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The death of George Floyd has brought about a unity throughout the world, in an unprecedented way. After watching his cruel and cryptic exit from the world, protests ignited. For the most part, the protests were peaceful, but there has been some speculation as to how these protests were reported, and why mainstream media sources were going to the extremes to
show violence, societal tension, and upheaval, especially in George Floyd’s hometown in Minneapolis. What this article is intended to do is have media consumers review and revisit how they ingest news being pushed out by popular media sources including: Fox News, CNN, and even Canadian sources like CP24.
Navigating the media landscape When you turn on the television, violence is there. You go on social media. More violence. Our reality is becoming distorted by the fictional world that is being created by mainstream media, and for many of us this fictional world is becoming our reality. Continued On Page 7
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PAGE 2
FEATURE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Written by Simone J. Smith Toronto Caribbean News
DANIELLA ABRAHAM “CHEF DANIE” The Culinary Architect - Love is her Religion “Karma is how I practice. Music is how I worship. Food is how I express it.” I will be honest; there is not much I can say about this woman that has not already been said. What I will do is share what I have learned about her during our short time together. My personal experience with her helps me innerstand exactly how Chef Danie has risen to the heights she has in her culinary journey. I was first introduced to Chef Danie on a show called “Working Women Wednesday,” hosted by Publicist Extraordinaire, Marie Driven. Chef Danie was on before I was, and I was so drawn by her easy nature. I reached out to her right after and asked if her and I could chat. She gracefully agreed, and we set up a time to talk. Chef Daniella Abraham has been linked to A-list clientele, not only because of her natural charm, and beauty (which cannot be denied), but also because of her creative genius. Her client list speaks to the height of her talents: Pharrell Williams, Pitbull, Oprah Winfrey, Kylie Jenner, Drake, Antonio Banderas, Diddy, Ciara, Russell Wilson, Dj Khaled as well as numerous pro athletes. When Bob Gruters from Digital Trends CRO assembled a roster of celebrity chefs, Chef Danie was chosen to kick off the show. She has had to go to lengths in the sake of art. One of her billionaire clients wanted everything on their plate to be provided by their surroundings. So, what did this mesmerizing mermaid of the sea do? She went diving for fresh ingredients while she was on different yacht placements. These are the extremes that this artist goes to when it comes to her work. I would like for the Toronto Caribbean Community to stand up in celebration of another successful African Queen, the Queen of Cuisine (The Culinary Architect), Daniella Abraham. “The energy that you put into your food is the energy you put into your family.” Out of respect of what is to come from Chef Danie, I am not going to touch on certain parts
of her story. We were able to get really personal during the interview, and I think that part of her story would be best coming from her. Don’t worry, she has a book coming out in 2021, which will explain an interesting part of her past that not many do not know. The beginning of her life was riddled with anxiety, pain, separation, and death. At the age of four, Chef Danie experienced something that would change her look on the world forever. It was a very vulnerable stage in her life, and her earliest pleasant memories are with her mother. “I had a babysitter a lot. Mom was raising me with no partner. I know there are mothers out there who know how that is. I spent my time watching shows like Little Bear on Nick Jr. I was so mesmerized by how excited he was. He made this birthday soup, which inspired me so much that I had to go and do it myself. Imagine, me at four or five years old, throwing everything I could find in the pot: yam, squash, anything I could. No water of course,” she giggled. “The stove started burning, and my mom came running into the kitchen. I was so scared. I thought she was going to whoop my ass, but instead she took a deep breath and asked, ‘What are you doing?’ I’m making birthday soup! ‘Ah baby! That is not how you make soup.’ She sat there and taught me how to make soup. I remember how happy I was in that moment.” This is how she fell in love with food. Whenever her mom was in the kitchen, she wanted to be with her. She began experimenting with food; mom was very eclectic and kept Danie around a diverse group of people. “This made me want to learn more and more,” Danie shares with me. The people around her recognized her talents when she was a teenager.
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“My mom’s side of the family aren’t cooks, and I had to cook Sunday dinner at 12, 13 years old. I didn’t like it. It was a lot of responsibility, but I have to admit that it taught me a lot. When I started really tackling cooking and making large meals, time management was my biggest challenge. This is where I learned how to for how long things take and give it the appropriate time even if you’re up in the middle of the night. Kids in the neighbourhood would come to my house because I was always experimenting. They always wanted to be around.” In high school, it became really clear for her. This was her destiny, to create food out of love. Her mom supported the idea of me being a chef, but not financially. “I would have to work for that. I went to the University of Miami to be a lawyer, and if I wanted to throw that away, I had to handle it myself. I have never liked depending on people. I have always been a hustler. In elementary school, I would buy candy from the store, and sell it for three times what its worth. I could always find ways to make money. I didn’t want to add extra strain on my mom. Anything extra I had to do it on my own.” She attended Le Cordon Bleu in Miami the summer of 2006 “I loved school. We had master chefs from around the world (France). It is a very hands-on curriculum. I maintained my GPA and was on the honour roll. I was still at school at the University of Miami and had to drive an hour and a half to campus, I had to make sure I was pressed and polished, and I couldn’t be late. I swear; during this time, I was running on adrenaline, Craisins and Cupof-noodles.” All this hard work began to pay off as her notoriety grew. One of the first people to notice her was Pharell Williams. “I will always be indebted to Pharell. He was the first A lister to give me a shot in the industry. He told me that he saw something in me. I created something special for him. They are called Happy Scones (you can check out that recipe online at https://www.chefdanie.com).”
About a year later (2012), Diddy shouted out her Cocktail Cake on instagram. “I created an alcohol cake (scientifically created). Biting into it is like taking a shot. He was shocked by it. I was promoting it for two years before he got it in his hands (Ciroc Cake). I have been his exclusive dessert creator for 10 years.” Most recently, Chef Danie cooked for the Presidential family in Ghana. “This is how I rang in the New Year! I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. It was at the private residence of the Prime Minister’s sister. I showed them how things were always tied to Africa. I loved it so much. Of course, sometimes things can get nerve racking, but I don’t let my brain start rushing. I allow my brain to relax. This is what allows me to knock everything out smoothly.” Her experiences have not let her forget where she came from, and what she has been through. In 2009, 2010, she began visiting women and children’s centres to donate goodie bags, toiletries, sanitary napkins, and gift cards. “I give because who knows what they are going through. If my mom received the help she needed, she would have been in a better place back then. When you are going through the darkest time, making someone smile is the best thing you can do. When I was in Ghana last Christmas, I sat on the street feeding homeless children. I ordered a whole bunch of KFC and sat with them to eat. If you are here to do something, just do it.” Whether it is her famous Chanel pancakes (no syrup needed), served with a lux noire drip, and an actual Chanel logo handcrafted in sugar, or her filet mignon covered in edible 24-karat gold, Chef Danie proves over and over again what puts her in a league of her own. My life revolves around music and food. If I have to break myself down to people; love is my religion!
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NEWS
PAGE 3
“It is our responsibility to fight discrimination and racism.” Dialoguing with Minister Bardish Chagger SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of Canadian identity. It is our shared responsibility to fight discrimination and racism in all their forms.” Minister Bardish Chagger I think that in order to appreciate this woman, you have to take in who she is, and what a resource she is becoming for racialized people living in Canada. Minister Bardish Chagger’s life before politics gave observers a glimpse of the leader she was about to become. She worked at the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre, where she assisted new Canadians with their transition to a new way of living in Canada. As the Special Projects Coordinator, she was successful in bringing together different: communities, cultural, and business groups to celebrate Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Festival, an annual event held in Kitchener’s Victoria Park. During her rise in community activism, she worked alongside agencies to bring to life an annual Global Skills Conference. This provided an opportunity for
foreign-trained professionals to network with Canadian industry leaders. On October 19th, 2015, she was elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Waterloo, and on November 4th, 2015, Minister Justin Trudeau named her Minister of Small Business and Tourism. Minister Chagger’s star shone brighter on August 19th, 2016, when she became Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, and on November 20th, 2019, her active leadership awarded her the position of Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth. “This week has been particularly heavy. Black communities in Canada, the U.S., and around the world continue to experience anti-black racism and grieve the loss of life in their communities, and frankly, far too often. The dehumanization of black people has to stop.” It was not a surprise when I saw this message appear on Minister Chagger’s social media pages. In her address, she spoke about having a true understanding of what it feels like to be a visible minority. During my talk last Friday with Minister Chagger, she shared some insight on our current issues as Africans in the Diaspora, and the stand she is going to take to implement change. I started off asking her about the dehumanization of black people that she has seen. “While I, as a visible minority, have experienced systemic black racism, it can be difficult to wrap your head around the black experience. Black realities. While
my heart hurts, I cannot imagine the pain and exhaustion black communities in Canada are repeatedly feeling. I spoke out this week, because I want our African/Caribbean communities to know that I see you and my ally ship is with you. I will not only listen to you, but I will amplify your voice at the cabinet table.” “You speak on ally ship; what is your stand going to be?” I queried. “Antiblack racism is real. It is in the United States, but it is also here in Canada. I know people are facing systemic discrimination, unconscious bias, and anti-black racism every single day. I have the opportunity to work with cabinet ministers; to do a deep dive into these issues, and not turn a blind eye. We have to get our house in order. It is my responsibility. Silence is no longer an option. We cannot condone racism.” I had heard mention of a Liberal lead initiative “Building a foundation for change; 2020.” I know that she has been involved in this initiative, so I asked her to shed a little light on it. “About a year ago, Building Foundation for a Change was unveiled. It is a $45-million government-wide strategy towards tackling racism in the public service and in federal policies and practices. I acknowledge the multiple organizations and community leaders working tirelessly to promote diversity and inclusion, raise awareness, and challenge anti-black racism, but they cannot do it alone. It is clear; inequities are in our institutions and in people’s lived experiences. It is going to
take all of us. We have work to do.” Since accepting the role of Minister of Diversity and Inclusion, she has been travelling across Canada, meeting with stakeholders from racialized communities and LGBTQ2 communities. January 2020, Minister Chagger spent five days in Edmonton, Calgary and the Greater Vancouver area. During her time out there, she had meaningful conversations about how the Government of Canada can continue to empower communities, build awareness, and break down barriers that prevent minorities from fully participating in society. In February, 2020 Minister Chagger announced $100,000 in funding for the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan 2020 anti-racism campaign, “Racism: Recognize it. Reject it.” This campaign is focused on building bridges between various cultural groups, and promoting intercultural understanding. It includes organized youth leadership workshops, and educational campaigns for schools across Saskatchewan. Minister Chagger is aware of the fact that her work is just beginning. “I am going to keep the pressure on. We are going to make them listen, and make the changes needed. I urge you; don’t forget what has happened in a few weeks. I remain committed to working with you and will continue to use my role to call out and fight racism and all forms of discrimination. As Canadians, let us be united in this endeavour.”
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NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Creating spaces, and places for women of colour to connect How She Hustles 10 year anniversary SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“You can’t be what you can’t see.” Marian Wright Edelman It is not uncommon for black women to feel like they have to make others feel comfortable when they are in a group of people who they do not culturally identify with. There is a term that I most recently learned about called code switching. This involves embracing the dominant culture or vernacular among certain groups, or in certain spaces, and then switching back to a more authentic space when you are around friends and family. I have spoken to other women who feel like they have to, “Dim their light,” so that other people will feel comfortable. All of this sounds really exhausting, and although women of colour may not discuss it openly, many are tired of living a double life. For years, women of colour have been conditioned by society, more specifically, predominately European institutions, to feel that women of colour can at times come across: aggressive, bossy, and
even self-centred if we share our opinions or speak our minds. We fear rejection and exclusion, so we deviate from our authentic selves. This can be damaging to the mind, body and soul because authenticity is integral to a human’s well being. “When I started How She Hustles, I stumbled into it. I wanted to create places where women of colour could meet up, and discuss what matters to them.” Emily Mills It takes a person with experience, vision, and wisdom to tackle an issue head on. It takes a person who is committed, dedicated, and determined to go ahead, step out on faith, and let the chips lay where they fall. The beautiful soul we all know as Emily Mills has proven to be that leader. Yes, we can all admit that winning the 2018 Mercedes Benz Emerging Leaders Award, hosting the 39th annual YWCA Toronto Women of Distinction Awards (2019), and launching one of the most dynamic women empowerment platforms How She Hustles, is no small feat. Somehow, Emily does it with such grace, you would think she has been doing this for a lifetime. It is a decade now since How She Hustles was born, and since then, it has taken on a life of its own. From the wildly popular women’s brunches, to the inspiring stories share by invited panellists, How She Hustles is now the meeting place for women of colour to come, network, and
being amongst women who look just like them. Emily created How She Hustles to provide opportunities for many women like her: African women, racialized women, diverse women, to say “I can lead too!” Life is measured in impact, not duration Founded in 2010, How She Hustles is now a vibrant network with a digital reach of more than 10,000 women globally. The network’s global reach was important this year, because as you all know, the pandemic found a way to completely upheave most of our lives. Events, and travel plans had to be abandoned, and social media platforms have reigned supreme for the last few months. Before we talk about the success of the 10-year anniversary, let’s take a look at some of the past victories that How She Hustles has had. HERstory in Black While Emily was building How She Hustles, she worked at CBC, and was there for seven years. Right before she left the station to focus on How She Hustles full time, she curated HERstory in Black, a digital photo series of 150 black women. It brought together 150 beautiful, intelligent, and strong black women, who shared their stories of hardships, triumphs, and victories. The project attracted national press coverage, became a 1-hour TV documentary, and earned the prestigious CBC President’s Award.
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Startup & Slay In the face of many challenges, generations of black women have become entrepreneurs, and have learned to be solution-oriented and resourceful. There are barriers everywhere for women of colour, and sometimes you need a little help getting around them. How She Hustles found a way to do this by creating the Startup & Slay series sponsored by CIBC. Three factors are crucial to an African woman’s cultural model of success: networking support systems, spiritual values, and cultural identity. Startup & Slay created a space for diverse women to connect and learn about how to move their business forward. Women come thirsty to grow, aware that they do not have all the answers. Some are stuck. Some are in transition, and some just want more out of their business and life. You can understand why women from all over the world wanted to join Emily in celebrating 10 years of How She Hustles. On Saturday, May 30th, a group of over 200 women virtually joined Emily to honour this major milestone. Sponsored by CIBC, Hargrave Ranching, ByBlacks. com and SheDoesTheCity.com, it was two hours of fun, laughs and even some cocktails. Her guests included: Tracy Moore (City Line Host), Jazz singer Kellylee Evans, and DJ Mel Boogie. Congratulations again to How She Hustles on their success, and may the next 10 years be prosperous, and rewarding.
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Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 5
Banana Chocolate flavoured ice cream, Oh My! Neale’s Sweet n Nice breaks the ice JONELL PANTLITZ jonell@carib101.com
TC JR. REPORTER
With the summer heat taking over and marking its territory, we’re all looking for something to cool off with. Since many pools are closed, I have the next best thing for you. ICE CREAM! Who doesn’t like some sweet creamy ice cream? I know I do for sure. So, if you’re still interested in cooling down this summer look no further than Neale’s Sweet n Nice, “Mmmm‌. Sweet n Nice!â€? With its premium quality and unforgettable taste, Neale’s Sweet n Nice changed the ice cream industry in Trinidad forever. This brand originated in the 1940s on the sunny islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and restarted in Canada with just two flavours; Mango and Coconut. The brand fully re-launched in 2017. It was through the passion of bringing Charles Alfred Neale ice cream flavours back to life, and creating a family legacy, that this remarkable product was reborn. According to Andrew McBarnett CEO of Neale’s Sweet n Nice, “The Company was started by my granddad rewinding back to the early 1940s. He started Sweet n Nice basically to support his family. He wanted to do something that could actually earn him an income every day, so he decided to get into ice cream. He started doing that and it really expanded. I think he was one of the first properly organized icecream businesses in South Trinidad.â€? Before the death of Charles Alfred Neale in the late 80’s, he transferred this knowledge to his 12 children and his 51 grandchildren, and they have kept his legacy alive. Today when you try this unique ice cream you can’t help but say between mouthfuls, “Mmmm‌. Sweet n Nice.â€? What makes this ice-cream
company different from many of their competitors is: the family legacy and history behind the name, their secret ingredients, the passion for Caribbean flavours, with a unique taste and ingredients that are natural just like Granddad Neale used to make it. With months of painstakingly taking the original home-made recipe through industrial trials and also working with the University of Guelph, Neale’s Sweet n Nice launched in the Toronto market to about 20 stores. Following the initial launch, the founding family team developed and launched new flavours: Rum and Raisin (to popular demand) and Guava Passion Fruit. They have now expanded to more chains such as Sobeys, Freshco, and Foodland. Andrew mentioned, “Restarting in Canada was tough. It took a number of years to get things moving and figuring out what team members should do, and how we should do it.� He continued, “It took a couple of years for us to get into the market with the two flavours: mango and coconut, and then the additional work of getting into retail stores.� Andrew also explained, “On a Saturday morning myself, my cousin and my aunt, we went into Caribbean stores to give them some samples in the hopes to get them to take us on board and sell our ice-cream.� The company gained traction from their appearance on Dragon’s Den, where they received a deal for their company. “We were able to get some good advice from Arlene. That experience and exposure alone was beneficial,� Andrew explains. He also mentioned, “We utilized that advice when we visited the local and independent stores. Our exposure to the market is what got us into Sobeys.� Neale’s Sweet n Nice is no longer in Trinidad and Tobago but they have plans to take the company to its homeland, and extending their flavours bracket. You thought we were done; no way. We have one last treat for you. Drumroll please. They are releasing the coveted banana-chocolate flavour later this summer. Oh yes! Yes! Yes!
CANADA’S LEADING CARIBBEAN NEWSPAPER Selina McCallum TC REPORTER selina@carib101.com
Noel Cunningham FOOD | CULINARY noel@carib101.com
Dave Rankin AFRICAN HISTORY dave@carib101.com
Jay Brijpaul REAL ESTATE jay@carib101.com
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Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
Photo Courtesey Black Tux Photography
I attended the protest for #JusticeForRegis and this is what I saw SELINA McCALLUM salina@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. NO RACIST POLICE,” chanted the thousands of people who marched for the Justice For Regis and Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday, May 30th. The protest was put together by a group called Not Another Black Life once they gained knowledge of a young black woman named Regis Korchinski-Paquet falling to her death from the balcony of a 24th-floor Toronto apartment while police were in the home a few days before. Her death was tragic and suspicious, raising questions from Torontonians on how she had fallen to her death when left alone with police in the apartment, while her mother and brother were outside in the hallway with other officers. The march was also held for all of the black lives that have been lost in America recently at the hands of police brutality, the most recent being George Floyd. The organizers posted the details on their Instagram account of the march, which grew from a few hundred followers to over 15 thousand followers in a few days. They urged people to bring masks, water bottles and keep a distance from others. The protest began at Christie Pitts Park at 2 p.m. Keosha Love, a writer, creator and wellness educator, as well as the Founder of Our Women’s Voices, an organization that strives to empower women to take up space and redefine their stories, said a powerful opening speech as hundreds of people surrounded her. Love is extremely active in the black community and has been for years now, often speaking at workshops on antioppression and anti-racism. “When I was asked to speak I was honoured. I felt very blessed to have that opportunity and for folks to recognize me as a voice that needed to be heard. It was very powerful and very inspiring,” said Love. The community activist speaks on what she wanted folks to take away from her speech. “I really wanted folks to under-
stand what allyship meant and why we are fighting. This is privilege and power we’re talking about, not just one white person. Privilege in itself is not the enemy, it’s the people who abuse it and use it to harm black lives. I wanted people to understand how dangerous this is, and how humane this is,” said Love. Next to speak were organizers of Not Another Black Life, informing the huge crowd on the route and to emphasize that this is a peaceful protest and there should be no violence during the march. The family of Korchinski-Paquet and the organizers lead the march at the front of the crowd while they held a long banner that read “Not Another Black Life.” Most people were wearing masks, but social distancing was not in effect as most people were side by side. The racism pandemic has completely taken over the coronavirus pandemic, making others not afraid of potentially getting sick. All around me I saw people of every ethnicity. I saw a Tamil man hold up a sign that said, “Tamils For Black Lives.” I also saw another sign that said, “Asians for Black Lives.” It touched my heart to see so many people of all backgrounds fighting for justice for black people. A majority of the crowd seemed under 30 to me, and that makes me wonder what the future will look like. How will government systems operate, and what will company board of directors look like? Because of the march and the pressure put on authorities from diverse groups of people all over the world to recognize the racism and discrimination that has been happening for hundreds of years, I feel that the world will truly change. “Something about this time feels different. Something about the city feels different,” said a photographer, who goes by Black Tux, who came to capture the protest. Love says it’s not just about your activism on social media, it’s what you do after. “Some of the changes I’d like to see done after the posts die down on social media is allyship that is not performative. I think everything starts at home, and for us to really make effective change we have to take these conversations to our family members who have been complicit to the violence that we experience every day,” said Love. “This is not limited to black lives, this is a human race conversation for everyone to be involved in.”
