Great Success! 050615

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GREAT SUCCESS! Photos: Studio Chris

The Toronto Caribbean Business Expo Celebrates Success!

ALYSSA MAHADEO/TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Following many months of planning, hard work and dedication the first ever Toronto Caribbean Business Expo was a huge success!

On Sunday April 26th, The Red Rose Convention Centre hosted one of the biggest Caribbean Business Expo’s to be organized in the GTA. The Expo invited small Caribbean owned businesses that don’t normally have the opportunity to promote themselves to come out, introduce themselves to the community, and gain exposure to increase business.

Doors opened at 11am and the day was off to a lively start with vendors set up throughout the hall offering their services, unique and handmade creations, as well as a sampling of some of the best home cooked cuisine the Caribbean has to offer. Many came out to take

advantage of the speakers and seminars, interested in learning from the experts how they could take the extra steps in being more proactive in a competitive business world.

First to take the stage was Life Coach Specialist Steve Kerr opening with an informational segment about discovering your inner passion and purpose to understand and answer the question Who am I? Investment Adviser, Ms. Karen Baker, followed with an interesting presentation about the intricate process of business planning, and the strategic moves that can help to ensure success. Real Estate, Mortgage and Investment Specialist Stephen Mohammed, provided some insight into what you need to know about building your personal wealth using investment strate-

gies as well as valuable advice on how to protect those assets and investments.

RBC wrapped up the morning with a brief but informative presentation on financing solutions for your business to help clients understand how they can borrow credit to use for their business.

The day’s events unfolded with true Caribbean hospitality, the atmosphere alive with people thriving off the endless flow of energy throughout the room. With over 60 vendors in attendance, there was a little something there for everyone. It was a day filled with learning, sharing and networking, reaping the benefits and gaining the knowledge needed in various areas of business, life and success.

Continued On Page 3

2 Wednesday, May 6,, 2015 2015 20 15

TORONTO CAR CARIBBEAN

Managing Life: Judy Lochan Thompson Judy Lochan Thompson was born and raised in Guyana; her father was an engineer, while her mother was a homemaker. While going to school in Guyana she also worked part-time doing income taxes. Although she didn’t have a keen interest in it, it kept her busy, and she excelled at it. In 1993 at twenty four years old she married her husband Ray and they migrated to Toronto.

Growing up Judy envisioned that she wanted to be a teacher. She hoped to be someone who helped people to believe in themselves and their ability to reach their fullest potential. She loved children, and she knew that she wanted to play an active part in their personal development.

During her first years in Toronto, she never made a point of focusing on one career path, much less taking any steps toward becoming a teacher. Instead she enrolled at the Toronto School of Business, studying accounts in hopes of some day becoming a manager. While in school she did a lot of general labour work part-time at a warehouse just to pay the bills. In addition to working at the warehouse and going to school full time Judy became pregnant with her first child, and so she didn’t pursue her career in management until after he was born. When her second son was born she stayed there just the same.

In 2009, Judy decided that she wasn’t satisfied with where things were headed and knew the time had come to make a

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change. She decided to start up her own business within the financial services industry.

As a Broker, with a background in financial management Judy was finally on a career path she could be on board with. Through her work she has had the pleasure of meeting with women who struggle with managing their own finances and becoming comfortable in a leadership role.

In such a male dominant society Judy takes pride in being able to take the time to help educate women on managing their personal finances, understanding wealth and achieving the confidence they need to take charge of their own business. Helping women who struggle to see themselves as an active part of society, to be taken seriously allows for more women to embrace their self worth and learn how to make a difference in what is societally acceptable. Without meaning to Judy had become the teacher she always hoped that she would be.

Judy’s husband Ray, and her two boys Greg and Shawn, are very proud and supportive of the woman that she is, leading by example and taking strides to grow and develop her business. Moving forward she hopes to expand her vision teaching others to meet new horizons.

Written by Alyssa Mahadeo Toronto Caribbean Reporter

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

3

Toronto Caribbean Business Expo empowers the community Alyssa Mahadeo TC Reporter Continued From Page 1 -- Live all day non-stop vibes were provided by Mr. Rooks from Carib101Radio and the days events were hosted by De Unstoppable Navi Rai. TalanaBLU Tasa CRU made an appearance stopping by and drumming up a storm, while The Tropicana Queens put on an unforgettable show, captivating the audience with

their alluring dance moves they were truly a spectacle to see!

The afternoon main stage brought even more speakers to grace the audience with scintillating and educational talks from Baldo Minaudo President of MetroActive, Noel Waldro, President of My Dream Work Inc., Colleen Lindberg, Owner of CLC Consulting, Jerrold Johnson, Chief Representative Officer at Jamaica National Toronto, Sheila Trecartin, Founder/CEO of Ultimate Healing Concepts and Jonathan Weaver, President of Peak Performers.

The last speaker of the afternoon was Keynote Presenter Ash Silva, Director of Business Development at Next Century Publishing, who really gave the audience something to think about with his presentation on ‘Writing a Book, and Leaving a Legacy.’ He shared an interesting and fresh per-

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spective on how writing your own book is akin to having a bigger better business card, and how it could become your most powerful tool to elevate you as the go-to expert in your field.

Vendors and guests were very impressed by the constant flow of people that came through the Expo. Approximately 700 people came out to experience first hand one of the most rousing moves made by the Caribbean community. About 90% of vendors are already excited about 2016, and reserving their booths for next year. The Toronto Caribbean Business Expo was the first ever event of it’s stature to be done within the Caribbean community, taking strides towards bringing out their value and contributions to society.

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4 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Local St. Lucian chosen as torch bearer for the upcoming PanAm Games Jordan Maxwell TC Reporter When Denzel Innis found out he’d be carrying the Pan Am torch for the upcoming games, the operative word was shock.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he told Toronto Caribbean in an interview. “The only words I have to describe it was surreal. It

was unbelievable and an honour to represent my family and the Caribbean, especially St. Lucia where my mom and grandmother are from.”

His comments come as the Pan Am games are set to kick off in July over a two-week span, wherein athletes from around the world will compete for bragging rights and prestige in their respective sports.

For the offensive left tackle for Sir Winston Churchill who resides in Hamilton, the honor is a dream come true for him and his family, who heaped praise on the 17-year-old when they heard about it.

“My mom was excited. She didn’t believe me right away, and came back some minutes later to say, ‘hey are you serious?’”

Innis said.

Innis will carry the torch in Dundas, Ontario on June 21st and is planning to check out the volleyball competitions as he admires and loves the sport.

More than 3,000 torchbearers are expected to participate in the Pan Am Games Torch Relay and another 250 who will carry the torch during the Parapan Am Games taking place in August.

Canadian great Simon Whitfield, a former Olympian, heads the class for torchbearers.

“A torch relay is powerful and patriotic,” said Simon Whitfield, Olympic gold and silver medallist and Pan Am bronze medallist.

“I’m looking forward to that moment as it truly is an honor to represent my community and Canada.”

During the 41-day torch relay, each of the 3,000 torchbearers will complete, on average, a 200-metre relay segment. The torch will be carried by more than 60 modes of transportation and exceed 5,000 kilometres on the road and 15,000 kilometres by air.

“The torch is a unique symbol of the Pan Am Games and carries a powerful energy that will unite Canadians,” said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer, TO2015, said.

“The torchbearers will proudly carry the flame through more than 130 communities, igniting the Pan Am spirit as they go.”

Tickets have already gone on sale for the PanAm Games this summer and schedules are already starting to be announced on the Games’ website.

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Housing Ministry implementing CIIP in Regions 2 to 6 –regions better able to serve residents through financial savings GUYANA -- The Government of Guyana (GoG), through the Ministry of Housing and Water (MHW), is implementing the Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP) in a project that provides labour to NDCs, targeted municipalities and village councils in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The objective is to assist in improving internal drains, parapets and burial grounds, and to carry out routine minor repairs to infrastructure.

The Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) in Region 4 (Demerara/ Mahaica) have been beneficiaries of the Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP), and are now better equipped to serve residents through financial savings on labour cost.

The CIIP Department related that financial savings on labour costs were discovered during recent interactions with officials of different NDCs on the East Coast of Demerara, including those of the Unity/ Vereeniging, Better Hope/La Bonne Intention, Buxton/Foulis and Beterverwagting/ Triumph.

The department has conducted some interviews with residents of the community of Better Hope/La Bonne Intention.

Roseanna Shivlall, an Assistant Overseer of the Better Hope/La Bonne Intention NDC, noted that the assistance provided by CIIP allows the NDC to redirect resources allocated for labour to other important projects, such as road maintenance and rehabilitation in the communities.

She also noted that the cleaning and clearing of the “jungle like” Better Hope Cemetery was highlighted as one of the major accomplishments of the NDC under CIIP. “For years, we (had planned) to clean the cemetery, but never had the resources to do it…. So when we heard that cleaning and clearing of burial grounds was one of CIIP’s priority areas, we knew for sure it would have been done,” Shivlall said.

She added that works on the cemetery would have been done earlier, but the dense vegetation and Africanised bees had caused the workers numerous setbacks.

Chairman of the Buxton/Foulis NDC, Mr. Randolph Blair, also expressed gratitude for the services provided. He is appreciative of the assistance since, prior to the project; the NDC only had three labourers.

Blair registered the need for more workers owing to the size of the NDC. With CIIP workers focusing on community drains and parapets, the NDC was able to reallocate resources to weed the public road parapets.

The Chairman believes that the Community Enhancement Workers (CEW) are doing an excellent job in cleaning the community of Strathspey, ECD. To usher in the new school term, CIIP also assisted the NDC to clear and clean fences and drains of school compounds in the district.

Vines and other obstacles were also removed from school fences in Unity/ Vereeniging NDC. Since commencement of CIIP in this NDC, CEWs have cleaned the Helena No.1 Burial Ground as well as drainage networks and parapets in Supply, Vereeniging, Helena No.1, Helena No.2, Good Hope, Hand-en-Veldt, Jonestown, and Belmont.

According to Vereeniging resident Tulladai Persaud, since CEWs cleaned her front drain, which was overgrown with vegetation, she is now motivated to maintain the clean condition of the drain.

“Had it not been for the workers, I would have had to pay someone to clean in front here, because I have my daughter who sometimes plays out here… I am happy the place is clean, and I (was able to) save some money,” Persaud said.

