Akhil Dalvi
Sunshine, smiles and springtime cheer filled the air in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood as the annual Beaches Lions Easter Parade marched down Queen Street East.
The 52nd edition of the parade took place on March 31 and was supervised by the Toronto Beaches Lions Club.
The parade route was flagged off at 2 p.m. from Neville Park Boulevard, while several families had lined up on both sides of the streets well in advance, concluding at 4 p.m. on Woodbine Ave.
For many families, like longtime Beaches resident Don Marshall, the parade holds a special place in their hearts and has been a generational event.
“I’ve been coming here since I was five years old and it has traditionally been very much consistent over the years,” Marshall said.
She said the event is great because of the same Easter rabbit that’s been a part of the parade for years.
“Having grown up in this area, the event has become far more diverse but it’s great that I got to bring my mom, sister, niece, daughter and her friends,” she said. “My most special memory has been collecting the little candies
they throw at the crowds.”
As the undisputed focus of the event, the children kept themselves entertained by playing hopscotch, rollerblading or blowing bubbles.
Adding to the charm were the street vendors who sold snacks and volunteers who were dressed up as clowns.
Stacey Anco, a student at the Toronto Metropolitan University, said she too has grown up with the parade as a child and witnessed it evolve over the years.
“Usually it was just a couple families here and there but now you see some people from all different ethnicities coming, just to watch the parade,” Anco said.
“Some people are just walking by and then notice the parade.”
She said that because it gets so busy they close the streets, keeping the event local or to the greater
Toronto area.
“It’s great to have people come out and support the businesses around the area, but it produces a lot of traffic and there’s always police cars running by making it difficult to gather everyone together,” Anco said.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow made a special appearance, along with local businesses and organizations showcasing their creativity with their floats, some having Viking, ballerina, karate and gymnast themes.
The Toronto Beaches Lions Club ensured the event went beyond mere entertainment and used the platform to raise awareness for one of their charitable initiatives.
“It is the first time that we have incorporated one of our projects called the ‘Recycle for sight’ in the parade,” said Andy Buhot, presi-
dent of the Toronto Beaches Lions Club.
“What we do is we collect used eyeglasses, process them and send them to various parts of the world where people are in need of them,” Buhot said. He also said that an estimated 25,000 people turned up for the event along with 70 float participants, with the latter count expected to be five or six more than last year.
“Prior to Covid, we had to close to 100 participants. So we are coming back to those levels,” he said.
As the final notes of the marching bands faded and the Easter Bunny appeared, the parade showcased the diverse tapestry of the Beaches neighbourhood and community spirit from participating local schools, sports teams, and cultural groups.
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Abhay Karan Singh Sandhu, a third-semester Tourism-Travel Services Management student, came to Canada from Amritsar, Punjab, in northern India in the fall of 2022.
He said this was a big step in recognizing the Sikh community as an intrinsic part of Canada.
“It holds a lot of meaning for me. We are a minority group here and for us, representation is important,” Sandhu said. “I feel more confident, I feel proud that the government has acknowledged us [as] part of this country.”
Sandhu, 21, put a lot of thought into choosing this program at Humber.
When he first came to Canada, he was enrolled in the computer programming program but dropped out within two weeks.
“I found it to be quite tough,” he said. “Then I enrolled myself at Humber.”
However, academia was not the only source he was relying on to make a successful career in Canada. He was working part-time in a car workshop to gain skilled labour experience.
Sandhu’s quest for gaining global experience and the fact that most of his friends had moved to Canada drove him here.
“My sister came here three years ago,” he said. “Soon, all my friends moved here, so I thought I should also go and expand my worldview.”
This report is by
Etti Bali, News Editor
In an advancing technological world lives a white, fluffy robotic seal on the University of GuelphHumber (UGH) campus in northwest Toronto.
Paro, the therapeutic seal, was designed by Japanese robot scientist Takanori Shibata and is modelled after an experience he had in the Gulf of St. Lawrence with a baby Harp seal.
Initially, Paro was designed for dementia patients to make a connection with something that responds to their actions.
Since its debut in 2004, Shibata’s creation has caught the attention of various institutions worldwide since its debut in 2004.
Two years ago, a Paro unit had migrated to the Early Childhood Studies (ECS) program at UGH.
A Paro unit costs £6,000 (around C$10,220) excluding tax and comes in four colours: tan, grey, white and pink.
Nikki Martyn, program head of the ECS program, says Paro is a key element in educating the developing brain on “healthy technology.”
“What we know about working with young children is all experiences young children have, affect their development,” Martyn said.
“Who you are today is because of the experiences you had when you were little,” she said. “That gives us this opportunity that I think is really important in life, to be able to educate and support our future
professionals because they’re the ones that are going to make this impact with young children.”
Paro is one of the many robots used by ECS to educate students about how to introduce technology to young children.
Another one of these educational tools is Ozobot, a tiny wheeled bot which can be coded to follow a path on its board gamelike surface.
The bot utilizes pathing technology, which can be used, for example, to educate children on how planets orbit the sun.
However, Paro is quite different from the rest of the bots in the ECS resource room, both in purpose and design.
In contrast to Ozobot’s codable actions, Paro has no customizable code and responds to human interaction.
Martyn said the simplicity of Paro is one of the things that makes it such a great display of healthy technology.
“There’s no videos, it’s not connected to Wi-Fi,” she said. “Really thinking about the privacy of it, it’s safe.”
Paro hosts diverse sensors that allow it to detect touch, light, sound, temperature and directional orientation.
Patting its head will make Paro calm, its movements slowed as it projects a soothing tone. Touching Paro’s flippers makes it shy, and it will move its limbs away from the person touching it.
Paro’s battery can support
movement for around five hours, according to its training guide.
Being a baby, Paro’s charging cable plugs into its mouth and mimics a child’s pacifier. It also features antibacterial fur which can be cleaned with sanitizing wipes.
Cari-Ann Scott, interim assistant program head of the ECS program and the Early Childhood Studies Degree Completion (ECDC), said Paro has many uses and can be a comfort tool for anybody.
“Children on the spectrum, children with anxiety, children that are human,” Scott said. “We have lots of people that come in and have said I just needed some Paro time.”
Scott said another application for Paro is in environments where live animals aren’t preferred such as hospitals or other circumstances that involve animal allergies.
Paro is usually found charging or interacting with the public in the Early Childhood Resource Centre located in room GH318 on the third floor of the campus beside the spiral staircase near the elevators.
Paro, alongside the ECS’ passion for technology and the learning lessons that come with it, has given the faculty and students in the ECS program a new opportunity for the upcoming fall 2024 semester.
The Children’s Futures is a specialization that will be made available for ECS students in the next fall term.
Martyn said the purpose of this program is to create an educational space where children are at the
centre of it all.
“We’re allowing kids to think in their unique way and be who they are,” she said.
The specialization will cover privacy, ethics, future thinking and approaching technology holistically.