NEWS
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NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Photos Courtesey Andrew Mercado
For the love of what shocks, provokes and separates SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Continued From Page 1 -- In the case of the George Floyd story, the media deemed it necessary to focus on only aspects of the truth, especially with what was happening when the protests started in Minneapolis. They made his death headline news but ignored aspects of the story that unless reported from people on the scene, the public would never know. I don’t think many of us realize how powerful mainstream media is. They decide what stories get attention, and also what stories do not get attention. In general, mainstream media will not cover a story, unless there is a sensational aspect to it. To the majority of the mainstream media, the violence that exploded after George Floyd’s murder was exactly the type of news, they wanted the world to see. The insidious development of the story surrounding the protests has had a great influence on the public’s perception of crime, including their belief about the amount of crime that occurs in certain neighbourhoods and cities across America. The journalists and reporters carefully decided what information about the story they wanted to include or leave out. They strategically picked their experts and decided where in the stories these facts and quotes from experts would appear. Stories surrounding crime and violence are the fourth largest category of stories in the media space (Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime). These stories highlight the unique, the sensational, the extreme, and those that have the potential to impact the greatest number of people. Why do they do this? It is because stories like this are rare. They shock us, are emotion provoking, and will dominate the headlines for days and weeks, and this leads to a distorted view of how common these crimes are (Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime). What some of these media sources did is focus on what would excite. They didn’t show all sides of the story, only the sides that would ignite emotion. The looting, the burning, the rioting, and the violence: it had the affect that the media sources wanted it to have. It began to polarize people. You heard about the bricks, right? There have been strange events documented during this time of chaos. Interestingly enough, these stories are coming from citizens living in certain communities. Apparently, bricks were appearing in certain cities, strategically in places where
maybe interested parties wanted to see riots break out? In Boston, police were seen in an alley unloading bricks from a vehicle. Strange, but they had an explanation for it. Twitter and Facebook are littered with videos from people who were in a position to observe the protest, show multiple piles of bricks in areas of the city where there was no construction underway. In Dallas, bricks were placed near the Dallas County Courthouse. Why the bricks were placed at that location, or who put them there was not able to be determined. Law Enforcement Today independently confirmed with two active Dallas police officers that the bricks were in fact there, but it was unclear who put them there or why. These same officers were not authorized to speak publicly, but later spoke out and said, “It did appear they were strategically left in places where they would be of benefit to rioters.” Now, who would want to instigate a riot? The leaders in a peaceful movement for the people The best part about being in media is the fact that you get exposed to real people, and real stories. I was connected to some key people who are fundamental parts of the peaceful protests that were happening in Minneapolis. Andrew Mercardo is a citizen journalist who has been covering the riots in Minneapolis. In our short but insightful session, he shared what he had experienced, and highlighted things that the mainstream media had not reported. “I am just there documenting it. I was not protesting,” Andrew begins. “When I saw the videos that the rest of the world saw, on the Tuesday. I was sick to my stomach. The Wednesday, I told my friend that I was going to go there. I sat there for an hour at the curb (Cup Foods). My friend told me to live stream what was going on. I am not a journalist, but I thought hey! Why not! People kept watching the live stream, first 30,000 people, then 60,000 people began to watch.” What was the energy like when you arrived? “People were protesting peacefully, and we were confronted by the State Police; they started gassing us and pushing us back. When I got shot at by the police, I started feeling PTSD (he is a veteran). It got real out there. What they are not showing is how the community pulled together to bring things under control. The community itself brought peace upon that part of Minneapolis. It is a safe zone, if you send a reporter there right now. It is the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my entire life. They have their own security, own ambulances. There are episodes of humanity that are not being reported.” He shared some other things with me that I thought were interesting. “The only time I witnessed a fire was the one being set by a white man at the Popeye’s that was burnt down. It was white
people starting the fires, not members of the community.” I am going to revisit Andrew’s last comment, but first, let’s talk about my short time spent with Corey Moore. Corey Moore was another key face recognized during the protests in Minneapolis. He was travelling down with Andrew to attend George Floyd’s funeral when we spoke. “I made a point to thank Andrew,” Corey tells me. “They tried so many scare tactics with us. They were sending the national guards, police services, all of this for people who were simply standing together in unity. I let people know, hey guys we are okay. The world is watching. Andrew’s broadcast brought out all the media. Having Andrew around helped me do what I wanted to do. Calm the people done. I pled to the governor. Stop trying to govern us! Govern the police department! All that craziness they are showing on T.V. We are out here taking care of each other. People are bringing food for each other. It went from being a war zone, to a safe zone in 24 hours.” I was not surprised by what I was hearing, nor did it surprise me that although mainstream media had done a great job of sharing the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, they didn’t share everything. Just the parts of it that made highly African populated communities in Minneapolis look bad. I had the opportunity to dialogue with C’monie, and her manager Tezzaree. For those who don’t know, C’monie is the organizer behind the fundraiser Encouraging Leaders, as well as the #wecantbreate movement (http://wecantbreathe.org/). During our talk, she was open, and emotional about the topic. “It broke my heart. I was instantly in tears. Watching it happen right in front of me was crazy. It hit me hard! My girlfriend and I popped up at the first protest, and we were sceptical. There was initially tear gas, people screaming. At first, I stayed at a distance, but something deep inside told me I had to be there. My body told me I needed to go. She said something that was reminiscent of what Andrew had told me in his interview. “There is footage of white supremist groups smashing out windows. They are actually the ones who are responsible for the destruction of the police station. People were tired of the destruction. I was hurt. We are watching our city burn down. We decided to take a stand, and now peace and love is being shared throughout the community. People are standing up and supporting. People are coming from all over the world. People from all cultures, and nationalities helping out, trying to make a change.” I also had an opportunity to speak with Tezzaree who is C’Monie’s manager. Again, a familiar record of events was mentioned. “This issue of injustice has been around for a long time. White supremist groups are coming in from out of state and tearing down the community. White supremist groups are doing the spray painting. They are contributing to the chaos. The black
people are not burning down buildings. We might be taking things of value, which is not condoned, but white people are coming in tearing it down.” What is not being documented is the unity. There is a shift of energy, and things are changing. People are stepping up and bringing peace to the community. We are out here raising money to help seniors who are not getting food or medications because pharmacy, and grocery stores have been burnt down. It has worked out for our good; because of the community stance, laws and constitutions are being reviewed.” Peace reigns supreme What has been remarkable to see is the amount of support that has been rallied across the world. Globally, people are taking a stand. • An estimated 10,000 people attended a rally in London, Ontario • People gathered at Nathan Philips Square in downtown Toronto and protested peacefully as they moved northwest onto Bay and Bloor St. • A group of protesters gathered at Trinity Bellwoods Park, and marched towards Queens Park chanting “No justice, no peace.” • More than a thousand people took part in a peaceful demonstration in Barrie, Ontario last Thursday • Hundreds of people gathered in the intersection of Riverside Drive and Ouellette Avenue in downtown Windsor, Ont. to protest the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet • • • • • • • •
In Ottawa on Friday, protesters marched to Parliament Hill, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined them Communities are coming together to clean up South Minneapolis People were forming human barricades to prevent people from looting stores There are photos of police officers hugging and standing alongside protestors Communities in Minneapolis are coming together, donating food and supplies for those who needed it Police officers are being protected by protestors, especially ones who were there supporting the movement Young people are dancing and enjoying themselves at the protests There is global solidarity; even the Amish community is getting involved, holding up Justice for Floyd signs
Millions of people have demonstrated, mainly peacefully, across the United States, Canada, and the globe. How about we take a moment and think about the fact that this has unified us. Let’s hope this unity lasts. Believe me; we are about to face greater devils. Let’s not forget. A vaccine is just around the corner.
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Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Vonny Sweetland will likely run in the 2022 Provincial Election SELINA McCALLUM salina@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Voices from marginalized communities are stronger and louder than ever before demanding change and refusing to be silent. One of those passionate and fearless voices here in Toronto belongs to Vonny Sweetland. He was born in Scarborough, Ontario and is a community advocate and radio and television personality. In 2011 he gained National recognition for his blog. Now, Sweetland covers topics surrounding social justice and equality. “Throughout that journey, I found community advocacy to be very important to me. I’ve always ensured that it was a part of my platform, whether that be lending myself to charitable efforts, or joining various charitable organizations, or sometimes just
as simple as using my voice,” said Sweetland. He has been a regular guest on various Radio and TV programs discussing the millennial demographic and social issues. As of 2018, Sweetland has mainly appeared in the media as a political pundit and advocate for various social issues in Canada and the US. Sweetland is also an entrepreneur who founded a furniture and décor company. However, when he isn’t managing his business, his full attention is on community advocacy and politics. “People have said to me, ‘you’ve had a lot of success in media, and now you found success in entrepreneurship, so why politics?’” said Sweetland. “What I tell people is, right now, we are in the fight of our lives. It may sound dramatic to some, but it’s really not when you look at some of the things that have been taking place.” In Canada the pandemic has caused millions of Canadians to lose their jobs, their businesses and their financial stability. Across the United States, not only are they dealing with more than over one million coronavirus cases, but due to the recent tragic and inhumane deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, riots and protests have
emerged across the country. Then on Wednesday evening, a young black woman from Toronto fell to her death from the 24th floor of a building. The family had called the police to help her with a mental health crisis. “We are currently seeing unrest across most of the globe (particularly in North-America) due to race relations with police and racial tensions in general. I had the honour of speaking with the father of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, who tragically passed away in the Parkdale-High Park area during a routine 911 call very recently. Her family, her friends, and her community need answers,” said Sweetland. The young advocate is eager to seek and make changes, and may be running in the 2022 provincial election. He criticizes the Ford government and all that they have done in the last several months regarding the cuts to education, rent control and affordable housing. “The two areas that are really important to me are the fight for our elderly, to make sure that they’re protected and to make sure that they get to live and die with dignity and that touches on everything from healthcare to housing. And then of course,
students, making sure that the education system is not going to be destroyed, which is clearly the aim of this government,” said Sweetland. Ontario may have pockets of multicultural cities, but when it comes to the government, representation is extremely low. “I can’t stress how important it is to ensure our elected officials represent the cultural and ethnic diversity of our communities here in Ontario. The current Doug Ford cabinet of ministers has not one African-Canadian in it, and outside of MPP Raymond Cho has not one person of colour serving. This is alarming,” said Sweetland. Sweetland stresses that when governments are creating policies that affect the lives of black Ontarians, the black community needs to be involved too. “This is the only way we can feel confident our voices will be heard and reflected at the highest levels. As an openly gay, interracial, half black man, I know that my presence and voice will be appreciated by the many constituents I seek to serve. I believe in an Ontario that can do better, and under the right leadership we will do better,” said Sweetland.
The “TMZ” of Toronto; should 6ixbuzz TV be reprimanded for keeping today’s youth entertained? JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Toronto is a unique place. For a city with a heavily diverse population, it’s fascinating to see how well everyone seamlessly blends into one matchless culture. We’re all so different, but also extremely alike. But are you really from Toronto if you haven’t heard someone scream “6ixbuzz!” while recording an absurd video? Maybe you might be older and out of the loop. Gone are the days in the beginning of Toronto’s social media where everyone stayed connected through TDotWire or Vibe.TO. In today’s metropolis, 6ixbuzz TV has found its unique way in keeping the conversation rolling daily throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Self-defined as “#1 in Canadian Entertainment” according to their Instagram
bio, the 6ixbuzz TV page is typically filled with the latest and wildest news paired with a mixture of informative and hilarious videos mostly related to the country. Often promoting local music and gaining the likes of numerous homegrown artists, 6ixbuzz TV also has a record deal partnership with Warner Music Canada under the label 6ixbuzz Entertainment. With intentionally impulseprovoking captions on their posts, it’s not uncommon to see users dropping their own opinions in the comment section. The page amassed an enormous following of over 1.7 million followers in the short time that they’ve become popular. Followed by many prominent Canadians such as Drake, Premier Doug Ford and even NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, the account has managed to elevate far above just being your average Instagram user. A social media page that interconnects the city, where’s the harm in that? Well, not everybody agrees that 6ixbuzz TV is an accurate representation of Toronto. The page is notorious for giving a platform to who many would deem as undeserving individuals. Often criticized for promoting content of ignorant non-black people carelessly using the n-word, steal-
ing other users’ content without crediting them, and glamorizing violence, 6ixbuzz has repeatedly presented itself to be outright controversial in several instances, a trait that should not define Toronto. A simple answer for these scandalous posts may be the notion of doing it for the likes, a sort of “all publicity is good publicity,” if you will. But at that point, are you really doing it for the city? See, with great power comes great responsibility. As a platform that proclaims to be #1 and aims to bring Toronto together, the influence they carry often leads its audience astray. Let’s not forget an incident earlier this year, where an aspiring Toronto rapper forced a Jamaica-bound flight to turn around after he falsely claimed to have COVID-19. When the 28-year-old from Vaughan was asked why he chose to do such an irresponsible prank, he explained to the media, “Well, it was really just to create a viral video, to get something that, in my opinion, would have gone onto 6ixbuzz.” Now, obviously 6ixbuzz cannot be held responsible for what their followers decide to do or comment, but building a platform based on blatant negativity (such as inciting a collective hatred for neighbouring cities – e.g., Brampton) is a part of the problem and creates an envi-
ronment that often encourages alienation rather than unification. “People in 6ixbuzz’s comments are the most misogynistic, racist, homophobic people. Not only does 6ixbuzz intentionally use captions to divide people against one another, but then they act like they’re a hero? unfollow that clownery, the worse thing to happen to Toronto media,” says Twitter user @vyshnavimuthaly. Recently, 6ixbuzz came forward with a statement following the conspicuous outrage of Black Lives Matter protests: “I want to acknowledge that in the beginning stages of 6ixbuzztv we may not have always gotten it right. However, we have continued to learn, and we understand the responsibility that comes with having a large platform that influences youth. Our intention is to empower the youth in our city and provide avenues of opportunity.” It’s fair to say that this new age nontraditional media outlet is one that doesn’t seem to be disappearing anytime soon. Moving forward, it’s hoped that they remain true to their word in beginning to shift from their previous distasteful reputation and start portraying Toronto and the GTA in a much more optimistic light.
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PAGE 11
You want me to buy black; treat me better How to improve the black buying experience SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“I would love to support black businesses, but…” How many times have you heard this statement? More than ever, there is a push to “Buy Black.” Buying black has always been at the centre of the fight for civil rights. There are some outspoken community activists who say that integration is what has hurt black businesses. Before our emancipation, black businesses flourished in areas known as Black Wall Streets. Most notable are places like Tulsa, Oklahoma, Richmond Virginia, and Birmingham, Alabama. It was a time where the black community supported each other. Back then, other businesses would not service Africans living in the Americas, so we decided to service ourselves. We had thriving communities that were only brought to ruin because of lynchings, tax sales, predatory land speculation, and disenfranchisement. Since then, we have seen a steady decline in black collective economics, and there are systemic reasons for this. We also have to take into consideration another side of the story, and ask ourselves some key questions: • • • • •
Why don’t we support black businesses? Is there a lack of trust? Do we unconsciously think that black is inferior? Do we have an unconscious bias against our own? Do we lack professionalism?
I received a disturbing phone message this week from a community member who was disturbed at what she was experiencing. In her message she expressed concern about how she was being treated when she went into black businesses. She thought it was important to mention it because she knows that I am always pushing to support black-owned businesses. Her message, “I don’t mind supporting
black owned businesses. They just have to start treating their customers better.” She then proceeded to tell me about four different scenarios and negative experiences she had when supporting black-owned businesses in the last few weeks. I will not be outing these businesses in this article, because my point is not to damage their credibility. If anything, I think that this article is a strong reminder that we all have to do better. If we want to grow as an economic force, we have to trim the edges of our deficits, and learn how to service our communities. Why is it important to support black-owned businesses? First, and foremost, doing so will allow the black dollar to circulate longer in our community. The result. We no longer have to rely on people who have historically shown us that they only need us when we are spending money at their establishments. I want to note that in some cases, complaints about black-owned businesses have nothing to do with their race or nationality. It has to do with the fact that they are a one-person show, trying to wear many hats, working 60 plus hours a week, and taking from Peter to pay Paul. Their intentions are good, they just don’t have the know how to serve their community because they are focused on staying afloat. Now, in saying this, there is still no excuse for bad business practices. Let’s go through some of the major complaints held by black-owned business shoppers, and provide some solutions that will assist in strengthening our community business structures. Insufficient or inadequate communication There seems to be a problem with lack of communication from black-owned businesses. As a business owner, you have to know that people do not like being ignored, especially when money is involved. As a new, and growing business, it is easy to get swamped with orders. Sometimes you may miss an order. In this case, organization is key. There are online tools to help your business track orders and shipments. It is important that you have a website, and that your website is up to date because consumers will check your website for information. Utilize your social media as another way to communicate with your cli-
ents. As much as this can be time consuming, stay on top of your social media, and continue to share news about what you are doing as a business, and any changes that are happening.
providing customers with several ways to provide feedback (social media, email, onsite suggestion box). This will enable you to monitor and implement changes and address issues when they arise.
Terrible customer service This is the complaint that I hear the most, and the one that my disgruntled community member brought up as most frustrating to her.
Overinflated prices I had an opportunity to visit a blackowned hair supply store this weekend. I did notice that her prices were much higher then ones that I found in let’s say Asian owned black hair supply stores. She explained that because they are larger, they are able to buy in bulk. I got it. As a small business, her overhead cost was probably expensive, and she has to make a profit somehow. I paid her what she asked for, and she threw in some freebies. That helped out a lot. It showed me that my money was worth something, and it felt good to get something additional.
CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING IS KEY! Make sure that you have a team of staff that are on the front lines, who are able to deal with frustrated and agitated customers empathetically. The frontline team has to be aware, and knowledgeable about the customer’s wants, needs and pain points. When a customer takes the time to share suggestions or vent frustrations, stay open to this even though it might be difficult. It is the only way to revise your customer service strategy so that you do better the next time around. One way to ensure that your company’s customer service etiquette is on point is to delegate tasks, and select a team that is as passionate about the vision of your company as you are. To improve your product and service offering, you need to have the best possible understanding of what your customer’s needs are. For restaurants, if you are not offering something on a specific day, let your customers know that ahead of time, so that they don’t have to hear those dreaded words, “We nuh have dat!” Do your best to keeping consistent business hours. Your customers need to know that they can depend on your service, or they will take their business elsewhere. If you are going to make changes to your business hours, let your customers know weeks to months ahead of time, and update this on your social media platforms. Another proactive approach to improving your customer service is by
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Low visibility in the market place If people don’t know you exist, they will not buy anything from you. If you don’t market your beauty supply store, then customers who would support you, will continue to shop at the store that they do know about. Trust me; making your business visible is a challenge, but it’s worth the effort. I would rethink your budget, and find ways to put a little bit more into advertising. Think about hiring a marketing firm or a social media manager to help you reach potential customers. Another great source; community newspapers. They usually have special rates to help out new, and developing businesses. Just as you are an individual, each black-owned business is unique. They are not all the same, and they are not all bad. They do not all have terrible customer service, nor are they all cutting corners when it comes to operating as a respectable business. Try not to view all businesses in the same light. We all have a lot to learn, and mistakes will be made. All we can do is work together to get it right.
