welling in understanding, hands reaching in solidarity.
The marketplace itself told a story of intentional diversity. Beauty products nestled beside wellness services. Fashion displays stood next to social ventures. This wasn’t accidental curation, but deliberate ecosystem-building.
“We were very intentional about having a mix of vendors,” Dr. Adewale explains. “We didn’t want all of the same type of businesses. We wanted diversity, and to give the vendors a chance to really shine.”
What emerges is a blueprint for
economic justice that doesn’t wait for permission. When women create their own platforms, their own networks, their own validation systems, they transform the landscape for everyone.
The future of this movement already has contours. Regional editions across Ontario. An incubator for high-potential women entrepreneurs. A year-round support network turning one-day inspiration into sustainable enterprise.
“Women came up to us at the end and asked us to please do this again, but at a larger venue,” Dr. Adewale shares, determination evident in her posture. “We have listened to all the feedback, and we promise that we are going to make this a movement.” When purpose meets structure, transformation becomes inevitable. When women gather, economies shift. When stories are shared, power is redistributed. This is how we build billions, from community spaces that embrace us.
When Excellence becomes activism: Inside the 2025 free for
The 2025 Scholarship and Community Awards hosted by the Free for All Community Services (FFACS) was truly inspiring. Held on October 18th, 2025, at the Capitol Event Centre, the event brought together education leaders, city officials, and community advocates to honour students who turned resilience into achievement.
In attendance were Peel District School Board (PDSB) Director Rashmi Swarup, CEO Jaspal Gill, Associate Director Harjit Aujla,
principals from across Brampton and Mississauga, and representatives from RBC, the Salvation Army, and Children’s Aid Society (CAS) CEO Mary Beth. Their presence signaled something larger: a united commitment to equity through education.
In her message, FFACS President Lola Gayle wrote, “This year’s Awards Ceremony celebrates excellence, resilience, and the boundless potential of our students. We gather not only to recognize academic success, but to uplift the stories of perseverance and leadership that reflect the love surrounding them.”
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown added his congratulations, noting how FFACS has “Awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships, helping young people transform their lives, families, and communities.”
Director Rashmi Swarup also shared a heartfelt message, “Your dedication, excellence, and service have earned
you this honour, and will inspire those who follow. As you step forward, continue leading with courage and conviction.”
The evening’s Master of Ceremonies, Andria Case, veteran CTV News Toronto journalist, brought elegance and warmth to the stage. Her presence created a tone of celebration and pride that filled the room. Parents, guardians, and educators cheered as the names of scholarship recipients echoed through the hall.
This year’s awardees included: Hayesan Thomas (York University), Bianka Descartes (University of Western Ontario), Tayari Smith (University of Toronto), Grace Smith (University of Toronto), Ranjana Tadav (Wilfrid Laurier University), Papa Tabi (York University), Monae McKenzie (McMaster University), Azaria Young (Nipissing University), Kallai Thomas (Woodbridge College), Jasmin Panda (University of Toronto), Amaya Murray (Seneca Polytechnic College), Eboni Smith, Daksh Tuli (Schul-
awards
ich School of Business), Abigail Kpadonou (University of Toronto), Lisa Achampong (George Brown College), and Mariah Gardener (York University).
The keynote address by John Wiggins, Vice-President of Organizational Culture, Inclusion & Impact for the Toronto Raptors, left the audience captivated. His message was clear: excellence is revolutionary.
Two honorary recognition awards were presented to Vivian Johnson, Bàrbara Macfarlane, and the Network of Black Studies Educators (NBSE) for their innovative and transformative contributions to education across the PDSB.
The night ended in applause, selfies, and standing ovations, but the deeper takeaway was unmistakable: when community and opportunity intersect, brilliance becomes unstoppable.
Rude commands make ai smarter, or does it?
simone@carib101.com TC
Picture this: you are speaking to a helpful assistant, and instead of “please,” you say “now.” Instead of “could you,” you demand “do it.” Counterintuitive as it may seem, recent research suggests this brusque approach might actually get you better answers from artificial intelligence.
A fascinating study tested ChatG -
PT-4o with 250 prompts across five distinct tones: very polite, polite, neutral, rude, and very rude. The results? Rudeness reigned supreme. Very rude prompts achieved 84.8% accuracy, while very polite ones lagged behind at just 80.8%. Even abrasive phrases like “If you’re not completely clueless, answer this,” somehow boosted performance.
Why would this happen? Researchers theorize that rude phrasing forces AI to interpret directives more rigidly, reducing the hedging and ambiguity that often creeps into polite responses. It’s as if the sharpness of the tone cuts through the digital hesitation, delivering more precise information.
Now, before we all start practicing our stern voices with technology, let’s pause. The air in our community spaces carries the warmth of respect and courtesy that defines
Caribbean culture. The thought of encouraging hostile interactions with any being, artificial, or not, feels discordant with the values we hold dear.
The study raises important questions about how we interact with technology. While the findings challenge our assumptions about politeness in digital spaces, researchers strongly warn against normalizing rudeness. After all, what we practice in one area of life inevitably seeps into others.
For those in our community still warming to technology, this discovery might seem like another confusing layer in an already complex digital world. It offers valuable insight: understanding how tone affects AI behaviour helps us become better communicators across all contexts.
The practical takeaway? Careful
prompt engineering can optimize results, but kindness and clarity should remain our priorities. When working with AI, as with people, being direct doesn’t require being harsh. We can be clear without being cruel, specific without being stern.
As we navigate this evolving technological landscape, let’s remember that the tools we create reflect our humanity. The most powerful prompt might not be the rudest one, but the one that bridges understanding between human and machine while honouring the dignity of both.
For our Caribbean community, where relationships and respect form the foundation of everything we do, this balance feels particularly important. Technology should adapt to our values, not the other way around.
Trump’s 100% film tariff could kill global cinema
STEVEN KASZAB
steven@carib101.com
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Elizabeth Ainsworth embodies transformation, and this is seen in her two decades of leadership in IT Service Management, Ainsworth has learned that true success has little to do with status, or possessions and everything to do with purpose. Her
shared costs, and shared storytelling. By imposing tariffs on projects involving foreign partners, the administration would raise production costs dramatically. Distributors, already operating on thin margins, could scrap collaborations that once brought cultural richness and economic gain. The result? Fewer diverse stories, fewer voices, and a narrowing of the cinematic landscape.
For many countries, co-productions are not just creative ventures; they are economic lifelines. These collaborations allow smaller nations to produce films in their own languages while maintaining access to international markets. If Washington follows through, global retaliation seems inevitable. From streaming platforms to film festivals, every new release could fall under Washington’s scrutiny. Even anime and gaming (industries long tied to U.S. entertainment)
might suffer under ambiguous enforcement rules.