The program will help ECS students educate children about how social media algorithms work to enhance online privacy and safety.
ECS students will also be prepared to teach children how to read terms and conditions agreements, Martyn said.
The Children’s Futures course is focused on the human mind and helps educate children to develop problem-solving skills.
Martyn said being future-focused is important because it allows ECS students to adapt to the constantly evolving world of technology.
“The students have all of this expertise and experience in child development and teaching and curriculum. I’m hoping we can take that into the children’s futures and really put children at the center of everything we do,” she said.
Martyn said giving children a safe space to be creative, play and explore while educating them about how to use technology safely is key in preparing them for the future.
“Innovation occurs in the creativity, in the play, in the disruption,” she said. “Those are the people that are going to change the world.”
A week from today, on April 8, the largest solar eclipse in nearly a century will pass over Toronto.
Solar eclipses occur when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow as the moon blocks out the sun and temporarily turns day into night.
In the path of totality, the moon fully covers the sun. In partial eclipses, the moon covers only part of the sun, creating a crescent of light similar to lunar cycles. The partial eclipse is to begin at 2:04 p.m., peak at 3:19 p.m. and end at 4:31 p.m.
At its peak in Toronto, the moon will obscure 99.93 per cent of the Sun.
Humber College students at its Lakeshore Campus who walk to the tip of Colonel Samuel Smith Park, out into Lake Ontario, will gain an extra few decimals with 99.95 per cent obscuration — how much of the sun is covered by the moon.
Meanwhile, students at the North Campus will experience 99.62 obscuration. Close to a total eclipse but those last decimal
points make a big difference.
Even that tiny sliver of remaining sunlight is dangerous. Looking at the eclipse without proper eye protection can cause solar retinopathy, damaging your retina, the tissue at the back of your eye.
Your retinas do not have pain sensors to signal damage from staring at the sun.
To safely view the eclipse, it is necessary to get safe solar viewing glasses that comply with the ISO
12312-2 international standard. These glasses are thousands of times darker than sunglasses. Other options include indirect viewing such as through pinhole projectors. Binoculars, camera lenses and telescopes, not equipped with a special-use solar filter, will all cause immediate eye damage.
Just as the sun can damage your eyes, it can also damage your camera. This is true for phone
cameras but even more for cameras using telephoto lenses. It is essential to use filters to avoid permanently damaging your devices.
In a total eclipse, for that brief window of total coverage, observers can remove their eye protection. This allows them to see the solar corona — the outer atmosphere of gases, normally drowned out by the brightness of the sun. Toronto will not experience a total eclipse of the sun. It will not be safe
to remove your eye protection.
The sun goes through periods of increasing and decreasing activity. During the last eclipse in 2017, the sun was at solar minimum. However this time, it is near solar maximum.
That means viewers in the path of totality will likely witness solar loops, streamers and possibly even a coronal mass ejection, a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s corona.
Toronto will miss out on the total eclipse, but neighbouring cities will get the full experience. Burlington, Hamilton, Kingston, Montreal and Niagara Falls all fall on the path of totality.
The Niagara region has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the large influx of visitors.
For viewers in Toronto, this is a once-in-a-lifetime eclipse. In 2017, the partial eclipse reached a maximum of 70 per cent obscured.
The last total eclipse in Ontario was in 1979 and the last one in Toronto was nearly a century ago, in 1925.
In 2099 there is an eclipse that will again reach 99 per cent obscured. However, the next total eclipse in Toronto won’t be until 2144.
Earth Fest was held at Humber College North Campus to celebrate Earth Month 2024 on March 27.
Earth Fest, organized in partnership with First Year Experience (FYE), aimed to bring Humber communities together to discuss a sustainable future and create a sustainability vision for Humber.
The event offered various activities for students, such as basketball, pottery painting, snacks, reusable cutlery and free succulents.
Earth Fest 2024 saw participation from the Humber Arboretum, Smart Commute and Metrolinx representatives.
There were activities for students to experience and learn about sustainability.
Gabi Hentschke, Sustainability Communications and Engagement Coordinator and Co-organizer of Earth Fest 2024, said the event partners with many other partners to gain knowledge in Humber communities.
Hentschke said the event was successfully organized based on student interaction.
“The success of an event is not
only the number of participants we have, especially compared to the number of people who have registered, but also the high participation by showing up,” she said. “It’s about the quality of interaction and conversation with attendees.”
Hemanshi Vadaliya, a cloud computing student at Humber, said she was excited about the pot drawing activity.
“The event is very good,” Vadaliya said. “I have always loved to draw different kinds of things, and today, I have the opportunity to do it here.”
Hentschke said activities at The Earth Fest event connect Humber students effectively.
“Today, we have seen people interested in our activities,” Hentschke said. “From Smart Commute, they have the connection where you get a little basketball game. Also, the pot painting that they can bring home and the sustainability survey are really popular.
“A lot of people took that and shared their thoughts about sustainability on campus,” Hentschke said.
She said Smart Commute connects people with numerous events
including a little basketball game and painting plant pots they can take home. Hentschke said many share their thoughts about sustainability on campus.
Various attendees especially embraced the pottery painting and sustainability survey.
Praveen Kaur, a business and accounting student at Humber, said this activity recalls her hometown memories.
“I just attended some activities like painting,” Kaur said. “I enjoy it. Back in India, I used to have some plants and flowers, and I do stuff like a painting that reminds me of things I did in India.”
Hentschke said it would be an improvement that should be done to enlarge the engagement range of Earth Fest events in the future.
“Having more vendors gives more people the chance to be here,
be seen and be heard. Different organizations and community groups participating in the event would be great to see,” Hentschke said.
“It is challenging to do that because it requires more outreach.”
Humber promotes social media platforms and sustainability communities to engage with students, staff, and faculty who care about sustainability.
For Andrew Arreak, an Inuit from the Mittimatalik community in Nunavut, travelling from one community to another surrounded by a vast expanse of ice as far as the eye can see during the province’s dark season is just part of his daily job.
“Arctic Bay is the closest to my community and it’s about a 12-hour drive by snowmobile with breaks in between. It does get tiring on the back,” he said.
Arreak has been a Regional Operation Lead for the Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nvt., for eight years, working at SmartICE, a community-based enterprise developing tools that integrate modern climate technologies with Indigenous Knowledge about ice, water and land.
Its activities provide Inuit communities with additional information before people travel on ice, helping them avoid hazardous areas severely affected by climate change.
The organization has collaborated with more than 30 communities scattered across Inuit Nunangat and the northern territories since 2010.
Arreak said travelling on ice is crucial for the Inuit culture, but the climate crisis makes some areas unpredictable and highly dangerous.
“The sea ice is forming a little later while breaking up a little earlier each year,” he said. “Not only is the ice melting from the top, but it’s also melting from the bottom due to warm currents.”