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PAGE 12
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Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Ontario Ombudsman to investigate pandemic oversight in long-term care homes MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Paul Dubé, Ontario’s Ombudsman launched an investigation into the oversight of longterm care homes by the province’s Ministry of Long-Term Care and Ministry of Health during the ongoing pandemic. The Ombudsman said he is invoking his authority to investigate on his own initiative even if no complaints are made. This is in light of the grave concerns raised by the
pandemic outbreaks in long-term care homes across the province. The report last week by Canadian military personnel uncovered shocking conditions in five of these homes. “The Canadian Armed Forces report painted a stunning portrait of the situation in long-term care during this crisis; our investigation will look at the systemic issues that led to it and will make constructive recommendations for corrective action,” the Ombudsman said. “Determining the root causes of administrative dysfunction and recommending practical solutions is what we do.” Investigators with the Special Ombudsman Response Team, who look after the Ombudsman’s large-scale systemic investigations, will examine the ministries’ standards and policies for long-term care homes during the pandemic, as well as the efficiency of oversight mechanisms to ensure the rules are followed.
They will look at complaint handling, inspections carried out by the Ministry of Long-Term Care, emergency planning, steps taken to support long-term care homes during the pandemic crisis, data collection on coronavirus cases, rates of infection and deaths in long-term care, and communication with long-term care home residents, staff and the public. “The pandemic has strained public services immensely, but also demonstrated how vital they are,” Mr. Dubé said. “Never has it been more important to ensure that these systems are working as they should. This is where we can help, as an independent, impartial expert in administrative systems. We are uniquely suited to investigate systemic governance issues and to propose solutions that enhance transparency, accountability, and fairness.” The two ministries were given formal notice of the investigation. There are no dates
provided for the investigation, but given the challenges of the present situation, with most public servants working remotely, it will proceed as quickly as circumstances permit. The Ombudsman is an independent, impartial officer of the Ontario Legislature who resolves and investigates some 26,000 public complaints per year about provincial government bodies. Anyone with information relevant to the issue of the ministries’ oversight of longterm care is asked to file a complaint online at www.ombudsman.on.ca. Complaints can also be made by email info@ombudsman.on.ca. (Please note: Complaints about individual long-term care homes should still be made to the Patient Ombudsman at www.patientombudsman.ca.)
Race to the top; Africa’s top brands continue to lose to international rivals JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
“Think locally. Act globally.” A powerful reverse of the usual mantra. Also, a quote presented by Karin Du Chenne, the Chief Growth Officer of Africa Middle East, encouraging a nation to support businesses within their own communities in order to build a reputation that can compete on a global scale. May 25th, 2020 was Africa Day, an annual commemoration that began in 1963. It celebrated the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), a foundation that aimed to bring the African countries together and resolve issues within the continent. At the time, 32 states were admitted. In later years, the OAU was disbanded and legally transformed into the African Union (AU), but the annual tradition continues to live on. Ten years ago, the entire planet’s gaze was on Africa. For about one month every four years, most of the world stops what they’re doing to feast their eyes on the biggest
sport competition ever, The FIFA World Cup. In 2010, the event made history by making its way to the continent for the very first time, with South Africa as its host. The worldwide heightened adoration for African identity inspired and prompted the launch of Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands. Founded by Thebe Ikalafeng, he envisioned goals to create an intergenerational movement to inspire a great Africa and a desire to drive a positive image of the nation. A country enriched with wealth and culture finally stood on a global pedestal to showcase their brands, ones that could stimulate investment, tourism and a sense of pride and belonging. “We started this journey in 2010, and it was an interesting time in the history of Africa. It was a time of hope and euphoria. Looking back at that time, African brands were at an all-time high,” says Ikalafeng. But the high they rode wouldn’t last long. In the following ten years, results have shown only a mere 20% of brands that Africans admired were actually made in Africa. “It is concerning that despite the vibrant entrepreneurial environment, Africa is not creating more competitive brands to meet the needs of its growing consumer market,” Ikalafeng says. “I think we’re failing because generally, we lack confidence and we like validation from outside countries. In seeking validation from outside, we then try to adapt to the outside rather than taking who we are to
the world. Our problem is that we aren’t proud enough of who we are.” The big reveal of what brands made the top 100 came bright and early at 9 am, in Kenya… or 2 am here in Toronto. 27 countries were surveyed which represents 50% of the continent, and it was discovered that 85% (23/27) of the top brands in Africa were nonAfrican. The results rolled in… drumroll please! At the very top, the most admired brands happened to be: #1: Nike #2: Adidas #3: Samsung The remaining top ten contenders also included Coca-Cola, Apple and Gucci, but it’s interesting to say the least that only ONE African brand made the cut; MTN, a South African based telecommunications provider. When asked what specific African brands were most admired, the top three were: #1 Dangote; a multinational industrial conglomerate, specializing in multiple sectors such as consumer goods and transportation #2 MTN #3 DSTV; a broadcast satellite service
brands included online marketplace platforms like Alibaba Group at #92 and Amazon at #56. “What we’ve found is that millennials are less forgiving than past generations who are loyal to brands. Rather than buying something and respecting what that brand does, millennial consumers are much more forceful towards what that brand means and what it does to society as a whole. They look at if the product is environmentally friendly, if it’s sustainable, and what types of supply chains the product has. They’re a lot more discerning and less forgiving than prior generations,” says Omar Ben Yedder, a publisher and managing director at IC Publications in the United Kingdom. With Africa not being an exception to the effects of COVID-19, the pandemic has caused many businesses to suffer. Ikalafeng addressed the crisis and his hopes for a prosperous future for companies across the continent. “Today we face what they call a once-in-a-lifetime event. COVID-19 is changing things fundamentally. We are all at a reset and how we re-emerge will depend on the choices we make. The most important decisions we will make are how we rebuild more resilient and better-balanced economies – collectively and individually. To thrive in this new world, we’ll have to find many of the answers at home.”
New, never before seen entries in the top 100
International students outraged at tuition fee hikes during COVID-19 Crisis JONELL PANTLITZ jonell@carib101.com
TC JR. REPORTER
The students of Guelph-Humber University were astonished by the decision of the University Board of Governors. On April 22nd, 2020, a motion to increase tuition fees for undergraduate international students by 10% to 15%; also by 3% to 37% for graduate international students depending on the program was passed. The Central Student Association (CSA) and the International Student Organization (ISO) reported that this motion was passed unanimously without any discussion. This has many outraged. International students already pay approximately three to four times the tuition fees of domestic students. In an interview with Horeen Hassan (VP External at the Central Student Associa-
tion/ University of Guelph) he expressed concern, “Many international students are heartbroken that an institution they love so much is putting such a financial burden on them.” The CSA and the ISO are deeply disappointed in the University’s decision to drastically increase international tuition fees, especially during a global pandemic. Notably, in a global pandemic, it is no secret that international students are struggling to pay for basic needs including rent and groceries. Some are also unable to return home due to the current crisis. Horeen noted, “International students provide their labour, their tax dollars and a wealth of perspective when it comes to a classroom. They also enhance our postsecondary institutions with their knowledge, ideas and perspective. I do think it is an obligation of our country to take care of them.” It was reported that international students: contribute over 20 billion dollars annually to the Canadian economy, pay taxes, make up a considerable portion of the Canadian workforce, and sustain over 170,000 jobs in Canada. Yet, they are left out when it comes to support from the government, they are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit and their employment plans
have been altered. Yet, they are expected to pay increased tuition in the next few weeks. Horeen told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “The University should reserve tuition since the fee for an international student is already three to four times higher than that of domestic students.” She also mentioned, “Many international students are already struggling to pay tuition, especially during these times of COVID-19. It is simply unreasonable and unethical to increase tuitions fee when a lot of families are financially struggling.” According to CSA, many international students are struggling to pay for basic needs including rent and groceries, and some are unable to return home due to the current crisis. These students also have very little access to financial supports from the university. In addition to this, many international students who remain in Guelph are facing increased mental health struggles.
University of Guelph students share their stories: “I was hoping to save some money during the summer to help my parents pay for my tuition but due to the recent pandemic, it has become a lot more difficult to find a job. It looks
like we are being treated like moneybags because we are not receiving any help from the university. Now I am seriously thinking of dropping out and going back to my country to finish my studies.” (Anonymous Student) “This is such bad timing to increase tuition fees, while we as international students rarely have any funding from both the government and the university. There are not a lot of scholarships or bursaries for international students as well. During this global pandemic, most people have lost their jobs and have no income at all. My family as an example.” (Anonymous Student) Horeen’s message to the University Of Guelph Board Of Governors is to, “Work alongside international students on how their experiences can be better enhanced, and work alongside the provincial government to provide more funding for post-secondary institutions.” Horeen urges the public to lend a hand. “The public can send emails to the university’s admin demanding that they reverse the tuition fees increase for international students, provide more funding grants and scholarship opportunities for these students and to put a freeze on international tuition fees.”
NEWS
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 13
Peel Teachers urge executive to “Unequivocally condemn racism and anti-black racism!” PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federations has over 55,000 members across the province. It represents not just public high school teachers but other education workers. The fact that the Peel District School Board (PDSB) has been under the microscope is well known. The Ministry of Education review that the PDSB received had 27 ministerial directives, which it has agreed to implement. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, some teachers from OSSTF have decided to put pressure on the bargaining unit to show its unwavering support of the scathing Ministry’s report. Some members have put forward a petition to call on OSSTD D19 and its executive to, “Unequivocally condemn racism and anti-black
racism.” The petition presented online called on the executive of OSSTF D19 to, “Apologize for their prior statements which do not adequately address the scope or the severity of racism, and their delay in issuing such statements.” The petition is available at Change. org. It acknowledges that the PDSB has been complicit in perpetuating racist policies and practices directed against: Blacks, Indigenous and People of Colour. They ask that executive members take, “Mandatory anti-black racism training from an external expert or organization that included learning about and normalizing the use of language to address racism, including white supremacy and privilege.” As of June 1st, 4,565 teachers have signed the petition, with about 5,000 expected. There are other actions that the members of the teachers bargaining union are calling on the executive to do. They must accept all the recommendations of the Ministry Review and issue a firm public acknowledgement of its findings as well as: agreeing to participate in de-streaming pilot projects, reduction of suspensions to low levels, and engaging in community consultations. In addition, the petition requires the executive to promote anti-black racism initia-
tives in a meaningful way and encourage and protect racialized members who are at the forefront of this work. Furthermore, there is a call to collect data that is both qualitative and quantitative in nature to ensure that accurate information is available to understand workplace safety and anti-racism, to so that BIPOC members are able to thrive and flourished. The executive of OSSTF D 19 responded to the demands in the petition by releasing a statement online. It agreed to some of the demands of the petitions and issued an apology. It notes, “We are sorry for the hurt that our public silence has caused. We acknowledge that this statement should have been made long ago. Moving forward we commit to doing better. We have a lot left to do. We will learn and we will act. The membership has communicated both in emails, through a petition, as well as concrete calls to action. We are committed to doing the work.” In addition, the executive has decided to engage in five things that the petition had asked for. These include: 1. 2.
Provide anti-black racism and other equity training to our executive team Work with our standing committee to develop strategies for removing bar-
3. 4. 5.
riers to leadership and engagement for BIPOC members Work with experts and members of BIPOC communities so that we can better reflect and represent the members we serve Represent our membership on the PDSB committee created to address and implement the Ministry Directives Create an advisory group comprised of grassroots members to advise the teachers Bargaining Unit Executive
A statement by the executive notes, “Systemic racism exists in our public institutions and in our schools. White privilege exists. We are committed to holding the PDSB accountable for addressing all of the directives from the Ministry Review in a meaningful way.” This augurs well for students in Peel schools, which encompass Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon. In a positive affirmation, the OSSTF D19’s executive notes, “The above commitment marks the beginning of our public work to address and combat anti-black racism and all forms of oppression. We remain accountable and will update regularly on our progress with these commitments “
A first quarter of confusion, a second quarter of mayhem; the 2020 half-time report JANIECE CAMPBELL janiece@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
It’s finally June! The time to put away those parkas and pull out those shorts! The days are longer, the burgers are on the grill, and everything is great again… right? We made it halfway through 2020, the beginning of what was supposed to be a new decade filled with hope and prosperity. Well, so much for that. Has anybody else been pinching themselves? Because, 2020 feels like a fever dream. One thing can be said: this year has been full of surprises. Can you believe that in just six months, the entire planet has been nothing but chaos, death and destruction? Let’s recap some major events together: As we entered January, the New
Year’s confetti barely touched the floor before the US led airstrikes, killing Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani and simultaneously igniting fears of World War 3. A few days later, the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified about the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, which subsequently led to the city’s lockdown, but we’ll come back to that later. As if all of that wasn’t enough, as the month came to a close, the world was at a standstill following the untimely loss of beloved NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year old daughter Gianna and seven others in a horrid helicopter accident. In February, after President Donald Trump became the third president to be impeached, he made history by also becoming the third president to be acquitted by the Senate. At this point, the coronavirus was officially named COVID-19 by the WHO. Again, we’ll get to this one soon. We finished off the month with somewhat of a long-awaited win; Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of two of five criminal sex charges, leading to a 23-year prison sentence. With all of the shock that the first two months brought in, March and April sort of blurrily blended together. These two months were when things got unbelievably real. COVID-19 was officially declared as a pandemic as
it unapologetically took a bite into the world. The terms “lockdown”, “quarantine”, “state of emergency” and “social/physical distancing” flooded every media outlet and entered into everyday vocabulary. With Italy being the first country to begin nationwide border closures, many countries soon followed. Through the disarray came a huge revelation to many: the importance and appreciation for the essential worker. May was the month of uprising unrest. A pivotal time that will go down in history, this month made a global pandemic seem miniscule. The video of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who was pursued by three white men and fatally shot while jogging, went viral on social media. As the injustice sparked outrage, it wasn’t long until another unfortunate senseless killing of another black person by the hands of police occurred – George Floyd. And then another in our own Torontonian backyard, Regis Korchinski-Paquet. May was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Thousands of people have taken to the streets worldwide, rioting and protesting the police irrationally murdering unarmed black people and demanding justice in the form of law reformation. And now we’re in June. I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m sure we all have one
unanimous feeling. We are tired. So, what can we expect from the rest of the year? As the days pass, it seems to get more and more unpredictable. One positive outcome of the rage is the growth of social media activism. In the majority of the events this year, apps like Twitter and Instagram were major information outlets, often unveiling what isn’t broadcast on television. With amazingly rapid access to a plethora of petitions and donation sites, social media is definitively becoming a resource in the fight for change. Within the first few days of the madness, many on social media deemed 2020 as “cancelled.” Amid all the disorder, a poem written by Leslie Dwight that has gone viral addresses this thought. “What if 2020 isn’t cancelled? What if 2020 is the year we’ve been waiting for? A year so uncomfortable, so painful, so scary, so raw — that it finally forces us to grow. A year that screams so loud, finally awakening us from our ignorant slumber. A year we finally accept the need for change. Declare change. Work for change. Become the change. A year we finally band together, instead of pushing each other further apart. 2020 isn’t cancelled, but rather the most important year of them all.”
Bob Marley’s children (Dem ah guh tired to see we face) •
MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
How many children did the late reggae superstar, The Right Honourable Robert Nester Marley father? Is it five, six, seven? No! Try 11. Marley married Alpharita Constantia “Rita” Anderson in Kingston, Jamaica, on February 10th, 1966. They had four children: two that he adopted from Rita’s previous relationships, but Marley never stopped there. He went on to father many more little Marleys, with nine baby mammas. Here is a list of the children that the reggae king fathered and their mothers
• • • • • • •
• • •
Sharon, born November 23rd, 1964 daughter of Rita from a previous relationship, but then adopted by Marley after his marriage with Rita Cedella born August 23rd, 1967 to Rita David “Ziggy”, born October 17th, 1968 to Rita Stephen, born April 20th, 1972 to Rita Robert “Robbie”, born May 16th, 1972 to Pat Williams Rohan, born May 19th, 1972 to Janet Hunt Karen, born 1973 to Janet Bowen Stephanie, born August 17th,1974; according to Cedella Booker she was the daughter of Rita and a man called Ital with whom Rita had an affair, nonetheless, she was acknowledged as Bob’s daughter Julian, born June 4th, 1975 to Lucy Pounder Ky-Mani, born February 26th, 1976 to Anita Belnavis Damian, born July 21st, 1978 to Cindy Breakspeare
It is important to note that not all of Marley’s
children took up his musical staff, but those that did are certainly in the spotlight. Daughter Sharon is a Jamaican singer/dancer, Cedella is a singer/dancer/fashion designer and actress, and Ziggy is a musician/philanthropist. Stephen is a musician and eight-time Grammy award winner; Julian is a musician Grammy nominee, singer/songwriter/producer. KyMani is a Jamaican reggae and hip-hop artist, and Damian Robert Nesta “Jr. Gong” is a Jamaican deejay/rapper/singer/songwriter/record producer. The Marley children have certainly done well for themselves individually, and financially as well, Marley was worth an estimated 30 million at the time of his death in 1981. Even though the Rastafarian was never financially naive about his finances, he never made a will and this left some legal grey areas and issues concerning who got what from his estate. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Damian Marley’s net worth is $20 Million, Stephen Marley’s net worth is $20 Million, Ziggy Marley’s net worth is $10 Million, Ky-Mani Mar-
ley’s net worth is $5 Million, and Rohan Marley is a football player, whose net worth is $20 Million. If Bob were alive, he would personally be worth well over $200 million. Money aside, Marley left a rich musical legacy that is almost impossible to equal no matter how hard one may try. It is safe to say that from Ziggy to Damian Robert Nesta “Jr. Gong” the children have had their share of musical hits, won Grammy’s, and done touring stints. However, even though Bob Marley’s music was never recognized with a Grammy nomination in his lifetime, no one commands the audience, the stage, nor possesses the raw simplicity of Bob. In the children, and his enormous catalog of songs and interviews Marley left the world with a lasting memory for many generations to come. His song (One Love) has been given the coveted title of Song Of The Century. If one were to take an intimate listen to the song Marley called Bad Card, with 11 children to contend with, it is no wonder he started the song saying (Dem ah Guh Tired to See We Face).
NEWS
PAGE 14
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Solidarity builds between diverse groups to fight against racism, hate and intolerance and Nova Scotian background has sent shockwaves through Toronto. The devastated family members are still reeling in the aftermath. Her death has brought negative attention on the Toronto Police Department in the wake of many highprofile incidents, which have occurred over the years. Police Chief Mark Saunders was quick to respond and asked that there be no rush to judgment before all the facts and details are released. The Ontario Police Watchdog, the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) have already launched an investigation and have interviewed witnesses. Officers who were involved with the case will be subsequently interviewed and this will no doubt take many months to obtain all the pertinent details. A coalition of different community groups called “Not Another Black Life,� were responsible for organizing the antiblack and anti-indigenous racism rally on Saturday, May 28th at 2:00 pm which proceeded from Christie Pits Park and was originally planned to end near the
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
The death of 29-year-old Regis Korchinski-Paquet on Wednesday, May 27th has triggered many unanswered questions. Regis fell 24 floors to her death from the balcony of her high-rise building at 100 Hyde Park. In a prepared statement from her lawyer Knia Snigh, he indicated that her mother Claudette Korchinski made a 911 call to the police in order to seek help to deal with a family conflict. The family is seeking answers to explain the events that caused Regis to plunge to her death. The unfortunate death of this young African-Canadian of Ukrainian
Ontario Legislature. The end of the march was changed to the Toronto Police Headquarters at 40 College Street. The Justice for Regis rally was intended to bring attention to the issue of police brutality and to demand an immediate inquest into her death. Approximately 4,000 people participated in the rally. Police Chief, Mark Saunders showed up at Christie Pit Parks to see what was happening and he stated, “I just want to make sure that everything was okay. When we look around and see the things that are happening, ideally you would hope that there’s an opportunity that people take time to hear everything and base their actions on the truth and then figure out where collectively as a city, we can move forward.� On May 30th, Mayor John Tory reacted to the rally by posting on Twitter his support for the spirit of the rally. He tweeted, “Today, thousands of people marched peacefully in our city to register a total rejection of anti-black and antiindigenous racism. This is a cause shared
by all of us and the answer to the March will come through our collective actions to combat this racism.� As the family waits for answers, and as the SIU investigates, there are many unanswered questions. It followed the death of D’Andre Campbell who suffered from mental illness at the hands of Peel police at his home in Brampton and Pardeep Mann in Scarborough who fell off a balcony when police came to arrest him. Desmond Cole has documented the deaths of 27 black, indigenous and racialized people who were killed by Canadian police in the last few years. Despite the threat of policing during these states of emergencies, black and indigenous communities across North America refuse to be silenced and continue to organize to protect lives and to resist state violence. There is much hope that activism and advocacy will increase as solidarity builds between diverse groups to fight against racism, hate and intolerance.