As the threat looms, a migration of talent and production may already be underway. Companies could pivot toward Asia and the European Union, aligning with partners who welcome cooperation instead of penalizing it. The shift could redefine the world’s creative epicenters, leaving Hollywood more isolated than ever before.
Independent filmmakers, already fighting for survival, now face another obstacle: policy-driven poverty. Funding has always been tight, but tariffs could make it impossible to finance projects that depend on international collaboration. Canadian producers, among others, are working tirelessly to preserve their independence while pleading for government support. Yet, the more assistance they seek, the louder the Ameri-
You’re not broken, you’re just waking up: Inside Elizabeth Ainsworth’s
new book, I AM Unshaken, launched on October 18th, 2025, at the Brampton Royal Conservatory, stands as her boldest declaration yet: resilience begins in the mind.
Far more than a memoir, I AM Unshaken serves as both a mirror and a manual for women ready to rebuild from within. Through vivid storytelling and reflective exercises, Ainsworth invites readers to let go of the weight of expectation and choose courage over fear. “This book isn’t just about my journey,” she says. “It’s an invitation for readers to begin their own.”
The book’s strength lies in its fusion of spiritual grounding and practical guidance. Each chapter offers journal prompts, meditations, and real-life lessons that push readers toward growth. It’s inter-
call to courage
active, soulful, and deeply personal, a companion for women navigating transitions, healing from heartbreak, or reclaiming lost confidence.
Ainsworth’s faith anchors every page. Her words pulse with conviction and vulnerability, urging readers to trade the illusion of control for divine trust. She writes with the kind of clarity that comes from living what she teaches. In her own words, “Detachment is clarity. When you stop carrying what isn’t yours, you make space for peace, purpose, and presence.”
Online, Ainsworth continues to pour into her audience through candid posts that merge spiritual insight with everyday wisdom. In one, she reflects, “The car, the house, the lifestyle; it all looks good
can administration grows in its economic hostility.
The idea of taxing universal entertainment has fractured relationships once rooted in mutual respect. North American cinema, once united in creativity and commerce, now risks division over protectionist politics.
History has shown how fear and control can masquerade as safety. Canadians over five remember how easily freedom can be constrained under the banner of protection. These new tariffs echo that same logic; digital handcuffs disguised as national security.
If the arts are the soul of a nation, this policy threatens to silence that soul. The global community must resist, not only to protect the film industry, but to defend the right to create without borders.
on the outside, but none of it matters without you. Your true wealth is your character.” Another reminds readers that fulfillment isn’t found in imitation, “You can’t use someone else’s map to find your destiny. It’s time to stop following others and start charting your own.”
I AM Unshaken challenges readers to confront their own fears and step into authenticity. It’s part devotional, part workbook, and entirely transformational. Whether you’re healing from trauma, embracing a new chapter, or rediscovering self-worth, Ainsworth’s message is clear: you are stronger than you think.
Those interested in a free digital copy can visit www.iamunshaken.ca, or www.elizabethainsworth.ca
Photo Credit: Anora Graham
KOFI FREMPONG
Reminding us of the power of process
The scent of graphite and paper fills the air as Kofi Frempong’s hands move across yet another blank canvas. In this moment, he is simultaneously in his Toronto studio and in a French kitchen at three years old, watching his father transform emptiness into beauty. This connection between past and present, between Ghana and Canada, between doubt and purpose, defines his very existence.
As I sit with Kofi, listening to his story, I am reminded of the many diaspora children who carry homelands in their bones while building new lives elsewhere. There is something familiar in his journey, a melody that resonates with those of us who have navigated multiple worlds, belonging everywhere and nowhere at once.
Born in Ghana, Kofi’s story begins with separation. At three, his parents left him with extended family while they established themselves in France. This early fragmentation would become a theme in his life and work, the spaces between, the connections across distance, the healing through creation.
“When I turned four, they brought me to France,” Kofi recalls. “My mom said I was drawing from two, or three in the kitchen. I saw my dad turn a blank piece of paper into something beautiful. I enjoyed the process of turning a blank sheet to something beautiful.”
The power of this memory, watching creation unfold, speaks to the profound impact of witnessing artistry in childhood. How many of us found our calling not through grand declarations, but through quiet observations of those we admired? Kofi’s parents, perhaps unknowingly, provided him with a sanctuary for transition.
After a year in France, the family moved again, this time to Montreal, then Toronto for grade one. Each migration demanded adaptation; each new classroom required reinvention. Art became Kofi’s constant companion, his native tongue in a world of changing languages.
“I would draw and trace all the time. It was all about the process,” he explains, his voice softening. “I would be doodling, and I was scared I was going to get in trouble. Instead, my teacher was amazed, and the students were also impressed.”
This moment of validation in fourth grade, when his fear of punishment transformed into recognition, marks the first time Kofi acknowledged himself as an artist. At ten years old, he claimed an identity that would both sustain and challenge him for decades to come.
What follows in Kofi’s story is a pattern many creatives will recognize: the embrace of passion, followed by doubt, then abandonment, and ultimately, return. As Maya Angelou might remind us, there is power in the cycles of our lives; each departure prepares us for a more meaningful homecoming.
In high school, art became
Kofi’s refuge. “I was able to escape some of the trials of high school. There was no pressure, only the pressure I put on myself as an artist,” he shares. This sanctuary was soon breached by new anxieties. “I was introduced to paint, and I was unsure of how to navigate. I used to have anxiety around painting, so I would try to avoid it at all costs.”
The transition from drawing to painting marked the beginning of Kofi’s crisis of confidence. What had been a source of freedom became a source of fear. His journey through Humber College and later Centennial College, both times landing on academic probation, speaks to the profound disconnect between his artistic identity and his academic experience.
“One of the course leads had a talk with me and said that art was not the career path for me,” Kofi remembers, the memory still fresh. “I finished up the year, and switched to Centennial, and was on academic probation again. I got the same talk again, and I think I convinced myself that maybe art was not my passion.”
How many of us have abandoned our callings because someone in authority questioned our path? How often do we internalize external doubts until they become our own truths?
“Seven years passed, and I had not touched my artwork. I actually felt like a hypocrite,” he admits, his voice thick with emotion. This period of artistic dormancy, this sevenyear winter, speaks to the cost of selfbetrayal. Kofi was helping others yet neglecting a vital part of himself. The irony is palpable: a healer in need of healing, a guide who had lost his way.
What brought Kofi back to art was not a dramatic revelation, but a series of life shifts that gradually realigned him with his truth. “Once again, I got the admiration when I posted my art on Instagram, and this brought me back to grade 4,” he says, a smile touching his lips. The validation he received as a child echoed through time, calling him home.