“It might look all the same from the top, but there might be water underneath, so that area isn’t stable at all for travel and that’s where SmartICE comes in,” he said.
and the ability to share Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, knowledge of Inuit communities, according to the report.
Some of the technologies developed by SmartICE and used by Arreak to best adapt to climate change effects include the SmartBUOYs, sensors inserted directly into the ice that measure its thick-
vided,” he said.
SmartICE said these tools do not replace Indigenous Knowledge but implement it with additional help.
Arreak said everything starts with the communities that decide how to deploy the technology.
“The sea ice is forming a little later while breaking up a little earlier each year. Not only is the ice melting from the top, but it’s also melting from the bottom due to warm currents.”
“Elders or local people have knowledge that they can pass down verbally,” he said. “I could show them a map, and they can point out what areas to avoid at certain times of the year.
-Andrew Arreak
The National Inuit Climate Change Strategy reported the average increase in temperature in the Arctic has exceeded 2.2 C above the 1951-1990 average, signalling twice the global average, meaning more mobile sea ice, increasing sea ice-related hazards, and the accelerating loss of landbased ice.
The change in the Arctic climate affects the Inuit economy, hunting paths and travel, health due to unknown contaminants,
ness and temperature, water, air, and snow and the SmartQAMUTIKs that are “sensors on a qamutik,” Arreak said.
“A qamutik is a sled that is towed behind a snowmobile. I have a top pad in between my handlebars that gives me an actual number of how thick the ice is while driving,” he said.
Arreak said the results are tangible.
“The Search and Rescue operations have received fewer calls throughout the winter thanks to the real-time information pro-
“Younger generations really need to know that for their safety,” he said.
Sandra Aqqaq, a SmartICE Knowledge co-production coordinator for the Taloyoak community in the Kitikmeot Region, Nvt., creates maps and satellite imagery to help people travel safely due to unpredictable ice conditions.
She said what she’s witnessing in her community is worrying.
“It’s a lot hotter in the summer than it used to be. I go out hunting and fishing, so every year it’s different, but things are changing oddly and differently,” she said.
Aqqaq said she wants to share her work to make her community more aware.
“The community members and elders gave me the knowledge and I digitized it,” she said.
“Not everybody has the skills or parents to teach them, so we want to make sure that everybody can get the knowledge that some of us were taught.”
She is working on a book for her Taloyoak community in which, together with safety information, she reports wind, water and ice terms in Inuktitut to keep the local language alive.
“Our language is dying and our climate is changing. Those are two big topics for Inuit that we need people to be aware of,” she said.
She said Inuktitut is dying faster in the Kitikmeot Region because people speak mostly English, while in the Kivalliq and Qikitaaluk regions, Inuktitut is spoken even by kids.
“Just practice knowledge and skills and ask elders for feedback, try to form some groups to teach young people and let the schools get more involved,” she said. “I guess working together is number one, and that’s what SmartICE is doing.”
The minimum wage is increasing in Ontario this year, again, to $17.20 from $16.65, starting on Oct. 1, 2024.
But according to a report by the Ontario Living Wage Network, the living wage for the Greater Toronto Area is at $25.05 as of November 2023.
The lowest living wage in Ontario is recorded as $18.65, in Southwest Ontario, the report said.
The minimum wage increase is still not within a dollar of any living wage.
“The living wage is calculated based on the needs of a family of four with two parents each working full-time, full-year,” the Ontario Living Wage Network reported.
There are 107 certified living wage employers in Toronto, according to the network.
“The living wage reflects what people need to earn to cover the actual costs of living in their community.”
The Ontario government said in an email to Humber News that the 2024 wage increase would support Canadian families and provide additional support to Canadian homes.
Ontario raises its minimum wage to $17.20 which is still almost $8 short of the average living wage of $25.05.
The statement said the announcement was made six months in advance to provide certainty and predictability and to offset the rising cost of living to keep Ontario the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
Ontario made the official announcement on March 28, reporting the increase would support workers in Ontario with added protection as well.
The government said along with
the increase there will be additions to the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024 through, “strengthening wage protections for restaurant, hospitality and service workers by clarifying that employers can never deduct an employee’s wages in the event of a dine and dash, supporting injured workers and banning requirements for Canadian work experience in job postings.”
This increase is based on the rise
in Consumer Price Index (CPI) to 3.9 per cent in 2023, Ontario said in the announcement.
“Under the Employment Standards Act, Ontario’s minimum wage increases annually based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI),” Ontario said.
This rise in the 2023 CPI follows a record-breaking rise in 2022, of 6.8 per cent.
Although there was a decrease from 2022, the overall increase in
the CPI in 2023 is considered high, according to StatCan.
“Annual average prices rose in all provinces in 2023, but at a slower pace than in 2022,” StatCan said.
The Bank of Canada released a study in 2018 on the impact of the increase in minimum wage in Canada reporting that with the rise in minimum wage comes a rise in CPI.
“Since a higher minimum wage raises production costs for firms, it is likely that part of the increase will be passed on to consumers,” the report said.
“The extent of this pass-through, however, depends on firms’ ability to substitute away from the higher-cost labour inputs and preserve their margins, as well as the competitive landscape they face.”
The Bank of Canada also reported that with the rise in minimum wage comes a loss of employment.
“Traditional competitive models suggest that an increase in a binding minimum wage will reduce employment, as firms substitute toward other inputs, such as capital or, perhaps, other more productive labour,” the report said.
Ontario will determine next year if there will be another increase in the minimum wage.
The government of Canada announce plans to launch a new $6 billion Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund on Tuesday, April 2.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the new key measures from the upcoming 2024 budget which will be directed towards critical utilities infrastructure projects, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a news release.
The Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund would accelerate construction and upgrading of critical housing infrastructure including water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste piping to support the construction of more homes, the PM office said.
In a statement, Trudeau said Canada needs more affordable homes along with the infrastructure to help build these homes.
“That’s why in Budget 2024, we’re building more infrastructure, building more homes, and helping more Canadians find a place to call their own. This is about fairness ‒
Canada has taken a strong approach to housing by investing $6 billion.
making sure communities have the safe, quality housing they need to get ahead,” Trudeau said.
The PM Office said out of the total $6 billion, $1 billion will be provided to municipalities to support urgent infrastructure needs that will directly create more housing. The remaining $5 billion is set for agreements with prov-
inces and territories to support long-term priorities, the office said.
However, the provinces and territories can only access the fund after they make specific commitments such as allowing more double-storeys, triplexes, townhouses and multi-unit buildings, the PM office said.
Other requirements also include imposing a three-year freeze on development charges for cities with a population of more than 300,000.
The federal government has given until Jan. 1, 2025, for provinces to secure an agreement under the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund while the territories have until April 1, 2025, to do the same.
“If a province or territory does not secure an agreement by their respective deadline, their funding allocation will be transferred to the municipal stream.
The federal government will work with territorial governments to ensure the actions in their agreements are suitable to their distinct needs,” Trudeau’s office said.