Cabin Fever Countdown Presents; From the Bahamas with love ellers with the tropical experience our islands are known for.� Joy Jibrilu (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation Director General)
SIMONE SMITH
As of July 1st, 2020, Bahamas will resume international travel, which will include:
simone@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
• “I want to get away. I want to fly away. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!â€? Lenny Kravitz
• •
Oh lord! Aren’t we all trying to get away from here. For some, it might be to get out of the city, and into your cottage. For others, it could be a trip over the border to visit family. For some, the idea of crystal blue waters, white sand, and a mojito are fantasies that keep us hopeful. Hopeful for a time when we can fly away. I have fantastic news for island hoppers. The Bahamas’ is following a strategic, phased approach that ensures critical health and safety protocols are being adhered to, so that visitors can come and visit the island, without any fears. Bahamas top priority is their commitment to the health and wellbeing of their residents and visitors. “We must remember that we are living in a new normal in the wake of COVID-19, and a lot is going to change across the tourism sector. We are putting an even greater emphasis on making sure The Bahamas is safe and clean for everyone, and look forward to once again providing travRY 10TH
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That’s right! In about a month, you will be able to visit this tropical hot spot, ranked one the best vacation destinations in the world. Soon you will be able to experience beautiful waters, amazing weather, and about 700 islands that make up the Bahamas. Since you are considering making the trip, now might be a good time to tell you some stuff about the island that you may not know. In the Bahamas, you might actually be able to sneak a peak at the oceanfront villa of Oprah Winfrey. Bahamas is one of the Caribbean islands that are known to attract the rich and the famous. Not only might you spot a famous face, you can also find some great shopping opportunities, which is not something other islands in the region can boast about. Nassau and Paradise Island are known for the exquisite jewellery shopping, as well as high-end boutiques.
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Commercial airlines (both international and domestic) Hotels and vacation rentals (Airbnb and HomeAway) Transportation (taxis, jitneys, and buses)
Let’s not forget about the beaches. The Bahamas is one of the only places in the world where you can find pink sand beaches. There are some great diving spots for snorkelers and scuba divers at Exuma Cays and Sea Park, and let’s not forget the amazing food. When you are there, you can try everything: baked crab, rock lobster, fried fish and conch salad. Now, I know you are eager to get there, but there are some things you need to know. Travellers are expected to follow The Bahamas “Healthy Traveller Campaign,� that encourages both visitors and residents to continue practicing social distancing measures, regular washing of hands, and use of appropriate PPE (face masks). When you arrive, prepare to go through temperature screenings that will be conducted by healthcare personnel. Travellers will be required to wear a facemask when entering and transiting air and sea terminals, while going through customs and security, and at baggage claim.
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Employee health monitoring and temperature check points will be enforced. A limited number of guests will be permitted in elevators at one time. Unnecessary literature in guest rooms will be eliminated. Businesses must establish a maximum number of guests and limit the duration of each guest visit to allow for social distancing. When possible, guests will be encouraged to use personal gear (such as snorkelling gear) and businesses will have items available for purchase. Guests will not be allowed to touch products unless with the intent to purchase and cashless sales will be encouraged. Beach chairs must be arranged to allow six feet of social distancing between family units. Buffets will be discontinued until further notice. All meals must be single or pre-packaged. Businesses must utilize disposable menus or offer on monitors or static display boards. Staff must wear PPE (disposable mask and gloves).
Are you ready! The Bahamas is ready for you. They are a safe and healthy destination to visit, and the ultimate goal is for you to feel safe visiting. For more information, or to view the Tourism Readiness and Recovery Plan, please visit: www.bahamas. com.
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PAGE 16
NEWS
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Artificial Intelligence to help avert blindness W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES TC HEALTH REPORTER
How can doctors diagnose and treat 425 million worldwide diabetes patients? That number keeps going up and up, projected to reach 700 million by 2045. There are millions more with undiagnosed prediabetes. Add millions with undiagnosed hypertension. All these people are destined to lives defined by cardiovascular problems and complications that include debilitating conditions like blindness. Diabetes is swamping healthcare systems worldwide. Let us be clear: whatever we have been doing to fight the problem, it is not working. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is offering new possibilities. Using new technologies, data science, vast quantities
of medical images, and computer algorithms, it is possible to fight diseases differently. The medical model of a patient and a doctor is outdated. We need to put AI on our healthcare team and use analytical methods to predict problems before they occur and to help doctors and patients make better decisions. Computer-assisted retinal analysis (CARA) is one such technology. Developed by DIAGNOS, a Montreal-based company, CARA uses retina scans to detect early warning signs of big health problems. And CARA can do it on a scale that will make a big difference in fighting the diabetes epidemics. The retina, the back part of the eye, is the only area of the body where doctors can easily see the condition of arteries and veins without invasive procedures. Early detection of atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) in the retinas of diabetes patients signals a warning that the same problem is occurring in coronary arteries. This is why the retina is called, “the window to the heart”. Prevention is always better than cure. But this is easier said than done in
many parts of the world where highly trained retinal specialists are in short supply. We are more fortunate in North America, but retinal checkups are mainly the purview of ophthalmologists focused on your eyes, not your cardiovascular system. Type 2 diabetes has become a worldwide epidemic and an expensive problem for every health care system. Type 2 diabetes is not just a singular disease. Rather, by triggering atherosclerosis, it decreases blood supply to many parts of the body with catastrophic results. For example, long standing diabetes increases the risk of blindness, heart attack, and kidney failure, which may require renal dialysis or a kidney transplant. Doctors can only treat so many patients. So this problem is an example of where we can leverage technology to screen millions of people. CARA can scan an eye in two seconds. Furthermore, it can scan hundreds of patients for hours without getting tired or making errors. We need to use AI to detect retina changes and prevent diabetes – averting countless cases of blindness and other prob-
lems, improving lives, and saving dollars. Andre Larente, president of DIAGNOS, recently remarked, “CARA can now look at a patient’s retina, discover the presence of hypertension and predict a chance of stroke in 12 to 24 months.” Given that CARA can do this across very large populations of patients, at low cost, it’s easy to see the appeal of this technology from a health care and economic perspective, not to mention the incentive to individual patients to reduce their risk profile. There’s no doubt that the capacities of artificial intelligence are changing the way we can fight illness, and companies like DIAGNOS are important partners in medical practice. The key is in scaling up. CARA has accumulated a vast database of retinal photos of patients worldwide. This data can be used for predictive modeling. So the next step will be in getting this data into the hands of those who can take steps to stop the progression of illness, change conditions leading to disease, and prevent these avoidable health problems in the first place.
When is it going to all end? Guyana’s vote recount fiasco MICHAEL THOMAS michael@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Guyana’s general election took place on March 2nd, 2020, and under normal circumstances the citizens of that country and the world, in general, should have known the results in a few days after the election. Not this year. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) challenged the results and requested a recount, and now three months after the election was held, the recount saga continues for what seems like an eternity now. The two main parties in this election are the PPP (who has a mostly East Indian support base) composes around 44% of the population. The ruling party the (APNU+AFC) is mostly supported by AfroGuyanese number and is around 30% of
the population. According to Global Voices news, it all began after a no-confidence motion against Guyana’s governing coalition (Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change/ APNU+AFC), by the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), was filed on Dec 21st, 2018, and resulted in a general election held on March 2nd, 2020, a year after it was constitutionally due. The EU ambassador to Guyana Fernando Ponz Canto said in a televised broadcast that from what he observed, the voting rules were so tight that it was impossible to cheat. Since the recount began, the APNU+AFC claims that there has been fraudulent votes cast on Election Day in dead and migrated people’s names. Ambassador Noel Lynch (Chair of the group of CARICOM Ambassadors to the Organization of American States) said, “Irregularities occurred, not in the system by which the Guyanese electorate cast their votes on March 2nd, but in the presentation of the count afterward.” Guyana’s People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has accused the government of the day namely (APNU+AFC) of election fixing and delaying the recount especially
in region four, also known as Georgetown which is the area with the most ballots, in an attempt to deceive the voters and remain in power. Hon. Gail Teixeira, MP said, “I think that everyone has recognized that there is a deliberate attempt to assure that region four drags on as long as possible.” The Minister went on to say, “When all this is done GCOM will face an enormous assault on the way they have contributed to the pain and anguish of Guyanese now in the 87th day of waiting for results from these elections.” According to Guyana Chronicle, as things stand now on day 24 of the recount, which is May 29th, 2020, 1,473 ballot boxes have been processed, from an overall total of 2,339 and all of the votes from regions 1,2,3,5 and 7 have been counted. The focus now is on regions 4,6,8,9 and 10. President David Granger and Leader of the opposition Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo agreed on the recount process. It was supposed to last 25 days, but so far that is subject to review, and as of now that review is ongoing. Concerning the recount, it is important to note that CARICOM Chair and
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PM of Barbados, Mia Mottley said, “It is clear that there are forces that do not want to see the votes recounted for whatever reason. Any government which is sworn in without credible and transparent vote count process would lack legitimacy.” Mr. Jagdeo is accusing the ruling coalition of using things like dead people and people out of the country voting as a smokescreen to divert attention from the real issues, which according to him is that his party the PPP won the election. On the other hand, President David Granger said that his collation party plans to abide by the declaration made by the Guyana Elections Commission following the recount. Granger also said, “I am very confident in CARICOM’S integrity and ability, and I just want to repeat what the ambassador of Barbados to Washington said that CARICOM is the most legitimate interlocutor on the Guyana situation.” President Granger added that he would like to see this result come to a speedy but correct end in the interest of all Guyanese people. As of June 3rd, 2020, all of the regions except regions 6, 10 and 4 have been counted.
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
NEWS
PAGE 17
No one gets left behind; these three films show us that all black lives matter SELINA McCALLUM salina@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
We are not just black people, there are so many more traits, qualities, and skills that we have. Our journeys are all unique and special in their own way, so when we say black lives matter, we must include all black lives, no matter who they are, what they do, or who they love. Three black, female filmmakers showcase this in their short films. Alison Duke, filmmaker and activist from Toronto, and Co-Founder of Oya Media Group, directed and wrote a film called Promise Me, about a young black woman living with HIV/AIDS. She has a young daughter who helps take care of her, and often misses school because of it. The film was based on true events. Duke was following eight women who have HIV and attend a women’s support group where they speak to one another and do fun things together. That is where she met the woman who the film is based on. The woman was also a mother who had a young daughter that cared for her, often resulting in being late or missing school completely. “I was so surprised that the educational institution didn’t care that the woman only had a couple weeks left to live, they didn’t think that it was important for the daughter to be there for the person that she
loves. As a filmmaker, storyteller and an artist, this story was kept in my heart,” said Duke. Duke says that through these films they are trying to represent what is reality for some black folks. “We want to build awareness and let people know of what’s going on. But it is not just building awareness in ‘look here it is, here is the horror of it all,’ but showing complexities and the layers, and the emotional impact,” said Duke. The director says that hopefully in showing these films, it will open the doors for people to not be afraid to express themselves and their issues that they are going through, specifically about alcoholism, feeling isolated and chronic illnesses. “Art allows for people to have deeper conversations,” says Duke. Omolola Rachel is the director and writer of her short documentary film, YYZ, which lets audience members listen in on a conversation between her parents and herself about their journey moving from Nigeria, to Ghana to St. Lucia, and their final destination, Canada. “I often focus on immigrant stories from black people because that is my experience. I am a black immigrant woman and I am very proud of that,” said Rachel. When Rachel and her family first came to Canada, they moved around to a lot of cities because her parents were trying to find a good place to work and for their children to get a good education. They decided to stay in the city of Winnipeg, where there is a large Nigerian population. “When I graduated high school, I was the only black person in my grade,” said Rachel. “I think finding who you are as a person, as a young person, is very hard combined with the fact that you’re an immigrant
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and you’re also black.” The conversation that Rachel has with her parents comes from trying to find herself slowly as she becomes a young woman. The director says that it is important to have these conversations with your family, conversations that can sometimes be uncomfortable. The director of YYZ stresses that more help for immigrant families coming to Canada should be available. Although they have lived in Canada since 2007, they were only able to buy their first home four years ago. “It shows how hard it is to really find yourself in Canada, even though we don’t tend to have these conversations about how people immigrate or how people settle,” said Rachel. Valerie Amponsah is the director and writer of her short documentary film called Joseph, Margaret and I, a story about her family who are immigrants from Ghana, their journey here and how that affected their mental health. The story particularly focuses on her father, his battle with alcoholism and how it affected the relationship with his children and wife. “I remember times during childhood and adolescence during peak times during my father’s alcoholic quarrels where my mom consciously chose not to call the police or take my dad to child support cause she knew how the system would treat him as a black man,” said Amponsah. “Black families that suffer from domestic violence, abuse, sexual violence and other forms of trauma always have extra barriers to navigate through times of traumatic experiences” The film opens with Amponsah in tears as she speaks to her father about how
she feels. By being vulnerable on screen, she hopes that other African families will be able to open to their loved ones as well. “There are so many secrets within black families, especially African black families. One of my intentions with this story and sharing such a vulnerable moment in my life is to inspire people and families to open up about their demons and things that bother them,” said the writer. Amponsah says that society can help lift black families up, instead of tearing them down or a part. “A few ways are to put more funding and money into black-led organizations that focus on healthy family relationships, put more money and funding into initiatives that focus on mental health for black people, create opportunities for black families to access professional mental health professionals ( that are black) for free or sliding scale, preferably free,” said Amponsah. Both YYZ and Margaret, Joseph and I were funded by Oya Media Group and The Fabienne Colas Foundation. Both organizations are dedicated to the production and promotion of black film, art, and culture. Oya Media Group provides space, mentorship, networking opportunities and workshops for black youth who are post-secondary graduates from film, television, and digital media programs. Duke says that she is hopeful about the films that black filmmakers want to make in the future. “I’m hopeful that black creators will be able to say what they want to make and not be questioned so much about why it is relevant. I’m hoping that the strength in numbers and the strength of their abilities to create stories will push through,” said Duke.
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Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
A closer examination into the sudden death of I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney LA SHAWNA GRIFFITH lashawna@carib101.com
BARBADOS TC REPORTER
BARBADOS -- Race and racism are two words that are on the tongues of people ever since the shocking death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. According to videos posted Floyd was killed by forty-four-year-old Officer Derek Chauvin who is seen in the viral video circulating on social media kneeling on his neck until he shouted, “ I cannot breathe, I want my mama!” Global News reported that, a group of cheering protesters torched a Minneapolis police station that the department abandoned, as days of violent protest have occurred since Floyd’s death. A police spokesperson told Global News the staff of the 3rd precinct had evacuated the station in the interest of the safety of our personnel. This situation has implications for every person who identifies as a black
person world over, because it means that once again, many are not safe in their own home countries because of the melanin in their skin. Adding further fire to the flame, Donald Trump took to Twitter to criticize the lack of leadership in Minneapolis and told Governor Tim Walz that he has the full support of the military. “Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” Trump Tweeted. This could lead to a bigger problem. Can we truly say that the persons involved in this case were racist and took pleasure in killing George Floyd? The answer to this remains to be determined by the jury when the case is trialed. In a shocking development, which was reported by The Associated Press, officer Chauvin was charged for third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He was jointly accused of ignoring another officer who had concerns at the time about the state of Floyd, as he lay handcuffed on the ground pleading that he could not breathe. He faces more than twelve years in prison if he is convicted of murder.
While one can watch the videos circulating and make their judgements if indeed and in fact third-degree murder is what Chauvin should be facing after having his foot in Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, is one the jury can decide. However, this is not the first time that police officers have killed black persons in the United States of America, and as much as we would not like to say it, it may not be the last. If we flip the script and look at my island of birth Barbados, there is still uncertainty into the sudden death of I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney who was a graduate of The University Of The West Indies, who succumbed to his death at Land Lock, Cove Bay, St. Lucy in June 2008. To date, his death remains a mystery despite initial reports that Maloney had committed suicide. According to the Nation Newspaper Thursday, June 19th, 2008, “Some officers on the scene Tuesday night said they responded to a call of a drug landing around 5:30 p.m. where they discovered Maloney, who suddenly ran and jumped off a cliff, landing on a ledge below. Shortly, after this, he was washed off the ledge by the pounding waves, which took him out to sea,” Public Relations Officer Inspec-
tor Barry Hunte said in a press release. However, since this initial statement in 2008, and subsequent statements which alluded that there was no foul play involved in the death of Maloney, the question of what transpired between him and the members of The Royal Barbados Police Force up until the time of his “suicide” have not been properly explained in almost twelve years. So, the issue of black violence is not only isolated to Minneapolis, it happens right here in Barbados and in the Caribbean by extension as there are many cases like Maloney’s which have never been told. A perfect example is the myriad of cane field murders where the majority of them remain unsolved and unheard of. The solution to this problem is not one that can be fixed overnight. It is a holistic revamp of the: ideologies, laws, norms, and values of the society to allow policemen and women as well as persons of privilege to understand that black persons are not always a threat. The only way to do this is by reshaping the mindset of people so they understand that the way forward is not by acts of unexplained levels of violence, but it is by having love in our hearts for each other so peace can reign in the world.
“We must create a new normal.” Sharpton and Jasper discuss life after the pandemic during live broadcast MKUU AMANI
mkuu@carib101.com
UK TC REPORTER
UK -- Reverend Alfred Sharpton told Lee Jasper that the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on African-Americans in the US has been clear to see. The Reverend Sharpton is an internationally renowned civil rights leader, founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN), the civil rights organization founded in 1991. Speaking from New York, USA, Reverend Sharpton told Jasper, who was in the UK hosting Blacksox Global’s After Lockdown - Global Black Community Update, “Clearly in the United States, we have seen African-Americans disproportionately impacted across several areas.” He went on to outline some of the areas of concern. “One, we have been found more to be deemed positive with the coronavirus itself. Secondly, we have died more - in most major cities, at three to four times the rates of whites. Much of that is because the healthcare and the health services in African communities in the United
States are far inferior.” “Hospitals are further away from us, trained medicals and facilities are not within our reach, and of course the cost of healthcare.” According to Sharpton, the ‘Economic Impact Payments’ by the Internal Revenue Service are also a cause for concern. “There have been two stimulus packages put through, over 3 trillion dollars,” he said, “Less than 1% of those stimulus dollars went to black-owned businesses. So much so that the National Action Network, the group that I’m a president of, was able to reach out and get Magic Johnson the basketball star. He put up 100 million dollars last Sunday to try and help some black-owned businesses, womenowned business and minority-owned businesses.” Earvin “Magic” Johnson is the majority owner of EquiTrust, a minorityowned insurance company. The funding for businesses became possible when his company announced a $100 million partnership with MBE Capital Partners (MBECP), and Sharpton’s National Action Network (NAN). Since launching, they have received over 5,000 applications from applicants applying for a Paycheck Protection Programme (PPP) Loan for Coronavirus Relief. The grim reality of the detrimental impact of the pandemic on African-
Americans was summed up by Sharpton as, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths in the United States passed 100k. “We are the ones dying more, we are the ones with the worst health conditions, and we are the ones getting the least amount of money for recovery.” The Minister’s message may have seemed bleak, but he was also quick to point out that the situation presents an opportunity to organize. And especially around the idea of life getting back to normal after the pandemic. “We must make sure,” Sharpton said, “that we make it clear ‘normal’ didn’t work for us. We weren’t equal in ‘normal.’ ‘Normal’ meant we were doubly unemployed. We had these archaic immigration laws. ‘Normal’ meant law enforcement that didn’t have to respect us. We must organize and unite around the diaspora to create a new normal.” Blacksox Global’s After Lockdown - Global Black Community Update is a MediaNet TV broadcast and is available to watch on YouTube. Lee Jasper’s other distinguished guests on the show included Kenyan Lawyer Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, otherwise known as PLO Lumumba, Dr. Clelia Prestes and member of the House of Lords, Simon Woolley, Baron Woolley of Woodford. PLO Lumumba discussed Africa’s response to the pandemic.