Sentiments expressed by Persaud were also expressed by other residents, who are grateful to the Housing Ministry for this project.

- Guyana Chronicle

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

5

6 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Moodyʼs rating a bad sign TRINIDAD -- The party that forms the next government after this year’s general election will have a difficult task in managing the country’s financial crisis, according the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) leader David Abdulah.

Responding to T&T’s bond and issuer ratings demotion by Moody’s Investors Services (MIS) Monday, Abdulah said this was a result of Government’s useless spending on the Debe to Mon Desir segment of the Solomon Hochoy Highway Extension Project, the failed $400 million Life Sport Programme and $408 million on legal briefs.

At the party’s Sunday press conference at St Joseph Village, San Fernando, Abdulah said Moody’s had noted T&T’s successive fiscal deficits, which he said was a result of falling revenues in oil and gas and the current and previous governments’ failure to diversify the economy.

He said while falling oil and gas prices significantly affected T&T’s revenue, Government continued to rake up future expenses by securing loans for the construction of the Couva Children’s Hospital, the University of the West Indies’ Faculty of Law, National Cycling Velodrome, National Tennis Complex and other costly projects.

Moody’s’ rating has grave consequences to investors’ confidence in T&T, Abdulah said, pointing out that if the next government has to approach an international lending agency, loans will be granted at high rates. This in turn will increase the countrys’ debt service ratio, meaning it is unlikely that the People’s Partnership’s promises to build a San Fernando to Mayaro highway and a causeway from Port-of-Spain to Chaguara-

mas would materialise.

“One could debate some of the analyses, but the fact is they have downgraded us in terms of our credit rating from stable to negative. In other words, with a negative credit rating, it means that access to borrowing internationally and locally can be impacted,” Abdulah said.

“The people who you are approaching to borrow from will say there is a negative credit rating against you and therefore there is higher risk/low arrangement that will have to be entered into. People who lend under higher risk will obviously put more stringent conditions in place in order to secure their loan, which will include higher interest rates.”

With Initial Public Offerings expected for Phoenix Park Gas Processors shares and the sale of CL Financial assets, he said the MSJ was against that option as those companies can regain profitability in the coming years.

He said there seemed to be a recolonisation of the country’s energy sector with Government seeking to sell out the T&T’s revenue assets to multi-national companies.

Angry at Seetahal probe As the country remembers former special State prosecutor Dana Seetahal’s murder a year ago today, Abdulah said the police’s failure to find her killer(s) was another example of a collapsed justice system.

“I too want to express a sense of outrage at the fact that one year later nothing has happened with respect to the so called investigation into this murder. You would recall that the acting Commissioner of Po-

lice and the Minister of National Security then made very strong statements about no stone being left unturned and no effort being spared to find the killer or killers of Ms Seetahal.

“A year has passed and nada, nothing. This is an indication yet again of our justice system being in collapse and in crisis, it has fallen down.”

- Trinidad Guardian

Trinidad governemnt ignored deficit warnings TRINIDAD -- Economist Mary King said the issues which prompted Moody’s Investors Services downgrade of T&T’s bond and issuer ratings are not new.

King, speaking at a forum hosted by Democracy Watch, said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a country report on T&T last June, called for further diversification of the economy. She added that spending was is the answer to decreasing the deficit.

“This spending has not been used to diversify our economy. We have maintained the status quo and yet our government is still trying to persuade us that they have now turned the economy around via increased spending, which is now 35 per cent above GDP and our total debt is approaching 50 per cent of our GDP. That’s when Moody’s came into the picture,” she said.

King said the Government paid no attention to what economists were predicting last year, noting that the latest Moody’s rating “is not different from what the IMF was telling us in 2014. We are still in that situation that Moody’s has to come in and tell us what we already know.”

She added: “Moody’s isn’t talking to the private sector, it is talking to the Government. It has to be a direct intervention. A new private sector-type has to be rebuilt. The appropriate financial and knowledge-generating systems have to be put in place. The local and

international networks have to be established.”

Referring to excess liquidity in the economy, King said the excess funds can be used to create diversification projects.

“With the low velocity of money, much of this wealth is now being stuck in the banks and the financial system of the country.

We are actually seeing the Central Bank raising local bonds, pay interest on these bonds, and freezing the proceeds, simply to take money out of circulation to reduce that liquidity. Have you ever hear anything more senseless?

“Why can’t we not think of using some of this money in our diversification exercise?”

King, a former People’s Partnership Planning Minister, said government’s spending accounts for 25 per cent of T&T’s GDP and half of that goes into subsidies and transfers and 50 per cent of that revenue is earned from the energy sector.

Late last week, Moody’s downgraded T&T’s government bond rating and issuer rating to Baa2 from Baa1 and changed the outlook for the country from stable to negative due to persistent fiscal deficits, the decline in oil prices and a weak macroeconomic policy framework. The ratings agency said its negative outlook for T&T reflected the impact the sharp drop in oil prices was expected to have on the economy and fiscal accounts.

- Trinidad Guardian

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

9

40 Canadian cops in Jamaica on humanitarian mission JAMAICA-- Fourty volunteers affiliated to the Canadian Police Service are now on the island on a humanitarian mission offering assistance to Missionaries of the Poor and the Jessie Ripoll Primary School in Kingston.

Four members of the group, all with Jamaican roots, headed by Jamaicanborn Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis, were guests at the Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange Monday, where they voiced great optimism and satisfaction at being able to assist.

“We want to give back, we want to share the knowledge we have gained in Canada,” said deputy chief in the York Regional Police Service Andre Crawford, also Jamaican-born.

According to Crawford, assistance to the Jamaican cause started some time ago through another officer who was killed in a car crash in Canada.

“Knowing his legacy and what he was passionate about, the York Service decided to take on the effort with the same passion,” Crawford said.

“Since then, we have been coming down to assist. We’ve been coming here for the past seven years to support the Missionaries of the Poor at Mount Tabor. We come down and build chicken pens, whatever we are able to do. Two years ago we installed solar panels at the mission,” said Crawford.

The other two guests, inspector at the York Regional Police Service Keith Merith was born in England to Jamaican parents and inspector in the Toronto Police Service Sonia Thompson, was born in Canada, also to Jamaican parents.

“One of the exciting parts about

coming back to Jamaica is actually doing the humanitarian mission at Mount Tabor,” said Merith, who added that he visits relatives here at least three times per year.

“Last year I had an opportunity to meet with Father Ho Lung and we spoke extensively about the challenges, [so] it was incumbent on me to go back and engage other members to become part of that and bring more people down,” Merith said.

Mount Tabor -- located in Stony Hill, St Andrew -- is one of eight apostolates run by Father Richard Ho Lung’s Missionaries of the Poor.

Meanwhile, Chief Clunis said that the choice of Jessie Ripoll Primary School for assistance came through interaction with the Canadian High Commission in Kingston.

“We didn’t want to come here and start our own thing; we wanted to join people here, so we liaised with the high commission to identify initiatives we could work on locally,” Clunis said.

“The Canadian police officers reached out to the Jamaican diaspora and contacted Project for the Advancement of Childhood Education (PACE) Canada. They told the organisation that they were looking for a project in the inner city and that they had one week to complete the project.

Hence, Jessie Ripoll Primary School,” a representative of the high commission told the Observer.

Work at Jessie Ripoll, which includes painting of the school, installation of an air-conditioning unit and refurbishing of the library, is scheduled for completion before Saturday, the day before the 40-strong contingent is scheduled to return home.

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“This effort is 100 per cent selffunded, each member of the 40 of us paid our own way,” Chief Clunis said.

“This is my vacation,” Crawford interjected. Thompson, the highest ranked black female officer in Canada, said that

fund-raising efforts helped to acquire supplies for the work at the school.

“We only saw the school this morning when we arrived at 9:30,” Thompson explained Monday.

- Jamaica Observer

On Arrival Day… PPP calls on all Guyanese to ensure our gains are preserved GUYANA -- The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) salutes all Guyanese on the occasion of Arrival Day which is being observed on May 5.

This is indeed a good time to reflect on the long and difficult road we have traversed over the decades and the enormous sacrifices made by our fore-parents to forge a society which today we can all be proud of.

We all owe a great debt of gratitude to our fore-parents who came from India, China, Portugal and other distant lands to work as indentured labourers following the abolition of slavery.

Together with our African brothers and sisters who came to the colony as slaves, they have carved a nation and a society on the anvil of extraordinary pain and suffering.

It had always been the dream of our fore-parents to forge a free, independent, cohesive and prosperous Guyana, one that the PPP is fully committed to.

As we observe another Arrival Day. the PPP pledges to continue to work tirelessly to build on the achievements we have

collectively made as a nation.

The PPP takes this opportunity to call on all Guyanese to ensure that the social, economic and political gains we have made over the years are preserved and consolidated, especially at this time when the Guyanese people face the polls on May 11, 2015.

Today we live in what is seen as a culturally rich and diverse country. We are truly blessed with a country that has become a model of cross-cultural co-existence, despite the efforts of misguided and opportunistic elements in our society to divide our people for narrow partisan interests.

The PPP is convinced that such efforts will not succeed and that Guyanese will vote on May 11 in overwhelming numbers for a continuation of the peace, progress and prosperity that we have experienced over the past twenty-three years.

- Guyana Chronicle

10 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Radicaʼs Hot and Spicy wins 2015 Peopleʼs Choice Award for Best Roti Shop!

Alyssa Mahadeo TC Reporter For the second year in a row, Radica’s Hot and Spicy Roti Shop was the honorary recipient of the 2015 People’s Choice Award for Best Roti Shop.

This year’s contest was a close one, with many more roti shops participating and promoting themselves to the public.

Radica’s pulled through yet again, taking home the title as one of the communities top restaurants to grab a hot home cooked West Indian meal.

Established in 2006, Radica’s Hot and Spicy Restaurant in Brampton, is owned and operated by Radica and Motilal Nandlal with help from their son, Shiva Nandlal. As the oldest sister in her family, Radica spent many of her younger years preparing meals for everyone. She loved to cook, and always dreamed of someday having the chance to open her own restaurant. When the opportunity arose, they decided to take their first steps as small business owners leasing a unit at Steeles and Torbram, opening a small res-

taurant where people could dine in and take out hot and fresh roti and doubles.