In a media briefing following Trudeau’s announcement in Dartmouth, N.S., Housing Minister Sean Fraser said the money will not be released all at once. He said the first $1 billion will be for projects that are “shovel-ready.”
“When it comes to the additional $5 billion, that is going to be
spread out over a longer period of time and the exact flow of money will be subject to negotiations with our provincial and territorial partners,” he said.
Following the federal government’s announcement, the Conservative party said it was “yet another housing photo-op,” for Trudeau.
In a press release, the Conservative party said, “After eight years of Justin Trudeau, Canadians are living through a housing hell. The cost of rent and a downpayment has doubled. Before Trudeau, it used to take 25 years to pay off a mortgage, now it takes 25 years just to save up for a downpayment.”
The opposition party cited the Royal Bank of Canada’s report on housing affordability which states a household earning a median pre-tax income needed to spend another 63.5 per cent of it to cover the costs of owning an average home at market price.
“That’s up from 61.8 per cent in the third quarter. In 2015, the same measure was 39.3 per cent,” the Conservative party said.
Drivers are digging a bit deeper into their wallets this week after Monday’s increase to the federal carbon tax resulted in an increase in gas prices.
“Adding an additional 3.72 cents a litre is something that many people have taken note of and a lot of people are understandably upset,” Dan McTeague said.
The former Liberal MP and gas price expert warned that the increase is coming as Canada’s economy struggles.
He said the increase in diesel prices would also prove costly for transport companies.
“Diesel is needed for everything, truck transport, rail transport, aviation, and when you start messing around with that, you start raising the cost of pretty much everything,” McTeague said.
However, some environmentalists say Canada will need to do more in the future.
“A carbon tax helps marginally, but it’s not nearly enough to solve the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. But it’s a small step in the right direction,” Ole Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson is an ecologist and chair of the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, a grassroots organization that engages people in protecting their environment and taking action to improve it.
This week’s carbon tax increase will also hit home heating costs.
Some Canadians living in remote
areas are asking for an exemption from paying the carbon tax on the propane that they use to heat their homes.
“We don’t have access to natural gas in my area. How is it fair that I get taxed on propane when I have no control over what energy source is available in my area,” Caledon
resident Vincenza Tullio said. “If the government wants us to use clean energy, then they should make it accessible for everybody.”
When the Trudeau government gave people with oil furnaces in the Maritimes an exemption from the carbon tax that raised questions.
“The government made a mis-
take. The oil exemption just opens the door to more and more kinks against the carbon tax,” Hendrickson said.
“People are going to have to make tough choices if we want a future on this planet.”
Recently, the Ontario Government announced plans to extend a gas tax cut introduced in 2022 until the end of the year.
“It’s sort of offsetting the three cents a litre increase which is very counterproductive. Either we work together or we die together,” Hendrickson said.
Gas prices will increase again next year, with the next planned increase to the carbon tax.
But McTeague predicts if potential clean fuel policies are implemented, they could cause prices to triple.
He said that will “be a death wish for Trudeau and the Liberal Party.”
He expects next year’s federal election to focus on affordability.
“I lost my election after six terms back in 2011 because, just like the current government, we had a weak leader who just couldn’t connect with people and their needs,” McTeague said.
Doug Ford is hoping Ontario’s farmers can help make the case to pause any further increases to the federal carbon tax.
The day after a scheduled increase by 23 per cent, the Premier held a press conference in Holland Marsh alongside farmers and small business owners.
“We’re all here today to make it clear we stand against the carbon tax because we know Ontario families deserve to keep more money, and their hard earned money, in their own pockets,” Ford said.
Drew Spoelstra, the president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said he is in favour of green initiatives but says farming requires the use of carbon.
“We support a clean environment but farmers just don’t have any alternatives, we have to use energy to grow the food that we all eat three times a day,” he said.
Spoelstra said that farmers are worried about the carbon tax increase when they are also facing other rising expenses.
“When our costs go up on the farm and throughout the supply
Canada’s carbon tax took effect on April 1 with farmers and agricultural businesses being greatly affected as their work inherently uses carbon.
chain it has a serious impact on everyone, we’re doing what we can on farms, but sometimes actions make it harder,” he said.
This year’s carbon tax increase has been met by protests by farmers in places like Nova Scotia and Ottawa.
Lisa Thompson, Ontario’s Agriculture Minister urged Trudeau to rethink any future increases to
the carbon tax.
“Prime Minister Trudeau, for once and for all, listen to the people from the grassroots up when we say you need to hit the pause button on this carbon tax,” she said.
Last week, Trudeau criticized many conservative premiers for being dishonest about the impact of the carbon tax increase.
The government maintains most Canadians will receive an increased rebate to offset the tax increase. Rural Canadians also qualify for additional rebates due to increased costs.
Still, Thompson criticized Trudeau for suggesting his critics are liars.
“I ask the Prime Minister to look my husband in the eye and
call him a liar when he presents our propane bill and it shows that 20.9 per cent of our last propane bill was carbon tax, I dare the Prime Minister of Canada to look the owner of a grain elevator and an exporter of soybeans around the world a liar,” she said.
Ford urged people to continue pushing back against the tax and similar tax increases in the future.
The sporting world has seen men’s mental health as an important focus of conversation in recent months.
Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine announced on Jan. 28 that he had entered the NHL and NHL Players’ Association player assistance program.
In a statement on his Instagram page, Laine said he needed to prioritize his mental health by temporarily stepping away from hockey.
“Hockey has been my passion and my life, but I have come to realize that in order to perform at my best, I need to take this time to focus on myself,” he said in his statement. Laine has not been the only NHL athlete to seek help from the player assistance program.
Colorado Avalanche defenceman Samuel Girard announced on Nov. 24, 2023, that he had entered the program for mental health reasons. He said in a statement through his agency the decision was to seek treatment for his battle with severe anxiety and depression.
“I have made a proactive deci-
sion to take care of my mental health,” he said in his statement.
The mental conversation among male athletes has spread further than just hockey.
Ricky Rubio, a 12-year NBA veteran, announced on his X account that he had retired from the league on January 4, after pausing his NBA career on July 31, 2023, due to struggles with his mental health.
Rubio said that between the time he stopped his professional career and the time he announced his retirement, he had seen improvement in his mental health.
“One day, when the time is right, I would love to share my full experience with you all so I can help support others going through similar situations,” he said. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, male athletes have stepped up and opened a long-needed dialogue surrounding men’s mental health by simply seeking the support they needed themselves.
Statistics Canada said men and boys fall into the higher risk category for suicide in Canada.
A study by the Mental Health Commission of Canada supports this StatCan report.
“Of the estimated 4,000 suicide deaths in Canada each year, close to 75 per cent are men,” the study said.
Statistics Canada said the rate is three times higher than that of women in Canada.
Support doesn’t need to look as grand as an NHL players’ assistance program. It can be much more practical and accessible to the
average Canadian man.