“The good thing now,” he told Jasper, “is that for the first time in the history of post-independent Africa, nobody is leaving the country to seek medical attention elsewhere. I think that many governments are recognizing that, going forward, we must give the health sector the pride of place that it deserves.” The renowned speaker and Director of The Kenya School of Laws also praised the work of the Institute Pasteur de Dakar, the biomedical research center in Senegal. “We have also seen the Louis Pasteur Institute in Dakar in Senegal has demonstrated to us that within a very short time, you can innovate and have test kits which are affordable and sensitive to the realities of your continent. It is also instructive,” he added, “that for the first time in the history of the continent of Africa, the African Centre for Disease Control (Africa CDC) based in Addis Ababa, has now come alive.” Referring to the work undertaken at Africa CDC’s Headquarters and across the public health agency’s five regional collaboration centres in Egypt, Nigeria, Gabon, Zambia and Kenya, Lumumba said, “This is telling us that Africa can innovate.” According to Africa CDC, in their June 2nd update, there were 153,135 cases of COVID-19 in Africa, 4,356 deaths and 64,793 recoveries.
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NEWS
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Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
After the protests, what’s next? Revisiting Marcus Garvey’s economic development plan cially in the area of African economics. In March of 1916, Mr. Marcus Mosiah Garvey arrived in the United States of America with the hopes of uniting his efforts with those of another prominent African American thinker, Mr. Booker T. Washington. Mr. Garvey had great admiration for Mr. Washington and especially had high regard for his opinion on black business ownership and black economics. Unfortunately by the time he got to the United States, Booker T. Washington had died. While Mr. Garvey respected Washington and his ideas, he was of the opinion that Booker T. Washington’s vision was not expansive enough. Mr. Washington’s vision was that of a more individualistic approach, while Garvey believed we would be a more formidable force if we were economically united, and had a stronger sense of community bound to our economic development. Garvey believed that individual profit motives would significantly impede group advancement; so as a means to promote the collective interests of African Americans, Garvey sought to use collective decision making and group profit sharing. This resulted in a Nationalists version of Booker T. Washington’s black economic vision, and by extension it resulted in a mass organization supported by millions of African Americans. Interestingly enough Marcus Garvey went to his own Jamaican people with this plan and they out rightly rejected him. This is a lesson which we need to learn. Of-
WAZARI JOHNSON wazari@carib101.com
JAMAICA TC REPORTER
JAMAICA -- I love my island home Jamaica, but there are aspects of living here that I find to be questionable. One of the things that have boggled my mind is the way we relate to our first national hero, Mr. Marcus Mosiah Garvey. There is a lot of lip service given to his importance, but how you treat someone (or their legacy) speaks louder than what you have to say about them. I find it very uplifting that this keen intellect that was a production of Jamaica, the garden parish of St. Ann to be precise, wrote and spoke in such volumes. So much so, that, if integrated into our modern school curriculum, it could elevate the minds of Jamaican children and I mean all children, not just ones of African descent. Growing up in Jamaica, I knew who the man was as far as him being a national hero. However, I knew nothing really of his actual work until I became a teenager, and I was deeply impressed by what I learned about his thoughts and ideologies, espe-
ten times we deride people who might very well aid us in our advancement; but, because they are “familiar�, we deem them too “common� to be carrying anything of value to us and we lose out on something significant. Though Garvey had a lot of critics such as W.E.B DuBois, who suggested that the business ventures started by Garvey failed because of economic ineptitude and incompetence, it is vitally important to note that Garvey’s efforts was an important catalyst in his day and age. The ill-fated ventures evolved into the conceptual and procedural model for future achievements in economic development for African Americans. I decided to write this article, because of the atrocious way in which George Floyd was murdered. I am as angry as everyone else who is protesting, but after the protest what’s next? What’s our next move? It was Marcus Garvey who said, “The Negro is ignored today because he has kept himself backward; but if he were to raise himself to a higher state in the civilized cosmos, all the other races would be glad to meet him on the plane of equality and comradeship.� It was estimated that African Americans spend $1.2 trillion annually, $1.2 trillion United States dollars!! But as a community what do we promote as brands to spend this enormous sum of money on? European name brands; from European designers, alcohol brands at high prices, fancy cars being
sold by other ethnic groups and jewelry sold to us by other communities. Black celebrities and influencers encourage this. Television networks branded as “black entertainment� encourages this. I watch other networks where “sharks� are encouraging entrepreneurship and venture capitalism, but, the “black entertainment� networks feed us music videos day and night with people telling us how they use to sling “rocks.� They share how they party and get drunk, refer to black queens as hoes and refer to my king brothers using the “N� word. All this indicates that we are lost as a people. Why is it we don’t see black billionaires and millionaires investing in black ventures on black television? Could it be, because we have a lack of knowledge about ourselves? Could it be, because we only know of a history that starts on a ship, travelling to America and the Caribbean in our own body waste? Could it be, because our history is not taught to us in a way to show that it originated from much further than cotton and sugar cane fields? Could it be, because we are trees without roots? I will continue to look at this issue of black economics in a future article, I think it is important to look to our past for lessons for the future. Marcus Garvey said, “A people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.�
American record labels scramble for Africa’s $80 billion music sector Kenya’s beloved boy band, Sauti Sol, after signing an historic deal with Universal Music Africa (UMA) for the Midnight Train, termed their deal with UMA as a milestone. The label sat down and negotiated the deal with them, taking into consideration their pleas. Now more than ever, American record labels are increasingly looking to Africa. Warner Music Group inked a deal with Afrobeats label Chocolate City. Universal Music Group inked a multi-year licensing agreement with Boomplay, Africa’s top music streaming platform, while Sony Music’s RCA record label with names like Davido and Wizkid on their list are extending operations in the continent. Def Jam recently announced a flagship roster of artists including established names like Cassper Nyovest, Nasty C, Nadia Nakai and Boity (all South Africa) and from Nigeria, Afrobeats act Larry Gaaga. With the sound of the Shekere (a Yoruba percussion instrument), Africa is celebrating. The independent African pop music business is having a renaissance. From Luanda’s Kuduro, to Accra’s Azonto, Nairobi’s Gengetone to Soweto’s Gwarra and back to Lagos’s Afrobeats, the boom is being fueled by social media, YouTube, a younger generation and untapped talent. While music business has been in decline over the years, what makes Africa’s market special? Goldman Sachs estimates recorded tunes in Africa will reach $80 billion by 2030. Kori Hale, CEO of CultureBanx continues to note that more than 60% of people in Africa, where global music
EMBUKANE LIBOSSO embukane@carib101.com
KENYA TC REPORTER
KENYA -- The attention on Africa’s music and artists from global players is shaping up! Africa’s widely fragmented music sectors now makes it one of the last true music growth opportunities in the world according to an article on The Forbes by Kori Hale, CEO of CultureBanx. One of the chapters in our history curriculum is called “The Scramble for Africa and Partition.� The chapter looks at European powers’ invasion, occupation, colonization and annexation of African territory. With the dawn of independence, the scramble took a new dimension in what many analysts termed as a “New scramble for Africa.� The world’s superpowers competing for the control of the abundant natural resources of the motherland. Another scramble is happening in the music sector, but African musicians are successfully navigating the situation and the international music labels are listening. RY 10TH
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consumers are poised to triple, are under 25 years old, and heavily rely on mobile phones to do everything including streaming music. This means that this group of global music listeners are ripe to become huge consumers. Sales in music in Africa were up by 8.1%, reaching $17.3 billion last year, according to industry trade body, IFPI research release. Yet, all this happened while the formal, established business was going through its worst years worldwide. Many believe that African artists, given the similar reach and clout accorded by international labels, can go toe to toe with Europe and North America’s most revered. But even before the big labels, Mr. Eazi was deliberate on his attempt to get Africa music global through the emPawa initiative. emPawa initially sprang from Mr. Eazi’s desire to replicate a key moment in his career. “He always told us the story of the $1,000 investment someone made in his career and how that made a huge difference,� says E-Kelly, a producer and close collaborator who serves as one of emPawa’s mentors. “If he can give other artists a good kickstart, they can find their feet from then on.� Music streaming is also on the spotlight in Africa. Whereas Boomplay, partly owned by China-based Transsion Holdings, Africa’s largest mobile phone distributor, enjoys the big percentage, Apple Music recently announced an expansion. Apple Music, previously available in only 13 African countries, including: Nigeria, Ghana,
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PAGE 22
FEATURE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Leading with Love “I started the Dr Vibe show with a dream and a laptop! It was started on my dining room table.” “What a gwan Simone Jennifah Esquire?” I burst out laughing because I knew exactly what type of interview this was going to be. Our Classic Man feature this week dominates the Internet when it comes to hosting intellectual, entertaining dialogue around the topics of race and gender. His experience with people sets him apart from the average podcaster. You know you are sitting with a man of great intellect when you sit across from him, and it is one of the reasons why he was the winner of the Best International Blog in 2012, at the Black Weblog Awards, and a three-year finalist in the Best Podcast Series. “Don’t go to the internet Simone. Go to the source,” he told me. So that is exactly what I did. I went to the source. I would like to present to you, someone who needs no introduction (but I am doing it anyways), Ed Gough, better known as Dr Vibe. “I am blessed, highly-favoured, a magnet for miracles, a solution for someone’s problem, and STILL BLACK!” Born to Jamaican parents in Oshawa, Ontario, Dr Vibe grew up in a loving two-parent home. His parents love story is one for the books. When they left Jamaica to pursue their post-graduate education, his parents were boyfriend and girlfriend. His dad was a Cornwall College All Boys School graduate and went to study at Howard University in Washington. Mom went to school in England, and then moved to Oshawa. The story goes like this; his father took a bus from Washington D.C. to Niagara Falls. He then took a bus from Niagara Falls to Oshawa. His love and dedication was so strong, that when he was done school, he decided he would move to Oshawa to be with the woman who would become his wife. Not long after followed the young Ed Gough. “I don’t remember much about Oshawa. I remember living in downtown on Palmerston Ave, then we moved to Belgravia (Little Jamaica), and then to Scarborough. My parents had the same group of friends from when they were in Jamaica. They really believed in community, so our families were always within a 30-minute drive from each other. It was a true testimony of community. This was a huge learning lesson for me.” Schooling was a different experience for Ed. It would be especially if your father is a teacher. “My teacher was a teacher for 38 years. Having a father as an educator, I felt more like a student then a son. When I graduated from Junior High School. I received the proficiency award. I came off stage, and the first thing he said was, “You are going to University.” There were only four African students in his high school. Ed does mention that he did not have to deal with any racism during this time. He had become adept at developing good relationships. Just as dad wanted, Ed went to the University of Toronto Scarborough College, and he completed a one-year course in Public Relations and Market at Humber College. The first job Ed had was working at a restaurant, and he recalls the experience as being an essential one. “It enhanced my ability to deal with different people. I have a lot of stories coming out of my time, but what I really learned how to do is deal with different personalities.” He also shared a traumatic experience that occurred when he worked at an athletic store. “I have never spoken of this before, but I wanted to share it with you. When I was managing this athletic store, three African
youths broke into the store, and myself, and three other customers were held in a hostage situation. For one and a half, to two hours, I was held at gunpoint. What hurt me about this situation was that three African men wanted to hurt me. They wanted to take my life from me, and in some way, when I had to testify against them, I had to take something away from them as well. It was a situation that brought me a lot of pain.” One of Ed’s first corporate jobs was at Adidas Canada. In his initial interview, four white men interviewed him. He must have wowed them, because he became the second African employee hired at their head office. He was also the first African person hired as a marketing representative at Universal Records. “I was one of the key people to bring the Roots to Toronto. I produced a music compilation with Universal artists: Jodeci, Aaron Hall, Guy, Mary J. Soul 4 Real, and Monifa. I was responsible for the: look, layout, I picked songs, called licensing companies, the whole thing. The compilation sold over 10,000 records. That may not seem like much now, but it was a lot in 1996.” He was involved in the music industry for a while, but he did not want to be a performer. “I wanted to be a decision maker. I wanted people to know that black men could be decision makers.” He moved through the corporate world for a while, and then he landed his position as program coordinator at Young and Potential Fathers. All the while, there was another aspect of his life that was moving him to act. “When I was in University, I did college radio, and I loved it. After I graduated, I visited Birks Bookstore (black-owned Bookstore) and as I was perusing, I saw a book (Black Men, Obsolete, Single, Dangerous? The Afrikan American family in Transition,1990). It was nice reading something I could relate to, especially after being inundated with European literature during my academic studies. I read the whole book in one night. After I completed it, I was thoughtful. I said to myself; one day, somehow, somewhere, I am going to create a safe space for black men to speak their heart and minds.” *Fun Fact* At a Christmas party during his time at Universal, he was jamming to the music, and a man named Steward Smith came up to him and said “You have the vibe man. You are Dr Vibe.” Initially the Dr Vibe show started as the Vibe and Vegas Show. His co-host at the time Vegas was part of the original show idea. Life happened, and he moved on to do other things. The show then transitioned it to what we know it as today, the Dr Vibe show. I was curious as to what his first show was, and he had to dig into his mental roll-a-deck. “My first episode was about Michael Vic and the dogs, and that was on October 23rd, 2009.” He chuckles as he reflects. “Dalton Higgins, Mitzie Hunter. Oh wow! I forgot that I dialogued with Mitzie. Lilly Johnson (Founding member of the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario), Dwayne Morgan. All archived conversations. It is incredible when you begin to look back.” “One of my most memorable interviews was with a woman named Kenya Williams. On one of my shows, she bared her soul and shared her story of sexual assault at the hand of family member. This was a turning point for me. It was then that I realized that my show was taking on a deeper meaning.” Dr Vibe really enjoys having fun. People sometimes see him as a serious person. “I was a black man working in the corporate world. You had to be tough. Behind it all I am a fun-loving guy. I accept people where they are. When you speak with Dr Vibe, I am not judging you.” If you have not had an opportunity, check out Dr Vibe across his many platforms: iTunes, Twitter, Facebook, Stitcher Radio, Google Play Music, iHeart Radio, YouTube.
EDBetterGOUGH Known As DR. VIBE Written by Simone Smith Toronto Caribbean News
WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WHO ELSE WOULD YOU TRUST?
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Specials in Effect Thu. June 11th until Wed. June 17th, 2020.
Store Hours
Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 8 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 7 pm
Store Hours
Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 9 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 8 pm
Lawrence Ave. E .
Store Hours
Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 9 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 7 pm
Finch Ave. E.
Store Hours
Mond-Thurs 8:30 am to 8 pm Fri.-Sat. 8:30 am to 8:30 pm Sunday 9 am to 6 pm
Dixie Rd.
Dundas St. E.
Store Hours
Mond-Thurs 9:30 am to 9 pm Fri.-Sat. 9 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 6 pm
Stafford Dr.
Rutherford Rd. South .
Finch Ave. W .
Bloor St. E.
Danforth Food Market 1225 Dundas St. Dixie & Dundas Missisauga 905-949-9990
Cawtra Rd.
d
Steeles Ave. E .
Danforth Food Market 3051 Pharmacy Ave North Finch 416-490-9219
Pharmacy Rd.
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Markam Rd.
ion
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Kennedy Rd. Soith
Although we strive for accuracy in both copy & illustration, unintentional error may occur, we reserve the right to correct any error. Specials Available While Quantities Last. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Danforth Food Market 144 Kennedy Road South 289-298-0399
Glidden Rd.
Store Hours
Monday-Friday 9 am to 9 pm Saturday 8 am to 9 pm Sunday 9 am to 7 pm
FOOD
PAGE 26
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Scotch Bonnet
BASIL PESTO PASTA SALAD with Pan-Seared Chicken Breast
• • •
1 small red sweet pepper, sliced 1/3 cup parmesan cheese Salt to taste
• •
2 cups fresh basil, blanched 1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil 4 cloves garlic 1/4 parmesan cheese 2 tsp. lime juice 2 tsp. salt 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded
NOEL CUNNINGHAM For the Pesto: noel@carib101.com
CULINARY EXPERT
Pasta salads are perfect for summer days when it is just too hot to eat a hot pasta dish. This classic summertime pasta salad, with scotch bonnet pesto, sweet peppers, chicken breast, and Parmesan is a definite crowd pleaser and versatile for any gathering. Instead of store-bought pesto I made my own with just a few handfuls of ingredients. I enjoy making my own pesto when basil is in abundance and that way, I get to add what flavor I want. For this pesto I infused scotch bonnet pepper for heat and flavor. With this salad you can add any vegetables that you like such as diced cucumbers, olives, and tomatoes. You can also serve it on a bed of chopped romaine lettuce for an extra crunch. Feta cheese also takes it to another level. For a fun experience I served my salads in party cups. To keep everything fresh and bright, combine all ingredients right before serving. This pasta salad is simple and straightforward. Serves: 4-6 people Ingredients • 1/2 pack Barilla Farfalle pasta • 2 chicken breasts • 1/4 cup Chef Noel’s Spicy Basil Pesto (see recipe below or use your favourite brand)
• • • • • •
Pesto Directions 1. In a food processor purée the blanched basil and pine nuts with remaining ingredients until smooth. Keep refrigerated. 2. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper then place in a heated skillet, sear breasts on both sides until golden brown. Place in the oven for 5 minutes and bake at 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C. Let cool before slicing. 3. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta when done, rinse it under cold water and shake out as much of the excess water as you can. 4. Add the pasta to a bowl with the pesto. Stir to combine so the pasta is totally coated in the pesto. Toss in the grated parmesan and sweet peppers. 5. Place pasta in the refrigerator to chill. When ready to serve, add to a party cup (like I do) or on a plate topped with grated parmesan cheese and sliced chicken.
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HEALTH
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 29
Preventing, treating, and understanding repetitive stress injuries drpuri@carib101.com
HEALTH SPECIALIST
“If we ignore the symptoms of RSI and they are not treated in time, they can cause a great deal of suffering, and it is important to note that if nothing is done to address the injury or remove its cause, the damage could become permanent.” Dr. Vikas Puri Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) are among the most common types of workplace injury and one in ten Canadian workers are affected. The emotional pain that accompanies the physical pain takes a psychological toll not only on the worker, but also on their co-workers, families and loved ones. Also known as musculoskeletal disorder (MSD), the term repetitive strain injury (RSI) refers to a number of injuries that affect the body’s muscles, nerves, and tendons. Some common RSIs include tendinitis, tenosynovitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome If you have ever developed a burn-
worker – not the employee made to fit the workstation. To design a healthy employee workstation properly requires an understanding of the limitations of the human body, especially in terms of muscle and soft tissue fatigue. Here are some examples of the most common office ergonomic challenges. The first is the desk. The working height of a standard desk is 30 inches, for which we expect it to be comfortable for both the 5-foot2-inch and a 6-foot-2-inch employee. But the reality is that this standard desk height is appropriate for the 6-foot-2-inch employee. The average female is 5-foot-4-inches, which would suggest that the standard 30-inch working height is too high for the majority of female workers in the office. When the working height is too high, the employee will adopt a posture where the wrists are extended when keyboarding, the neck is extended, shoulders are hunched and back is flexed forward off the chair. These postures increase muscle and soft tissue fatigue, eventually leading to pain when the postures are sustained or repetitive. Fitting the workstation to the employee would require lowering the desk to the appropriate working height so that the keyboard and mouse are on the desktop
along with the monitor resulting in a neutral posture not only for the arms and shoulders but also for the neck and back. This seated working height cannot be neglected when considering sit-to-stand workstations. It is important to investigate how far the workstation can be lowered in the seated position as many do not lower past 27-inches, which is still too high for most women. The second ergonomic challenge is the chair. The majority of employees have what would be considered an ergonomic chair based on its features of adjustability, arm and back support. In order to acquire the health benefits of an ergonomic chair, it is necessary to consider the physical size of the employee. For example, a seat pan that is too wide or too short, results in the inability to engage the armrests and backrest, respectively. The backrest and the armrest serve to take the load off the back, shoulder, neck and arm muscles. An improperly fitting chair is little better than sitting on a stool if the employee is not engaging the features of the chair meant to provide a break for the muscles and soft tissues of the body. So please improve your ergonomics, do regular stretching and strengthening exercises, and take frequent breaks from your workstation. This will help ensure good health!