Their popularity grew quickly within the community, as the savory West Indian & Chinese cuisine caught people’s attention and had them coming back for more. After five years, instead of renewing their lease they decided on a change of scenery, moving in 2011 to a bigger more central location at 263 Queen Street East where they are currently located. Business has been booming at Radica’s, their new location allowing more people to stop by for a bite to eat. Their growing customer base has allowed them to expand their shop down south in Florida, and most recently, open a new location this past April out west in Mississauga.

Located at 3105 Winston Churchill Blvd, and managed by Radica’s daughter, Kavita Nandlal and her husband, Sunil Maharaj, this new location stands to cater to Radica’s customers out in the Mississauga and Oakville area. Radica’s Hot and Spicy restaurant is a very family oriented business, and everyone makes an effort to help out at the shop to ensure great customer service and satisfaction for the regular customers coming through.

The GTA is well known for it’s Caribbean owned roti shops, where patrons can go to pick up a home cooked meal, or order hot and fresh roti and doubles to go. Although they are an easily recognizable name in the community, Radica’s also actively promotes the restaurant on Facebook. This years People’s Choice for Best Roti Shop

contest advertised in the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, launched a huge awareness for roti shops in the GTA and gave restaurants an opportunity to advertise themselves in the most transparent way possible to their customers.

Last year, many businesses negatively commented on the contest when they didn’t win, proposing that the contest was fixed and that the results had been bad for business. Radica’s social media following prompted people to vote for their favorite Roti shop based on the food and service they receive when they go to any of the participating restaurants. Every restaurant was solely responsible for their promotion to get involved and encourage their patrons to vote.

Radica’s prides themself in delivering great food and service to their customers.

The staff at Radica’s are like family, keeping the restaurant up and running positively for the past ten years. “Our food standards are really high. We try to put out our best tasting food possible,” shares Shiva Nandlal, “When we serve a dish, we ask ourselves: Would I be happy if I had to pay for this?

If the answer is no, we do not serve it. This assures us that our customers get great food all the time.”

The world of small businesses is a competitive one and there is a lot of hard work and effort that goes into keeping it running successfully. “Freshness is key to great tasting food. If I won’t buy it, why would I sell it? I keep that in mind everyday.”

The Breakaway Relief Foundation bringing change to the community Emily Singh TC Reporter The Breakaway Relief Foundation was created literally from the ground up, operating from a basement. Today, thanks to the dedication of Executive Director Sharon Joseph they are serving the Jane and West community from 4020 Dundas Street West. The Breakaway Relief Foundation is a non-profit agency founded in 2003 that aims to support youth and families that need guidance. In addition to that they offer a number of services

such as counseling and employment and job development. For Joseph helping the youth of her community is something that is close to her heart.

“Counseling is my profession whether you have a crisis or a problem in your house, I want to help. I am really good with young people. I go down to their level and I don’t judge them, I understand them.

I will just listen and advocate for them and push them in the direction they want to go in,” says Joseph.

Joseph realized there was a need for more social workers and people to assist with the youth of the community. That is when she stepped up to the plate and got involved. Joseph earned a degree from York University and began volunteering with the TDSB. Eventually Joseph partnered with the TCHC to gain access to a space to facilitate counseling and guidance.

“I initiated the peace marches in Jane and Finch in the days when people were

afraid to come to Jane and Finch. I spoke to a team of people and said lets walk for peace, love and unity,” says Joseph.

The Breakaway Relief Foundation serves everyone in the community regardless of race. Under the leadership of Joseph they fundraise in order to keep the organization running and making a change in the community.

On May 10, 2015 they will be having a “Mother’s Day Luncheon & Show” at the Jamaican Canadian Association Centre at 995 Arrow Road. This will be an exciting evening, as the very first Community Mother award will be given out. This award is to recognize and honor one mother in particular who has gone above and beyond to make a difference in the community. You don’t want to miss this! For information regarding tickets to the luncheon and to find out how you can get involved with Breakaway Relief Foundation you can reach Sharon Joseph at 647-262-4811.

12 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

You donʼt need magic, all you need is a Caribbean destination!

Micca Vanfield Travel Specialist We’ve heard it before, “I am going to start planning my winter vacation”. These words seem all too familiar but the timing seems a little off. You check the date and realize that you should really be planning your summer vacation, but it seems like dear old Mother Winter does not want to let go. I know that this just seems like the longest winter ever and we are all just dreaming of that break.

I have been fortunate enough to have had a number of breaks from this winter, and they have all been to the Caribbean and Mexico.

One of my favourite things to do when I travel is to share my experiences and one of my favourite places to be is in an airplane beyond the clouds. Travel has allowed me to fall in love with the world, and I have now developed a new found relationship with my bucket list. Being in North America, we are extremely fortunate to be located so close to paradise. In almost the snap of your fingers (or anywhere from 3-5hrs) you can go from white snow squalls to white sandy beaches.

I am looking forward to gifting you with the view of the world from my eyes. It doesn’t seem like our Old Mother Winter wants to give us a break anytime soon, so I am going to take you around the Caribbean with my three winter getaways.

1.

Cancun and Riviera Maya – Escape the winter blues by modelling what I call my Mexican Fiesta. I’ve visited Cancun before, however this trip gave me the perfect mix of beach, nightlife, and culture. Stay in one region or try getting two vacation experiences in one. I stayed at the Hard Rock in Riviera Maya which definitely gave me the perfect blend of resort feel with an authentic Mexican kick. Though man made, the beaches here definitely boast natural walk outs and are great for snorkeling, not to mention they are perfect for that destination

2.

wedding or private candlelight dinner.

The stairway to Heaven and the Rock and Roll memorabilia definitely had me in awe, but I must say one of my most favourite features (among the many) was the swimming pool right in the middle of the nightclub. (Yes you can get in and take a swim whether you are prepared to or not). For a more popular Cancun experience I stayed at the Paradisus Cancun. Definitely a large resort, you will feel like you are being whisked away in a Zen Garden with the miniature rainforest in the middle of the hotel lobby (It even comes equipped with a stream). You will definitely stay at this resort for the beach as it is located on the beautiful Cancun white sand beaches. Feel free to leave your resort and explore downtown Cancun. You can grab a cab or a quick ride on the public transit for about $1USD. To add a bit of culture and round out your experience visit Xoximilco, Xcaret, and Playa del Carmen.

Jamaica –Being born and raised in Jamaica, I must say, I took my island for granted. Now, highlighting all of my experiences will require me writing a novel, so I will provide you with a short winter getaway guide of Jamaica. First, decide how you want to see Jamaica. Do you want to have an All Inclusive experience or will you be staying with family. If this will be your first time visiting Jamaica you can definitely have a fantastic time if staying at an All Inclusive (You will just have to plan your tours of the island). Even if you will be staying with family, I absolutely recommend splitting your trip. I have heard this statement so many times” When I travel home to visit family, it’s not really a vacation”. So treat yourself. Stay at one of the gorgeous resorts close to the airport.

Even if you have flown into Kingston, you can fly home from Montego Bay and spend the last few days relaxing.

The Riu Palace in Montego Bay would be a fantastic choice as well as Secretes Wild Orchid/Secrets St James. I have had the pleasure of experiencing both and would definitely recommend them for a full All Inclusive or a top up to a visit home. Golden Eye in St. Mary was

3.

definitely a treat for me. Being able to sit in at the desks where Mr. Ian Fleming wrote the famous James Bond films was definitely an honor, but experiencing the lagoon villas (where you literally walk out your back door and walk right into a protected lagoon which is great for snorkeling) as well as the only spa in the Caribbean which allows you entry by swimming through the lagoon or walking along an eco trail was definitely refreshing. Though I visited a number of properties along my tour of the north coast I would also recommend you visit the famous Dunn’s River Falls, Mystic Mountain, Blue Hole, Luminous Lagoon, YS Falls and if you want to continue along the coast head to Black River.

St Lucia – My most recent winter getaway was to the beautiful island of St Lucia. I can’t quite decide if it was the view of the mountains all around the island or just the fresh Caribbean air that did it for me but this will definitely be my new escape. If you are looking for the kind of trip that will relax your body as well as your mind, then St Lucia is the place to go. Now when going to St Lucia you have to decide exactly how you want to spend your time. You will need to know that there is not much nightlife, so if you are looking to party go to Cancun or Jamaica. You will need to decide what area you would like to be in? Do you want to be in Castries, the flatter part of the island, or in Soufriere, in the North? You can fly into Hewanorra Intl (UVF) 1.5hrs to Castries, or George F. L. Charles Airport (SLU), 45 minutes from Soufriere. I must say I enjoyed the scenic route along the coast and the transition from the Atlantic side of the island, through the rainforests and then finally ending up on the Caribbean side. If you would like to be close to the Pitons then staying in Soufriere is recommended, though you can always ride for about an hour and visit the Botanical Gardens and Mineral Springs for a mud bath while you’re there. Other sites I would recommend you visit are the Rum Factory, Mineral Springs and definitely a Lovers Catamaran cruise.

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 13

Rio Claro rallies for Octave - Young artiste promises album release concert to show appreciation Aba Luke Entertainment All he needs is a beat. Armed with a voice that could put a canary to shame, Rio Claro, Trinidad native Orlando Octave has proven, time and time again that he has what it takes to be an international superstar. He’s making moves to ensure that it happens and without hesitation, Octave’s Rio Claro fan base is powerfully pushing for the win.

In the past week, Octave released a track called, “Don’t Matter.” It has already been placed on heavy rotation on the popular urban frequencies in Trinidad and Tobago, this without a single promotional pitch. It simply proves that the young entertainer, aided by sound production house, PengCo Music, has a magic touch. Already, a video is being created for the track. In fact, Octave returned to Rio Claro with the video production outfit for the beginning of filming and it was there that some, who had never seen the adoration felt by his fans, for the young artiste, saw first hand, just how much Octave is loved in his hometown. With that experienced, the executive team decided that Octave’s album launch in the summer would commence with an all out summer concert in Rio Claro

“They deserve it,” he said, speaking of his supporters at home in Rio Claro- a rural area of South Trinidad. Octave understands that appreciation to his fan base can and will go a long way. “I want them with me every step of the way; so this will just be my way of letting them know that I’m truly grateful for their support,” he explained.

The video will be premiered on video sharing website, VEVO by the second week in May. Having teamed up with PengCo Music’s Randal Alexander once again, Octave was able to secure his VEVO spotlight since PengCo Music is signed with international music distributor, FoxFuse.