Another Statistics Canada report found there were positive impacts when men have someone to support them in their mental health. The report showed of the male respondents who said they have always or often had someone to count on, 55 per cent rated their mental health as at least very good. When men did not have that support system, only 38 per cent said they had very good or excel-
lent mental health.
The data shows support can make a difference in the lives of Canadian men and their mental wellness.
Canadian men need to follow the lead professional athletes have shown and not be hesitant in seeking help when needed and supporting those who need help.
This way we can end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health once and for all.
Bill C-18 has diminished exposure to political information, keeping younger Canadians uninformed and threatening Canadian democracy.
Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, no longer supports Canadian news on their platforms in retaliation for Bill C-18, which regulates digital news intermediaries.
This is a problem as 85 per cent of Canadians aged 18-24 said they use social media as their primary source for news, according to a 2023 Maru poll.
Limiting the younger generations of Canadians from receiving news on social media can cause a host of issues, including a lack of political knowledge.
In his final speech in the House of Commons in 2023, former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole said social media is one of the biggest threats to Canadian politics.
“Social media did not build this great country, but it is starting to tear its democracy down,” O’Toole said.
“If we are not careful, there will soon be a generation of young voters who have never even heard a point of view different from their own. I fear that ignorance of the views of
Bill C-18 has blocked news with valuable information on two of the largest social platforms in the world.
others will slowly transform into a dislike of others and we can see that starting to happen,” he said.
Keeping the next generation of Canadians uninformed on social and political issues will hurt the nation’s democratic system in the future.
According to a 2020 Elections Canada report, only 12 per cent of people aged 18-22 are very interested in politics, compared to 28 per cent of those aged 35 and up.
Even more alarming, the report said, “roughly 25 per cent of Canadians aged 16 to 22 report that they never check the news, and close to half of them only do so once or twice a week.”
There was already a deteriorating interest in politics amongst the younger generation and the implementation of Bill C-18 further exacerbates this.
Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union which represents
thousands of journalists, said in a statement that Bill C-18 is a step in the right direction for local news and journalism in Canada.
“This is something Unifor members have fought hard for and now we need to make sure it works,”
Unifor National President Lana Payne said in the statement.
The problem is it’s not working.
Some of the most prevalently used social media networks are no longer able to post news-related
content, which also removes any unbiased political information.
Political parties and their members are able to promote themselves however they want on the platforms, leaving many who do not consult news sources elsewhere open to unbiased information.
Along with being blocked by Bill C-18, Canadians must also contend with social media algorithms on networks unaffected by the bill.
Social media algorithms are developed to flood a user’s feed with content that would interest them or give the user a reaction according to Sprout Social, a social media management company.
The problem with continuously pushing the same content onto a user’s feed is their network becomes a one-perspective source of information.
With young Canadians receiving most of their news from social media that is stifled by algorithms and controversial legislation, the outlook for varying political perspectives looks bleak.
Social media is supposed to be a tool to spread knowledge but it does more harm than good if the information fails to educate young Canadians on the problems which matter most.
Asher Klaver General Reporter
Transgender Day of Visibility, March 31, is not for me, I do not believe there is a reason to promote my visibility.
Like many queer youths, especially my close friends, I was of the sentiment that I would not live to see my 20s.
One 2022 study found that transgender adolescents from ages 15-17 were at five times the risk of suicidal ideation and
attempt at almost eight times the rate of cisgender peers.
Despite having found myself checking into a mental ward hours before my 19th birthday, I still don’t believe that Transgender Day of Visibility is for people like me.
The facts of the matter are I come from a very accepting and supportive household, my biological mother and father, as well as stepmother, have all been extremely supportive, socially and fiscally.
I’ve never had to worry my voice would be unheard or that I would be forced into being houseless due to my queerness, a truth for many queer youth coming from unsupportive households leading to about one-third of houseless youth being queer.
I’ve personally had a platform and had visibility on top of the stability I have had due to my family.
While I have faced death and
rape threats both in person and online for being trans, I have never faced violence from these threats. Although, trans people currently face sexual violence at a rate over quadruple that of cis people, a fact I can personally attest to.
I also have not needed to go under any medical intervention to deal with gender dysphoria, a
common stress for trans people on long waiting lists for months on end, just to receive medical care.
I have not been murdered. I have not been trafficked. I have not waited an arbitrary length of time for health care, and in all likelihood, I never will.
I have not found myself in a place where I was not visible and
did not have a platform when I wanted one.
This day is supposed to remind people within and outside our community that the voiceless need to be visible. They need a platform to express their flawed human experiences and a place to be met with kindness.
It is a call out to all people whether you are a large social media influencer like Dylan Mulvaney or a random on the street that you should make it so those who do not have a voice get their story told.
Too many trans siblings leave their earth with nothing but a stone in a field and an obituary to their name if even that.
That needs to change.
I say it again and for one final time: I do not believe there is a reason to promote my visibility.
We must promote those who do not have that visibility so they may speak their own story. That is why we are a community.
Ankur Gupta
Canada said it will be making contraceptives free for women.
This move by the government will empower women and allow them to make informed decisions without thinking of financial barriers.
The initiative will be a part of the upcoming Budget 2024, which will be presented in the House of Commons on April 16.
This will include intrauterine devices (IUDs), contraceptive pills, the day-after pill, hormonal implants, contraceptive injections and emergency contraceptives.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to X and announced contraceptives will become free in Canada on March 30.
“Women should be free to choose the contraceptives they need without cost getting in the way,” he said.
Universal access to contraceptives for women is a part of the first phase of the National Pharmacare program.
The cost has always played an important role for many when choosing a contraceptive. Effectiveness and side effects are important but take a back seat when the cost factor kicks in.
It is stressful for women to know
that the most effective contraceptives are expensive.
Health Canada in a report in February 2024, said, an IUD, which is 99 per cent effective, may cost as much as $500, making it unaffordable for many, particularly young girls.
Oral contraceptives cost about $300 a year and have a typical use failure rate of nine per cent compared to 0.20 per cent for IUDs, Health Canada said.
A report by the Canadian Paediatric Society said Canadian
contraceptive care providers have identified cost as the single most important barrier to accessing contraceptives.
Finance should never be a barrier when it comes to health and safety and so the step taken by the Federal government is welcomed.
Moreover, giving free contraceptives is the best way to increase their use and hence reduce unintended pregnancies.
According to a report by the Guttmacher Institute, a leading research and policy organization
committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide, there were 46 per cent unintended pregnancies in Canada from 2015 to 2019.
Of these unintended pregnancies, 37 per cent ended in abortions. The direct cost that is associated with unintended pregnancies in Canada is over $320 million.
On the other hand, the Canadian Medical Association Journal in its report had estimated the cost of giving hormonal contraceptives across Canada would be $157 million.
The step by the government not only promotes reproductive freedom for women, it will lead to improved well-being of women, help women make better family planning decisions and give them development opportunities.