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ing, aching pain while repeating the same movement for a long period of time, or shooting pains and weakness in your hands after scanning product, cutting meat, or making beds for example, you’ve probably experienced the early stages of repetitive stress injury (RSI). According to Statistics Canada, some two million Canadians suffer from repetitive strain injuries and more than half of these injuries are caused by work related activities. Common treatments include physiotherapy modalities such as lasers, shockwave treatment, ultrasound, and TENS machines. These are designed to decrease inflammation, breakdown scar tissue and heal injured muscles. Physiotherapists then begin an active exercise program to re-strengthen muscles and complete a full recovery. Throughout this program of care, specific chiropractic adjustments are performed that maximize spinal function and flow of nerve energy to the muscles to maximize healing potential and reduce recovery time. In addition, you are educated on proper workplace ergonomics to prevent injuries or reaggravations in the future. Ergonomics is the science of matching the work to the worker. In an office environment, a major focus would be insuring that employee workstations fit the
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Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
HEALTH
PAGE 31
Beware of Lyme Disease, “The great imitator” W. GIFFORDJONES MD DIANA GIFFORD-JONES COMMON SENSE HEALTH
What a relief to be outside after being isolated by the coronavirus. But beware! Warmer weather means that ticks are in the woods around you. Or even in your own back yard. A report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows, a tick bite can trigger diverse and deadly consequences. One case involved a 37-year-old man complaining of flu symptoms, fever, sore throat and joint pain. He had been in a tick-infested area several weeks earlier but did not recall a tick bite. His doctor diagnosed a viral infection and the patient improved. Weeks later heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and chest pains sent him to the emergency room. There was
no evidence of the typical tick rash. But an ECG showed complete heart block. The diagnosis? Lyme carditis. Treatment of the disease was started. Yet the man’s condition deteriorated, and he died. Another case involved a 4-yearold boy who developed fever, vomiting, general weakness, unsteady gait, and disorientation. Fortunately, doctors made a speedy diagnosis, antibiotics were administered, and the boy recovered. A third patient, a 57-year-old woman, suffered severe neurological symptoms, showing several organs in the body can be affected. It’s why Lyme Disease has been called, “the great imitator,” and why diagnosis is often delayed. Families with country homes are well aware of the pleasures of outdoor life. But they know the hazards of tick season which runs from April through October. So how do you protect yourself? First, know your enemy. The black-legged tick is an insect related to spiders and mites. It has a two¬-year life cycle and needs a host to feed. Next, ticks are plentiful. Studies show that there may be 2,000 infected
4 conditions acupuncture may help with Derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture is a therapeutic technique that involves stimulating specific areas of the skin using fine needles. Though it’s used to treat a wide range of conditions, research suggests it may be particularly effective for the following: 1. Seasonal allergies. Acupuncture can be used as a complementary treatment for common seasonal allergy symptoms such as sneezing and teary eyes.
2. Joint and muscle pain. Acupuncture has been shown to be an effective pain relief treatment, including in cases of arthritis and back pain. 3. Nausea and vomiting. Acupuncture can ease the nausea and vomiting typically experienced while undergoing chemotherapy or recovering from surgery. 4. Headaches and migraines. Treatments may reduce headaches and migraine symptoms. In all cases, studies have found that acupuncture provides best results when combined with conventional treatments and when patients expect it to work. It’s also important to choose a reputable practitioner.
ticks in an acre of forested land. If bitten by a tick, you might find it lodged in your skin and needing immediate removal. But ticks can bite, eat, and move on without you knowing. So you need to be aware of signs you’ve been bitten. A tick bite might produce nothing more than a little bump, but it can also result in a rash that appears even as long as a month after a bite. The classic tick bite rash looks like a bulls eye, as it’s red, circular, with a clear center and red ring around it. But don’t be fooled by not seeing it. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that only three people in ten get this specific rash. Bites may be painless, or painful, itchy and hot. It can be associated with low-grade fever, headache, sore muscles, fatigue and often-joint pain. The best Rx is prevention, prevention, and prevention. It’s worth every effort, given the risk of cardiovascular and neurological complications. This means wearing clothing that protects arms and legs, and the use of insect repellent. Follow a strict routine of searching to ticks on all parts of the body after being in tick territory. This involves com-
plete removal of clothing and having a proper tweezer available if a tick is found. How soon should it be removed? Some studies say that it takes 24 hours before a tick transmits Lyme Disease. But good sense says it’s prudent to remove it as soon as possible to decrease the risk of transmission. And don’t forget to check pets for ticks or give them anti-tick medication. If untreated, the disease strikes again in about three to five months. About one in ten patients develop an irregular heart rate, or heart block. The majority recover after a short time. Neurological complications develop in about 10% of cases. For instance, peripheral nerves may be involved, or they may suffer form Bell’s Palsy, meningitis or encephalitis. A final cycle of Lyme Disease starts from five months to five years following the first infection. Patients tend to complain of pain in large joints such as the knee. So, take this disease seriously. Never forget prevention is better than cure.
ALS Awareness Month: resources for caregivers Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS, is a fatal neuromuscular degenerative disease that typically affects people aged 45 to 75. It attacks motor neurons and the spinal cord, progressively causing paralysis. June is ALS Awareness Month and a great opportunity to discover sources of support for the people who take care of ALS patients. THERE’S HELP Typically, the brunt of caring for ALS patients and the costs of managing their symptoms are assumed by the people close to them. In addition to the emotional difficulty of caring for someone affected by this disease, the financial burden can be devastating. This is because ALS patients require adapted transportation, modified ho mes and constant care. Fortunately, there’s help. The ALS Society of Canada, as well as various provincial organizations, can provide: Tax credits to cover some of the costs of modifying your home may be available, depending on your situation. Speak with a tax professional to learn more.
• Information • Courses for caregivers • Support groups • Psychosocial support services • Access to grants • Other financial help If you’d like to help people with ALS and their caregivers, you can take part in various fundraising events, volunteer or make a donation. Since ALS progresses quickly and often kills within five years, investing in research is paramount. To learn more, visit als.ca.
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COMMUNITY
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Two complex dimensions of happiness:
Material and spiritual - Pt. 2
ERROL A. GIBBS errol@carib101.com
PHILOSOPHER
The desire to unravel the complexity of happiness behooves us to consider these two states of human existence — the SPIRITUAL and the MATERIAL. Many individuals think of happiness as a “generic” human condition akin to being in a state of blissfulness. However, this hard-to-define phenomenon permeates spiritual-mindedness and material-mindedness. The imbalance between these two human mind states suffocate happiness, undergirded by a stronger desire for material existence. The SPIRITUAL (divine) state of happiness requires a belief in a higher “Spiritual” power, not merely a faith but a transcendental belief. Most of humanity subscribes to a belief in the spiritual existence of God, gods, or a divine being. Faith in God characterizes spirituality, but more than a conviction. A spiritual person demonstrates the “fruit of the Spirit” in daily life toward others. In Christian maxim, the “fruit of the Spirit” is a demonstration of love, “joy,” peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). SPIRITUAL HAPPINESS (“joy”)
transcends all other forms of happiness. This path is a virtuous way that brings both happiness and “joy” to others and ourselves because it is the realization of the whole purpose of human existence. The spiritual pathway speaks to the foundation of God’s love (agápē) for His creation, which is absolute and unconditional. His love, manifested within us, breaks down barriers of intolerance among human beings regardless of color, race, class, culture, nationality, or religion. When life’s unhappiness overwhelms us, spiritual happiness (joy) fills the vacuum to sustain us when everything else seems to fail. Spiritual Happiness is not an abstract state of being; neither is it an abstract notion. It rises above all other imperatives of happiness. It is the exception because it manifests both happiness and “joy,” which is internal to the human spirit and is lasting; it is living a life of higher virtues. Spirituality compels us to choose light instead of darkness, love instead of hate, tolerance instead of intolerance, faith instead of fear, hope instead of despair, peace instead of war, and happiness instead of “unhappiness.” Arguably, people do not choose to be unhappy. Nevertheless, any act that fails to uplift the human spirit imbues unhappiness. “The keyword of Ecclesiastes is vanity, the futile emptiness of trying to be happy apart from God. The wisest, richest, most influential king in Israel’s history looks at life ‘under the sun’ (Ecclesiastes 1:9) and, from the human perspective,
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declares it all to be empty. Power, popularity, prestige, pleasure—nothing can fill the God-shaped void in man’s life but God himself! Once seen from God’s perspective, life takes on meaning and purpose. …Skepticism and despair melt away when we view life as a gift from God. … No amount of activities or possessions has satisfied the craving of his [man’s] heart. Every earthly prescription for happiness has left the same bitter aftertaste.” The Book of Ecclesiastes, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., pp. 655–657. Material prosperity cannot replace feelings of emptiness and lack of purpose experienced by affluent individuals and their families. Sadly, a loss of material wealth can often take the wealthy to the brink of hopelessness. The great and wise King Solomon of Israel must have peered into the future of the postmodern world, and decided to pen his most profound thoughts to enlighten humankind of the complexity of the “search for happiness.” His words light a path like a beacon for humanity to follow in the twenty-first century and the new millennium (Ecclesiastes 1:1–2). Material compulsion fosters the need for material things to satisfy temporary human material and physical needs and wants. Necessarily, the human desire to seek, acquire, and maintain material possessions can fulfill only the outer person. Nevertheless, we can attain both spiritual and material happiness when we
consciously and consistently seek to purify ourselves of the tendencies to act on selfish impulses. Happiness and cultural norms such as political, religious, racial, cultural, and colour underpin such factors as “country of birth” and “worldview.” These intrinsic and extrinsic attributes have both a positive and negative influence on human relations despite our upbringing. We can begin to unravel the complexity with a positive mental attitude that bolsters happy thoughts to promote better relationships with others. The vast experience that we share is the lesson of empathy for those whom some might deem inferior. It imbues others with feelings of inclusiveness and happiness as “joy” and outer happiness reign supreme in their lives. We urge all to “search for joy” in their lives, despite the circumstances under which we live, because individual happiness aggregates to happiness in the family, community, corporation, nation, and internationally. We must also guard against every “action” or “inaction” that can amount to shirking our responsibility to bring happiness to the lives of others - especially those unlike us. Fundamentally, this perspective is essential for “mutual survival,” for peaceful coexistence in harmony and happiness with others. Unhappiness can take root when human needs at the fundamental level are unfulfilled with little hope for fulfillment.
LIFE
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 33
Why hopeful people don’t always succeed fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker’s son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. Hope - Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope!” Those were the words of the 44th President of the United States of America, Barrack Hussien Obama, during his presidential campaign in 2004. He appeals for hope; it’s not surprising he won. It was Hal Lindsey who says, “Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope.” Did the former US President keep all his promises, after eight years in the Oval office? No! Interestingly, according to Politifact, the former US president kept 48% of his campaign promises, 27% were compromised, and 24% were broken. We
DANIEL COLE
daniel@carib101.com
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
“In the end, that’s what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope? John Kerry calls on us to hope. John Edwards calls on us to hope. I’m not talking about blind optimism here the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don’t think about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about something more substantial. It’s the hope of slaves sitting around a
hope because we know that what we’re desiring isn’t in our lives yet. The material absence of what we’re hoping for is the fabric of reality that creates hope. The hope for a better future is perhaps the reason we all work from dawn to dusk. The late nights and the early mornings. We go to school to get a degree with the hope that upon completion, we will become valuable to society, make a good living, and provide for our family. It costs nothing to hope, but hope in itself is illusive without an intentional plan and strategic actions. Hope has its place in the pursuit of any dream, but it should always be kept in perspective. We are not healthy because we hope to be healthy; it takes a healthy diet and regular exercise to stay healthy. No one gets rich by hoping to be rich, it takes planning, investing, saving, hard work, and strategies to create wealth. Empires are not built by merely pasting pictures on vision boards and chanting positive affirmations, affirmations are good, but that’s just one part of the success equation.
There is a clear distinction between hoping, planning, and taking actions, and the missing link for so many is they are overly optimistic, but no strategies and intentional plan. George S. Patton once said, “Don’t fall victim to what I call the ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome. You must be willing to fire.” Tom Peters puts it this way, “Ready, aim, fire. Do it! Make it happen! Action counts. No one ever sat their way to success. Quit making excuses, putting it off, complaining about it, dreaming about it, planning about it, thinking about it, whining about it, believing you can’t, waiting for the right opportunity, or wondering if you. Hold on tight, say a prayer, make a plan, and just do it. The future does not only rest in the arms of hope, the future would become a reality through strategic planning, action, faith, doggedness, persistence, and prayer. Keep Hope Alive, but remember, it takes more than hope to live your dream.
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LIFE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
“What the hell had I done to get me into this mess?” Reliving my past trauma The soul meaning of life is to serve humanity BY SEBRINA SEHER 11 YEARS OLD TC JUNIOR CONTRIBUTOR “Success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives” There is nothing more beautiful than when someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others. People who are treated fairly and have equal opportunity are better able to contribute socially and economically to the community and to enhance growth and prosperity. Helping others’ lives has a positive impact on our own, making us happier and instilling a greater sense of purpose every day. “Be the change you wish to see in the world” Volunteering at a local organization is a great way to give back to your community. Hospitals, food banks, youth groups, senior’s homes and animal shelters would benefit from your time especially during this time of emergency. “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give” You can organize charitable events and could raise money for a senior’s program, collect food for donations for the community pantry. Alone, we can do so little, together we can do so much. So we all should try to attend school and community meetings. “Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds” So try to keep your school and community clean. You won’t just be growing fruits, vegetables or flowers but more love and friendships along the way. When you are supporting a small business you are supporting a dream. Kids can setup juice, old story books and toy stands. “Don’t build links. Build relationships.”
EMPOWERING OUR YOUNG MINDS OF TOMORROW TORONTO CARIBBEAN NEWS INC.
SIMONE SMITH simone@carib101.com
HUMAN SPECIALIST
I heard the sound of the laughter outside the gate. For a moment, I had forgotten where I was, but upon opening my eyes, I was brought back to my harsh reality. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the room. There were no windows in the cell so I had no idea what time it was. The heavy steel door was closed almost completely shut, except for a small sliver of light that was escaping from around the seams. As my eyes adjusted, I saw that the other occupants of the room were still sleeping. I saw some stirring in the corner of the room, and someone sat up. I slowly shifted my weight, and turned over to the other side. I was not ready to greet anyone yet. The cold floor was already starting to do a number on my hips. Again, you take for granted some of the wonderful and almost neglected aspects of your life, until they are gone. My body was crying for a bed, and I had only
offered it some newspapers. My first night was a cornucopia of grief, and uncertainty. I spent most of the time hoping that one of those roaches I had seen would not crawl on me, and trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. I couldn’t stop picturing my parents. I knew my mom was panicking, my dad, and stoic, finding his best way to keep her calm. Both of them wondering how they were going to get me out of this, and worried if I was okay. It was in this moment that I felt embarrassed, and ashamed. How could I have gone and done this; it was also the time when I began to wonder, what the hell had I done to get me into this mess. I scoured my thoughts thinking about some of the things that I could have done that would have the United States Government issue a warrant for my arrest. What really sucked was that there was no one who spoke English. The paperwork was all in Spanish, so it was difficult to know what I had signed. Now that I think about it, that probably was not the brightest thing to do, but what were my options at the time. My mind went back to thinking about what I could have done. I had a feeling I knew what it was, and the interesting thing about it was that my ex-boyfriend had warned me that people were starting
to get snatched up at the American border over some things that I had done when I was in my 20’s. I remember the phone call vividly. “Simone,” he said, “I am just giving you the heads up. You know when you were picking up money in the States a few years ago.” “Um yeah,” I said annoyed. He had called me at work, and I really did not want to talk about things I had done in my past on the phone at work. “Well,” he continued, “I wanted to let you know that a few people have been snatched up and questioned about it. If I were you, I wouldn’t cross the border anytime soon.” “I had not planned on it J,” I said. I remember that when he told me, coldness ran through me like a lightning bolt. I had come such a far way from my time of silliness, and youthful ignorance. I was ready to move on to bigger and better things. I had started my business, bought a home that I was renting out, and things were going really well. This was no time to be running into past demons. The light in the cell came on abruptly, snapping me out of my thoughts. I heard my cellmates beginning to stir. It was time for me to get out of my head, and into adaptation mode. I slowly opened my eyes, and stiffly propped myself up. Eight sets of eyes greeted me with curiosity.
How the Cosmos are helping us shape our new tomorrow; our new normal GARCIA AKUA
garcia@carib101.com
COSMIC CORNER
Gemaste family! The gem in, “I recognize the gem in you!” I’m sending you all an abundance of love during these trying times. Just as we were beginning to see restrictions lifted with the pandemic, the world has been reminded of the long-standing virus of racism. Sparked by killings of black men in America, Aubrey and Floyd. There is a global cry for justice and equality. All across the world including in our city of Toronto, protesters have taken to the streets in the demand for their voices to be heard. We are hearing that change is now and our youth are those agents of change. Many of the protests have been hijacked by agitators and are taking away from the voices of our youth. Let’s listen to what the cosmos have to say. I write with a myriad of emotions under this full moon eclipse in Sagittarius.
Eclipses are a period for emotional reset in these times. I think we would all like to reset 2020. But remember as we last discussed, 2020 is not canceled; it is being restructured. Cosmically, the reset starts now. Under a normal full moon, we would give thanks for what has grown or illuminated in our lives and release anything that no longer serves us. Full moon energy is most potent three days prior to the moon, and three days after. With an eclipse, the energy lingers for up to six months. We have our first of three eclipses June 5th in the sign of Sagittarius. Sagittarius ruled by the planet of expansion Jupiter, is a fire sign of adventure and philosophy. Sagittarius is also a sign of truth. With the Sun in the sign of Gemini, Sagittarius’ opposite, we are being invited to explore our philosophies and find our truth. Gemini is the sign of child like curiosity and communication. We also have strong influences from Venus and Mars. Venus (planet of love), and Mars (planet of passion and aggression) both want to enter this conversation. This combination of energy supports why our young people, with their childlike curiosity, passion, and love for justice have taken to the streets to have their voice heard. They carry a fire for change. As Sagittarius is a sign of philosophy, and a
sense of wisdom, we can support our youth by helping to direct their fire. We all have a role to play in shaping our new tomorrow or new normal. The quarantine and the pandemic taught us how important freedom, human touch and compassion really is. We were called to support each other from a distance to keep us safe and sane. In the beginning of the year, we discussed that healthy vulnerability will be a requirement of 2020. Our healing and liberation are intertwined. Much like how the cosmos combine energies that influence us all. I know this has been a challenging year so far, but hey we’re half way through. This is a time of change, a time of transformation and healing. The eclipse portal is awaiting us to step into our truth. The fire will burn away the illusions that keep us captive. Gemini rules the lungs and throat chakra. Mr. Floyd’s last words were “I can’t breathe.” We still can! Let us use our breath of Mars passion to speak power, equality, and justice for all. Let’s use our breath and our voice to speak life, to speak hope, to speak compassion and Venus’s energy of Love. As we all stand in this moment of truth, remove the masks of injustice and racism and breathe!