Octave’s upcoming album, which will be titled, “Welcome To Orlando” will feature 10 singles and already, they’ve been recorded and the album is now awaiting the green

light for release. In the meantime however, the “Don’t Matter” is available for purchase on iTunes and all other reputed online music retailers.

The stars are aligning perfectly in the musical journey of this Caribbean entertainer who is bent on securing his space in the global music arena. At home in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean, he continues to humbly request the support of those around him. “The home base is a really base.

All of us, local and Caribbean artistes and entertainers need our countrymen to really rally with us because when they do that, the rest of the world will know for sure that we mean business,” he said.

- EtceteraBuzz

Shurwayne Winchester responds to Twitter critic proving heʼs the bigger man

Whoever Swerve Gotti is, he’s currently on the receiving end of some pretty harsh tongue lashes as a Twitter post responding to a post by former Road March, Power and Groovy Soca Monarch King, Shurwayne Winchester, has gone viral. Winchester on Wednesday tweeted about the unfortunate fire that destroyed the landmark Smokey and Bunty bar in St. James Trinidad. In response, the Twitter critic referred to Winchester’s career as one that had gone up in flames.

Thursday morning, Trinidad and

Tobago urban dial leader, Boomchampionstt.com, took over the fight it seemed as announcers, Hans Des Vignes, Leston, Santana and DJ Kevin Linx passionately disagreed with the post made by Gotti. Hans noted that Winchester had achieved more than many could understand or even achieve themselves, in his career, and despite remaining under the radar, he noted that Shurwayne and his SW Limited team continued to make their mark in territories far and wide. Winchester and the members of his band, YOU

recently performed at the South By South West music festival in Austin Texas. He was among a contingent of Trinidad and Tobago entertainers who were selected to be a part of the T&T showcase at the festival.

Thursday morning, Des Vignes, who is also the host of a television show called Movements, which seeks to showcase the varying facets of entertainment in T&T, said he was appalled by the statement made against an artiste who had so many accolades to his name, an artiste of Trinidad and

Tobago who continues to contribute greatly to the music industry.

Recently, in an interview with EtceteraBuzz, Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez pleaded with locals to show appreciation and support for Trinidad and Tobago’s artistes, noting that when negative comments are made about the entertainers and their music, challenges are met when these said artistes make strides to take their respective brands to overseas markets.

- EtceteraBuzz

14 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Cultural sensitivity Simone Smith A Better Tomorrow Starting on Monday May, 4, 2015, Toronto will be experiencing something that they have never had to deal with in the past; parents going on strike against the Toronto District School Board. The strike will begin on Monday and go through until Friday. Many of the families that I work with are actively involved in the strike. One of my mothers has taken it upon herself to distribute forms that excuse children from school for that week. Parents in many religious sectors of

Toronto are frustrated, irritated and shocked at the decision that has been made to teach sexual education starting in grade one. How did it come to this? Is there anything that could have been done to prevent this divide?

Could it be time for some reorganization at the provincial level of government? An objective observer would view this situation as a break or lapse in communication between the city and its citizens.

Canada is known worldwide as one of the most multicultural countries in the world. To be more specific, Toronto is said to have over 230 ethnic groups. Each ethnic group having their own cultural background, religion, philosophies and practices. I sympathize with the provincial government; it must be hard to have to satisfy the needs of the diverse ethnicities in Toronto. In saying that, they must have been aware of how this new initiative may cause a reaction in the

different communities. I don’t believe that the government were aware of how devastating this reaction would be. I am fortunate enough to work in the diverse communities of Toronto. I hear and empathize with the families; many feel that their rights have been ignored. They are perplexed at the idea of their children learning about same-sex relationships in grade three. I understand their fears; I wrote about the sensitivity of this subject in my first appearance here in The Toronto Caribbean. I will not rehash the topic; I want to focus on what can be done to ease the tension between The City and The Citizens.

For starters, it would be beneficial for the members of parliament and representatives from the diverse communities to meet. One of the issues is that parents feel that they were given no say in the decision to change the curriculum. It is easy to lose per-

spective when you are not directly involved, working in the community. Another suggestion would be for members of parliament to take a look at how their own cultural identity may have had an influence on the decision to change this curriculum. It is okay to identify with what is going on within oneself, it is even harder to look outside oneself and make decisions on a more humanistic level.

We live in a very individualist society and it is turning out to be a source of rising issues here in Toronto.

I hope for a pleasant end to this standoff. We need to challenge the “us and them” perspective and change the perspective to “we.” It is time that we all expand our cultural horizons; this can be done by reading cross-cultural and ethic literature, creating connections with people of different ethnicities and staying up to date on matters affecting the different ethnicities in Toronto.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 15

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Simmons thrilled with Windies character after victory BARBADOS -- West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has praised the character of the regional side after they beat England by five wickets in the third Test on Sunday, to steal a share of the three-Test series. Set 192 for victory, West Indies reached their target late in the evening at Kensington Oval, to record their first win over England in six years and only the third in the last 15 years.

And Simmons, who took over at the helm of the squad just prior to the start of the series, said the victory meant a lot to the side especially following the results in the first two Tests. “I can’t say about [what it means for] West Indies cricket in general but I know for the Test team it’s been huge because the guys have worked hard for the

last four weeks,” Simmons told a post-match media conference.

“To have played so well in Antigua and Grenada and not come out with anything, you saw the determination of the guys – especially the bowlers – to come out of this with something so it’s huge for us.” He added: “That’s the biggest thing I can take from it that everybody showed character because for the bowlers to bowl out England for such a low score in the second innings, just shows massive character coming out at this early stage of my tenure so it’s great for me to see.”

West Indies came in for criticism before the series, with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves

describing the Caribbean side as “mediocre” and saying he expected England to easily win the contest. Simmons, a former Test player, said the team had not taken on the criticism and noted the victory now sent a strong signal to the critics.

“Let him decide that (mediocre comment) now, I’ll leave that for him to judge,” Simmons quipped. “I think when he’s walking out he’ll see a few signs going out there with the meaning of it so I’ll leave that for him.” And like Graves, Simmons said he believed West Indies were underestimated by the media, who were now likely to heap pressure on his opposite number Peter Moores.

“I suppose the criticism will come

because the media will see it as number three playing number eight … I think we were [underestimated] by the media and Colin Graves’ statement showed it that there was an underestimation of what we can do,” the Trinidadian explained. “I don’t think it was done by the [England] team but he’s going to come into that sort of criticism because it’s number three playing number eight.”

West Indies drew the first Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium before losing the second at the Grenada National Stadium last week by nine wickets.

- Trinidad Guardian

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16 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

TTCB disbands Red Force selection team TRINIDAD -- In the aftermath of a poor WICB Professional Cricket League (PCL) 2014/15 First Class season, the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) has decided to disband the national senior cricket selection panel. A TTCB insider told the T&T Guardian that the selection panel led by former national fast bowler Alec Burns and including team manager Roland Sampath, former national batsman Narine Bideshi, former West Indies spinner Raphick Jumadeen and administrator Lalman Kowlessar, is no more at the moment.

According to the source: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The

executive of the TTCB thought that with no duties at the moment for the selectors, the panel should be disbanded. He added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The selection panel is quite cumbersome with the number of men in there to choose a team. Added to those five selectors, the captain and coach is also involved â&#x20AC;&#x201D; making it a total of seven men choosing the team.

It was made cumbersome for a reason, so that with all those selectors men would go to matches and look at the players. â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, what the executive noticed was that the guys were not at-

tending matches and it defeated the purpose of having so many of them choosing the team.â&#x20AC;? T&T Guardian understands that the TTCB will choose a new selection panel at their next annual general meeting (AGM) on the last Saturday of October.

The source went on further to explain that the board may go for a smaller panel when they choose on in time for the start of the next PCL series.

T&T, although winning the Nagico Super50 series with an emphatic victory over Guyana in the finals, finished second to last in the six-team PCL and this

has caused the executive of the TTCB to look for ways to improve.

The board has already discussed reports from the captain, coach and manager and they will be looking to make certain changes that are expected to lead to a better performance in the new season. T&T has been without a regional First Class title since 2006, when Daren Ganga took the Red Force to the crown.

- Trinidad Guardian

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20 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Simple oven jerk chicken for busy people Chris De La Rosa Caribbean Cooking With the busy lifestyle we tend to live and the fact that more and more students are now reaching out for recipes, I figured I’d share this sort of hack or cheat’s way of doing amazing jerk chicken in the oven.

Yes, traditionalists will say that you need, smoke, fire and the goodness from pimento wood to really make it “jerk” but when you don’t have access to such, you improvise.

In under 1 hr I’ll have you eating the most juicy, flavorful and tender oven jerk chicken you’ve ever had. No Lie! Even your Jamaican friends will be asking you for the recipe when you serve this up at that dinner party you’ve been meaning to have.

Yo Y You’ll ou u’’ll ll N Need: eed: ee d: d: 1 1/2 cups jerk marinade (your fav store bought) 1 cup orange juice 3 scallions 1 scotch bonnet pepper 1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional) 1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar 4 sprigs fresh thyme 2 medium onions 4 lbs chicken IMPORTANT! If you’re doing this jerk chicken according to a gluten free diet, do pay attention to the store-bought jerk marinade as it may contain soy sauce and other ingredients which may not fit with your gluten free dietary needs. There are gluten free jerk marinades you can now purchase or you can make your own marinade.

You can certainly make your own jerk marinade, but it does take time and require a few more ingredients than what’s listed above. Remember this jerk chicken is supposed to be fast, but not hurt for flavors. So go with your favorite store-bought

ma m marinade, ari rina nade de, but but let bu llets le ettss eelevate leva le v te te iitt a bi bbit it w it wi with ith th ssome om me ad additional dditi dition di tiion onaal al ffreshness resshhness resh re neess ss aand nndd fl flaaavor. v r vo Chop the scallions, thyme, onion and scotch bonnet pepper. Use as much pepper as you can handle and remember to help control the heat a bit, don’t use any of the seeds. Do wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers. Grate the ginger and get ready to assemble the marinade. Pour the everything a bowl and whisk well.

Trim off any fat and excess skin off the chicken pieces (I used legs with the thighs attached), but do keep most of the skin as it will roast and give it a good color and some wonderful flavor. Since this is a fast-cook, we don’t have time to really marinate the chicken so lets go ahead and make a couple deep cuts down to the bone of the chicken (thick part).