Imagine not having to worry about the cost of contraceptives and being able to choose the best one for yourself based on the effectiveness, side effects, maintenance and lifestyle.
As a woman, I feel empowered knowing I do not need to worry about the cost of contraceptives.
Access to free contraceptives should be a basic human right, as is the right to choose whether or not to reproduce.
Victoria Garcia-Rodriguez, a psychology student at the University of Guelph-Humber and a consent peer educator for the Lakeshore campus, was inspired to host a selfcare event where students had the chance to stuff teddy bears with positive messages.
“I make stuffed animals at home, I crochet and it’s something really therapeutic for me and I thought it’d be really nice if there was a way to have a stuffed bear that would kind of make people feel better,” Garcia-Rodriguez said.
“I was looking for something where people can put self-affirmations inside and then open it up when they feel bad,” she said.
Students came together to stuff teddy bears on March 26 in room A170 of the Lakeshore campus’ A building.
Garcia-Rodriguez said the event took strips of paper, in which students wrote self-affirmations to stuff into the bear, along with bear stuffing and personalized t-shirts for the bears.
She said self-care is extremely important and aside from speaking to students as a peer educator about consent, a big part of that is speaking about self-care.
“Even just on a day-to-day basis, just living life, self-care is super important for mental health,” Gar-
cia-Rodriguez said.
“I’m in psychology and I care a lot about how I’m doing mentally and so I do a lot of activities, crocheting, music and I think it’s really important for other people to have that kind of thing too,” she said.
Garcia-Rodriguez wants to give people that space to take care of themselves, especially during exam season.
“I’ll take moments where I try to almost multitask self-care with everyday life, but I’ll be doing something with a friend or being with my family while I’m writing my paper,” she said describing how she implements self-care into her life.
“If I do have the time, then I’ll play piano, and go on walks,” Garcia-Rodriguez said.
She said nothing is possible without taking care of your mind because it will shut down and that it is what drives you forward.
“So really trying to set the time for it [self-care] and really analyzing what matters to you and what makes you happy,” Garcia-Rodriguez said.
“Nothing that you do will be important unless you have an idea of what makes you happy,” she said.
Ana Downes, also a GuelphHumber student in the psychology program, was at the event to stuff a
teddy bear.
“I’ve honestly been really stressed recently and I think that this is a good event to take the time to focus on destressing a little bit and meeting some new people,” Downes said.
“That’s kind of what I was hoping to get out of this,” she said.
Downes said self-care is important and she thinks activities such as exercise, reading, listening to music, as well as other calming activities help her de-stress.
“I just like to focus on things that I like to do and things that bring me joy,” Downes said.
Downes said she stuffed a “ton” of positive affirmations into her teddy bear, such as “You’re doing great,” “You’re beautiful,” “You got this,” “Trust yourself,” and “Trust the process.”
“You’ve got this, with exams, in particular, it’s a hard time right now, but summer is coming soon, things will get better,” Downes said, outlining her messages to those having a hard time. “Trust yourself, work hard and trust that things will work out in the end,” she said.
“I think that’s what self-care is all about, to just make things that make you happy and focusing on that,” she said.
Komal Sethi, a digital business management student at Humber, was also at the event and said she came to enjoy her last few weeks as a college student.
Sethi hadn’t yet put any messages in the teddy bear but planned to add a quote she goes by: “Be so happy that when others look at you they become happy too.”
“I just try to be happy all the time and enjoy what I have,” she said.
Sethi said it would take a while before she decides what to add.
“Try to think about your loved ones and the amount of things you have in your life, all the positives and keep the negativity away,” she said, as her message to those going through a hard time, both at school and personally.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced measures to decrease the number of international students in Canada on Jan. 22, 2024.
According to the press release, the revised measures were made to reduce the pressure the increase in international student numbers has put on housing, health care and other services.
Considering the new changes, Makarand Joshi, a consultant at IDP, an international education consultancy, said doing thorough research is important.
“Take time to explore universities and colleges and find the program that aligns with your academic and career goals,” Joshi said.
“Each institution has its unique offerings, so it’s essential to do your homework,”
“Avoid the colleges that are public-private partnerships,” he said.
According to an IRCC press release from March 22, 2024, stu-
dents of colleges that are public-private partnerships will not be eligible for a post-graduate work permit starting May 15, 2024.
Joshi said students should be studying in institutions that provide quality education.
“Whether you are looking to make a career in your education field or not, make sure you are getting something in return,” he said.
“Only go for institutions the Canadian Government has labelled as a
The visa requirements are extensive and should be started early, Joshi said.
“Obtaining a study permit can take one to six months, so it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with the application process and gather all necessary documents well in advance,” he said. “
Key documents that you should have are your medical certificate, college offer letter, parents’ signed
affidavit, proof of funds, biometrics completion and lastly, your Provisional Attestation Letter (PAL).”
According to IRCC, international students will have to provide a PAL with their study permit application from Jan. 22, 2024.
Joshi said that PAL is important for studying in Canada.
“PAL is given by the institute only and is required for students outside Canada,” he said. “Without these documents, you cannot come to Canada.”
Joshi said studying abroad is costly but there are ways to help pay for it.
“From scholarships and grants to part-time work opportunities, it’s essential to explore all avenues to ease the financial burden,” he said.
Joshi said there are many important steps to take when securing a part-time job.
“Make a good resume and apply for jobs online or by directly visiting the place,” he said.
Health care is crucial and students must not overlook it, Joshi said.
“Health insurance is mandatory for international students in Canada,” he said.
“You are insured through your college. Never ignore your health to avoid medical expenses during your stay.”
Deven Kapoor, a student completing his final year in high school in India, who plans to pursue his studies in Canada, said the revised IRCC rules have affected him and his peers.
“The most impactful would be the increase in the requirement of minimum funds, not everyone was prepared for that,” he said.
“I understand it will help the students, but many people cancelled their plans because of that.”
The IRCC announced on Dec. 7, 2023, the minimum required funds for international students was increased to $20,635 from $10,000 to prevent the exploitation of international students.
When Tony Colley was 44 years old, he had already established himself as a corporate finance worker, raised funds for nonprofits and ran events for AIDS awareness, all while hitting the gym every morning.
But after a series of budget cuts, the Halifax native who moved to Toronto for a bank-related job found himself unemployed and on social assistance in 2016.
“I still had to get up every day,” Colley said. “None of my friends knew I had lost everything.”
He said his muscular abs masked the fact he didn’t have food in the fridge.
Colley wound up with a job in a Toronto-area catering company, where he asked if he could take surplus food for himself and others who didn’t have anything to eat.
Shortly after, B12Give was born.
The food rescue app takes surplus event food from caterers, hotels and schools and immediately puts it into the kitchens of downtown charities.
It makes food accessible when more than one-third of food charities in Toronto are forced to turn people away due to high demand, according to a new survey by Second Harvest.
food issue in Canada,” said Madison Maguire, the director of fleet and operations at Second Harvest.