LIFE
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 35
Ontario narrows the academic gap by announcing summer learning plan for kids the Ministry of Education has made online resources available. The focus was on Mathematics, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and reading for elementary students, and on certain selective courses for secondary students. On May 19th, 2020, the Ministry launched the second phase and the third phase of its online learning portal, which can be found at www.ontario.ca/learneathome. In his letter to parents Minister Leece observes, “That is why we are providing new opportunities for students to continue learning over the summer. We also have announced Ontario’s Summer Learning Plan, which is a robust plan for summer learning opportunities including new programs and initiatives. I encourage you to discuss these options with your children to determine if there are opportunities to continue their learning over the summer.� The Ontario Summer Learning Plan will take place over the months of July and August when students would be on their summer break from school. There are seven areas of focus that will be emphasized. These include the following:
PAUL JUNOR
paul@carib101.com
EDUCATION
The closure of all schools in Ontario has interrupted and disrupted the education of over two million students in public schools. To date over 200,000 teachers have been forced to work from home. The Ministry of Education announced on May 19th, 2020 their plan to ensure that students continue to engage in remote learning and to maintain learning in the summer. In a letter to the parents, the Minister of Education, Stephen Leece wrote, “We have heard from parents that there is a need to provide bridge programming and other gap closing initiatives during the fast-approaching summer period. We know that the learning loss that takes place every year over the summer can be a challenge when the school year resumes in September.� This year the risk of summer learning is more pronounced. The fact that students have not been in a formal structured classroom for over two months makes it incumbent for them to narrow the academic gap and catch up on areas that they need help in. Since the COVID-19 outbreak,
1. Expanded core programming which include courses that are normally offered in summer school. 2. Introduction of upgrading courses will enable students to improve their marks. 3. Targeted support for vulnerable students to ensure that they have access to non-credit ministry educational programs and leadership supports for
students. 4. Focused programming for students with special education or mental health needs. 5. Communicating volunteer opportunities for students so that they can leverage virtual volunteer opportunities where possible. 6. Summer programming in Provincial and Demonstration Schools will focus on continued learning for our students with particular needs and specialized integrated programming. 7. Key concept mapping for next years learning, which will focus on compulsory high-demand and pre-requisite secondary courses. The offer of new upgrading courses during the summer will be helpful for students who are in Grade 9-12 students who intend to pursue college or university programs. The ability to upgrade full-credit courses they have successfully completed (110 hours of course work) will enable students to earn higher marks by completing 55 hours of work. The availability of specific learning supports for students with special education needs and mental health needs will involve a new two-week program in skills development, learning and regular maintenance of practice with extra time for students with autism. The enhancement of the Learn At Home Portal brings greater accessibility to course offerings. In addition, students will be able to fulfil their community service
graduation requirements virtually, through partnership opportunities with cross-government teams. Increased funding for expanded online and virtual mental supports will support students who are dealing with anxiety, stress, depression and other challenges. There are benefits that students will gain from the Ontario’s Summer Learning Plan. It provides opportunities in traditional and non-traditional programming course upgrading, targeted programs for vulnerable students, or students with special or mental health needs and Indigenous students. The closure of summer camps and outdoor programs mean that many students who are home-bound will be able to take advantage of these options to expand their: academic, social, cognitive and intellectual skills. There are still a lot of details that have to be ironed out in the next few weeks. The online courses that are available have been released and students should register as soon as possible. The Minister of Education expects that there will be more than double the number of students who will participate in this summer programming compared to past years. The new virtual components of the summer learning will be gradually revealed, as it will follow strict protocols depending on when the emergency measures are lifted. There will be more resources available to students to help them that will focus on high-demand, prerequisite secondary courses, such as: Math, Science, Engish, and French.
Pharaoh Hatshepsut; one of the greatest African leaders in history The Queen who ruled as King carved on the side of a mountain at Deirel-Bahr with ‘electrum capped’ stones. A structure like this was unheard of at that time. Pharaoh Hatshepsut built more monuments than every other Pharaoh prior to her reign. Only the great Rameses 2nd erected more monuments than she did. As much as we have witnessed that might of Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s construction program, there is one person who we need to give reverence to. His name is Senenmut. Senenmut was born as a commoner who later rose to power during Pharaoh Hatshepsut’s reign. His official titles during her reign were “Steward of the God’s Wife� and “Steward of the King’s Daughter.� Senenmut oversaw the quarrying, transport, and erection of the tekhenu or obelisk. He is also credited with being the chief architect of Pharoah Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple at Deir-el-Bahr. Senenmut was also the Royal Tutor to Neferure, Hatshepsut’s daughter. In the book, Hatshepsut from Queen to Pharoah, the authors state that there are ten statues that were commissioned by Senenmut. There are also numer-
DAVE RANKIN dave@carib101.com
AFRICAN HISTORY
The prosperity Ancient Kemet had enjoyed under the leadership of Pharaoh Hatshepsut was unprecedented. The ‘army lead on water’ with Pharaoh Hatshepsut at the helm, reconnected the nation to trade routes back into Punt. Historian Dr. John Henrik Clarke tells us in his lecture, Black Women in History, that Pharaoh Hatshepsut also sent trade expeditions into parts of Western Asia, now known as the Middle East and as far as ‘Kali’, present day India. When it came to revealing her architectural might, she did not disappoint. The erection of her mortuary temple shimmered whenever Ra shone his light. It was RY 10TH
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ous reports that Senenmut and Pharaoh Hatshepsut were secret lovers. Whether the claim is true or not, one thing that is for certain is that they are etched in the records of world history. She had a list of endless supporters who showered her with enduring love. It was no wonder Tuthmosis 3rd thought she would live forever. By this time, he would have been of age to assume his position on the throne. Tuthmosis 3rd was also engaged to Neferure, the daughter of Pharaoh Hatshepsut. So his path was clear. Well, at least on paper. In reality, Tuthmosis 3rd had to be patient for his time to reign. Pharaoh Hatshepsut was about 50 years old when she had passed of causes unknown. Buried in the Valley of the Kings under Tomb KV60, it was discovered by British Egyptologist Howard Carter in 1903. At that time the tomb was pillaged and desecrated but had contained two mummies. In 1906 Edward R. Ayrton reopened the tomb and removed one of the mummies. The removed coffin had the inscription with the name of the Royal Nurse Sit-Ra on it. There are no reports of the excavation of the second mummy. It is said that neither Carter nor Ayrton drew
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any maps, so Tomb KV60 was lost to all. In 1990, a team led by Donald P. Ryan and Mark Papworth reopened the tomb. They came across the mummy of Hatshepsut and recovered some pottery. However, they couldn’t identify the tomb with the 18th dynasty so they closed the tomb. It wasn’t until 2007, that director of the Council of Antiquities Zahi Hawass led a team into tomb KV60 in search of the lost mummy. I vividly remember this, as it was a televised event at that time. Once the mummy and a canopic box were excavated, there were a number of tests that were conducted. Hawass’ team performed a CT scan and noticed that the mummy was missing a molar. Lay within the canopic box was the missing molar and with this, the mummy of Pharaoh Hatshepsut was located. “The discovery of the Hatshepsut mummy is one of the most important finds in the history of Egypt,� Mr. Hawass said. Preserved and now on display at the museum in Cairo, Pharaoh Hatshepsut now lays as one of the greatest leaders of all time. Rest among the imperishable stars.
PAGE 36
LIFE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Stopped by Police! Don’t fret, just know your rights NANA ADJEI-POKU nana@carib101.com
LEGAL SPECIALIST
In light of the recent tragedy in the United States regarding George Floyd, I was speaking with one of my adult sons, and he advised me of a time when he was approached by an officer at his school. I had intentions of writing about another issue for this week’s article but felt the urgent need to get this information out there for those of us who do not know what our rights are under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Please Note: This is not to be taken as legal advice as every case is different and you must consult a lawyer to obtain legal advice. The Charter is part of our Canadian Constitution and it guarantees our various rights and freedoms. The important sections of the Charter in this article are found in the Legal Rights ss.7-14. If you find yourself detained or arrested, please remember that you have the right: 1. to remain silent at all times; 2. to be informed why you have been arrested; 3. to contact a lawyer and speak to him/ her in private; and 4. not to be arbitrarily detained. The only time police have the right to pull you over is pursuant to a Highway Traffic Act violation. The police may investigate your driver’s license, insurance, registration and to ensure your vehicle is in proper working order. If you have passengers with you in the car, they are not required to identify themselves nor is the officer allowed to search your vehicle, even if they ask you, unlike if you are under arrest. Police are not allowed to detain you without reasonable grounds. Reasonable in the sense that, an officer cannot just suspect, he/she must be able to establish, on a balance of probabilities, that more likely than not, there is evidence to warrant detaining you. If you are detained under reasonable grounds, the officer can only pat you down with their hands. This is known as a “pat down search.” The police are not allowed to go into your pockets, purse or backpack and empty their
contents. If you are arrested, they are allowed to then search your belongings and/ or your vehicle if your vehicle is at the location of your arrest. A good way to determine whether you are being detained to politely ask the police officer if you are free to leave. If the officer advises you that you are not, then this means you are being detained. You can then ask why you are being detained. If you have not been advised, they must tell you thereafter. If you notice that the officers have unlawfully detained you, ensure to advise your lawyer of this as it does happen. If it ends up that you have been arrested, please be aware that police can only do so if: you are caught engaging in a crime, if there are reasonable grounds to believe you have committed one or about to commit one, or have a warrant our for your arrest. An important thing you must remember is to refrain from resisting arrest. Police must inform you that you are under arrest and what you are being arrested for. If you do not understand what you are being arrested for once you have been given the opportunity to speak with your lawyer, you may ask to speak with another lawyer. If you have an encounter with the police at your home, they are only able to communicate with you at your front door, or at best, you may go outside and speak with them on your porch. You do not have to allow them into your home if they ask. You are also not obligated to answer your door if the police ring your bell. If it so happens that they are allowed into your home and ask you to search and you say, “Yes” they do not require a warrant, so remain mindful of this. A search warrant must be obtained by judicial authorization by either a judge or justice of the peace. The only time police are able to enter into a home is when: they are pursuing a suspect, have a fear that a suspect will destroy evidence and, in this instance, they do not require a warrant. An example of this would be a drunk driver who runs into his home to avoid being charged for drunk driving. If you feel your incident with the police warrants a complaint, you can contact the Office of the Independent Review Director. This is an independent body that was launched back on October 19th, 2009 that conducts investigations into police complaints. The decisions are public record and are posted on the site. Other than that, you may pursue a lawsuit after speaking with a civil litigation lawyer.
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
Is Facebook trying to be the WeChat of the West? CHRISTINA GWIRA christina@carib101.com
TECH SPECIALIST
Over the past couple of weeks, Facebook has been rolling out new features to their platform. In our last edition, I introduced Facebook Page Shops; a concept which would allow any business with a Facebook page to have their own eCommerce setup, sans eCommerce store. Now, Facebook Messenger Rooms (they’ve even rolled out something similar on Instagram!) is set to be the feature of the month to be rolled out to “The Book”. As mentioned, prior, connecting with teams, friends and family over video is now a part of our culture and our future. With this in mind, Facebook created Messenger Rooms to allow you to add Facebook friends into one big video conference, all without leaving the platform. I’m not a big fan of video conferencing. Even using that word seems archaic and outdated. However, in a soon-to-be post-pandemic world, video calling is now, more than ever, a growing part of our lives. From schooling to meetings to security, video calls and VoIP (video over internet protocol) are here to stay. Some say that Messenger Rooms are a direct attack on Zoom. Over the past couple of weeks, Zoom’s security and video quality has been steadily going down the toilet, and people are starting to notice. Even my mentor-in-my-head Chris Do has forgone the platform to build his own streaming studio within his home to be able to do Zoom-like sessions with a dash of social distancing. But what does all of this have to do with WeChat? In my personal opinion, I think (did you catch “The Good Wife” reference?) that Facebook is on track to attempt to have market dominance not just in the social media space but in the lives of everyday people. WeChat is akin to a conglomerate of apps, services and content that are all nicely packaged together into what I’d like to think is one
super app. From the WeChat app you can pay bills; you can also grab a taxi to go to your next coffee outing. At the coffee date, you can use money within your wallet - also on WeChat - to pay for your coffee. If you’d like, you could (China has since put heavy restrictions on digital currency) even use WeChat Pay’s digital currency to pay for said date. In 2019, Facebook announced that they were working on their own digital currency called Libra. For the past couple of years, words like bitcoin, blockchain and digital currency have become commonplace throughout out every day speech and with a move to also create their own cryptocurrency - much like WeChat - Facebook could be making the many calculated moves to become the WeChat of the West. Each day, Facebook is creating or launching a new feature that seeks to bring all the features of their platform together. Yet is this a good thing? We have evidence that this could have disastrous consequences. The aftermath of the Trump 2016 campaign saw Mark Zuckerberg - founder and CEO of Facebook - on trial for potential misuse of the Facebook platform, specifically targeting the paid ad network and components. So, what does this mean for us, the common people? It could mean everything, or it could mean nothing. Believe it or not, it is possible to live a life that doesn’t rely on Facebook. While it is one of the Western world’s fastest growing social media platforms (it’s child network Instagram is actually 2020’s fastest growing social network) it does not mean that we should focus so heavily on integrating it into our lives. Remember to keep first things first: build genuine connections with people in real life. Business owners: remember to build your email list and have your own website which you own entirely. Keep track of your passwords, information and the like online. In conclusion, I know that Facebook will continue to find ways to get more people, more businesses and more eyes onto their platform. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, be vigilant, keep watch and remember to make first things first always, and that’s people.
TECHNOLOGY
PAGE 37
FEATURE
PAGE 38
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
the poetic word Never Forgotten
BY GLORIA O’KOYE Lady Justice was never blindfolded She looked at one side with favour Gave the other her backside With a pinch of Side eyes. Too many awaiting trials, Dismissed for reasons we notice Yet won’t address fully Like humans were made flawless To look past The skin tones that make us different
Maybe Just maybe The skin that was kissed by sunrays Birthed stories of origin Passed down To descendants that will carry on Of the torch Holding a legacy name Was enough reason? To lay motionless Enough reason For those who played as defence To say
Rage consumes with all that’s unanswered. Where guilty walks free While innocent wait Praying they’ll avoid disasters
All they did was to Protect and Serve They feared for their life So they had no choice But to act out on self defence
Privilege speaks in volumes In such low frequencies Maybe that’s why The Law Looks past certain cases Only those that this world Deemed as animals can pick up Unwanted messages
A reason That we all heard Tired Exhausted Marching and chanting Being unheard
Maybe selling CDs Reaching for a wallet Equals to Threat postures Maybe jogging Fits the description Maybe paying For juice and candy Somehow In some way, Formed weapons Of mass destruction
Our fallen Shall Not Be forgotten All we can do Is to NOT Allow our fallen To be forgotten Even if we have to Wrap Lady Justice eyes With linen soaked in hot resin So our fallen Would be heard And NOT Be forgotten
Whitney’s Gourmet Pepper Sauce and Pepper Jellies
Brings the flavours of Barbados to Canada NOEL CUNNINGHAM noel@carib101.com
CULINARY EXPERT
“Remember when you tasted chocolate for the first time and your head nearly exploded it was so delicious and you couldn’t believe you just ate something so amazing, and then never ever wanted to stop eating it? Well, Whitney’s hot sauce is the new chocolate. Fair warning.” B. Hoar When you think Caribbean food: spice, heat, and scotch bonnet peppers first come to mind. We are divided by the beautiful Caribbean Sea, but one thing that binds us together is our love for hot sauce. Hot sauce is a condiment made and widely used throughout the different Caribbean Islands. Each island and household has its own recipes and you can always find a bottle of homemade pepper sauce aging in most homes. Don’t be surprised if your host or hostess asks you if you would like to have some pepper sauce with your meal. This is somewhat similar for Whitney’s and how they started the Whitney’s Gourmet Pepper Sauce line. Joan and Desmond Whitney both from Barbados migrated to Canada many years ago. As much as they love Canada, and now call it home, one thing was missing: Desmond’s grandmother’s hot sauce. Desmond said no matter which sauce he tried; none could compare to his grandmother’s homemade hot sauce. While living in downtown Toronto with a beautiful backyard Joan started planting flowers for beautification and curb appeal, but Desmond soon grew tired of the plants. Maintaining a garden is no easy feat, so he thought to himself, “Why not plant something we can eat.” Sounds like a typical Caribbean man if you should ask me. We think with our stomachs. What started as passion later
became purpose. They started their pepper garden, and once harvested, they started making homemade pepper sauce as grandma did back home. They wanted to share their passion, so they began giving it to friends and family as gifts. News of how incredible the pepper sauce was caught wind, and people came back asking for more. This is where Joan’s business bulb came on; she realized they were on to something. They had a good product, and people were asking for it. Demand started to rise, and they made a strategic business move. It was time to share this with people outside their circle. It was time to turn this passion into a paycheque. “I never expected to have a business from sauces and pepper jelly.” Joan Whitney With such a large harvest of peppers, the Whitney’s started their own pepper jelly sauce along with the famous hot sauce. Desmond thought it must have been beginners’ luck. The success that came with their first run of products could not happen again, could it? The Whitneys went from selling to friends and family: to selling at the farmers market, shipping worldwide, and building a loyal fan base on social media. Joan said before she knew it, news started to get around and orders started to come in more than expected. “This pepper sauce has heat but even more than that, it has some amazing flavor to it.” Keisha Carvery Joan noted that the response so far to the product has been phenomenal. The hot sauce and pepper jelly are definitely a hot catch. They bring the heat and flavor of true Caribbean hot sauce. Everyone is loving them because: of its homemade taste, the fact that it is organic, and the health benefits that’s all in one bottle. While speaking with Joan I could hear her passion and love for what she does, which led me to the question if she would ever expand her production to reach stores across Canada? She explained, “We need to build a solid business foundation before we think to expand.” Joan aims to
keep the product as exclusive as possible to preserve the authentic taste and the way mama made it. She went on to explain, “It’s organic and it also has lots of spices that have health benefits to the body. When it’s time to expand it, we want it to remain the same.” When asked what advice she has for anyone wanting to enter into business or even the same sauce business; she never hesitates to say, “Believe in your product, believe in yourself, and believe in the product. Remain open and listen to what people come and say.” Whitney’s Pepper Sauce and Pepper Jelly are both made with natural organic products. Each item can be served/ paired with any dish. The sauces are currently available at events or popup markets. Joan and Desmond’s ultimate goal is to have their product available in stores across the GTA. If hot sauce is your thing, you will enjoy this fresh tasty pepper sauce that will leave your tongue begging for more. You can order Whitney’s pepper sauce and jellies by calling (647) 447-1202 or email them at whitneyspeppersauce@ gmail.com. Shipping is now available Canada wide and in the United States.
FUN
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 39
WEEK OF JUNE 7 TO JUNE 13, 2020
ARIES
The luckiest signs this week: ARIES, TAURUS AND PISCES
You’ll expand your professional network and social circle this week. You’ll also succeed in mixing business with pleasure.
TAURUS
You’ll work on a demanding project that’ll be profitable in the long run. Be patient. Prosperity is overdue, but it’s coming.
PUZZLE NO. 711 ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 711
GEMINI
A course taken over the summer will provide you with additional qualifications in your field. You may take a trip that broadens your outlook and improves your selfesteem.
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.
CANCER
If there’s tension in your relationship, you’ll start to look for a concrete solution. Quality time with your partner is important. Make sure not to bring problems home from the office.
Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column, or 3x3 box.
LEO
If you’re single, a bold stranger will invite you on a trip around the world. Proficiency in ano ther language will prove valu able on a business trip. Weigh all the pros and cons before mak ing a decision.
VIRGO
PUZZLE NO. 1 blackjack 47. Military division 49. Swiss call 52. School groups: abbr. 55. Perched 57. Underground chamber 58. Relax 59. Schuss 60. “The Man Who ____ Too Much” 61. Acorn bearers 62. Nope’s opposite 63. Transmit
ACROSS 1. Soda flavor 5. Duck-foot feature 8. Heroic poem 12. Like Darth Vader 13. Tree chopper 14. “____, Nanette” 15. Mortgage, e.g. 16. Job for a musi-
cian 17. Husk 18. Inaccuracy 20. Oompah horn 22. Largest continent 24. Lump of gold 28. Soap cake 30. Interfere 32. Wait on
33. Opera melody 35. Road covering 37. Elk 38. Prepared 40. Saloon 42. Elbow site 43. Guitars’ cousins 45. Surpass 21, in
DOWN 1. Give up 2. Done 3. Book minder 4. Low female voices 5. Move to and fro 6. Door sign 7. Started 8. Angered 9. Hawaiian food 10. “Holiday ____” 11. Atlantic food fish 19. Parachuter’s cord
21. Commuter vehicle 23. Museum display 25. Large dog 26. At all times 27. Word 28. Thorn 29. Length x width 31. Bark 34. Adapts 36. Chafe 39. Hither’s
partner 41. Purchase 44. Ms. Spacek 46. Anklets 48. Seize 50. Consistent 51. Bawdy 52. Major-leaguer 53. Oolong or pekoe 54. Request 56. End
ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 1
Expect to start projects with a lot of details that take a long time to sort out. You may be offered a longawaited promotion that’ll be a great source of pride.