Now pour the marinade all over the chicken and mix well.

Line an oven proof baking dish (I didn’t and it’s a lot of clean-up work after) with tin foil and pour everything into it. Set your oven at 400F and place on the middle rack when it comes to temp. After 30 mins,

rre remove emo emov movvee aand mo nd fl nd fliiip p th the he ppi pieces iec eces es ooff cchicken, then bback ba ack k iint nt hhee ov nt oven ven e ffor orr aanother n ther 100 minutes. So no 40 minutes in total.

After 40 minutes it’s time to crank the heat up to give the chicken some color and really make it attractive. So set the oven at broil (525F), but do keep an eye on things as it will be easy to have it burn at this point.

It will take about 4-7 minutes to take on a delicious colour. Remember to flip so you get even coloring. I must mention that most commercial jerk marinades are high in sodium so you’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt, but you can certainty add a bit of salt if you wish. If you wish you can also go with half orange juice and half pineapple juice in the marinade for a more fruity finish.

In under one hour you’ll have what I guarantee is an amazing Jamaican Jerk Chicken dish! And that gravy will be delightful on some rice and peas.

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 21

Seasonal vinyasa Yoga: Capture the energy of spring The yogis and nutritionists both agree that it is never too late, or too early, to consider sequencing your life today for a healthier tomorrow. I think of sequencing as both an art form and a science that anyone can master.

All you need is sincere focus and attention from the beginning to the end of your vision. Trust in your body’s innate wisdom to guide you through the beautiful moment-tomoment discovery of presence—of the now.

This is what ultimately leads to the spontaneous, blissful experience we call yoga.

I believe the more you practice adapting to new routines and seasonally breaking the momentum of habits before they become addictions, the stronger, healthier, and more open you become as a person.

Instead of your world feeling boxed in by your routine, making seasonal changes helps you widen your gaze so you experience more in life, seeing new potentials and possibilities in your work, family, diet, adventures, and exercise routines that connect to

the revolving world around you.

In the end, the practice of yoga—on the mat and off the mat—is really all about practice. Practice will lead you to your truth, to the essence of who you are.

Here are just a few of the spring practices from my book, Art of Sequencing – Volume Two, to weave into your daily, weekly, or monthly routines: Spring Practices Drink hot lemon water with a little salt in the morning to stimulate elimination.

Meditate for 5 to 30 minutes on melting glaciers, the image of vibrant green plant life, or new intentions.

Exercise outdoors or do a vigorous yoga practice to break a sweat every day, with no exception. In addition to physical workouts, a steam sauna or hot tub can help release toxins. Try an elimination diet for two weeks.

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crease heavy, oily, cold, fat-rich foods such as meat, seafood, poultry, dairy products, and foods cooked in oil. Increase your intake of foods that are bitter (like arugula), spicy (like radish), and astringent (like grapefruit) to promote cleansing of the liver, digestive organs, and blood.

With “spring fever” in the air, it’s a great time to start new projects, take classes, plant seeds, and travel, while the energy is there for the taking.

Practice inversions to turn your world and organs upside down. Think of your body like a jug of orange juice. If it sits in one position—upright—for too long, the pulp ends up settling to the bottom of the container. The yogis believe the same thing happens in our bodies, particularly in the organs. The pulp in this case is undigested, inorganic matter that we ingest through the air we breathe or food we eat. By flipping your body upside down, you create a gentle cleanse, where toxins or waste products get

pulled by gravity from deep inside your tissues towards the center of the body. With sufficient hydration and exercise, these toxins can move out through the skin (via perspiration), exhaled breaths, urination, and bowel movements.

Join Gaiam TV for the Conscious Cleanse!

Join us as we go through a 14-day clean eating and yoga challenge. We’ll guide you through a journey of personal growth and transformation using clean, from-the-earth nutrition paired with detoxing yoga practices from the best yoga teachers around.

No calories to count, no supplements to buy. This is a back-to-the-basics approach to simplify all of the things you put into your body – nutrition, exercise, and thoughts.

- My Yoga Online

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 23

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Alkaline Drink: What is it and does it work?

Alkaline water has become all the rage–and it’s easy to understand why. Proponents say that alkalized water can boost your metabolism, reduce acid in your bloodstream, and help your body absorb nutrients more quickly, among other benefits. Follow these tips to start alkalizing your own water at home today!

Rich in potassium, folate, Vitamin B6 and thiamin, lemons also contain bankable amounts of magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and vitamins A and E. Vitamin C is one of the quickest and easiest ways to boost your immune system.

It helps neutralize free radicals associated with aging and disease and it’s also excellent for the skin.

What is it? he Honestly Healthy Alkaline Programme, set up by nutritional therapist Vicki Edgson and organic chef Natasha Corrett (she’s also the step-sister of Sienna Miller), involves eating mainly alkaline foods in order to keep the body’s pH between 7.35 and 7.45. The

ultimate aim is to eat 80 per cent alkaline foods and 20 per cent acidic foods.

Make Lemon Water While it is a really simple process with few ingredients, it is still worth giving you my process so you can see how I do it.

In reality you’ll find your own way/ combo that you like, but here’s how I do it: • • •

400ml of room temperature filtered (I use ionized) water 100ml of boiled water 1/3 medium sized lemon

Immune Boosting: Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies.

Fights Aging & Free Radical Formation: the high levels of Vitamin C from lemons travel through the body neutralizing any free radicals with which it comes into contact.

Free radicals can destroy healthy cells and

also cause a lot of inflammation, or painful swelling, in the body. This is one of the reasons that vitamin C has been shown to be helpful for reducing some of the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis: vitamin C-rich foods, such as lemons and limes, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.

Anti-Biotic: flavonoids in lemons and limes called flavonol glycosides have antibiotic effects – helping prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases.

Anti-Cancer: Lemons and limes contain unique flavonoid compounds that have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. In fact, research has shown that compounds in citrus fruits, including lemons and limes, called limonoids have been shown to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stom-

ach and colon.

Detoxifying: Warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins built up and processed for removal during your sleep. If you stay dehydrated your body has no way of expelling these toxins and they can get stored in fat, to protect your vital organs.

Help your body get them out by hydrating with lemon water!

Anti-Inflammatory: lemons help with reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid – also making it very helpful for gout.

Liver Health: Lemon water helps to strengthen the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too diluted.

Eye Health: the vitamins and cartenoids in lemons helps prevent macular degeneration – i.e. it maintains the health of the eyes and your eyesight!

- Natural News

Birth control pills and BPA are causing fish to become infertile, disrupting entire ecosystems Two widespread industrial chemicals can cause infertility in fish down to at least the fourth generation: The plastics chemical bisphenol A (BPA) and a key ingredient in human birth control pills, according to a study conducted by researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and published in the journal Scientific Reports.

“We were looking at things that can be important in reproduction and survival, the fertilization rate and the survival of embryos,” researcher Donald Tillit said.

Prior studies have shown that certain pollutants can induce changes that are passed on to offspring.

“What we know now is it can occur in fish,” Tillit said. “Now we know that fish exposed can pass the effects to offspring several generations down.”

Grandchildren, great-grandchildren affected The study was conducted in the laboratory, where researchers exposed developing fish embryos to BPA or to 17a-ethinylestradiol (EE2, a

major ingredient in oral contraceptives). Both chemicals have been confirmed as endocrine disruptors that can cause developmental disorders.

The fish were observed and allowed to reproduce, and their offspring were also observed for three generations. Other than the original generation, none of the fish were exposed to the chemicals.

No reproductive abnormalities were observed in the exposed fish, or in their offspring. The third generation of exposed fish (the “grandchildren”), however, exhibited a 30 decrease in fertility compared with fish whose ancestors had never been exposed. The next generation (“great-grandchildren”) had a 20 percent drop in fertility.

“If those trends continued, the potential for declines in overall population numbers might be expected in future generations,” researcher Ramji Bhandari said. “These adverse outcomes, if shown in natural populations, could have negative impacts on fish inhabiting contaminated aquatic environments.”

“This study shows that even though

endocrine disruptors may not affect the life of the exposed fish, it may negatively affect future generations.”

The multigenerational effects observed likely belong to the field of epigenetics, which studies the way that changes in gene expression (rather than the DNA itself) can be passed on to future generations. Studies have shown that everything from BPA and pesticides to changes in the maternal diet can cause epigenetic changes down to four or more generations.

Endocrine disruptors widespread The chemicals studied are both widespread in the environment, and like other pollutants they tend to concentrate in aquatic environments.

BPA is a chemical used to make plastics hard and transparent, and also to make resins that line food and beverage cans - both of which can cause it to leach into human food and from there into the water supply. BPA is also used in a variety of common non-food consumer and industrial products, including electronics and even the paper used to print re-

ceipts.

In recent years, concerns over the health effects of BPA have led to a proliferation of “BPA-free” products. Unfortunately, studies suggest that these substitutes have the same health effects as BPA. EE2 is a major ingredient in birth control pills, and about 68 percent of all EE2 in such pills has been shown to pass out of the body unchanged in urine or excrement.

Even though EE2 passes into the environment in such large quantities, a 2010 USGS study showed that the amount of estrogen released into drinking water by birth control pills is utterly dwarfed by the amount released from other sources, such as livestock operations and soy and dairy foods. This just goes to show the massive scale on which human are flooding the environment with out-ofplace hormones.

This flood of hormones may be one reason for the recently observed phenomenon of male fish in U.S. rivers changing into females. This is also being studied by the USGS. - Natural News

24 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Why plenty of water is vital to optimum health Why and how water is vital to our health The human body is about is 70% water. Newborns are roughly 80% water, and elderly are as little as 50% water. Our muscles are about 75% water. Even our bones, which seem completely solid, are 25% water. Without food, we would eventually die, but without water, we would die a lot sooner. Depending on the amount of fat and muscle in our bodies, most of us can live several weeks without food, 5-7 weeks on average. The average person can only survive 5 days without water. Undoubtedly, water is life.

Our bodies use water to deliver oxygen and nutrients to every cell in the body and to remove waste and toxins from each cell.

Water is a crucial component of our nervous system and an adequate supply is needed for our nervous system to send its signals.