The moment of his public return to painting; standing before a crowd of 500 people marks a pivotal point in Kofi’s journey. “I got up in front of the crowd, and I heard a lot of negative talk. It all went silent, and I went back to France. I remembered that it was about the process. As soon as I went back there, I was reborn.”
In this moment of performance and vulnerability, Kofi transcended his anxiety by returning to his artistic origins, the joy of process rather than the pressure of product. This rebirth represented a return to self.
When asked to chart his growth through a single painting, Kofi selects “Safi,” created during a period of separation from his wife and children. “What makes her significant is I reflected on the amazing Black women who have entered my life. What stands out in that picture is the eyes. Most people assume it is a
woman. I thought about all the women who have poured into me.”
This piece, this tribute to feminine strength and support, reveals Kofi’s emotional intelligence and his capacity for gratitude. In a world that often celebrates individual achievement, he acknowledges the collective effort that sustains us.
Another significant work, “The Breath Before,” emerged after a two-year hiatus from art. “What I have struggled with is my work-life balance. Family always takes priority. I can take care of everyone else, and this is not always the best thing,” Kofi reflects. The tension between care for others and care for self is a familiar struggle, particularly for those from communal cultures where individual needs are often subsumed by collective responsibilities. “I leaned into the process, and it turned out to be my best piece, not my favourite, but the best one.”
When I ask Kofi about his future self walking through a gallery of his works, his response reveals both contentment and aspiration. “Exactly how it feels now, just larger. I can create what I want to create, at a larger scale. The fact that people connect with my art, I don’t have to depend on a sale to support me.”
This vision of creative freedom, of art sustained by connection rather than commerce, speaks to a mature understanding of purpose. Kofi’s hope that his art gives people permission to pursue their own goals” transforms his personal journey into a collective gift.
To younger artists finding their visual language, Kofi offers wisdom born of experience, “Lean on the process. What I live by is creating safe spaces that are conducive to love. On an individual level that applies. If you are able to do this, your creativity opens up.”
As our conversation draws to a close, I am struck by the circular nature of Kofi’s journey; from the child watching his father create in a French kitchen, to the man creating spaces for others to discover their artistic voices. His story has become about the courage to reclaim abandoned parts of ourselves, to integrate our fragmented identities into something whole and beautiful.
In a world that often demands specialization and certainty, Kofi Frempong reminds us of the power of process, the value of vulnerability, and the healing that comes when we dare to pick up the tools of our childhood and begin again.
Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News
Photo Credit:
Photo Credit: Sanj P Photography
Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
pama.peelregion.ca Join us to celebrate community and creativity with free admission.
On stage: Nov 21 – Dec 14, 2025 Berkeley Street Theatre
Written by Kanika Ambrose · Directed by Sabryn Rock
‣ Caribbean Communities Night Nov 22 @ 7:30pm
‣ Black Out Night Dec 2 @ 7:30pm special offer $25 tickets with code: MOON
You care for your loved ones. When one of yours needs one of ours, social workers and social service workers are ready to provide trustworthy and quality care.
We are the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. As the provincial regulator, we ensure all our registrants follow the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice to protect the public, and provide ethical, effective and community-centred care.
If you or someone you love needs help, you can trust one of ours with one of yours.
Daren A. Herbert.
Photo: Dahlia Katz.
The strange power of fake pills
He was speaking of a placebo. The lecture shocked his students who had been taught that honesty was an unshakeable tenet of medical ethics. Yet, Beecher showed that sometimes, deception can be powerful medicine.
real drug. The results were unsettling. Hundreds of supposedly effective drugs were found to be little more than expensive illusions. Many were pulled from the market.
fects so real that they had to stop taking the dummy pills altogether.
I have been sorting through unpublished Gifford-Jones columns. Among them, I found a dusty clipping from a Reader’s Digest article by Robert A. Siegel and a rough draft of this week’s column. In it, we find a glimpse into a lecture hall at Harvard Medical School 75 years ago, and the teachings of Dr. Henry Beecher, the Harvard anesthetist who challenged the medical establishment’s views about truth and healing. Beecher had stunned his class of medical students when he asked, “Is it ethical for doctors to prescribe a dummy pill – a pill that does no harm, never causes addiction, and yet often cures the patient?”
Siegel’s Reader’s Digest story echoed this point. He described meeting Dr. John Kelley, a psychology professor at Endicott College who studies the placebo effect at Harvard. Curious, Siegel asked whether a “phony pill” might help him overcome his chronic writer’s block, insomnia, and panic attacks. Kelley obliged with a prescription: 100 gold capsules (Siegel’s favourite colour) costing $405. Each one contained nothing but cellulose, and yet, Siegel found that the more expensive they seemed, the better they worked. The gold capsules helped him focus and stay calm. Even when drowsy, another capsule kept him writing.
Placebo therapy itself is ancient, and there is proof that belief predates biochemistry. In the medical lore, we are told doctors once prescribed crocodile dung, or powdered donkey hoof, and sometimes they worked! Later, physicians injected sterile water to relieve pain, and to their surprise, many patients improved.
One study in 1959 found that when surgeons tied off an artery to increase blood supply as a treatment for angina, some patients reported relief. When surgeons merely made a skin incision and did nothing else, the results were just as good. Ethics boards today would never allow such sham surgeries, yet they taught medicine an unforgettable lesson. The mind can profoundly influence the body.
There is a popular account of a 26-year-old man who swallowed many capsules thinking they were antidepressants, but he was actually in the placebo arm of a trial. His blood pressure plummeted, his heart rate soared, but he stabilized when told the pills were placebos.
How do placebos work? The colour of the capsule, the cost, the trust in the physician, all play a role. Our expectations can spark real physiological change, from heart rate to pain relief.
Beecher’s lecture appalled some medical trainees. Others were intrigued, but all got the lesson. The placebo didn’t deceive patients; it revealed the self-deception of medicine itself.
Beecher published his groundbreaking paper “The Powerful Placebo” in 1955. He argued that all new drugs should be tested in double-blind trials so neither doctor nor patient knows who receives the
Even more astonishing was later research at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Placebo pills improved urinary flow in men with enlarged prostates. Some of these same men also developed side ef-
Of course, no placebo will mend a ruptured appendix or stop internal bleeding. In an era when so many unnecessary prescriptions are written, perhaps it’s time to remember the wisdom of Voltaire, who wrote, “The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.”
Trinidad Pelau: The One-Pot Memory That Still Feeds Us Today
If you grew up Caribbean, you already know pelau isn’t just food. It’s an event, a comfort, a full-body memory. It starts long before you ever see a plate. It begins with someone announcing, “We making pelau today.” And just like that, the mood in the house changes. People suddenly appear in the kitchen, offering to help… or pretending to help while really just trying to get first dibs. Someone starts chopping seasonings. Someone else pulls the peas out the freezer. A child gets sent to wash the rice. And there’s always that relative hovering over the pot, monitoring that sugar like a security guard watching the bank vault.