LIBRA
Your charisma will ensure you’re loved, supported and followed wher ever you go. You’ll suggest a venture at work or at home, and everyone will be on board.
SCORPIO
Your kids and their school activities will require a lot of attention and involvement this week. You’ll get the green light from the bank to finance a property and some major renovations.
SAGITTARIUS
Find a way to express yourself clearly so you can overcome a finan cial concern. A big step with your partner, such as buying a house, will cement your future together.
CAPRICORN
This is an excellent time to apply for a loan or consolidate your debts. Don’t hesitate to knock on your boss’ door and ask for a raise. They won’t refuse you this week.
AQUARIUS
New challenges are on the horizon and possibly some new be ginnings. You may prepare to go back to school or take steps to develop your spiritual side.
PISCES
Your health may be an obstacle this week. You’ll need to take time to find the right doctor or treatment to improve your quality of life, but you won’t have to wait long to see results.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING
Meet Arvin This seven month old Angel was rushed to Hospital after he began to have trouble breathing. It was discovered that he suffered from a condition where very little blood was flowing to the lungs and there was not enough oxygenated blood circulating through his little body. Due to extremely low oxygen levels he was rushed into the operating room for emergency surgery where a shunt was placed to increase blood flow to his lungs. This saved his life. Due to his small size however, this temporary treatment would only allow him to survivelong enough to undergo future surgeries. After a few days, he was able to breathe on his own and drank his first bottle of milk one week after surgery. In the next few years, Arvin will need one or two more surgeries before he is completely cured.
@tccfangels #tccfangels | to donate www.tccfangels.com
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FORWANTED SALE HELP
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY SEEKING MALE/FEMALE FOR A COOK/CLEANER TO WORK IN A PERSONAL CARE HOME IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO. CALL MARTHA 416-922-7674 OR EMAIL RESUME
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PERSONALS
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FOR SALE WORSHIP
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Protect The Financial Security Of The Ones You Love
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AUTO
INSURANCE
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Bramalea Physiotherapy & Wellness
BRAMPTON 18 Kensington Rd. Suite 200 Brampton, ON L6T 4S5 905-792-7757 ETOBICOKE 81 The East Mall, Suite 105 Etobicoke, ON M8Z 5W3 416-251-7000 WHITBY 814 Brock Street North Whitby, ON L1N 4J5 905-430-5605
BACKYARDIGAN Food Truck
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RKB Accounting & Tax Services Personal, Self-Employed, Corporate Tax filings for USA and Canada, Financial Statements, Bookkeeping, Payroll, HST, and WSIB Services 100 Hanlan Road Unit 3, Woodbridge ON L4L 4V8
TEL: 647-692-5677
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REGGAE MUSIC WANTED Cash for Jazz,Soca, Soul LPS and Reggae 45's Also buying speakers, turntables and stereos
Marcus 416-844-9990
PAGE 42
REAL ESTATE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Help! My tenant did not pay rent JAY BRIJPAUL brijpaul@carib101.com
REAL ESTATE PRO
Here at home, job losses are severe, and many tenants are unable to cover their rent. Landlords need the rental income to cover their expenses and frustrations are brewing. There is a brief band on eviction, but landlords can get to a running start. My last article covered the use of the N4- form; a notice to end the tenancy early for non-payment of rent. The next step is to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) for eviction and to collect past due rent (L1 Form). Landlords cannot apply for eviction unless the tenant was served with the N4. They must apply after the termination date given on the N4, otherwise, the application is not valid, and the landlord must start over. A copy of the N4 along with the certificate of service for that notice must accompany the application. If not, the application will be rejected by the board. All forms are available on the Landlord and Tenant Board’s website
and the L1 can be completed online and efiled directly with the board. The L1 consists of seven sections. The first caters for the address of the rental property. It must be accurate and match the one provided on the N-4. The second portion deals with the amount owed. The amount owed is the rent and the cost of the filing fees. The third is information about both the landlord and the tenant so that the board can communicate with both parties. In the fourth section, the landlord can select the reason for the eviction. It also requires the frequency of rent payment, such as monthly or weekly, and whether the tenant still occupies the property. In addition, the landlord must state the amount of rent deposited for the last month and when the deposit was collected as well as the last rental period the tenant had paid interest on the deposit. The next segment is for the landlord to show how the rental amount owed by the tenant was calculated. Part 6 is a summary of the total rent due including NFS cheques, administrative and application charges. The seventh section is for the landlord or the representative to sign. LTB will schedule a hearing between three to six weeks after the filing date of the L1 form. Once the forms are submitted to the board, the case is reviewed and entered into the case management system. Staff will
check the supporting documents and the timeline for submission. Providing false information to the board is an offence. LTB will send a notice of hearing to all parties within five business days. The notice of hearing will contain details about the type of application filed, the reason of the hearing, how the hearing will take place, for example by phone or in person, and finally the date, time and location for the hearing. The next step is mediation. Mediation usually happens at the day of hearing. Mediations are done by the LTB dispute resolution officer, a neutral party. For mediation to happen, both parties must agree. If a settlement is reached, then, the officer will prepare a document for both parties to sign and the hearing will be cancelled. It is important to ask that the settlement be placed in a “consent order” because it is enforceable by court. For example, if a tenant agreed to vacate the property by a certain date but did not deliver, the consent order is enforceable. Mediation saves time and mends fences. If an agreement cannot be reached, the hearing continues. The hearing is similar to a court session where the applicant, the person who files the application, the respondent, the person named in the application and a member of the LTB will listen to the case. Usually, there are many cases to be heard in
the same day. The LTB will handle cases for parties with representation such as a lawyer and a para legal first. After the hearing, the member of the LTB will give their decision immediately or reserve it for later. This decision is called an order. The order will inform the parties as to the decision of the LTB. Usually a copy of the order is mailed to all parties involved and may include reasons why the decision was made. An order to evict a tenant for non-payment of rent, for example, can be thrown out if the tenant pays all the rent due by the order date. The tenant must file an affidavit and motion to void an eviction order for arrears of rent. A member of the LTB will make the final decision. The order is enforceable by the courts. For example, if a tenant does not move out of the rental unit by the deadline in the eviction order, the order can be filed with the court enforcement office (the sheriff’s office). George William Russell, a renowned Irish writer and nationalist, said that “the relationship of a landlord and tenant is not an ideal one, but any relationship in a social order will endure if there is infused into them some of that spirit of human sympathy which qualifies life for immortality.” Sometimes the best way is to meet each other half-way.
JULY DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED
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PAGE 44
FINANCE
Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Banking challenges and horrors for seniors in times of COVID-19 FAZAAD BACCHUS fazaad@carib101.com
FINANCE SPECIALIST
It is not unusual to see seniors with their check books in their hands. This is the way of life they have known for a long time now and it’s the way they are accustomed to doing business. Writing checks and going to the bank to deposit checks is part of their everyday lifestyle. COVID-19 has come along and disrupted this lifestyle. Imagine a senior at home, needing to pay their bills and then taking the bus over to the bank only to find out that it’s closed, could be quite traumatic. On the other hand, if the line is long, there are no special privileges for the elderly, so there could be a 20 minute line up. There are also no shelters, so if it starts to rain or in some cases recently, flur-
ries, then the senior is left out in the cold. Some seniors have come to depend on relatives and in so doing have shared their account numbers and sometimes their sensitive information such as PIN numbers etc. This augers well as a short term measure during this difficult period but it poses a different challenge going forward, the potential for fraud and financial abuse. A senior may very well find out that money has been withdrawn from their bank account without their permission, and while they believe the act is fraudulent, it is not refundable by the bank. The bank’s position is that you gave your PIN and card to someone you trusted and does not constitute negligence on the part of the bank. Another move by some seniors is that they have actually decided to make their current account, jointly owned with a family member. All of this is in the interest of convenience and especially so due to COVID-19. The family member goes to the bank and does all the day to day transactions etc and everything seems okay, until it is not. The senior is again at the risk of
financial abuse, the family member can withdraw money from the account only to be found out at a later date. Again this does not constitute negligence on the part of the bank and so the money is not refundable. The senior can report the matter to the police, but in many instances it’s a long arduous process to recover the money. Sometime seniors also do not want to get family members in trouble and will overlook the matter. Some seniors have attempted to engage in internet banking, but many are not familiar with computer usage and are scared that they could be hacked and lose all their savings. Seniors are accustomed to walking in to the bank. Some are trying out tele-banking, but the wait time for an attendant to speak has gone up tremendously. Should you decide to trust a family member, then it’s recommended to change your PIN when this is over as well as remove the family member from the joint account to prevent any unauthorized withdrawal.
Before protesting or COVID-19 testing get life insurance first ANDREW STEWART andrew@carib101.com
FAMILY ADVISOR
Like the rest of the world, I heard the news of what had happened in Minnesota about George Floyd’s murder, watching the video on social media. It was one of the most horrifying accounts of police brutality that I have experienced in my lifetime. Just before that, I remember getting pulled over at a stop sign with an older friend sitting in the back, who need the leg room because they had broken leg. I was not speeding, and I am quite sure I came to a full stop. Apparently, the only reason we were stopped was because the police officer just wanted to make sure everything was okay. We kind of had a laugh about it because I was like, “WOW, he must of thought I was kidnapping you” There is no question that racism still exist and is in full swing in the US and Canada. What I want to warn and inform those who do not have life insurance about are the possible consequences of how participating in these two right and justified actions could impact your future ability to be approved for insurance. Seven in ten (70%) Canadians have life insurance, while three in ten (29%) do not. Less than half of those with life
insurance coverage say they review their coverage at least once a year (37%) According to a survey conducted by Ipsos-Reid, on behalf of RBC Insurance. While most surveys poll all Canadians as respondents for generalized findings a most surprising result was the extent to which Canadians are underinsured. Of those indicating they have a life insurance policy, 40% are only covered through a work or group benefits plan. So, let say you are planning to support Black Lives Matters in a march. You do not know who if you may have met someone who has COVID-19. Insurers now ask if you have encountered anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. That could mean that your application could be suspended for 60 days before being approved for fluid underwritten policies. The good news is most carriers have increased their insurance limits for No fluid/Non-medical limits to $1,000,000 for ages 18-50 and up to $300,000 for ages 51-60. If your plan is to apply for critical illness coverage No Fluid/Non-Medical underwriting for ages 18-40 are up to $250,000 and ages 41-50 are up to $99,000 with some carriers. As we start to gradually reopen the economy, the Ontario government is implementing the next phase of its COVID-19 testing strategy. I can foresee a lot more individuals being mandated into testing. Below is the disclosed plan from news.ontario.ca website. •
Assessment Centre Testing: expanding who gets tested to now include
•
•
asymptomatic individuals concerned about exposure and continued routine symptomatic testing at assessment centers. Targeted Campaigns: detecting and containing cases by expanding asymptomatic surveillance for vulnerable populations, including in long-term care homes and other shared living spaces like shelters and group homes, as well as targeted testing of workplaces in priority sectors which work with priority populations and where it may be difficult to physically distance. Outbreak Management: testing to ensure rapid and agile response capacity for outbreak management, including in specific neighborhood’s and regions or at hospitals, institutions, and workplaces.
What could be the possible consequence of being tested? If you’re tested and are positive for COVID-19, it becomes a known illness and must be declared on the application. The most likely outcome will be that the application is postponed until underwriting is complete. One way around not being covered is taking the offer of temporary life insurance coverage, which provides coverage in the event an applicant dies during the approval process. If you have questions or concerns about applying for coverage, there are tons of articles online that explain most of the frequently asked questions or speak to an advisor prior to applying.
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Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | www.TOCaribNews.com | Toronto Caribbean News
PAGE 45
Five ways to crush your debt for good; it’s not as difficult as you think! out. The remaining 20% goes into savings.
CLEVE DeSOUZA cleve@carib101.com
WEALTH MANAGEMENT
Getting out of debt may seem like an overwhelming goal, but it’s not only possible, it might not be as difficult as you think. Here are five easy steps to take to escape debt. Stop using your credit cards If you don’t go in deeper, you can climb out faster. The best tool to control your spending is to establish a budget. A simple formula that works for most people is to budget about 50% of your after-tax income for necessities. That’s things such as housing, groceries, and medicine. Dedicate about 40% of for the things you want, such as subscribing to streaming services or eating
Call your creditors and ask for a lower interest rate There’s a customer service number on your billing statement. Before you call, do some homework. Check your credit score. The higher your score, the more likely it is you’ll repay what you owe. The credit card company may be more willing to consider lowering your rate if they know you will pay what you owe. Find out what interest rates and terms other companies are offering. Creditors need to stay competitive. Offer to make a substantial payment to lower your outstanding balance in exchange for the lower rate. Check your budget to see if you can free up money to do this. Have you been saving for a new car? Use that money now to lower your balance. The new cars will still be there when you’re out of debt. If you still get a no, ask what you can do to improve your chances of getting a yes later. Then, follow through and do what they suggest.
Remember not all debt is equal One common method of paying off debt is to tackle the one with the lowest balance first. On the surface, it makes sense. You see quicker results. But a wiser method is to pay off the debt that carries the highest interest rate. Here’s a comparison. Say you owe $5,000 on a Visa card with a 12% interest rate. If you make the minimum payment of $150, you’ll pay off the balance in 154 months. The interest adds up to $2,361. You also owe $10,000 on a MasterCard, which charges 24% interest. By making the monthly minimum payment of $300, the balance will be paid off in 353 months and will cost $19,333 in interest. If you tackle the Visa’s $5,000 balance first by increasing your monthly payments to $350, you’ll pay it off in 66 months with $813 in interest. The extra payment saves you $1,548 in interest. Target the card with the higher interest rate first, though, and watch what happens. By increasing your monthly payment to $500 on the MasterCard, you’ll pay off the debt in 140 months. In that time, you will pay $6,554 in interest – a savings of $12,779.
Eliminating the card with the highest interest pays off. Shop around for the best insurance rates It’s time consuming to call multiple agencies to get rates on car and homeowner’s insurance, but it could save you hundreds of dollars. NerdWallet estimates that shopping around for car insurance could save consumers an average of $859 a year. Many of us can save money on insurance without switching agents. The rules vary from province to province, but many insurers offer discounts for safety upgrades such as installing a car alarm system or snow tires. Call your agent today. Ask for a raise Only about 30% of people ask for a pay hike, according to a study by PayScale. com. However, the rewards for those who take the risk are substantial. The PayScale. com study shows asking for a raise pays off about 80% of the time. Take it step-by-step. Learn the rules of the debt game and play yourself to financial freedom.
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Toronto Caribbean News | www.TOCaribNews.com | Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Cricket Canada announces Return-To-Play plan will allow a safe return to playing cricket without compromising the health of any of the individuals involved. The guidelines do not provide any answers to the question as to when ‘when can cricket restart, as this is wholly dependent upon the specific restrictions that have been implemented by the respective provinces. Rather, the document offers guidance on how mem-
KAYLA KARIM
kayla@carib101.com
TC REPORTER
Across the globe, many sports leagues are beginning to implement regulations on returning to play. On June 4th 2020 the NBA announced that their Return-To-Play plan on July 31st 2020 at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Similarly, Cricket Canada has released their “Return-To-Play Guidelines” earlier this week. In a statement released by Cricket Canada, they announced that the plan draws extensively on the International Cricket Council “Back To Cricket” document which was prepared by the ICC Medical Committee and released on May 20th, 2020. As a result of the rapidly evolving public health environment associated with COVID-19, these guidelines are, however, subject to change. The objective of the document is to provide guidelines to assist Cricket Canada’s member organizations and affiliated leagues in developing policies that
bers can return to play alongside the resumption of outdoor sport and exercise in their province, once they are able to. Existing National, Provincial and/or Local Government regulations and guidance
should, however, always take precedence over the Cricket Canada Return-To-Play guidelines! The Cricket Canada Return-ToPlay guidelines are also aimed primarily at
local community-based cricket activities rather than higher-level competitions, including international matches and the annual GT20 Canada Tournament. These will require far more detailed planning as a result of the associated international travel logistics. Cricket Canada has also noted that even if the guidelines are respected, no cricket activity, including training or match play, should commence until expressly permitted by the relevant Provincial and Municipal authorities. While Cricket Canada is in the midst of executing their Return-To-Play plan, elsewhere in the country the sport continues to grow. The interest for cricket in St. John’s, Newfoundland has been increasing for ten years. According to Rahul Vashishtha, the president of Cricket NL told CBC News that the local cricket community is a big part of the reason he stayed in St. John’s after graduating from Memorial University of Newfoundland. An official cricket pitch was built in St. Johns in 2017 so that the province could host the Eastern Canada T20 championships that year where Vashishtha admits that it is the best field in Atlantic Canada. The president hopes that the national contenders will be developed through its pro program in the future.
An historic super-fight on the horizon? MARCEL MARIAK marcel@carib101.com
TC JUNIOR REPORTER
As MMA fans, we’re always searching for news concerning our favourite fighters or stunning potential matchups. In the past few weeks, two notable UFC fighters, Conor McGregor and Anderson Silva, have taken the world by storm and given MMA fans a historic super-fight to look forward to. Anderson Silva calls out Conor McGregor On May 23rd, Conor McGregor took to so-
cial media with his usual brash tone and did what he does best: stirred the pot. He made news by posting his own list of the pound-for-pound greatest fighters of all time. In first place, he put the legendary Brazilian fighter, Anderson Silva, who is a real candidate for being the greatest of all time. Conor justified his top pick by arguing that Silva not only has fought in two weight divisions, held a championship title in one, but he also has a vast resume of finishes ranging from head kicks to submissions. Unfortunately, that’s where the list started getting a bit odd. McGregor put himself in second place and mentioned that he will undoubtedly be the greatest of all time by his retirement, if he isn’t already number one. After himself, he put some of the biggest names in MMA including Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre; calling their performances “lacklustre” and “playing it safe”. Although many both retired and active fighters took issue to McGregor’s
list, with some even saying that he doesn’t deserve a spot on it, Anderson Silva’s reaction was by far the most profound. There’s no love lost between McGregor and Silva, with their beef dating back to when Silva took issue with McGregor’s rude treatment of Jose Aldo in 2015. Silva took McGregor’s claim to be tied for first place as a challenge, and decided to call out the former two-division champion for a historic super-fight. To no surprise, Conor accepted the challenge. Unfortunately, while the prospect of this fight is an exciting one, there are many obstacles to overcome before it can happen. The most obvious one being that Silva stands at a height of 6’2’’, and is considerably taller than the 5’9’’ McGregor. As a result, the two fighters are in vastly different weight classes, and both competitors’ bodies will have to undergo significant changes for them to compete in the same weight class. The second issue is pay. Both fighters will understandably
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be expecting a massive paycheck for the super-fight and with the bad blood between McGregor and Silva, negotiations about both weight and pay can get out of hand in an instant, capsizing any chances for the fight to happen. Hopefully, both fighters and their teams can come to agreeable terms, and MMA fans can have a stunning showdown to look forward to in the near future. On the other hand, McGregor is known for his brash and in-your-face attitude; and if Conor’s beratement of Jose Aldo bothered Silva, chances are that he will be even less tolerant when the insults are aimed at him. At the moment, it’s best for fans not to get their hopes up. After all, just because fighters call each other out on Twitter doesn’t mean that they’ll actually sign a fight contract. The best we can do at this point is wait and see if the UFC manages to make an event with terms that are agreeable to both fighters.
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