Back Pain is A Common Symptom of Dehydration When dehydrated, even when mildly dehydrated, our joints are robbed of fluids. Do you ever suffer from back pain? If so, does your back hurt more in the morning? Many of us lose water throughout the night with nighttime bathroom runs and nightsweats. If we don’t think to replace those fluids, dehydration results which inflames the kidneys, and this can cause back pain. Whenever your back hurts, try drinking several glasses of water. The pain usually subsides. This makes sense because the fluid inside the body’s spinal discs supports 75% of the body’s weight.

“When the disks in your spine lack water, they begin to degenerate and herniate more quickly. It’s similar to driving a car on underinflated tires. The tires will either wear out faster or eventually blow out.” Don Colbert

M.D. Water Does All the Work Water is the workhorse of our digestive system.

Water is the primary part of all of our digestive fluids. Saliva, bile, stomach acid, pancreatic juices, and the mucus that lines our gastrointestinal tract are mostly water. Without adequate water intake the digestive system doesn’t work, as it should. The mucous layer in our stomach is actually 98% water, and this is the best all natural protection against heartburn. The mucous layer contains bicarbonate, which effectively neutralizes stomach acid. When our bodies have adequate water, this mucous layer is thick, but when we do not, it is very thin. Contrary to popular belief, heartburn is not caused by an antacid deficiency, but rather it is usually caused by a water deficiency. Water is the most effective heartburn medication there is, and the cheapest, too.

A Natural Cure All People who suffer from asthma and/or allergies typically have high histamine levels. Histamine forces the muscles in the bronchial tubes to constrict, which inhibits airflow through the lungs. Studies have shown that histamine levels drop as water intake increases. If you suffer from asthma or allergies “...water may improve your symptoms more than the latest round of inhalers or pills from pharmaceutical companies.” Don Colbert M.D. Water is good for vascular health as well. Blood is more than 80% water. Adequate water intake can help to lower blood pressure, and it can play a part in preventing strokes and heart attacks. When we are dehydrated, our blood is thicker and more prone to clotting.

Our brains, which are very sensitive to dehydration, are about 85% water. One of the easiest ways to improve brain function, especially your memory, is to increase water intake.

Water also enhances immune system function. Common medical advice is to drink lots of water when we are sick, but if we drink adequate amounts of water all the time, we are less likely to get sick in the first place.

Daily intake is dependent upon weight, climate, and activity level - roughly half a gallon to a gallon a day for a person weighing 150 lbs. Drink water past the point that you don’t feel thirsty.

Getting Enough Water Many people drink other fluids instead of water. Although it is true that these drinks are mostly water, the caffeine, sugar or artificial flavors and colors put a strain on your body in various ways, and this can cost your body more water than what was consumed in the drink. For those who want to drink more water, but need flavors and sweetness, here’s a recipe for cranberry lemonade that helps detoxify the body as well.

Conclusion If you’re not consuming enough water, you’re increasing the strain on your body, and accelerating the aging process. It is harder than most people think to drink too much water, and drinks that contain caffeine or sugar are very poor substitutes that rob the body of water (and minerals) with high acidity. There is no other substance that is as important to our health as water.

- Natural News

Experts respond with real science after The Independent runs pro-GMO articles Leading the charge for more honest inquiry and debate, a cohort of scientists, professors, academics and other leading experts in agriculture is challenging a series of articles published in The Independent, a UK paper, that promote biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as the solution to world hunger.

After running several pro-GMO articles recently, The Independent began receiving letters from folks familiar with the science behind the controversial technology, warning that it isn’t what it seems. The science is inconclusive on the safety and effectiveness of GM crops, many of them explained, and yet the mainstream media continues to trot out stories of unfettered support for their use.

One of the articles countering claims that GMOs are the future of food explains how, contrary to popular belief, they haven’t actually reduced chemical inputs or improved yields.

Many farmers are abandoning the technology, in fact, because it doesn’t work, and it locks them into a perpetual system of corporate control and debt.

“The industry’s claims that GM crops yield more are countered by stories of American farmers moving back to higher-yielding non-GM varieties,” wrote Peter Melchett, policy director at the UK-based Soil Association,

for The Independent.

“An industry-supported paper claiming GM crops led to a dramatic reduction in chemical sprays is countered by scientific papers using US government data which show, overall, spray use has increased since GM crops were introduced.”

GMOs are making it harder to farm, are causing more pollution and aren’t delivering higher yields Melchett goes further to explain that GMOs aren’t feeding the world but are actually making it much harder to farm in many areas where so-called “superbugs” and “superweeds” have taken over as a result of chemical-induced pesticide resistance.

“People are hungry today because they do not have access to nutritious food -lacking either the money to buy it or the land or other means to grow it -- not because of an insufficiency of food produced, GM or otherwise,” added Clare Oxborrow, along with Melchett and a number of other scientists, professors and experts, in a separate letter to The Independent.

“The real scandal is not opposition to GM crops, but why GM continues to get funding and political support when it is failing to

deliver; when the plethora of innovative and sustainable agricultural practices delivering real solutions for farmers, communities and the environment globally get minimal support.”

The real solution to world hunger is to diversify and decentralize agriculture, not consolidate it into the hands of a few powerful multinational corporations. Low-input, organic farming methods, in other words, are the best bet the world has at generating enough food to feed a population that is expected to grow to 9.6 billion people in 2050, according to the Pew Research Center.

“The science of GM food risk assessment has progressed much since 2004, and a small, but troubling share of peer-reviewed studies point to previously unforeseen risks,” added Dr. Charles Benbrook from the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources at Washington State University, in yet another letter to The Independent.

“The recent reclassification of glyphosate as a ‘probable human carcinogen’ by the World Health Organisation is the latest in a series of ominous developments in the world of GM food safety.”

- Natural News

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Be wary of bogus weight loss supplements Dr. Lydia Thurton ND BASc

Health Tips On virtually a daily basis I have a patient ask me about a weight loss supplement. Lofty claims of pounds melting away inevitably intrigue even the most critical thinker. Year after year new products enter stores with big marketing dollars expended to get you to buy. So what can you trust in the way of weight loss?

Very little. I’ve gone through the research and

these supplements just do not stand up to their claims.

Apple cider vinegar is one of those bogus weight loss supplements that just does not make any sense to me. It’s vinegar. Yes, it comes from apples, and is more nutritious that plain white vinegar. However, vinegar does not spontaneously cause your body to burn fat.

Apple cider vinegar has a ton of uses. It helps improve digestion before a meal, it can be used as a facial toner or on smelly feet to reduce odor. However, when it comes to fat loss, this vinegar, or any vinegar should not be depended on.

Coffee beans that have not been roasted are referred to as green beans. Enter the second supplement fad to capitalize on the weight loss industry. Green bean coffee extract. Green beans contain a substance called cholorogenic acid which has antioxidant and blood pressure lowering qualities. Not a bad supplement. Spe-

cifically in terms of weight loss, way more research is needed. Most of the research has been done in mice and rats. One human study was promising, but until more research been conducted I think it is premature to tout green bean coffee extract as the next weight loss aid.

Garcinia cambogia is a little green fruit that looks like a pumpkin. It is used to flavor curries in South East Asia and recently gained notoriety for its potential ability to help burn fat. While some research did show that garcinia had some effect on tummy fat and feelings of fullness after eating, other research could not demonstrate any effect. Furthermore, there were some cases of liver toxicity reported in the research. This supplement should be used cautiously if you have any sort of liver problems. Better yet, speak to your health care provider about your weight loss goals and spend time, money and energy wisely.

Nutrition and dental health Dr. Matthew Weekes BSC DDS MTh DMin

Dental Health

It is important to pay attention to good nutrition early in life. This is especially true for mothers since the development of teeth starts in the womb.

Good nutrition is essential for the development of teeth as early as six weeks in the fetal stage. Therefore during pregnancy moth-

ers should be aware that they have the important responsibility of maximizing good dental and general health of their children. A mother’s diet should provide the building blocks for healthy teeth in a healthy oral environment.

The diet should include adequate amounts of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin C and vitamin D. Basically the foods that are beneficial for your body are also good for your teeth. The foods that may cause most damage are high in sugar, starch and acids. Sugar and starchy foods sustain the growth of bacteria which produce products that demineralize the teeth and can cause inflammation leading to infections in the teeth, bone and gums. Acids which are found in citrus foods also decalcify teeth and commonly cause cavities. The important factor to remember is the length of time residual amounts of these foods remain in the mouth.

The longer the time, the more damaging the effects.

A well balanced diet should include Vitamin C for good oral health, Vitamin D for preventing bone loss and maintaining general health.

When choosing your meals and snacks, it is advisable to drink plenty of water, select foods from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, a source of protein such as lean beef, skinless poultry, fish, peas, legumes, low fat or fat free dairy products.

Food supplements are beneficial in replacing the depleted minerals in adults especially the elderly. For those with serious medical issues, you should check with your family doctor as to whether or not there could be any adverse reaction to the prescribed medication you are taking.

Getting in shape!

Monique Bartlett Fitness When you decide to get in shape it makes you feel good about yourself. If you feel better and look better you are more confident, have greater self esteem and can be more active. To get in shape you need to eat a healthier diet but you must also train with weights as well as include cardio workouts. This will not only make you toned but will help to increase your metabolism so you burn more fat.

Before starting a workout plan you should evaluate your current position and

goals. Have you spoken with your doctor to find out if there are any limitations to your current physical activity? How much can you comfortably lift? How long has it been since you last worked out? How much weight would you like to lose? This all impacts the plan you must put together. I also suggest keeping a log of your sessions so you can see your progress.

That way you can also remember what weight you were lifting in your last session so you don’t overdo it.

Many people think they need to spend hours in the gym. The truth is that muscles respond better to short intense sessions. High intensity workouts work quite well. Quick bursts of energy and quick breaks shock your body to make positive changes faster. If you’ve never done this type of workout before make sure to learn from a professional and start at your own pace. There’s no point in doing more than you are ready for and then ending up injured. If your technique is bad it will also lead to injuries and poor results. Make sure to get your technique right and to use a weight that you

can lift without struggling. It’s also important to remember to stretch and warm up as warm muscles respond better to strength training and it will also help you avoid injury.

When training with weights your body will burn up more protein as these are the building blocks of muscle. Five to six small protein rich meals a day is your goal. Protein takes longer to breakdown in your system thus increasing your metabolism and burning more calories. You should also speak with a professional about the best types of supplements to enhance your weight loss success. It’s also important to make sure to get enough rest. Muscles grow when the body is asleep so get plenty of rest for maximum gains. It will also help you to not over train and reduce your stress levels.