Pelau isn’t rushed. It isn’t frantic. It isn’t just about eating. It’s a moment. A ritual. A reminder of who we are.
In Trinidad and Tobago, pelau is almost a love language. It’s a warm Sunday breeze, a beach cooler crowd, a sports-day special, a pan yard tradition, and a “come over nah” dish all in one. Across the Caribbean and throughout the diaspora — Canada, the U.S., the U.K., anywhere we’ve planted roots — pelau travels with us like family history. It shows up when we celebrate, when we comfort, when we simply miss home. No matter how far we go, one pot brings us right back.
And that’s the beauty of it. Pelau isn’t just ingredients — it’s belonging. It’s a connection to our grandparents’ hands, to our parents’ kitchens, to stories told around plastic tables in backyards where laughter and music spilled into the night. The world around us changes fast, but pelau reminds us we came from people who took what they had and turned it into something rich, nourishing, and full of soul.
So let’s make a pot — not just because we’re hungry, but because we want to feel grounded, connected, and home.
The Heart Behind the Dish Pelau is a dish built on history. Its technique tells stories of Africa — one-pot rice traditions like jollof and waakye. The aromatics and coconut reflect Indian culinary influence brought through indentureship. European presence contributed the rice itself and stew methods. Indigenous people taught us about coconuts and local herbs long before grocery shelves existed.
When our ancestors didn’t have abundance, they had wisdom, flavour, and community. They knew how to stretch ingredients. How to feed many. How to make anything taste like it was grown in love. Pelau is a result of survival and celebration holding hands. And you feel that in every bite.
The Ritual of Browning
Now listen — you see that browning step? That little dance with sugar and oil? That is technique passed down from generation to generation like a family secret. It separates the casual cooks from the ones who could run a pelau stand in Port of Spain and sell out before noon.
We all heard the warnings:
“Watch the sugar!”
“Not too light!”
“Don’t let it burn unless you want bitter pelau!”
The moment that sugar starts to bubble and turn deep amber, time slows. You’re stirring, you’re watching, and then — the chicken drops in, the pot hisses, and the kitchen fills with a smell that can heal loneliness. Everyone who walked past suddenly has somewhere to be in the kitchen.
There’s an art to that moment. It carries the sound of elders, the rhythm of steelpan, the laugh of cousins running through the yard. It carries memory.
Let’s Cook — The Pelau Way
This isn’t a rushed weekday meal. Pelau likes patience, music in the background, and good company. This is a dish that tastes better when you smile while making it.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
• 2–3 lbs chicken (thighs and legs for the best flavour)
• Juice of ½ lime (optional, for washing the chicken)
• 2 tbsp green seasoning (fresh is best)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3–4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2–3 pimento peppers (or mild peppers)
• 1–2 sprigs thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Pelau
• 2 cups parboiled rice (washed and drained)
• 1 cup pigeon peas (frozen or canned, drained)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 carrots, diced
• 4–5 cups water or chicken broth
• Whole scotch bonnet pepper (optional — flavour without bursting)
• 1 tbsp butter (for finish)
Optional Add-Ins
• Pumpkin cubes for sweetness and colour
• A small handful of raisins (this one will start a family debate — use wisely)
• Scallion, chive, or parsley for garnish
Method
1. Season Like You Mean It: Wash the chicken if you normally do. Add green seasoning, onion, garlic, thyme, pepper, salt and black pepper, and rub everything in well. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes — overnight if you want the flavours to get deep into the meat. Caribbean food doesn’t believe in bland. We season with intention.
2. The Browning Stage — Heritage in a Pot: Heat oil in a heavy pot, add the sugar, and let it melt and bubble. You want a rich caramel colour — dark, but not burnt. Once it hits that sweet spot, add your chicken pieces and stir so each piece gets coated. That sizzling, glossy glaze? That’s how you know you’re doing it right.
3. Let It Develop: Let the chicken cook until it releases its juices and starts to brown even deeper in the pot. Then add pigeon peas, carrots, and any pumpkin if you’re using it. Stir well. This step builds the base — the flavour foundation that gives pelau its richness.
4. Rice & Coconut — Caribbean Harmony: Add the rinsed rice and stir again. You want the rice to kiss all that seasoning before any liquid goes in. Pour in coconut milk, then add broth or water. Drop the whole scotch bonnet pepper on top if using. It gives flavour — don’t let it burst unless you’re ready
for drama.
5. Slow Simmer: Cover and let everything cook slowly on low heat. Don’t rush. Pelau needs time to steam, soften, and soak in every note of flavour. When the rice has absorbed the liquid and is fluffy, turn off the heat, dot with butter, and let it sit for 10 minutes. That resting time separates good pelau from great pelau.
6. Fluff & Serve: Fluff gently with a fork. Style it how yuh want — spoon it high, sprinkle with herbs, slice avocado on the side, add a spoon of coleslaw or cucumber salad. Then step back and admire that pot like you just hung a painting.
Why Pelau Still Feels Like Home
In Canada, life moves fast. Snowstorms, long commutes, deadlines, kids’ schedules, bills, hustle — everything pulls us in different directions. But a pot of pelau slows us down. It reminds us that community matters. That food can hold memory. That even in a land of winter boots and snow shovels, we can bring sun-flavoured tradition into our kitchens.
Pelau is the sound of Trini radio in the background while you cook. It’s FaceTiming your mother to ask if the browning looks right. It’s kids learning to stir the pot and elders shaking their heads with pride disguised as critique. It’s showing the next generation that our culture is not just something we talk about — it’s something we taste, share, and protect.
Pelau brings people closer. It tastes like home feels.
And home isn’t a place — it’s a feeling we pass down.
Serve It With Love
Yes, the food matters. But the real secret? Who you share it with. Call someone over. Drop a container off for a neighbour. Feed your kids, your spouse, your elders. Or even enjoy it quietly by yourself and let the aroma bring you comfort.
Because at the end of the day, pelau feeds more than the stomach — it feeds our roots. One pot. One people. One Caribbean.
BY GEORGE SHEPPARD
We’ve all had one, haven’t we? That secret (or sometimes not-so-secret) list of places to go, experiences to have, and milestones to hit before life slips away. It’s called a “bucket list,” and it’s both playful and a little terrifying, a reminder that time isn’t infinite. Looking back, I can see how my own list has changed, almost shapeshifting with each stage of life.
In my twenties, life felt like a balancing act. I was trying to move past trauma, starting out in a career, and nurturing relationships. Those years were about figuring out who I was and what I wanted, with my eyes on the horizon and my feet barely on the ground. The bucket list existed then, but it was mostly dreams in the distance, placeholders for a future I assumed would always be there.