“We just have a distribution problem where we are wasting some of that food,” Maguire said. “Then there are people who are not able to access that.”
The survey also reported nearly half of food charities say they’ll need 50 per cent or more perishable food next year to meet the demand.
Leanne Rabinowitz, the food services coordinator at Eva’s Initia
allows them to have a consistent ready-to-eat food source in addition to the dry goods and produce from other charities, such as Second Harvest and the Daily Bread Food Bank.
Eva’s transitional housing relies completely on donations to feed 50 homeless youth, Rabinowitz said.
“If there are long lines at the food banks, that also means maybe we get less,” Rabinowitz said.
She said new residents learn cooking skills from her to be self-sufficient when they move
struggling to do now.
Rabinowitz, who grew up in a family of restaurateurs, said deliveries from B12Give are a delicious treat residents look forward to every Wednesday and Friday.
“Tony created this very easy system,” Rabinowitz said of the on-demand delivery app, comparing it with other food recovery initiatives that only allow store pickup — a problem for organizations with limited staff or service vehicles.
“Giving people who would not otherwise have access to that kind of food access to it? It’s wonderful,” she said.
Jill Hobbs, an agricultural economist and professor at the University of Saskatchewan, said it’s not in the interest of food retailers to throw out their products.
However, she said, companies should consider how to prevent food from being wasted in the first place.
“[Unsold goods] just adds cost and ends up being reflected in higher food prices for consumers, which exacerbates the food insecurity problems,” Hobbs said.
Tammara Soma, an assistant professor of food system planning at Simon Fraser University, said food rescuing is a good stopgap solution to hunger.
that this is our only solution,” Soma said.
She said the government should step up, acquiring ugly or unsellable fruits and vegetables from farms to support school food programs.
She cites the PROOF study that found one in four Canadian children under 18 lived in a food-insecure household in 2022.
“[Redistributing food that way] would be a much more dignified way to treat people,” Soma said.
In the meantime, Colley, now 52 years old, will continue what he says the universe chose him to do and look for partners to pursue his goal of redistributing edible food across Canada by 2030.
Unlike shops and restaurants, catering companies prepare meals for guests in advance.
The unpredictability of events leads to unavoidable food waste, which is why Colley said it’s a natural fit.
In return, businesses earn back a dollar per pound of food and impact reports, which measure a company’s environmental and social footprint.
“I lost everything to experience what I was going to be dealing with first-hand in order to understand the complexities within it,” Colley said. “We have the solution at the
You love to play. You push boundaries and solve problems. Now get the skills you need to design a better world. We show you how.
There is a story to be told here: mediaarts.humber.ca
Humber Esports as a team has grown exponentially since the start of the 2023-2024 school year.
When Senior Administrator Bernard Mafei came into the job, he already had experience competing in Street Fighter and Super Smash Bros. in Canada.
From the esports events to team competitions, Humber Esports fans have come together and shown out for each event. Humber Esports has evolved faster than anyone anticipated and it is just the start, Mafei said.
He said he hopes to bring new varsity teams like Rocket League to Humber. The esports team has gained about 180 new followers on their Twitch channel and has had even more participants at their “Humber Hitfest” Super Smash Bros events.
When building the team, Mafei said he wanted people who could compete and weren’t worried about winning.
“I wasn’t worried about winning so much as I wanted to show the model works and that they get along and make sure that they felt supported, and that was making
sure that it was taking care of their needs,” he said.
Mafei said he wasn’t planning to have four varsity teams at the same time but was impressed by the progress of one of the club teams
“Originally I was going to (create) three teams and a (student-run) club team,” he said. A Call of Duty team was formed on the club side and Mafei said they found a coach who was a pre-COVID grad of the Humber
Esports award-winning COD team.
Since there was competition in the game, it became a varsity squad, he said.
Mafei complimented the other varsity teams as they had exceeded his expectations.
He said the Valorant team competes in charity events and does scrims — simulated games or practices, against other schools.
“They do well and they’re just
a tight-knit team,” Mafei said. The team’s manager Alyssa Gray, whose gaming name is Clickayyy, is a Humber grad.
“She’s super sick, I love advocating for women in gaming, she’s just really good at her job,” he said.
Arthur Gaudio, a varsity Valorant team member whose gaming handle is foxstylee, said that he felt the growth has been quick for him.
“It’s kind of shocking since everything’s happening fast, I’m
happy we’re going the right way,” he said. “I’m really excited about what’s to come now and hopefully we can have good runs in the tournaments that we have for this year.”
Humber Esports faced many tough teams in many different games, especially during a match against the student-run St. Clair Saints Academy team last Jan. 27.
It was a significant day for Mafei, a St. Clair College grad, as his newly formed team faced off against his alma mater.
“That was a big day, like imagine for me like going from playing games when I was a kid to ... going to school at St. Clair, graduating with an esports diploma and now running my own program,” he said.
Humber lost 2-1 to St. Clair in that face-off.
Chris Funston, assistant director of St. Clair Saints Esports, congratulated Mafei on his recent successes.
“Bernard is awesome, we love seeing people from St. Clair branch out and start their programs, so Bernard being one of them, it’s awesome,” he said. “I’m very excited to see the growth.”
As of this moment, the Humber men’s curling program finds itself in a great spot.
The team is coming off capturing back-to-back national championships while defeating their provincial arch-rival, the Mohawk Mountaineers, in the process.
It’s a fantastic accomplishment, but the team is looking to continue its recent success moving forward, and that process begins with the work they put in during the offseason.
Matthew Abrams, the team’s second, said it all starts with a year-end interview between coaches and players to debrief thoughts about the season, the areas the team excelled at and what they can improve upon.
Abrams said he likes to take a bit of time off to rest and relax after the long grind of a season.
But he said it’s quickly back to work before long.
“I usually get back into the gym and work a lot on mobility and maintaining and improving my strength so that when it comes time to play, I’m ready to go better than last year,” Abrams said.
After winning the men’s curling CCAA championship in March, the team is preparing this offseason to repeat their success next season.
world.
Abrams said this year, they plan to travel to Alberta to do the same thing.
Second-year player Kevin Genjaga said that these trips have been instrumental to the team’s success from both a chemistry and competitive standpoint.
“Going away, rooming together, and getting to know each other a little more intimately definitely helped us during some of the lower points of this season,” he said.
Genjaga said competing against teams that are former world and Olympic champions has been an eye-opening experience.
Witnessing what it takes to compete at that level has helped the team mature and made the national championships seem light in comparison, he said.
Head Coach Sean Turriff shared the same sentiments.
He said that, despite often losing, there’s plenty to learn about the little details these teams display and that they try to replicate them within their own game.
Near the end of last summer, the team embarked on a preseason trip to Scotland to compete against some of the best teams in the
He said that while it’s hard to improve technical skills due to a lack of ice availability over the summer, he uses the resources provided by Humber to keep in shape. “We’re able to keep in touch with therapy services, and the HPC and the trainers give us a program to follow through the offseason,” Abrams said.