So workout harder and in shorter intervals and you will see positive gains quickly.

That way you can live your life healthier and with more energy. You will not only be proud about how you feel but also what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror!

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 25

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TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Equalization of Matrimonial Property: What is excluded Valerie Dye Legal Matters In a previous article I discussed the process of equalization of family assets. Couples for the most part, only turn their minds to equalization or division of matrimonial assets when there is a breakdown in the marriage. Each spouse calculates his or her net family property by determining the value of assets (less debts) at the date of marriage and the value of assets (less debts) at the date of separation (valuation date). The date of marriage value is then subtracted from the valuation date value and the difference is the net family property for each party. The party who has the higher net family property pays half of the difference to the other party Almost anything acquired during the marriage would be considered as matrimonial property for the purpose of equalization. This includes real property as well as personal property such as vehicles, pensions, RRSPs, and bank accounts. Nonetheless, the Family Law Act in Ontario allows spouses to exclude certain assets acquired during the marriage from the calculation of their net family assets.

Such exclusions include gifts or inheritances that one party acquires from a third party, compensation received for personal injury and proceeds of a life insurance that are payable upon the death of the insured. If, for instance Jim’s net family property is $400,000 and his wife Mary’s net family property is $300,000 Jim would need to pay Mary $50,000. However, if $100,000 of Jim’s net family property was an inheritance from his grandfather he may be able

to deduct this from his net family property which will leave him with a net family property of $300,000.00. He would then not need to make any payments to Mary.

Although these items are excluded from the net family property certain important issues need to be borne in mind.

Firstly, if the gift or inheritance subsequently becomes the matrimonial home or is used to acquire the matrimonial home, it is no longer excluded from the net family property.

Secondly, in order to exclude the gift or inheritance from consideration as net family property it must be traceable. In other words, gifts which become intermingled with other assets may not be easily traceable and it may therefore be impossible to exclude those gifts from the net family property.

Thirdly, if the gift or the proceeds of the gift are used within the home for a common family purpose the court may not permit the property to be excluded. In Belgiorgio and Belgiorgio 2000 ONSC the husband claimed that money he inherited was used to buy items for the home including a television set, hot tub, refrigerator, a Kawasaki motorcycle and a dining room suite.

These items were used by the family. Mr. Belgiorgio tried to exclude these properties from the calculation of his net family property for the purpose of equalization. The judge stated that property which would otherwise be excluded from calculation as net family property would no longer be excluded if it could be traced to property used for the common purpose of the family.

It is therefore important to remember that if there is no intention of sharing gifts and proceeds of insurance in the event that the marriage breaks down then these items should be kept separate from other matrimonial assets.

One important thing to note is that a gift from the husband to the wife or vice versa is not excluded.

Immigration: Express entry Express Entry candidates have the skills and experience necessary to contribute to Canada’s economy and job market more quickly than ever before. The first set of permanent residents under Express Entry, including Emma Hughes, Yaoyao (Anita) Zheng and Xin (Frank) Zhao are leading the way in Canada’s new approach to economic immigration which is a category of immigrants specifically selected for their skills and ability to contribute to Canada’s economy.

How does Express Entry Work?

Express Entry manages applications in the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), Federal Skilled Trades Program (FST), Canadian Experience Class (CEC) and a portion of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

Someone interested in immigrating to Canada permanently under one these programs will create an online profile with information about themselves including their skills and experience. Candidates who meet the minimum criteria are placed into the pool and ranked by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) which looks at various fac-

tors, including language proficiency, education, skills and experience, among others.

Invitations to apply are then given to the highest ranked candidates in each invitation round. In 2015, CIC expects to have 15-25 invitation rounds.

What do we know about candidates in the Express Entry Pool?

The composition of the pool changes as candidates enter and exit on an ongoing basis.

With more than 22,000 active people in the pool, candidates from around the globe are represented. Learn more about who immigrates to Canada by reading our Facts and Figures for 2013.

What do we know about the invitation rounds to date?

There have been six invitation rounds since January 31, 2015 with a total of 6,851 invitations to apply for permanent residence sent.

The highest CRS score of these rounds was 886 which was in first round, and the lowest was 453 which was the most recent round on March 27th.

- CIC

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

407ETR aggressive collection tactics have to stop!

Tammy Flores 407ETR Matters CTV News has been doing a great job covering the billing nightmare people have had to endure from the toll highway, 407 ETR. They just did a story about a woman who didn’t drive on the highway, but because her boyfriend used her car and drove on the highway, the company is coming after her.

407 ETR claims the car was on the highway over 600 times. As far as I am concerned it’s just this company’s word against this woman’s because I doubt they provided proof that those trips from back in 2003 actually occurred.

407 ETR took this woman to court for $24,000.00 on a debt that was from 2003.

This is not the first time I heard of this happening. The company presents to the public that they have fifteen years to enforce collection of a debt by going to court, however, the Limitations Act says two years. The company thinks the rules apply to everyone else except them. We are waiting on a decision from Justice Edwards on exactly how long 407 ETR has to enforce collection on a debt.

My guess is he will rule two years just like the Limitations Act says.

Unfortunately, when the company bullies people like this, they usually can’t afford a lawyer and end up without a defense and they get hosed. Thanks to Torkin Manes, that could all change very soon. This law firm has concerns about people having access to justice and has been working to see if there is some way to represent a Class or two of people that have been stung by the 407 ETR in this way. I think that is great because 407 ETR has been the bully in the playground for far too long. It’s about time someone knocked them down!

These older cases from the late 90’s

and early 2000’s are so questionable and really unfair. You see, 407 ETR voluntarily suspended their Plate Denial rights around this time. It seems to me they knew there were issues, but they didn’t reveal those issues publicly. The Province did an investigation and revealed some of the issues in 2004.

Regardless, in August of 2003, the company started to deny a limited number of people’s plates. Why only a limited number? I think it’s a question the company should answer because they knew there could be significant changes in their reporting on their financial statements. Was it because they knew some of those debts could not be proved? Did the company just arbitrarily decide to try anyway and just dictate to the public the way it was going to be? If the company was exercising their right to place people in Plate Denial in 2003, did they place this woman in Plate Denial and did they try to enforce collection?

Maybe not because the company complained that they didn’t gain access to Plate Denial until November 2005, following a judicial review. They claimed that as a result there was a “backlog” of accounts, including from plates no longer attached to the vehicles that drove on the highway. So did they then place this woman in Plate Denial and try to enforce collection? Why is this an issue in 2015???? It seems to me this company had ample opportunity to enforce collections.

“The Advocates Society” hits the nail on the head in that the company claims Plate Denial (which is a mechanism to enforce collection) is more than a collection tool. They claim it’s also about behavior modification and that Plate Denial (or should I say aggressive collection) will help us be better drivers. I would say that is absolutely ridiculous as this case is proof that they view Plate Denial as a collection tool along with other collection “strategies”. They weren’t interested in whether or not this woman became a better driver, she wasn’t even the one that drove on the highway. All this company is concerned with is aggressively collecting money that may not even be legal to begin with.

100 Year Journey project tells the story of South Asian pioneers QUEBEC -- A new project funded by the government will help bring the story of how Canadians of South Asian heritage helped build this country into classrooms across Canada.

At a reception to launch Asian Heritage Month, the Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister for Multiculturalism and the Hon. Tim Uppal, Minister of State for Multiculturalism, announced that the Government of Canada is providing Inter-Action funding of almost $200,000 for the 100 Year Journey Project, a book chronicling the narratives of 100 South Asian pioneers to Canada. The book tells the stories of some of the first South Asians in Canada, detailing how they

provided shelter and support for new immigrants, fought tirelessly for the voting rights of all communities, and spent years away from their loved ones as they set up new lives for themselves and their families.

This expansion will allow the 100 Year Journey Project to reprint the book, which was originally published in November 2014, as well as develop and release an electronic edition. The project will also create teaching materials to aid in the presentation of the book and develop a comprehensive website to capture and share more stories.

- CIC

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 27

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FOR SALE FOR SALE

LAND: Great Inescapable Commercial Potential. Land Ownership Opportunity ,New Highway Intersection South Trinidad .

Freehold 13,000 sqft , road front on overpass Price $475,000 CAD or $ 2.4 M TT . for info 647 349 6633 , Dianne 1868 680 5874 , wingurri@yahoo.com

LAND: Highway Exposure LAND Trinidad Inescapable Commercial in Industrial Booming Area. Prime Central Trinidad Lands 3 parcels Straddled Couva , Freeport and Preysal. Freehold available 7 , 10 and 47 acres parcels. Priced $ 3.5 Million TT / acre / $ 662,000 CAD/ acre.

Contact 647 477 8542 , 647 349 6633 , wingurri@yahoo.com

LAND: 3.5 acres for Land with 3 bedroom house for sale in Anchovy Jamaica. For more info call Fay 905-452-8578.

LAND: Land for sale, South Trinidad with Highway frontage (New Southern Highway Extension,) MINS from San Fernando 2 3/4 Lots. Fully approved Excellent for Business, investment $325,000.00 (CAD) or $1.625million TTD. CONTACT: sian@ sgurri.com or 1-868-468-7672

LAND: Land for Sale in Guyana. 3 house lots at Blankenburg West Dememara. Each lot measuring 50 feet x 75 feet. Price negotiable. Call Zafar 416-619-4441

FOR SALE COMPANIONSHIP COMPANIONSHIP WANTED: East Indian Guyanese Male, Age 41 5 foot 9 Dark hair brown eyes medium build. Seeking a Guyanese or Trinidadian female. Medium built busty age 18 to 65 for a relationship.

Call 416-422-2935

FORWANTED SALE HELP

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WEST INDIAN COOK: West Indian Cook Wanted for busy Caribbean establishment in Mississauga. Please contact 905-564-7800 DETAILER: Detailer wanted for busy detailing shop in Mississauga. No experiences necessary, must be hard working and reliable. Contact Johnny 416-997-0279 CHINESE WEST INDIAN COOK: CHINESE West Indian Cook Wanted for busy Caribbean establishment in Mississauga.