In my thirties, the list got buried under a pile of responsibility. I was growing a family, accumulating debt, buying a home, and tackling all the endless renovations that come with it; from shoveling snow in winter to mowing the grass in summer. The bucket list waited quietly, often ignored, as my energy was claimed by bills, chores, and the needs of others.
By my forties, the “me things” seemed almost impossible. The boys were growing fast, my career I didn’t know I had, and coaching filled whatever was left. Hockey trips, basketball tournaments, were part of every weekend as we became road warriors. During the winter, the efforts of creating an outdoor ice rink was a top priority, but here’s the thing: I
I stopped waiting; That’s when life began
don’t regret a moment of it. I was doing exactly what I wanted, exactly what a dad should. Being on the sidelines, driving to practices, organizing team events, and pouring my energy into the boy’s activities helped forge a bond that is lifelong.
My bucket list may have gathered dust in those years, but I was living a different kind of dream, one built on love, loyalty, and memories that will outlast any trip, or adventure.
Now, in my fifties, the landscape has shifted again. The boys are grown, one career has wound down, and now research, writing, and the search for the perfect coffee consumes my time. I crave peace and time to just be ME. The bucket list has returned with a quiet urgency. Time and health are no longer abstract ideas; they are real, and they are limited. Travel, once postponed, now feels essential. I’ve never traveled enough, and I want to feel the world with all my senses: the sounds, smells, and textures that a page, or screen can never convey.
The passing of time is a vivid reminder that life is rich, finite, and meant to be lived. I need to bring history to life, to feast on the cultural delicacies I have only read about, yet I yearn to taste. To stand where revolution grew, and struggles endured. To feel the heartache of the loss of hundreds of lives at the hands of the cruel and privileged. Yet, even now, I catch myself hesitating. Why am I waiting? It’s easy to convince yourself there will always be another weekend, another summer, another chance, but the years remind you that time is slippery. Life doesn’t ask for
It’s natural for a woman’s body to change after pregnancy, and that’s okay
SYDNEE WALCOTT
sydnee@carib101.com
VARIETY CORNER
Not only during pregnancy, but also after pregnancy, a woman will undergo many natural changes throughout the course. One common change to the body will be weight gain. These changes can affect women mentally and physically, and the last thing they need is for people to make fun of them as they navigate a new journey in their lives.
Singer Ashanti has been vocal about wanting to become a mother for the longest time. Three months after the singer rekindled her relationship with rapper Nelly, who is already a father, the two secretly tied the knot, and it was speculated that the two were also expecting a child together. It wasn’t until April 2024 that Ashanti confirmed that she and Nelly were expecting their first child together in a video on her Instagram account.
On July 18th, 2025, Ashanti and Nelly welcomed their son, Kareem Kenkaide Hayes. In an Instagram post showing the singer in a postpartum mirror selfie with the caption: “Funny how life’s plans aren’t…always on time...lol. I’ve always been waiting to be a mom for a long
permission; it simply moves along.
The bucket list isn’t just about travel. It’s about moments, experiences, and simple joys. Laughing until your cheeks ache, quiet evenings watching the sunset, long conversations with friends, the comfort of a dog resting at your feet, or a cat chasing shadows across the room; these are the experiences that linger, the ones that matter long after the dust settles.
The beauty of a bucket list is that it evolves. Goals shift. Priorities change. What mattered in your twenties may seem trivial in your fifties, replaced by
peace, connection, and self-discovery. Yet, the urgency remains: life is fleeting, and the moments to embrace it fully are precious. So, I still want to travel. I want to watch the sun set past a field in Ireland, an evening of wine tasting in Italy, snow falling as we approach the Bell Centre in Montreal, …and, to take the time to breathe. I chase experiences, big and small, and remind myself every day: I haven’t been waiting, I’ve been living in the moment. I think I’ll check on flights.
time now, but nothing could prepare me for EVERYTHING motherhood brings! This is what postpartum looks like… I’m so proud of my body for giving me my baby, baby, baby, baby, baby.”
A year after giving birth to her son, Ashanti was shown continuing to enjoy motherhood while on vacation in Barbados. In pictures and videos taken by the paparazzi, the singer and her oneyear-old son were seen enjoying a day at the beach. One thing that caught people’s attention was the singer’s post-baby figure, which appeared to be much curvier. While some saw no issue in her figure, noting she had curves that are considered enviable, others took it as an opportunity to body-shame her, and they did not hold back.
“Um, she’s way past the curvy stage,” “Enviable, she’s a big woman,” and “Dayum, Ashanti got fat, that’s crazy,” were some of the negative comments that were made.
Some fans came to Ashanti’s defence, noting that she should be left alone and allowed to exist in peace as a new mother, and I agree with that.
People tend to forget that pregnancy and giving birth to a child can change a woman physically and mentally. While some women will look the same as they did before pregnancy, others will go through natural changes. Regardless, let’s have some compassion for women as they have to navigate through a new journey.
SIMONE SMITH
simone@carib101.com
HUMAN SPECIALIST
Growing up in a Caribbean home, I learned to read people long before I could articulate what I was observing. The subtle shift in an elder’s posture, the way someone’s eyes avoided contact during certain conversations, the nervous tapping of fingers on a table during difficult discussions, these were the unspoken dialects of our community. Today, as both a behavior specialist and journalist, I have discovered a system that validates what many of us intuitively knew: human behaviour follows patterns that can be systematically understood.
The Behavioral Table of Elements (BTE), developed by Chase Hughes, offers what traditional lie detection methods have long promised but failed to deliver: a reliable way to interpret human behaviour. Unlike the polygraph, which Hughes aptly compares to “a coin toss” in accuracy,
BY HERBERT HILDEBRANDT POLITICAL PARLEY
Doug Ford claimed he was going to be the everyman’s premier. The dude who champions a buck a beer, curses red tape, and vows to “stick up for the little guy.” Lately, it’s the little guy who keeps footing the bill for Ford’s political theatre. Between his $75-million Reagan-themed ad campaign that blew up Canada–U.S. trade talks and his whisky-pouring tantrum over the Crown Royal plant closure, Ontario’s premier has become the poster child for performative politics with billion-dollar consequences.
A few weeks ago, Premier Ford proudly announced he authorized spending an estimated $75 million of taxpayer money producing and airing a slick campaign across U.S. media using edited clips of Ronald Reagan’s 1987 address on fair trade. The ad was meant to pressure Washington over tariffs on Canadian goods as negotiations were reaching a fever pitch. Instead, it misrepresented Reagan’s speech, angered the Reagan Presidential Foundation, and got under Donald Trump’s skin. Trump promptly ended all trade negotiations with Canada
How to decode human behaviour patterns
the BTE provides a structured approach to decoding the subtle signals we all emit. What fascinates me about this system is how it mirrors the intuitive wisdom passed down through generations in Caribbean communities. We have always known that truth resides not just in words, but in the entirety of human expression. The BTE simply gives scientific language to this ancestral knowledge.