He said he makes a concerted effort to bring this up to his team after these games.
He said the trip was also a great time to get everyone on the same page in terms of goals and establish what they needed to do to win during the college season.
While the team excelled in a lot of facets this past season, Turriff said one area they can look to improve is their mental approach to the game.
He said given the talent on his team, it’s not a matter of executing shots well but getting in a good headspace during big moments.
“The guys have done pretty well coming through in the clutch, but I think if we want to be stronger, we have to look towards being more mentally tough,” he said.
Like the players, Turriff said he takes advantage of any opportunity to learn more from some of the best coaches in the country.
He said it’s just one of the many reasons why the program has been on such a hot run as of late.
“Any special development opportunities I can get, that’s what I’m always doing,” Turriff said.
“Why did we get beat? Was it shot-making? How did they brush? How did they throw? Being on the same sheet with teams like that, the learning is just over the top,” Turriff said.
St. Johns, N.L., has seen its fair share of professional hockey over the years.
The American Hockey League (AHL) has made multiple stops here, but St. John’s most memorable team may be the East Coast Hockey League’s (ECHL) Newfoundland Growlers.
The Growlers captured the hearts of hockey fans in St. John’s instantaneously winning the league’s Kelly Cup in their inaugural season in 2018-19.
This made the news of the Growlers’ tenure in the ECHL ending on Tuesday hard for local fans like Renee King and her family to hear.
“It’s very, very heartbreaking for all of us,” said King.
The ECHL officially announced Tuesday that the league terminated the Newfoundland Growlers’ membership, and the team immediately ceased operations.
The team was the ECHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs,
with current NHL regulars like Timothy Liljegren dawning the Growlers jersey at one point.
In an official statement, the league said the reason for the membership termination was due to a lack of compliance with league bylaws.
ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin thanked Growlers supporters as part of the league’s statement.
“We are saddened to lose the ECHL hockey in the Newfoundland market,” Crelin said.
“[We] are hopeful that hockey can return to the region for their dedicated and passionate fanbase,” he said.
Deacon Sports and Entertainment, the now former ownership group of the Growlers and the lone Canadian survivor in the ECHL the Trois Rivieres Lions, said in an official team statement it could not sell the team ahead of the April 2 deadline they were given from the league.
“Due to unforeseen challenges, and while a discussion was put
forth to salvage both teams, only the Trois Rivieres Lions [were] approved by the ECHL,” Deacon Sports and Entertainment said.
A local Growlers’ fan Evan Purcell was shocked when the decision was announced.
Purcell, a Newfoundland season ticket holder for the past four seasons, said he was upset that the team was not allowed to finish out the season with only six games left to play.
“I think the team should have had a better send-off than that,” he said.
Purcell referred to himself as the biggest Growlers’ fan and became a staple on game nights wearing a suit with images of money on it with other fans calling him “the Money Man.”
“The Growlers meant the absolute world to me,” he said.
Despite the loss of his beloved Growlers, Purcell said he remains optimistic about hockey returning to St. John’s someday.
“This is a hockey city, this is a great hockey province,” Purcell said.
“I think we’ll have another team
here, it’s just when,” he said.
Rielly Puddester, another Growlers fan, didn’t share the same optimism as his fellow fans.
He said that with multiple AHL teams, a QMJHL team, and now the Growlers leaving St. John’s, hockey doesn’t seem to work there.
“I really cannot see a future for professional hockey here,” Puddester said. “I hope I’m wrong, I’d love to support another team, but it’s looking pretty grim.”
Puddester said although it hurts to see professional hockey leave the city once again, fans need to focus on the province’s great hockey history.
“The memory of not even just the Growlers, but professional hockey history in Newfoundland has got to live on,” he said.
And lasting memories are what King said the Growlers have left fans and the greater community with.
“They’ve made Newfoundland proud in every which way,” she said.
Toni Canyameras Sports Editor
Real Madrid has always identified politically as a right-wing club for its links to certain politicians.
But on the field, “Los Blancos” are also left-wing because they have always liked a frenetic leftback.
Real Madrid desires a kind of omnipresent gazelle who runs back and forth non-stop on the left side, erupting from nowhere on the offensive side to wow the crowd.
“Bayern offered him a renovation bid but Davies got angry because the club told him [it] was an ultimatum. In addition, he is not at ease because Bayern faces unknowns like who is going to be the general manager and the coach next year,” Gil-Vernet said.
“He also wants to get paid more but Bayern is not willing to give him more money as his performance has declined in the last year and a half,” he said.
The Real Madrid specialist also said Los Blancos are looking for a more offensive left-back.
Davies, currently playing with Bayern Munich in Germany, is increasingly likely to be a Real Madrid player next season with the expectation of an imminent agreement between the Canadian and Spanish clubs.
The 23-year-old left-back finishes his contract in 2025, and he has not signed the extension offered by the German club.
Pepe Gil-Vernet, a Real Madrid beat reporter in the Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, said it is very probable Davies will wear Real’s white in the 2024-2025 season.
The Blancos need someone who continues the left-back saga of Brazilian showmen Roberto Carlos and Marcelo, given that Freddy Mendy has not filled the void left by Marcelo’s exit in 2022. It seems Brazilian-style Canadian star Alphonso Davies, who is nicknamed “Roadrunner,” is meant to be the man.
“Real Madrid say the signing is bespoken, they take it for granted. Now the ball is in Bayern’s court,” he said.
“Bayern doesn’t want to let go Davies for free next year at the end of his contract and the most likely scenario is that Bayern will put him in the market for Real Madrid to sign him. That way Bayern can get fees for him. The signing is on track,” said GilVernet, who said the Blancos could pay between €40 million and €50 million for him.
Davies has made a name for himself in Munich. The German club incorporated the defender
into his youth teams in 2018, when he was playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The Ghana-born left-back was part of the squad that won the 2020 Champions League to emerge as the current face of Canadian soccer. He became the first player from the country who lifted the most important club title in the most global sport.
Davies, who also can play leftwing, enjoys a relevant role by playing starter in most games this season, but Gil-Vernet said there are more reasons to believe the left-back and Bayern are about to break up.
“Real’s coaches are satisfied with the current starter left-back, Freddy Mendy. He is very good defensively, but the club wants a more offensive profile. Davies reminds me of Roberto Carlos for his athleticism,” Gil-Vernet said.
At only 23 years old but already consolidated as a first-level player, Alphonso Davies might have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity since he could own of the left wing of the best football club in history.
In addition, for Canada, having its star playing in Real Madrid could be an important boost approaching the 2026 World Cup.
Davies and Real Madrid make the perfect fit. The Roadrunner must speed up his journey towards the Spanish capital.
The Humber Esports team has surpassed expectations since the start of 2023-2024 school year, gaining around 180 new followers on their Twitch channel, proving their popularity.