Please contact 905-564-7800

FOR SALE LOOKING FOR CARETAKER POSITION: Looking for a Live In Caretaker position. Preferable in the Brampton area. Call 905-791-8084

LIST UP TO 30 WORDS FREE! Send your information to info@torontocaribbean.com or call 647-722-6298

FOR SALE WORSHIP

30 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Your Horoscope - May 6th 2015 ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

If you’ve felt like you’d rather walk than run over the past month, it’s because Mars has been on a slow go through Taurus. Starting Thursday, Mercury in Gemini will get you better mobilized, not only physically but socially, too. Sunday’s full moon sets the stage for a major financial, legal, relationship, or personal step forward. Wednesday brings fruition, reward, or opportunity.

Mars and Mercury in Taurus have kept you driven and focused for the past few weeks.

Perhaps you’ve been plowing through or hanging on, too. Mercury’s 10-week visit to Gemini will now launch a domino cycle and get it rolling faster. Through Sunday’s full moon, Mercury is in a face-off with realitycheck Saturn. Call it progress.

For the next 10 weeks, Mercury in Gemini will keep life on a faster spin. First, though, there’s something or someone holding you up or piling on added pressure. Sunday’s full moon could expose something you’ve missed or overlooked. On the plus side, it can take the edge off. By Tuesday/Wednesday, you’ll hit a much easier, smoother move-along.

Should you or shouldn’t you? Inwardly or outwardly, the next few days can put you through the paces. If you can’t make a decision or take action, let it play out; it will.

Although there’s still push/pull or uncertainty at the start of the week, by Wednesday/ Thursday, you should feel that you’re finding your way.

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

Since the middle of the month, Venus in Gemini has been boosting your social life and earning potential. As of Thursday evening, you’ll gain a second wind from Mercury in Gemini. Even so, through Saturday/ Sunday there’s something to reach, complete, or clear away. Sunday through Tuesday, the full moon makes it official. By Wednesday, you should feel things are shaping up well.

By Sunday onward, something you’ve been working through or toward will become much clearer. Along with the full moon, Mercury/Saturn can remove a doubt or a block, end a wait, provide an answer, make you feel more justified or more secure. The week ahead is a lucrative time to hunt for a new job, project, or address.

Your timing is good Thursday/Friday, especially when you take your lead from the here and now. For the most part, Mercury in Gemini puts you in a good social flow and head space. Use this transit to get yourself better situated, educated, or known. Sunday’s full moon can spring something extra on you. On Wednesday, get moving, put it into action. Opportunity is at peak.

Is your charge card doing overtime? Mercury will spend the next 10 weeks in your financial sector. Over the next few days, it opposes Saturn. It pays to be a realist— a serious talk with yourself or another is well timed. Sunday’s full moon can take the brakes off and/or dish up a great opportunity. Monday onward, dive in.

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

Mercury in Gemini will get you out and about more. It’ll give you more to talk about, too, but you may be on a pause or delayed response until Sunday, when Mercury surpasses Saturn. The full moon can reveal or confirm more. As well, it could add expense or strike a deeper emotional chord. From here, you’ll hit a major upswing, especially on Wednesday.

Keep working on it, but don’t buy into the struggle part or force what isn’t coming naturally. Once Mercury surpasses Saturn early Sunday, the answer, solution, right words, or right time can be found. The Scorpio full moon prompts a breakthrough, an opening, or a turnaround. It’s easily obtained, gained, or undertaken. Monday through Wednesday, it’s full steam ahead.

For the past few weeks, Venus in Gemini has put your heart in the game. As of Thursday, Mercury puts your head in it too. Both boost creative, social, and romantic opportunity, but Venus has recently been diffused and Mercury must first pass Saturn. Wednesday is optimal; speak it, sell it, go exploring, cut loose, go all out.

For the next 10 weeks, Mercury in Gemini will keep you on the go with home projects, family, visitors, or address-hunting. The transit will also keep you busy with a homebased business or a creative-writing project.

Sunday’s full moon could give you greater clarity on a legal matter or see you wrap up important paperwork.

March 20 - April 19

July 22 - August 22

November 22 - December 21

April 19 - May 20

August 22 - September 22

December 21 - January 19

May 20 - June 21

September 22 - October 23

January 19 - February 18

Across 2) Serving time 5) Police identifier 6) Clothes for workers 8) Possible paramedic call 12) Water delivery system 13) Communication tool 14) Rooftop noisemaker 16) Gadget’s rank 17) Head fireman 18) To serve and ____

Down 1) Helps reach high 3) Medical mobile 4) Bed on wheels 7) Firefighter’s canine companion 9) Water hookup 10) Answers 9-1-1 11) K-9 unit partners 15) Slap the cuffs on

June 21 - July 22

October 23 - November 22

February 18 - March 19

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Home equity loans for vehicle financing Jelani Daniel Automotive Corner Home equity loans are a growing trend among vehicle buyers, but are they really the best option for your budget? Rates and stipulations may be different from person to person, but by understanding the basic risks and benefits, you can make a better decision in the long run.

Do low interest rates mean lower payments? Lower interest rates on a home equity loan can be an attractive feature, but the length of the payments may extend beyond the ten year mark. By looking at both the interest rate and the length of the payback period, you can see if a vehicle financing is a more suitable option. Typically, auto financing has a higher interest rate but the payback period remains under the five year mark, or possibly less if you have a higher initial deposit.

Your house is part of the loan: This simple statement carries heavy weight and is a large factor to consider when applying for a home

equity loan. Your property is now part of the loan agreement, bringing both your vehicle and house as items that can be repossessed due to a failure to pay. With an auto finance structure, only your car and credit are affected by a failure to pay.

What are the incentives? The largest incentive would be deductible payments on your taxes. This may help lower your housing costs in the long run, but be sure that the interest rate will not cost you more than you are saving each year on taxes. Being aware of the interest structure and annual tax rates can help you better understand how much you can save on taxes versus how much you will spend on your loan.

Overall, there are rewards to a home equity loan including the ability to save money on your taxes and pay lower interest rates. Although there are pro’s, it is always valuable to ensure that you understand the impact of the loan on long terms costs and assets that could get repossessed.

Even after a car is sold or unusable, you may still be paying for the loan since the payback period is extended beyond a typical auto finance period.

To find out if a home equity loan is right for you, you can research the topic in greater detail or speak with a professional about options available to you. Being fully informed is the best way to minimize risk and maximize your savings.

Bank Mortgage Insurance vs.

Individual Term Life Insurance Sherene Cole

CIP, CRM, CAIB, LLQP

Insurance Matters

You’ve purchased a home and in finalizing the details, the bank offers you mortgage insurance which will pay off the balance in the event of your premature death. Have you made the best decision? Here are some key differences between the insurance you purchased from the bank and that available from a private term life insurance policy. The following example looks at $500,000 in coverage over a twenty year period.

Independent Coverage VS. Joint Coverage: Bank mortgage insurance is usually based on joint life, so if either insured party dies - husband or wife, the benefit kicks in and the policy ends. Term 20 Life Insurance on the other hand offers independent coverage for both husband & wife, so if one dies, a full $ 500,000 is paid, and the surviving spouse’s coverage continues. LEVEL COVERAGE VS DECLINING COVERAGE. The Bank’s coverage is based on the outstanding balance of the mortgage, which means the amount payable in the event of death declines with that mortgage with every passing month. Term 20 Life insurance will

always pay the full policy coverage amount of $ 500,000 during the entire twenty year coverage period.

Flexibility & Protability: The Bank’s coverage is tied to your existing mortgage, your existing location and with one particular bank. In the event that you have to refinance or apply for a new mortgage in future, your rates will depend on your age or health condition then. The Term 20 is fully controlled by you; you will not need to reapply when you re-finance, move, or change banks. In addition, the Term 20 policy will still be effective even if you no longer live in Canada or carry a mortgage.

Convertibility: The Bank’s policy is not convertible to any permanent life insurance plan, while the Term 20 can be converted to any permanent plan regardless of your health or occupation.

Beneficiary & Creditor Protection: The Bank will always be the beneficiary, and the death benefit must go to the bank to pay off the balance of the mortgage. With the Term 20 you will always have the flexibility to name your beneficiary. That could make a major difference if there is a claim against your estate. The Term 20 Life Insurance policy will give you “creditor protection” as it is governed by the Canadian Insurance Act. Due to the life insurance beneficiary designation, it will bypass the estate, avoid the probate tax, and the family will get the funds much faster. It’s more tax efficient, and much simpler.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015 31

32 Wednesday, May 6, 2015

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Where is your focus?

Colleen Lindberg Business Development INTRINSIC VS. EXTRINSIC GOALS Have you ever heard of these terms before and do you know the difference and really… why the difference matters.

We as humans are striving toward things all the time, more money, more sleep (definitely me this morning), more love, better bodies, etc. and I can go on and on… but really the motivation

behind the goals is where our true focus lies.

Extrinsic aspirations would be defined in three main categories (I am sure there are others); money, fame or beauty. Have you ever felt yourself leaning toward the pursuit of these things?

Of course. Now the real question is how involved are you with, let’s just say fame where you would rather die trying then let up. You know what I mean? Let’s talk about one movie that really shows the example, on steroids, of extrinsic goals, the Wolf of Wall Street.. need I say more? He was driven by the money, the status, the fame and most of all the power which all and all lead to his destruction or a less meaningful life. I believe that extrinsic goals play a factor in some aspects of our motivation but does it consume you?

Now if we talk about intrinsic goals they are meaningful relationships, personal growth, spiritual connections, love of self and community contributions – all were positively associated with well-being. People who strongly desired to contribute to their community, for example, had more vitality and higher self-esteem. When people organize their behavior in terms of intrinsic strivings (relative to extrinsic strivings) they seem more content – they feel better about who they are and display more evidence of psychological health.

Do you see the difference?

Not that extrinsic goals are not needed, as sometimes they are what push us to the next level. I would just always encourage you to be aware of what you are focused on. What do you want the end result to look like? Are you striving

for notoriety or is it more a sense of accomplishment. These are a few of the things that I sit with when I am discussing my next goals, steps, action items. In my own life, I strive for more business, bigger goals and more money so that I can help more people. So I can build the school that I want to and be a bigger contribution in people’s lives. Unfortunately without the money aspect I wouldn’t be able to do it.

It’s one thing to push for a monetary goal it’s another to live in the greed of money.

Think about it, where do you really want to be and how can you better align yourself with your core values to make sure that you are striving for a more meaningful life, because really isn’t that what we really want.

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