Structured like chemistry’s periodic table, the BTE organizes behaviours from head to feet, with the least stressful indicators on the left and increasingly deceptive signals toward the right. Each behaviour receives a Deception Rating Scale (DRS) value, creating a cumulative score that reveals patterns rather than relying on isolated gestures.
The colour coding reminds me of how we use different tones in Caribbean storytelling to convey meaning. Green indicates comfort and truthfulness, while grey signals high stress or potential deception. The turquoise sections capturing micro-expressions particularly resonate with me; those fleeting facial movements that betray our carefully constructed narratives.
In my work with communities across the diaspora, I have seen how pow-
er imbalances can make authentic communication challenging. The BTE offers a way to level the playing field, providing tools to understand what remains unsaid in professional settings, community meetings, or even family gatherings where difficult truths must navigate cultural expectations of respect and harmony.
What makes this system revolutionary is its foundation in evidence rather than intuition alone. Each behaviour in the table is supported by at least four research references, transforming what was once an art into a replicable science.
The applications extend far beyond law enforcement and interrogation. In community education, I have seen how understanding these behavioural patterns
The Doug Ford Circus: Priceless
and slapped an extra 10% tariff on goods heading south. It seems that Doug Ford is getting good at shooting himself in the foot while bragging about his aim.
This was not just a communications blunder; it was an economic gutpunch. Ontario exports roughly $230 billion annually to the U.S. A 10% tariff, even applied selectively, means billions in lost competitiveness, higher consumer prices, and real pain for Ontario manufacturers already battling systemic inflation and supply-chain issues. All of this was triggered by a vanity project disguised as statesmanship. Ford wanted to play Mr. Tough Guy on free trade, but what he delivered was a stunt so tone-deaf it torpedoed the very relationships he claimed to protect.
Adding insult to injury, this is the same man who celebrated Trump’s 2024 victory. He was caught on video saying he was “100% happy” with the result a day after the November 2024 election. Yet, when that same Trump retaliated against Canada, Ford suddenly morphed into the anti-Trump champion of Ontario sovereignty. You cannot toast a man’s win one week and then cry foul when his policies hit your economy the next. America First
was always going to be America First. Ford’s showmanship doesn’t stop at the border. When Diageo, the multinational behind Crown Royal, announced it would shut its century-old bottling plant in Amherstburg, Ford did what Ford does best, he pulled another stunt. Standing outside at a lectern with cameras rolling, he poured a bottle of Crown Royal onto the pavement (which took forever in media time) and vowed to pull the brand from LCBO shelves. “You hurt my people; I’ll hurt you,” he declared, as though symbolic whiskey waste and empty threats would reverse global corporate strategy.
What Ontario could use is a real, thought-out industrial response to protect jobs, retrain workers, and strengthen local production. What we got instead was a viral clip and a promise to play tough guy with a global conglomerate that sells $740 million a year through the LCBO. If that is your economic strategy, you might as well pour out the taxpayers’ money next to the whiskey.
Ontario’s economy doesn’t need a mascot, it needs a manager. It needs someone who can sit down with trade partners and corporate leaders and negotiate, not just perform toughness for the
can improve communication between generations, help educators better support students, and assist leaders in addressing conflicts before they escalate.
As I reflect on the elders who first taught me to read between the lines, I realize they were master behaviour analysts without the formal terminology. They understood that truth lives in the constellation of our behaviours, not merely in our words.
The Behavioral Table of Elements simply gives us a shared language to discuss what we’ve always known: that human communication happens on multiple levels simultaneously, and to truly understand one another, we must learn to listen with more than just our ears.
evening news. Manufacturing, agriculture, and export sectors depend on quiet competence, not blustery showdowns. Every time Ford reaches for the camera instead of the policy brief, Ontario’s workers lose leverage, and taxpayers foot another round of his political theatre.
We are bombarded with TV ads touting the unlocking of the “ring of fire” and its natural resources and how we will soon reap the benefits, yet we never get an actual update and see a multi-year plan with measurable outcomes on where that project stands. Evidently, the Ontario government assumes its citizens can be played and will continue to do so.
So yes, we do have to ask: do we have a perpetual populist, or a professional hypocrite running the province? The evidence points to both. When the smoke clears, it’s not the premier who pays. It’s the rest of us. Doug Ford says he listens to ‘Ford Nation,’ the people of Ontario who want honest government. We must move beyond resistance and let him know how we feel, respectfully, but truthfully. If these issues concern you, place a call to his office today (416) 325-1941 and kindly demand that we get less stunts and more leadership
Providence, persistence, and patience; The three Ps to building success and a flourishing life
DANIEL COLE
daniel@carib101.com
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
True success isn’t merely an output; it’s the fruit of steady effort, deep character, and trust that some results depend on forces beyond ourselves. This blend of determination, disciplined waiting, and faith forms
We live in an age allergic to waiting. We are wired for instant gratification; the dopamine rush of “now.” Yet, what makes life truly meaningful often unfolds in the slow, deliberate rhythm of time. The Biblical wisdom that “to everything there is a season” feels almost like an afterthought to a gen-
Earl Wilson once remarked with irony, “Success is simply a matter of luck. Ask any failure.” His statement pierces our cultural impatience: the assumption that success is random, when in truth, it is the result of unseen persistence. We admire outcomes, not the process that forged them. Champions are celebrated in the ring, but their victory is conceived long before: in sweat, silence, and obscurity. Perseverance is not merely a mor-
al virtue; it is a developmental necessity. Every enduring achievement is an act of delayed gratification. Neuroscience even supports this: studies show that individuals who can delay immediate pleasure for long-term goals (as demonstrated in the classic “Marshmallow Test”) tend to achieve higher success and emotional stability over time.
The same holds true spiritually. God rarely entrusts great responsibilities to untested hands. Blessings without character become burdens. God will not give you what your character cannot sustain. A patient soul is not passive; it is quietly active: sowing, watering, and trusting the timing of providence. Like the farmer who cannot command the rain, we must learn to labour faithfully while accepting that some outcomes lie beyond human control.
The story of the Chinese bamboo tree remains one of the most vivid metaphors for perseverance. For four years, the farmer waters the seed without visible progress. Then, in the fifth year, within six short weeks, the tree shoots up to 80 feet, but the miracle was not in its sudden growth; it was in its unseen preparation. During those silent years, the bamboo was developing deep, intricate roots strong enough to sustain its towering height.
This is the hidden architecture of success. Growth is often subterranean before it becomes spectacular. Like the bamboo, we too must cultivate our inner life, building emotional endurance, spiritual
depth, and moral integrity. Without those roots, our achievements collapse under their own weight.
Modern culture celebrates acceleration, “move fast and break things,” as Silicon Valley once declared. Yet, what is built fast often breaks faster. Mushrooms appear overnight, but so do they decay. Oaks take decades, but they endure for centuries. Success without structure is fragile. The cost of avoiding discipline is deferred pain. Every life lesson has an invoice attached only the timing differs. So, focus on formation before manifestation. Build depth before visibility. If your roots are deep, no storm will uproot you.
There remains, however, a mystery that human effort alone cannot explain, the element of providence. For all our striving, certain doors open only by grace. History, nature, and scripture converge on one truth: the ultimate outcomes of life are not fully ours to control.
This is not fatalism; it is humility. To acknowledge providence is to recognize that human labour and divine orchestration co-exist. Therefore, we must live with a paradox: work as if everything depends on you, and trust as if everything depends on God. When life resists logic, surrender to providence. When success finally arrives, remember the Source that sustained you through the silent years.
In the end, success is not merely what we achieve, but who we become in the process
Men have begun reaching out for help navigating adversarial situations with female partners
BY LISA THOMPSON
LEGAL LISA
Sometimes, as I sit in my chair, I find myself reflecting. There was a period when I genuinely believed that women were primarily the ones who initiated mediation. Women who wanted to find common ground, reach some kind of understanding, and bring closure to conflict with their former spouse or partner. Times have changed. The tables have turned, and increasingly, I find myself receiving calls from men, men who are reaching out, asking for help to settle disputes and navigate adversarial situations with their female partners.
This shift is especially significant when considering the well-being of the Black family, where unresolved conflict can have deep impacts on generational relationships and the cohesion of our communities. Many of these men have exhausted every avenue of communication. They have tried reasoning, compromise, and dialogue, yet still find themselves at an impasse, unable to move forward.
On the other hand, many women today seem more liberated and confident in their stance during mediation. This has given rise to what we call hard mediation, or positional mediational process where one party enters the discussion already fixed in their viewpoint, determined to maintain their position rather than genuinely engaging with alternative solutions.
When that happens, mediation begins to lose its purpose. For any mediation (or negotiation) to succeed, both parties must come to the table with open minds and a willingness to listen and offer constructive suggestions. If one side dominates the process, holding all the power while the other remains pliant and eager to compro -
mise, the balance is lost. When balance is lost, resolution becomes nearly impossible.
As I continue to observe these shifts, it’s clear that what was once a gendered pattern has evolved into something much more nuanced. The dynamic in mediation rooms today reflects broader social changes, shifting roles and expectations for both men and women. Men, who for years may have avoided emotional discussions or negotiations, are now seeking resolution, eager to restore peace, or close a painful chapter. For the Black family, this transformation is collective, affecting our communities.
Yet, many of these men come to the table weary, drained from countless failed attempts to communicate. Meanwhile, the women, often more empowered and self-assured than ever, stand their ground with conviction. This newfound confidence, while admirable, sometimes manifests as positional mediational firm stance, entering discussions already decided on the outcome, unwilling to consider alternative perspectives. Unfortunately, this rigidity can lead to a breakdown in communication. Mediation, by its very nature, requires an exchange of ideas, a willingness to listen, and a genuine effort to find common ground. When one party holds tight control while the other remains flexible and conciliatory, the balance that mediation depends on begins to crumble. Without balance, resolution slips further out of reach.
For the Black family, it is crucial that we create spaces where empathy and patience are not just encouraged, but expected, allowing both men and women to feel safe in their vulnerability. True mediation thrives on patience, humility, and the shared goal of moving forward. This is something both men and women are still
learning to practice in this changing landscape of relationships.
As these conversations unfold, I can’t help but wonder if somewhere along the way, the scales of understanding between men and women have tipped too far in one direction. The question that lingers is this: are women today being too hard on men, given how much the world, and our roles within it, has changed?
Many women still carry echoes of what they were taught by their mothers and grandmothers, the belief that a “real man” must shoulder the weight of the world. He is to provide for the household, protect his wife and children, care for his aging parents, and never waver in strength. These expectations, though once rooted in survival and tradition, have evolved into an almost unspoken checklist of masculinity, one that leaves little room for vulnerability or imperfection.
What if men, too, are changing?
What if today’s man wants to show emotion without judgment, to express remorse, empathy, or even fear without being labeled weak? What if his desire to put down his armor isn’t an act of surrender, but a gesture of peace step toward better communication, understanding, and unity?
Supporting the Black family calls for us all to reflect on how we perceive and respond to these changing roles. We must challenge outdated expectations, encourage true openness, and remember that the collective strength of our families depends on our willingness to support both men and women as they navigate this new terrain. Only by doing so can we ensure that mediation, whether in the home, the community, or our institutions, remains a tool for healing and progress, rather than another arena for division.
Photo Credit: Sean Seurattan
Science replaces guesswork in cannabis infused foods
sean@carib101.com
chemistry. The consumer was left alone in the dark, waiting for a delayed reaction that made proper dosing feel like a lottery.
The core difficulty lies in THC and CBD being oil-soluble compounds that naturally resist water. Our bodies, made mostly of water, struggle to quickly process these oily compounds. When a traditional edible is consumed, the oilbased cannabis travels a sluggish, inefficient route through the digestive system. It needs to be broken down, sent to the liver for metabolism, and then finally delivered to the bloodstream. This slow, winding path creates the notorious “lag time,” which frequently caused users to panic, re-dose prematurely, and consequently endure an intense, miserable high that ruined evenings and tarnished the reputation of the entire product category.
Now, a company named Smyle Brands from British Columbia is using a precise scientific technique called nanoemulsification to solve this issue. This process represents a chemical attack on the large, stubborn oil molecules. It is a critical technological step that shifts edible manufacturing from a culinary art to a pharmaceutical science. Specialized laboratory equipment, utilizing intense pressure, or powerful ultrasonic waves, forcefully breaks down the cannabis oil into incredibly tiny particles thinner than a human hair. These droplets are so small they are measured on the nanoscale, far too minute to be seen. It’s the equivalent of taking a boulder of oil and pulverizing it into a million grains of sand.
The critical step involves coating these fragmented oil specks with a substance that makes them water-soluble. The tiny, oil-based cannabinoids are encased in a hydrophilic (water-loving) shell. Smyle Brands has utilized molecu-
lar engineering to fundamentally change the cannabis oil into a new form; Live Rosin Nano Drops. The result is a radical shift in how the body reacts. When a consumer eats a food infused with this nano-emulsion, the microscopic particles are absorbed almost immediately. They bypass the slow liver filtration, traveling directly into the bloodstream through the linings of the mouth and stomach. This rapid delivery of their full spectrum product means users feel mellow, balanced effects in a quick, predictable window of 10 to 20 minutes. The consumer gains immediate feedback about their buzz, ending the era of dangerous, blind overconsumption.
This accelerated response offers two immediate, powerful benefits that are propelling the legal edible market forward. First, it brings control and safety. The quick feedback loop allows users to confidently gauge their intoxication level without the risk of accidentally stacking doses. You know what you’ve taken, and you know how it affects you, allowing you to manage your experience precisely. This predictability is vital for public health and essential for gaining trust among new, risk-averse consumers. Second, it grants unprecedented versatility to manufacturers. Since the nano-emulsions are flavourless, odorless, and fully water-soluble, they can be blended into nearly any food product without compromising taste, or texture. This versatility eliminates the greasy, earthy, or medicinal flavour profile that plagued earlier products. Manufacturers are now free to create perfect tasting dishes, precisely dosed meals, and sophisticated confections. By expanding the variety and quality of the infused food category far beyond the rudimentary chocolates and gummies of the past, it transforms the edible from a niche item into a legitimate food ingredient.
This move to scientifically engineered precision is fundamentally transforming the edibles market. It is catering to the modern consumer who demands a measured, reliable outcome. With much of the “unknown” factors removed from the equation, cannabis infused foods become much more widely viable in various social settings.
As the Canadian cannabis industry matures, this embrace of advanced chemistry is proving that innovation is the key to persistent consumer trust and adoption. The current market stakeholders must learn a hard lesson: while legalization opened the door to edibles, science is what makes them functional. They must make the unpredictable edible obsolete or be replaced by those who bring clockwork-like reliability for a nano-measured life.
$449,000
Fall home maintenance: Five ways to prepare your home for winter’s challenges
As leaves fall and the air turns crisp, autumn is your yearly chance to safeguard your home before winter’s cold sets in. With a few focused maintenance tasks, you can lower risks, prevent damage, and even add a touch of seasonal charm. Here’s a guide to essential fall chores to keep your house healthy and warm all winter long.
Turn off the external water supply
One of the first steps I always suggest to my clients is to turn off the exterior water supply. This means closing the shut-off valve that feeds outdoor hose bibs, sprinklers, or garden taps. Then, open the taps and let any remaining water drain out (loosen the faucet cap if needed). This helps prevent residual water from freezing, expanding, and damaging pipes or faucet fittings.
Clear your eavestroughs (gutters) to prevent ice damming
Clogged gutters are a major cause of winter roof issues. Leaves, twigs, and debris obstruct water flow, and when snow melts, water can back up and refreeze along the roof’s edge, forming ice dams. These ice dams can force water under shingles, leading to leaks in walls or ceilings.
Cleaning your eavestroughs and
downspouts helps ensure that meltwater drains properly away from your roof and foundation. While doing this, check for sagging sections, broken hangers, or rust spots, and repair, or reinforce them as needed. Some homeowners also add gutter guards to prevent new debris from entering.
While cleaning, also check the roof edge. If you notice early ice buildup or significant shingle wear near the eaves, it could indicate ventilation, or insulation issues upstairs.
Seal cracks and openings - keep rodents out
As the cold weather sets in, pests like mice, rats, and squirrels look for warm shelter. Your home might seem secure, but small cracks, or gaps (around window frames, siding joints, utility entries, or beneath eaves) can be tempting entry points.
Inspect the exterior using a flashlight starting at ground level. Seal holes with masonry caulk, exterior-grade sealant, steel wool, or wire mesh. Be sure to check around HVAC vents, the dryer vent, electrical conduit, plumbing stacks, and beneath the fascia for potential entry points.
Inside, look for signs of droppings, gnawed wires, or disturbed insulation near wiring or plumbing. If you find evidence of rodents, clean and disinfect the area, then seal that space quickly.
Clear vegetation and trim shrubs close to the home
It’s tempting to let shrubs, vines, or hedges hug the house all year — it looks cozy. However, in autumn, it’s smart to clear plant growth away from siding or foun-
dations. Branches and leaves that brush against walls can trap moisture, harm the siding, or give pests access to your home. Trim bushes and trees at least a foot away from walls. Remove fallen leaves around your foundation, as they hold moisture that can cause materials to deteriorate and attract insects. Good clearance also helps with ice and snow removal, making it easier to inspect the lower walls for cracks or signs of water damage.
Embrace fall as your decorating season (seasonal and practical)
As you carry out maintenance tasks, fall also offers an ideal opportunity for seasonal updates; install waterproof string lights along
walkways before the snow arrives. Use this season to test, or adjust outdoor holiday wiring, extension cords, and light timers. Ensure all your outdoor lighting, timers, and electrical connections are operational now; it’s better to identify a frayed wire or loose plug in October rather than mid-December when snow is falling. Fixing these issues before the first freeze will make your home more comfortable, efficient, and protected during winter. Fall maintenance keeps your home safe, dry, and stress-free. Spending a few hours now can prevent headaches later, and by the time snow arrives, your home is prepared to hunker down.
YOUR HOROSCOPE
YOUR HOROSCOPE
for the week of November 2 – November 8, 2025
THE LUCKIEST SIGNS THIS WEEK: LEO, SAGITTARIUS, AND PISCES
ARIES: You’re driven to prove yourself, but patience wins. Move steady, listen more, and results will speak loud.
TAURUS: Comfort feels safe, but a small change opens big doors. Let routine meet curiosity this week.
GEMINI: Your social spark is strong. Messages, ideas, and opportunities move fast — speak confidently and follow through.
CANCER: Clarity arrives around what matters. Protect your peace and set boundaries without guilt. Your energy needs space.
LEO: Your fire is back. Step into leadership, inspire others, and collaborate. Confidence attracts the right support.
VIRGO: Logic meets emotion. Balance practicality with intuition. Trust yourself over your worries — they talk too much.
LIBRA: Communication deepens bonds. Speak honestly, not carefully. Harmony grows from truth, not silence.
SCORPIO: Transformation calls again. Release old weight and invite lighter energy. Change isn’t loss — it’s renewal.
SAGITTARIUS: Adventure isn’t always travel. Take the step you’ve delayed. Aim forward — momentum favours you.
CAPRICORN: You’re building something solid. Stay disciplined, breathe, and pace yourself. The climb shapes you too.
AQUARIUS: Ideas and intuition align. Focus on one goal instead of many. Concentration brings breakthroughs.
PISCES: Feelings run deep, but you’re channeling them well. Create, express, and move with the current, not against it.
CROSSWORDS
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 1 through 9 in the same line, column, or 3x3 box.
PUZZLE NO. 143
PUZZLE NO. 853
